Hello again,
Thanks to everyone who responded. Turns out there was a SunFlash about
it a month or so ago which explains Wabi fairly well. I've included it
below.
Thanks to:
worsham@aer.COM (Robert D. Worsham)
Andreas Sorgatz <andi@uni-paderborn.de>
carl@Il.Pdc.COM (Carl Ververs)
lister@sydtsg.cv.com
holle@austin.nam.slb.com
Dan Lorenzini <dal@gcm.com>
rigertt@ch.swissbank.com (Thomas Rigert)
Dylan Littlewood <dylan@teesside.ac.uk>
David.Joseph@UK.Sun.COM (David Joseph - Sun UK)
mikep@polo.mn.org (Michael Polo)
dtb@otto.bf.rmit.OZ.AU (David Bath)
chitty@polaris.orl.mmc.com (Tom Chitty)
Geert Jan de Groot <geertj@ica.philips.nl>
amir@matis.ingr.com (Amir J. Katz)
David.Miner@East.Sun.COM (Dave Miner - ...sometimes you're the bug)
Mark Herberger <mherberg@eve044.cpd.ford.com>
fgreco@lehman.com (Frank Greco)
blymn@mulga.awadi.com.AU (Brett Lymn)
Todd Kover <kovert@cs.UMD.EDU>
Aydin Edguer <edguer@alpha.CES.CWRU.Edu>
Manish Bhatia <manish@prentice.com>
rr6204@moses.boeing.com ( Bob Rutherford 965-0546 )
dave@cybersys.com (Dave Cress)
Chip Christian <chip@allegra.att.com>
Jim Rae (rae@decux.nvg.com)
...and anyone else who responds after I send this summary.
-- David Willard (willard@hvsun21.mdc.com) Operation Systems Programmer, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Huntsville, AL> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The Florida SunFlash > > Sun Introduces Wabi - Allows MS-Windows Apps To Run Under UNIX > > SunFLASH Vol 53 #x May 1993 > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This issue of SunFlash has three Sun press releases about SunSelect's > Wabi technology. (Note - Wabi is not an acronym.). -johnj > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > SunSoft To Copackage Wabi With Solaris > > Sun Introduces Wabi - Allows MS-Windows Apps To Run Under UNIX > > SunSelect Proposes Public Interface For MS-Windows Apps > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Subject: SunSoft To Copackage Wabi With Solaris > > Contact: Laura Ramsey, +1 415/336-0739 > Contact: Emily Cohen, Hi-Tech Communications at +1 (415) 904-7000 > SunSoft: +1 510-460-3267 > > Windows Applications To Run On Solaris > > MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 5, 1993 -- SunSoft, Inc. today announced > that it will copackage SunSelect's Wabi technology with the Solaris > software environment, enabling users to run Windows applications with > no performance compromise. The Wabi technology was recently > demonstrated running Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word and Microsoft > PowerPoint for Windows on Solaris at SunSoft's Annual Solaris Developer > Conference. > > "Wabi coupled with Solaris gives users the best of both worlds -- the > power of UNIX with the range of Microsoft applications," said Edward > J. Zander, president of SunSoft. "Now users can run their spreadsheet > on Wabi and their business on Solaris." > > Solaris users will initially be able to run key Windows applications > that account for about two-thirds of the applications sold in the PC > market. These include Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows, Lotus AmiPro, Microsoft > Word for Windows, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft > Project for Windows, WordPerfect for Windows, Harvard Grahics for > Windows from Software Publishing Corp., Aldus Pagemaker, PROCOMM PLUS > for Windows from Datastorm Technologies, Inc., CorelDraw, and Paradox > for Windows from Borland International, and the complete set of > Microsoft Windows 3.1 accessories. Wabi will be certified to run > additional applications later in the year. > > SunSoft will begin a promotional offer for Wabi this month. Customers > of Solaris for x86 and Solaris 2.2 for SPARC will receive a coupon with > their product redeemable for the Wabi technology at no extra cost. The > offer will extend through December. In addition, the Wabi technology > will also be copackaged with SunSoft's INTERACTIVE UNIX product line by > the end of the year. INTERACTIVE UNIX is SunSoft's product targeted at > the low end multiuser x86 marketplace. > > SunSoft's Solaris environment is designed to combine the features of > high performance computing -- such as multiprocessing, multithreading, > installation, administration and network security -- with the > ease-of-use of personal computers, making it the rightsizing solution > of choice for global enterprises. It is available on the highest volume > RISC and CISC architectures, SPARC and x86, and will soon be delivered > on the new PowerPC platform. More than 7,500 32-bit applications -- the > largest base in the world -- run on Solaris today. > > Product inquiries should be directed to SunSoft at 510-460-3267 in the > United States and to local SunSoft offices in Europe and Asia. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Subject: Sun Introduces Wabi - Allows MS-Windows Apps To Run Under UNIX > > Contact: Beth Byer, SunSelect +1 (508) 442-0271 > Contact: Kathryn Lang Hi-Tech at +1 (415) 904-7000 > Contact: Larry Lytle, USL at +1 (908) 552-5186 > > SUNSELECT INTRODUCES WABI SOFTWARE, BRINGING MICROSOFT(R) WINDOWS > APPLICATIONS INTO THE UNIX(R) SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT > > USL, SCO and SunSoft to implement technology; > USL forms co-development partnership with SunSelect > > CHELMSFORD, May 5, SunSelect, the PC integration business of Sun > Microsystems, Inc., today introduced the first technology that allows > Microsoft. Windows applications to run directly on UNIX.-based PCs and > workstations at full performance without the need for MS-DOS. or > Microsoft Windows itself. Named Wabi, the software gives UNIX system > users the ability to run the most popular Microsoft Windows > applications on the most powerful open network computing environment. > > "The Wabi technology represents a giant step in making UNIX broadly > acceptable to the commercial marketplace," said Dave Power, general > manager of SunSelect. "For the first time, users can run their favorite > Microsoft Windows applications at full speed while still accessing the > rich resources of the UNIX environment." > > SunSelect will license Wabi to leading UNIX operating system vendors. > Companies planning to implement Wabi as a part of their respective UNIX > system offerings include UNIX System Laboratories (USL), The Santa Cruz > Operation (SCO) and SunSoft. > > SunSelect has formed a co-development agreement with USL to build key > components of the Wabi technology. "We are making a major engineering > commitment to this project, and view Wabi as a key element of our UNIX > strategy," said Don McGovern, vice president of USL. "The technology > dramatically advances open systems by enabling customers to take > advantage of both their Microsoft Windows and UNIX system applications, > without depending on a single vendor." > > In addition, several other vendors, including Toshiba, Fujitsu Limited, > NCD, Tadpole Technology, and Quarterdeck Office Systems, have endorsed > Wabi as a way to broaden the choice of software available to their > customers. > > Wabi is based on technology acquired by SunSelect from Praxsys > Technologies, Inc. (Norwood, Mass.) in September 1992. SunSelect has > also entered into an agreement with Bitstream Inc. (Cambridge, Mass.), > under which SunSelect will license Bitstream's font handling technology > to make a large selection of TrueType fonts available to Wabi vendors. > As a result, Wabi users will have the same access as Microsoft Windows > users to Bitstream's library of more than 600 scalable TrueType fonts. > > > >From Microsoft Windows to X Windows > > The Wabi software will enable UNIX system users to run Microsoft > Windows applications right out of the box. Additionally, those > applications become part of the UNIX as easily accessible as any UNIX > allowing users to cut and paste text between Microsoft Windows and UNIX > applications. For example, information queried from a UNIX-based > database management system or received via an email message can be > incorporated within a presentation document created with Microsoft > PowerPoint. or CorelDRAW!.. The user simply utilizes the cut-and-paste > facility built into X Windows, the open systems standard for displaying > graphical elements on networked computers and terminals. > > While other products permit Microsoft Windows applications to run under > the UNIX system, they do so by running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows in > an emulation environment, a feat that requires considerable system > resources, reducing application performance. By contrast, Wabi > translates the function calls made by a Microsoft Windows application > into those recognizable by X Windows. This approach consumes much less > processing power, permitting Microsoft Windows applications to run with > no compromise in performance. > > > Support for leading Microsoft Windows applications > > Major application vendors, including Lotus Development Corporation, > Borland International, WordPerfect Corporation, and Corel Corporation, > have recognized the Wabi product as an innovative way to make their > Microsoft Windows applications available to new users. > > "Wabi is a strong bridge between UNIX and Microsoft Windows, and > broadens customer's options, allowing end-users to run desktop > applications like 1-2-3. for Windows and Lotus Freelance Graphics on a > wider range of platforms," said Jim Manzi, president and chief > executive officer of Lotus Development Corporation. > > The most popular Microsoft Windows applications on the market are being > certified to run on Wabi. These programs, which together represent > about two-thirds of all Microsoft Windows applications sold, include > Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows, Lotus AmiPro, Microsoft Word for Windows, > Microsoft Excel., Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project for Windows, > WordPerfect. for Windows, Harvard Graphics for Windows from Software > Publishing Corporation, Aldus PageMaker., PROCOMM PLUS for Windows from > Datastorm Technologies, Inc., CorelDRAW!., Paradox. for Windows and > Quattro Pro for Windows from Borland. International, Inc., as well as > the complete set of Microsoft Windows 3.1 accessories. > > > Ongoing certification program > > SunSelect, USL and other partners will continue to test and certify > other Microsoft Windows packages for the Wabi environment. To increase > the library of applications compatible with the Wabi software, > SunSelect is establishing a self- certification program for > developers. Through the program, available in June, developers can > receive a free preview copy of Wabi, enabling them to conduct > compatibility testing during the course of application development. > SunSelect and its partners will also work with developers to make Wabi > as broadly compatible as possible. > > > Availability and pricing > > SunSelect will make release 1.0 of Wabi available to its licensing > partners this summer. Each vendor will announce its own plans for > packaging, pricing, and availability. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Subject: SunSelect Proposes Public Interface For MS-Windows Apps > > Contact: Beth Byer, SunSelect +1 (508) 442-0271 > Contact: Kathryn Lang, Hi-Tech +1 (415) 904-7000 > > > > SUNSELECT PROPOSES PUBLIC INTERFACE FOR MICROSOFT(R) WINDOWS APPLICATIONS > > Users, Manufacturers, Software Vendors Join in > Supporting Public Windows Interface > > > CHELMSFORD -- May 5, 1993 -- In keeping with the philosophy of open > systems technology, SunSelect, a Sun Microsystems, Inc. business, today > proposed creating a specification called the Public Windows Interface > (PWI) to bring the Microsoft Windows application programming interface > (API) into the public domain. The idea of a PWI specification as the > foundation for industry innovation is broadly supported by computer > system vendors, independent software vendors (ISVs) and end users, > including American Airlines, Borland International, Corel Corporation, > Hewlett-Packard Company, ICL, Network Computing Devices Inc., Norwegian > Telecom, Quarterdeck Office Systems, Sun Microsystems Computer > Corporation, SunSoft, Tadpole Technology, The Foxboro Company, The > Santa Cruz Operation, Inc., UNIX System Laboratories, Inc., and > WordPerfect Corporation. > > The goal of creating PWI is to define a standard API for Microsoft > Windows. With a defined standard, applications and tools can be > developed that will enable the users of systems based on multiple > operating systems to directly run the almost 5,000 existing Microsoft > Windows applications today. The PWI concept will be submitted to open > systems organizations with the goal of creating PWI as an industry > standard. Further, SunSelect has examined the recent industry movement > to the common open software environment processes, and believes that > PWI is well aligned with these processes. SunSelect welcomes > participation of others in accelerating the initial PWI specification > into an industry standard. > > "Microsoft Windows is the most popular application programming > interface on desktops today. Changes to the API, which affect thousands > of ISVs and millions of users, should be made through an open process," > said Scott McNealy, chief executive officer of Sun Microsystems, Inc. > "By establishing PWI as a standard, developers will have an open forum > to debate the programming interfaces they would like to see included in > the future." > > SunSelect proposed that the initial specification for PWI be based on > the Microsoft Windows application interfaces published by Microsoft and > additional components of the Microsoft Windows API used in popular > software products. The specification could be enhanced over time as > ISVs, systems vendors and end users evolve the PWI specification in a > public forum. > > Benefits for ISVs and End Users > > "The shackles are broken," said Roel Pieper, president and CEO of UNIX > System Laboratories. "And that's great news for customers. Bringing > Microsoft Windows into the open systems arena will foster innovation, > and result in many new products. Most important, PWI will be a public > standard enabling customers to achieve their enterprise client-server > objectives by combining Microsoft Windows with UNIX for a compatible > and stable application environment." > > For ISVs and end users writing high-powered business applications, the > native UNIX environment will continue to provide the richest set of > tools and features. PWI would enrich UNIX and other operating systems > by providing an API for personal productivity applications. Together > PWI and a robust operating system provide the complete solution for > today's competitive business environment. > > "Borland believes that all computer languages should be available for > implementation by any party, as evident by our participation in > creating a dBASE( language standard," said Philippe Kahn, chairman and > CEO, Borland International. "The PWI initiative headed by SunSelect is > a necessary step in broadening the standards effort from languages to > user interfaces, and Borland both applauds and supports this effort." > > For developers and end users alike, the widespread availability of > PWI-compliant applications will leverage their existing investments in > software and training. End users also benefit from a PWI because it > protects their investment by giving them an active voice in the > products they want to buy. Similarly, OEMs are endorsing the PWI > proposal because it provides a stable platform for customers, allowing > new markets to be opened. > > "The adoption of PWI as a public standard will bring the benefits of > open technologyQinnovation, competition, choice to the world of desktop > productivity applications," said Helge Vinje, Section Chief of > Norwegian Telecom. > > SunSelect, in a separate, but related announcement, today announced its > Wabi product, which is intended to be an implementation of a PWI > standard. > > (c)1993 Sun Microsystems, Inc. > SPARC is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Inc. > > Solaris, Sun Microsystems, Sun, SunSelect, SunSoft, the Sun logo, the > SunSelect logo, Wabi are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun > Microsystems, Inc. > > Aldus is a trademark and PageMaker is a registered trademark of Aldus > Corp. All other products or service names mentioned herein are > trademarks of their respective owners. Borland and Paradox are > registered trademarks, and Quatro Pro is a trademark of Borland > International, Inc. CorelDRAW! is a trademark of Corel Corporation. > Harvard Graphics and Software Publishing Corporation are registered > trademarks of Software Publishing Corporation. Lotus and 1-2-3 are > registered trademarks and AmiPro is a trademark of Lotus Development > Corporation. Microsoft, MS-DOS, Excel and PowerPoint are registered > trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. PROCOMM PLUS is a trademark of > DATASTORM TECHNOLOGIES, INC. TrueType is a trademark of Apple > Computer, Inc. WordPerfect is a registered trademark of WordPerfect > Corporation. > > UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > For information send mail to info-sunflash@Sun.COM. > Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@Sun.COM. > Archives are on solar.nova.edu, ftp.uu.net, sunsite.unc.edu, > src.doc.ic.ac.uk and ftp.adelaide.edu.au > > All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third > party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local > Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in > your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications > within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or > publication by Sun Microsystems. > > Send brief articles (e.g. third party announcements) and include contact > information (non-800#, fax #, email, etc) to: > John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@Sun.COM. +1 305 351 4909 > >
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Fri Sep 28 2001 - 23:08:05 CDT