New Products

USL Releases UNIX SVR4 for MIPS RISC Platform

UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. has announced UNIX SVR4 for MIPS RISC microprocessor systems. The MIPS hardware reference platform is the Sony Microsystems NEWS 3200 Series Laptop workstation. At a recent meeting, the MIPS SVR4 Interest Group (MSIG) steering committee approved the new reference product and platform.

The reference port is compatible with the "big endian" MIPS SVR4 Applications Binary Interface, supported by AT&T, NEC, Olivetti, Prime, Pyramid, Siemens-Nixdoft, Sony Microsystems, and Tandem. All have committed to MIPS-based computer systems compliant with this SVR4 MIPS ABI. SVR4 MIPS ABI compliant applications should run on systems from all these corporations in binary form without recompilation.

The MIPS SVR4 reference product and a MIPS SVR4 application binary interface (ABI) are key steps for the MIPS chip as an architecture for open computing. The MIPS UNIX SVR4 reference port was developed by Pyramid Technology with contributions from Sony Microsystems.

For more information contact UNIX System Laboratories, Inc., 190 River Road, Summit, NJ 07901-1400, (908) 522-6264.

Baseline Software Announces Password Screening Package

Baseline Software's Password Coach subjects user-chosen passwords to 45 different strength tests. When users select difficult-to-guess passwords, the software is user-transparent; if users select easy-to-guess passwords, the package engages them in a password construction dialog until a strong password is created.

Password Coach ensures that users avoid passwords from its 140,000 word "weak password" dictionary, as well as other weak passwords, such as common names, biographical and place names, medical, legal, and technical terms. Password Coach also screens for passwords vulnerable to context-sensitive and brute force password guessing, such as anagrams of the user-ID, reversed dictionary words, and alphabetical sequences.

The weak password dictionary can be customized and source code is available. Turn- key licenses range from $795 to $2,500, while source licenses range from $5,000 to $27,000. For information contact BASELINE Software, P.O. Box 1219, Sausalito, CA 94966, (800) 829-9955; FAX (415) 332-8032.

UNIX System V Roadmap Provides Planning Schedules and Requirements

UNIX International (UI) has released the UNIX System V Roadmap which reflects an agreement between UI, its members, and USL on open systems technology directions for the next three years. The Roadmap addresses the system software requirements specified by the UI-ATLAS architectural framework.

Roadmap highlights include SVR4.1DT (desktop) and SVR4.2 (a parallelized multiprocessing implementation of UNIX System V with a high-level API, based on UNIX SVR4.1 Enhanced Security Base), and add-ons in transaction processing, distributed computing, and system management (a complete object-based Distributed System Management Framework with management applications: Backup and Restore, Print Services, Software Installation, Startup and Shutdown, User and Group Management).

To obtain a copy, contact UNIX International, 20 Waterview Boulevard, Parsippany, NJ 07054, (800) 848-6495 or (201) 263-8400.

Modern Office Systems Technology Announces MenuAgent Manager Release 3.0

MenuAgent Manager combines MenuAgent, FormAgent, MuUSEC, Intelligent Access, and a desktop manager into an integrated user interface management system for standard terminals. The new release incorporates a new adaptation of FormAgent with an improved MenuAgent interface. MenuAgent Manager requires 1Mb disk space and 100-200Kb RAM per user.

For pricing and other information contact Modern Office Systems Technology, Inc., 6006- B Mechanicsville Pike, Mechanicsville, Virginia 23111, (804) 730-1467.

Applied Information Systems Releases Xess Spreadsheet for DEC OSF/1

Applied Information Systems designed its Xess spreadsheet specifically for the X Window/Motif environment supported by DEC OSF/1. The Xess Connections API allows client/server applications to share both data and control with the spreadsheet.

Xess supports extended functions including matrix operations, Fourier transforms, multiple regressions, linear equation solving, and advanced statistics. Xess can exchange data and commands with other X Window programs, local or remote.

Xess is priced at $695 for single-user licenses. For information contact Applied Information Systems, Inc., 500 Eastowne Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27514, (800) 654-2596 or (919) 942-7801.

Revolutionary Software Ships Visual RDBMS Interface

The /rdbX interface from Revolutionary Software runs on SPARC systems under OpenLook, and supports X terminals, display servers, and window managers. /rdbX includes pop-up menus, validated screen data entry, query by form, and automatic command generation.

The database engine for /rdbX is Revolutionary's /rdb which shares UNIX command syntax and shell prompts, rather than requiring a separate user environment.

For information contact Revolutionary Software, 131 Rathburn Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95062-1035, (800) 736-6229; FAX (408) 427-0342; Internet rdb@rsw.com.

Metro Link Releases Metro-X X11.5 V2.0

Metro Link's Metro-X X11.5 V2.0 is an implementation of the X Window System releases 11.4 and 11.5 from M.I.T., and is available for Interactive Systems, AT&T, SCO UNIX System V/386, UNIX SVR4, and VenturCom's Venix.

Metro-X X11.5's new features include a font server, scalable fonts, device-independent color (the X Color Management System, Xcms), internationalization, and 3D graphics with the PHIGS Extension to X (PEX).

For pricing, upgrade, and other information contact Metro Link, (305) 970-7353; FAX (305) 970-7351; Internet sales@metrolink.com.

Century Software Announces TinyTERM for X Window

TinyTERM for X Window is a terminal emulation program designed to improve on the standard X11R3 or X11R4 Xterm. TinyTERM emulates UNIX terminals, including Wyse 60 and SCO Color Console.

The TinyTERM license agreement permits up to five users to share one copy of the software, priced at $295 for SCO Open Desk Top and $395 for Sun SPARC. For information contact Century Software, (801) 268-3088.

New Version of ArchiText

Interactive Software Engineering has started shipping ArchiText 1.5, their language sensitive text editor for UNIX. Version 1.5 includes multiple editing windows and online help.

For information contact Interactive Software Engineering, 270 Stourke Road, Suite 7, Goleta, CA 93117, (805) 685-1006; FAX (805) 685-6869; Internet architext@eiffel.com.