Article 335 of comp.databases.pick: Newsgroups: comp.databases.pick Path: cs.utk.edu!emory!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!basser.cs.su.oz.au!tmx!news!cmc From: cmc@sydney.unidata.oz.au (Charles Cave) Subject: Windows and Unix Organization: Unidata Australasia Date: Wed, 3 Nov 93 19:16:57 GMT Message-ID: <1993Nov3.191657.12429@news.mhs.oz.au> Followup-To: comp.databases.pick X-Disclaimer: This message was posted via an email-to-news gateway run by X-Disclaimer: Message Handling Systems Pty Ltd. Opinions expressed do not X-Disclaimer: necessarily represent those of Message Handling Systems Pty Ltd. Lines: 286 I am reposting this article as I don't think the first posting worked! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The following paper was presented at the Australian Unix Users Group (AUUG) convention held in Sydney, Australia in October, 1993 and published in the proceedings. I am posting this paper to comp.databases.pick as an introduction to client/server technology. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Windows & Unix A symbiotic relationship for commercial database applications Charles Cave Unidata Australasia 15th October 1993 Tel: +61 2 416 6877 Fax: +61 2 416 2086 Email: cmc@sydney.unidata.oz.au Abstract With the imminent release of Windows NT, the MIS fraternity is predicting a battle for domination of the server marketplace. Rather than fighting the battle, these two systems can work together to provide a highly productive environment for commercial distributed computing. With advanced relational database technology in a Unix server environment, front-ended by commodity PCs and Microsoft Windows, practical solutions can be delivered to the majority of commercial application problems faced today. This paper describes the technology elements within the UniData extended relational database which allow the transparent integration of the Microsoft desktop environment and the subsequent delivery of tomorrow's Open Systems solutions, today. 1. Background UniData is a Relational Database Management System supporting the extended relational model, also known as the Non-First Normal Form (NF2). UniData was the first commercially available product built on this model, and was first released in 1988. The first two major releases of the product, Release 1 and Release 2, provided a set of components to allow porting of PRIME INFORMATION and PICK applications to the UniData environment, giving end-users (and software houses) a means to escape from out-dated proprietary environments into the world of Open Systems. The following modules were available in version 2.3, the highest level in Release 2: ECL Environment Control Language (The UniData Shell) and database manager. Editors front end to vi editor, in addition to a line editor (AE). UniBASIC A high level structured programming language. UniQuery a natural English like query language. UEntry 4GL prototyping tools for screen painting and report generation. UReport UniSQL ANSI compliant SQL capable of supporting the extended data model. 2. Power to the Desktop Five years ago, the most common connection to the database application was through an asynchronous line. Inexpensive terminals (not really so cheap!) provided a character-based user interface coded into the application. The PRIME and PICK environments gave rise to many application generators, 4GL tools and screen painter utilities, all designed to minimise the effort required to develop applications. Many of these products gave admirable results, but they could not compete with the new piece of hardware gracing many a manager's desk - the personal computer. Personal computers presented several threats to these traditional applications (and to vendors of mainframes and minicomputers): * A much better user interface with pull down menus, use of the mouse, dialogue boxes and radio buttons. * Powerful desktop applications including spreadsheets, (eg Lotus 123 and Excel), word-processing and graphics packages. * High performance computing - a personal computer under the control of the user. It wasnt long before the users (typically middle management and MIS managers) who used a PC as well as a dumb terminal (or PC terminal emulator) demanded that the commercial applications work on their desktop machines or at least look as good. The range of desktop devices potentially capable of delivering the user interfaces included:- * DOS machines and Windows 3.1 * Apple Macintosh * X terminals * Low cost Unix workstations All of these devices were capable of fulfilling the requirements, but it was the IBM compatible machine with DOS and Windows which has emerged victorious on the desktop. The reasons for this are two-fold: the low cost of the hardware (particularly clones), and the acceptance of DOS and Windows driven by the marketing efforts of Microsoft. 3. Desktop standards Unidata Inc has recognised the trends in desktop computing, and the broader developments in client/server computing. The key strategy of the company has been to develop the product to industry standards, both formal and de-facto allowing interoperability which is the cornerstone of open systems computing. An environment of distributed network computing allows connections across previously incompatible combinations of hardware and software. UniData's interoperability is based around standard technology: * Sybase Open Client/Open Server interfaces, based on SQL. This allows a diverse range of clients and servers to interact. Many decision support tools including Quest, GQL and Forest & Trees, and Microsoft Windows applications can access UniData this way. * Microsoft SQL Server. The UniData database can act like a Microsoft SQL Server allowing over 120 Windows based products to access UniData. 4. Enterprise Application Architecture. "Paradigm shift" has become a popular buzz-phrase in recent years and refers to the idea of corporate downsizing and the new methods of access to corporate information. The old way of looking at a single application and running it on a single computer is giving way to a much more corporate-wide view of application functionality. Unidata Inc's strategy to utilise the rapidly changing technology and competing standards is called Enterprise Application Architecture (EAA) - a comprehensive model for integrating business computing. EAA is based on three principles: * Portability - diversity of operating systems, such as Unix, VMS and Windows. * Scalability - allowing UniData products to run on platforms ranging from the desktop machine to the enterprise server. * Interoperability - incorporating industry standards to allow a wide variety of vendor tools to work together seamlessly. Bill Gates, chairman and CEO of Microsoft has articulated his vision as "Information at your fingertips", promoting the Windows graphical computing environment as the principal pathway to that vision for users and software developers. The success of Windows indicates that he has largely fulfilled the first phases of his mission. The next phase is to incorporate access to and interoperability with third-party applications and services via the Windows Open Services Architecture (1). This will be followed by the release of Windows NT for the next generation of powerful desktop machines and servers. 5. Front-end Tools This section describes some of the 3rd-party software available that is an integral part of making the enterprise solution possible. These are the software applications that extend and add value to existing applications, without the need for major re-engineering or development. The Microsoft SQL catalogue lists over 125 front-end tools able to work with UniData through the Sybase Open Client/Open Server system. Here is a small selection:- * Forest and Trees * GQL * Personal Access * JAM * Quest * Visual BASIC 5.1 Forest and Trees Forest & Trees is a Data Access and Reporting Tool (DART) automatically collecting and monitoring data, tracking the status of vital signs, building reports and graphics and transforming raw data into productive information. Forest & Trees acts upon the status of vital information by communicating with and executing DDE-aware Windows programs. Complex EIS applications can be built quickly. 5.2 GQL GQL is a graphical query language whose power lies in a graphical view of database information that can be easily customised to meet individual needs. Point and click access, and "executive" buttons for stored queries allow fast access to information and easy production of reports as well as sharing data with word-processors and spreadsheets. GQL is also available or Macintosh and Unix/Motif. 5.3 Personal Access Personal Access is a graphical database access tool built on PLUS, an object-oriented hypermedia application development tool. With an English-like scripting language, point and click layout and visual programming, PLUS is optimised for easy and rapid prototyping, as well as supporting Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) and Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL) for integration with other Windows applications. 5.4 Quest Quest is a graphical data access tool enabling access to UniData and other databases via SQL. Quest is a complete end-user environment consisting of a workspace and the Quest Activity Bar containing four activities: Table, Query, Report and Catalog. Quest works very closely with spreadsheets and word processors. 5.4 Visual BASIC Visual Basic is a visual development environment allowing the creation of powerful corporate applications that send messages, access data, and link to other applications. Graphical design tools are combined with a structured event-driven programming model and an open and extensible environment. UniData provides a Visual Basic extension for connection to the UniData database server. The Visual Basic environment is ideal for the development of client programs obviating the need to write host-based applications (eg UniBASIC) but still using the UniData database. 6. Conclusion Utilisation of Sybase Open Client/Open Server technology opens up the range of client programs able to access and work with the UniData database on Unix or VMS. Powerful desktop machines running Windows or Windows NT bring greater power and productivity to the end user. PICK and PRIME users as well as users of PICK on Unix products like Reality/X, Advanced PICK, PI/Open or uniVerse can migrate to an Open Systems and client/server RDBMS environment and take full advantage of the price-performance and flexibility of desktop hardware and software. Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) can be delivered to the end-user either in the form of any of the many specialised query tools currently on the market, or programmed using widely available products such as Visual Basic. A choice does not have to be made between Unix and Windows/Windows NT - both environments can contribute and co-operate in an Enterprise's computing strategy. -o-o-o-o-o- References: (1) Communications Week October 26, 1992 Unidata and UniData are registered trademarks of Unidata Inc. Pick is a registered trademark of Pick Systems. Unidata is not a licensee of Pick Systems. SYBASE is a registered trademark, and DB-Library, Open Client and Open Server are trademarks of Sybase, Inc. Other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of the respective trademark holders. 18th August 1993 +---------------------------------+ Charles Cave | ** | | ooo *** | Unidata Australasia | oooooooo **** | cmc@sydney.unidata.oz.au | ooooooooooo********* | Phone +61 2 416 6877 | ooooo o***** | Fax +61 2 416 2086 | ooo | Level 2, 280 Pacific Hwy |oo | Lindfield, NSW, 2070 +---------------------------------+ AUSTRALIA U N I D A T A Article 487 of comp.databases.pick: Newsgroups: comp.databases.pick,comp.sys.prime,misc.jobs.offered Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!csn!teal.csn.org!burhans From: burhans@teal.csn.org (Jackie Burhans) Subject: Customer Support Job Available Message-ID: Followup-To: wallyt@unidata.com Sender: news@csn.org (The Daily Planet) Nntp-Posting-Host: teal.csn.org Organization: Colorado SuperNet, Inc. Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 18:41:29 GMT Lines: 46 Xref: cs.utk.edu comp.databases.pick:487 comp.sys.prime:3984 misc.jobs.offered:58527 I'm posting this for a manager in our office, please reply directly to him as noted below: *** Unidata is a developer of SQL-based relational database and application development tools. Unidata product are sold by 140 VARs, and are installed in more than 2200 sites. Unidata, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, has offices worldwide and employs more than 125 people. To handle our growth, the following new position has been created: SENIOR TECHNICAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT Responsibilities include researching and solving customer's technical software and operating system problems across a variety of Unidata's service offerings. Customer skills coupled with superior technical problem solving capabilities are required. 90% of customer interaction is with seasoned application developers at VAR or Unidata international support offices. We offer you the opportunity to broaden your technical skills through on-the-job experiential training as well as formal classroom sessions. The mininum technical experience required is 3-5 years of Pick/Prime application development. Additional experience in any of the following technical areas will give you an edge over other applicants: UNIX or VMS system administration and tuning Systems Builder's SB+ application development product Significant SQL experience (preferably Sybase Transact/SQL) 'C' application development MS/Windows application development UNIX network setup and administration - TCP/IP PC network setup and administration Visual Basic or PC based DSS tools (GQL, Forest & Trees) Unidata offers a complete employee benefits package that includes: medical and dental coverage, 401(k), gain sharing, and tuition reimbursement for continuing education. Please reply to: Wally Terhune, Manager of Technical Customer Support Fax: 303-294-4832 Email: wallyt@unidata.com *** -- Jackie Burhans Technical Account Manager Unidata, Inc. Article 561 of comp.databases.pick: Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!concert!inxs.concert.net!rock.concert.net!eds From: eds@rock.concert.net (Steven H. Edwards) Newsgroups: comp.databases.pick Subject: Re: What is PI/OPEN? Date: 8 Mar 1994 20:01:50 GMT Organization: CONCERT-Connect Public Dial UNIX Lines: 16 Message-ID: <2lilje$uv@inxs.concert.net> References: <2liher$1mbi@eljefe.ca.dynix.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: rock.concert.net In article <2liher$1mbi@eljefe.ca.dynix.com>, Rick MacDonald wrote: >Hi, > >Could anybody out there give me some information on PI/OPEN? >From what I understand it is a product similar to Universe, ie. >a "Pick like" database that runs on Unix platforms. Even a phone >number for PI/OPEN would be helpful. > Phone for VMARK Software (owner of PI/open): 508-879-3311 -- -- Steven H. Edwards eds@rock.concert.net Article 562 of comp.databases.pick: Newsgroups: comp.databases.pick From: David@hertford.demon.co.uk (David Ian Vokins) Path: cs.utk.edu!news.msfc.nasa.gov!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!demon!hertford.demon.co.uk!David Subject: Re: What is PI/OPEN? References: <2liher$1mbi@eljefe.ca.dynix.com> <2lilje$uv@inxs.concert.net> Organization: Hertford Research Reply-To: david@hertford.demon.co.uk X-Newsreader: Demon Internet Simple News v1.27 Lines: 71 Date: Wed, 9 Mar 1994 00:04:28 +0000 Message-ID: <763171468snz@hertford.demon.co.uk> Sender: usenet@demon.co.uk In article <2lilje$uv@inxs.concert.net> eds@rock.concert.net "Steven H. Edwards" writes: > Path: hertford.demon.co.uk!demon!uknet!bnr.co.uk!corpgate!news.utdallas.edu! > convex!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!concert!inxs.concert.net! > rock.concert.net!eds > From: eds@rock.concert.net (Steven H. Edwards) > Newsgroups: comp.databases.pick > Subject: Re: What is PI/OPEN? > Date: 8 Mar 1994 20:01:50 GMT > Organization: CONCERT-Connect Public Dial UNIX > Lines: 16 > Message-ID: <2lilje$uv@inxs.concert.net> > References: <2liher$1mbi@eljefe.ca.dynix.com> > NNTP-Posting-Host: rock.concert.net > > In article <2liher$1mbi@eljefe.ca.dynix.com>, > Rick MacDonald wrote: > >Hi, > > > >Could anybody out there give me some information on PI/OPEN? > >From what I understand it is a product similar to Universe, ie. > >a "Pick like" database that runs on Unix platforms. Even a phone > >number for PI/OPEN would be helpful. > > > > Phone for VMARK Software (owner of PI/open): 508-879-3311 > > > > -- > -- Steven H. Edwards eds@rock.concert.net > PI/OPEN provides a simple migration path for those users of PRIME INFORMATION systems running on Prime 50 series Minicomputer. For this type of system PI/OPEN offers a simpler migration path off the 50 series to unix. Having said that, depending on the application it can be fairly straignt forward to Port INFORMATION to uniVerse. In the UK contact VMark Software Ltd Bracknell Beeches Old Bracknell Lane Bracknell Berkshire RG12 7BW UK Phone : 44 344 300567 Fax : 44 344 301343 They will be able to send you some sales literature or point you in the direction of your local sales office or VAR. Hope this helps. Dave. david@hertford.demon.co.uk -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave Vokins Hertford Research 19 Valeside Hertford SG14 2AS Voice: +44 992 504249 Fax: +44 992 504427 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Article 564 of comp.databases.pick: Newsgroups: comp.databases.pick Path: cs.utk.edu!emory!swrinde!sgiblab!wetware!spunky.RedBrick.COM!psinntp!psinntp!adpgate!jimi From: jimi@plaza.ds.adp.com (Jim Idle) Subject: Re: Is there a version of PICK for an ISI Optimum 5/10 ? Organization: ADP Dealer Services, Portland, OR Date: Thu, 10 Mar 1994 00:51:45 GMT Message-ID: <1994Mar10.005145.25513@plaza.ds.adp.com> X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6] References: <1994Mar7.123313.27625@state.systems.sa.gov.au> Sender: usenet@plaza.ds.adp.com (Usenet News Admin) Lines: 7 chdemgt@state.systems.sa.gov.au wrote: : In article <1994Mar1.195420.21046@midway.uchicago.edu>, pynq@ellis.uchicago.edu (Jeremy Mathers) writes: : > Does it exist? Can we get it? (Is it PD?) : : There is no Pick in the public domain. James Anthony Consultants are offering evaluation copies of the jBASE product running on UnixWare for $29.00 at this years Spectrum Show.