News and New Product Briefs (April 7, 2000)
INDEXHEAD: JavaOne 2000 conference approaching
Registration has just started for Sun’s JavaOne Java Developer Conference, which will take place June 6-9 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. The conference combines hands-on technology development with lectures, tutorials, and discussions. Topics for this year’s sessions include:
- Java 2 technology
- Java security issues
- Jini technology’s Distributed Services Programming
- Java for wireless devices
- Jiro architecture
INDEXHEAD: Tibco Software introduces TIB/IntegrationManager
Tibco Software has unveiled TIB/IntegrationManager, a business automation tool that is the latest addition to the Tibco ActiveEnterprise product line. TIB/IntegrationManager provides the realtime automation of data and information across software systems. This improves the performance of multistep business processes such as procurement, customer relationship management, and order management.
TIB/IntegrationManager is composed of a GUI that defines system relationships, interface calls and scripts, and process flows to both the integrated systems and an engine that performs set commands at runtime. Engineers can use the GUI to establish system calls, event flows, and expected responses. Business flows can be created using other UML (Unified Modeling Language)-compliant tools, then scripted to operate with TIP/IntegrationManager’s engine.
Other TIB/IntegrationManager features include:
- A graphical modeling environment for the development of process flows and event activity
- Process definitions based on UML standards
- Multiple application coordination via CORBA, Tibco ActiveEnterprise messages, and Enterprise Java Beans
- Support for XML class definitions for data, and UML activity diagrams for process definition
The Java-based TIB/IntegrationManager will be available on Solaris and NT.
INDEXHEAD: Wolfram Research offers J/Link
Wolfram Research has announced a preview release of J/Link, a Mathematica toolkit composed of a Java-MathLink software developer’s kit with utilities, documentation, and sample programs. Mathematica helps users decipher and envision mathematical concepts as expressions, rather than as programs or formulas. External programs can use the MathLink interface to communicate with Mathematica. MathLink lets Mathematica expressions be forwarded from one process to another, even if computations are being done by different machines.
Among other capabilities, J/Link:
- Gives the user access to mathematical and technical information available in Mathematica, such as high-level numeric and symbolic solvers for servlets, applets, and applications
- Allows Mathematica programs to function as a wiring and scripting language for Java, so users can create objects, load Java classes, and call methods from Mathematica
- Relies on the Java reflection API, which allows Java code to describe itself to external agents and ensures that the proper interface is automatically generated
The preview offering of J/Link is available for free.
Download J/Link from Wolfram:
INDEXHEAD: Fireclick improves Web performance with predictive caching
Fireclick has announced the availability of Blueflame, a server-based software caching product that accelerates Website downloads. Blueflame uses realtime click-stream analysis to ready the browser cache before the next mouse click. Via a Java applet, the application accomplishes this by pre-downloading to a user’s browser cache the page elements most likely to be used. The pre-download capitalizes on underused connection bandwidth while decreasing average download times. Online users typically utilize bandwidth only during Webpage downloads. Blueflame acts transparently and initiates pre-downloads during downtimes such as page views.
Fireclick will add its service to ISPs and wireless markets in 2001. The software is currently available on a service basis. Monthly charges are related to the amount of traffic generated by Blueflame.
INDEXHEAD: Looking for a new job?
JustComputerJobs.com simplifies high-tech job searches by organizing 40 technology-specific sites, including JustJavaJobs.com, into one location. The Java site offers leads for job seekers as well as for organizations. Employers can list job openings and then begin reviewing résumés. They can also receive email notification of résumés that meet their qualifications. Job seekers do not need to register. However, posting a résumé allows them to be notified via email when a job posting meets their criteria.
JustComputerJobs.com offers more than 27,000 job postings on its different sites and more than 3,500 Java-related situations.
INDEXHEAD: Optimizeit Professional adds Solaris support
Intuitive Systems is shipping Optimizeit 3.1 Professional for the Sun Solaris platform. The Java-based language profiling tool helps developers test Java applets, applications, servlets, and JavaBeans.
New Optimizeit features include:
- The ability to profile application server environments so that performance problems can be monitored in Java applications
- Integration with IBM’s VisualAge 2 IDE
- Display of performance-related data as a graph
- The ability to filter out resources used by specific classes, packages, or methods
- Integration wizards for connecting Optimizeit to Web servers
Optimizeit also offers advanced profiling tools that include memory-leak debugging, realtime monitoring of object allocations, and CPU profiling.
Optimizeit 3.1 Professional supports Sun’s Java Development Kit and Java 2 Software Development Kit Standard Edition. It is priced at 49.
INDEXHEAD: ActivCard enhances smart card offerings
ActivCard has expanded its digital identity and electronic certification offerings with the release of ActivCard Gold version 1.2, a multiapplication smart card-based software offering. The ActivCard Gold authentication package comprises client software, a multifunction smart card, and an optional ActivCard smart card reader.
ActivCard has added the following support options:
- Baltimore Unicert support, which allows Baltimore Certificate Authority (CA) users to distribute Baltimore PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) credentials on a single multiapplication card
- Sun Java Card support, which facilitates the use of Java Card apps on a single card
- Novell eDirectory and NMAS support, which allows multiple credential types for users of Novell eDirectory services, systems, and applications
- Microsoft Windows 2000 support, which also includes PKI authentication capabilities
ActivCard Gold is priced at 30 per user when purchased with the reader, smart card, and client software. It is 5 per user for only the smart card and client software.
INDEXHEAD: Oracle SEM embeds Formula One for Java spreadsheet capabilities
Oracle has licensed Tidestone Technologies’ Formula One for Java, an embedded spreadsheet technology, to be used in Oracle Strategic Enterprise Management (SEM) applications. Oracle SEM is an application suite comprising Activity Based Management, Balanced Scorecard, and Value-based Management elements. It will integrate Formula One for Java into read/write spreadsheet files and data-entry templates that allow users to perform analytical calculations without requiring an external spreadsheet application.
Formula One will rely on Java for reading and writing Oracle SEM’s existing Excel templates. It also provides developers with APIs for incorporating reporting and analysis, scalable calculations, and data distribution and presentation capabilities into applications. Those abilities will allow Oracle SEM users to research and analyze business information as they input formulas directly into the applications’ spreadsheetlike interface.
INDEXHEAD: Inxight enhances Hyperbolic Tree for Java
Inxight Software has updated its Hyperbolic Tree SDK for Java, a toolkit for incorporating Inxight’s Hyperbolic Tree into Java applets and applications. Hyperbolic Tree version 2.0 provides a visual interface module that helps users navigate through large chunks of data such as networks or Websites. The tree displays information in a hierarchical fashion, which allows users to identify patterns, relationships, trends, and abnormalities that may not be seen so readily with traditional interfaces.
Additions to Hyperbolic Tree include:
- Java 1 and Java 2 abilities
- Greater design flexibility with visual variables
- Improved image rendering
- Swing components support
- Support for directed graphs
Hyperbolic Tree for Java is priced at 5,000 per server. It is also licensed to OEM customers on a royalty model.
INDEXHEAD: Compuware ships NuMega DevPartner 2.0
Compuware has unveiled NuMega DevPartner 2.0 Java Edition, a software development suite of productivity tools that supply server-side support for developing Java applications. The suite also helps developers locate problems related to multithreading, memory use, test coverage, and code performance. DevPartner Java Edition also supports Web scripting technologies, such as JavaScript, HTML, Java Server Pages, and Active Server Pages.
NuMega DevPartner 2.0 Java does the following:
- Locates bottlenecks and profiles the performance of all Java elements
- Profiles memory usage to locate inefficient Java coding
- Ensures all code is properly tested with TrueCoverage tool
- Supports distributed applications with DevPartner Remote agent software
- Identifies runtime multi-threading problems with NuMega Jcheck
NuMega DevPartner 2.0 Java Edition is priced at 99. It is expected to ship during the second quarter of 2000.
Find out more about NuMega DevPartner 2.0 Java Edition:
INDEXHEAD: WebGain Studio speeds ebusiness development
WebGain has introduced WebGain Studio, an ecommerce development offering that allows organizations to build component-based ecommerce applications in Java. WebGain Studio relies on technologies from Macromedia, The Object People, Symantec, Tendril Software, and Sun.
WebGain Studio is composed of the following elements:
- WebGain Author, an HTML authoring environment that combines Macromedia’s Dreamweaver with Enterprise Java application servers, such as BEA WebLogic, iPlanet, or IBM WebSphere
- WebGain VisualCafe, a rapid application development environment
- WebGain StructureBuilder, a round-trip engineering environment
- WebGain Mapper, a tool that allows developers to map objects to traditional relational databases
- WebGain Deployer, a tool that automatically deploys ecommerce apps and EJB business logic elements to application servers
- WebGain Open API, a feature that allows organizations or vendors to add tools to WebGain Studio
WebGain Studio will be available for BEA WebLogic by the end of April. The application will be available in both Standard and Professional editions. The Professional Edition will supply object relational database mapping.
Find out more about WebGain Studio:
INDEXHEAD: NetObjects presents online service framework
NetObjects has developed the NetObjects Collage for e-Services platform, which provides organizations with a framework for developing online service offerings. NetObjects Collage for e-Services is a Java-based application that can be accessed via standard Web browsers.
The NetObjects Collage platform contains four basic elements:
- Collaborative elements, which allow for universal content contribution
- Content management elements, which coordinate and deliver content ranging from static text to dynamic data from databases
- Enterprise integration elements, which leverage existing enterprise systems while enabling new Java and XML components
- Dynamic application service elements, which offer a rapid development environment for Web applications via drag-and-drop component modules
NetObjects Collage for e-Services should be available during the third quarter of 2000. Find out more about NetObjects Collage:
INDEXHEAD: Software Artisans strengthens ASPStudio Web development suite
Software Artisans has improved its ASPStudio product suite — an ASP toolkit for creating Web applications — with the addition of SA-Jfile and SA-Archive, and the updating of SA-FileUp. The enhancements improve file transfer, archiving, and ASP transaction capabilities.
The SA-JFile 1.0 is a signed Java applet that facilitates bidirectional file transfers via Java-enabled browsers. It gives administrators upload and download progress levels and allows files to be uploaded and downloaded to different locations with a single command.
SA-Archive 1.0 is a server-side component for building, appending, selecting, and deleting archive formats such as Microsoft CAP and zip. It offers a self-extracting zip feature, as well as the ability to list the contents of archived files. SA-Archive also generates digital signatures for archives to guarantee that content is not changed or accessed inappropriately.
SA-FileUp 3.0/3.1 is a file upload and transaction manager that resides on the server. Users can transmit files via a Web browser from their hard drive to Microsoft’s Internet Information Server (IIS). The new version of this tool also synchronizes upload processing and database transactions, supports transactional uploads, and simplifies error handling.
The complete ASPStudio suite of components is priced at 49 per server. Purchased separately, SA-FileUp is listed at 29, SA-JFile is 49, and SA-Archive is 9.
INDEXHEAD: Calico Advisor counsels customers on products
Calico Commerce has introduced Calico Advisor for large-scale ecommerce Websites. Calico Advisor is a Java-based package that helps organizations sell complex offerings. It helps customers by analyzing their needs, recommending products, explaining price structures, and comparing product/service packages.
Calico Advisor also:
- Operates as an EJB within Calico Lightning Architecture, a Java and J2EE-based application server environment embedded in the Calico suite
- Streamlines memory usage with a multithreaded stateless engine that eliminates per-user memory allocations on the server
- Divides the IDE (integrated development environment) into business logic and presentation layers, which allows developers to work on different aspects of a solution
- Offers team development features to meet the needs of large-scale application creation
- Allows applications to be managed remotely and deployed across multiple environments
Pricing for Calico Advisor depends on a system’s configuration.
INDEXHEAD: nStor Technologies ships AdminiStor 5.0
nStor Technologies has optimized its AdminiStor GUI-based software suite with a storage-unit-level Agent as well as a Java-based Manager to oversee storage subsystems via a standard Web browser.
Other AdminiStor 5.0 benefits include:
- Integration with SNMP, which allows for an open systems approach
- The ability to create online databases containing information such as storage parameters and events
- Custom naming capabilities to create business-oriented views of storage
- A Multi-Manager Deployment (MMD) feature that lets Unix and NT agents communicate with managers throughout the WAN
AdminiStor is priced at ,995 with nStor’s line of Internet Storage Solutions.
INDEXHEAD: Hummingbird offers rejuvenating e-Toolkit
Hummingbird Communications has unveiled the Hummingbird e-Toolkit (e-TK) version 2.1, a set of host rejuvenation tools for Web and software developers. With e-TK, developers can provide browser-based access to existing host applications with the “green to GUI” (G2G) Builder, the Applet Builder, and the Test and Deploy development tools.
The G2G Builder converts host applications to GUI interfaces on the fly. It updates host screens via a drag-and-drop interface, so administrators and developers can transform menu options into radio buttons; they can also shift fields, change host label captions, or replace function keys with clickable buttons.
The e-TK Applet Builder can be used instead of the G2G Builder environment. It simplifies the development of Java-based APIs by relying on the emerging Host Access Class Library (HACL) standard. HACL lets developers turn a complex green screen into a GUI via HostExplorer Web without changing the existing application.
The Test and Deploy tool allows third-party Java 2 applets to be created, evaluated, and then issued to users via the JuMP management server. Different types of Java applets can be distributed, including automation applets, GUI applets, and existing customer applets.
INDEXHEAD: Persistence Software offers PowerTier 6 with PowerPage
Persistence Software has introduced PowerTier 6 with PowerPage, an application server with a J2EE development platform. The new offering tries to make Java application servers less complicated for both frontend Web developers and backend EJB developers. Allowing Web developers to access backend elements, PowerPage supplies a premade HTML structure and automatically creates Java Server Pages (JSPs) that connect the browser with the EJB server. This results in dynamic HTML pages capable of accessing EJBs. PowerTier 6 with PowerPage also provides authorization, authentication, and encryption for new applications in compliance with Sun’s EJB 1.1 specification.
INDEXHEAD: Motorola announces availability of Java Card 2.1 Technology
Motorola is now shipping its M-Smart Java Card Application Development Environment (JADE), an application development tool.
The M-Smart JADE developer’s kit allows card issuers to develop and evaluate smart card applications in a Java environment. It also allows smart card application developers to build and test applets for either the Jupiter smart card or any Java Card 2.1-compliant smart card. The toolkit supports the Visa Open Platform 2.0 as well as an applet development tool that provides data on performance and memory usage.
The JADE kit ships with a contacted reader, Jupiter MJ1000C smart cards, a user’s manual, and an online help file.
