mithomas@bsu-cs.bsu.edu (Michael Thomas Niehaus) (06/12/89)
Today, Apple made a flurry of announcements dealing with networking and
communications. Here is an edited version of their press release, along
with brief product descriptions and retail prices.
-Michael
APPLE EXTENDS MACINTOSH PERSONAL COMPUTING
WITH NEW COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS
NEW YORK, New York--June 12, 1989--Apple Computer, Inc. today
announced more than a dozen new communications products that
offer Macintosh personal computer users expanded communications
capabilities and extended reach to other dominant computing
environments...
The products announced fall into three broad categories:
1. AppleTalk network system enhancements
2. Products for integration into other computing environments
3. Networking & communications tools
AppleTalk Network System Enhancements
AppleTalk is the network software that has been an integral part
of the Macintosh since it was first shipped in 1984. AppleTalk
Phase 2 extends AppleTalk to provide Macintosh users important
new features in three areas critical for large networks: addressing,
routing and broadcasting. Expanded addressing will now allow up
to 16 million AppleTalk devices to be connected on an extended
network. Enhancements to the AppleTalk routing and broadcasting
facilities improve efficiency on multiprotocol network systems
and increase overall network performance.
The cornerstones of these AppleTalk network system enhancements
are two new products: 1) the AppleTalk Internet Router, and 2)
the TokenTalk network software version 2.0. In addition, Apple
is announcing upgrades to Phase 2 for the current products in the
AppleTalk product family.
Products For Integration Into Other Computing Environments
Apple is also extending the Macintosh user's reach to other
computing environments. These include: Digital Equipment
Corporation, IBM, Open Systems Interconnection (OSI ) and
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
Many of the new announcements today are hardware and
software products connecting the Macintosh into the IBM
environment. Apple is introducing three NuBus communications
cards supporting the three dominant data links in the IBM
environment: 1) 3270 Coax, 2) Token-Ring and 3) Synchronous
Data Link Control (SDLC). In conjunction with these new cards,
new software from Apple allows the Macintosh to emulate the
3270 family of terminals, transfer files between the Macintosh
and IBM systems, and facilitate the creation of fully distributed
applications.
To further integrate into the Digital and TCP/IP environments,
Apple is supporting the X-Window standard. MacX is new
software that allows Macintosh users to launch and use X-based
applications. This is a particularly important connection for
users in the UNIX-based scientific and engineering environments
where X-Windows is most prominently used. MacX combines the
inherent portability of X-Windows with the intuitive power of
the Macintosh, bringing Macintosh users consistent access to a
large base of X-Window-based applications.
OSI standards are also emerging as an important means of
providing multivendor integration. MacX25 is software that
lets Macintosh users access information and resources across
X.25 packet-switched networks. X.25 is one of the most widely
used OSI-standard protocols: it is also the preferred method
of interconnecting computers in wide-area networks.
Networking & Communications Tools
Apple is also providing a wide range of communications tools
for both users and software developers to exploit and further
complement Apple's networking offering.
To provide users a consistent way to access diverse sources
of information from remote locations, Apple is announcing products
which facilitate host data access from the Macintosh. CL/1
is a connectivity language that allows Macintosh applications to
directly access remote databases. Commercial and in-house
developers are offered tools which enable them to adapt their
applications to support CL/1. In addition, Apple has recently
stated its intention to embed CL/1 into the next version of its
system software, providing a consistent means of accessing any
database regardless of the vendor or host computer.
Today, Apple is announcing two new CL/1 servers for IBM host
systems running DB2 or SQL/DS databases, in addition to the
already announced CL/1 server for the Digital VAX computer.
Another important set of tools, with shipment to developers
beginning in the third quarter '89, is the new Macintosh
Communications Toolbox. As part of the recently disclosed Apple
system software strategy, this important extension of the
Macintosh Toolbox provides application developers access to
standard utilities for common communications tasks.
Finally, Apple is introducing the Apple Data Modem 2400,
an asynchronous 2400 bps modem that allows Macintosh users
to access remote information sources or other Macintosh
computers. This modem supports the Microcom Network
Protocol (MNP) for error correction.
APPLE COMPUTER
NETWORKING AND COMMUNICATIONS
PRODUCT SUMMARY
Prices are in U.S. dollars. Availability is worldwide unless
otherwise noted.
AppleTalk System Enhancements:
AppleTalk Phase 2 Products:
AppleTalk Phase2 is a revised version of the AppleTalk network
system that provides extended addressing (up to 16 million nodes),
and improved routing and broadcasting performance.
AppleTalk Internet Router - Software that interconnects Apple's
LocalTalk, EtherTalk and TokenTalk networks.
Price: $399
Available: Q3 '89
TokenTalk Version 2.0 - Software that brings AppleTalk Phase 2
support to the Token-Ring network environment.
Price: included in TokenTalk NB Card
Available: Q3 '89
EtherTalk Version 2.0 - Revised software that brings AppleTalk
Phase 2 support to the Ethernet network environment.
Price: included in EtherTalk NB Card
Available: Q3 '89
AppleShare PC Version 2.0 - Revised software that provides
access to AppleShare file and print services from MS-DOS PCs.
Price: $149
Available: Q3 '89
LocalTalk PC Card bundle - AppleShare PC bundled with the LocalTalk
PC Card.
Price: $299
Available: Q3 '89
EtherTalk for A/UX - Enhanced software that allows LocalTalk
printer access from an A/UX system connected to Ethernet.
Price: Upgrade
Available: Q4 '89
Products For Integration Into Other Computing Environments
Apple TokenTalk NB Card with Token Talk Version 2.0
software and SMB File Transfer software - A card that
permits Macintosh II computer systems to connect to
Token-Ring Local-Area Networks and to transfer files from
SMB servers.
Price: $1,250
Available: Q3 '89
Apple Coax/Twinax Card with MacDFT software - A card that
permits Macintosh II systems to access IBM systems via coaxial
cable and to emulate up to five 3270 terminal sessions.
Price: $1,495
Available: Q3 '89
Apple Serial NB Card - A card that permits Macintosh II systems
to connect with IBM mainframes via SDLC and to X.25-based data
networks.
Price: $1,195
Available: Q4 '89
MacDFT - Software that provides multi-session 3270 access
in both Coax and Token-Ring environments.
Price: $245
Available: Q4 '89
MacAPPC Version 1.1 - Software upgrade that lets the Macintosh
act as a peer in IBM's Advanced Program-to-Program
Communications Architecture. Works through the Serial NB card
or the TokenTalk NB card.
Price: License
Available: Q4 '89
MacX - Software that provides X-Window server implementation
on the Macintosh OS.
Price: $299
Available: Q4 '89
MacX25 - Software that connects the Macintosh to X.25
packet-switched networks.
Price: $800
Available: Q4 '89
Networking & Communications Tools
CL/1 servers for MVS/TSO ( DB2) and VM/CMS ( SQL/DS)
Host-based servers for MVS/TSO and for VM/CMS that support
the CL/1 connectivity language. This allows Macintosh
applications direct access to remote IBM databases - DB2 and
SQL/DS.
Price: License
Available: Q1 '90 - MVS/TSO (DB/2)
Available: Q1 '90 - VM/CMS (SQL/DS)
Macintosh Communications Toolbox - An extension of the
Macintosh toolbox that provides application developers with access
to standard utilities for common communications tasks.
Price: License
Available: Q3 '89
Apple Data Modem 2400 - An asynchronous 2400 bps modem
with MNP error correction.
Price: $499
Available: Q3 '89
NETWORKING AND COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS
ADDITIONAL PRICING INFORMATION
License Fees
CL/1 Server for MVS/TSO (DB2) $ 20,000
CL/1 Server for VM/CMS (SQL/DS $ 15,000
CL/1 Server for VAX/VMS $ 5,000
Available Q4 '89
MacAPPC Version 1.1 (site license) $ 2,500
- Individual user $ 100
Macintosh Communications Toolbox $ 55
--
Michael Niehaus UUCP: <backbones>!{iuvax,pur-ee}!bsu-cs!mithomas
Apple Student Rep ARPA: mithomas@bsu-cs.bsu.edu
Ball State University AppleLink: ST0374 (from UUCP: st0374@applelink.apple.com)pj@pnet51.cts.com (Paul Jacoby) (06/14/89)
But Michael, you forgot the most important of ALL the new products---
A MAN WITH A FISH, PHASE 2
(For those of you confused by this, you needed to see the MovieTone newsreel
that accompanied the International press conference telecast that occurred
Monday at 3:00 Central time. A real scream.)
And, on a negative note, there is STILL nothing for the moose. Drat.
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