Info-IBMPC@C.ISI.EDU.UUCP (04/05/87)
Info-IBMPC Digest Saturday, 4 April 1987 Volume 6 : Issue 22 This Week's Editor: Billy Brackenridge Today's Topics: MS PRODUCTS FIT TOGETHER IN LONG-TERM STRATEGY Microsoft XENIX System V/386 Product Information Windows 2.0 Product Information OS/2 SDK APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT TOOLS OS/2(TM) SDK Product Information OS/2 Windows Presentation Manager Product Information OS/2(TM) FUNCTIONALITY, GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE Microsoft Operating System/2(TM) Product Information Microsoft OS/2(TM) LAN Manager Product Information MICROSOFT(R) MOUSE TO SUPPORT IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MS OS/2(TM) LAN MANAGER, LOCAL AREA NETWORKING PRODUCT MS-DOS(R) VERSION 3.3 OFFERS IMPROVED FEATURES Microsoft(R) MS-DOS(R) Version 3.3 Product Information SOFTWARE, MEDIA SUPPORT FOR IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 INFO-IBMPC BBS Phone Numbers: (213)827-2635 (213)827-2515 [Following are the Microsoft press releases for their new products. -wab] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: qe0n Subject: MS PRODUCTS FIT TOGETHER IN LONG-TERM STRATEGY Date: Wed Apr 01 21:13:08 1987 MICROSOFT PRODUCTS FIT TOGETHER IN LONG-TERM STRATEGY REDMOND, WA -- APRIL 2, 1987 -- Microsoft's announcement today of a whole range of new products is part of a carefully thought-out long-term strategy to help the personal computer industry make the transition to new high-performance systems, to make that transition as simple as possible, and to protect the investment by users in current hardware and software. Microsoft's strategy involves moving along five broad fronts to guarantee a steady progression path for developers and users alike: 1) to develop a powerful new operating system, MS OS/2(TM), that takes full advantage of the 80286/386 microprocessors, leading to many new sophisticated PC-based applications; 2) to ensure that the huge installed base of applications running under the current operating system, MS-DOS(R), will also run under the new MS OS/2 in the "compatibility box"; 3) to continue enhancements and product development for MS-DOS, focusing on usability and improved performance. 4) to provide a new graphical user interface for the new generation; to provide a visually compatible graphical interface for the current generation. 5) to provide sophisticated networking for the new generation that is also compatible with current Microsoft Networks. THE NEW GENERATION Announcement of the new generation of systems software was made in conjunction with IBM's announcement of new hardware based on the 80286/386; however, Microsoft's new MS OS/2 is designed to be compatible with all 80286/386 systems and is also being made available to Microsoft's other operating system OEMs. The "new generation" includes these products: o MS OS/2, a multi-tasking operating system that provides PC developers and users the kind of power now associated more with minicomputer systems than with PCs; and Windows presentation manager as the standard graphical user interface. MS OS/2 will also run MS-DOS applications. o Microsoft LAN Manager, a sophisticated new networking system that allows for true distributed software on PC systems and can also be linked to Microsoft's existing MS-DOS and XENIX(R) networks. o MS OS/2 Software Development Kit, which includes the MS OS/2 kernel, language compilers, specifications for Microsoft LAN Manager and presentation manager, and all other components required for software developers to begin writing MS OS/2 applications. Of all the products announced today, this one has the most immediate impact. Its August release will trigger the start of actual work on the next generation of PC software. o Recently announced version of XENIX for the 80386 that takes full advantage of the 32-bit architecture and allows for development of XENIX programs of virtually unlimited size, yet is fully compatible with all existing XENIX software running on the 80286. It will be compatible with all 80386 systems, including the Personal System/2(TM) from IBM. CURRENT GENERATION Microsoft's goal is to provide regular updates to its existing generation of software. The ones announced today include: o New release of MS-DOS, version 3.3, with better performance, better utilization of hard disks, and improved support for foreign language versions. Regular enhancements to MS-DOS are anticipated over time. o New release of Microsoft Windows, version 2.0, with the same visual appearance as the new MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager, and with as much as fourfold improvements in graphic output over earlier versions of Microsoft Windows. A number of keyboard and mouse operations are streamlined. o IBM-compatible applications. Microsoft announced new 3.5-inch diskettes and a version of the Microsoft Mouse that provide hardware compatibility with the new IBM(R) Personal Systems/2. Various Microsoft applications products will be enhanced over time to take advantage of the high-resolution graphics on the new systems. Together, these series of products illustrate Microsoft's commitment to developing innovative technology, to providing support for current technology, to making the two generations as compatible as possible, and to providing an orderly transition path between them. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Subject: Microsoft XENIX System V/386 Product Information Date: Wed Apr 01 21:13:03 1987 Introduction Microsoft(R) XENIX(R) System V/386 is the first release of Microsoft's implementation of the UNIX(R) System V Operating System for the Intel(R) 80386 microprocessor. Product Features XENIX System V/386: - provides support for multiple users working on terminals. - is fully compatible with XENIX System V/286, and is thus able to execute (without modification or recompilation) the over 500 commercially available programs developed for XENIX System V/286. - provides maximum "32-bit performance": - takes full advantage of the 32-bit features of the Intel 80386 microprocessor. - provides demand paged, virtual memory (the ability to execute programs of virtually unlimited size). - is compatible with AT&T's System V Interface Definition, allowing programs to be ported from other UNIX-based computers. - provides support to allow MS-DOS(R) programs to be run as XENIX tasks, thus providing access for XENIX users to the MS-DOS application software base. Product Background XENIX is Microsoft's multi-user solution - a solution that allows multiple users to be attached via inexpensive terminals to a single machine, thereby allowing the users to share the resources of the machine. It is also compatible with the UNIX System V Operating System - an operating system that is highly portable, and is to be found on a wide variety of architectures: large mainframes, minicomputers, technical and scientific workstations, and personal computers. Starting in 1981, Microsoft has marketed its adaptation of the UNIX Operating System under the name XENIX. Microsoft's goal was to provide high quality implementations of UNIX for computer systems based upon microprocessors. In doing so, Microsoft has become one of the major licensees of the UNIX Operating System, accounting for the majority of implementations sold upon microprocessor-based systems. In particular, a large application base has been built around Microsoft XENIX System V/286 for systems based upon the Intel 80286 microprocessor. Microsoft XENIX System V/386 for the Intel 80386 will preserve this application base, while opening up the full potential of the 80386 to developers and users. XENIX System V/286 has been licensed by such companies as Altos, Apricot, IBM, Mitsubishi, NEC, Olivetti, Siemens, Tandy, Wang and Zenith. Product Q&A How does XENIX System V/386 differ from XENIX System V/286? XENIX System V/386 utilizes the 32-bit mode of the Intel 80386 microprocessor, allowing the development and use of much larger "32-bit" programs. However, the system retains the ability to execute "16-bit" programs developed for XENIX System V/286. When will XENIX System V/386 be generally available and from whom? XENIX System V/386 will be available for licensing by OEM customers of Microsoft in the second quarter of 1987. In addition, the product will be available through Microsoft's partners in the UNIX business: The Santa Cruz Operation (who will provide a retail version of the product) and Interactive Systems Corporation. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Thu Apr 2 07:09:30 1987 Subject: Windows 2.0 Product Information Date: Wed Apr 01 21:12:47 1987 Product Information Microsoft(R) Windows Version 2.0 Introduction Microsoft Windows version 2.0 is the next major release of Microsoft Windows for MS-DOS(R)-based PCs. Version 2.0 also provides a new user interface which is visually compatible with the Microsoft OS/2(TM) Windows presentation manager. Product Features Microsoft Windows version 2.0 includes the following added features: - increased output performance for Windows applications - enhanced data exchange support for non-Windows based applications - support for running multiple applications in expanded memory - new visual interface with overlapping windows - enhanced keyboard interface Microsoft Windows version 2.0 supports all IBM Personal Computers (except the IBM(R) PCjr and IBM PC Convertible) and 100% compatible machines. Microsoft Windows version 2.0 is compatible with existing Microsoft Windows applications. The visual interface of Windows version 2.0 adopts the same design as the MS OS/2(TM) Windows presentation manager currently being jointly developed by Microsoft and IBM. This visual interface provides overlapping windows and an improved interface allowing the user better control over the screen layout and easier interaction with applications. Microsoft Windows version 2.0 also includes significant performance enhancements. The processing and display of information on the display has been considerably improved and for some applications can result in a fourfold increase in speed. A new memory manager allows efficient use of expanded memory hardware. This allows a single application to be larger than 640Kb, and for the user to switch rapidly between large applications which are running simultaneously. Product Background First released in November 1985, Microsoft Windows has become one of the most popular graphics-based workstation environments for personal computers. Microsoft has licensed more than 850,000 units of Microsoft Windows world-wide and has also provided the foundation for a new generation of applications software, including CAD-CAM, financial trading desktop publishing, and corporate software development. Over 300 commercial software developers have publicly committed to developing Microsoft Windows applications, and over 50 hardware manufacturers are currently supporting Windows with various memory, display, printer, and pointing devices. In addition, over 15 major OEMs have licensed and are shipping Microsoft Windows. Product Q & A When will Microsoft Windows version 2.0 be available from Microsoft? Windows version 2.0 is scheduled to ship in the third quarter of 1987. Will an update be made available to existing Windows owners? Yes. Microsoft will offer an update to all Microsoft registered Windows customers. Those registered users who obtain the current version of the Microsoft packaged product on or after April 1, 1987, will be offered the update to version 2.0 for free. Any registered user who licensed Microsoft Windows prior to that date will be offered the update for a nominal update fee. Will application software developed under previous versions of Microsoft Windows work with version 2.0? If the application follows standard Windows development conventions, the product should run without modification under version 2.0. Is there anything special required to take advantage of the increased expanded memory support for version 2.0? The design for version 2.0 is upwardly compatible with existing expanded memory specifications, and can be supported by all expanded memory devices, provided that the board manufacturer includes a Microsoft defined set of extensions to its software driver. The extensions specification is available from Microsoft to all expanded memory board manufacturers. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Subject: OS/2 SDK APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT TOOLS Date: Wed Apr 01 21:12:40 1987 MICROSOFT OPERATING SYSTEM/2(TM) SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT KIT PROVIDES TOOLS TO ALLOW APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FOR NEW OPERATING SYSTEM Redmond, WA -- APRIL 2, 1987 -- Microsoft Corporation today announced the MS OS/2(TM) Software Development Kit, which allows software developers to begin the work of moving applications software to the new MS OS/2 for 80286 and 80386-based personal computers. The developer's toolkit contains a beta-release version of the MS OS/2 system kernel, technical specifications for the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager and MS OS/2 LAN Manager, new versions of Microsoft's macro assembler (MASM) and C language compilers, the CodeView(TM) debugger and other software development tools, including a programmer's editor. Containing all the components that developers require to write applications for this new environment, the toolkit will be regularly updated by Microsoft until the final release of MS OS/2. These updates will include the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager and MS OS/2 LAN manager software components and associated development tools. Microsoft will also be providing intensive training and support services to users of the toolkit. "With IBM's announcement of the availability of IBM Operating System/2(TM) to end-users in the first quarter of 1988, this toolkit will be extremely important to developers," said Steven Ballmer, vice president of systems software for Microsoft. "The release of the toolkit marks the point at which protected-mode applications software development can really begin." Planned for release on August 1 and priced at $3,000 (U.S.), the development toolkit includes an attendance credit for a technical seminar, a one-year license for Microsoft's Direct Information Access Line (DIAL) system, an electronic mail technical support service, and a subscription to the Microsoft Systems Journal. Direct telephone support is available for another $1,000 annually. "Because the toolkit is a complete set of development tools, applications developers will be able to begin serious work on the design and development of protected-mode applications which utilize the complete MS OS/2 environment, including the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager and LAN manager services," said Ballmer. "Training and support are also very important components of the toolkit. The specifications alone run to more than two thousand pages. By offering this high level of support and training in advance of the end-user availability of MS OS/2, we are doing everything we can to help the development community." Regular updates to the Software Development Kit are included in the licensing fee. Updates will, over time, include the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager and the MS OS/2 LAN Manager software products and associated development tools. The first technical training seminars are scheduled for Seattle, June 2-4, and New York, July 8- 9. Further seminars will be held in September and October. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Thu Apr 2 07:07:42 1987 Subject: OS/2(TM) SDK Product Information Date: Wed Apr 01 21:12:33 1987 Introduction The Microsoft Operating System/2 Software Development Kit (MS OS/2(TM) SDK) is a release of Microsoft OS/2(TM) for software developers which includes a comprehensive set of software development tools. The MS OS/2 SDK will enable developers to begin design and development of MS OS/2 applications and systems products in advance of the general end-user release of MS OS/2. Microsoft is also providing comprehensive product support services and training seminars for developers using the MS OS/2 SDK. All of the software components of the MS OS/2 SDK are pre-release versions of the final products. These components will be updated regularly by Microsoft until the final end-user releases become available. Microsoft already supplies a Windows Software Development Kit for the MS-DOS(R) version of Windows. Product Features The first release of the MS OS/2 SDK includes the following components: - Microsoft Operating System/2 configured for use on a range of popular personal computers, including the IBM(R) PC AT(R), COMPAQ(R) Deskpro 386 and Zenith Z-248 and Z-386 PCs - Microsoft C Compiler version 4.5 - Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) version 4.5 - Microsoft CodeView(TM) debugger - Microsoft linker - other program development utilities including a full screen editor - complete documentation for all of the above The Microsoft C compiler and MASM assembler are upward compatible versions of Microsoft's current MS-DOS based retail products (Microsoft C version 4.0 and MASM 4.0). These new releases of the language products incorporate several new features for the MS OS/2 environment, including the ability to compile and link programs which will run in either real or protected mode under MS OS/2, as well as significant improvements in the code optimization of the C compiler. In addition to the software items listed previously, each licensee of the MS OS/2 SDK will receive an automatic one-year subscription to the Microsoft Direct Information Access Line (DIAL), Microsoft's electronic mail-based product support system. This will be supplemented by information to be published in the Microsoft Systems Journal and three-day training seminars given by Microsoft technical personnel. The seminars will begin in June. Each license of the MS OS/2 SDK includes attendance at a training seminar for no additional charge. All of the above items are part of the first release of the MS OS/2 SDK. In addition, the first release of the MS OS/2 SDK will include specifications for the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager and the MS OS/2 LAN Manager. Pre release versions of these software components and the associated software development tools will be released to developers in the form of updates to the MS OS/2 SDK. Product Background The MS OS/2 SDK comprises several software components. The basic program development tools, including the C compiler and macro assembler, are the latest versions of current Microsoft products. The MS OS/2 operating system in the SDK is a pre-release version of the product. The MS OS/2 LAN Manager is the newly announced local area networking system designed for the MS OS/2 environment. Product Q & A What personal computers does the MS OS/2 SDK run on? The product will run on a number of current personal computers including the IBM PC AT, the COMPAQ Deskpro 286 and Deskpro 386, the Zenith Z-241, Z-248 and Z-386, and machines compatible with these systems. The MS OS/2 product itself is designed to run on any 80286 or 80386-based personal computer and, as is the case with MS-DOS, the product will be licensed through PC manufacturers (OEMs) who adapt, test and market the product for their particular machines. What machine configuration is required by the MS OS/2 SDK? The recommended system configuration is 1.5 Mb of memory, a hard-disk, and a graphics display and adapter. To use the MS OS/2 LAN Manager, a PC-compatible network interface card is required. Why is the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager not being provided with the first release of the MS OS/2 SDK? The development of the entire MS OS/2 systems software platform, including the operating system kernel, the Windows presentation manager, and the LAN Manager is a lengthy and complex project. It also takes time for application developers to analyze and understand the capabilities of this new generation of systems software. For example, the specifications of the kernel and presentation manager amount to more than one thousand pages of documentation. Thus, this first release of the MS OS/2 SDK includes a full specification for all components, plus program development tools and a development base for initial design and implementation of new applications. The MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager and MS OS/2 LAN Manager software components will be available as updates to the MS OS/2 SDK in the near future. How much does the SDK cost? Microsoft will be licensing the MS OS/2 SDK for $3,000 a copy. Why is the SDK so expensive? The SDK is not expensive. In order to provide the very high level of detailed technical support that users of the SDK will require, Microsoft has to have a large, highly trained support staff. Thus our costs are very high. We expect to help a large number of developers build products for the new systems software platform and, thereby, assist in the provision of those applications to end-users. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Subject: OS/2 Windows Presentation Manager Product Information Date: Wed Apr 01 21:12:26 1987 Product Information Microsoft OS/2 Windows Presentation Manager Introduction The Windows presentation manager is the graphical user-interface component of Microsoft Operating System/2(TM). Product Features The Windows presentation manager provides a windowed, graphical, user interface to MS OS/2(TM) users. It replaces the MS OS/2 command line interface with a full-function user shell. This shell features: - The ability to run windowed and non-windowed programs - A simple user-interface for MS OS/2 file management functions - Support for mouse or keyboard driven operation In addition to providing these capabilities, the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager also provides a powerful application environment for software developers. Applications written to make use of this environment can take advantage of: - Priority based, time-sliced, multi-tasking - A device independent output architecture - A sophisticated graphics library - Intertask communication and data interchange facilities Product Background The Microsoft OS/2 Windows presentation manager is an evolution of the Microsoft(R) Windows product first released in November 1985. Microsoft Windows is supported by all the leading personal computer manufacturers. Over 850,000 copies of it have been sold since its first release. Microsoft is developing the OS/2 Windows presentation manager with IBM(R) under the auspices of the IBM/Microsoft Joint Development Agreement. Product Q & A When will the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager be available? Alpha test versions of the software will be available late this year. This software will be provided to purchasers of the MS OS/2 Software Development Kit. Although final release dates are determined by our OEM customers, we expect that the product will be available in 1988. How will the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager be distributed? The Windows presentation manager is an integral part of Microsoft Operating System/2. It will be available through OEM customers as a component of MS OS/2. How different is it from Microsoft Windows? The Windows presentation manager and Microsoft Windows version 2.0 have very similar user interfaces. The Application Programming Interface and Device Driver Interface have changed to accommodate the protected mode features of MS OS/2, to improve the graphics library, and to standardize on coding conventions. Why did you change the user interface? Since the original release of Microsoft Windows, we have been asked by many OEMs and ISVs to make changes in the user interface. Overlapped windows have been a very common request. The keyboard interface of Windows has been changed to better accommodate the needs of MS OS/2 and the new User Shell and to provide keyboard shortcuts to most menu and dialog box items. Why did you change the programming interface? The MS OS/2 platform is a new environment for software developers. To take advantage of its new features, existing software will have to be modified. For this reason, we thought it a convenient time to make some changes to the Windows programming interface as well. Many of the Windows API changes are to standardize on coding practices. Windows routines will use the same practices used by the kernel components of MS OS/2. Other changes are required by the new graphics library. This has substantially greater functionality and a different architecture; it requires a different programming interface. Finally, some changes are dictated by the protected mode nature of MS OS/2. How difficult will it be to modify current Microsoft Windows applications to run under the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager? Most of the required modifications will be trivial. For example, the names of the API calls will have to be changed. Because the graphics library has changed, applications which make heavy use of graphics will require the most changes. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Subject: OS/2(TM) FUNCTIONALITY, GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE Date: Wed Apr 01 21:12:17 1987 MICROSOFT OS/2(TM) OFFERS SIGNIFICANT NEW FUNCTIONALITY FOR PERSONAL COMPUTERS AND INTEGRATED GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE Redmond, WA -- APRIL 2, 1987 -- Microsoft Corporation's new operating system product, Microsoft Operating System/2(TM) (MS OS/2(TM)), is an advanced single-user, multi-tasking operating system for personal computers. MS OS/2 provides a built-in graphical user interface, the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager, as the standard user interface to the system. MS OS/2 provides full support for protected mode operation of 80286 and 80386 personal computers, allowing applications to take advantage of up to 16M bytes of real memory or 1 gigabyte of virtual memory on 80286-based machines compared to the current real-mode limitation of 640K bytes under the MS-DOS(R) operating system. MS OS/2 consists of the operating system kernel and the Windows presentation manager, which provides a standard graphical user interface and graphical applications services for MS OS/2. MS OS/2 can run most existing applications designed for MS-DOS. Among some of the sophisticated new capabilities of the operating system, MS OS/2 provides a sophisticated priority-based pre-emptive multi-tasking environment which is supported by a comprehensive set of inter-task communication capabilities. This allows new applications to be designed as a closely cooperating set of tasks which can provide the user, running new applications, with improved system efficiency and background processing capabilities. This allows, for example, a spreadsheet application to carry out recalculation simultaneously with user input, or the processing of multiple concurrent database queries. MS OS/2 also provides a new application interface which isolates applications from low-level hardware differences between machines running MS OS/2. Applications can be developed that are compatible across all machines running MS OS/2. This interface will also be consistent with future releases of MS OS/2 designed to take advantage of the additional capabilities of the 80386 processor. The MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager, derived from the current Microsoft(R) Windows product, provides a graphical user interface and a device- independent graphical application environment. The visual appearance of the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager is based on the use of multiple overlapping application display windows. A new release of Microsoft Windows for MS-DOS personal computers, planned for release in the third quarter of 1987, will adopt the same visual interface, providing users with a consistent graphical user interface across Microsoft's single-user operating system product line. MS OS/2 will be licensed to Microsoft's existing OEM customers. Phased release of MS OS/2 to OEM customers will begin in the fourth quarter of 1987. Versions of MS OS/2 can be provided, by these customers, for existing machines, such as the IBM(R) PC AT(R), as well as new 80286 and 80386 systems. Microsoft anticipates that MS OS/2 will be generally available to end users in 1988. Microsoft plans to begin shipment on August 1 of the MS OS/2 Software Development Kit. The Software Development Kit will contain pre-release versions of the MS OS/2 system kernel, technical specifications for the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager, and MS OS/2 LAN Manager, language compilers, and other software tools necessary for developers to begin design and development of applications for MS OS/2. The Software Development Kit will be regularly updated by Microsoft. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Thu Apr 2 07:06:29 1987 Subject: Microsoft Operating System/2(TM) Product Information Date: Wed Apr 01 21:12:10 1987 Microsoft Operating System/2(TM) Introduction Microsoft Operating System/2 (MS OS/2(TM)) is Microsoft's next generation operating system for IBM(R) personal computers and compatible machines. MS OS/2 comprises the operating system kernel and the Windows presentation manager. The Windows presentation manager provides the graphical user interface and graphical application services for MS OS/2. Product Features MS OS/2 is an advanced single-user multi-tasking operating system for 80286 and 80386-based personal computers. MS OS/2 supports both real and protected mode operation of the 286 and 386 processors. This allows the user to run both existing applications designed for the current MS-DOS(R) operating system, and new protected mode applications designed specifically for MS OS/2. The new protected mode applications can exploit the advanced features of MS OS/2 including: - Multi-tasking - Priority based pre-emptive scheduling - Relief from the 640k memory restriction; MS OS/2 applications can utilize the full address space of the 80286 processor, 16mb of real memory or 1gb of virtual memory. - New CALL based full-function application program interface (API) - Built-in graphics services provided by the MS OS/2 presentation manager MS OS/2 is compatible with all versions of MS-DOS including version 3.3. It supports all the new version 3.3 enhancements including increased disk storage capacity. Most existing MS-DOS applications will run unchanged under MS OS/2. MS-DOS applications can be run only as foreground applications. MS OS/2 is fully defined by the specifications included within the Microsoft OS/2 Software Development Kit, which also includes MS OS/2 itself and a comprehensive set of MS OS/2 application development tools. The Software Development Kit is scheduled for general release to application developers in August 1987, and will be accompanied by a series of training seminars to be held in the USA, Europe and Japan. The operating system component of MS OS/2 is planned for final release to OEMs in the fourth quarter of 1987. Microsoft anticipates that it will be generally available to end-users in 1988. The Windows presentation manager is planned for release to OEMs in the first half of 1988. In the interim period, an OEM customer has the option of providing a character-based user interface to end-users. This interface will be part of the first release of MS OS/2. Product Background Microsoft Operating System/2 was jointly developed by IBM and Microsoft and is the first product to be announced under the Microsoft/IBM Joint Development Agreement. Many leading manufacturers of personal computers have expressed an interest in licensing the product. Product Q & A What personal computers does it run on? The product is designed to run on any 80286 or 80386-based personal computer. As is the case with MS-DOS, the product is sold only through PC manufacturers (OEMs) who adapt, test and market the product for their machines. The recommended system configuration is 1.5 mb of RAM and a hard disk. To use the Windows presentation manager, a display and adapter capable of producing graphics is required. Why is this product important? MS OS/2 provides the platform for the next generation of personal computer applications software. It delivers the full capabilities of the hardware technology to the application developer and thus to the end-user. In addition, the built in graphical subsystem -- the MS OS/2 Windows presentation manager -- provides exciting new possibilities in the design of these applications. There are also new capabilities which can be exploited by network applications. Why is the Windows presentation manager such an important part of MS OS/2? The provision of a standard graphical user interface is an important feature of MS OS/2. Also the provision of a standard graphics environment within the operating system, together with the hardware capable of supporting that environment with excellent performance, will enable applications developers to concentrate upon designing and implementing high performance, high function applications while relying upon the operating system for sophisticated interaction with the user. We believe this will result in some exciting and productive advances in the applications products which are available to the end-user. Is the Windows presentation manager required or is it optional? The Windows presentation manager is the graphical user interface designed by Microsoft for the operating system. When will there be a 80386 specific version of MS OS/2? This product runs on both 80286 and 80386-based PCs. A version that takes advantage of some of the unique 80386 features such as 32-bit linear address space, demand paging, and 8086 virtual machine support is forthcoming. No date has been established for its release. Why did you choose to provide a 286 version of MS OS/2 first? Would it not be better to have targeted the 386? Although there has been a lot of recent publicity associated with the 386, 286-based PCs have already achieved significant market acceptance. It is important to provide a version of MS OS/2 to those users and to allow application developers to provide new protected mode products to that installed base of machines. We do expect that, over time, 386-based machines will enjoy the largest market share, but this will take at least two to three years to happen. Providing a version of MS OS/2 for 286-based machines first meets the current needs of the developers and the end-users. A later version which fully exploits the 386 will be provided in a timeframe consistent with market needs. How quickly do you expect end-users to begin using MS OS/2 after it is released? This depends almost entirely upon the availability of applications software for MS OS/2. In the short term there are unlikely to be very many users converting to MS OS/2, but as new applications become available, we expect MS OS/2 to be attractive to many end users. Some developers seem to have little interest in the 286, but prefer the 386. Will this slow down the availability of applications for MS OS/2? No. The MS OS/2 application program interface (API) will be consistent between 286 and 386 implementations. A developer can design and implement protected mode applications for the 286 which will run immediately on 386-based machines. The great majority of this effort would be needed for a 386 only application anyway, so we expect developers to begin with a 286 implementation and later on look at incorporating 386 specific improvements to their products. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Thu Apr 2 07:05:49 1987 Subject: Microsoft OS/2(TM) LAN Manager Product Information Date: Wed Apr 01 21:11:55 1987 Product Information Microsoft OS/2(TM) LAN Manager Introduction The MS OS/2(TM) LAN Manager provides full local area networking capabilities to computers running the Microsoft OS/2 operating system. Fully compatible with previous versions of Microsoft(R) Networks for both the MS-DOS(R) and XENIX(R) operating systems, the MS OS/2 LAN Manager incorporates advanced features such as a high performance non-dedicated server, a network security system, and powerful network administration tools. A system running MS OS/2 and the MS OS/2 LAN Manager can be added to an existing Microsoft Networks-based network, where it can function simultaneously as both a server and workstation. The MS OS/2 LAN Manager is tightly integrated with MS OS/2 and fully supports the MS OS/2 system level interfaces including network interprocess communication facilities. MS OS/2 applications can be written to work equally well as stand-alone applications or as fully distributed application programs running on separate physical machines. Product Features - High performance non-dedicated server takes advantage of large memory support and the protected mode operation of the MS OS/2 operating system. - User based security system with log-on and server-based password control, group names, and audit trailing. - Advanced network administration tools including an easy to understand user interface, remote server control, and restricted server access. - Compatibility with Microsoft Networks version 1.0, Microsoft Networks for XENIX, and the IBM(R) PC Local Area Network Program. - Remote interprocess communication facilities allowing the creation of truly distributed networking application software. - Uses a protected mode Netbios adaptation layer for integration with OEM specific networking cards. - Open architecture enables customization of features by networking suppliers. - Published system interfaces and protocols provide a strong platform on which third party networking software can build. Product Background Microsoft Networks version 1.0 was first released in June of 1985 and quickly became a major network product among PC networking suppliers. IBM, NEC, Digital Equipment, Hewlett Packard, Olivetti, AT&T, 3Com and Ungermann Bass are some of the customers who recognized the importance of MS-Net's unique integration with the MS-DOS operating system. Since its original introduction, Microsoft Networks and the IBM PC Network Program have established important programming standards for writing networking software, specifically the MS-DOS 3.1 networking extensions, the Netbios interface, and the SMB protocols. The Microsoft OS/2 LAN Manager is Microsoft's second generation of Local Area Networking software, providing MS-Net compatibility plus advanced new features. Product Q & A How can I license a copy of the MS OS/2 LAN Manager? The MS OS/2 LAN Manager will be licensed to OEM customers. Application developers will be able to acquire the necessary development tools as part of the Microsoft OS/2 Software Development Kit. When will the MS OS/2 LAN Manager be available? A specification of the product will be shipped with the Microsoft OS/2 Software Development Kit. This will enable applications developers to begin network application design. How do I get more information about writing networking software that works with the Microsoft OS/2 LAN Manager? Because the MS OS/2 LAN Manager is closely linked with the MS OS/2 operating system, applications at the system level automatically work transparently across the network. Consequently, developers writing network aware applications merely need to use standard MS OS/2 programming tools such as those supplied with the MS OS/2 Software Development Kit. To write applications that take direct advantage of the additional capabilities of the MS OS/2 LAN Manager, developers should consult the information included with the MS OS/2 Software Development Kit. Will IBM also be shipping a similar product? We are not at liberty to comment upon IBM's plans. Can I run older versions of network products, such as Microsoft Networks 1.0 ("MS-Net") on the same network as the MS OS/2 LAN Manager? Yes. All prior versions of Microsoft Networks and XENIX Networks can communicate with an MS OS/2 LAN Manager configured PC connected to the same network. In fact, when the LAN Manager is configured as a server, the Microsoft Networks workstations benefit from the improved performance of the MS OS/2 LAN Manager server. Will Microsoft Networks on MS-DOS-based PCs be updated to take advantage of new MS OS/2 LAN Manager features? Yes. Does the LAN Manager use the Netbios interface? Yes. On what versions of MS-DOS does the MS OS/2 LAN Manager operate ? The LAN Manager requires MS OS/2. What sort of applications do you think will be developed using the MS OS/2 LAN Manager? The MS OS/2 LAN Manager features allow the development of truly distributed network applications. This means that components of a single application will be developed to run simultaneously in the server and the workstation. For example, a database system could be designed to allow the user to interact with the query processor in the workstation, which in turn will send queries to the central database application code running in the server. We think that this will be an important and popular early use of OS/2. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Thu Apr 2 07:05:34 1987 Subject: MICROSOFT(R) MOUSE TO SUPPORT IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 Date: Wed Apr 01 21:11:48 1987 MICROSOFT(R) MOUSE TO SUPPORT IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 Redmond, WA -- APRIL 2, 1987 -- Microsoft Corporation announced today that its top-selling Microsoft Mouse will support the IBM(R) Personal System/2(TM) series. The serial version of Microsoft's Mouse supports all of the IBM Personal System/2 series. The bus version of the Microsoft Mouse works with the IBM Personal Systems/2 Model 30. Also, as part of Microsoft's ongoing relationship with IBM, Microsoft licensed its mouse driver technology to IBM for use in the new IBM Personal System/2 series. Microsoft developed a custom version of its Microsoft Mouse driver that allows the large installed base of software written to the Microsoft Mouse specification to run with the new IBM proprietary mouse. The new mouse device driver software supports CGA Superset Graphics on the IBM Personal System/2 Model 30 and supports EGA Superset Graphics on Model 50 and Model 60. It also supports all the display modes available on the new hardware, including 640 x 480 resolution - 2 color, 640 x 480 resolution - 16 color, and 320 x 200 resolution - 256 color. The graphics presentation software included with the Microsoft Mouse, Microsoft Paintbrush(R) and ShowPartner(TM) Version 2.0, will be modified to take advantage of the 256-color palette. The expert menus for popular applications and computer-based training software will also be included and will be available within 60 days. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Thu Apr 2 07:05:08 1987 Subject: MS OS/2(TM) LAN MANAGER, LOCAL AREA NETWORKING PRODUCT Date: Wed Apr 01 21:11:41 1987 FOR RELEASE APRIL 2, 1987 MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES MS OS/2(TM) LAN MANAGER, AN ADVANCED LOCAL AREA NETWORKING PRODUCT Redmond, WA -- APRIL 2, 1987 -- Microsoft Corporation today announced the Microsoft Operating System/2(TM) LAN Manager, an advanced local area network program for Microsoft Operating System/2. The MS OS/2 LAN Manager allows users to link personal computer systems, running either MS OS/2 or MS-DOS(R) systems, together on a single network. Systems running Microsoft(R) XENIX(R) and XENIX Net may also be connected to the same network. An MS OS/2-based system may act simultaneously as a workstation and a server within such a network. MS-DOS systems running Microsoft Networks can act either as a server or a workstation. XENIX-based systems may act as both server and workstation simultaneously. The MS OS/2 LAN Manager provides rich networking capabilities including transparent file and print sharing, advanced user security features, and powerful network administration tools. Because the MS OS/2 Lan Manager is tightly integrated with the MS OS/2 Operating System, MS OS/2 programming interfaces work transparently across the network. The most powerful of these is an interface to write fully distributed network applications. This interprocess communication (IPC) capability will facilitate a new generation of applications that can communicate directly with each other, even though they are resident on different machines on the network. "The MS OS/2 LAN Manager opens the door for a new generation of truly distributed applications software," said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. "Application developers can now write a single version of a software product which will be capable of running either on a single machine, or distributed between machines connected by the MS OS/2 LAN Manager." The MS OS/2 LAN Manager is fully compatible with the existing Microsoft Networks products for both the MS-DOS and XENIX operating systems. This will allow new systems running MS OS/2 to be easily integrated into existing networks with no disruption to the users of the network. Specifications of the MS OS/2 LAN Manager will initially be provided as part of the MS OS/2 Software Development Kit. The MS OS/2 LAN Manager is scheduled for release to developers (as updates to the MS OS/2 SDK) and OEM customers in the fourth quarter of 1987. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Thu Apr 2 07:04:47 1987 Subject: MS-DOS(R) VERSION 3.3 OFFERS IMPROVED FEATURES Date: Wed Apr 01 21:11:34 1987 MS-DOS(R) VERSION 3.3 OFFERS IMPROVED FEATURES Redmond, WA -- APRIL 2, 1987 -- Microsoft Corporation today announced a new release of the MS-DOS operating system. MS-DOS version 3.3 features improved utilization of hard-disk storage, enhanced performance, and additional support for foreign language character sets. Microsoft anticipates releases of MS-DOS version 3.3 by OEM customers during 1987. "MS-DOS version 3.3 reaffirms Microsoft's commitment to its current OEM customers and their end-users even as we announce our next generation operating system, MS OS/2(TM)," said Microsoft chairman Bill Gates. "With MS-DOS 3.3, users will obtain improved performance from their existing applications. We have every intention of continuing to support existing personal computer users with a succession of enhancements and improvements to MS-DOS." MS-DOS version 3.3, which is fully compatible with previous versions of MS-DOS, provides better utilization of storage capacity on hard-disk systems and faster I/O handling for better hard-disk performance. New support for foreign languages includes the ability of the system to switch dynamically between different character sets. Version 3.3 is compatible with current versions of Microsoft(R) Windows and Microsoft Networks, and is also compatible with Microsoft Windows version 2.0, which was announced by Microsoft today. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Thu Apr 2 07:04:29 1987 Subject: Microsoft(R) MS-DOS(R) Version 3.3 Product Information Date: Wed Apr 01 21:11:29 1987 Product Information Microsoft(R) MS-DOS(R) Version 3.3 Introduction Microsoft MS-DOS version 3.3 is the latest release of Microsoft's single user operating system for IBM(R) Personal Computers and compatible machines. Product Features MS-DOS version 3.3 is fully compatible with MS-DOS version 3.2 and, in this release, adds support for the following features: - improved hard disk support allowing better utilization of storage capacity - improved disk handling providing better hard disk performance - improved support for foreign language character sets MS-DOS version 3.3 supports all IBM PC models and compatible machines. MS-DOS version 3.3 will be offered to all current Microsoft MS-DOS version 3.2 OEM customers. Product Background Originally released in August 1981 with the introduction of the IBM PC, MS-DOS has become the standard operating system for IBM Personal Computers and compatibles. MS-DOS is by far the most widely-used operating system on the more than ten million IBM personal computers and compatible systems that have been shipped since the original introduction of the IBM PC. MS-DOS is licensed and sold worldwide by all the leading manufacturers of personal computers including IBM, DEC, Compaq, Wang, Zenith, Tandy, Hewlett Packard, Olivetti, Siemens, NEC, Apricot, Bull and Ericsson. Product Q & A Was MS-DOS version 3.3 developed under the Microsoft/IBM Joint Development Agreement? No. When do you expect MS-DOS 3.3 to be released by other OEM customers? Microsoft is already working on versions of MS-DOS 3.3 with a number of other OEM customers, but at this stage none of them have announced a product release date. We anticipate releases of MS-DOS version 3.3, by other customers, during 1987. Is this a major new release of MS-DOS? No. MS-DOS version 3.3 provides some new features and product enhancements to the existing MS-DOS product, but cannot be regarded as a major release of the product. Microsoft will continue to enhance and improve the MS-DOS product in the future with a succession of product releases. When do you expect the next release of MS-DOS? We have no announced plans for the next release of the product. ------------------------------ From: qe0n Subject: SOFTWARE, MEDIA SUPPORT FOR IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 Date: Wed Apr 01 21:11:26 1987 Redmond, WA -- APRIL 2, 1987 -- Microsoft Corporation announced today that its MS-DOS products will be available on 3.5-inch diskettes compatible with the advanced Personal System/2(TM) computers unveiled by IBM(R). Microsoft's business applications products will be shipped with both the new 3.5-inch diskettes and the regular 5.25-inch diskettes, providing the correct medium for all customers regardless of their hardware configuration. These products include Microsoft(R) Word(R) 3.11, Microsoft Network Word 3.11, Microsoft Multiplan(R) 3.02, Microsoft Project 3.01, and Microsoft Chart 2.03. Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Learning DOS, Microsoft QuickBASIC, and Microsoft Flight Simulator will be available in packages that are clearly marked as containing either the 3.5-inch or the 5.25-inch diskettes. The Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Learning DOS versions with 3.5-inch diskettes will be available by the end of April and the 3.5-inch version of Microsoft QuickBASIC will be available with version 3.0. Microsoft Flight Simulator for the IBM Personal System/2 will be available this summer. Other Microsoft languages, including BASIC, FORTRAN, C, and Pascal, and the Microsoft Mouse will be shipped on 5.25-inch diskettes as the standard media, and users can request the 3.5-inch format by returning the coupon included in the product. Users who acquire packages with only 5.25-inch diskettes can request a copy on 3.5-inch diskettes directly from Microsoft by call 800/426-9400 (in Washington state and Alaska, call 206/882-8088). There is no fee for the replacement. In addition to the availability of applications and language product support for the IBM Personal System/2 series, Microsoft will be developing new products to take full advantage of the capabilities of these new systems. "We are very excited about the possibilities of the new IBM systems for applications software," said Raikes. "The graphics capabilities are superb. Microsoft is committed to exploiting the power of the graphics and the graphical user interface, and we are developing powerful new applications products that will take full advantage of these capabilities." Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ "MSFT") develops, markets, and supports a wide range of software for business and professional use, including operating systems, languages and application programs as well as books and hardware for the microcomputer marketplace. For more information contact: MICROSOFT CORPORATION Marty Taucher/Kathryn Hinsch (206) 882-8080 THE WAGGENER GROUP Pam Edstrom/Collins Hemingway (503) 245-0905 Microsoft, Microsoft Operating System/2, MS OS/2MS-DOS, the Microsoft logo, Word, Xenix, CodeView, and Multiplan are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. IBM, PC AT, and Personal System/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T. Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. Above is a trademark of Intel Corporation. AST is a registered trademark of AST Corporation. RAMpage! is a trademark of AST Corporation. COMPAQ is a registered trademark of Compaq Computer Corporation. Zenith is a registered trademark of Zenith Radio Corporation. ShowPartner is a trademark of ZSoft Corporation. Paintbrush is a registered trademark of Zsoft Corporation. ------------------------------ End of Info-IBMPC Digest ************************ -------