Newsbits

By John Kawakami

Metrowerks and Microsoft Collaborate on SourceSafe

Metrowerks Inc (VSE, ME:MWK) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT) announced today their agreement for Metrowerks to co-develop and market the Macintosh version of SourceSafe, the cross-platform source-code management system by Microsoft. Metrowerks will develop and market two versions of SourceSafe for the Macintosh, one for the CodeWarrior/MPW environment, and one for other environments, both operate on 68K and Power Macintoshes, and will work with SourceSafe for Windows 3.1, Windows-NT, Windows 95, and UNIX.

Metrowerks SourceSafe for use with non-CodeWarrior development environments will be priced at $499 for a single-user license, the CodeWarrior version will be $299. Customers of earlier versions of SourceSafe will receive a special upgrade price.

Metrowerks info: sales@metrowerks.com

Symantec C++ 8.0

Symantec released the much anticipated C++ Version 8.0 for Power Macintosh. In addition to the powerful new features covered in this month’s review, the new Symantec Project Manager environment and Power Macintosh compiler operate on a 68k system. Of course, it won’t let you debug PPC code on your Quadra. Symantec (800) 441-7234.

The review is on page 74.

VIP-C and VIP-BASIC for Rapid Development

Mainstay VIP-C and VIP-BASIC are two visual application development systems for either 68000-based Macintosh or PowerPC Macintoshes. Coding can take place directly in the text editor, using standard Macintosh toolbox calls (and ANSI C libraries with VIP-C). Or, using the resource editors and higher-level functions, using the Dispatcher based application framework. The environment is completely interactive, with changes to resources and code effecting immediate feedback. Both come with a royalty-free, run-time module for the creation of stand-alone applications. VIP-C projects can also be compiled using hotlinks to Symantec Corporation’s Think C 7.0, Apple Computer’s MPW, and Metrowerks’ Code Warrior.

The upgrade to VIP-C 1.5 is now available to registered users for $50; suggested retail price of $495. The upgrade to VIP-BASIC 1.5 is $50 for registered users; suggested retail price of $295. For more information contact Lance Merker at Mainstay (805) 484-9400.

SNA Goes Head to Head with Kwikset, Schlage...

SNA’s BroadCast enables software publishers to electronically distribute their products to customers, letting potential customers try the software before buying it. The BroadCast Locker program compresses and encrypts the product into a single installer application. The installer will display instructions for ordering, the telephone number of the publisher’s sales desk, and a unique control number. At the sales desk, using BroadCast KeyMaker, the publisher generates a unique key to unlock the installer. BroadCast can be used to distribute software on CD ROM, diskettes, or online. Pricing starts at $495 for the license and $8.00 for the first 1,000 keys; prices drop in volume. For information call SNA (800) 628-6442.

... and QKS Challenges Black and Decker

QKS has announced VisualAgents, a consumer level, cross platform user environment based on the Agents Object System (AO/S). The VisualAgents component toolset and applications include a wide range of Internet tools and services, E-mail facilities, word processing and HyperMedia authoring facilities., all integrated through a built-in AO/S database engine to provide users with uniform data management, collaboration, and communication services. Third parties will be able to integrate AO/S objects into VisualAgents easily. VisualAgents is priced at $195, and a compatible Windows version is planned.

DR/3 with a new integrated GUI Builder, View (Browser/Inspector) System, Simple Source Code Control System, and Documentation on both SmalltalkAgents and the underlying Agents Object System (AO/S), will ship a few weeks after WWDC. Starting with DR/4, SmalltalkAgents will include all the features of VisualAgents.

QKS: info@qks.com

Kaleida Debuts, It’s (Sort of) Netwise!

Kaleida Labs, Inc. is making available free copies of the Kaleida Media Player from its World Wide Web site. With ScriptX and the Kaleida Media Player, multimedia objects can be created by anyone, anywhere and distributed via the Internet for end-users to add to their applications. The player is installed as a helper application, and as each new, device-independent object is downloaded by your web browser or other internet client, the object is passed to the Player and added to the running ScriptX multimedia application.

http://www.kaleida.com/