Feb 97 Newsbits
Volume Number: 13
Issue Number: 2
Column Tag: Newsbits
By Jessica Courtney
Conix Graphics announces OpenGL for the Macintosh
Conix Graphics announced the release of OpenGL version 1 for the Macintosh. OpenGL
assists graphics developers in CAD, Mechanical implementation, Architectural Design,
Medical and Scientific Imaging, Geophysical Sciences, Animation, Photorealism, Data
Visualization, and Simulation.
OpenGL is the premier 2D and 3D graphics library that allows developers to build
geometric models, view models interactively in 3D space, control color and lighting,
manipulate pixels, and perform such tasks as alpha blending, anti-aliasing, depth
cueing and texture mapping.
Early benchmark testing shows that OpenGL for the Macintosh out performs OpenGL
offered by Microsoft and IBM.
Cross platform capability enables programmers the flexibility to transition code
easily and smoothly from one platform to another.
OpenGL for the Macintosh by Conix also supports C, ADA, and FORTRAN. Integration
with Tenon's MachTen UNIX and Hardware acceleration through RAVE (Rendering
Abstract Virtual Engine) will be available first quarter of 1997.
http://www.conix3d.com
PKZIP Support to Power Mac
Developers are able to incorporate PKZIP implode and explode capabilities into their
programming. The PKZIP DCL provides a library of routines for the compression and
decompression of data on a Macintosh or Power Macintosh. It allows programmers to
compress and decompress data using their own file handling routines to read and write
their data.
Other features include: an all purpose, patented data compression algorithm that
compresses both ASCII and binary data quickly, application controlled input/output
and memory allocation for the utmost flexibility, and adjustable dictionary size that
allows the software to be fine tuned for maximum speed or compression.
ASi is the global leader in compression solutions. Their line of compression utilities
includes such names as PKZIP, MultiZip, NetSqueeze, and Nico Mak Computing Inc.'s
WinZip, and supports AS/400, DOS, Macintosh, MVS, NetWare, OS/2, UNIX, VMS,
VSE, and Windows platforms.
http://www.asizip.com
MathSoft Ships Mathcad Plus 6 for the Macintosh
MathSoft, Inc. announces shipment of Mathcad Plus 6 for the Macintosh. An advanced
version of the Mathcad technical calculation software package that offers a wide range
of new features making it even easier to use for Macintosh customers.
In addition to its technical calculation capabilities, Mathcad Plus 6 for the Macintosh
now features built-in Internet connectivity that will benefit users in the technical and
academic markets
Mathcads distinctive live document interface lets users integrate text, calculations and
graphs, then document and share results in an easy-to-use environment. Mathcad Plus
6 also allows users to link and hyperlink worksheets over corporate intranets, WWW
or local web servers for applications such as workgroup sharing in a corporate or
scientific environment and distance learning in education.
While Mathcad Plus 6 for the Macintosh includes all the features of Mathcad Plus for
Windows, and is compatible with the Windows version, the new product also includes
several new features including: improved editing and formatting capabilities; simpler
menu structures; the ability to create and embed animation within a worksheet; and
QuickPlot, a new intelligent formatting capability allowing easy, direct graphing of
formulas and expressions. The software, designed for the PowerMac, also provides
support for 68030- and 68040-based systems.
http://www.mathsoft.com
Claris Corporation Expands Claris Solutions Alliance
Claris Corporation announces the expansion of the Claris Solutions Alliance (CSA), a
consortium of software professionals, publishers, authors and trainers who use and
recommend Claris software products. Spurred by the fast growth of the CSA, which has
risen to nearly 1,500 members worldwide, Claris is adding two new tiers to the
organization.
Claris Partners, a new CSA membership, is for highly experienced software
development professionals who will work closely with both Claris Corporation product
development and sales teams to better address the needs of Claris software customers.
In addition to access to beta versions of Claris software, direct technical support,
special sales incentives, and numerous co-marketing opportunities, Claris Partner
CSA members will undergo reference verification and annual testing by Claris and will
receive an official Claris Partner logo for use within all promotional materials.
CSA Enterprise membership, another new category of CSA membership, is designed for
a wide variety of professionals within businesses and corporations who are
responsible for in-house database development, administration of FileMaker Pro
databases, and help desk personnel supporting FileMaker Pro users.
CSA Associate membership, formerly known as the single CSA membership, has been
expanded to a include wide scope of users, including software consultants, publishers,
trainers and the novice developer/consultant.
Claris Solutions Alliance was founded in 1991. Last June, Claris sponsored the
organization's first worldwide developer's conference held in Santa Clara, Calif. The
CSA plans to hold its second annual conference this Spring in the San Francisco Bay
area. Further details on the 1997 CSA Worldwide Developer's Conference will be
provided at later time.
http://www.claris.com
S-CASE Now Supports UML 0.91
MultiQuest announces the release of S-CASE 3.0 (rev. 1.9) with enhanced support for
Unified Modeling Language 0.91. This new version reaffirms MultiQuest's commitment
to the UML notation proposed by renowned object-oriented methodologists Grady
Booch, Ivar Jacobson and Jim Rumbaugh.
S-CASE 3.0 was designed from ground up to provide the true UML metamodel as its
foundation. This metamodel is fully accessible using Tcl scripts, thus providing hooks
for code generators, report writers and other useful tools. Additional enhancements in
this new version include improved code generation and reverse engineering.
http://www.multiquest.com
Claris Home Page 2.0 Now Available for MacOs and
Windows 95/NT
Claris Corporation announces the availability of Claris Home Page 2.0, the next
version of the company's popular web-authoring software for MacOS and Windows
95/NT users.
Claris Home Page 2.0, designed for novice-to-expert web page authors, is the
essential WYSIWYG, web-authoring solution that provides the ability to design and
develop powerful, customized web pages in minutes - without having to learn HTML or
programming.
Claris Home Page 2.0 also delivers all the capabilities and tools web masters need -
frames, tables, libraries, multimedia plug-in support, built-in remote site
publishing, the ability to edit raw HTML, and more. Also, in a cross-platform solution
that provides incredible ease of use as well as the flexibility and power that
experienced users want.
Claris Home Page 2.0 delivers important new capabilities and features designed to
enhance both the look of web pages and the productivity of web authors.
A new feature that novice users will especially appreciate are the 25 site templates
provided for the creation of a personal page, calendar, newsletter, presentation, or
small business presence. These easy-to-use templates increase productivity, offering
multiple style variations for a total of almost 100 individual pages.
Other new features include built-in remote site publishing, with auto-consolidation of
files and one-step uploading to a designated server; support for popular multimedia
plug-ins, including QuickTime, Java and Shockwave; spell checking and support for
multiple fonts within web pages via the FONTFACE tag; client-side, as well as
server-side, image maps for easy linking to other pages and sites; and HTML editing
enhancements such as syntax coloring.
Claris Home Page 2.0 users will also be able to dynamically re-size and reposition
frames by pointing and dragging with their mouse; preview background GIF images
from within Claris Home Page; drag and drop tab-delimited text from spreadsheet and
database documents to automatically create tables within their web page; and specify
row heights and column widths within tables by typing values or dragging cell borders.
Version 2.0 provides concurrency or "selection preservation" between WYSIWYG and
HTML modes, allowing users to go to the precise location they were working in the
previous mode.
Claris Home Page for MacOS requires a Macintosh, Power Macintosh, or compatible
computer with a 68020 processor or higher; 8 MB memory; System 7.1 or later; and
2MB free for minimum installation (6MB for full installation).
For Windows users, Claris Home Page requires an Intel 486 or higher compatible PC
System; Windows 95 or Windows NT 3.5.1 or newer; 8MB RAM (16 MB for NT); and
4 MB free hard disk space.
http://www.claris.com
Lasso 1.1
Blue World Communications, Inc. announces the release of Lasso 1.1, an advanced tool
for integrating Claris Corporation's FileMaker Pro 3.0 for Macintosh databases with
the web server.
Lasso is designed for fast performance. Searching FileMaker Pro Macintosh relational
databases with tens of thousands of records in under a second is now possible with
Lasso.
Lasso operates by recognizing special commands placed in standard HTML files. These
commands define all interaction between FileMaker Pro and a MacOS web server. Lasso
functions as the "glue" between FileMaker Pro and the web. Lasso HTML files (or
format files) are easily edited in HTML authoring programs such as Claris Home Page
with drag-and-drop control of data using the supplied FM Link tool. Template files are
provided for setting up web databases in minutes.
Lasso allows complete flexibility in how FileMaker Pro data is formatted without
requiring any changes to the actual database. Lasso facilitates remote administration of
web database configurations from anywhere on the Internet. Lasso also provides
routines for security, thus allowing greater control over how databases are served and
administered in shared environments.
Lasso offers many features including support for relations/portals, repeating fields,
dynamic population of value lists, built-in email forwarding, If... Else... conditional
statements, built-in remotely configured security and more.
Version 1.1 adds support for serving images directly from FileMaker Pro, passing
tokens (critical for user tracking schemes such as online shopping carts),
ScriptMaker scripts, dynamic control of user and browser information, field and
record level security, operation as a WebSTAR plug-in and provides enhanced
capabilities throughout Lasso's core features.
http://www.blueworld.com/lasso/