News and New Product Briefs (5/4/98)

TGS puts Java in Open Inventor 3D toolkit

Template Graphics Software (TGS) announced the beta of its Open Inventor for Java, an object-oriented library designed to help developers add interactive 3D classes to applications.

Open Inventor, integrated with the OpenGL language, is a library of Java-based objects and methods for writing interactive 3D Java graphics applications. The library components work with the Java AWT framework and support JDK 1.1.5 and Swing components. The components are compatible with JavaBeans, and they support such environments as Java Workshop, Java Studio, and J++.

The Open Inventor beta is available for Windows 95, NT, and Solaris now, with Digital Unix, AIX, HP-UX, and IRIX versions slated to be available within 90 days of April ’98 (according to the company).

• https://www.tgs.com/Products/oijava.html

Educators get free Java programming classes from Borland

Borland International is offering educators a scholarship to JBuilder University as a way to encourage learning to program in Java.

Qualified educators will receive the JBuilder University Edition of its Java development tool free. The University Edition is a customized version equipped with tutorials to teach proper programming techniques. It also includes the professional-level IDE with fully integrated application browser, project manager, code editor, HTML viewer, graphical debugger, and compiler. It can be legally distributed by educators to students and copied to campus computer labs.

It is available now. Register for a free master CD.

Borland also announced a new informational Web site promoting Borland development tools for use in education. Computer science and engineering faculty, staff, and students are the focus of the site.

• JBuilder University: https://www.inprise.com/programs/education/jbuilder/jbed.html
• Education Web site: https://www.inprise.com/programs/education

Avenida Java HTTP Web server ready in beta

Avenida has readied the Avenida Web Server, a small-footprint Java HTTP server that supports servlets, in a public beta release.

The Avenida Web Server supports the servlet API, and it comes with four servlets:

• The file servlet provides standard HTTP server to serve up Web content
• The CGI servlet delivers backwards compatibility with existing CGI scripts
• The proxy servlet supports the CONNECT protocol, allowing the server to be a proxy to a number of intranet clients
• The redirect servlet allows transparent redirection of client requests to other servers

The server will also run any servlet that complies with Sun’s servlet API.

Avenida Web Server includes the GUI-based Administration Tool, which allows developers to create and test server configurations. Server configurations can be centrally defined for different purposes and locations, then deployed in the field without the Administration Tool.

Avenida Web Server runs on Java 1.1 and beyond.

• https://www.avenida.co.uk/

Macromedia’s Flash 3 gets Java playback viewer

Macromedia announced that the upgrade to its interactive vector graphics and Web animation design software, Flash 3.0, will include the Flash player Java Edition.

With the Java Edition of the Flash player, users can see Flash-generated files from any Java-enabled Web browser.

The public beta of Flash 3.0 is available for no charge. It runs on Windows 95, NT, and Power Macintosh.

• https://www.flash.com/

Study demos difference in Java/non-Java programmers

Evans Marketing Services has released the results of a new study on Java attitudes of 305 independent professional Windows developers conducted in March 1998.

Of the 305 developers studied, 120 used Java, and their attitudes reflected some clear differences from those of non-Java programmers. According to Evans Research Director Janel Garvin, “The Java users were definitely more aware of standards, were much more likely to be involved with middleware, multi-tier applications, and components than their non-Java using peers.” Also, according to Garvin, several indicators hint that the Java programmers show a higher level of sophistication than their non-Java counterparts. Garvin also says the study shows that Java programming is growing.

The study also looked at current and future Java usage; familiarity with and use of standards; knowledge of developer relations programs; and such development issues as multi-tier architecture and middleware.

Detailed information, samples, and an overview of this survey can be found on the company’s site.

• https://www.evansmarketing.com/reports.htm

Symantec compiler speeds Java performance

The newest JDK, version 1.1.6, should be about four times faster than JDK 1.1 thanks to the addition of Symantec JIT 3.0 compiler technology.

According to Symantec’s developer relations director, Allen Bannon, the new JIT is a complete rewrite with enhanced intelligent optimization and improved code performance. Bannon added, “This is the fastest JIT available today, including [the] current version of HotSpot.”

Technically speaking, 1.1.6 is just a maintenance release to correct some code bugs, but if the speed claims hold up, it should be a significant release for developers. Another maintenance release (1.1.7) is scheduled for early summer 1998, with a major release (1.2) appearing later on in the summer.

OMG posts interoperability specs for Java

The Object Management Group (OMG) has posted Java interoperability specifications that are designed to make it easier to write cross-platform Java applications.

The specifications, Java-to-IDL and IDL-to-Java mapping specs, should allow developers to convert Java APIs into client/server APIs that are supported by CORBA, C++, COBOL, Ada, and Smalltalk. IDL stands for Interface Definition Language.

OMG officials call the specifications a boon to mixed environments. With the new mapping specifications, developers won’t have to rewrite the client-side software when rewriting server-side apps to convert the code to another language.

• OMG: https://www.omg.org/
• Original article: /cgi-bin/displayStory.pl?980416.ecomg.htm

Java Lobby has an eye on Sun

The Java Lobby spokesman Rick Ross announced that the Lobby will set up an “Open Process Grievance Center” to monitor Sun’s behavior as the legal guardian of Java.

Until the release of JDK 1.2 beta 3, Microsoft and its attempts to fracture Java had been the Lobby’s main focus. The recent beta release swung the Lobby’s lens back toward Sun, as the beta contains a complete new set of classes that haven’t gone through a public review process. The beta also contains a JPEG functionality package from Kodak that has not been documented.

JavaSoft announced that it will remove the Kodak class (java.awt.image.codec), which effects the loading and saving of JPEG images, in its next release of the JDK 1.2 core class. The classes will now be included in com.sun, an extension to the core JDK 1.2. JavaSoft’s Andrew Shikiar noted, “It was a mistake on our part. We added some code to the beta release of the JDK that had not gone through the open process, but we are correcting the mistake in the next release.” Ross said that he was satisfied that Sun had addressed the problem.

The Lobby intends for the Grievance Center to act as a single point of examination of Sun’s Java stewardship.

• Java Lobby https://www.javalobby.org/
• Additional information: https://www.developer.com/news/stories/041798_kodak.html

B&W’s OrbixBuilder adds Java support

Black & White Software newest release of the OrbixBuilder CORBA development environment for Java has added support for Symantec’s Visual Café 2.5 the JClass JavaBeans from KL Group. The new OrbixBuilder includes a full copy of Visual Café 2.5 Professional Development Edition, the OrbixWeb 3.0 Java ORB from IONA Technologies, and Black & White’s CORBA-based integrated graphical utilities and automatic code generation. It also contains a configurable code-generation feature, which allows users to define conventions to suit coding styles. And KL Group’s JClass JavaBeans now plug into the development environment.

OrbixBuilder for Visual Café is available now for Windows 95 and NT for ,795 per user. The JClass Professional Java Developer’s Bundle, with all JClass components plus Gold Support, is ,799 for bytecode and ,999 for source code.

• https://www.blackwhite.com/products/orbbuild.html

Sybase posts IDC whitepaper on Java app development

Sybase has posted an International Data Corp. whitepaper, Sybase Architects Java for Business, written by analyst Evan Quinn.

The paper examines the importance of architecture when crafting Java business applications, delivers sample environments, and examines Sybase products and their efficacy in developing Java business applications.

• https://www.sybase.com/products/powerj/1611java.html

Conference shows how Java can be multithreaded

At the recent University of Kent-sponsored WoTUG-21 conference on network-centric computing, conference organizer Peter Welch commented on a method to create reliable multithreaded Java systems.

Welch agreed that Sun’s warnings of “extreme caution” when attempting to use multithreading in Java were correct with raw Java. But a WoTUG group has crafted lightweight class libraries that makes CSP (communicating sequential processes) multiprocessing capabilities available to Java. The libraries enable active Java processes to communicate and synchronize through CSP primitives, eliminating such problems as deadlock, livelock, and process starvation.

More information is available at the conference site.

• https://www.hensa.ac.uk/parallel/groups/wotug/wotug21/

JaWavedit: Wave-editor and filter development platform written in Java

Readers are invited to try JaWavedit 1.15 beta, a WAV file editor written in Java by three guys in Germany.

Florian, Rob1, and Niels (the authors) claim that with JaWavedit, users can

• Load and save any WAV or AU files
• Play and loop sound files
• Zoom in on any portion of the file to edit
• Change the frequency, balance, and volume while the WAV is playing
• Work on any frequency, in 8 and 16 bits

It is designed with component modeling in mind, so developers can extend the program. Included is a debug window. Documentation is available to make it easier to develop new modules based on JaWavedit.

JaWavedit supports English, German, and French on Unix and Windows 95/NT platforms.

• https://webrum.uni-mannheim.de/bwl/boemers/www/JaWavedit/

Borland highlights AS/400 JBuilder version

At the recent COMMON IBM AS/400 user group conference and trade show, Borland International demonstrated its new Java development environment for the AS/400 platform, JBuilder/400 Client/Server Suite.

The component-based JBuilder/400 is a suite of visual-development tools for creating platform-independent Java applications using Java. JBuilder supports a scalable database architecture as well as the creation of JavaBean components, applications, applets, and servlets. It also supports JDK 1.1, JavaBeans and Enterprise JavaBeans, JFC, CORBA, RMI, JDBC, and most major corporate database servers.

The JBuilder/400 Client/Server Suite is designed to seamlessly integrate with the IBM AS/400 Toolbox for Java, delivering JDBC access to AS/400 data and Java access to all native AS/400 services. It also includes other AS/400-specific features and wizards to help developers build AS/400-supported enterprise applications. It works with the AS/400 server version 4.2 and later.

• https://www.inprise.com/inprise400/

Borland offers trial version of AS/400-optimized JBuilder

In February 1998, Borland International announced that a free 90-day trial version of its Java application development environment, JBuilder/400 (optimized for IBM AS/400 systems), would be available.

The trial version automatically comes with each new AS/400 and operating system upgrade shipped by IBM; qualified developers and customers can register for the trial version.

According to Borland’s enterprise/integration director, Thomas Torf, “Borland has now recruited over 40 AS/400 partners to the Borland Solutions Program. By leveraging the expertise of a select group of client/server solution providers, corporations can realize the maximum benefits from Borland’s AS/400 development tools.” Borland went on to announce that Apogee Information Systems, Best Consulting, and Norrell Information Services are the three newest members of the program.

• JBuilder trial: https://www.inprise.com/inprise400/
• AS/400 partners: https://www.inprise.com/inprise400/partner.html

CST delivers new version of Jacada

CST announced the newest upgrade to its Jacada Java graphical client interface generator, version 5.1, which supports JDK 1.1 and has additional capabilities to re-engineer legacy applications.

Jacada 5.1 features Java-based lightweight controls to reduce the size of the downloaded Java applets. New options, such as validity checking, can go through the server or the client, thus reducing traffic over the network by eliminating the need to transmit data from the client to the server.

Version 5.1 also has enhanced method support, which further extends the AI-like methods Jacada employs to add greater functionality to a Java enterprise legacy application.

• https://www.cst.com/Products/jacada.html

Servertec’s iScript: Java-based platform-independent scripting language

Servertec announced iScript, a platform-independent scripting language, written in Java and designed for creating scalable server-side object-oriented n-tier enterprise solutions.

iScript showcases such features as:

• Platform independence
• An object-oriented architecture
• Web server integration
• Support for CGI
• A dynamic-content generator
• A static-content preprocessor
• A make facility
• A just-in-time pcode generator and caching
• Java API wrappers
• An open component API

Servertec plans to soon release (by the second half of 1998) the iScript Developer Kit (which integrates the iScript scripting language), documentation, and examples. The iScript preview release is available for free.

• https://www.servertec.com/products/products.html

Parasoft offers pre-release of jtest! testing tool

ParaSoft Corp. announced the pre-release version of jtest! 1.1, its bug-finding system for Java applications.

jtest! automatically finds and reports Java code bugs in Java code, discovering exactly where input is being mishandled in Java code. jtest! 1.1 comes with a new user interface to simplify interaction with jtest!.

jtest! is now easier to set up and does not require knowledge of obscure Windows features to operate.

• https://www.parasoft.com/jtest/home.htm

Prosoft I-Net Solutions purchases Chapel Hill Group

Prosoft I-Net Solutions announced that it has purchased Internet strategy/education consulting firm Chapel Hill Group (CHG). (Prosoft is also an Internet/intranet training company.)

In an all-stock acquisition, Prosoft has grafted CHG’s extensive Java curriculum to its own education services. Prosoft Chairman and CEO Jerry Baird said, “The Chapel Hill Group’s strength in Java training and consulting increases the scope of our offerings, furthering our ability to provide our clients with the most comprehensive Internet skills training available. The Chapel Hill Group’s long-standing relationships with numerous training companies and continued growth rate contribute a solid customer base to our organization.”

The Chapel Hill Group has provided Java training and created curriculum for IBM.

• Prosoft I-Net Solutions: https://www.prosofttraining.com/
• Chapel Hill Group: https://www.chgrp.com/

Intel invests in Java developer Ariba

Intel recently invested an undisclosed sum of capital in Java developer Ariba Technologies, a company that specialized in software that automates operating resource procurement.

As part of the investment agreement, Intel and Ariba will work together to optimize the Operating Resource Management System (ORMS) for Intel processors, focusing on the forthcoming IA-64 chips.

The two companies will also share marketing responsibilities for Ariba’s technology. Intel will be sponsoring the Ariba ORMS User Group and Advisory Council.

Intel has already invested in WebLogic, SuperCede, Tower Technology, and China-based search-engine provider Internet Technologies China.

• Ariba Technologies: https://www.ariba.com/
• Intel: https://www.intel.com/

Cosmo Code 2.5 available

Cosmo Software announced the recent upgrade to its Java development environment, Cosmo Code 2.5.

The new Cosmo Code keeps all the old features of a visual Java IDE, but adds static analysis, enhanced debugger, and the ability to produce code that works with JDK 1.0.2 through JDK 1.1.4.

The static analysis feature contains a query engine that can inform developers what methods in a class modify a given member variable. It can even demonstrate the methods used. Cosmo Code’s enhanced debugger now can handle thread control.

Cosmo Code features many Rogue Wave Java components, including:

• JDBTools for database coding
• JTools
• JWidgets
• JChart

It runs on Windows 3.x and Windows 95 for 29.

• Info on version 2.5: https://cosmosoftware.com/products/code/brief.html
• Trial download: https://cosmosoftware.com/download/main.html
• Original article: https://www.techweb.com/se/directlink.cgi?WIN19980501S0093

Java Plug-In (Activator) shipping

JavaSoft began shipping Java Plug-in (the new name for Activator) — software that automatically upgrades all Java-enabled browsers so they can support the latest Java VM — late last week.

At the recent Spring Comdex, Apple announced that it is creating a port for Java Plug-in for the Macintosh platform.

Java Plug-in supports Java Foundation Classes 1.1 and JavaBeans. It runs on Windows 95/NT, and Solaris 2.5 and 2.6.

• Java Plug-in feature article: https://java.sun.com/features/1998/04/plugin.html
• Download Java Plug-in: https://www.javasoft.com/products/plugin/1.1/index.html

GraphOn inks deal for Java with IBM

GraphOn Corp. has inked a deal with IBM that allows Big Blue to license Java technology from GraphOn that would let Java clients access RS/6000 servers.

IBM will include GraphOn’s GO-Joe server software with the AIX operating system, which will give Java clients the ability to use server-based X Window applications running on RS/6000 servers.

• GO-Joe: https://www.graphon.com/pr-gojoe20.shtml

New Java WorkShop version repairs problems

Sun recently released the Java WorkShop 2.0a extension to the WorkShop 2.0 development tool; it contains enhancements and bug fixes.

Among the enhancements, the a version extension now offers support for Swing components, extended support for Windows Revision Control System, and improved debugging tools. It also now checks screen resolution at start-up on a PC.

Here’s a rundown of the general bugs and inefficiencies that have been corrected (or minimized):

• Web-page loading stack overflows have been minimized
• Multiple-file browsing out-of-memory problems have been corrected
• ZIP/JAR file import problems have been fixed
• Profiler call counts are now correctly reported
• Multiple builds now release resources when finished

In the fastjavac classes, the following problems have been fixed:

• Swing components not compiling
• Bad byte codes involving try{}catch{}finally{}
• Bad byte codes involving try{}finally{return x;}
• Bad class file when int’s or float’s were cast to longs or doubles
• Bad class file when a double or long method is called as (void)m()
• The fastjavac compiler now compiles any source file whose class file is found when the source can be found in the CLASSPATH
• Handling of class literals (for example, classname.class syntax)
• Problems with Java Language Specification error checks not being made
• Problems with -version and -verbose options

In the WorkShop GUI Builder:

• Aborting Java WorkShop during an update is now possible
• JellyBean example can now be run
• The import/import cancel time delays are fixed
• Memory leak in class loader used by the bean importer works
• Bean classes with certain array types (like L array types) can be imported
• Problems with color settings (that occur when the background color of the peer is changed) are corrected

Java WorkShop 2.0 development environments include Solaris, HP-UX, SCO, Novell IntranetWare, Windows 95, and NT.

• Overview of 2.0: https://www.sun.com/workshop/java/
• Overview of 2.0a: https://access1.sun.com/workshop/jws20a/
• Download the 2.0a extension: https://access1.sun.com/workshop/jws20a/gen-legal.cgi

BulletProof’s JDesignerPro 2.5 supports DB2

BulletProof announced that its Java business-application development environment, JDesignerPro 2.5, has added support for IBM’s DB2 Universal Database.

The DB2 Universal Database, with built-in Java support, is capable of handling the information-processing requirements scaling from desktop systems to high-end parallel processors. It runs on Windows NT, OS/2, and Unix.

IBM Software Data-management Marketing VP Tom Kendra said, “The combination of the new DB2 Universal Database and BulletProof’s JDesignerPro 2.5 will now allow customers to quickly develop and deploy enterprisewide Java database solutions. DB2 was the industry’s first database to offer Java and JDBC support.”

• https://www.bulletproof.com/JDesignerPro/

Verix offers eSales 2.1 price quote application

Verix Software announced Verix eSales 2.1, a Java-based product configuration and price-quote application that works with other enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) to help create build-to-order systems.

eSales is built using the JDK 1.1.5 and uses Oracle’s Java client database software, Oracle Lite 3.0, so eSales users can use point-and-click bi-directional replication to synchronize mobile data, from a laptop or handheld device, with an Oracle7 or Oracle8 database server within the enterprise.

eSales also features:

• Integration with other sales force automation (SFA) tools
• The Verix Visual Configuration Builder (VCB), visual-based technology designed to capture marketing and technical data in a way that makes it easy to reassemble into flexible, complex product configurations and pricing models
• Integrated Enterprise JavaBean components
• Integrated CORBA and DCOM.

Verix eSales costs 5,000 for the server software and ,000 per seat for the mobile version. It runs on Solaris, NetWare, Windows 95/NT5, and all other Unix platforms.

• https://www.verix.com/product.html

Quadbase ships EspressChart 1.3

Quadbase Systems announced EspressChart 1.3, an upgrade to the interactive chart-building tool you can use from within a Java-enabled browser.

EspressChart 1.3 supports JDK 1.0.2 and 1.1, as well as several trend line types of charts, a programmable refresh setting, and more highly controllable drill-down capabilities. The upgrade includes 13 types of charts in 2D/3D, as well as 29 types of combination charts.

EspressChart 1.3 allows access to JDBC and ODBC sources, as well as data from text files, by passing arguments through the API. Charts can be exported in traditional formats (GIF, BMP, for example) or in Quadbase proprietary formats (CHT, TPL), which allow for dynamic updating to the chart as the data changes.

For 99, the software runs on Windows 95/NT and Solaris under any Web server, and it supports data access to major database servers, such as Oracle, DB2, Informix, Sybase, and Microsoft SQL Server.

• https://www.quadbase.com/espresschart/chartAPI.html

G&D America demos new C@ppuccino Java card and toolkit

Giesecke & Devrient America (G&D) recently demonstrated its new C@ppuccino for Java smart card and development toolkit at CardTech/SecurTech ’98 conference in Washington, DC.

Together, the C@ppuccino smart card and development environment deliver an integrated small-footprint Java applications programming environment that complies with Java Card 2.0 specifications.

The card itself was first shown at the European CeBit ’98 show and at the 1998 JavaOne Developer Conference, both in March 1998. The toolkit should be released in June 1998.

• https://www.gdm.de/products/terminal/software/javacap1.htm

Home Depot chooses FTP Software’s OnWeb Host

FTP Software announced that Home Depot has selected FTP’s OnWeb Host cross-platform hosting software to customize customer service applications for deployment in 1998.

With the Java-based OnWeb Host, Home Depot can connect customers with host-based product information no matter where the customers are or what hardware they use. The JavaBean component architecture of OnWeb Host will let Home Depot programmers craft applications that can filter the information being delivered to customers based on each customer’s skill level.

Home Depot officials chose OnWeb Host because it allowed them to focus on developing the interface instead of having to focus on network-app development. Its compatibility with major Java development software was another factor.

Home Depot Information Systems VP Mike Anderson said, “OnWeb Host provides us with the means to easily and transparently embed host-based information within our front-end applications. OnWeb Host’s compatibility with Java development tools and its JavaBean architecture accelerates our application development time, letting us bring new services to our customers that much faster than the competition.” FTP Marketing VP Mo Rosen echoed that sentiment: “With our move to a JavaBeans architecture, FTP Software is delivering what our customers want — the ability to develop custom business applications that can easily and transparently connect users to critical host information, can be built using off-the-shelf Java development tools, and by their nature are customizable and easy to deploy.”

• https://www.ftp.com/product/onweb2/

EveryWare upgrades Tango for FileMaker to 3.1

EveryWare Development announced Tango 3.1 for FileMaker, an upgrade to its visual Web development tool used to integrate Mac-based FileMaker Pro 3.0 and 4.0 databases with Web applications.

Tango 3.1 sports an enhanced visual drag-and-drop environment for Web application development, server-side Java integration, enhanced supported programmatic constructs, and a license for the JavaScript engine.

Version 3.1 also features TAF, the proprietary Tango application file extension, which replaces QRY query files. Developers can separate the display, business, and database logic within the TAF file.

With Tango 3.1, conditional statements (if, elseif, else), for and while loops, and array creation have been subjected to the visual treatment, making them easier to apply. The software is also now compatible with JavaScript 1.2, providing an interface to execute JavaScript code at the server level, as well as providing client-side support.

EveryWare officials also commented that Tango 3.1 is now “ISV-optimized.” With it, ISVs can rapidly build complex Web apps for resale without having to implement application servers for each resale.

Check with EveryWare for pricing.

• https://www.everyware.com/products/tangoFM/FM_new.html