Sybase recently announced a new database-queuing system called dbQ, which was designed for independent business applications to communicate with each other via messaging for Internet/Intranet client/server applications. With dbQ, the message queues are integrated directly into Sybase SQL Server or SQL Anywhere. Message queue operations and DBMS updates are all managed within one single DBMS transaction, which guarantees transactional consistency. All dbQ operators are available as ActiveX, JavaBean, and C++ components, so you can build dbQ applications using tools such as PowerBuilder, Visual Basic, and Visual C++. The product is scheduled to ship later this year; future support for major Unix platforms and DBMSs from Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp. are also scheduled for later this year.
Powersoft also announced that PowerBuilder (PB) 6.0 will enter beta in the second quarter of 1997. Code-named Panther, the latest version will better support distributed applications. In particular, it will support asynchronous calls to PB distributed objects -- previous versions only supported synchronous calls to distributed objects, which slowed application performance. Panther will also support shared objects, which means that distributed objects in PB will be able to communicate without having to write data or messages into a database.
Powersoft will also bundle its Internet Developer Toolkit for PowerBuilder with PB 6.0. Currently available as an add-on, the Internet Developer Toolkit will include secure and ActiveX versions of the PowerBuilder Plug-In, the WebSite Web server from O'Reilly and Associates, and the Web.pb Wizard. The PB Class Libraries will also have enhanced HTML-generation capabilities.
Some readers may recall that last December Powersoft announced a Java development tool code-named Starbuck. The prerelease code name was changed to Jato after Starbucks Coffee threatened to sue. However, when it goes out of beta and ships later this year, the tool will be packaged as PowerJ. The product will offer an easy-to-use development environment that looks like that of Power++ (formerly Optima++ -- getting confused yet?). It will use JavaBeans and ActiveX controls, generate Java code, and support drag-and-drop interface design. PowerJ will focus on database applications, providing data-aware components that use JDBC to access databases. Developers will be able to create both client-side applets and server-side applets and programs. PowerJ will ship with Powersoft's NetImpact Dynamo application server.
Finally, in the second quarter of 1997, Powersoft's PowerSite Web application development tool will enter beta, and SDesignor 6.0 will be generally available (stay tuned for more details on the new version as well as its new name). As far as longer-term directions are concerned, Powersoft intends to offer improved Java support across the whole tools family, including the ability for PB to generate Java applets. The company also is aiming its guns at providing an integrated development environment that will be shared across all of the Powersoft tools.
In February 1997, the shining young vendor finally was a victim of the corporate food chain when Informix Software Inc. announced an agreement to acquire CenterView. According to the terms of the agreement, Informix will acquire 100 percent of CenterView's outstanding stock in a cash transaction that will be accounted for as a purchase business combination. In connection with this acquisition, the company expects to write off approximately $7 million of in-process research and development in the first quarter of 1997. CenterView's 13 employees will be located at Informix's Menlo Park development facility. (My notes tell me that CenterView had 40 employees, but I'll leave that to speculation.)