[136] in comp.os.os2.announce archive
NEW RELEASE: IBM's VisualGen
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (tsipple@vnet.IBM.COM)
Mon Sep 4 08:27:54 1995
To: os2ann.DISCUSS@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU
Date: Mon, 4 Sep 1995 07:29:37 GMT
From: tsipple@vnet.IBM.COM
Reply-To: tsipple@vnet.IBM.COM
Submitted by: Timothy F. Sipples (tsipple@vnet.ibm.com)
Source: Timothy F. Sipples (tsipple@vnet.ibm.com)
Date received: 1995 September 1
Date posted: 1995 September 4
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Applications Run Ten Times Faster
SOMERS, N.Y., Aug. 30 . . . IBM today announced an
enhanced version of its VisualGen* application development
environment -- unveiling a new release that lets programmers
develop and deploy multi-platform client/server and stand-alone
applications that run up to ten times faster than those created
with the previous version.
VisualGen delivers a workstation-based, visual programming
tool for rapidly building business-critical applications. The
product contains the same visual construction environment as
IBM's award-winning VisualAge* development tools. From an OS/2*
development platform, the product can generate C++ and COBOL
applications that run on OS/2, AIX*, Windows**, OS/400*, MVS*,
and VSE/ESA*.
"VisualGen preserves the value of existing information
systems as customers can leverage their investments in current
code and skills," said Tim Negris, vice president, sales and
marketing, IBM Software Solutions. "Customers using this product
can quickly and efficiently build applications that span the
range of client/server systems, from PCs to workstations to
mainframes."
VisualGen is an integrated, visual programming development
environment for creating high-quality, easy-to-use enterprise
applications. The product provides a set of services to
transparently weave an infrastructure of protocols, data formats
and data locations to link clients and servers -- no matter how
uniquely they are arranged. Developers can focus their energies
on innovation and creativity -- the building blocks of
competitiveness -- confident that tedious but critical
interconnections are being automatically handled.
"The flexibility and scalability of VisualGen Version 2.0
let us develop and test the application logic while the whole
client/server infrastructure was still being deployed," said
Jim Cantin, development team leader, Eastman Kodak Company in
Rochester, NY. "We generated code for both IBM IMS/TM* and
Windows**, used IBM MQSeries* for communication and accessed both
relational and hierarchical data on the host. I know of no other
single tool that can do that."
VisualGen's integrated test environment permits early
application prototyping so users can be involved during the first
stages of the development process -- helping to avert costly
re-writes downstream.
VisualGen helps developers quickly create applications that
can access a wide variety of databases, including IBM's DB2*
family, IMS/DB*, and VSAM*. In addition, the product has been
designed to be totally open and supports non-IBM relational
databases, such as Oracle** Version 7 and Sybase** Version 4,
Release 5, as well as any other database that is ODBC X/Open
CLI-compliant.
In addition to a performance increase, VisualGen 2.0
incorporates new, more powerful capabilities that include:
o New Graphical User Interface (GUI) components that
support file access and scrolled windows as well as
improvements to existing GUI controls;
o Ability to develop line-of-business multimedia
applications that can exploit images, video, audio and
exchange data with other commercial software via
Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE);
o Integration with IBM's TeamConnection* for OS/2.
TeamConnection, now in beta, uses object-oriented
technology to manage and store application
components that are shared during team development.
TeamConnection provides a superior LAN-based repository
and software configuration management environment
as well as an automated build process -- beneficial for
teams crafting new MVS and OS/2 applications;
o New client/server support that allows OS/2* and
Windows**3.1 client applications to interact with OS/400
and IMS server applications -- giving users the ability
to rapidly develop distributed applications across a broader
range of platforms and
o Generation and execution of applications for CICS/6000*,
IBM's powerful and versatile online transaction processing
system. This enables users to realize the performance
and integrity advantages of a leading transaction processing
monitor for application systems spanning heterogeneous
networks on all supported platforms.
VisualGen V2 + TeamConnection = Collaborative Development
VisualGen V2 integrates with IBM's TeamConnection for OS/2,
the industry's first robust object-oriented repository.
TeamConnection helps businesses better manage complex
collaborative software development -- crucial for a company to
remain competitive in today's rapidly changing business
environment. TeamConnection makes this process seamless and
improves team productivity, product quality and time to market.
It combines configuration, change control, build and release
management, version control, problem tracking, management and
electronic delivery support into a streamlined development
process that spans all phases of the development cycle.
Pricing and Availability
VisualGen Version 2.0 supports OS/2 and Windows client
platforms as well as a number of IBM server environments
including OS/2, CICS/6000, OS/400, AIX, MVS, VSE/ESA and CICS
OS/2*.
VisualGen Version 2.0 is available now and is priced at
$3,999 for the first license, $3,599 for additional licenses.
Existing VisualGen Version 1.0 and Version 1.1 users are entitled
to an upgrade price of $719.00 for the first license, $649.00 for
additional licenses (US only).
TeamConnection, currently in beta, provides platform support
for OS/2 servers, OS/2 GUI clients, and OS/2 and MVS build.
Pricing will be announced when the product becomes generally
available.
For additional information on VisualGen Version 2.0, users
in the US and Canada can call 1-800-IBM-3333 or access the IBM
software page on the World Wide Web at
http://www.software.ibm.com (Select "for developers"). The IBM
home page can be found at http://www.ibm.com.
* Indicates a trademark or registered trademark of
International Business Machines Corporation.
** Indicates a trademark or registered trademark of
their respective holder.
