DBMS Client/Server Connection - November 1995 DBMS Client/Server Connection - November 1995Corporate Computing builds GUI Guidelines, a hypertext environment for defining and managing GUI development standards; and RADPath, a process management product for small workgroups and individuals.
The company also provides training and consulting on GUI design, rapid application development, and best-practices for client/server development. The company was founded in 1991.
According to LBMS President and CEO John Bantleman, Corporate Computing will help his company build its indirect distribution channel and, with GUI Guidelines, establish LBMS as one of the leaders in development standards management. Popular speaker and PC Week columnist Christine Comaford (president of Corporate Computing) will now report to Bantleman. LBMS Inc., 800-231-7515.
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To this end, the company outlined its strategy to merge the two companies' product plans:
In the short term, ParcPlace-Digitalk will release the upgraded versions of VisualWorks and VSE in the fourth quarter of 1995. The company will immediately begin to combine the two product lines into a single product line, code-named VanGogh, to be available by the second quarter of 1996.
Also, the company will launch new product initiatives. The first, code-named Wadsworth, will allow customers to deploy applications on the World Wide Web. The second, code-named ServerWorks, will be an optimized server environment designed to improve server performance and scalability. The company did not release delivery dates for these products. ParcPlace-Digitalk Inc., 408-481-9090.
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In addition, Intersolv announced that Oracle Corp. (Redwood Shores, Calif.) has selected Intersolv as its ODBC technology and support provider for Oracle's 16-bit ODBC driver. Under terms of the partnership, Oracle will provide its ODBC customers with Intersolv's DataDirect 32- and 16-bit ODBC Drivers for Oracle7. In turn, Intersolv will provide fee-based technical support for the 32- and 16-bit drivers, as well as no-fee support for customers using Oracle's 16-bit drivers.
To encourage customers to use the DataDirect ODBC Drivers, Oracle is facilitating a 90-day free trial offer. Users may download the trial drivers together with the Oracle 16-bit driver on CompuServe at "Go Oracle," or over the Internet via Oracle's home page (http://www.oracle.com/). The drivers are available immediately and cost $99 each. Intersolv Inc., 301-838-5000.
On a related note, recent SQL benchmark tests have shown that ODBC drivers perform as well as or faster than native SQL APIs in some tests. Ken North, software consultant and president of Resource Group Inc. (and occasional writer for DBMS), conducted the 29 tests using identical SQL queries, and compared the completion times for ODBC drivers and native API software. (The tests were commissioned by Intersolv.)
To compare performance, North used APIBench, his own suite of benchmark tests that perform typical SQL operations. APIBench uses identical SQL queries and data for each of 10 different tests, but lets the user select ODBC or the native API before running the test. The APIBench tests compared the performance of ODBC drivers from Intersolv's DataDirect product line with native APIs from Oracle7, Informix 5, and Sybase System 10. Test platforms include Intel and RISC processors, Novell NetWare, Windows, OS/2, and Sun Solaris. Results showed that the ODBC code performed more than 50 percent of the SQL tests in less time than the APIs. In cases where APIs performed faster, only two of 12 tests performed 10 percent faster. To discuss these tests or obtain a copy of the report, contact the Resource Group Inc., 71301.1306@compuserve.com.
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Mac Rumba for the mainframe products will ship November 1, 1995, and has a license fee of $345. Mac Rumba Gateway Client, Mainframe Edition costs $125; Mac Rumba for TCP/IP, Mainframe Edition costs $225; and Mac Rumba for NetWare, Mainframe Edition also costs $225. Wall Data Inc., 206-814-9255.