Usenet 1994 January/usenetsourcesnewsgroupsinfomagicjanuary1994.iso/answers/pcgeos-faq/part2

Internet Message Format | 1993-11-21 | 17.6 KB

Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!gatech!udel!gvls1!pitt.edu!wcbst4
From: [e-mail] (William C Beegle)
Newsgroups: comp.os.geos,comp.answers,news.answers
Subject: PC/GEOS FAQ List part 2/2 -- Developers' Q & A
Summary: PC/GEOS is a GUI (Graphical User Interface) developed by
     GeoWorks.  It runs on top of MS (or DR) DOS and provides
     a multitasking, multithreaded environment for any DOS
     machine with at least 512k of RAM and a hard disk.
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 22 Nov 93 04:09:53 GMT
Sender: [e-mail]
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Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu comp.os.geos:839 comp.answers:2725 news.answers:14939

Archive-name: pcgeos-faq/part2
Last-modified: modified August 9, 1993

The following information is stolen directly from the Geoworks Independent
Software Vendor information packet.  An electronic version is available on
America Online, and a professionally printed copy can be obtained from
Geoworks at:

    800 GEOS SDK  - Order number for the Software Developer's kit
    510 644 1621  - International SDK Number

More numbers and addresses are available in FAQ 1.

-------------------------

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 Geoworks 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 GEOS 2.0. The SDK is not
meant for use with any other Geoworks product.

TITLE: Basic ISV Information Packet
DOC NO: 1001
DESCRIPTION: Contains prospective ISV information and product order form.

This is the first part of the information packet sent out to prospective
Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) who request information from Geoworks.
This contains basic information regarding the SDK and developer programs
with an ISV questionnaire and documentation order form. Other related
documents are:

1002 Additional developer information and press releases
1003 Information about the upcoming Geoworks developer conference on
October 25 & 26, 1993

GEOS DEVELOPER PROGRAM

September 1993

Dear Software Developer,

Thank you for your interest in the GEOS operating system and the related
developer products. Please read through this information to answer questions
you might have. Also included is a form for you to add your name to our
developer database and purchase the GEOS Software Development Kit (SDK),
technical documentation, or any of our developer services.

The GEOS SDK Beta will be available on CD ROM for $99 starting
October 25, 1993. This CD ROM will contain tools necessary to build and debug
GEOS applications. Technical documentation for the tools and operating system
will be included online in several formats on the CD ROM. Printed versions of
this documentation will also be available for $299. Note: You may currently
purchase an earlier edition (version 0.8) of the technical documentation for
$195 until the SDK is shipping on October 25. If you decide to purchase or
have previously purchased a pre-released version of the technical
documentation (version 0.8), you then may purchase an addendum to this set to
update it up to the current documentation for $79.

If you are just interested in evaluating GEOS as a potential development
platform, Geoworks currently has published the GEOS System Software Overview,
a small book which goes into more detail than this brochure about specifics
of the operating system (including sample source code for a GEOS application).
This may be purchased for $15.

Geoworks will host its first ever software developers conference entitled,
"GEOS, The New Profit Platform" on October 25 and 26. This conference will be
held at the Hyatt Regency, 1333 Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, California. To
register, call Geoworks at 1-800-524-1857, ext. 1214. (outside the U.S. and
Canada, call 508-443-3330, ext. 1214). The cost for this conference is $445
for early-bird registrants and $595 after October 6. All attendees of the
developer conference will receive, free, the GEOS SDK on CD ROM.

To order any of our developer products, please call 1-800-GEOS-SDK (outside
the U.S. and Canada, call 510-644-1621) after October 25. To order products
prior to this date, please write or fax us at the address below. Should you
have further questions, please call our main telephone number, [phone].
Transfer to extension 720 for our twenty-four hour fax on demand system to
have the latest information faxed to you. Transfer to extension 749 for our
twenty-four hour information line for recorded information concerning our
developer programs. You may also fax or write us at:

Geoworks Developer Support
2150 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
Fax: [phone]

Thank you again for your interest.,

Geoworks Developer Support

GEOS DEVELOPER PRGRAM - Q & A

Q: How can I start writing applications for GEOS?

A: Writing applications for GEOS can be done simply by purchasing the GEOS SDK.
If your setup satisfies the minimum system requirements for the SDK, you're
all set to go. See the specification for the SDK for more details on these
requirments.

If you are just in the investigation stages of writing an application for
GEOS and don't have much knowledge of the system, then a good first step would
be to purchase the GEOS System Software Overview [$15]. This overview
describes the system in technical details and shows sample code.

Q: Why is the SDK still referred to as Beta?

A: The tools of the SDK are still in the process of being refined. However,
Geoworks felt that it was important for the the developer community to make
the tools available as quickly and economically as possible. The tools in
their initial release state will be fully functional and of solid quality.
However, as with all software products, defects will be found as most people
will use the tools. Fixes for these problems will be available in the
developer forum and through various other mechanisms.

Q: What is the difference between the version 0.8 technical documentation and
the new release?

A: Prior to the release of the SDK to the general public, preliminary versions
of the documentation have been available for purchase to the general public.
The first public release of this documentation was numbered 0.7. Buyers of
this documentation set have been upgraded to version 0.8 which is the version
that is currently being sold.

The documentation that is available now that the SDK has started shipping is
also be referred to as beta. However, this documentation is complete and
accurate to the best of Geoworks' abilities at the time of printing.
This documentation set is the same as what will also be included free of
addition charge in electronic form on the CD ROM. For those purchasers of the
0.8 release of the documentation, Geoworks has made available an addendum to
that documenation that makes that set current with the new release.

Q: What does the SDK consist of and what type of hardware and software will it
require.

A: The SDK is shipped on a single CD ROM which contains the tools necessary
for GEOS development, include files, sample source code, and the run-time
environment for testing your applications. In addition, all the technical
documention for the system and the SDK is included on the CD ROM in various
formats. Printed versions of this documentation may be ordered from Geoworks
for an additional charge.

The original GEOS development tools run on Unix workstations. These tools are
not supported and are not available to the general developer community.
Instead, we have ported these tools to run under DOS. A DOS GEOS development
system consists of two PCs connected by a serial cable. You develop your
applicationon a more powerful host PC.  You run your software from the target
PC. See the SDK specification for more details.

Q: What is the FrameReader (R) browser?

A: The GEOS technical documentation set was written using FrameMaker (R)
product by Frame Technology Corporation. This is one of the file formats the
SDK is provided in on the CD ROM. The FrameReader is a Microsoft Windows (R)
file browser allows you to view and print FrameMaker files. The FrameReader
browser is not a requirement to view and print the documentation as it will
also be provided in ASCII and PostScript format. The SDK package will contain
ordering information for ordering the FrameReader browser.

Q: Why is Microsoft Windows (R) recommended for the host machine?

A: There are two reasons for this. First, the FrameReader browser for viewing
and printing the online documentation files is only available in the Microsoft
Windows environment, not DOS.

The GEOS development tools run under DOS, not native under GEOS. Microsoft
Windows acts as an effective task switcher to allow you to go quickly from one
tool to the next. Windows PIF files and a Program Manager group file are
provided with the SDK for this purpose.

Q: What languages are supported? Can I program in C++?

A: The SDK allows programming in either C or Object Assembly language. We've
extended both of these languages with GEOS specific syntax for defining
objects, classes, message handlers, etc. The current version of the SDK
requires the Borland C++ compiler, version 3.1 to be installed. The SDK,
however, does not support C++. This is because GEOS is a completely object
oriented operating system while C++ is used to do object oriented programming
on non OOP systems.

Q: Do I have to write a program specifically for GEOS to take advantage of its
features?

A: Yes. To create a program that runs in the GEOS environment, your
application must be written specifically for the GEOS operating system API
(Application Program Interface).  Standard DOS, Windows or other types of
applications will not run under GEOS.

Q: Can I port my Windows application to run under GEOS?

A: It's possible to port any application to a new environment and
therefore you could port your Windows application to GEOS. However, GEOS
is a radically different operating system and provides much more for
developers than Windows does. GEOS applications should be written to take
advantage of the sophisticated libraries and system services offered in
GEOS and should shed their Windows programs' baggage. If you try to port a
slow, large Windows application to GEOS, you'll probably wind up with a
slow, large GEOS application. By making the most out of what GEOS offers
to application developers, you'll have a product that's small, fast, and
elegantly designed.

Q: What type of developer support and training will be provided?

A: Developer support comes in various formats including developer support
on CompuServe and training classes in the use of the SDK and fundamentals
of GEOS programming. See the Independent Software Vendor Support and
Training Services page for more details.

Q: How can I get more information?

A: If you have additional questions or need more information, please write
or fax Geoworks Developer Support.


GEOS Developer Program
SDK AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

SDK COMPONENTS

The GEOS 2.0 SDK consists of the following software and printed components:

Software Tools

GOC - GEOS C Compiler Preprocesses GEOS C source files into files suitable
for input to the Borland compiler.

Esp - GEOS Object Assembler Generates object files from GEOS assembly
source files.

Glue - GEOS Linker Produces GEOS executables from object files.

Swat - GEOS Debugger Source level debugger that runs on the host machine
and remotely debugs the application running on the target machine.

Icon Editor Interactive tool to allow you to draw graphics. Produces files
for input to Esp or GOC.

Loc - Localization Compiler Takes output from the GOC, Esp, and Glue to
create a database for the Resource Editor to use for localization.

Resource Editor Allows creation of new, localized executables from an
existing executable and output from Loc.

Communications Utilities Allows communication between the host and target
machines via the serial cable. Also includes bi-directional file transfer
utilities.

Build Utilities Controls the dependency resolution and make process for
building executables.

GEOS Include Files

GEOS 2.0 Runtime System

Error Checking (EC) and Non-EC versions of the GEOS system for the target
machine. Includes Welcome, Preferences, GeoManager, and their symbol files.

Documentation Set
(in electronic and optionally printed form)
Installation / Getting Started guide
Tools reference
Concepts manual
Object reference and quick reference guide
Routines manual
Esp manual
Swat manual
Sample Source Files

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

The GEOS Software Development Kit will allow developers to produce
applications and/or libraries that will work in the GEOS 2.0 environment.

You will need two personal computers connected by a serial cable to use
this SDK. One of these PCs will be the host where you develop and debug
your code. The other will be the target where you will run your code.

Host PC Configuration (Minimum Hardware):

386SX CPU (486/33 recommended)
VGA display and adapter
8 megabytes memory
40 megabytes disk space (60 recommended)
Floppy drive compatible with target PC
CD-ROM drive
Available serial port
Software
MSDOS 3.0 or DR DOS 5.0
Borland C++ 3.1
Microsoft Windows 3.1 (only for task switching)
FrameReader browser (for documentation)

Target PC Configuration (Minimum Hardware):

286 CPU (386 recommended)
CGA display and adapter
1 megabyte memory
15 megabytes disk space
Floppy drive compatible with host PC
Available serial port
Software
MSDOS 3.0 or DR DOS 5.0
Serial cable with null-modem

PRICING (IN US DOLLARS)

Available 10/25/93
GEOS SDK on CD ROM $99
Printed Tech. Doc. Set $299
Tech. Doc. Set Addendum (for V0.8) $79

GEOS Developer Program
ISV SUPPORT AND TRAINING SERVICES

DEVELOPER SUPPORT SERVICES

Geoworks Developer Support Services are provided in a forum on CompuServe,
one of the easily accessible information services. Within the GEOS
Developer forum you will be able to post messages to other developers,
chat with your fellow developers, upload/download files, read the latest
news about GEOS and the SDK, or submit technical development questions
directly to Geoworks Developer Support.

Three different levels of developer support are offered. You may choose
the level that best suits your needs.

The Basic support plan provides access to the GEOS developer forum. All
services are included in the price of the Basic plan with the exception of
the technical questions to Geoworks which cost $75 each (as purchased in
packages of five questions) and may only be submitted via the forum.
Response time on these questions is guaranteed in less than seventy-two
(72) hours (excluding weekends and holidays). Help with installation and
use of the development tools is free to all registered users as with other
Geoworks products and is offered via the standard Geoworks support channel.

The Preferred plan offers all the services of the Basic plan with the
added benefit of unlimited questions with no per-question charges.

The Premium plan provides the highest level of developer support. This
plan provides all the services described for the Preferred plan with the
following added benefits. Response time is guaranteed to be less than
twenty-four (24) hours (excluding weekends and holidays) for all questions
submitted. Questions from Premium members receive top priority.

PRICING (IN US DOLLARS)
Basic Plan (annually) $595
Question Five-Pack $375
Preferred Plan (annually) $2000
Premium Plan (annually) $5000
Note: All fees must be paid in full before access is granted. The
developer is responsible for all online service fees and access charges.

DEVELOPER TRAINING CLASSES

Geoworks offers a comprehensive, hands-on training class designed to help
developers understand the concept of programming for GEOS, using the tools
that are part of the SDK. The class runs for five days and is offered in
the San Francisco Bay Area.

To allow more individual attention by the instructor in each training
session, the size of the class is limited.  Classes are to be offered once
a month starting in April 1993. Geoworks will provide breakfast, lunch,
the classroom location, materials, and the machines for the class.
Transportation, incidentals, lodging, dinner, etc. are the responsibility
of the attendee. Since Geoworks is strictly limiting the attendance of any
session, you are encouraged to register as quickly as possible to
guarantee your space.  Please indicate your first, second, and third
choices for training dates in case we cannot accommodate you in your first
choice.

Partial List of Topics Covered:
What is GEOS and its Application Model?
GEOS Object Oriented Programming Model
GEOS Graphics System
Memory Management
Virtual Memory Files
Generic User Interface
Using the SDK Tools

PRICING (IN US DOLLARS)
Five Day Developer Training $1995
Note: A $500 deposit is sufficient to reserve your space for a given
class. The balance due must be paid in full no later than fourteen (14)
days prior to the first day of class. Cancellation prior to the fourteen
day period before the start of the class entitles you to a full refund. No
refund will be issued for cancellation after this date unless a substitute
attendee can be found.

GEOWORKS
Developer Support
2150 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94704

Fax: [phone]
Main phone: [phone]
Prerecorded Information Extension: 749
Fax-On-Demand Extension: 720

Developer Products Ordering: 1-800-GEOS-SDK

To have printed order forms faxed to you, dial 510-644-0883, extension 720
and request document #1001.