Unix software blitz: Samna Plus IV, JSB MultiView, VS Cobol, Ingres out for AIX PS/2 As mentioned briefly (CI No 1,192), a string of Unix products, most of them already available for AIX on the RT, were announced for AIX PS/2 this week. Samna Corp, Atlanta’s Samna Plus IV word processor with integrated spreadsheet and […]
Unix software blitz: Samna Plus IV, JSB MultiView, VS Cobol, Ingres out for AIX PS/2 As mentioned briefly (CI No 1,192), a string of Unix products, most of them already available for AIX on the RT, were announced for AIX PS/2 this week. Samna Corp, Atlanta’s Samna Plus IV word processor with integrated spreadsheet and text retrieval system is out now and can be run from either the IBM PS/2 console display or from attached ASCII terminals. With the multi-user version of Samna Plus IV and the AIX PS/2 Operating System one to 16-user option, 16 users can use programs simultaneously. It costs $700 single user, $1,300 for a one- to 16-user licence, now. JSB MultiView for AIX PS/2 from the British JSB Computer Systems Ltd provides a multitasking windowing environment that also supports the PS/2 console display or attached ASCII terminals. It costs $500 and is out now. The AIX PS/2 VS Cobol Compiler and Run Time Environment are designed to provide a complete Cobol development system and Cobol application support environment for the PS/2 under Unix, and implements the Systems Application Architecture Cobol Common Programming Interface language definition but without DBCS support – whatever that may be: it isn’t included in the approved list of IBM acronyms. It consists of a compiler, data screen entry utility, and debugger and can produce both intermediate and native code. It costs a one-time $2,000 for the compiler, $500 for the run-time system, and arrives in the US June 30. Pricing on the Ingres relational database from Relational Technology Inc for AIX PS/2 have been adjusted, with most prices reduced but those for licences for nine to 16 users increased. The single user version is now $1,450, for two to eight users you pay another $1,500, for nine to 16 users, another $2,050; for the other products, in the same incremental steps, Ingres/Applications is $435; $450; and $615; the Embedded SQL Pre-processors for Fortran and for Pascal are each $220; $225; and $305; Ingres/Net comes free; Ingres/Star is $435; $450; and $615; and Ingres/PCLink is $145; $150; and $205. All products hit the US market on June 30. IBM offers DFSMS modelling service, handholding to encourage migration Not too much more detail on the Custom Migration Support – Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem service to encourage customers to start using automated storage management by taking some of the pain out of the migration to the program that organises data and programs on disk without reference to the user. IBM promises that the new service will save both time and cost: under it, IBM supports the customer in defining a desired product environment in which the system will automatically allocate where information will be stored. The service uses IBM developed software to collect system data used to model and simulate customers’ new system-managed storage environments, that work being done at a new Migration Center in San Jose, California. IBM promises that use of the service will shorten the process of migration, and suggests that the time saved will also enable customer programmers to devote more time to developing new business applications. When a model of the desired new system-managed storage environment has been prepared by the Migration Center, IBM helps the customer to test and refining the model, and in selecting and migrating the first application. No details of pricing on the service were given. Teleprocessing Network Simulator Release 3 is available ahead of time Not everything from IBM arrives late – indeed most of it arrives on schedule, and occasionally things arrive early. Such is the case with release 3 of the Teleprocessing Network Simulator program designed to test telecommunications application programs, access methods, control programs and subsystems by simulating specified network resources and message traffic and runs under MVS/370, MVS/XA, MVS/ESA, VM/SP and VM/XA RELEASE 2 (why not VM/XA Release 1? Because that wasn’t a real operating system at all, just a migration aid). Version 3 extends and enhances the product to support exe
cution of a Teleprocessing Network Simulator control program in a 3745 communications processor, and also supports connection to a Token-Ring Network via the 9370 Token-Ring Adaptor. It also includes a new high-level language and a log compare utility. It carries a one-time charge of $112,320 or $1,755 a month on a large 9370, rising to $171,000 or $2,375 a month on a 3090-600. It is available now. Price cuts of 20% on the 3192 display, 31% on the PS/2 Display Adaptor IBM cut prices on the 3192 black-on-white display station with immediate effect; 3192s with any of the three keyboard options 122-or 104-key typewriter, and 102-key IBM Enhanced – with a one year warranty are reduced by 20.8% to $1,560. With three year warranty the prices are reduced by 19.7% to $1,670. The PS/2 Display Adaptor for XTs, ATs and PS/2 Model 30s is reduced 31% by to $430. 3732, 3604 displays tradable for PS/2s The IBM Trade-In Programme for Qualifying IBM and Non-IBM Display Stations, announced on February 21, 1989, is being extended to include the the 3732 and 3604 Display Stations, which can now be traded against new IBM PS/2s acquired on or after February 21, 1989. They are worth $100 apiece off the PS/2, now including the new 80386SX-based PS/2 Model 55SX. AS/400 packaging, packaging The Enhanced 5250 Emulation Adaptor and Cable Kit for the AS/400 provides a new packaging convenience for customers no longer requiring the 5250 Emulation Program. The packaging contains an Enhanced 5250 Display Station Emulation Adaptor Kit and companion Integrated Cable Assembly. It does not contain the 5250 Emulation Program but provides all the hardware required to attach a PS/2 Model 25 or 30, IBM Personal Computer, or Personal Typing System to an AS/400. It costs $717.
