Current Shareware 1994 January/SHAR194.ISO/geo_ense/geosdk10.zip/SDK-1002.TXT

Text File | 1993-10-04 | 48KB | 911 lines

 GEOS Support Document
 c1993 Geoworks

 PLEASE NOTE: Information in this document is accurate to the best of our
              knowledge at the time of writing.  If you find errors or have
              comments or suggestions for improvement, please let us know by
              faxing [phone].  Please use this material with care;
              GeoWorks shall not be responsible for damages resulting from
              the furnishing of the information in this document.

              The SDK can only be used to develop applications for
              Ensemble 2.0.  The SDK is not meant for use with any other
              GeoWorks product.

 TITLE: Additional ISV Information NO. PAGES:
 DOC NO: 1002
 DESCRIPTION:  Contains addtional information useful to prospective ISVs.

 This is the second part of theinformation packet sent out to prospective
 Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) who request information from Geoworks.
 This contains additional information and press releases regarding the SDK
 and developer programs.  Other related documents are:

    1001    Basic developer information and product order form

  1003  Information about the upcoming Geoworks developer conference
        on October 25 & 26

 Opportunities in the Consumer Computer Device Market

 BACKGROUND: MATURING OF THE SOFTWARE MARKET

 In 1991, a total of seven software developers - Microsoft, Lotus, Novell,
 WordPerfect, Borland, Autodesk, and Adobe - earned 70 percent of the
 revenues among the U.S. personal computer industry's top 100 earners.*
 Microsoft alone accounted for 30 percent, growing 25 percent from the
 year before and 21 percent in 1988. The rest of the group must fight
 for some share of the remaining 30 percent of the market; developers
 not among the top 100 share in even less of the pie.

 Analysts believe that this domination by a handful of developer companies,
 coupled with slower growth and a low return on investment, signals the
 maturation of the desktop market. The explosive growth of the 1980s is
 over.  In this climate of limited growth, developers must look to new
 technologies, and new markets, for opportunities.

 * Source: 1992 Soft - Letter 100


CONSUMER COMPUTING DEVICES:  A NEW MARKET

 Software advances are driven by, and dependent upon, advances in hardware.
 Ever since the earliest computers emerged, the trend in hardware has been
 toward smaller, more affordable machines. Huge mainframes that filled
 entire rooms gave way to minicomputers and then to personal computers.
 Now, a single chip can include the microprocessor, logic, video, memory
 management, timers, I/O, etc., that previously required an entire board,
 or more. With single-chip computers, it is possible to build hand-held
 devices with as much functionality as early desktop personal computers.

 Hand-held devices are not simply replicating personal computer functionality
 in a smaller package. Because of their size and mobility, these new devices
 are expected to create an entirely new device category, one that combines
 computer, telephone, television, consumer electronics and other capabilities
 in new ways. The new market is being called the consumer computing device
 (CCD) market.

 The consumer computing device market is a natural outgrowth of a number of
 important recent trends. For example, computers are becoming more mobile,
 with notebooks, palmtop and pen-based products already hitting the market.
 Cellular telephones will soon incorporate single-chip computers, and will
 be joined by smart phones and phones with video as well as sound capabilities.
 In addition, interactive television and realistic video games are expected to
 tap the enormous and ever-growing consumer electronics market. Business people
 are already relying more on products such as electronic daytimers (e.g., the
 Sharp Wizard and Casio B.O.S.S.).

 Major hardware, software and communications technology companies, including
 H-P, AT&T, Apple Computer, Microsoft, Tandy, and Sharp have spent dollars
 and resources to develop prototypes of products for this market. Analysts,
 attempting to quantify the potential size of the market, have stated
 variously that it will grow to $700 million by 1999 (BIS Strategic
 Decisions), $1.8 billion by 1996 (International Data Corp) and $3
 billion by 1996 (InfoCorp). GeoWorks, however, believes that these
 are conservative projections and that the consumer computing device
 market  will meet and eventually exceed the PC market.

 Despite its anticipated popularity, however, the new generation of
 hand-held devices is unlikely to displace desktop computers. Instead,
 the two types of machines will coexist, which means that software will
 need to span both worlds - that is, enable people to use the same or
 related software on their mobile and their desktop systems.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOFTWARE IN THE NEW MARKET

 For the consumer computing device market to meet early projections, much
 of the development work is still focused on the hardware side: solving
 issues such as chip density, device size and weight, power source
 (including battery capacity and longevity), data storage requirements,
  price (i.e., less than $500), and connectivity with existing devices.
 Soon, however, the emphasis will shift to software.

 For instance, early prototypes of hand-held consumer computing devices
 run on AA batteries that have about 50 to 100 hours of uninterrupted
 power, but have only minimal amounts of storage and RAM. As a result,
 software running on these small machines must be compact, requiring
 little RAM or ROM.

 Conditioned by their experiences with desktop devices, however, users
 expect the devices to be responsive under any condition - even when
 receiving an incoming call from a pager or an incoming fax, for example.
 At this point, performance improvements move from hardware concerns
 into the hands of the software developers.

 To be useful, the new mobile devices must be able to display high-quality
 text and graphics, so that on-screen documents and images reflect the
 print quality we are used to seeing in glossy magazines. They must have
 an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI).  A GUI must be able to
 adapt to different devices and must be able to adjust to any user's
 skill level. For example, a real estate agent should be able to use a
 real estate-specific application as easily as a mass marketed scheduling
 application.

 Ideally, from the ISV's point of view, these applications must run on an
 underlying system software that can migrate across devices. This will
 allow ISVs to create applications for many kinds of hardware, ranging
 from palmtops to smart telephones and even desktop computers, without
 having to recode or recompile their applications for each new machine.

 System software for these devices must conform to very specific
 architectural requirements. To fit within the confines of small amounts
 of storage and RAM, the operating system, as well as the applications
 that run on it, must be compact and efficient. In addition to being
 compact, the operating system must have true multitasking to provide
 the responsiveness that users will demand.

 Compared to personal computer software, software for consumer computing
 devices, with their strong consumer electronics orientation, will have a
 fast product development cycle for software. Software that is easy to use
 will be imperative, as will low price: Developers cannot expect to sell
 $500 software for a $200 device. Yet because of the enormous volume of
 this market, producing innovative, high-performance software will
 continue to be a profitable business.

 As with the hardware manufacturers, software developers have been quick
 to jump on the new market bandwagon, at least conceptually. Most, however,
 are market players in future terms only, having merely announced intentions
 toward the consumer computing device market. Currently, most operating
 systems are too big for the new small devices, or their designs are
 inherently tied to desktop or notebook systems.

GEOS: FULFILLING CURRENT AND FUTURE MARKET NEEDS

 GeoWorks has been working to develop software for the desktop PC market,
 as well as developing products for the emerging consumer computing device
 market. GeoWorks' object-oriented operating system, GEOS_ provides the
 efficient and flexible software foundation needed to bring the new class
 of devices to the marketplace.

 The GEOS operating system architecture mirrors the technology requirements
 of the emerging Consumer Computing Device market, bridging the needs of
 both desktop and new hand-held devices.  Many of its benefits are derived
 from a fundamentally object-oriented and component-based system
 architecture.  Object orientation makes GEOS very compact - it takes up
 only 512K of RAM and 1MB of ROM - and provides developers with a much
 faster development environment than system software based on traditional
 procedural coding.  Both size and this speed of development will be
 crucial to the new device market.

 In addition, GEOS has true preemptive multitasking, runs a single-imaging
 model, and is device and user-interface independent. The operating system's
 single imaging model, similar to PostScript_, includes a complete set of
 graphical capabilities such as outline fonts, providing users with a true
 WYSIWYG (what-see-is-what-you-get) environment. Its flexible graphical
 user interface (GUI) technology means that applications written for GEOS
 are completely scalable, with no recoding or compiling necessary, from
 desktop to hand-held machines, and can adapt to any GUI a developer
 chooses.

THE GEOS ARCHITECTURE

 GEOS was built as an object-oriented operating system from the ground up,
 making it both user-friendly and developer-friendly. It is efficient in
 every way: in size of code, in execution time and in use of hardware
 resources.  The operating system comes with a large number of built-in
 objects, so that ISVs begin with much of the programming already done.
 For example, document control objects provide all the user interfaces
 for opening, closing and saving a file in any application that creates
 and manages data files (e.g., spreadsheets, word processors). Similarly,
 GEOS includes a text object that supports rich text editing
 (e.g., formatted WYSIWYG text; multiple typefaces, styles and colors;
  embedded graphics), a spreadsheet object, a flat-file database object,
  and a graphics object. Any application that needs to display or
  manipulate these data types can take advantage of these embedded
  objects.

 An important feature of GEOS is its multithreaded, multitasking
 capabilities. Each object is run by a thread of execution, where a
 thread is a single entity that runs a certain set of code and
 maintains a certain set of data. The term "multithreading" refers to
 the ability of  many threads to use a system's processor at any given
 time. Objects can send messages to each other even if they are in
 different threads of execution, which is important in multithreaded,
 multitasking systems.

 In addition to multithreaded, multitasking, the GEOS kernel provides
 dynamic memory management, process management, file system access,
 and interprocess communication. It also supports basic object-oriented
 functionality such as messaging and inheritance. Despite all this
 functionality, the GEOS kernel uses only 60K of fixed memory and
 120K of library routines that are loaded only as they are needed
 by GEOS applications. As a result, GEOS is ideally suited in both
 compact design and functionality, for the demands of the new hand-
 held devices.

 The operating system's dynamic library layer provides the commonly
 used libraries that are shared among applications. These libraries
 provide the user interface code for many generic and specific user
 interfaces including desktop and pen user interfaces. Developers
 can also create their own interface or other types of objects and
 make them available to any application running under GEOS,
 regardless of whether the application runs on a desktop PC or a
 small CCD.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS:

 IT'S 1982 AGAIN
 Despite all the headlines being written about the new consumer
 computing device market, most developers believe it will be a number
 of years before they can begin making money in the new market. In fact,
 practical devices will appear in 1993, representing a real start to the
 market. GeoWorks, by virtue of its GEOS operating system, will be an
 active participant.

 The enabling hardware technologies for the new market are already in
 place, including the single-chip PC, flash memory, wireless
 communications and PCMCIA storage cards. GeoWorks is among the
 trailblazers of software developers providing the system software
 foundation needed to create applications for this new generation of
 devices. And so as the market for desktop productivity applications
 reaches maturity, the newly emerging consumer computer device market
 puts all developers on equal footing at the starting line. In terms
 of opportunities for software developers, it's 1982 all over again.

 Technical Background Information

 NEW MARKET REQUIRES NEW TECHNOLOGY
 The market for these emerging product categories is expected to
 significantly outstrip the current PC market in both revenues and
 units shipped. GeoWorks, which develops  system software for this
 new market, refers to the emerging breed of products as consumer
 computing devices (CCDs).

 Evolving hardware technologies such as single-chip PCs and silicon
 storage cards will enable the production of small, lightweight CCDs
 with low power consumption requirements. These requirements will
 place enormous pressure on system and application software to be
 extremely efficient. GeoWorks believes that simply stripping down
 existing software platforms and applications, and squeezing them
 to fit the CCDs' limited RAM and storage capacities, will not be
 the solution. At the same time, however, these devices will need
 to be compatible with the traditional desktop so that people can
 maximize the information available to them.

 Five years ago, GeoWorks committed to designing an operating system
 that would fulfill  the following demands: deliver high-performance
 computing features to desktop PCs while remaining flexible and compact
 enough to excel on CCD products that were in the early stages of
 development at the time.

 GeoWorks' solution is GEOS_ system software. GeoWorks believes there
 are two primary characteristics necessary for a successful OS in this
 new market:

   Software must deliver high performance without sacrificing efficiency.

   The Operating System, rather than the application, must contain the
   application's basic functionality

 SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MARKET

 GeoWorks is convinced that system software and applications will be as
 important to the success of CCDs as advances in hardware technology.
 All of these devices, whether a pen-based palmtop or a smart telephone,
 will have common software requirements:

   Compact
   CCDs such as handhelds and smart phones will have limited amounts of
   storage.

   Object-oriented programming (OOP) is perhaps the best way to ensure
   that common functionality across applications is shared, eliminating
   the need for extraneous code that consumes valuable storage space.

   Responsive
   Consumers will expect their devices to respond instantly no matter
   what is occurring. For example, while a user is updating an appointment
   calendar, the device must be able to receive a fax in the background.
   This simultaneous operation must be transparent to the user.

   High-Quality Text and Graphics
   Consumers are accustomed to the high-quality graphics of magazines.
   A device that is being sold as a useful consumer product must be
   able to deliver similar resolution and text.

   Reduced Time-To-Market for Applications
   Industry analysts believe that consumers will have more than one type
   of CCD. As a result, system software must be able to migrate across
   devices, so that developers can create applications that are compatible
   with many different devices despite the different user interface
   requirements.

 In addition to these requirements, GEOS offers a unique capability:

   a flexible graphical user interface (GUI) also called a generic-to-
   specific user interface that can adjust to different devices and to
   different users' skill levels. This patent-pending user interface
   technology allows developers unprecedented flexibility in the
   design of custom user interfaces.

   GEOS applications can run on multiple platforms, including CCDs and
   desktop computers, with multiple user interfaces without recoding or
   recompiling.

 GEOS OVERVIEW AND OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING

 The genesis of GEOS system software was a realization by GeoWorks that
 traditional software development practices did not emphasize efficiency,
 resulting in bloated code that squandered hardware resources. The design
 goal for GEOS was to create an environment that combined high performance
 with compact size, in other words, a full-featured and efficient system.
 By adhering to that goal, GEOS excels in CCDs with limited RAM and disk
 storage. It also enables the OS to provide advanced computing features,
 usually reserved for expensive workstations, in modest desktop PCs with
 as little as 512K of RAM. GEOS runs on devices powered by Intel x86
 architecture semiconductor chips.

 GEOS: COMPACT AND EFFICIENT

 GEOS is a real-time, multithreaded, multitasking graphical operating
 environment built from the ground up on object-oriented programming
 (OOP) technology. Simply put, OOP provides a structure for making
 code more reusable and for isolating individual coding elements,
 or objects, of large systems. An object is simply a bundle of data
 and routines that act upon that data.

 OOP makes efficient use of system memory because only one copy of
 an object's code is necessary, no matter how many copies of that
 object are used. It also reduces the amount of code required for
 individual tasks, which leads to smaller applications. And because
 the objects used to build applications have already been tested and
 debugged, applications can be developed quickly.

 GeoWorks took the power and sophistication provided by OOP one step
 further by coding the methods (procedures that act on object data)
 for all system objects in Intel assembly language to achieve maximum
 efficiency. The result is that the GEOS kernel is feature-rich but
 requires only 60K of fixed memory and 120K of library routines,
 which are loaded only when required by GEOS applications.

 RESPONSIVE:  ADVANTAGES OF PREEMPTIVE MULTITASKING AND MULTITHREADING

 Each object is run by a thread of execution, where a thread is a single
 task within an application that runs a certain set of code and maintains
 a certain set of data. The term "multithreading" refers to the ability
 of many threads to use a system's processor at any given time. In essence,
 an application is able to break its tasks into separate pieces that are
 processed concurrently. Objects can send messages to each other even if
 they are in different threads of execution, which is important in
 multithreaded systems such as GEOS.

 Multithreading contrasts with preemptive multitasking, another GEOS
 attribute. With multitasking, the end user can use more than one
 application simultaneously on a single device. An example would be
 a user's ability to continue working on one document, while the
 device receives faxes and prints other documents. Multitasking
 computers with a single processor actually process only one task
 at a time, but do so quickly enough for the impression to be that
 different tasks occur simultaneously.

 With GEOS, the combination of multithreading and multitasking
 capabilities greatly accelerates the response time of applications.
 As a result, users can work not only more productively, but also
 with fewer frustrations and delays.

 SHORTENING APPLICATIONS TIME-TO-MARKET: UI TECHNOLOGY AND RESUSABLE OBJECTS
 One of the most powerful features of the GEOS environment, and the feature
 that separates it from all other environments, is the patent-pending
 Generic-to-Specific User Interface technology, which isolates application
 development from specific user-interface implementations. This flexible GUI
 technology means that applications written for GEOS are completely scalable,
 with no recoding or recompiling necessary when they are moved from desktop
 to hand-held machines.

 The Generic-to-Specific UI technology allows systems incorporating GEOS to
 have different specific user interfaces while maintaining compatibility
 with any GEOS application. For example, a calendar application running on
 a subnotebook with a desktop metaphor can be plugged into a pen-based
 palmtop computer, where the application will take on the appropriate look
 and feel while adopting pen-specific behavior.

 New specific user-interface libraries can be written to support unique
 devices or to offer product differentiation to hardware manufacturers.
 Like the OS itself, the GEOS user interface technology is based on object-
 oriented technology.

 In GEOS, an application's user interface is constructed using objects that
 generically describe the interactions the application needs from the user.

 For example, a word processor application needs a UI element that allows
 users to change the current text style to bold. In GEOS, a "GenTrigger"
 object is used to describe this element in the application. The application
 does not know (or care) whether the bold GenTrigger is implemented as a
 menu item, a tool bar icon, or a gesture with a pen.

 GEOS achieves its flexibility because its programs describe interface
 components and requirements using a generic interface object library. At
 run time, the generic objects are superclassed by a specific user interface
 library that adds the proper appearance and behavior to the generic object.

 To change the user interface, only the specific user interface library needs
 to be changed. The whole application need not be recompiled to run on a
 different system. For developers hoping to take advantage of the CC market,
 GeoWorks' generic UI technology enables UI design to evolve and change to
 match different devices.

 The Generic User Interface Object library provides a series of geometry
 hints analogous to templates that allow developers to provide information
 to the specific user interface library about how they would like to see
 elements arranged.  Developers do not specifically place user-interface
 elements on screen. Rather, the specific user interface will use the
 geometry hints to arrange the elements. Built into the GEOS operating
 system is a geometry manager that automatically arranges elements based
 on their size-hints parameters passed (e.g., orient vertically, orient
 horizontally, left justify, right justify, center).

 In addition to providing maximum flexibility for future user-interface
 designs, the geometry manager approach makes it much easier to localize
 applications for other (human) languages. Since the system dynamically
 arranges user interface elements based on size and geometry hints, there
 is no need to change any application code for different languages.

 RESUSABLE OBJECTS

 In a quest for increasingly efficient software, GeoWorks built its object
 model directly into the GEOS operating system instead of using an object-
 oriented language, such as C++. This approach allows higher performance
 and better support for object-oriented programming and provides the
 foundation for the powerful component-based software architecture of
 GEOS.

 The GEOS component architecture scheme best exemplifies GeoWorks' view
 that system software, not applications, should carry most of an
 application's functionality. In other environments, the application
 itself must do most of the work. GeoWorks believes that this traditional
 design paradigm contributes to diminished performance and accounts for
 the larger disk and system memory requirements of many of today's
 applications. With the advent of CCDs, such dependence on large amounts
 of disk space or memory becomes prohibitive.

 In GEOS, much of an application's functionality lies in the standard
 operating system itself, in the form of built-in components that are
 based on the object model. These components aid rapid application
 development and lead to small overall system requirements, because
 normally redundant code is shared across several applications.

 Component architecture also encourages a consistent interface across
 multiple applications and allows for greater cross functionality. An
 application that is centered around one activity can still use objects
 that may have been created for another type of activity. For example,
 word processing is a very different task from drawing or designing,
 but both activities share the same need to enter or edit text or edit
 images or pictures. GEOS accommodates this by allowing applications to
 be built around tasks, not technology, yet use the shared objects to
 maintain consistency.

 Like other graphical computer environments, GEOS provides system
 libraries for a number of useful functions: opening files, drawing
 graphics, managing windows, producing sounds, etc. In addition,
 several GEOS libraries provide object classes, from which application
 developers can choose specific instances of objects to incorporate
 into their documents or user interfaces.

 The major component objects in GEOS consist of the following:

 Text Object

 Text objects are used for all levels of text handling, from basic
 input and editing to full word processing and desktop publishing.
 All editing and mouse interactions in GEOS applications are supported
 directly by the text object. Using the GEOS outline font technology,
 which is analogous to the standard PostScript_ imaging model, the text
 object allows text in any font to be scaled from 4 to 792 points, with
 options for styles, colors and patterns. Desktop publishing support
 includes paragraph attributes, word wrapping and hyphenation, style
 sheets, embedded graphics in text, multiple column layouts, wrapping
 text around graphics and rippling text automatically between columns
 and pages.

 Spreadsheet Object

 The GEOS spreadsheet object contains all the functionality needed for
 a complete spreadsheet application. This object is built upon the Cell
 and Parse libraries and provides a higher-level interface to those
 libraries. The spreadsheet object supports up to 16,384 rows by 256
 columns.

 Graphic Object

 Applications that display and manipulate graphics use the graphics
 object library. Objects in this library include lines, polylines,
 filled and unfilled polygons, regular and rounded rectangles,
 circles and ellipses, splines, arcs and wedges. In addition, a
 bitmap object is stored in its own library because of its extensive
 features. The bitmap object allows programs to create bitmap edit
 areas; provides painting tools to do brush, line, rectangle and
 ellipse drawing and area fills; adds capabilities for area coloring,
 cut, copy, paste; and includes a magnified fat-bits editing mode.

 LAYERED ARCHITECTURE

 Isolating applications from explicit hardware support is a key benefit
 of the GEOS layered component system. This architectural approach
 provides an enormous array of services to application developers and
 frees them from writing lines of basic functionality code for an
 application. The GEOS architecture allows developers to focus on
 creating true differentiation in their applications. It also
 permits future expansion of the system when new or improved components
 become available, and it allows developers to create objects, libraries
 and drivers to support their specific applications or special hardware.

 The top-most layer contains applications that users will interact with.
 Applications rely heavily on the dynamic libraries of the next layer.
 The dynamic library layer provides the commonly used libraries that
 are shared among many applications. These libraries provide the user
 interface code for many generic and specific user interfaces, including
 Presentation Manager, Open Look and Motif, as well as pen-based interfaces.

 Both the libraries and applications use the kernel, the heart of the
 operating system. The GEOS kernel provides preemptive, multithreaded
 multitasking; dynamic memory management; process management; file
 system access; and interprocess communication. It also supports basic
 object-oriented functionality, such as instantiation, messaging and
 inheritance.

 The kernel communicates with device drivers that function as the final
 GEOS interface to physical input and output devices and additional
 software, such as file systems. It is the driver layer that makes GEOS
 applications hardware-independent, enabling them to work with many
 devices, including video displays, printers, mice, pens and keyboards.

 1993: THE YEAR OF THE CCD

 GeoWorks believes that 1993 will be the year that practical, working
 CCDs will begin to appear in the marketplace. GEOS represents new
 technology designed specifically to enable the development of this
 new CCD market. The GeoWorks approach contrasts sharply with other
 software platforms, such as Modular Windows_, which is essentially
 trying to force-fit technology created for desktops or high-end
 portable PCs into radically new and different devices.

 The emerging CCD market will require fresh thinking and fresh
 technology, focused on the distinctive needs of the new devices.

 The GEOS environment, with its object-oriented foundation and its
 unique Generic-to-Specific User Interface technology, is well-positioned
 to play a dominant role in this new market place.


 CONTACT:  Deborah Dawson  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 GeoWorks [phone]

 GEOWORKS PROVIDES GEOS SYSTEM SOFTWARE ON CASIO/TANDY'S ZOOMER
 PRODUCT ANNOUNCED FOR FALL AVAILABILITY

 Chicago, June 3, 1993 - GeoWorks, the Berkeley, CA, developer of
 sophisticated system software, today joined Casio, Inc., Tandy_
 Corporation, Palm Computing, Intuit and America Online to announce
 the availability of the Zoomer Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)_
 at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show being held here through
 June 6.

 At the announcement, the companies provided specifics on their
 joint project: a handheld, pen-based device scheduled to be available
 in October. GeoWorks is providing the underlying system software,
 GEOS_ , which provides rich functionality while delivering "unconscious"
 battery life of up to 100 hours so consumers won't need to remember to
 recharge their devices every day to have access to their important
 information. Zoomer is the first device enabled by the GEOS technology
 in the  emerging class of low cost hardware that combines sophisticated
 consumer electronics, computer, and communications capabilities.

 GEOS is a leading edge, object oriented, graphical operating system
 designed to meet the stringent resource requirements of these new
 compact, lightweight, yet powerful devices. "A graphical environment
 running on inexpensive, single chip processors is unheard of to date
 in this emerging market," said Brian Dougherty, CEO of GeoWorks.

 "We have been working for the past five years to develop an operating
 system that will provide high quality graphics without demanding
 expensive system resources.  This is a very exciting day to see the
 first product to prove our vision a reality shown to the public."

 John V. Roach, chairman and chief executive officer of Tandy Corporation,
 said

 "GeoWorks was able to deliver the system software required to meet the
 design restrictions of Zoomer.  It has 100 plus hours of battery life,
 the simplicity of pen and paper, the logical power of a computer and
 the ability to connect to a world of information in a pocket-sized
 device weighing less than one pound."

 "We believe Zoomer will be a tremendous success by combining a compelling
 form factor along with sophisticated applications.  But at its core is
 GEOS, the only system software available on the market today that can
 deliver robust functionality with very limited hardware resources. This
 will enable Zoomer to be a truly open system that will benefit customers
 through a wide range of after market applications, extending the
 functionality of Zoomer," said Bruce Mendel, director of marketing at
 Casio's PCD (Personal Communications Division).

 GeoWorks' vision for the past ten years has been to enable mass market
 computing. Founded with the belief that this market holds tremendous
 potential, GeoWorks has been developing system software to meet the
 needs of a wide range of consumer computing devices from PDAs to TVs.
 Zoomer is the first device that delivers the right functionality at the
 right price point to make this market explode.  "GeoWorks is thrilled to
 be a part of such an exciting product and looks forward to continuing to
 innovate with our partners Casio and Tandy," said Brian Dougherty.

 GeoWorks, located in Berkeley, California, is the developer and publisher
 of the acclaimed GEOS graphical operating system and of Ensemble_
 application software. The company provides sophisticated and highly
 efficient system software and markets targeted applications for an
 emerging class of devices designed to communicate, entertain and manage
 information for mass market consumers.  GeoWorks products are available
 worldwide through OEM, dealer channels and republishers.

 GEOS, GeoWorks and Ensemble are registered trademarks of GeoWorks in the
 United States and other countries.

 Tandy is a registered trademark and Zoomer and Zoomer PDA are trademarks
 of Tandy Corporation and Casio Inc.

 All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

 CONTACT:  Holly Zmetrovich/Karl Fields

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 The Bohle Company [phone]
 Deborah Dawson GeoWorks [phone]

 GEOWORKS THIRD MAJOR OEM ANNOUNCED
 SHARP ELECTRONICS CORPORATION SUPPORTS GEOS PLATFORM

 BERKELEY, Calif. -- GeoWorks announced today that Sharp Electronics Corp.
 is the second major consumer electronics company to select the GEOS_
 operating system platform for its soon-to-be-announced Sharp PT-9000.
 This is a major milestone in GeoWorks' mission to be a leading edge
 operating system for this emerging computing market.

 The two companies have been working for the past year to develop a new
 class of device that combines the best of a Personal Digital Assistant
 (PDA) and a notebook computer in a single product called a Personal
 Information Assistant.  This first product, the Sharp PT-9000, has
 been designed for the traveling professional who needs the benefit
 of a full featured set of applications as well as immediate access
 to their personal information.

 "GeoWorks is extremely excited to have Sharp endorsing our operating
 system platform," said Brian Dougherty, chairman and CEO of GeoWorks.

 "Sharp has a clear track record in bringing new consumer electronics
 products to market.  We believe with partners like Sharp we will create
 a new class of products that will truly meet the needs of a wide range
 of audiences."

 GeoWorks has been working for the past six years to develop GEOS, an
 advanced operating system that requires limited hardware resources.
 This allows hardware manufacturers to deliver products that are low
 cost and deliver long battery life without sacrificing rich
 functionality.  The efficiency allows GeoWorks' OEMs to enjoy weeks
 and months of battery life.  Analysts feel that long battery life is
 a standard requirement for the consumer electronics market.

 "GeoWorks provided Sharp with a unique solution that will enable us
 to bring a truly compelling product to market," said  Gary Schwartz,
 vice president, Information Systems Group, Sharp Electronics Company
 in Mahwah, New Jersey.  "With its extremely efficient operating system,
 GEOS, we can deliver a device that provides customers with a product
 with rich functionality, a graphical, easy to use environment and
 weeks of battery life."

 The Sharp PT-9000 has both pen input and a detachable keyboard. This
 unique design takes advantage of GeoWorks' patented user interface
 technology that eliminates input device dependence.  Sharp's product
 is the first to deliver this type of flexibility.

 In addition to the system software, GeoWorks will provide several key
 applications including GeoWrite_,  a full-featured word processor,
 GeoFile_, a forms based database and GeoCalc_ , a graphical WYSIWYG
 (What You See Is What You Get) spreadsheet. GeoWorks is also providing
 file management, graphical user interface (GUI) and user preferences
 and desktop file compatibility.

 GeoWorks and Sharp will work together to encourage independent software
 vendors (ISVs) to develop third party applications to support this new
 Personal Information Assistant.  GEOS delivers an open system that
 encourages software companies to be a part of this new computing mass
 market.

 Palm Computing, Los Altos, Calif., will provide GEOS-based Personal
 Information Management applications (PIMs) and America Online, Vienna,
 Va., will deliver native GEOS communications capabilities. Both companies
 are early developers of GEOS-based applications software that, in addition
 to the applications provided by GeoWorks, will deliver a complete set of
 functionality to Sharp's customers.

 Sharp now joins a short list of leading hardware manufacturers that have
 adopted the GEOS technology.

 GeoWorks will be holding its first Developer Conference at the Hyatt
 Regency in Burlingame, Calif. on October 25 and 26 where attendees will
 receive the new GEOS Software Development Kit (SDK) free.
 Call 1-800-524-1857 ext. 1214 for more information.

 Located in Berkeley, Calif., GeoWorks is the developer and publisher of
 the GEOS graphical operating system and application software. The company
 provides sophisticated and highly efficient system software with rich
 functionality that will enable hardware manufacturers to market low-cost
 devices with extended battery life.  GeoWorks also develops applications
 in the communications, entertainment and information management markets.
 GeoWorks products are available worldwide through OEMs, dealer channels
 an republishers.

 As a recognized leader in consumer, office and industrial electronics
 products, Sharp Electronic Corp. has sales of over $2.4 billion, markets
 some 1,200 products in over 40 product categories and employs more than
 2,200 people nationwide.  Founded in 1962, Sharp Electronics is the U.S.
 sales and marketing subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corp., and is a leading
 seller of many electronics product lines, including LCD products,
 camcorders, microwave ovens, electronic organizers, copiers, facsimile
 machines and calculators.

 GeoWorks, GEOS and GeoFile are registered trademarks and GeoWrite and
 GeoCalc are trademarks of GeoWorks.
 All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

 CONTACT:  Holly Zmetrovich/Karl Fields

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 The Bohle Company [phone], ext. 227/233
 Deborah Dawson GeoWorks [phone]

 GEOWORKS ANNOUNCES FIRST SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE:

 "GEOS:  THE NEW PROFIT PLATFORM"

 BERKELEY, Calif. -- GeoWorks, creator of the GEOS_ operating system,
 will host  its first software developers conference Monday - Tuesday,
 Oct. 25 - 26, at the Hyatt Regency, Burlingame, Calif.  The two-day
 conference, "GEOS: The New Profit Platform," will highlight the
 opportunities available to independent software vendors (ISVs) in the
 emerging market for low-cost, high-volume consumer computing devices
 (CCDs).

 GeoWorks provides the underlying system software for the Zoomer_
 Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a handheld, pen-based device
 developed jointly with Tandy, Casio, Palm Computing, Intuit and
 America Online.  GEOS is also the system software for several
 soon-to-be-announced CCDs that will be low-cost and have long
 battery life.  The market for these types of mobile devices is
 poised for explosive growth and will eventually exceed that of
 the personal computer industry, according to industry analysts.

 During the conference, attendees will receive, free, GeoWorks'
 new Software Development Kit (SDK) and senior executives from
 hardware manufacturers will be discussing their marketing plans
 for new devices utilizing GEOS system software.  GeoWorks OEM
 partners participating in the conference include Tandy, Casio
 and other major, worldwide consumer electronics companies.

 Other speakers include Brian Dougherty, chairman and CEO, GeoWorks,
 who will provide his vision of the long-range opportunity for mass-
 market consumer computing devices.  Jeff Hawkins, chairman of Palm
 Computing, will address the benefits of GEOS' rapid product
 development cycle.  Analysts Bruce Stephen, director of PC hardware
 research, International Data Corp.; William Ablondie, vice president,
 BIS Strategic Decisions; and Kenneth Dulaney, vice president Mobile
 Business Strategies, Gartner Group; will discuss their perspectives
 on the opportunities this new market will create.

 "Companies looking to develop for PDAs and other GEOS-based mobile
 devices will hear firsthand which markets have the most potential
 and learn about specific opportunities for developing vertical
 market applications," said Dougherty.  "Attendees will have access
 to fellow developers, our hardware partners and key industry analysts
 who will provide technical comparisons of existing operating systems,
 overviews of support that's available in the market today and feedback
 on 'killer applications.'"

 Marketing track sessions will include an analysis of how selecting the
 right operating systems could impact the profit potential for ISVs and
 a review of why this market holds tremendous opportunity for high-volume
 horizontal or vertical applications that meet users' needs.

 The technical track lineup includes a GEOS system software overview, a
 detailed session on GeoWorks' new toolkit for developers, an engineering
 overview of Zoomer and a look at how to work with PIM Data.

 The Hyatt Regency is located at 1333 Bayshore Hwy., Burlingame, Calif.
 To register, call GeoWorks at 1 [phone], ext. 1214.  The cost for
 attending is $445 for early-bird registrants and $595 after Oct. 6.

 GEOS and GeoWorks are registered trademarks of GeoWorks in the U.S. and
 other countries.

 All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

 CONTACT:  Holly Zmetrovich/Karl Fields

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 The Bohle Company [phone]
 Deborah Dawson GeoWorks [phone]
 Debra Young CompuServe [phone]

 GEOWORKS AND COMPUSERVE TO BOOST MOBILE COMPUTING;
 WORLDWIDE ON-LINE SERVICE COMPANY
 COMMITS TO GEOS PLATFORM

 BERKELEY, Calif. -- GeoWorks has garnered support from CompuServe Inc.,
 bringing the world's leading on-line information service and its Host
 Micro InterfaceSM (HMISM) toolbox to the software company's GEOS_
 operating system platform.  GEOS will be the first operating system
 for mobile devices to include CompuServe.  In addition, GEOS developers
 will be able to obtain support via a forum on the CompuServe Information
 Service.

 GEOS is the leading, object-oriented, graphical operating system designed
 for the emerging class of personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other
 mobile devices.  GeoWorks licenses its technology to OEMs for a wide
 range of products.

 As developers and CompuServe create new software on GEOS, traveling
 professionals will have immediate access to CompuServe's array of
 information sources, including news, stock quotes and weather briefs.
 More than 1.4 million members will also be able to send and receive
 electronic mail messages as they travel around the world, using
 CompuServe's GEOS-based interface on their PDAs.

 "The ability to communicate anytime, anywhere is critical to the success
 of consumer computing devices," Brian Dougherty, chief executive officer,
 GeoWorks said.  "By partnering with CompuServe, we allow our hardware
 partners to bring the most extensive worldwide on-line services available
 today directly to their customers."

 Under the agreement, CompuServe will bring its HMI toolbox to GEOS to
 facilitate development of a broad range of services for CompuServe users.
 Certified independent software developers can now create new software that
 runs on the GEOS platform to provide access to additional CompuServe
 services.

 "GeoWorks has an established reputation as a leading player in the
 palmtop/PDA market and has strong support from major hardware
 manufacturers," said Jim Hogan, director of product marketing, CompuServe.
 "We are excited about our partnership and commitment to the GEOS platform
 and believe it will drive mobile computing forward."

 GeoWorks and CompuServe are establishing a special service and support
 forum for all GEOS independent software vendors (ISVs) on CompuServe who
 are registered for GeoWorks developer support services.  Members can post
 messages or communicate with other developers, upload and download files,
 obtain the latest GEOS information and submit technical questions to
 GeoWorks.  The forum will be on-line Sept. 15, 1993.

 ISVs looking for in-depth information on developing applications for the
 GEOS platform can attend the GeoWorks Developer's Conference, Monday -
 Tuesday, Oct. 25 - Oct. 26, 1993.  The two-day session will focus on
 markets which have the most potential and specific opportunities for
 developing vertical market applications.  Jim Hogan from CompuServe
 will serve as a panelist at the conference.  The conference will be
 held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1333 Bayshore Hwy., Burlingame, Calif.
 To register, ISVs call 1-800-524-1857.  For other information, ISVs can
 call GeoWorks direct at 510-644-0883 ext. 749.

 Located in Berkeley, Calif., GeoWorks is the developer and publisher of
 the GEOS graphical operating system and application software.  The company
 provides sophisticated and highly efficient system software and markets
 targeted applications for an emerging class of consumer computing devices
 designed to communicate, entertain and manage information for mass market
 consumers.  GeoWorks products are available worldwide through OEMs, dealer
 channels and republishers.

 Established in 1979, the CompuServe Information Service provides its
 worldwide membership of 1.4 million with more than 1,700 databases and
 services to meet both business and personal interests.  CompuServe can
 be accessed by any modem-equipped personal computer utilizing the
 CompuServe Information Manager graphical interfaces for DOS, Mac and
 Windows environments or the many third party user interfaces that take
 advantage of CompuServe's open architecture.  CompuServe is an H&R Block
 Company.

 GEOS and GeoWorks are registered trademarks of GeoWorksin the U.S. and
 other countries.

 All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.