Software Architects Announces First in Family of Products Supporting UDF (Universal Disk Format) File System; UDF Support a Key Component to Implementing DVD Technology.BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 16, 1996--Software Architects Inc., a worldwide publisher of personal computer file systems, drivers and storage management software, announced today the development of an Universal Disk Format (storage, standard) Universal Disk Format - (UDF) A CD-ROM file system standard that is required for DVD ROMs. UDF is the OSTA's replacement for the ISO 9660 file system used on CD-ROMs, but will be mostly used on DVD. (UDF (1) (Universal Disk Format) A file system for optical media developed by the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA), www.osta.org, based on the ECMA 167/ISO 13346 standard. ) file system for use in the new family of Digital Video Disc See DVD. Digital Video Disc - Digital Versatile Disc (DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. ) and DVD-ROM DVD-ROM: see digital versatile disc. A read-only DVD disc used to permanently store data files. DVD-ROM discs are widely used to distribute large software applications that exceed the capacity of a CD-ROM disc. optical storage products for computers and video players. Defined by the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA (Optical Storage Technology Association, Cupertino, CA, www.osta.org) A membership organization composed of major optical drive manufacturers. Established in 1992, its purpose is to endorse standards and promote the use of optical media in computing. ), UDF, and its subset Micro UDF (5UDF), are the file systems selected by the DVD Alliance to enable complete data interchange between computer-based and entertainment-based media. The initial goal of DVD is to enable disc interchange between different vendors' video players and home entertainment video systems. The overall goal of UDF is to facilitate data interchange independent of hardware, software and operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. . UDF represents a key element to developing, mastering and playing the future DVD family of optical discs on DVD players or personal computers. With the initial deliveries of DVD discs in one of two basic formats: DVD-Video and DVD-ROM, strict adherence to international standards is necessary to provide broad-based compatibility and accessibility to the content provided. The Standard Has Been Set The effectiveness of adhering to international standards is best illustrated with CD-ROMs and ISO- iso- or is- pref. 1. Equal; uniform: isobar. 2. Isomeric: isopropyl. 3. 9660. Developed to ensure first generation CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). interchange across multiple operating systems, the ISO-9660 file system was fundamental in establishing an installed based of conventional CD-ROM drives estimated to exceed 40 million. Yet ISO-9660 is inadequate for the high capacity recordable and erasable e·ras·a·ble adj. 1. Capable of being erased: erasable ink. 2. Capable of producing something that can be erased: an erasable pen. discs that come with the onslaught of DVD devices. As a result, UDF was chosen as the file system of choice for the coming generation of DVD devices. The first applied use of this new generation of optical discs and UDF will be DVD-Video and DVD-ROM. A hybrid format, known as UDF Bridge, will allow CD-ROMs to have upward compatibility from the ISO-9660 standard to the UDF standards for both installed base and future implementations. Architects of the Standard As a member of OSTA's board of directors and an active participant of OSTA's Technical Committee, Software Architects has been involved with UDF since its inception. "Software Architects has been developing file system technology for file interchange using optical media since 1991," said Robert Zollo, president of Software Architects Inc. "The combined efforts of the DVD Alliance, OSTA and key computer OEMs to adopt a single file system standard will accelerate the adoption of DVD technology in the consumer and computer industries." Zollo continues, "Customers of both product categories will receive better performance and value, and will be assured of having their investment in content protected for future use in these new DVD devices as a result of these efforts." Tools for the Future DVD's objective of a single file system for all optical disc types, if realized, could change the landscape of computing as we know it today. Accommodating anticipated file systems defined by the software industry and international standards organizations will require not only a great deal of industry cooperation, but software tools to implement this technology. "Establishing the standard is only the beginning, the key is having the tools to make it a reality," emphasizes Rich Vasse, vice-president of engineering for Software Architects. "Building upon the UDF file system engine we have currently developed, we can easily produce the components necessary for multiple operating systems supporting UDF and DVD." Tools for the Present FormatterFive(TM), engineered on the MacOS, represents the first of three implementations of the UDF standard Software Architects is developing. Software Architects has created UDF file systems for all OSTA-defined UDF implementations (MacOS, Windows 3.1 and UNIX UNIX Operating system for digital computers, developed by Ken Thompson of Bell Laboratories in 1969. It was initially designed for a single user (the name was a pun on the earlier operating system Multics). ) and is actively pursuing development tools for members of the DVD Alliance. With its UDF portable file system and read/write capabilities, Software Architects code can easily be recompiled on multiple operating systems. About Software Architects Inc. Software Architects Inc. (SAI) develops and publishes file interchange, backup and storage management software for personal computers. Headquartered in Bothell, Software Architects markets its growing line of personal computer utility software through retail and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) The rebranding of equipment and selling it. The term initially referred to the company that made the products (the "original" manufacturer), but eventually became widely used to refer to the organization that buys the products and channels in North America, Japan and Europe. CONTACT: Software Architects Inc., Bothell Michael Irvin, 206/487-0122 |
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