[comp.newprod] NEW SOFTWARE SUITE FOR NCD X TERMINAL FAMILY

mikeh@lupine.ncd.com (Mike Harrigan) (02/16/91)

NEW SOFTWARE SUITE FOR NCD X TERMINAL FAMILY INCLUDES LOCAL WINDOW
MANAGER, ENHANCED SECURITUY, REMOTE RESET

	DALLAS, January 22, 1991 -- Network Computing Devices, Inc.,
has developed a window manager with the appearance and behavior of
OSF/MOTIF that runs locally on its X terminals -- rather than on a
host computer across the network -- saving network resources and
allowing X terminals to be used with hosts that do not support the X
Window System.

	The new NCDwm window manager is part of NCDware 2.3, the
latest release of software for the firm's X terminal family, which
also includes improved security features and a remote reset
capability.


Local Window Manager a Tenth the Size of OSF/MOTIF Window Manager

	The X terminal-resident NCDwm window manager is identical in
functionality to the OSF/MOTIF window manager, defining the appearance
and behavior of windows (e.g., how to open and close them, their
borders, icons and menus), and managing mouse-driven events, such as
moving and resizing windows. However, it uses only 100 kilobytes of
memory space -- about one-tenth the one megabyte consumed by OSF/MOTIF
running on a networked host computer.

	"Having the window manager run on the X terminal instead of on
the host means significant savings on CPU bandwidth and memory," said
Judy Estrin, NCD executive vice president. "Because every X terminal
requires a window manager, these savings can be dramatic in larger
installations, for example, or in VAX-based networks where hosts are
often underpowered. Furthermore, local processing of muse-driven
events reduces network traffic and results in improved response time
for window manipulations."



Eight Local Terminal Emulations

	Estrin added that the new NCDware 2.3 also increases from four
to eight the number of local terminal emulations supported
simultaneously. The user can intermix windows communicating with non-X
applications via DEC LAT, TCP/IP Telnet or the X terminal's local
serial port.

	"Because NCD X terminals now run both portions of the X Window
System software -- not only the X "server" but also the X "client"
functions of window manager and terminal emulation which normally
reside on the host -- they can be fully functional in environments
where no hosts support X," Estrin said. "Users on DEC VMS networks
without DECwindows or Data General AOS networks, for example, gain
immediate access to a powerful multi-window graphical user interface."

	The NCDwm local window manager does not preclude the accessing
of other window managers or any ICCCM-compliant applications from the
NCD products.


System Administrators Need Never Move Again

	While NCD X terminals have always permitted software to be
downloaded from a central management site, a new remote reset feature
of NCDware 2.3 allows the units to be centrally restarted and
downloaded with new software and new configuration parameters as well.
Performed using NCD's SNMP agent features, this capability is
especially useful in large installations where the X terminals are
widely dispersed.

	NCDware 2.3 also offers improved security using the
MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 protocol. The protocol provides a user
authentication capability that determines whether a given X terminal
user is allowed access to a given host.

	NCDware 2.3 will be shipped with all new NCD X terminals
beginning in March. Upgrades to existing units are free under NCD's
software support program, or $500 per sit otherwise.

	Network Computing Devices Inc., formed in February 1988, is a
leading supplier of network display stations providing users
simultaneous access to multi-vendor computers on a network via the
industry-standard X Window System. The NCD16, NCD16e, NCD19, NCD19b
and NCD15b monochrome units, and the NCD17c and NCD14c color units,
offer workstation-style multi-user interfaces for users in UNIX, VMS
and ULTRIX operating system environments. NCD is privately held.

Company Contact:

Judy Estrin
Network Computing Devices, Inc.
Phone: (415) 694-0650
email: info@ncd.com
FAX:   (415) 961-7711

Agency Contacts:

William Orrange
Janis Ulevich	
Ulevich & Orrange	
415/329-1590