home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
OS/2 Shareware BBS: 16 Announce
/
16-Announce.zip
/
293603.zip
/
293603.ANN
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-10-12
|
31KB
|
467 lines
DATE 10/12/93
TITLE IBM VISUALAGE FOR OS/2 VERSION 1.0
ABSTRACT VisualAge is an integrated, application development
environment designed especially for client/server, mission-critical,
line-of-business applications through visual programming and
construction-from-components technologies. VisualAge provides a
series of high-productivity, OS/2 (R)-based power tools for the
development of applications targeting OS/2 execution systems. IBM
plans to make VisualAge for Windows (1) and VisualAge System Object
Model (SOM) support for OS/2 available during the first half of 1994.
There are two base products in the VisualAge family:
o VisualAge for the individual user
o VisualAge Team for team development.
VisualAge Team provides all the functionality of VisualAge plus
support for team programming.
Using popular relational databases, VisualAge enables
customers to develop client/server database applications. In a
server-based development environment, VisualAge can produce complete
online transaction processing (OLTP) client/server applications for
OS/2. This functionality enables customers to build workstation
applications that access remote transaction programs through a
variety of network protocols and access data in remote and local
relational databases.
In addition, VisualAge provides:
o Visual programming
o Support for team programming
o Library services
o Support for reusing programs developed in C, COBOL or any
language that creates dynamic link libraries (DLLs)
o Advanced graphical user interface (GUI) capability
o Communications and transaction processing
o Database components
o Access to other applications such as IMS Client Server/2 (TM)
o Visual SQL query builder capability
o Multimedia capability
o Performance tuning and packaging tools
o Complete application development environment.
The VisualAge open architecture enables developers of GUI
tools, database and communications support products, and class
libraries to write to published application programming interfaces
(APIs).
One-Time Charge for Program Package:
VisualAge $2,495
VisualAge Team 4,995
VisualAge COBOL Component 1,495
VisualAge Multi-Database Component 995
VisualAge Communications/Transaction Component 1,750
VisualAge Multimedia Component 495
(R) Registered trademark of International Business Machines
Corporation.
(1) Trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
(TM) Trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
IN BRIEF . . .
Features include:
o Visual programming
o Construction-from-components
o Visual GUI design capability
o Client/server application development
o Open extensible architecture
o Extensive code reuse
o Access to a range of communication protocols, databases and
legacy code reuse
o Multimedia support
o Team programming
Benefits include:
o Improved responsiveness to end users
o Increased developer productivity
o Increased application usability
o Reduced maintenance
FIRST CUSTOMER SHIPMENT: Begins immediately, to a selected set of
customers. These customers are participating in a program designed
to validate that IBM has achieved the quality objectives for
VisualAge in a variety of production environments. When these
customers confirm that IBM has achieved its quality objectives, IBM
will announce the planned availability date and ordering information.
PRODNO 87G7044
87G7049
87G7054
87G7059
87G7064
87G7069
OVERVIEW OVERVIEW
VisualAge is an application development environment and suite of
power tools that introduce technologies that unlock the complex world
of application development in a client/server environment. These
technologies are based on a visual construction-from-components
architecture and enable the development of the client portion of
client/server applications with very complex GUIs.
Developers are confronted by ever-changing user requirements
and a growing user base. This combination necessitates an integrated
development environment with a robust suite of tools so that
applications can be developed rapidly. Within its object-oriented
development environment, VisualAge provides visual programming. This
technology enables developers to work with end users in an iterative
manner to develop user interfaces and accurately capture changing
user requirements.
The reuse of proven designs and stable code is one element of
object-oriented programming that puts real power in the user's hands,
and VisualAge provides many opportunities for reuse. VisualAge was
developed using VisualAge itself. This assures that the design and
code supplied with VisualAge have been tested and optimized. The
ability to reuse existing code reduces development cycle time, and
because many of the components can be reused without change,
drastically reduces errors.
Object-oriented technology is emerging as the most promising
avenue to solve the rightsizing and client/server challenges of the
future. VisualAge utilizes this technology to simplify the
development of applications for OS/2 in a graphical environment
using construction from components. Additionally, more experienced
developers have the benefit of the underlying Smalltalk language,
including an integrated suite of productivity tools (editors,
browsers, debuggers and inspectors). VisualAge Team adds team
programming capabilities to the environment, multiplying the value
derived from the technologies. These two products enable developers
of various skill and experience levels to create mission-critical,
client/server applications. VisualAge opens the door to these
technologies, and over time, IBM plans to address additional
development environments and expand its communications and database
access capabilities.
DESCRIPTION
VisualAge supports an iterative application development
approach for dealing with today's complex, mission-critical, GUI,
client/server workstation applications.
The VisualAge product set provides an architecture and a rich
set of application-enabling functions that support application
construction from reusable components, including legacy third
generation language (3GL) and fourth generation language (4GL)
elements. VisualAge provides visual GUI development capabilities so
that complex CUA-compliant screens can be built quickly and easily.
VisualAge also provides the protocols that enable the GUI front-ends
to run with newly created object-oriented applications or with
pre-existing applications.
Graphical user interfaces and line-of-business applications
can be developed with VisualAge in a highly productive environment,
using the rapid prototyping, prototyping-to-production and code reuse
capabilities of object-oriented programming. The applications
developed with VisualAge provide end users with easy-to-use graphical
displays for their workstations.
Smalltalk, the language used to write VisualAge, can be used
as a scripting language or a complete programming language. The
developer can then choose the level that supports the desired
development effort. For example, existing components can be combined
through the visual programming interface, existing components can be
modified through the scripting language or completely new components
can be created in native Smalltalk.
VisualAge provides an open architecture via published
interfaces. Through this approach, components created by customers
can easily be added to the development environment. Additionally,
this approach encourages others to create GUI development tools and
support tools (communications, database access, legacy code access
and class libraries) that work with VisualAge.
ENABLE CUSTOMER'S COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
VisualAge provides value to the customer by enabling developers to be
more productive through ease of use, providing improved quality and
maintainability through reuse of code and facilitating the
development of complex graphical user interfaces. VisualAge also
provides a natural evolution from prototyping into production.
Less experienced users can become productive very quickly,
because the levels of abstraction in VisualAge remove the need to
understand databases and communication protocols. Users who are not
literate in object-oriented programming can develop significant
applications without moving into the underlying code. With this
capability, users can develop the client portion of very
sophisticated client/server applications much more quickly than with
traditional application development tools, with higher quality and
lower maintenance costs. More experienced users may choose to access
the underlying object-oriented code and create components that may be
reused.
TIME TO MARKET
VisualAge supports logical separation of the client from the server,
simplifying interface design and implementation, and provides
high-level abstractions that completely hide the interface to the
network protocols. This functionality results in the client portion
of client/server applications being built in less time with higher
quality and lower cost. Customers will be able to respond more
quickly to changes in the marketplace due to shorter lead times for
application development. This responsiveness is a key factor in the
choice of developers for many applications.
APPLICATION DEVELOPER PRODUCTIVITY
VisualAge provides significant customer value in application
development by enabling developers to improve their productivity in
work effort and elapsed time, from the use of graphical screen
generation functions and reuse of existing components. VisualAge
also enables easy development of the client portion of a
client/server application. Prototyping and evolution of the user
interface can occur without requiring changes to the programming of
the underlying business objects or full development of the business
logic.
The productivity achievable by the developer encourages the
reimplementation of applications, particularly those that can benefit
most from a CUA '91 user interface.
IMPROVED APPLICATION QUALITY
Design via prototyping enables developers to work iteratively with
end users to ensure the application meets requirements, avoiding
misunderstanding and rework. The reuse of components is encouraged
in this methodology, resulting in applications based on previously
tested code.
The iterative design and development approach leads to synergy
and creativity within the customer/developer team and higher customer
satisfaction with the resulting application than is typical with
traditional development paradigms. This interaction also ensures
that the resulting application is what the customer wants and needs,
dramatically reducing fixes and rework, and therefore, end-user false
starts and inefficient use of the application.
VISUAL PROGRAMMING
VisualAge enables application development based on a
construction-from-components architecture. This approach provides an
integrated "what you see is what you get" (WYSIWYG) user-interface
tool that permits the user to select interface components from a
palette, size and align components as appropriate, and iteratively
view the results as the interface is built. Either during or after
this brief development process, developers may build the application
by selecting from a palette the sources and targets to populate or
receive information from the interface. The information may come
from, or be targeted for, a database, a communications link or some
external source such as another application program. VisualAge will
generate the code to support the links established between sources
and targets and the user interface. Also, visual construction
enables people with widely varying skill levels to develop
applications. Those with little, or no, programming skills can
easily create applications using existing components. Programmers
with more experience have the additional option of creating new
components.
SMALLTALK DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT
In addition to using the set of interactive tools and application
support functions that VisualAge provides, developers may also write
application code in Smalltalk, the native scripting language in which
VisualAge is implemented. Smalltalk benefits application developers
by:
o Enabling portability across platforms
o Eliminating low-level programming skills requirements (pointers,
memory management)
o Facilitating reuse.
LIBRARY SUPPORT AND TEAM PROGRAMMING
VisualAge Team provides version control, change management and
library functions while enabling multiple developers to work on the
same application simultaneously. This capability enables the
division of function among developers, code reuse optimization and
faster development cycles.
In addition, sharing components helps ensure that all
developers are working on a single, common base, facilitates the
integration of change into the development process and promotes reuse
of pretested stable code, rather than rewriting it.
VisualAge also provides value in:
o Legacy code reuse
VisualAge enables the customer to protect investments in
legacy applications and data. VisualAge parses C and COBOL
source files to create object representations for the existing
data structures. VisualAge also supports accessing any language
that supports native operating system DLLs. Existing code may be
integrated into a new application's development environment and
subsequent client/server applications, protecting the investment
in the old applications and data. Repeated reuse decreases the
cost of each successive application, thereby increasing the value
of the reusable code.
o Improved code stability
A library of pretested, stable code modules leads to more
stable applications initially and therefore, less risk in
extending those applications in the future. Applications and
systems become far less volatile, resulting in less maintenance
and a more stable environment for growth.
PRODUCT POSITIONING
VisualAge is a product set of object-oriented,
application-development power tools for dealing with today's complex,
mission-critical, GUI, client/server workstation applications.
VisualAge introduces the construction-from-components paradigm that
eases the migration to object-oriented technology. VisualAge offers
ready-built components enabling developer productivity without
object-oriented skills, yet offers extensibility for those who are
building object-oriented skills.
VisualAge can also be used to develop database applications
for DB/2 (R), DB2/2 (TM), Oracle (2), Sybase and Microsoft (3) SQL
Server.
VisualAge Team and IBM's Envy (4)/400 product are
complementary, with Envy/400 targeted at customers who need complete
integration with AS/400 (R) data and services.
VisualAge is positioned with the IBM Cross System Product
(CSP) as a complementary application development power tool. CSP is
a procedural 4GL tool for building the client/server portions of
applications.
VisualAge is also positioned with Highpoint as a complementary
application development tool. Highpoint is a workstation-based,
procedural, 4GL tool for COBOL audiences and customers moving from
host-based application development to workgroups. Highpoint targets
customers who want to build on existing procedural skills, prefer a
single product for developing the client and server portions of
applications, or intend to use their current 370 host platform as a
powerful server. For more information, refer to Software
Announcement 293-604, dated October 12, 1993.
The VisualAge object-oriented technology provides visual GUI
development capabilities so that complex CUA-compliant screens can be
built quickly and easily. The VisualAge open architecture enables
these GUI front-ends to run with both new and existing applications.
VisualAge provides an open architecture via published
interfaces. This approach encourages others to create GUI
development tools and support tools (communications, database access,
legacy code access and class libraries) that work in the VisualAge
environment and provide additional value to our customers.
The integrated VisualAge environment includes:
o Visual programming
o Database and legacy code access
o Communications access
o Multimedia support
o Smalltalk language.
IBM continues to actively work with the industry to build a
set of standards for Smalltalk development.
(2) Trademark of Oracle Corporation.
(3) Registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
(4) Registered trademark of Object Technology International.
ADDITIONAL PRODUCT INFORMATION
VisualAge functionality provides an integrated, application
development environment:
o Visual programming and construction-from-components enable the
development of complete applications from pre-existing or
custom-built components with little or no knowledge of the
underlying language.
o Support for team programming enables multi-users complete access
to the development environment and suite of productivity tools.
o Library services, including versioning and release control,
provide complete library code management so that large complex
development efforts can be successful.
o Support for reusing programs developed in C, COBOL or any
language that creates DLLs promotes the reuse of existing code,
reducing development cycle time and future maintenance
requirements.
C support is included in the base VisualAge and VisualAge
Team products. COBOL support may be ordered separately.
o Advanced graphical user interface (GUI) capability includes
support to implement CUA (TM) '91 user interface controls.
o Communications and transaction processing components provide a
diverse menu of protocols with a simplified common access,
including TCP/IP, APPC, and CICS (TM) OS/2 ECI.
o Database components for interfacing with IBM and non-IBM
databases provide a menu of databases with a simplified common
access, including DB2/2, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server.
DB2/2 support is provided in the base VisualAge and
VisualAge Team products. The additional database support may be
ordered separately.
o Access to other applications, such as IMS Client Server/2 (TM),
allows development of applications for open distributed
environments.
o Visual SQL query builder capability
o Multimedia capability provides a library of predefined, reusable
and extensible components to build multimedia applications
without manual coding.
o Performance tuning and packaging tools
o A complete application development environment integrates
Smalltalk editors, browsers, debuggers, inspectors, performance
profiler and DLL builder.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL DIRECTION
IBM plans to make VisualAge for Windows and VisualAge System Object
Model (SOM) support for OS/2 available during the first half of 1994.
CUSTINFO PUBLICATIONS
The following publications will be provided on the program
CD-ROM. Publications will not be separately orderable.
o Installation and Maintenance Guide
o Tutorial
o VisualAge User's Guide
o VisualAge Scripting Guide and Reference
o VisualAge Team Programming Guide
o Programming for IBM Relational Databases with VisualAge
o Programming for Multiple Threads with VisualAge
o Programming for Communications with VisualAge
o Programming for VisualAge's Legacy Systems Interface
o Construction From Parts
DISPLAYABLE SOFTCOPY PUBLICATIONS: Information regarding
publications in displayable softcopy form will be provided at planned
availability.
SOURCE FILE PUBLICATIONS: Information regarding publications in
source file form will be provided at planned availability.
EDUCATION SUPPORT
Appropriate education will be available to support the
products in this announcement. Detailed information regarding the
educational support will be provided at planned availability.
TECHINFO TECHNICAL INFORMATION
SPECIFIED OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
MACHINE REQUIREMENTS: Complete development and execution
requirements will be provided at planned availability. However,
general requirements will be a 486, 25MHz processor with 16MB of RAM
for development and a 386 processor for execution. RAM and hard file
requirements at execution will depend on the application being run.
PROGRAMMING REQUIREMENTS: OS/2 Version 2.1 (5604-467).
PLANNING INFORMATION
INSTALLABILITY: VisualAge will be CID (configuration, installation
and distribution) enabled for installation on local area networks.
PACKAGING: All products will be distributed on CD-ROM. All
publications will be online. A "read-me" document will be included.
SECURITY, AUDITABILITY AND CONTROL
Security data with respect to user access is to be assured by
OS/2 Version 2.1.
VisualAge logs all changes in a source change log. VisualAge
Team, in addition to logging source changes, captures change
management and versioning information.
User management is responsible for evaluation, selection and
implementation of security features, administrative procedures and
appropriate controls in application systems and communication
facilities.
ORDERING TERMS AND CONDITIONS
LICENSING: The programs in this announcement are licensed under the
terms and conditions of the IBM Program License Agreement. A copy of
the agreement is included in the program package.
LIMITED WARRANTY:
o Program: Yes. Media: Three months.
o Additional Licenses: Yes. Media: Not applicable.
PROGRAM SERVICES: Central Service, including the IBM Support Center,
will be available during the first three months following the date of
delivery to the customer by IBM, but no later than 18 months after
planned availability. The statement of service included in the
program package describes this service.
VOLUME DISCOUNT: Volume discounting is available under the terms and
conditions of the IBM Customer Agreement (ICA) and the Exhibit for
Personal Computer/System Programs. The programs in this announcement
are included in the Eligible Program List for Personal
Computer/System Programs. They may be added to the applicable
category in the space provided on the Eligible Program List. Program
Packages are included in Category A under 5871-AAA. Additional
licenses are included in Category A under 5872-AAA.
TESTING PERIOD: Two months for program packages. The ICA must be in
effect.
NATIONAL EDUCATION LICENSE FEE: A National Education License Fee
(NELF) is available under the terms and conditions of the Education
Allowance Attachment . The NELF, which represents a 30% discount off
the single unit price, is not subject to any further discount or
allowance.
CHARGES
PROGRAM PROGRAM NAME/ ONE-TIME
NUMBER ORDER TYPE CHARGE
87G7044 VisualAge $2,495
87G7094 Additional Licenses 2,495
87G7048 Proof of Additional
License Certificate 2,495
87G7049 VisualAge Team 4,995
87G7095 Additional Licenses 4,995
87G7053 Proof of Additional
License Certificate 4,995
87G7054 VisualAge COBOL
Component 1,495
87G7096 Additional Licenses 1,495
87G7058 Proof of Additional
License Certificate 1,495
PROGRAM PROGRAM NAME/ ONE-TIME
NUMBER ORDER TYPE CHARGE
87G7059 VisualAge Multi-Database
Component $ 995
87G7097 Additional Licenses 995
87G7063 Proof of Additional
License Certificate 995
87G7064 VisualAge Communications/
Transaction Component 1,750
87G7098 Additional Licenses 1,750
87G7068 Proof of Additional
License Certificate 1,750
87G7069 VisualAge Multimedia
Component 495
87G7099 Additional Licenses 495
87G7073 Proof of Additional
License Certificate 495
ADDITIONAL LICENSES CHARGE: Customers who pay a one-time charge for
additional licenses may copy machine-readable program materials
previously acquired from IBM in a program package. One copy may be
made for each additional license ordered.