meggers@mothra.nts.uci.edu (Mark Eggers) (10/23/90)
Are there any commercial or public domain packages that will allow the construction of a distributed application running on such diverse platforms as IBM MVS/XA, VAX VMS, Macintoshes, PCs, and various BSD flavors of UNIX? thanks for any information - /mde/
gwilliam@SH.CS.NET (George Williams) (10/25/90)
Sorry if this is received more than one time...problem in original parse of your addr. Ditto for cc: list. This is the $64k question..... Are there any commercial or public domain packages that will allow th e construction of a distributed application running on such diverse pla tform as..... >>> While most of the aforementioned have solutions that are designed >>> for distributed computing environments most of them tend to >>> be product-based, perhaps by design. That is there is no "one" >>> technical solution to the problem as stated; that of a generic >>> application programming interface for distributed computing >>> environments that every one uses to make the same calls on >>> any machine.( the OS may accomplish this before the API's ) >>> This is where most vendors seem to be drawing the line in the >>> sand as to which side of the open computing fence they stand >>> (straddle) on and probably for good reason; it will be the >>> one that keeps software from becoming a commodity ( oops ). >>> The good news is that everyone is making an effort to talk >>> to everyone else. The other side of the coin is "what can be >>> said" i.e. what application functionality can you access without >>> buying a specific API for you machine . >>> The companies moving in the direction of "common APIs and open network >>> toolkits" have the jump on the rest of the pack. This the area >>> where the biggest gains are to be made not just dollar-wise >>> but in the are of engineering and programming productivity. It >>> is becoming clear that the "one" solution for a generic RPC >>> will have support for many Application Program Interfaces. Suggested >>> system analysis, prior to making a strategic choice. >>> IBM MVS/XA - solutions under an SAA/CPI umbrella >>> VAX VMS - ditto OAA >>> Macintoshes- MAC everything (smile) >>> PCs - VINES,NETWARE,NETBIOS,APPC,LU.6.2 >>> BSD flavors- Take your pick from SUN,etc's ONC to OSF(oops Mach) >>> et al DCEs and see below. >>> UNIX? - appears to be the LCD when choosing, to date. >>> common API/RPC running under this will probably have broadest base with respect to mix and match capabilities and ease of implementation.. >>> Note: I have seen proprietary solutions that are nice...in fact so nice >>> elements of them will make it into standards. George Williams (Disclaimer: subjective observations. I'm sures other have specifics....)