Newsbits

By John Kawakami, MacTech Magazine Editorial Assistant

Now CodeWarrior Supports BeBox Development Too

(AUSTIN, TX) - October 3, 1995 - Metrowerks, Inc. of Austin, Texas (ME,VSE: MWK) and Be, Inc. of Menlo Park, California today announced a new set of CodeWarrior-based programming tools for the “BeBox” computer system.

Concurrent to this announcement, Be, Inc., founded by its Chairman & CEO, Jean Louis Gassée, former president of Apple Computer’s product division, announced the launch of its next-generation BeBox computer system. The new BeBox features an innovative twin PowerPC 603 microprocessor architecture and the new BeBox operating system. The new BeBox OS is a true real-time pre-emptive multitasking operating system and features a host of built-in functions including an integrated database. With CodeWarrior 8, scheduled to be delivered on January 9, 1996, Metrowerks will add full BeBox support to the list of architectures currently supported by its Mac-hosted CodeWarrior programming software. Current CodeWarrior 7 users will be able to build BeBox-based applications using BeBox headers and libraries included with all BeBox computer systems.

In addition to providing full BeBox support in Metrowerks CodeWarrior, Be, Inc. also announced today that it has licensed the CodeWarrior Integrated Development Environment. Be, Inc. and Metrowerks have modified the CodeWarrior IDE to run in native mode on the new BeBox computer system. The new CodeWarrior-based BeBox IDE and limited use CodeWarrior compilers will be bundled with every BeBox computer system.

Metrowerks has offices in the United States and Canada. Additional information on Metrowerks is available on the Internet at http://www.metrowerks.com, by sending email to info@metrowerks.com, or by calling (512) 305-0400.

Be, Inc. offers an exciting alternative to the current evolutionary approach to advancing personal computing platforms. Be, Inc.’s BeBox is a high-performance, low-cost system designed to meet the demands of sophisticated computer users and developers who are frustrated by the limitations of current architectures. It’s the first true real-time, object-oriented system that features multiple PowerPC processors, true pre-emptive multitasking, an integrated database, fast I/O, and a wide range of expansion options -- all at an extremely affordable price. With its combination of powerful hardware, an innovative new portable operating system, and a host of advanced sound, graphics, video, and communications capabilities provided by Be and third-party partners, the BeBox is poised to become a significant alternative platform for next-generation applications. Additional information on the BeBox is available on the Internet at http://www.be.com, by sending e-mail to info@be.com, or by calling (415) 462-4141 (in Europe call (33) 1 49 06 73 77).

Oracle Power Objects for the Macintosh
A Cross Platform Visual Development Environment

Oracle Power Objects is an easy-to-use, object-oriented database tool for rapid development and deployment of scalable, client/server applications. Designed from inception to support development across multiple systems, Oracle Power Objects runs simultaneously in Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Macintosh environments. While each version is optimized for its native operating system, applications developed with Oracle Power Objects are portable between platforms with no modification of code. A version supporting IBM’s OS/2 Warp will be available later this year. The availability of Oracle Power Objects is expected to increase the number of client/server applications accessible to Macintosh users, as well as improve the integration of Macintosh software with corporate enterprises and database management systems.

“The availability of Power Objects for Macintosh is a major step forward in cross-platform development for the corporate world,” said Michael Willcocks, Apple vice president, Enterprise and Government marketing. “With Oracle Power Objects, we offer to in-house developers, system integrators and consultants a powerful tool to rapidly create and deploy client/server applications so the Macintosh can play a significant role in the enterprise computing environment.”

There are several ways to get a 90 day demo of Power Objects, the least convenient being an 18 megabyte download from the web at http://www.oracle.com/. The most convenient method is to request a CD ROM from their web, or via phone: (800) 492-9870. The product runs on Windows Version 3.1 and Macintosh System 7.0 or 7.5, with OS/2 and Windows 95 versions scheduled for availability later this year.

Oracle Power Objects is available in two editions: Oracle Power Objects Standard Edition 1.0, priced at U.S. $395, and Oracle Power Objects Client/Server Edition 1.0, priced at U.S. $1,995. The Client/Server Edition comes bundled with native data access drivers for any Oracle7 database, Sybase SQL Server (Version 4.2 or higher) and Microsoft SQL Server (Version 4.2 or higher).

For a limited time, Apple will offer Oracle Power Objects Standard Edition 1.0 at a special introductory price of U.S. $99 through APDA. Within the United States, customers may

contact APDA at (800) 282-2732, in Canada by calling (800) 637-0029, and from other countries by calling (716) 871-6555.

Apple Reveals Plans to Support Developers Better

Apple Computer, Inc. recently outlined comprehensive enhancements to its developer relations efforts, in response to the needs of its developers worldwide. At the Software Publishers Association Conference, Apple announced organizational changes as well as plans to make information, tools and support more accessible to developers, regardless of their company size or stage in the product development cycle.

To better serve the development community, Apple recently made significant adjustments to its developer organization, consolidating all support and service activities under one vice president of Developer Relations. Evangelists have been designated for each of the company’s key worldwide market groups to promote close alignment between developers and Apple’s solutions marketing efforts.

Apple also is relying on the World Wide Web (WWW) to facilitate global developer communication. Kawasaki recently launched a Third Party Products WWW site at http://www.info.apple.com/dev/thirdparty/third_party.html. Designed to promote developer products to prospective users, the site currently features hundreds of items; additional entries are added every day. Purchasing information, search capabilities, and links to developer WWW sites are integrated into the pages. The site is expected to be connected soon with Apple’s main home page at http://www.apple.com.

Other WWW-based information tools are being created to augment Apple’s rich library of global online developer reference materials at http://www.info.apple.com/dev/. One recent addition is the release of several SDKs for free. Recognizing that timely access to the latest technologies and programming information results in superior software, Apple is distributing more Mac OS related SDKs through the WWW at no charge to developers. To see the latest free SDKs, ftp from:

ftp://ftp.info.apple.com/Apple.Support.Area/

Developer_Services/System_Software_Extensions/

According to recently published research by International Data Corporation (IDC), the Macintosh developer opportunity compares favorably to Microsoft Windows development along several dimensions:

• Macintosh systems generate nearly 75% more software revenues per system;

• Windows application development costs 50% more on average, per dollar of revenues;

• Marketing costs for Windows-based products average 54% higher than for Macintosh products.

IDC expects the Macintosh installed based to double during the next five years, growing as fast as the Windows base.

PowerTap Multiprocessing Scheduled for DayStar and Apple Mac OS Systems

Developers using PowerTap can soon take full advantage of the multi-processor machines from DayStar and Apple. Version 3.0 will distribute processing across not only networked Macintoshes, but also the additional onboard processors. With PowerTap’s very simple black-box approach, developers of number-crunching software can skip the theory on task scheduling, networking, shared memory models and semaphores and still benefit from the enormous, untapped CPU power available.

PowerTap v3.0 is scheduled for release in December 1995.

Requirements: System Software: v6 or 7. Mac Models: Mac Plus through PCI PowerMacs. Compatibility: Systems 6 and 7; A4, A5, native; Threads Manager; multi-processor; CodeWarrior, MPW, Symantec TPM; C, Pascal, FORTRAN.

Emerson Kennedy, PO Box 2530, Redmond, WA 98073. Phone: (800) 297-3888; fax: (206) 865-8133.

Just Can’t Get Enough

If you just cannot get enough of Apple’s press releases, and your monthly copy of Apple Directions is simply leaves you wanting more, you should check out Apple Directions Express. It’s a condensed, web version of Directions, with the latest breaking news from Apple.

http://www.info.apple.com/dev/appledirections/

adexpresscurrent.html

HyperCard 2.3 Bug Fix

The original release of HyperCard 2.3 contains a bug in the Color Tools XCMDs. The bug affects color stacks created on a PowerPC which are later run on a 68K machine. Those who purchased 2.3 before August should download an updater from:

ftp://ftp.info.apple.com/Apple.Support.Area/

Apple.Software.Updates/US/Macintosh/Utilities/

HC_Color_Tools_2.3.3_Update.sea.hqx

QuickCam * Network = Video Phone

Connectix now offers a $250 retail price video phone package consisting of a QuickCam and videophone software. It’s available for the Macintosh and Windows, and runs across Netware, Appletalk, and the Internet. Connectix, phone: (800) 950-5880, (415) 571-5100; fax 415.571.5195; email: Connectix@aol.com or CompuServe 75300,1546; web: http://www.connectix.com/