Keeping you abreast of the ever-changing Java world Index of news briefsBetter Java-based charts and graphsBorland announces Java-enabled Interbase SQL Database ServerFree tool runs Java VM for Web servers Generic Library 1.1 upgradeHDS Network Systems introduces second-generation network computersIBM bridges incompatibilities with Java Java Center slated for SingaporeJava Enterprise APIs get joint developmentMicrosoft makes its Visual J++ available Microsoft may not be ready to share ActiveX techMicrotec Research licenses JVM and JavaOS for embedded systemsSoftbank invests in Asymetrix; Asymetrix lets users modify applets on the fly Stingray Software releases object-oriented grid extension for JavaSun releases road map for Java’s futureSun and Apple get together for some Java Sun and Egghead sell WorkShop onlineSun Educational Services offers Java training coursesSymantec’s dbAnywhere makes portable, Internet-accessible databases Vendors tie together OpenDoc and Java BeansVirtual IP networks use Java-based management agentsWindNavigator allows quick look at Java code Sun and Apple get together for some JavaSun Microsystems and Apple Computer promise to integrate a handful of key technologies: QuickTime multimedia with the Java Media APIs, Java Beans and OpenDoc component architectures, and Solaris servers with Mac OS clients. The new deal follows Apple’s submission of several QuickTime-oriented class libraries to JavaSoft in June (JavaSoft earlier resisted Apple’s push to make QuickTime a standard for Java). Sun spokesperson Lisa Poulson said, “We’re making sure QuickTime is supported as an option — it’s a popular standard.”The two companies have also started work on a gateway between Java Beans and OpenDoc (click here for more). Java Beans is Sun’s lightweight, platform-independent architecture that allows developers to build Java applets that run within different component architectures and operating systems. Sun said it expects to release Java Beans code by the end of the year. OpenDoc is a more mature software component architecture developed by Apple and used by IBM Corp. OpenDoc APIs should be accessible from Java by 1997.Sun/JavaSoft: https://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/9609/sunflash.960918.html Apple: https://product.info.apple.com/pr/press.releases/1996/q4/960918.pr.rel.sun.htmlBack to indexMicrosoft makes its Visual J++ availableMicrosoft Corp.’s Visual J++, Professional Edition, is now widely available to users. This Java development tool creates Java-compatible applets and provides extensibility with ActiveX controls and components. Visual J++ comes with the following Java programming tools and libraries: AimTech’s Jamba, Neural Applications’ E-Mail Wizard, Object Space’s Java Generic Library, Dimension X’s Liquid Motion, and Bulletproof’s J Design Pro.Visual J++ is available for 9 and includes the book Learn Java Now, by Stephan R. Davis.https://www.microsoft.com/visualjBack to indexSymantec’s dbAnywhere makes portable, Internet-accessible databasesSymantec Corp.’s dbAnywhere is a database connectivity product that allows Java programs to access corporate databases via the Internet using JavaSoft’s Java Database Connectivity API. Linking to Oracle, Sybase, Watcom, and Microsoft databases, the applications run on the client, not on the database server. dbAnywhere runs on Windows 95, Windows NT Server and Workstation, and can be downloaded for free.https://www.cafe.symantec.com/dbawpr1.htmlBack to indexBorland announces Java-enabled Interbase SQL Database ServerBorland International Inc. announced InterClient for the InterBase cross-platform SQL database server. InterClient is written entirely in Java and provides JDBC-compliant connectivity for InterBase, improving the performance of Web-centric database functions. Java applets can make direct connections to InterBase database servers because InterClient contains both client and server components. Thus, applets avoid the Web server bottleneck for accessing corporate databases.A beta version of InterClient is available for download, without charge, over the Web.https://www.borland.com/interbase/interclientBack to indexSoftbank invests in Asymetrix; Asymetrix lets users modify applets on the flySoftbank, an international computer-related publisher, made an equity investment in Asymetrix Corp., an Internet authoring and development tools company, based on Asymetrix’s ToolBook II line of computer-based training solutions and its SuperCede Internet development tools. The first SuperCede product, SuperCede for Java, is a visual, interactive development environment that enables developers to rapidly construct high-speed Java applets and applications. And developers will be able to modify applets while they are running. A beta version will be available from the Asymetrix’s Web site in early October. A combined ActiveX and Java version will be available early in 1997.Asymetrix and Softbank: https://www.asymetrix.com/pr/softbank.htm Asymetrix’s SuperCede: https://www.asymetrix.com/nettools/briefBack to indexJava Enterprise APIs get joint developmentJavaSoft and The Baan Co. will jointly develop enhancements to the Java Enterprise APIs to allow Java programmers to more quickly develop large-scale Internet- and intranet-based applications. The Java Enterprise APIs are part of JavaSoft’s family of standard Java APIs that include specific functionality in areas such as commerce, security, management. For these APIs, Baan and JavaSoft will develop an object-relational mapping system for Java built on JDBC, the Java API for connectivity to industry-standard databases. These enhancements will be made part of the Java Enterprise API offerings and will be available to users across all Java-enabled hardware platforms.For the developer, this means that access to relational data is transparent to the underlying database, and all access is through the Java platform. For the user, efficient caching of relational data within the Java object will be possible, resulting in better scalability and higher performance of distributed networked applications.The two companies intend to collaborate on other Java extensions for the enterprise application market.The Baan Company: https://www.baan.com/2_News/Press_Releases/press21.htm JavaSoft: https://www.java.comBack to indexSun Educational Services offers Java training courses Software Development