News and New Product Briefs (8/15/97)

Education may be a windfall market for NCs

With increased government funding to computerize classrooms, it would seem to be a great market for NC manufacturers to grab. Schools and NCs go together well — NCs are easy to set up and manage and are relatively inexpensive. But vendors have been slow to see the potential.

“We thought education would be a prime segment [for network computers],” Zona Research VP Greg Blatnik said. “At this point, we don’t have evidence that a lot of product is being absorbed into the marketplace.”

One of the possible reasons that schools themselves are not jumping on the NC bandwagon may be that the technology is still unproven, with few applications. Sun’s academic research group marketing director, Michael Majdalany, said, “Schools won’t take [the NC] up until all the content is there. As [ISVs] start doing more things in Java, there will be a greater role for NCs [in schools].”

Sun is working on changing that. In the last nine months, the company has been creating an education sales force, recruiting resellers for the community college market. And Corel Computer Corp. will sell its network computer as part of a bundled solution, making sort of a “cluster” in a box. Schools would only need an Ethernet connection.

Three consider the giveaway model for NCs

IBM, Sun, and Corel Computer Corp. are considering a plan to give away network computers, choosing instead to concentrate on service, application, and server sales as the main sources of revenue. With this model, resellers could turn their attention more to marketing services, applications, and servers, which would all result in higher profit margins than the NCs themselves could deliver.

Phil Hester, VP of development at IBM’s NC Division, said, “We may consider giving away the client to make money on the service. I would not rule it out. I would say we’re in the solutions business.” Hester went on to say that he believes the NC concept works because people can link workspaces to powerful servers with low costs.

For IBM, Hester’s remarks may just be an early “testing the waters.” Howie Hunger, top channel executive at IBM’s NC Division, said that the reseller margins on NCs are still too big to consider giving them away. He said, “We have no plans to trade off the [NC] channel’s ability to make excellent margins off this device and try to make them up somewhere else.”

Greg Blatnik, Zona Research VP, said IBM had started talking about the giveaway model about 18 months ago. He added that he doubted it would go with a straight giveaway model, but that it may bundle NCs with its server line.

Dave Madden, senior project manager at Corel, added that Corel hasn’t “ruled out a strategy of giving it [NCs] away.” And Sun officials have mentioned using this model.

Physmark module gets instant-access patient information

Available immediately, Physmark Inc. is delivering a software module that allows healthcare providers to obtain pre-authorizations and check the eligibility and benefits of enrollees via the Internet.

Physmark creates IDS software — integrated delivery systems modules that help hospitals and managed-care facilities keep track of patient benefits and eligibility. Its new Internet-capable, Java-based module is designed to help lower the cost of computing by allowing organizations to use the lower purchase, maintenance, and administration costs of network computers.

Physmark’s IDS Internet module offers multiple, geographically dispersed healthcare organizations a universal interface to manage administration, claims submission, pre-authorization requests, and inquiries regarding patient-related matters.

Physmark president Dr. Jacob Kuriyan, said, “Most managed healthcare software is based on legacy code and, as a result, making it Web-enabled requires complete software rewrites, involving thousands of programming hours. Because our system, called MEDICOMP, was developed using Oracle’s software, we are able to quickly introduce applications that dramatically benefit our clients by lowering their costs or increasing productivity. Physmark clients can now tap the economy and power of the Web by using network computers or Sun Microsystems’ JavaStation with easy-to-use Java-enabled browsers.”

• https://www.physmark.com/Press_release/pressrelease062997.html

CruXpert makes Java-based search “experts”

Ultrexx Corp. has released CruXpert 2.0 — software that allows developers to create automated knowledge-based search “experts” as Java applets. The applets will help users quickly find the solution to their problems in an interactive fashion.

The software enables RAD development of these Internet agents by using a simple, rules-based, English-like language — using it, developers can create help applets for troubleshooting, diagnostics, configuration, sales support, and help desk-type interactive agents. These agents, or expert systems, are then generated as Java code that can be dropped as an applet into an HTML document.

The software requires JDK 1.0.2 (free from Sun) and contains four demonstration applets. A free version is available for trial. The Lite, Standard, and Pro versions cost 9, 99, and 95, respectively.

• https://www.ultrexx.com/product/products.htm

WebSeries gives you access to images and documents

FileNet is debuting its WebSeries software, which allows Microsoft’s Internet Information Server (IIS) and Netscape’s FastTrack and Enterprise Web servers (running NT) to make queries and retrieve documents that reside on FileNets’ IMS document- and image-management software, using a standard Web browser across the Internet and intranets.

Places that use IMS (such as records offices) can now offer users the ability to retrieve documents and images by giving users the WebSeries Viewer, a URL, a user name, and a password. The WebSeries software is divided into two parts, the Connector software and the Viewer software.

The WebSeries Connector costs 5,000 per Web server. It comes with sample HTML, Java applets, and Java classes. The WebSeries Viewer, which runs as a plug-in with Internet Explorer or Navigator on Windows 95 and NT, is free.

• https://www.filenet.com/products/

Get some J(ava) (h)elp

CreativeSoft is offering Jelp — a context-sensitive help system written entirely in Java. Jelp is divided into three components: the JelpPublisher, JelpViewer, and JelpBooklet.

JelpPublisher converts RTF (Rich Text Format) files into JelpBooklets, which are, in turn, displayed by JelpViewer. JelpViewer can be embedded in a Java application or applet, making help content appear to be part of the host application. JelpViewer features topic searching, topic browsing, history tracking, and context-sensitive help. It is customizable.

The Jelp package also includes:

• Conversion capabilities that allow you to convert RTF and BMP files for use by Jelp
• Embedability into applications or applets
• Topic browsing
• History tracking for topics and booklets
• Word wrapping and pop-up panels
• Hypertext linking between topics and booklets
• Customizability, including the ability to modify system and topic header fonts and colors
• Extendible Menu and Button bars
• Treeview format for viewing content
• Embedded Audio or .AU support
• Embedded URL link support

Jelp runs with any OS/machine that can support Java. The complete installation of the JDK 1.02 is required.

• https://www.jelp.com/documentation.html

Sun’s new Java testing tools unit

SunTest is Sun’s new Java testing tools unit. It is currently shipping its first products.

The first tools to be delivered are:

JavaStar: A capture-and-playback tool that generates test scripts in Java. ,995.

JavaSpec: Allows developers to create self-documenting API test suites for automatically testing Java applications and libraries. ,495.

JavaScope: A tool for gauging the extent to which a test suite covers application code. 95.

JavaPureCheck: A Java purity tester. Free.

JavaSpin: A small version of JavaStar. Free.

With a staff of 35, SunTest will go after partnerships with other testing tools providers.

• SunTest: https://www.suntest.com/
• JavaStar: https://www.suntest.com/JavaStar/JavaStar.html
• JavaSpec: https://www.suntest.com/JavaSpec/JavaSpec.html
• JavaScope: https://www.suntest.com/JavaScope/download.html
• JavaPureCheck: https://www.suntest.com/100percent/tools.html#jpc
• JavaSpin: https://www.suntest.com/tools/TestingTools.html

JDK 1.1 support for the new Roaster

Roaster 3.1, Roaster Technologies’s Java development kit, will get support for the Java Development Kit 1.1. That means, when version 2.0 of Apple’s MacOS Runtime for Java (MRJ) ships in the fall, Roaster 3.1 will give Macintosh users the ability to access JDK 1.1 features. And for now, Roaster users can build JDK 1.1 feature into their apps even though they can’t deploy the apps.

Roaster 3.1 supports JavaBeans, distributed computing through integration of Remote Method Invocation (RMI), and Java Database Connectivity (JDBC), with the addition of JDK 1.1’s enhanced security features and improved internationalization capabilities. According to Roaster officials, the only difference between 3.0 and 3.1 are two new preferences — whether to work with the MRJ for compiling, running, or both.

Roaster 3.1 should ship by the end of August 1997. If you use 3.0, the update will be free.

• https://www.roaster.com/roaster/

Look for a digital image- and document-management system from Rorke

Rorke Data Systems plans to deliver, in September 1997, Flexstor.db — a Java-based digital imaging- and document-management software designed primarily for intranets. Flexstor.db is meant to replace Rorke’s existing Windows workflow software, Easy File.

Initially, Flexstor.db will have a Java-based front-end, and the company plans to eventually power it entirely by Java. It will act like a plug-in for browsers on first release, but subsequent releases will see it as a Java-only application. Flexstor.db adds the number of seats each document can reach without adding management and software-distribution costs.

The product is now in beta and no price has been set. It runs on NT and various Unix flavors.

Applets and applet toolkit from Demicron

Demicron has announced Applet FX Freeware and Applet FX Commercial, two products made up of Java applets to help developers add some Java value to their Web pages. The package contains menus, image/text-presentation tools, and special-effect applets — each with their own customizable parameters, such as colors, text, images, and sounds. The package also comes with the Visual Applet Configurator, a visual tool that walks the developer through the configuration and installation procedure of the applets.

The Visual Applet Configurator manages the applets with its visual-interface configuration dialogs. It also has an integrated ftp tool that manages all necessary transfers of HTML files, applets, images, and sounds. In addition, you’ll find:

• Automatic detection of applets and their settings when opening HTML files
• Configuration dialogs customized for each applet
• Copy-protection system to keep others from copying commercial applets
• HTML files and individual applet tests during configuration
• Help for each applet

The freeware edition includes 20 applets; the commercial edition includes 40 additional applets. You’ll need Windows 95 or NT 4.0. The Freeware edition is, well, FREEware! The Commercial edition costs 9 for one license (license holders get to use the applets on any and all of their sites).

• https://www.demicron.se/applications/appletfx.html

Oracle Internet Commerce Server 1.0

Oracle “Project Apollo” has now settled down to become the Internet Commerce Server (ICS), a Java-based e-commerce server that allows secure buying and selling across the Internet, while at the same time letting companies integrate the new services with existing legacy IT infrastructures — such as order entry, inventory, payroll and goods payment, tax, and shipping and handling facilities.

The ICS provides security through its use of the Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) security standards. It acts like a cartridge, just plugging into an Oracle Web Application Server. It works with Oracle’s Universal Server. The cartridges are interchangeable, so they can plug into a client, an application server, or database software.

The starting price is 0,000. Third-party manufacturers have created commerce cartridges that integrate with ICS. For more information, check Oracle’s site.

• https://www.oracle.com/st/products/ics

Sun supports open standards for electronic transactions

Sun threw its support behind open standards for secure electronic transactions (SET) at the “The Promise of SET” conference in July ’97. That’s where Sun demonstrated a secure client “wallet.”

The demonstration involved a SET client wallet built by Sun with the Java Commerce API. The wallet will interoperate with a SET Merchant Server from Open Market and a Payment Gateway service built using an RSA Data Security toolkit.

“By delivering on the promise of open standards like SET, Java makes it possible to create a secure and seamless transaction environment in heterogeneous networks,” said Katherine Webster, group manager of e-commerce market development at Sun.

RealSecure chooses VeriSign Digital IDs

Internet Security Systems and VeriSign have joined forces to give users a sense of security when they download Java and ActiveX applets over the Internet. By the end of 1997, ISS’s RealSecure intrusion-detection software will have integrated VeriSign’s Digital ID system. VeriSign’s Digital ID gives RealSecure the ability to match incoming applets and controls against a list of approved digital signatures — so unknown (and potentially “bad”) applets stay out of a user’s system and “good applets can come in.

“In order for certificates to work, you have to have all browsers across the network properly configured,” said Patrick Taylor, director of product management at ISS. The problem is, “you can never get all browsers configured in the right way.” That would be RealSecure’s job — to give administrators more control by letting them monitor network traffic for unsigned applets, whether the applets come from the Internet or internally.

RealSecure runs on Unix and NT.

ISS: https://www.iss.net/

VeriSign: https://www.verisign.com/

Infoscape’s Fresco 2.0: Fast deployment of intranet apps

Infoscape is shipping Fresco 2.0, an application development environment that helps developers quickly assemble and deploy intranet business applications.

Fresco 2.0 features a unique network-based application server architecture that allows intranet database applications to scale to hundreds or thousands of users across the enterprise. And the response time to queries has been reduced from a few seconds to less than one second.

The Fresco 2.0 Pilot Package costs ,950 with two developer seats, one concurrent-user server license (can serve up to 50 users depending on frequency), and one database adapter (choose from Oracle, Sybase, or ODBC). Fresco Developer costs ,495 per developer seat.

Example demos can be seen at the company’s site or through a Marimba Castanet channel. And developers can register for evaluation copies on-site.

• Fresco info: https://www.infoscape.com/html_docs/prod_prfam.html
• Infoscape: https://www.infoscape.com/

Java component vendors join BulletProof’s JDesigner Pro coalition

BulletProof Corp. has created the BulletProof Component Partnership (BCP), a coalition of Java component vendors, to enrich applications that developers build with its JDesigner Pro development environments.

Among the companies involved in the BCP are Microsoft, Sun, Marimba, Roguewave, I-Kinetics, JScape, Neuron Data, ObjectShare (formerly ParcPlace/Digitalk), ProtoView, Visual Numerics, KL Group, and Bristol. Some of the component products involved are:

• SmartTable (Visual Numerics)
• Castanet (Marimba)
• AFC (Microsoft)
• OPENjdbc (I-Kinetics)
• Jprinter (Bristol)
• JFC (Sun)
• JavaBeans listing (Gamelan)
• Elements for Java (Neuron Data)
• jKit/Grid (ObjectShare)
• JClass BWT (KL Group)
• Java suite (Roguewave)

The Interaction Manager is the key to integrating JavaBeans components into JDesigner Pro 2.1. Instead of the old method, in which developers had to manage interactions between component by researching APIs and coding workarounds for each, JDesigner Pro 2.1’s Interaction Manager displays a list of all matching methods and parameters so developers can create component interaction with the click of a mouse.

BulletProof CTO Peter Muller said, “With the high quality and varied components offered by our Component Partners, we now have the best combination of a development system and objects to choose from.”

• JDesignerPro 2.1 free download: https://www.bulletproof.com/JDesignerPro/

Skunk Technologies introduces Entao Visual Chat

Skunk Technologies debuts Entao Visual Chat, a Java-based avatar chat application that downloads quickly and requires no plug-ins.

Usable with all Java-enabled browsers, Entao Visual Chat can download in less than a minute at 28.8 kilobyte-per-second speeds. The app features a record utility that can be switched on to record all dialog and interaction within the chat environment. Then the resulting log can be used to profile guests and push customized entertainment/advertising to them. There’s also an ad banner component so hosts can sell advertising space in the chat environment.

According to Skunk Technologies’ sales director Sonya Weaver, “With Entao Visual Chat, all computation-intensive software resides on the server while information is streamed to users in real time. Guests can just log in to your Web site and begin using Entao Visual Chat right away. It’s a seamless and transparent experience that occurs right within their browser.”

Entao supports Sun SPARC and UltraSPARC, Intel x86, Macs/Mac compatibles, HP, SGI, Linux-based systems, BeOS systems, and, of course, NCs. The application became available the first week of August ’97.

• https://www.skunktech.com/vchat01.html

Logic Works offers Universal Directory, the Java version

Logic Works announced the beta release of a Java-enabled version of Universal Directory (UD), version 1.6, a directory tool that gives users an easy way to search and use the information in data warehouses — and a way to go outside the warehouse for a data search.

Universal Directory 1.6 allows data warehouse information to be deployed to large numbers of corporate users over intranets. The user can see the origin of warehouse information, when it was refreshed or changed, and what changes occurred. UD 1.6 also provides users a way to look at other corporate data stored in a variety of formats, such as HTML/Web content, word processing documents, spreadsheets, and so on.

“A serious obstacle to the successful deployment of data warehouses is the business users’ lack of confidence in the data they are using,” said development VP Flint Lane. “Universal Directory provides users with an incredibly easy way to identify what information is in the warehouse and where it came from. The exciting benefit of moving to Java with this product is that it now allows people to access the rich information in Universal Directory through a standard Web browser.”

According to the company, Universal Directory 1.6 is easy to install and maintain, and includes full security, extensibility, and automated-population capabilities. Some of the features of UD 1.6 include:

• An intuitive interface that lets users browse and visually analyze information
• The ability to easily incorporate reverse-engineered ERwin source-data models
• A Java front end that delivers low-cost access to data warehouse information through the corporation’s intranet
• A powerful, integrated search engine
• An architecture that is scalable to meet changing warehouse needs
• An open API that makes it easy to customize
• Automated-population tools to help keep it simple to maintain

The beta version of Universal Directory 1.6 is available now; prices for the final version aren’t set yet. That version is planned for some time in the third quarter ’97. UD users with a maintenance contract will get the upgrade at no cost.

• https://www.logicworks.com/products/univdir/index.asp

Cisco joins the Finjan Java Security Alliance

Cisco Systems has joined Finjan Software’s Java Security Alliance (JSA). As a member, Cisco will have access to Finjan’s content-inspection technology, which it will integrate in its own products.

The JSA was started by Finjan to develop a way to integrate Java and ActiveX content-inspection (Finjan’s products) technology into security devices. With Finjan’s SDK, members of the JSA can integrate Finjan security products (such as SurfinGate) into their own offerings. Other JSA members include Trusted Information Systems, Raptor Systems, CheckPoint Software, Digital, Network-1, Milkyway Networks, Secure Computing, ANS Communications, and Aventail.

Ted Julian, Internet research manager at IDC, said with the addition of Cisco to the JSA, “virtually the entire firewall industry now supports Finjan’s content-inspection technology.” He went on to say that the move takes the industry towards “more comprehensive, integrated corporate security.”

GeoSystems’ MapWare gets a Java API facelift

GeoSystems Global Corp. announces a Java API for its MapWare software, an interactive and object-oriented mapping server. MapWare Server is designed with an HTTP-based architecture. With the addition of Java, there are now five interfaces to interact with the product — Java, C++, ActiveX (ASP), file-based, and HTTP.

The new Java package is compatible with JDK 1.0 and 1.1, making it easy to write Java CGI applications that can integrate with cartographic map display, navigation, and intelligent spatial searching. Developers can create map displays that offer zoom for more detail and pop-up interactive windows for points of interest. The API also offers added flexibility for Internet Server Application (ISA) development.

MapWare also has a JavaBean, a user interface component for rapid development and deployment of descriptive map displays.

• https://www.mapware.com/

MKS and Net-It Software join products

Mortice Kern Systems (MKS) and Net-It Software have announced a joint venture to develop a system that can collaboratively create, share, and manage documents on intranets, using MKS’s Web Integrity and Net-It’s Net-It Central. According to Tobi Moriarty, MKS marketing VP, “The beauty of this combined Net-It Software and MKS solution is that without any HTML experience, an Intranet-based corporate knowledge worker can control the entire publishing process from start to finish.”

The combination of the two packages should

• Offer control for the entire document publishing/management process, from start to finish, by integrating document creation, editing, publishing, and management into a single package.

• Build on Web-centric solutions so existing legacy technology can be integrated and even have its capabilities extended.

• Quickly transform desktop information so it can be disseminated to the entire corporation.

Web Integrity is a Web object-management system, with a server engine that tracks changes to Web objects and automates Web standards. Its Java interface allows users to manage the development, approval, and publishing of such Web objects as documents, spreadsheets, graphics, HTML, video, and Java applets. Web Integrity is available with a server license for 5,000. It works with Netscape’s FastTrack Server and Enterprise Server and the Microsoft Internet Information Server. It supports Windows NT, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, and IRIX.

Net-It Central automatically collects, organizes, maintains, and share-enables standard office documents over intranets. Regardless of the application that created it or the platform it’s on, Net-It Central allows a document to be viewed in a standard browser without plugins or client software. It does this through the jDoc technology — which creates a “document delivery container” to make a document sharable. Net-It Central costs ,995 for the Standard Edition and ,995 for the Professional Edition.

• MKS https://www.mks.com/
• Net-It https://www.net-it.com/

Five make agreement with The Open Group to maintain the NCRef

Digital Semiconductor, IBM, Network Computer Inc., Oracle, and Sun have announced an agreement with The Open Group to manage the Network Computer Reference Profile. They also intend to establish a new branding and certification program for network computers.

Terms of the agreement state that The Open Group will maintain the Network Computer Profile (NCP, formerly the Network Computer Reference Profile) under The Open Group’s Network Computer Program. The program offers a Web-based testing and branding program (available later in ’97) and hopes to provide a high degree of product commonality, stability, and openness by creating guidelines for companies to evolve and enhance the Network Computer Profile.

• https://www.rdg.opengroup.org/pubs/catalog/x975.htm

Mustang takes on e-mail management with the Internet Message Center

Mustang Software has released the Web Essentials Internet Message Center (IMC), a public beta corporate app designed to handle incoming Internet e-mail addressed to aliases, such as sales@domain.com, webmaster@domain.com, or info@domain.com — addresses that don’t go to a specific person.

IMC comes in four parts: IMC Agent, IMC Service, IMC Monitor, and IMC Reports. With IMC on a company’s network, the software waits for messages addressed to an alias. When it gets one, it logs into the company’s POP3 mail server, retrieves the message, and stores it in a ODBC Access Database. Then it assigns the message a tracking number and sends an auto-response message to the sender acknowledging receipt. The sender also gets an expected response time and the tracking number, if the company so desires.

Similar to telephone call centers, the folks whose job it is to respond to e-mail are assigned to pools based on expertise (such as sales, support, HR, and so on). The IMC Agent then routes messages to them. (Windows 95- and Java-based Agent allows users to get their messages from anywhere on the network.) Users can check the number of waiting messages.

Once the responsible person answers the e-mail, it goes back to the IMC Service, which then looks up the tracking number and replies to the sender of the message.

IMC Monitor provides real-time, up-to-the-minute statistics of message pool and agent activity so message traffic can be routed effectively; IMC Report compiles reports on system usage.

IMC is expected to ship this fall with a price of ,500 per server license. The software runs on Windows 95 and NT (Mustang recommends the IMC Service run on Windows NT unless the message traffic is light). it is compatible with Microsoft Exchange and Outlook, Lotus Notes, cc:MAIL, Eudora, and all other POP3 Internet e-mail apps.

• https://www.mustang.com/imc

IMC offers ActionLine 1.6 Web authoring tool

Interactive Media Corp. introduces ActionLine 1.6, a Mac-based Web authoring tool for creating and animating interactive Web pages without programming or scripting.

ActionLine allows developers to incorporate animations, time-based events, interactive text, multiple overlaid images, sound, hot buttons, image sequences, and other multimedia capabilities into Web pages. Some of the added features for version 1.6 include

• Enhanced animation capability that includes animation behind and over other media objects.

• Interactive control of mouse behaviors, such as enter, leave, over, and click detection.

• An enhanced visual layout of interactive controls and software object properties.

• Media-management content-directory tracking of all media objects.

• Tools to allow automatic updating of changing data within the Web page without reloading.

• A browser-safe color palette to facilitate rapid authoring of applets.

• Improved stability and tolerance for Web-related downloading errors.

ActionLine runs on Macs, PowerMacs, and any MacOS-compatibles with at least 8 megabytes of RAM, QuickTime 2.5 or higher, and MacOS System 7.5 or higher. If you own version 1.5, the upgrade is free; for older versions, the upgrade charge is 9. New users will have to cough up 99. Free trial versions are available on-site.

• https://www.imcinfo.com/ALTrials.html

Computer Associates breathes new life into Masterpiece with Java

Computer Associates (CA) has decided to develop a new interface for its Masterpiece financial management product using Java. Launched at the beginning the second quarter of this year, the new version is called Masterpiece/Net, and early customer response is favorable.

A year ago, early customers of the original module-based Masterpiece 3.0 weren’t happy with its sluggish performance and complex client-side installation process. So, CA rewrote the interface layer in Java. Now all users have to do to use the interface (and, consequently, access the latest versions of the core functions, which have remained the same) is to use a Java-capable browser.

So, Masterpiece/Net’s new Java face virtually eliminates the client-management issues. And it retains the basic core modules of Masterpiece 3.0 but adds some currency and search enhancements to the core. (And the core can contain such integrated modules as general ledger, accounts payable, purchasing, job costing, labor distribution, and the CA-Hrisma human resources software.)

Mark Hetrick, a senior analyst for Kaman Sciences and a client of the Masterpiece system, cited the difficulty of installing client/server software on a large network of fat-client machines (specifically focusing on overwriting DLLs) as a reason for his support of the newly refashioned Masterpiece/Net. New software with new DLLs (dynamic link libraries) often causes IT personnel to go into trial-and-error mode just to discover which version of the DLL is required to run which piece of software on each machine. Multiply that by one hundred PCs and you rapidly have a logistics nightmare.

With a Java browser as the application’s client-side front end, the DLL problem disappears. “When you’re pulling Java applets into browsers to get online access to things, you don’t have to load anything on users’ machines,” Hetrick said. “Using a browser to run your financial applications is awesome,” he added.

The data can be stored in Oracle OpenIngres, Informix, DB2, Datacom, and VSAM databases, on mainframes, Unix, AS/400, and NT platforms. Pricing is based on a number of variables.

• https://www.ca-masterpiece.com/prodinfo.html

DataChannel introduces XML Viewer

DataChannel has announced the XML Viewer, which it calls the industry’s first eXtensible Markup Language viewer. XML is a new Web technology based on the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), whose proponents hope will compete with HTML for Web-based content. Currently, the XML Viewer would seem to fill a niche for Netscape Navigator users wishing to view documents that use Microsoft’s Channel Definition Format (CDF).

Features of the XML Viewer technology include:

• Cross-platform support that allows users of Navigator and Internet Explorer browsers to view CDF documents.

• The Navigation Tree, a Java-based XML processor, which translates the tags in XML documents. After processing, the parsed tree is filtered for tags and displayed as a tree.

• Support of XAPI-J, a proposed XML API that provides an open choice of XML parser types, such as Norbert Mikula’s NXP, Textuality’s Lark, or Microsoft’s MXXML.

• Improved CDF structure readability. The viewer can read in any CDF file, rendering the document tag structure in a tree, which reveals the document’s anatomy.

A free copy of the XML Viewer is available on site. The Viewer will be available in DataChannel’s product, ChannelManager.

• https://www.datachannel.com/xml/viewer

Intuitive delivers Web@aGlance real-time Java data display

Intuitive’s Web@aGlance product consists of the three parts — a real-time Java graphics library, a drag-and-drop editor named “In-Your-Face,” and the Web@aGlance Automation Server. And, you can get an SDK from the company to help you write real-time data server applications. What is Web@aGlance? It’s a package that converts data to real-time animations so users can visually view the information as it changes.

The “In-Your-Face” editor makes it easy to create the Java animated graphics displays and link them to the data feeds from the Web@aGlance server. Developers draw objects and complete properties, then the critical real-time information is linked to the graphics objects and animated within standard browsers. Intuitive also offers tools to help developers convert existing graphics and drawing files to the Web@aGlance graphics description format.

The Automation Server runs as a CGI program that accepts HTTP requests from the browser. These requests are passed through any standard Web server, which gets the requested data from the data server and returns real-time data to the browser’s Java applet. This real-time data is then converted to animated graphics, or HTML tables and static charts are returned displaying requested data to the browser.

Web@aGlance runs on Windows NT, 95, and Unix. Prices for the server edition start at 50; final cost is based on number of users.

• https://www.aglance.com/webaag/aagcgi.shtml

Oracle chooses NetCharts for OLAP

Oracle has licensed NetFactory’s NetCharts technology to incorporate into its On-line Analytical Processing (OLAP) Oracle Express Server. NetCharts is an HTML-configurable, Java-based, business-charting software. The Oracle Express Server is a multidimensional database used to provide several views of data for analysts.

Dave Menninger, senior director of Product Marketing for Express technology at Oracle, said, “We chose NetFactory’s NetCharts technology because of the quality of the charts, their ability to do ‘in-place’ drill down operations, and their commitment to Java charting technology.”

Microsoft, Apple join forces: What does it mean for Java?

Microsoft and Apple Computer announced on August 6 that Microsoft would invest 50 million in Apple through a non-voting stock purchase. Also, the companies agreed to a broad patent cross-licensing agreement. What does it all mean? The coalition is still new, so the most pragmatic answer would be, “Who knows?” But folks don’t surf here for that answer, so let’s hear some answers straight from the proverbial horses’ mouths.

What does Microsoft want? Microsoft probably had three goals:

• By teaming up with the second largest seller of PC operating systems, the U.S. Justice Department possibly will stop looking so closely at Microsoft.

• The company continues to receive revenue for its applications on the Macintosh.

• It can now use the Macintosh platform to help push its Internet Explorer browser and its Java virtual machine as standards.

The last goal is the important one for Java users, since Microsoft has a history of wanting to capture a market with its proprietary technology. In response to a question about the patent cross-licensing agreement that the two companies signed, Microsoft’s CFO Greg Maffei told InformationWeek in a recent interview that Microsoft wants “to make sure that their [Apple’s] Java and our Java are incorporated.”

What does Apple want? To survive its current difficulties.

What does Sun have to say about the effect this agreement will have on Java? According to a Sun internal document, Microsoft and Apple are prohibited from selling their own Java virtual machines in the market. The companies can ship Java incorporated in their products but are not allowed to resell it.

And here, at the opening volley of the battle, Sun is being polite. The document also said that Sun doesn’t anticipate an Apple/Microsoft Java that will compete with its Java. “100 percent of our CIO customers want ‘write once, run anywhere’, and Apple/Microsoft understands that as well as we do. Developers are building a new software industry around ‘write once, run anywhere’.” It goes on to mention that Apple is making a fully compliant JDK 1.1 for MacOS 8 with help from Sun engineers.

Apple has, of course, adopted Internet Explorer as its default browser. IE uses the Microsoft virtual machine for Java.

As for invested observers, David Gee, program director of Java marketing for IBM, said, “Don’t be fooled. Microsoft’s intention is to proprietize large amounts of the Internet. The 100 Percent Pure Java effort incorporates contributions from numerous sources and delivers what users and developers want — a single platform to tie together heterogeneous computer environments.”

Intuitive Systems shows off OptimizeIt, a Java performance tool

Intuitive Systems announced OptimizeIt 1.0, a Java tool that allows developers to test and improve the performance of Java applications, applets, or Beans.

OptimizeIt dives behind the JVM and tells developers how an app uses resources in detail (in real time), then points out the lines of code responsible for excessive memory allocations or inefficient processor usage. It uses an easy-to-use interface that allows developers to rapidly identify allocated objects. The software tests all the Java code in an app, whether or not the source code is available, which makes it good for checking out third-party Beans and components.

Dave Moore, Netscape’s Internet Foundation Classes manager said, “One of our software engineers used OptimizeIt extremely effectively to find some of our memory performance problems.”

OptimizeIt 1.0 runs on Windows NT and 95, and developers can get a free evaluation copy from Intuitive Systems. A Solaris release is forthcoming.

• https://www.optimizeit.com/

Castanet gets non-Java software updating feature

Marimba announces UpdateNow, a new feature for Castanet that lets a Castanet server distribute and update non-Java applications across the Internet/intranets. It already can update and distribute Java applets.

The UpdateNow software module can automatically update C, C++, Visual Basic, Java, and other language files from a central server. UpdateNow includes a client application to check for the most current versions of software, files, and documents. A server extension allows the Castanet transmitter to support the Castanet UpdateNow client application.

An UpdateNow SDK should be available to ISVs, device manufacturers, and corporate developers to allow them to embed Castanet into third-party or in-house applications or hardware devices. Check Marimba’s Web site for pricing and availability.

• https://www.marimba.com/products/

The Teleran System manages access to legacy databases

Teleran Technologies has developed the Teleran System, a Java-based, enterprise-capable intelligent framework designed to manage and analyze access to major industry databases.

The Teleran System uses rule-based techniques to manage unpredictable, query-intensive applications in real time for the Internet and intranets. It monitors query activity, providing a detailed analysis of user and database activity — the end result to decrease resource consumption when it comes to database queries. In fact, it stops high-resource-cost queries the moment they are executed.

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

New ActiveWeb 2.0 makes heterogeneous info integration possible

Active Software’s new ActiveWeb 2.0 has extended the original software so users can now access information, from all sorts of mainframes and legacy applications to directly from the Internet.

ActiveWeb 2.0 consists of five product categories:

• The Information Broker acts as the central control and storage point for all the parts. It resides on a server and mediates requests, automatically queuing, filtering, and routing events.

• Adapters allow diverse information resources to connect to the Broker by mapping the native format of the resource to ActiveWeb events. Adapters come in five categories: databases, packaged applications, mainframe resources, languages, and the Web. ActiveWeb 2.0 includes some of each, and Active promises to continue to update its adapters. New adapters include a multithreaded C Adapter (for COBOL, C or any language that can use a C API), Java Adapter (for Java applications and browser applets), and an ActiveX Adapter.

• Agents are new to ActiveWeb. They monitor events and apply business rules in certain situations which then trigger new events. The first available agent is a rules-based agent that processes ActiveWeb business events.

• Integration Tools make it easy for developers to rapidly build systems.

• Management Tools allow the administrator to configure, manage, and monitor activities in the ActiveWeb system.

The software runs on Solaris, NT, and IRIX systems. A starter package for five developers starts at 5,000.

• https://www.activesw.com/products/index.html

Internet Explorer bug lets Java applet open new connections

A newly discovered bug in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 3.x and 4.0 allows a Java applet to open a network connection to a server other than the one it came from. This type of connection is not allowed under the current Java security model, so it is confined to IE.

Ben Mesander, a Java developer with Creative Concepts, found the bug. Li Gong, a Sun security expert, looked at Mesander’s code and agreed that “Our implementation [Sun’s] prevents that from happening, so there must be some customization in IE that bypasses this security check.” Microsoft officials confirmed that the flaw exists in the JVM for Windows 3.1, 95, and NT, but not for the Macintosh.

Why is this a problem? The “bad” applet could FTP so much info that it could choke a hard drive. Or, it could download virus-laden files. The flaw could also be used from behind a company’s firewall, according to Mesander.

Version 0.96 of the Java Media Framework Player available

Version 0.96 of the Java Media Framework (JMF) Player, which specifies a unified architecture, messaging protocol, and programming interface for media players, media capture, and conferencing, is now available. The Java Media Player APIs are being developed by Sun, SGI, and Intel.

The Player Specification will be finalized on September 1, 1997, and available on Sun’s Web site.

• Final version: https://java.sun.com/products/java-media/jmf

Beta versions:

• https://www.intel.com/ial/jmedia/

• https://www.sgi.com/Products/motion

279 companies surveyed: More than half using Java now

A Zona Research survey of 279 corporations indicate that more than half of them already are using Java because of it hardware-independent aspects. And the remainder are, or plan to, testing Java apps.

About one-third of the companies that have deployed Java apps had the Java decision made by the highest levels of IT management. In these companies, Java is used predominantly for information sharing, resource scheduling, and project or workgroup management.

IBM licenses SunTest Java testing tools

Just minutes (it seems) after Sun announced the SunTest tools division, IBM is licensing the SunTest tools, to be used for IBM’s internal Java-development programs. IBM will also make the tools available for developers through the IBM Validation Centers for Java.

Marie Wieck, director of IBM Java marketing, said, “Use of the SunTest tools suite will enable IBM to produce high-quality Java applications that our customers can confidently deploy across their enterprises. Making these tools available to developers at the IBM Validation Centers for Java extends the range of services — including Java education, consulting, and training — that we offer to customers and developers who are using Java to improve their productivity and cost effectiveness.”

Visual Numerics’ JNL library gets 100 Percent Pure Java certification

Visual Numerics has announced that its JNL numerical library for Java has received Sun’s 100 Percent Pure Java Certification.

JNL is a set of numerical extensions to the Java language. It lets developers integrate linear algebra, vector, complex numbers, and basic statistical calculations into their Java applications. The Java Reference Implementation of JNL is available free of charge from Visual Numerics.

• https://www.vni.com/products/wpd/jnl/

Aspect’s Explore.net Java-based database front end

Aspect Development introduces Explore.net, a Java-based Web client that allows engineers to access the company’s Explore database. The specialized Explore database contains more than 2.5 million electronic and mechanic part, useful to engineers designing everything from computers to airplanes.

Excite search engine launches Java-enhanced ads

The Excite search engine has launched Java-enhanced ad banners that are capable of animation and showing multiple images and messages. The ads are being facilitated by a Java-authoring tool, MicroSites, developed by Zapa Digital Arts.

The first clients include SiteSpecific ad agency (for its client N2K’s Music Boulevard); agency Wunderman Cato Johnson (for its online marketing magazine Propheus); and iTraffic agency (for CD-Now).

Excite will set rates for the banners in September when it is finished testing. Zapa Digital Arts will start selling MicroSites in the fourth quarter ’97.

• https://www.zapadigital.com/

Connect Application Workbench e-commerce toolkit now available

Connect Inc. announces the Connect Application Workbench, a suite of tools for building scalable, secure, and reliable e-commerce applications. Components include an

• object designer
• a site manager for building business-oriented Web sites
• Java components
• a reporting tool

It also has interfaces to enterprise applications and relational databases. Pricing is not set, and Connect expects to ship the product later this quarter.

• https://www.connectinc.com/

Smart card maker Giesecke and Devrient licenses Java Card API

Giesecke and Devrient GmbH (G&D) has licensed the Java Card API to expand its smart card product line.

G&D’s products center on the company’s secure STARCOS operating system, which controls the electronic payment cards, components, and systems the company manufactures. The company will debut its first Java Card API product at the CeBIT 98 conference in Hannover, Germany.

In incorporating the Java Card API, Jurgen Nehls, head of the G&D Cards and Card Systems Division, said the aim of G&D “is to expand the product line of high-security smart cards by taking part in global standardization.” He adds, “With Java, Giesecke and Devrient will have easier access to new markets such as Internet payment, electronic commerce, and loyalty programs.”

• For more info on G&D: https://www.gdm.de/de/company.htm

Open Text debuts its NC application suite

At the recent Internet World show, Open Text Corp. demonstrated Livelink Intranet Suite 7 — an intranet application suite that should deliver document management, workflow, search, and collaboration capabilities across a network to thin clients.

Take the Livelink tour on the Open Text site.

• Livelink 7: http://www.o pentext.com/livelink/suite7/otm_ll7_new.html
• Livelink: https://www.opentext.com/livelink/
• Livelink Guided Tour: https://www.opentext.com/livelink/otm_ll_test.html

Sun buys Diba to get into set-top market

Sun has agreed to buy Diba Inc., a manufacturer of Internet-access, set-top boxes for televisions, with the intention of spreading Java even further into the consumer electronics market. Diba will join Sun’s consumer technologies group.

“By leveraging the Java software platform and Java-enabled microprocessors with Diba’s experience in assembling components into complete solutions, Sun hopes to enable OEMs to take advantage of the market’s vast potential sooner rather than later,” said Sun CEO Scott McNealy.

Network Computer Inc. lays off employees

Oracle subsidiary Network Computer Inc. has confirmed that it is laying off or re-assigning 41 employees (one-third of its workforce) as part of a major restructuring of the company. Officials said that sales for NCs have been slow, and with the new focus on stripped-down NCs, NCI will be combined with Navio Communications, the browser company Oracle recently purchased.

CUChat 1.0 for Java-based net chatting

NetDIVE announced CUChat Version 1.0, a Java-based Web site chat system.

CUChat’s client component doesn’t require separate download and installation since it is written in Java, so all the client needs to engage chatting is a Java browser. The software has a visual interface that allows chat participants to see one another chatting and moving around while superimposed over a graphical image. The software also uses a Java-based sprite animation technology to convey the movement of the chat participants (avatars) within the visual world of the CUChat rooms.

• https://www.netdive.com/

Navy streamlines administration with NCs

U.S. Navy Chief Information Officer Marvin Langston says the Navy is conducting NC test programs with all the major vendors. It is running groups of 20 to 50 systems to study effects on the overall network, other clients, and applications. The Navy hopes to be able to boost the number of clients for each administrator to more than 100 (currently, it’s around fewer than 50).

The Navy should decide whether to make major NC purchases within six to eight months.

Ascend creates a Java-based Firewall Control Manager

As part of its security product line, Ascend Communications has announced the Java-based Firewall Control Manager — a new software tool that provides firewall and authentication capabilities for organizations that wish to extend their intranets to partners and third parties. You can get a copy of Firewall Control Manager, which runs in Solaris NT environments, at the company’s site.

• https://www.ascend.com/fcm/

OS/2 Warp to add JDK 1.1

IBM is releasing JDK 1.1-enabled versions of OS/2 Warp 4, OS/2 Warp Server, and OS/2 Warp Server SMP operating systems, providing total support for the JDK 1.1 in its OS.

With JDK 1.1 support, the OS/2 operating systems receive integrated support for JavaBeans, Java Database Connectivity, improved security capabilities, and support for Unicode (which allows Java applets to be written in any language).

• https://www.software.ibm.com/os2warp

Want to know if software has passed the 100 Percent Pure test?

The public site for companies/software that have successfully completed the 100 Percent Pure Java Certification program can be found at:

• https://www.keylabs.com/100percent.

SAS/IntrNet for deploying multiplatform Web applications

SAS Institute has released SAS/IntrNet 1.0, software that delivers a flexible environment to deploy multiplatform Web applications with no knowledge of CGI programming required. Organizations can quickly build and deploy powerful applications that provide useful information for business users.

• https://www.sas.com/rnd/web/intro.html

Rexton Java Framework applets

Rexton InterActive has released Java Framework, a set of six Java applet templates that generate platform-independent applications for the Internet and intranets. The set costs ,200 per developer copy. A demo of the Java Framework is available at the Rexton site.

• https://www.gorex.com/