[4254] in comp.os.os2.announce archive
OS/2 Warp FM - July/August 1998
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Timothy Sipples)
Sun Jul 26 02:49:12 1998
To: os2ann.DISCUSS@bloom-picayune.mit.edu
Date: 13 Jul 1998 22:01:00 -0400
From: tsipple@us.ibm.com (Timothy Sipples)
Reply-To: tsipple@us.ibm.com (Timothy Sipples)
Reply-to: tsipple@us.ibm.com (Timothy Sipples)
[Followups directed to comp.os.os2.misc]
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VOLUME 2 OS/2 WARP FM July/August 1998
http://www.software.ibm.com/os/warp/warpfm
_________________________________________________________________________
What's Queued Up?
WorkSpace On-Demand: From Concept to Reality at Standard Bank of South
Africa Ltd
Jeff Smith: 10 Ways to start readying your OS/2 infrastructure for e-business
The Retail Industry does e-business
Consumer Direct: An e-business Natural
OS/2 WARP FM July Application of the Month - Integer by Athena Design Inc.
Java 1.1.6 and LDAP Support Now Available for OS/2 Warp
New OS/2 Warp Server Manages Windows NT Servers
Press Points
Industry News
New OS/2 Leadership
WorkSpace On-Demand: From Concept to Reality at Standard Bank of South
Africa Ltd
Having just completed a successful two-branch pilot, Standard Bank of South
Africa is on the brink of rolling out WorkSpace On-Demand to over 300
locations, country-wide. WorkSpace is part of the bank's initiative to
exploit network computing in a retail banking environment.
It was April, 1997 when IBM first presented its strategy to move OS/2 in the
direction of network computing to a number of banking customers attending an
IBM Customer Advisory Council hosted by Standard Bank of South Africa. The
bank, one of the largest in southern Africa, thought it was an interesting
vision but discounted it as nothing more than vapor until the introduction
of WorkSpace On-Demand in October of the same year.
"The introduction of WorkSpace was the first time that we saw the network
computing strategy bear some fruit and give us some real functionality that
we could exploit", said Craig Terblanche, the manager in charge of the
WorkSpace On-Demand pilot and roll out.
The initial appeal was the centralized client management from a server and
its promise to reduce the cost of ownership as well as its ability to
support and even facilitate the use of Java applications. Standard Bank of
South Africa has developed a home loan application in Java that WorkSpace
On-Demand can help them quickly deploy throughout the banking system so
loans can be originated anywhere within the bank.
Later on, the bank found that WorkSpace would save them from having to
replace their client hardware which is quickly reaching its capacity limits
in the current client/server configuration using OS/2 Warp Connect. In
fact, the hardware savings is the biggest cost advantage for the bank.
Terblanche expects to extend the life of its hardware anywhere from 18
months to three years.
Strategically, WorkSpace On-Demand also extended the use of the bank's
mission critical Branch Delivery System (BDS) application. The bank had
considered migrating to Windows NT. If they had been forced to do so, they
would have had to rewrite BDS and forfeit any return on the development
investment.
The Bank also found some unexpected benefits. For example, WorkSpace
On-Demand clients typically perform better than the OS/2 Warp Connect ones
since the code on a WorkSpace client resides completely in memory. There
also isn't any swapping or fetching code from the server. Furthermore,
WorkSpace makes the branch client systems more secure from employee
tampering that could cause problems or even failures. With the consistency
of the desktops across the bank as well as inaccessibility of files on
client systems, when a problem appears on a client workstation, technical
support knows that the problem exists on all the clients.
Although the pilot went well and the bank found unexpected benefits, there
were unanticipated challenges that the bank had to overcome. "The work so
far has gone quickly but not as quickly as we initially thought", says Mr.
Terblanche "But the technical challenges had to do operational issues
specific to Standard Bank of South Africa."
The WorkSpace team developed some very innovative solutions to these
challenges that will be explained fully in an upcoming WorkSpace On-Demand
Redbook (Check http://www.redbooks.ibm.com to order a copy.) For example,
they created configuration specific tables to automate the generation of the
machine class and user profiles to handle the six different machine classes
found in the bank's network. They also automatically generate the printer
configurations at the time clients are created to overcome anomalies of the
printer set up in a Standard Bank of South Africa branch.
Once the roll out to the branches and agencies (smaller offices associated
with a regular branch) is complete, currently scheduled for September, 1998,
Standard Bank of South Africa hopes to install WorkSpace On-Demand in its
home loan branches. The bank also intends to build new function for its
Branch Delivery System in Java as appropriate.
Jeff Smith: 10 Ways to start readying your OS/2 infrastructure for
e-business
With all this talk about e-business, it may be a good idea to consider some
ideas for preparing your infrastructure for this fast approaching wave of
the future. I've come up with a list of 10 reasonably simple ( or perhaps
simply reasonable) actions that you can take to move in the direction of
network computing.
#1 Relocate your applications to the server and "serve" them to clients for
execution.
Where your applications reside is an important consideration in network
computing. In fact, an 11/97 Gartner Group study (Next Generation Total
Cost of Ownership Methodology (5 year model)) concluded that you can reduce
your total cost of ownership by 30% through server consolidation and moving
to server-managed PCs. It doesn't matter if you are using WorkSpace
On-Demand style of deployment or a traditional PC operating system. Just
serving applications to clients for execution is a big step towards
implementing the network computing model. Using OS/2's file serving
capabilities, OS/2 clients can access applications that reside on OS/2 Warp
Server.
#2 Upgrade to OS/2 Warp Server to prepare for server centricity and
WorkSpace On-Demand.
Customers that built a server from OS/2 Warp Connect with OS/2 LAN Server
added on top need to move to OS/2 Warp Server in order to get to WorkSpace
On-Demand. Furthermore it provides improvements in capacity, performance
and peak capability -- things that aren't in the "Connect" client operating
system bundle. And you're really going to need the additional capacity and
performance once you start adding workload to the server. There's no need
to wait even if you're moving to WorkSpace slowly.
#3 Begin using TCP/IP as your LAN protocol, upgrade to v4.1.
This move is important because there is a strategic assumption that you will
use TCP/IP between your first and second tiers. This step can take a while.
And it's something you can do today even before you start bringing in
network computers and WorkSpace On-Demand.
#4 Analyze server availability requirements and consider a Vinca fail over
solution.
As you begin to store your applications on the server, depend on it to boot
your clients and perhaps even execute your applications, the availability of
that server becomes ten times more important that it is today. The fail
over solution, provided by Vinca, can help address OS/2 Warp Server
availability. Today in a branch office for example, you have one server for
the entire branch. If it goes down, you can still depend on your clients to
function. In the network computing environment, if your server goes down,
your clients won't work. The fail over solution uses two identical servers
that can take over for each other if there is a problem with either one.
The more emphasis on servers and the more that servers become the single
point of failure in your environment, the more important a dependable
availability solution becomes. (For more information on the Vinca Solutions
see OS/2 WARP FM InfoFlash #36 at
http://www.software.ibm.com/os/warp/warpmfm.)
#5 Look at the value proposition of a network computer as a next-generation
client device.
Network computing's model for less complex, server-dependent clients also
has a hardware incarnation. The good news about WorkSpace On-Demand is that
it allows you to use your existing PC hardware. But you should start
looking at network computers because ultimately we're really going to be
pushing those as client devices. And IBM will ship a Network Station that
will work with WorkSpace On-Demand. The point of this recommendation is
that you shouldn't forget about the hardware aspect of network computing.
#6 Add Netscape browser to prepare your users for browser-based access.
If you don't have the Netscape browser, you should get it and have people
get used to it as part of their desktop environment. Deploy it for sure --
because ultimately, in the world of network computing, the browser is going
to be the most fundamental container for lots of different activities and
applications. The key is to get the end users up to speed with the browser.
Another thing is that today's Netscape Navigator can use OS/2 Warp 3; but,
the upcoming Netscape Communicator will need OS/2 Warp 4 or WorkSpace
On-Demand.
#7 Upgrade to OS/2 Warp 4.0 or WorkSpace On-Demand.
The fact is OS/2 Warp 4 and WorkSpace On-Demand are the only versions
where: you will be able to execute Netscape Communicator and SmartSuite for
OS/2, you can get Software Choice features and you will still have free
service. These are the strategic launching points for our traditional OS/2
client.
#8 Java-enable your client systems with the latest Java Virtual Machine
(JVM).
You can get the latest Java Virtual Machine for OS/2 Warp 3, OS/2 Warp 4,
OS/2 Warp Server and WorkSpace On-Demand. When we deliver WorkSpace
On-Demand 2 in October, we will include the most recent version. The
upcoming release of OS/2 Warp Server will also have the latest release.
Since today, we're on the steep part of the Java maturity curve, with new
releases appearing every three to six months, you may also want to develop
and execute a plan to keep your Java capability current. Although this is
not trivial, it's necessary if you are going to keep up with the world of
Java. However, with Java 1.1.6, it should start slowing down -- with new
versions coming out every six months or so. To be on the safe side, you
need to assume you will be updating your Java twice a year. We'll keep
providing you with upward capability on our supported systems.
#9 Pilot WorkSpace On-Demand
A key aspect of network computing is server-managed clients. WorkSpace
On-Demand is a shipping product that takes existing PC applications and
deploys them in a server-managed way. Since this is a way to start reaping
the benefits of network computing, you should take a good look at it by
piloting a piece of your business. We think you'll be convinced that it's
the way to go.
#10 Start working with VisualAge Java.
You should start investigating the use of Java for your development
projects. If you're launching a new software project, see if it makes sense
to do it in Java, Now is the time. There's nothing to prevent you from
doing one project in Java, even if you're not going to do everything in Java
right away. You can slowly add applications as you transform to a network
computing environment.
Jeff Smith is the director of OS/2 Business Line Management. His team has
development and brand management responsibilities for the OS/2 and WorkSpace
On-Demand product families. He writes a column regularly for WARP FM.
The Retail Industry does e-business
As a steadily increasing number of the today's top companies begin to
venture into the world of e-business, it seems fitting to look at its
benefits as they apply to specific industries. Several months ago, OS/2
WARP FM published an article on the manufacturing industry. This issue
looks at e-business in the retail and distribution industry.
Mike Ringuette and Terry Hill, Business Solution Executives for Kyrus, an
IBM reseller focused on the retail industry, discuss how the products they
each manage facilitate the use of the Internet and its offshoot technologies
in a retail environment. Next month, Mr. Ringuette is bringing out a new
product written in Java called JGUI (Java Graphical User Interface). In
July, Mr. Hill will market a new Kyrus service called Copes Lite. (Copes
stands for Convenience and Petroleum Systems. )
FM: Why did you create JGUI in Java?
MR: Late last year, we looked very closely at IBM's 4690 retail solutions in
the grocery and general retail segments. For the most part we found our
customers were happy with this solution that they relied on to handle the
requirements of their 7 by 24 point-of-sale environment. However, they
expressed some concern over the tight connection between the 4690
applications and IBM's proprietary 4690 operating system. We also
discovered that customers wanted graphics and windowing capabilities so they
could reduce cashier training costs, improve customer service and position
themselves to exploit the Internet. We concluded they wanted a
"Point-of-Service" versus a "Point-of-Sale" system.
IBM took care of the proprietary system concern by delivering a middleware
layer that allows IBM 4690 applications to run on other platforms like OS/2
and Windows NT. This enabled customers to protect their investment in their
function-rich Supermarket, General Sales or Chain Drug Sales applications
while leveraging the technologies of these other platforms. The first areas
Kyrus decided to exploit was the 32-bit graphical capabilities and the Java
Virtual Machine support. Using existing 4690 applications as the base, we
added a full graphical user interface enabled for touch, graphics, voice and
video that served, either or both, the cashier or the consumer. We selected
Java for several reasons including our opinion that it's the best
development enviro nment. We also like its thin client support, its
platform portability as well as its ability to prepare customers for the
explosion of Internet applications.
FM: How does JGUI benefit retailers?
MR: Existing IBM customers can preserve their 4690 application investments
while for the first time utilize touch and graphics technology at the
point-of-service. New customers now have concrete business justification
for switching to the IBM platforms.
The value proposition is extensive. Customers continually teach us new
benefits and uses every day. Some of their excitement over touch screen
includes reduction in cashier training expenses, reduced errors, elimination
of paper such as price books, multimedia help individualized to cashier
skill level and cashier stations that can be customized for departments
like floral, deli, returns, etc. and personalized for characteristics such
as left-handedness.
There are also lots of benefits from improving the customer view
capabilities. Stores can add a new source of revenue by selling advertising
space on a portion of the screen. Retailers can also share sales transaction
information such as savings from coupons, points added to their loyalty
program account as well as warranty information on purchased items. The
stores can use the full screen to show videos, instructions or usage
suggestions as well as product and promotion information. The concept is to
use the full screen display facing the customer creatively.
Prior to JGUI, customers had a small 2 line by 20 character display with
messages -- typically item and price -- that zipped by. One item would
appear at a time as it was rung up with the next item replacing it as it is
rung. With JGUI, consumers can clearly see a large scrolling receipt and
will have the ability to scroll through it themselves. The default JGUI
screen design includes a window for the 2 by 20 messages, an area for weight
scale display and extensive keyboard configuration options.
In addition to all these benefits, JGUI can eliminate separate hardware
devices. This can result in hardware dollar savings and well as free up
valuable counter space.
FM: What has been the industry response to JGUI?
MR: Candidly... we received more customer requests to participate in our
beta program than we were capable of supporting. We are within 60 days of
completing the beta and making this product generally available. Our first
release is targeted at the supermarket segment. Our beta customers
represent the supermarket and general retail segments -- some of whom are
the largest retailers in the world.
The feedback has been extremely positive. Customer IT teams are genuinely
excited about the flexibility of the JGUI design, utilizing JavaBeans and a
single initialization file for the majority of the customization and
personalization A major design point was allowing customers to snap the
JGUI application onto their existing 4690 applications without interfering
with all the user code they developed over the years.
In general, retailers' reactions are, " We want it yesterday!"
FM: What has been the reaction from the retailers customers?
MR: One store manager was very excited to share how his customers have been
seeking him out to voice their pleasure with the new customer view
functions. His elderly customers could never really see the information
properly in the 2 by 20 display because it went by too quickly. The 15-inch
monitor aimed directly at them lets them see items as they are rung up.
FM: Is JGUI applicable in all retail environments not just supermarkets?
MR: The first release will be on IBM's supermarket application. We have two
beta customers running the IBM general sales application in a
restaurant/deli environment. We plan to include the remaining sales
functionality for the department, specialty and mass merchandise segments
in our next release. In parallel, we've been approached by a very large
drug store chain that is working with us to define the requirements for the
IBM Chain Drug application.
FM: How does Copes Lite fit into the convenience store environment?
TH: First, let me give you a little background on this segment. There are
roughly 93000 convenience stores in the United States -- with another 120000
oil station/gas station stores. Only about 19% of them are scanning. If we
use that as a barometer of automation penetration in this segment of the
retail industry, you can see that use of technology is very embryonic.
The good news is that there is lots of opportunity. The bad news is that
the required infrastructure for e-business does not yet exist. Many
convenience stores don't have automation specialists on staff. The people
who own and run these 50 to 100 convenience store chains aren't interested
in automation as an end, they are only interested in what it will do for
their business.
With that as background, Copes Lite addresses the need for automation in the
small to medium convenience store chains. Basically it provides the
infrastructure for them. At a very low cost, Kyrus offers scanning hardware
and accompanying software. We use the Internet to pass transaction data
back to a server located at Kyrus, where the data is interpreted -- sliced
and diced utilizing data mining concepts.
Traditionally, convenience stores were all the same. When you walked in,
you saw one container of aspirin, another of ibuprofen, etc. And if no one
had bought it, you could see the dust collecting on it. People only went to
convenience stores if they had a headache and everything else was closed.
Eight out of the top ten items sold were consumed within five minutes of
being purchased. (i.e. snacks, candy ,etc.)
Now you have a whole shift that's taking place. Rather than just stocking
beer, cigarettes, soda, newspapers and candy , you're starting to see
yogurt, Gucci purses, etc. in convenience stores. They have a totally
different look and feel from the past; now costing between $2-3 million to
build. The stores have a whole new level of sophistication that desperately
requires technology to optimize the use of the space with the right items.
But even though they need it, they can't support it. That's what Copes Lite
will provide.
FM: Specifically, what kind of information will you feed back to them?
TH: I'm going to take all the transactions I get right from a sale, compile
it with data from other transactions and then mine the data to do market
basket analysis. I will help stores determine what comprises a market
basket in their environment and what product affinities exist.
Conveniences stores today typically experience a 9% out-of-stock situation
-- usually on the fast-moving items. We'll provide information that can
help them minimize their out of stocks. We'll give them the data they need
to measure gross margins on an item, figure out the return on the square
foot and rank the stores in the chain in terms of sales and inventory turns.
We can also analyze product promotions -- determining the success of the
promotion and its impact on related items.
Customers sign up for a number of reports and pay according to what reports
they choose. They also have the option of creating customized reports for an
additional charge.
FM: How are you going to get this information back to your customer?
TH: The reports are sent back to the customers --either headquarters or
specific store locations -- via the Internet. Everything is secure with
password protection and data encryption. We really couldn't offer this
service without the Internet. It's integral to our process.
FM: When did you start developing this product concept?
TH: About eight or nine months ago. Kyrus has been in this business since
1983 and so we're familiar with the slow acceptance of new ways of doing
things in this segment. With Copes Lite, we've addressed some of the issues
that caused the slow acceptance rate.
For more information on Copes Lite, call 1-800-766-2673 and ask for the
Copes Lite sales team. For more information on JGUI, see the Kyrus web
site at http://www.kyrus.com.
Consumer Direct: An e-business Natural
As the pace of the world continues to increase at what seems like an
exponential rate, the importance of convenience begins to rise as well. As
a result a new retail channel has begun to emerge that addresses society's
requirements to have the "mundane chores" finished as quickly as possible.
Consumer Direct provides goods and services directly to the consumer via
electronically-enabled (i.e. using the Internet, telephone and fax) virtual
retailers.
One key player in this new arena, Streamline (http://www.streamline.com)
offers home delivery of groceries as well as dry cleaning, film processing,
postage stamps, videos and firewood. The company courts Boston area
customers with the promise of giving them back their weekends, making time
for their loved ones and simplifying their lives. When a new customer signs
up, Streamline sends a start-up team to their home to create a Personal
Shopping List. They also set up a Streamline Box in the garage, consisting
of special shelving, a refrigerator and keypad access; so, the customer
doesn't have to be home to receive deliveries.
Ordering from Streamline entails logging onto their web site, any time day
or night, seven days a week up until the night before the assigned delivery
day, to review and edit the Personal Shopping List. Customers can also fax
or phone in orders. Steamline fulfills requests from its 56000 square foot
fulfillment center in Westwood, Massachusetts. The delivery trucks are
specially-equipped with three temperature zones to handle dry, refrigerated
and frozen products.
This segment of the distribution industry is definitely in its early stages
and growing. A 1997 IBM Research study found that 69% of consumers surveyed
said they were "likely" or "very likely" to try home grocery shopping if it
were available. And the Anderson Consumer Direct Cooperative forecasts that
by the year 2007, the US market alone will reach $60-85 billion. As a
result, new entrants that don't have the burden of supporting real estate or
disrupting existing operations are springing up in major markets across
Europe and North America.
Existing retailers have typically chosen one of three approaches to this new
segment. They can do it themselves building the necessary supply chain,
warehouse and delivery mechanisms. Hannaford HomeRuns
(http://www.homeruns.com) , a division of the billion dollar US retailer
Hannaford Brothers, leased a 50,000 square foot warehouse for 5000 SKUs,
established a fleet of delivery vans and started taking orders over the
phone, by fax and via the web. Their value proposition is next-day free
delivery for orders over $60. They recently announced plans to lease a
larger warehouse to serve their growing customer base.
Another option is to out source the operation to a company that has the
required technology and fulfillment capabilities like market innovator,
Peapod ( http://www.peapod.com), did. They offer an order taking, picking,
packing and delivery service in partnership with existing supermarket
chains. Peapod's fee structure varies by market often including a monthly
membership fee as well as a surcharges for delivery and transaction
handling.
The last of the usual approaches is to organize a partnership with
businesses that can contribute the necessary elements to support a consumer
direct operation. Woolworths in New Zealand established an alliance of
companies that have allowed it to turn an under-performing store into a more
viable operation.
The Internet offers many benefits but perhaps the greatest is its potential
to build new bridges -- new relationships -- between business and consumers.
Entrepreneurs recognize an unfulfilled societal need that can be cost
effectively met through an Internet service. On-line grocery shopping is a
great example of creating electronic links to busy households. It not only
satisfies an ongoing and regular need for the customer but also provides a
gateway into the home for selling a broad assortment of products and
services.
For those interested in pursuing the idea of developing a consumer direct
business, contact Marshall Zimmerman at mzimmerm@us.ibm.com.
OS/2 WARP FM July Application of the Month - Integer by Athena Design Inc.
This month OS/2 WARP FM stretches the concept of application by presenting
its monthly award to Integer, the "world's first application server
component." Actually, it's not too much of a stretch because this powerful
software from Athena Design includes:
a spreadsheet engine that can run anywhere there's a Java 1.1 virtual machine,
a spreadsheet GUI front-end, and
a complete server development kit.
Ergo, Integer is more than just a single component -- it's a tool kit for
programmers working on server side development.
Tool kit Schmool kit
But Integer isn't the run-of-the-mill tool kit. Integer's uniqueness comes
from its distributed capability, created by separating the user interface, a
JavaBean built for fast, powerful grid control, from the spreadsheet engine.
Athena Design has multiplied the power of spreadsheet functionality by
breaking the unwritten convention that spreadsheets run only on client
machines. By moving the spreadsheet engine to a server, more than one
client can access it at time, thus opening up a whole new world of
collaboration using spreadsheets.
The possibilities this creates are infinite -- so this article won't list
them all right here. But think of the customer service options at a
brokerage house when both a broker and his client can access an Integer
spreadsheet, running on a web server, at the same time. All of the sudden
what if scenarios can come alive for customers -- when they watch first hand
as their brokers manipulate a spreadsheet representing different
transactions. Or consider the money a sales organization could save by
working collaboratively with a spreadsheet over the phone to determine sales
quotas, rather than flying in sales managers from all over the place.
More Infinite Possibilities
In addition to collaboration, running spreadsheets from the server can offer
other advantages as well. Given that the storage capacity and horsepower
are much higher on servers than on a typical client system, performance can
be significantly better and spreadsheet size is rarely constrained. Athena
Design founder David Pollak sees server side applications as smart resource
placement. "By accessing spreadsheets on the server, clients can conserve
memory, take advantage of the calculating power of a high end server and
rely on the fact that data is always the latest available."
Integer also offers live data feeds, which again expand the application
possibilities. For example, through an extranet a manufacturer can tie in
its suppliers to its floor control so they can precisely time the arrival of
the next parts delivery. On the other hand, using an intranet, multiple
traders can watch a collection of stocks on a common spreadsheet interface.
Each time one of the traders buys or sells, everyone's view of the
spreadsheet is updated -- real time. Integer's real time data feed
capability also allows traders to see their firm's current exposure in
dollar value.
Athena Design augments Integer's capabilities with open standards and
compatibility with Enterprise JavaBeans, CORBA, and RMI (Remote Method
Invocation). It also preserves existing investments in Excel and 1-2-3
spreadsheets. The Integer package has been tested on a wide range of Java
Virtual Machines. And as far as OS/2 goes -- two of the Integer developers
used it as their development environment. Integer comprises award-winning,
third generation technology based on the popular Mesa for OS/2 spreadsheet
application marketed by Sundial Systems.
Separate but Equal at Last
Until Integer, developers working on the client side had the advantage in
terms of Java components and tools that allowed them to wire applications
together quickly. Many a programmer working to create software that ran
from the server struggled line by line to pull together a workable program
in a reasonable amount of time. Not only does it take a lot longer to code
without the benefit of components, but many software shops find it difficult
to reuse handwritten code.
With the trend towards running and accessing applications from the server
steadily building momentum, Athena Design preempted the market with Integer
-- the first entry in the new product category of application server
components. Integer takes the first step towards providing developers
working on the server with tools they need to match the productivity level
of their counterparts on the client side. And developers are lapping it up.
One eager programmer determined that Integer could create the trading
program he had recently spent months building line by line right out of the
box, without any additional coding.
Unlike Beanie Babies, Pet Rocks and green nail polish, the growing passion
for server-based applications is more than a passing fad; it's grounded in
the acknowledged benefits of the thin client paradigm. Server-based
applications can be easier to maintain, more robust, more scaleable and
deliver lower costs of ownership. Any tool that facilitates building these
kinds of applications merits recognition.
For more information on Integer, visit Athena Design's web site at:
http//www.athena.com.
Java 1.1.6 and LDAP Support Now Available for OS/2 Warp
IBM recently announced the availability of the OS/2 Warp Developer's Kit for
Java 1.1.6, continuing to provide OS/2 Warp, OS/2 Warp Server and WorkSpace
On-Demand customers with the access to the latest versions of Java.
With Java 1.1.6, customers can take advantage of the latest available
version of the Java programming language while helping protect existing
investments in operating systems, middleware and applications. Java 1.1.6
can enhance Java cross-platform scalability, stability, performance and
security.
IBM intends to release new versions of Java promptly as they become
available on the reference platforms from Sun Microsystems Corp. As an
example, IBM announced preview availability of Java 1.1.6 just three days
after Sun, and as a result, gave OS/2 Warp users access to the most current
Java technology. J ava 1.1.6 for OS/2 is a fully compliant implementation
of Sun's Java Development Kit version 1.1.6.
Java 1.1.6 is available free of charge from IBM's Software Choice web site
at http://www.software.ibm.com/os/warp/swchoice. The developers kit is
currently available for OS/2 Warp 4, WorkSpace On-Demand, OS/2 Warp Server,
OS/2 Warp Server Advanced, OS/2 Warp Server SMP, OS/2 Warp Connect and OS/2
Warp 3.
LDAP Client Toolkit for OS/2 Warp and OS/2 Warp Server
With IBM's OS/2 LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) Toolkit
programmers can enable new or existing applications to access, search and
update a variety of LDAP-based servers and LDAP-compliant directories. The
LDAP tool kit which is available for C and Java programming languages,
provides TCP/IP access to directories that support this standards-based
protocol.
The LDAP Client Toolkit will allow customers using the OS/2 Warp or OS/2
Warp Server operating system to easily access information using the standard
LDAP protocols. This new feature will help OS/2 customers simplify their
network computing environment making it easier to roll out and implement new
applications.
The LDAP Client Toolkit is available for OS/2 Warp 4, OS/2 Warp 3 and OS/2
Warp Server to eligible customers that have Upgrade Protection under one of
IBM's software purchasing agreements. The LDAP Client Toolkit is available
from IBM's Software Choice web site at:
http://www.software.ibm.com/os/warp/swchoice .
New OS/2 Warp Server Manages Windows NT Servers
Provides New Server Management and Universal Device Driver Support
IBM* recently announced that the next release of OS/2 Warp Server will
eliminate the need to sign onto multiple servers and simplify network access
by allowing users to administer Windows NT** 4.0 servers from an OS/2* Warp
Server screen, .
The new release will also provide industry standard support for Intelligent
Input/Output (I2O) device drivers and adapters such as Small Computer System
Interface (SCSI), and Local Area Network (LAN) ethernet and token rings.
This will give customers immediate availability of I2O SCSI and LAN device
drivers.
"As we roll out the next version of OS/2 Warp Server early next year you
will see that we are putting a strong emphasis on the needs of our
enterprise customers," said Jeff Smith, director of IBM's OS/2 Business
Unit. "Both the Windows NT server management and our support of the I2O
device driver specification are enhancements that should help our customers
to better manage their enterprises."
Windows NT Server Management
The new server management capabilities in the upcoming version of OS/2 Warp
Server should help system administrators better manage their multi-vendor
network through an OS/2 Warp Server. The new Windows NT server management
gives administrators the ability to create, update and delete user accounts
(IDs), passwords, and groups, via OS/2 Warp Server's simple graphical user
interface or rich command line interface. The user information can be
synchronized seamlessly with Windows NT servers in the OS/2 Warp Server
network. In addition, end users will only need to log on to one server to
access all files, applications and printers -- rather than entering multiple
IDs and passwords to access information on different server platforms.
In a typical scenario user accounts (IDs), passwords, and some applications
would reside on an OS/2 Warp Server, while other servers in the network
would host (or serve) applications such as databases or transaction
software. In addition, one or more servers would also host (or serve)
Windows NT for file/print and Win32 applications. With the new version of
OS/2 Warp Server, end users will be able to access all servers, files,
applications and printers through a single OS/2 Warp Server.
Universal Device Driver Compatibility
The next version of OS/2 Warp Server will also support the Intelligent
Input/Output Architecture Specification adopted by the I2O Special Interest
Group Membership. The specification defines a standard for classes of
device drivers such as SCSI, and LAN ethernet and token rings. Enterprises
can now be confident that as long as a device driver supports the I2O
specification, OS/2 Warp Server will support that device driver. Compliance
with this specification also ensures that OS/2 Warp Server users will not
have delays in availability of I2O SCSI and LAN device drivers.
The Next Version Of OS/2 Warp Server
OS/2 Warp Server is a member of IBM's family of enterprise servers which
offer extraordinary scalability, reliability and performance. In addition
to the feature and functionality found in today's OS/2 Warp Server, the new
release will offer customers out-of-box Year 2000 and euro currency
readiness. It will also include a high-performance Journaling File System
offering faster performance, improved scalability and enhanced Web serving
capabilities. The next version of OS/2 Warp Server is planned for beta
availability in late 1998 and general availability in 1999.
Press Points
Newsbytes: "Bank of China Opts for OS/2", 6/15/98
The Bank of China group plans to transfer all member banks' teller terminals
to OS/2 Warp. Under an agreement with IBM, the banks will also install
Universal Database, Consumer Transaction/2 (IBM's bank teller application),
Communications Server/2, LANDP and Lotus software for the teller
workstations.
LAN Times: "OS/2 upgrade hinges on thin client strategy" by R. Scott
Raynovich, 6/10/98
This article discusses IBM's OS/2 network computing strategy and mentions
release 2 of WorkSpace On-Demand as well as the upcoming new version of the
OS/2 Warp Server, planned to be available early in 1999. As an example of
industry response to this move, the article quotes Richard Spurlock, vice
president of Starfire Engineering & Technologies Inc. "WorkSpace On-Demand
has taken us completely by surprise because customers who have historically
said no to OS/2 are now asking how fast [they] can deploy this,"
New York Times: "Circuits: Nader Weighs In on Microsoft, Calling for the
Return of OS/2" by Katie Hafne, 6/11/98
Ralph Nader, the world renowned consumer advocate, wrote to IBM Chairman and
CEO, Lou Gerstner asking IBM to make the OS/2 source code public. Nader
reasoned that with OS/2 source code freely available, application developers
would readily write OS/2 programs and therefore create an alternative to
Windows. He also requested that IBM offer OS/2 as a free option with its PC
hardware.
Smart Reseller: " Nader to Gerstner: Free OS/2", Mary Jo Foley, 6/8/98
This article included the following quote from the Nader letter: "We are
writing to ask that IBM stop forcing customers who buy IBM personal
computers to purchase Microsoft Windows. You should give your PC customers
an opportunity to buy a non-Microsoft operating system, or at a minimum to
permit the consumer to buy a PC from IBM without any operating system."
Nader also wrote to Dell, requesting that company to allow customers to
order PCs with the operating system of their choosing.
NOTE: IBM will not give away the OS/2 source code because it has invested a
lot of money into OS/2 and it is still a product sold to customers -- medium
to large enterprises. IBM continues to develop OS/2 and plans to release a
new version of WorkSpace On-Demand later this year and a new version of OS/2
Warp Server early next year. IBM also continues to update the client
version of OS/2 Warp via the Software Choice Internet delivery site.
Industry News
ZDNN: "Cell-phone makers pick and OS; Microsoft Spurned" by Andrew Orlowski
6/24/98,
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/zdnn_display/0,3440,2114861,00.html
Leading manufacturers of cell-phones, Motorola Ericsson, and Nokia, chose
Psion's EPOC as the common operating system for smart phones and digital
communicators. The handset makers created Symbian a joint venture that will
control the EPOC application programming interfaces (APIs). The president
of Nokia Mobile Phone, Pekka Ala Pietila explained the choice of EPOC
because "it's an uncompromised platform." The thought of one company alone
controlling the APIs unsettled the telecom industry
Computer Reseller News: "Windows 98 Makes Its Debut", by Stuart Glascock,
6/24/98
Microsoft launched Windows 98 at a celebration event in San Francisco
featuring Bill Gates and other MS executives along with hardware partners.
The new operating system is targeted at the consumer market. Microsoft
added 1000 service engineers to handle the anticipated need for customer
support.
C/Net: "Study predicts Net shopping boom", by Erich Luening, 6/22/98
A study by International Data Corporation and RelevantKnowledge forecasts
that the number of Internet users who buy on-line will grow from 36% to 50%
amount to $54 billion of spending. The article quoted IDC researcher Jill
Frankle saying, "Whether a company sells directly to consumers or not, it
needs to recognize the Web as a 'bona fide' distribution channel."
Smart Reseller: "IBM Set to Announce OS Deal", by Deborah Gage, 6/2/98
IBM will be using the QNX/Neutrino real-time operating system, which
consumes less than 64kb of code, to embed in PowerPC-based devices for
embedded devices.
IBM Press Release: "IBM Offers Free Software & Support for 50 Companies to
Join NY S/W Industry Assn., 6/24/98
The IBM Solution Developer Program will give free software, tools and
technical support to 50 companies who join the New York Software Industry
Association during its membership drive which began in June. The IBM
worldwide program was designed to support software developers and encourage
the use of IBM hardware and software platforms. The New York Software
Industry Association, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1992 to
build the software development industry in the down-state New York area,
create a sense of community within the industry, and to assist companies and
individuals within the "software community".
IBM Press Release: "IBM Unveils Industry's Most Complete Portfolio of
Products for Web-To-Host Computing", 6/23/98
IBM today announced a wide array of new products and enhancements to its
eNetwork* Software family of host integration products, which can create
competitive advantages for customers who want to integrate existing
applications with the Web. New functions maximize the value of a company's
computing assets and extend business reach by providing the most complete
web-to-host solution in the industry. The single, integrated solution
allows easy access for employees, suppliers, business partners and
customers.
Products announced include:
The IBM eNetwork Host Integration Solution -- which, in a comprehensive
software package, gives users secure access to mission-critical business
systems, regardless of platform or network environment. Priced at $159 USD
per user, the flexible client/server software offers a simple,
fixed-price-per-user pricing structure, along with associated services. It
consists of IBM eNetwork Communications Server for Windows NT, version 6.0
(or Communications Server for OS/2* or AIX*), IBM eNetwork Personal
Communications (for OS/2, DOS and Windows 3.1/Windows 95/Windows NT), and
IBM eNetwork Host On-Demand.
IBM eNetwork Host On-Demand, Version 3 -- the latest incarnation of the
first 100% Pure Java emulator and the industry's leading Web-to-host client,
is now available for beta testing at:
http//software.ibm.com/enetwork/betas/hostondemand/.
New OS/2 Leadership
To streamline the organization as well as accelerate the teamwork among the
development and marketing teams, IBM is combining the Network Computing
Software Division business units. Java and OS/2 will become a single unit,
headed by Patricia Sueltz, who was general manager of Java Software.
Security will be combined with eNetwork Software under Jeff Jaffe who joined
NCSD in April as general manager of Security.
The reorganization is a natural one, supporting the NCSD strategy to deliver
an end-to-end software infrastructure for pervasive computing. Moreover
it's a positive move for OS/2. It further increases its synergy with Java
and reiterates its importance within IBM's overall network computing
strategy.
Pat has corporate responsibility for leading IBM's Java strategy and
initiative. She has been instrumental to the industry-wide push to make
Java the open application model and to IBM's featuring of Java in its
e-business offerings. She works closely with industry leaders and has a
strong profile with IBM customers and technology opinion shapers.
Back Issues of OS/2 WARP FM are available on-line at
http:// www.software.ibm.com/os/warp/warpfm.
For more information on the OS/2 Family of products see:
http://www.software.ibm.com/os/warp.
Check out other Network Computing Software Division Publications --
Subscribe to Java Update at
http://www.software.ibm.com/mailing-lists/java-update.
Visit the on-line edition of the eNetwork Connection newsletter at:
http://www.networking.ibm.com/cover/cover.htm.
* Indicates trademark or registered trademark of International Business
Machines Corporation.
** Indicates trademark or registered trademark of respective companies.
Copyright IBM Corporation 1998 All Rights Reserved
_________________________________________________________________________
When we say industry-leading software,
we mean business...e-business IBM Network Computing Software
_____________________________________________________________________
| NOTE: Please EMAIL submissions to comp-os-os2-announce@moderators.isc.org
| Correspondence to the COOA Moderator: lfirrantello@bix.com .
| Please see: http://www.bix.com/pub/os2ann/pindex.htm for posting guidelines
