Display article   Subject:  Update on the SCO Open Desktop
   04/30/97   18:54:27


UPDATE ON THE SCO OPEN DESKTOP

Interest in the Open Desktop and UNIX 3.2 continues to grow.  A
brief overview of the product is provided here to help answer
inquiries about this new and exciting technology.

What is the Open Desktop?

Tasks that formerly required expensive workstations (Sun, Apollo,
etc.), minicomputers, or even mainframes can now be accomplished
with today's 386 PCs.  Tandy Corporation, as one of the parties
involved in the definition and design of the Open Desktop, is
committed to this new technology.

The Open Desktop (ODT) is not a single software package, but a
set of components that integrate to provide a new standard for
desktop computing.  To truly understand ODT, one must be aware of
the individual components and their ability to provide a totally
integrated environment.

SCO UNIX System V/386 (Release 3.2)

- The standard multi-user, multi-tasking operating system delivers
the full 32-bit, demand paging, virtual memory functionality of the
80386 PC.

- It contains all of the features of SCO XENIX, plus a host of
other features including full compliance with all major international
standards.

Merge 386

- From Locus Computing Corporation, Merge 386 provides seamless
integration of DOS and UNIX applications.  No need to switch
between DOS and UNIX to run applications.

- ODT users gain full multitasking access to thousands of DOS
applications that run right off the shelf, without modification.

- DOS users can run multiple DOS and UNIX applications concurrently.

- Merge 386 eliminates the complexities of multiple operating
environments and protects your investment in DOS based applications.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

- Say good-bye to the mysterious UNIX command line prompt and
the complicated syntax that, more often than not, made end users
shy away from the true power and affordability of the UNIX platform.

- Open Desktop's X Window-based graphical user interface provides
Presentation-Manager compatible behavior and layout.

- It establishes a base from which developers can offer
easy-to-learn-and-use applications with a consistent interface
across DOS, OS/2 and UNIX System versions.

SCO Xsight

- Provides the software services necessary to turn bit-mapped
display consoles into powerful high-resolution graphical workstations
that let users run multiple programs simultaneously on the console
display.

- Workgroup systems can be built with X11 compatible workstations
or with DOS PCs running PC Xsight.

- Also includes a variety of applications such as a clock, calendar,
calculator, terminal emulator, and mouse controlled visual icons
that represent files and programs.

INGRES/386

- Provides the industry standard Structured Query Language (SQL)
database services.

- Includes interface specifications and libraries which provide
access to other major networked relational database systems, such
as ORACLE applications.

SCO TCP/IP & SCO NFS

- Based on industry standard protocols, allowing ODT systems to
share data with dissimilar systems.

- TCP/IP provides high-performance Ethernet network connections
to a wide variety of operating systems and hardware architectures.

- NFS lets users on one machine transparently and directly
access files and applications that reside on remote machines.

Why all the fuss about Open Desktop, why is it important?

The XENIX and UNIX environment, despite its longevity and power,
has always maintained a certain mystique.  Often thought of as the
operating system for byte heads, hackers and technical types, the
business community has been slow to accept the XENIX/UNIX
environment as a truly affordable and powerful alternative.

Open Desktop removes the mystery of UNIX, providing a friendly
graphical user interface while unleashing the full potential of
the 80386 processor.

Based on an open systems approach, the ODT environment offers
portability, hardware independence, and full compliance with
international standards.  ODT systems can be easily upgraded to
take advantage of future generations of standard hardware.  The
user has a wide range of applications, already on the market, to
choose from including DOS and XENIX/UNIX based applications.

When will the Open Desktop be available?

The Santa Cruz Operation is now shipping Open Desktop Development
Kits to software developers and major corporate accounts that
perform in-house applications development.

A variety of applications developed by third party vendors will
begin shipping in early 1990.  These applications will feature
the OSF/Motif standard interface.

Radio Shack is currently evaluating the initial release of the
Open Desktop and UNIX 3.2.  By providing early feedback and
testing results to SCO, we will insure complete support for
peripherals and target CPUs.
