fcaggian@kepler.com (Frank Caggiano) (02/26/91)
I thought the following would be of interest to the group.
This is the first I have heard of this project does anyone have any further
information.? Anyone know just who or what the OMG (Object Managment Group)
is and what it is they are suppose to be doing?
I'll summarize if there is enough interest.
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Subject: SunFlash: HP, Sun: Object Management Specifications
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The Florida SunFlash
HP and Sun Submit Object Management Specification To
Industry Organization As Potential Standard
SunFLASH Vol 26 #21 February 1991
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Submission to OMG is First Step in Goal to Create
Multi-Vendor Software Environment for the `90s
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. --February 25, 1991-- Sun Microsystems and
Hewlett-Packard Company today submitted a jointly developed object
management specification to the Object Management Group (OMG), an
international organization of information system vendors and users.
Called a distributed Object Management Facility (OMF), it defines an
advanced method for using and sharing information on networked
computers from different vendors. If endorsed by OMG, it will be a
core element in an industry-standard architecture that will be used by
software developers to quickly, easily design sophisticated
applications for a variety of high-volume hardware and software
platforms. The announcement was made by executives from HP and Sun at
the Hotel Sofitel here.
For the two companies, the proposed technology is the first step in a
shared vision to quickly create a multi-vendor software environment
that transcends the differences between the underlying system software
-- the operating system, graphical user interface, window system,
networking protocol and other elements. This is because applications
would be written to a common software interface rather than to
vendor-specific system software. The result will be application
interoperability for many systems on a network, from DOS PCs and
UNIX-based workstations to high-performance servers. The Sun/HP
collaboration initially was urged by UNIX System Laboratories (USL),
which saw the proposed technology as a way of unifying the industry and
bringing the benefits of UNIX(R) to more users.
The Distributed OMF is Multi-Platform; Supports Both NCS and ONC
The distributed OMF is the submission from the HP/Sun team for the
"object request broker" being solicited by OMG. This is the mechanism
by which "objects" transparently make and receive requests and
responses between different computers in a networked environment.
Among the advantages of the HP/Sun high-level, object-oriented
specification is the fact it can be used for applications that run on
UNIX and other operating systems from different vendors.
The distributed OMF is the only specification submitted to OMG that
supports more than one networking service: Sun's ONC(TM) and
HP's Network Computing System (NCS). These are the two leading
networking protocols and have been licensed by hundreds of major
companies and organizations worldwide. Sun and HP will work through
standards bodies to promote interoperablity between ONC and NCS at the
networking protocol level in the future.
The HP/Sun submission allows developers to use several object-oriented
programming languages -- particularly C++ -- as well as traditional
languages. This gives it added flexibility. USL, provider of C++ base
technology, will ensure that its C++ Language System will support the
distributed OMF if this technology is endorsed by OMG.
Consistent with OMG's specifications, the distributed OMF creates a
standards-based environment that enables application developers to take
advantage of object-oriented programming and also brings its benefits
to users. OMG, founded in 1989, includes nearly all leading system
vendors as well as users such as American Airlines and Citibank.
The HP/Sun submission displays the design expertise of two of the
industry's leading vendors of UNIX-based systems, with combined 1990
UNIX sales of $4.6 billion, according to International Data Corp. It
uses an object management facility derived from HP NewWave -- an
application environment for DOS PCs -- and distributed application
technology from Sun's ONC and HP's NCS.
The Benefits of Object-Oriented Technology
"This alliance is the most significant thing that ever happened to
object-oriented computing," said Christine Hughes, a well-known
industry watcher and president of Myriad Technologies, a consulting
firm. "The new technology from HP and Sun will finally bring
object-oriented computing into the mainstream, delivering its benefits
in a standard, comprehensive way."
Object-oriented technology is a next-generation paradigm that defines
"objects," which are pieces of data and parts of applications.
Programmers can mix and match these objects to quickly create new
applications, thereby increasing productivity by a factor of four to
ten, according to market researcher, the Gartner Group.
End users also benefit, since object-oriented technology hides many of
the computer processes required to perform most functions. In
addition, users can seamlessly integrate data -- for example, a
spreadsheet, a graphic and a block of copy -- located on any machine on
one or more networks. The simplicity of object-oriented technology
also reduces user training and support costs.
The Future of the Distributed OMF
Developers who write to the distributed OMF will be assured of
supporting the many systems that use the ONC and NCS networking
protocols. HP and Sun will use this technology as the basis for a
multi-vendor software environment so that UNIX developers can design
easy, interoperable applications.
Supporting the heterogeneous computing goals of HP and Sun is the fact
that the underlying system software will be transparent to developers
and end users. HP and Sun expect this software environment to be used
by software designers and vendors of other computers based on UNIX or
other operating systems. This would give network computing and the
systems on these networks capabilities beyond what exist today.
Both HP and Sun are licensing this technology to other vendors. As a
committed member of OSF, HP plans to make the distributed OMF available
for other systems that support the OSF/1 operating system and the
Distributed Computing Environment (DCE). As members of UNIX
International, Sun and USL plan to work with this organization,
encouraging the integration of distributed OMF technology into systems
based on UNIX System V Release 4 and ONC (a standard part of SVR4).
Hewlett-Packard Company is an international manufacturer of measurement
and computation products and systems recognized for excellence in
quality and support. The company's products and services are used in
industry, business, engineering, science, medicine and education in
approximately 100 countries. HP has 91,000 employees and had revenues
of $13.2 billion in its 1990 fiscal year.
Sun Microsystems, Inc., headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is a
leading worldwide supplier of network-based distributed computing
systems, including professional workstations, servers and UNIX
operating system and productivity software.
###
ONC is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered
trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. All other products
mentioned herein are identified by the trademarks as designated by the
companies who market those products. Inquiries concerning such
trademarks should be made directly to those companies.
PR contact
Marty Coleman (415) 336-6543
Hewlett-Packard Co.
Gayle Uchida (408) 447-0905
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