sunflash-Distributed to mailing list sun/NC/north-carolina sunflash-Send requests, problems to owner-sunflash@suntri.east.sun.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash Third Party Product Announcements SunFLASH Vol 59 #6 November 1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstracts 59.06.A TERMSIM Terminal Simulator TERMSIM works by allowing the actions of end-users to be simulated. Commands are sent and responses received under the control of a sophisticated scripting language. Complex end-user (or operator) tasks can be described in a script program so that they may be then repeated on command. 59.06.B Translation Tool for Sun: Open Look to COSE: ACCENT STP version 2.0 National Information Systems, Inc. (NIS), announced ACCENT STP version 2.0, an OPEN LOOK to Motif source code translator for Sun Microsystems-based developers who plan to migrate their applications to Motif and the Common Desktop Environment (CDE), a technology of the Common Open Software Environment(COSE). 59.06.C O'Reilly lowers price on book: The X Window System in a Nutshell It contains essential information in a boiled-down quick-reference format that makes it easy to find the answers needed most often. 59.06.D High speed DSP on Sun workstations Impact Technologies has released SunSpot916, a SBus based card for digital signal processing (DSP). Applications for the card include medical imaging, multimedia, video/audio processing and enhancement, industrial control, radar/sonar processing, financial modeling, seismic processing, etc. 59.06.E Interleaf, Inc. Announces Interleaf 6 Next generation of document software, providing new workgroup capabilities for knowledge workers and dedicated document professionals, as well as for managers of information systems. 59.06.F The Bristol Group Announces IsoFax/Win; Unix Fax For PC Clients fax software solution providing the reliability of Unix fax services to PC clients running WinFax PRO -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Details -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59.06.A Subject: TERMSIM Terminal Simulator From: Tony Rogers Organisation: Optimation Software Engineering Address: 608 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA Phone: + 61 3 5252111 Fax: + 61 3 5211733 E-Mail: enquiry@optimation.com.au TERMSIM TERMSIM is a powerful new tool for management of Unix-based computer systems. It provides valuable assistance with many different aspects of management responsibility. These include: * capacity and performance management, * service level monitoring, * application testing and * operations. TERMSIM is a Terminal Simulator. It works by allowing the actions of end-users to be simulated. Commands are sent and responses received under the control of a sophisticated scripting language. Complex end-user (or operator) tasks can be described in a script program so that they may be then repeated on command. TERMSIM is written for network environments. It can simulate users in either the TELNET TCP/IP or X.25 protocols. TERMSIM can be used to control applications on one machine, or a number of machines. Capacity Management The fundamental question of Capacity Management is: Will the system continue to provide adequate throughput and good response to users? What happens when the load increases or the application is enhanced in functionality? TERMSIM allows these questions to be answered through accurate benchmarking. It allows complex user transactions to be scripted and repeated so that throughput and response time measurements can be taken accurately. Variables like user think-time and typing rate can be changed to give a full picture of the performance characteristics of a system. Independent scripts may be prepared for different classes of user. For example, order entry users would be scripted separately from management reporting users. The scripting language allows synchronisation between scripts where this is necessary. TERMSIM includes a reporting analysis tool for accurate interpretation of the recorded data. This tool provides a statistical report for the recorded response times. When used for benchmarking, TERMSIM is typically run on an separate "simulator" system which connects via a network to the system under test. This arrangement gaurantees the most accurate results by preventing the small load of TERMSIM from affecting the measurements. Service Level Monitoring Increasingly, system managers are being asked to prove that agreed service levels for user response time are being met. As there is no transaction monitor within Unix, this is not easy to do on Unix systems. TERMSIM provides an answer. It can repeat a transaction at periodic intervals and report on the response time provided by the application. Application Testing As any application is developed or enhanced, regression testing becomes an important problem. It is important to ensure that existing functions continue to work, and that new bugs are not being introduced into the application. If not automated, this can be very labour intensive. TERMSIM provides a fast, accurate means of performing regression testing. By preparing a script to exercise the application and check responses, many hours can be saved. Operations In complex network environments, operations procedures like end- of-day processing or backup can become very difficult. It is not easy to coordinate activities across many machines from a single point. TERMSIM's scripting language and network support make it ideal for these kinds of tasks. TERMSIM scripts can transmit commands, check responses and synchronise activities across many machines. TERMSIM has been developed by Optimation Software Engineering, a wholly Australian company based in Melbourne. In conjunction with TERMSIM, Optimation provides a range of consulting services to ensure that users get the best productivity from their systems. TERMSIM is available on systems from Sun Microsystems and Hewlett-Packard. It can be ported to other systems on request. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59.06.B Subject: Translation Tool for Sun: Open Look to COSE: ACCENT STP version 2.0 From: Dave Wagner Org: National Information Systems, Inc. Address: 4040 Moorpark Avenue, Suite 200 San Jose, CA 95117-1852 U.S.A. Phone: 408/985-7100 800/441-5758 Toll-Free FAX: 408/246-3127 Email: dave@nis.com Translation Tool for Sun OPEN LOOK Applications Helps Deliver COSE Compatibility ACCENT STP version 2.0 Speeds Conversion of OPEN LOOK Applications to OSF/Motif Compliance San Jose, California, September 21, 1993 -- National Information Systems, Inc. (NIS), of San Jose, California, announced ACCENT STP(tm) version 2.0, an OPEN LOOK to Motif source code translator for Sun Microsystems-based developers who plan to migrate their applications to Motif and the Common Desktop Environment (CDE), a technology of the Common Open Software Environment(COSE). ACCENT STP was developed by Kovi Design Automation (KDA) for distribution exclusively by NIS. ACCENT STP (Sun Transition Pack) allows Independent Software Vendors (ISV) and in-house software developers using XView, Devguide or OLIT to protect their existing investments by migrating applications through translating the source code to OSF/Motif, the ``look-and-feel'' standard of CDE. NIS and KDA are providers of emerging software technologies for software developers and project managers running open systems. ACCENT STP was designed to enable software developers running Sun Microsystems workstations to take the first step toward complying with the Common Desktop Environment (CDE). Motif 1.2 and X11, Release 5 on SunOS 4.1.x and Solaris 2.x are supported. ACCENT STP will translate 80% to 100% of the C or C++ language application source code produced by XView, OLIT, or Devguide GIL files, including header files, where there are equivalent paradigms offered in Motif. The translated output will be recognizable Motif C or C++ source code. Version 2.0 features a number of new enhancements including support for ``drag and drop'', the TTY Widget, and internationalization support among others. ACCENT STP delivers many benefits to application developers such as Motif standard compliance, a future growth path for information systems, compatibility with Solaris 2.4/COSE CDE, application portability to multiple hardware platforms, opening new markets, and increased end-user acceptance. ACCENT STP consists of four optional modules: Devguide Conversion is priced at $4,995, XView Conversion is priced at $4,995, OLIT Conversion is priced at $4,995, and WindowMaker GUI Editor is priced at $1,495. Motif consulting and training are also available. ACCENT ToolKit, a complete Motif library and OPEN LOOK ToolKit which helps support OPEN LOOK users after the source code is translated, is available for $2,495 when purchased with ACCENT STP. ACCENT STP is a trademark and the NIS logo is a registered trademark of National Information Systems, Inc. Any other company or product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of other companies. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59.06.C Subject: O'Reilly lowers price on X Nutshell From: Brian Erwin The X Window System in a Nutshell Edited by Ellie Cutler, Daniel Gilly & Tim O'Reilly 424 pages, ISBN: 1-56592-017-1, $9.95 We have lowered the price of this book to $9.95 from $24.95. It contains essential information in a boiled-down quick-reference format that makes it easy to find the answers needed most often: - Command line options and resources for the standard MIT X clients. - Calling sequence for all Xlib and Xt functions and macros. - Detailed description of structures, enums, and other X data types used as arguments or return values in Xlib or Xt functions. - Description of the code inside a basic widget. - Quick reference to the event structures. - Font name syntax, color names, resource file and translations table syntax, and cursors. - Xlib and Xt error messages. The descriptions of the functions have been expanded and clarified, with improved cross-referencing to important related functions. Includes material on Xcms and the internationalization features of R5. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This and other O'Reilly products are available in the Americas and Japan through bookstores, or directly from the publisher. Access our gopher catalog by "telnet gopher.ora.com" (log in as "gopher"). To contact us: telephone 707-829-0515 (800-998-9938 in US & Canada); FAX 707-829-0104; email order@ora.com; or write O'Reilly & Associates, 103A Morris St., Sebastopol, CA, 95472, USA. GSA # GS-02F-6095A. Our international distributors are: * Europe (except German-speaking countries), Middle East, and Africa through International Thomson Publishing, Berkshire House, 168-173 High Holborn, London WC1V 7AA, UK. Telephone 44-71-497-1422; FAX 44-71-497-1426; or email samantha.jones@itpuk.co.uk * German-speaking countries through International Thomson Publishing, Konigswinterer Strasse 418, 53227 Bonn, Germany. Telephone 49-228-445171; FAX 49-228-441342; or email 100272.2422@compuserve.com * Asia through International Thomson Publishing, 221 Henderson Rd., #05-10 Henderson Building, Singapore 0315. Telephone 65-272-6496; FAX 65-272-6498 * Australia and New Zealand through WoodsLane, Unit 8, 101 Darley Street, Mona Vale, NSW 2103, Australia. Telephone 61-2-979-5944; FAX 61-2-997-3348; or email woods@tmx.mhs.oz.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59.06.D Subject: High speed DSP on Sun workstations From: heimlich@iti.com Org: Impact Technologies, Inc. Contact: Alan Heimlich Phone: 1 408 988 4980 Fax: 1 408 988 5049 Santa Clara, CA USA -- Impact Technologies has released SunSpot916, a SBus based card for digital signal processing (DSP). Applications for the card include medical imaging, multimedia, video/audio processing and enhancement, industrial control, radar/sonar processing, financial modeling, seismic processing, etc. The single slot card plugs into any system that has a SBus slot, which includes the popular SPARC based systems such as Sun workstations and single board computers. The SunSpot916 speeds up the calculation of Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT) and inverse transforms (IFFT) by performing the operations in dedicated hardware. These algorithms are the heart of many signal processing applications. The card utilizes dedicated silicon that can perform the operation much faster than software-only approaches. The board comes with software drivers, a user library, and example code. The library supports Imaginary Devices(tm), wherein a user may open over 4 billion devices per process. This allows the programmer to easily dedicate FFT engines to specific tasks. With this capability the programmer can often model the software to closely follow the actual signal processing flow. Key to the Imaginary Devices capability is the ability to speed up any processing by simply adding more hardware, no changes in user code are needed. All allocation of resources is automatically handled by the multithreaded, multiprocessor (MT MP) safe code. The software supports Solaris 2.1 and 2.2. IMPACT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 2082-B Walsh Ave. Santa Clara, CA 95050 USA Tel 1 408 988 4980 FAX 1 408 988 5049 EML info@iti.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59.06.E Subject: Interleaf, Inc. Announces Interleaf 6 From: cindyj@mettler.HQ.ileaf.com (Cindy Johnson) Interleaf Unveils Next Generation Document Software Automates document production for MIS, knowledge workers, document professionals Waltham, MA -- October 12, 1993 -- Interleaf, Inc. today announced Interleaf 6, its next generation of document software, providing new workgroup capabilities for knowledge workers and dedicated document professionals, as well as for managers of information systems. Interleaf 6 will ship this month on UNIX workstations running Motif and in the first quarter of 1994 on Microsoft Windows and NT. Interleaf 6 includes over 100 new features and enhancements designed to: 1) enhance ease of use through a redesigned user interface; 2) increase productivity through powerful data sharing and workgroup support; 3) bring automated document power to engineers, scientists, financial analysts and other knowledge workers; 4) automate virtually any business-critical process that relies on documents. Interleaf 6 allows users to create complex sets of documents, integrating data and contents developed with Interleaf 6 or other applications such as word processors, graphic packages, spreadsheets and databases. Advanced linking capabilities allow users to build Active Documents such as financial reports or safety procedures that intelligently evaluate and act on network data. For example, these documents can actually start up other applications to generate new data. An Active Document could, for example, automatically walk a repair person through procedures, at her own skill level, based upon diagnostics downloaded in real time. Mark Ruport, president and CEO of Interleaf, said, "Interleaf 6 not only increases the productivity of professional publishers and knowledge workers, its extensibility and openness makes all that power available to IS managers building automated document applications such as database reporting systems, intelligent forms fill, and customized creation of documents using diverse data from all around the network." Its unique object-oriented extensibility and new document object Application Programming Interface (API) make it suitable for use by information managers who want to automate any business-critical process that depends on documents. Interleaf 6 can thus serve as an automated document assembly station by compiling and managing sets of documents automatically. The Interleaf 6 family of products includes: * Interleaf 6 -- A complete set of tools for workgroups or individuals to create, revise and publish business and technical documents. * Interleaf 6 SGML -- A combination of WYSIWYG and structural-view editing, providing native support of the international SGML standard for the interchange of documents and data. Imports and exports SGML data and the rules governing the construction of SGML-compliant documents, while interactively guiding the author to the successful completion of SGML documents. * Integrated color solution -- Advanced image editing, including scanner support, and automatic trapping and batch color separations. * Interleaf DemandPrint -- Integrated push-button job ticket that allows anyone on the network to take full advantage of the Xerox DocuTech Network Publishers' sophisticated capabilities such as inserting tabs, special stock paper, binding, etc. * Developer's Toolkit -- A complete development environment for the creation of Active Documents, using Interleaf's extensive document object library and integrated programmability. * Document Object API -- An object-oriented client/server environment that allows the development of document-based applications using C, C++ and other languages, and supports application frameworks such as SoftBench and ToolTalk. Enhancements include: Ease of Use * User interface -- The user interface has been completely redesigned to comply with the standard Motif and Microsoft Windows graphical user interfaces. * Help -- An innovative online help system includes a multimedia tutorial and the complete documentation set accessible through Interleaf's award-winning WorldView software. * Accelerators -- Keyboard shortcuts (accelerators and mnemonics) and dynamic online graphical guide to keyboard. Power Publishing * Online distribution ready -- Point-and-link HyperLeaf Toolkit, and the ability to reformat documents for online viewing simply by moving icons. * Color enhancements -- Import of 24-bit color images, image editing and image caching to allow unlimited images in documents. * Word processing -- Major upgrade of word processing functionality including graphical tab/margin rulers; enhanced tables, spell checking and find/change options; word count; support for Adobe Type 1 fonts; any-angle text rotation; advanced printing options. * Revision tracking -- Graphical user interface to revision tracking enables managers to track, control and reuse versions of documents throughout their lifecycle. Openness * Input/Output -- Enhanced file conversion capabilities to and from popular applications, including Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, FrameMaker, Lotus 1-2-3, and most graphic packages. Enhanced IGES import and export filters. Includes automatic file type recognition and filtering. * Active Link Tool -- Lets authors create live links to data in popular applications such as word processing, graphics and spreadsheets, and automatically assemble/update documents based on the data. This object-oriented technology can be extended by users so that incoming files can be processed before being inserted. * DBLink -- Embeds SQL queries in documents, enabling documents to be built dynamically out of data that may be in multiple databases across the network. Extensibility * Developer's Environment -- The object-oriented development environment has been enhanced with additional tools such as support for User Interface Language (UIL) for building application GUIs; an improved object system including multiple inheritance, property inheritance and before/after methods; and online documentation. Allows the development of Active Documents that are portable across multiple GUIs. * Leafware -- Examples of Active Documents and programs written in the Interleaf development environment that extend the capabilities of the software, including a document object analyzer, table sorter and a point-and-click interface to show or hide document objects. Product Availability The entire family of Interleaf 6 products will be delivered over the course of four to six months, beginning with the Motif version at the end of this month. The Windows and NT versions will ship in the first quarter of 1994. The UNIX version of Interleaf 6 is priced at US $2,500. Product family options are available at an additional cost. Interleaf software and services help organizations manage the entire document lifecycle, from accessing information to distributing it electronically or on paper. Interleaf sales offices, subsidiaries and distributors are located worldwide. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59.06.F Subject: The Bristol Group Announces IsoFax/Win; Unix Fax For PC Clients From: Douglas Cooper Contact: Tom Carroll, Janet Kittleson Cooper/Iverson Marketing (619) 292-7400 Contact: John Dyer-Bennett The Bristol Group (415) 925-9250 Org: The Bristol Group, Ltd., Address: 100 Larkspur Landing Circle, Suite 200, Larkspur, CA 94939; Phone: (415) 925-9250 fax: (415) 925-9278 THE BRISTOL GROUP ANNOUNCES ISOFAX/WIN UNIX FAX SERVICES FOR PC CLIENTS Larkspur, Calif., October 19, 1993 -- The Bristol Group today announced the release of IsoFax/Win, a fax software solution providing the reliability of Unix fax services to PC clients running WinFax PRO. The Bristol Group, developer of IsoFax, is a proven provider of large-scale fax services, as demonstrated by Unix-based installations at Sun Microsystems, AT&T, and Goldman Sachs. Delrina Corporation's WinFax PRO has provided hundreds of thousands of Windows users with a powerful fax interface. IsoFax/Win provides the additional connectivity to the departmental fax server. According to Pete Harris, president of The Bristol Group, "IsoFax/Win provides an enterprise-wide fax solution for companies with heterogeneous operating systems. If networked faxing is going to succeed within Fortune 500 companies, it has to be industrial strength. The best solution is a Unix server supporting heterogeneous clients." After integrating IsoFax/Win with WinFax PRO, users experience no change in their fax interface. Faxable documents are created in Windows-compatible applications, then faxed to WinFax PRO. Actual delivery of the fax is by IsoFax on a remote server. Faxes can be previewed locally. WinFax PRO keeps a status log of all outgoing faxes. In addition to manual routing of received faxes to both PC and Unix clients, IsoFax/Win offers an option to automate routing. Direct Inward Dialing (DID), makes it possible to deliver faxes directly to the desktop of any IsoFax/Win or Unix client on the network. With IsoFax/Win, individual fax modems and fax lines are no longer required for each user. This provides business users with both cost savings and more centralized control of faxing. If a Unix file servers -- and an associated disk storage device -- is incorporated into the network, maintenance of memory-intensive, on-line fax archives becomes feasible. Also, because sending and receiving of faxes is controlled by the server, energy conscious users can have their computers turned off at night. System Requirements % DOS Windows 3.X % WinFax PRO 3.0 % PC/NFS or other networking solution providing Unix file services to PC users. % IsoFax with the IsoFax/Win option. (The IsoFax/Win server is covered under the IsoFax client RTU license). Founded in 1987, the Bristol Group, Ltd. is a privately held developer of software solutions for electronic faxing for UNIX platforms, including Sun, HP 9000, and IBM RS/6000. IsoFax and IsoFax/Win are trademarks of The Bristol Group. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. ********************************************************************** For information about SunFlash send mail to info-sunflash@Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@Sun.COM. Archives are on draco.nova.edu, ftp.uu.net, sunsite.unc.edu, src.doc.ic.ac.uk and ftp.adelaide.edu.au For Gopher and WAIS access: sunsite.unc.edu. (Login as 'gopher' for a simple gopher client, 'swais' for a simple WAIS client (over 500 databases). All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or publication by Sun Microsystems. Send brief articles (e.g. third party announcements) and include contact information (non-800#, fax #, email, etc) to: John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@Sun.COM. +1 305 351 4909