rogern@eng.sun.COM (Roger Nolan) (08/10/90)
ANNOUNCING OPENWINDOWS VERSION 2
---------------------------------
On July 25, 1990, Sun Microsystems announced the immediate
availability of OpenWindows Version 2. This release represents a
significant advancement in Sun's OPEN LOOK, networked window environment.
OpenWindows Version 2 is a major step forward in demonstrating
Sun's commitment to OPEN LOOK and to ease of use.
Open Windows Version 2 features an enhanced 3-D version of the
OPEN LOOK user interface, an enhanced and improved set of Deskset
Tools and greatly improved performance and quality.
Also, with this announcement, Sun is announcing that OpenWindows
Version 2 will be bundled with every SPARCstation IPC that ships
with a hard disk.
A Catalyst catalog focusing on over 100 OPEN LOOK applications is
also now available.
Worldwide Product Announcement Information
- Product Highlights: Enhancements to OpenWindows Version 2
New features since OpenWindows 1.0
o OpenWindows window performance is over 500% faster.
o X11R4 Compliance. The X11/NeWS windows server has
been enhanced to be fully X11R4-compliant.
o Improved Deskset Tools. Deskset now includes 14 tools.
Additions include Calendar Manager, Print Tool, Tape Tool.
o Optional 3-D Look & Feel for color systems. The XView
toolkit now supports 3-D. The Deskset Tools can also
now run with a 3-D look & feel.
o Support for OPEN LOOK Intrinsics Toolkit (OLIT) which provides
intrisics support (based on XT+)
o DECnet support. OpenWindows can now run across
DECnet.
o Dual Headed Server Support. One instance of the X11/NeWS
Window Server can now display on two monitors.
o Bundled XGL Runtime Libraries. OpenWindows can run
advanced software applications utilizing XGL's 2-D and
3-D graphics libraries.
o Support for SunVision. Volumetric imaging applications
based on SunVision are supported in OpenWindows Version 2.
o Improved overall quality and consistency.
o Open Windows 2.0 will be bundled with all Sparcstations
beginning with the IPC.
- Additional highlights related to the OPEN LOOK program:
o New catalog with over 100 OPEN LOOK applications is available
o Over 500 applications are in the process of being ported
o OPEN LOOK will be available for IBM, HP, DEC, Mac, DOS, VAX
o 35 system vendors have comitted to support and ship OPEN LOOK
o An ISV testimonial video tape is now available
- Announcement Brief: Positioning
o OPEN LOOK is UNIX and Networking made easy.
o OpenWindows has serious application support
(See the Catalyst OPEN LOOK catalog of 100 applications)
o OPEN LOOK is available on all the major platforms and is
being ported to 35 non-Sun platforms.
o OpenWindows Version 2 provides highly competitive performance
o OpenWindows is a comprhensive development environment
substantially better than the competition.
OpenWindows is the window environment of the future for Sun. Sun
is totally committed to SPARC/UNIX/ONC/OPEN LOOK.
- Features and Benefits: Contents Of OpenWindows Version 2
The OPEN LOOK Graphical User interface.
OPEN LOOK is a generation ahead in graphical user
interface design. No other GUI makes the power of
UNIX and networking accessable to non-technical end users
the way OPEN LOOK does. The result is increased user
productivity.
The OpenWindows Deskset
Deskset has been enhanced to include the following tools:
File Manager Calendar Manager
Mail Tool Print Tool
Clock Command Tool
Performance Meters UNIX C Shell Tool
Text Editor Binder Tool
Snapshot Tool Icon Editor
Wastebasket Calculator
These tools support the OPEN LOOK drag & drop specification.
This inter-application integration significantly leverages
the personal productivity of the end user.
Several of these tools are examples of how OPEN LOOK makes
the network accessable to non-technical end users. For
example, File Manager shows all the files on the network across
multiple servers--not just your local file system.
XView Toolkit
o XView was designed to make migration from the kernal-based
SunView environment to the network-based XView environment
as easy as possible for developers.
o XView now supports the 3-D look & feel.
OPEN LOOK Intrinsics Toolkit (OLIT)
o OLIT offers an industry-standard, intrinsics-based application
programmers interface for developers who want to develop applications
based on the emerging intrinsics API standard as defined by the MIT
X Consortium.
o This is specifically usefull to developers who are standards-
conscious such as the federal government.
tNT Toolkit (the NeWS toolkit)
o tNt provides a way to create PostScript-based applications for
for the NeWS windows system
o tNT provides the same consistent look and feel as the other
toolkits
X11/NeWS Window Server
o Now enhanced to be X11R4 compliant.
o NeWS provides value-added with an integrated PostScript imaging
model.
o Greatly improved performance.
o Now supports dual monitors from a single instance of the server.
o Network support now includes DECnet.
OpenFonts Font Technology
o OpenFonts provides the ability to generate fonts from a
hinted outline font definition. The result is higher-quality
fonts with greater performance.
o 57 fonts are bundled with Version 2 at no charge.
o Over 700 fonts in this format are now available from major
third party font vendors.
Graphics Integration
OpenWindows now provides support for the following imaging models:
o Xlib
o NeWS (PostScript)
o XGL. High performance 2-D and 3-D graphics for technical
applications. XGL runtime libraries are bundled with Version 2.
o SunVision. Sun's environment for visualization applications.
- OpenWindows Version 2 Performance
One of the major design goals of Version 2 was to dramatically improve
performance. OpenWindows performance is now as fast as the kernal-based
SunView window system.
The following is a summary of advances over OpenWindows 1.0:
o Window operations are over 500% faster on unaccelerated
frame buffers.
o Window and graphics performance unaccelerated is competitive
with MIT X11R4 and with DECWindows running on a DEC 3100.
o Graphics are faster with GX. Using a GX, graphics performance
on Version 2 is twice as fast as DECWindows on a DEC 3100.
o Applications run faster in less memory. The server working
set has been reduced 45%.
- Software Applications Support
The software applications momentum for OPEN LOOK is clearly building:
o There is now an OPEN LOOK Catalyst catalog that lists
100 applications that are committed to OPEN LOOK.
o There are currently 50 OPEN LOOK applications shipping.
o There are over 500 OPEN LOOK applications in development.
o The August 1990 issue of Personal Workstation Magazine
lists the number of applications currently shipping for
some of the top workstation environments. The results
are as follows:
OPEN LOOK 50
NeXTStep 23
OS/2 PM 20
Unix/Motif 16
- OPEN LOOK is Being Ported to 35 Platforms
Announced availability of XView on non-Sun platforms
DECstation port Q2 FY'91 (Sun price listed)
HP 9000/300 port Q2 Fy'91 (Sun price listed)
IBM RIOS port Q2 FY'91 (Sun price listed)
VMS (From TGV) Q2 FY'91 (Not Sun price listed)
In addition, OPEN LOOK is being ported to MacIntosh, DOS and many other
platforms by third party software companies.
BENEFIT: Your can assure developers that applications they develop
for the XView Toolkit will run unaltered on these platforms.
Pricing/Ordering information for OPEN LOOK on non-Sun platforms
will be sent out in Q1 FY'91.
- Contacts:
LOU DELZOMPO PLM OpenWindows
SMITA DESHPANDE Toolkits & Development Environment
ROGER NOLAN Windows Markting Programs
- U.S. List Pricing
OpenWindows Version 2 order numbers and USA List Prices are as follows. Note
that pricing will vary by country throughout the world.
OpenWindows Version 2, Media & Manuals
For SPARCsystem
1/4" with NTSC Video OWN-1.1-4-4-N5 $295
1/4" with SECAM Video OWN-1.1-4-4-S5 $295
1/4" with PAL Video OWN-1.1-4-4-P5 $295
For Sun-3
1/4" with NTSC Video OWN-1.1-4-3-N5 $295
1/4" with SECAM Video OWN-1.1-4-3-S5 $295
1/4" with PAL Video OWN-1.1-4-3-P5 $295
OpenWindows Version 2, Manuals Only
Full Developer Set OWN-1.1-X-X-9 $195
End User Manuals OWN-1.1-X-X-9U $ 75
Note that NTSC, SECAM and PAL refer to video tape formats. Each copy of
OpenWindows Version 2 comes with a video tape that shows how to install
the software. Proper video formats are required for international use. In
the USA please order NTSC.
NB: OpenWindows requires Graphics System Software when running on a GX graphics
workstation. For operation under SunOS 4.1, order GFX-4.1-01 at no charge. For
operation under SunOS 4.0.3 order GFX-4.0.3-01 at no charge.
OpenWindows Version 2 is bundled with every diskfull SPARCstation IPC. Note
that this is an end user version of OpenWindows, not the full development
environment.
- Availability
OpenWindows Version 2 is shipping in volume now.
jg@crl.dec.com (Jim Gettys) (08/10/90)
Grumpf. Please keep product annoucements out of comp.windows.x; they should go to comp.newprod instead of here. - Jim Gettys
ben@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com (Benjamin Ellsworth) (08/11/90)
Perhaps this belongs in comp.newprod where commercials are usually posted?