Sterling Software Announces Host Access and Client/Server Integration Products for Deployment Over the Internet; Intelligent Architecture Features Sterling Software's Learning Agents.REDWOOD SHORES, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 2, 1996--The Desktop Integration Division of Sterling Software, Inc. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : SSW SSW abbr. south-southwest Noun 1. SSW - the compass point midway between south and southwest sou'-sou'-west, south southwest ) today announced plans for two new products for intelligent host access and client/server integration for distributed users over the Internet or corporate Intranet. STAR:View provides end users with intelligent access to host-based applications via web browsers The following is a list of web browsers. Historical Historically important browsers In order of release:
in full HyperText Markup Language Markup language derived from SGML that is used to prepare hypertext documents. Relatively easy for nonprogrammers to master, HTML is the language used for documents on the World Wide Web. ), without any programmer intervention. The second product, STAR:Gate, will provide a full development environment complete with learning agents and an applet builder to develop and dynamically deploy adaptive Intranet applications based upon existing business applications and information sources. STAR:View is based on a "thin client" architecture that permits mainframe-to-desktop implementations, with application storage and intelligent processing taking place at the server. The thin-client, server-based architecture eliminates the problem of application distribution and change management, as application updates are automatically rendered at the server. Each user automatically gets the changed application with their next access. STAR:View's intelligence comes from Sterling Software's learning agent technology that interprets host data streams and dynamically generates HTML code, a highly portable document transfer language that can be viewed from any web browser The program that serves as your front end to the Web on the Internet. In order to view a site, you type its address (URL) into the browser's Location field; for example, www.computerlanguage.com, and the home page of that site is downloaded to you. . In addition to the "smart rendering" of the 3270 data stream, the product will learn from the community of users and will, over time, dynamically improve screen design and navigation to produce a graphical interface See GUI. to a business application that is easier-to-use than the standard character-based interface. STAR:View will be demonstrated April 23-25 at Sterling Software's Worldwide Customer Conference in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden . "Like Sterling Software's popular STAR:Flashpoint product, STAR:View will enhance user productivity by replacing the traditional `green screen' with a mouse-driven graphical user interface graphical user interface (GUI) Computer display format that allows the user to select commands, call up files, start programs, and do other routine tasks by using a mouse to point to pictorial symbols (icons) or lists of menu choices on the screen as opposed to having to (GUI (Graphical User Interface) A graphics-based user interface that incorporates movable windows, icons and a mouse. The ability to resize application windows and change style and size of fonts are the significant advantages of a GUI vs. a character-based interface. ) that is more efficient for end users," said Michael Ciocia, president of the Sterling Software Desktop Integration Division. "Their applications will also be more accessible as STAR:View will supply graphical access to them from a web browser on any client machine." "Most large corporations are moving toward network-centric computing as the solution for connecting disparate platforms with broad access and controlling costs," said Lisa Campbell, marketing vice president for the Desktop Integration Division. "The open architecture of the corporate Intranet makes it ideal for companies who need to share applications and data, regardless of platform. For companies implementing a TCP/IP TCP/IP in full Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol Standard Internet communications protocols that allow digital computers to communicate over long distances. environment and web server technology, STAR:View will extend the paradigm by facilitating intelligent access to host applications over secure corporate Intranets to ensure that end users are more productive." STAR:Gate is the second new product in Sterling Software's client/server integration suite. While the focus of STAR:View is on intelligent host access, STAR:Gate's focus is on intelligent application integration. "STAR:Gate will allow our customers to seamlessly integrate existing applications and information sources from multiple platforms Refers to two or more operating environments, which typically include the CPU family and operating system. For example, if versions of a program run on Windows and the Macintosh, the software is said to support multiple platforms. into a single customized GUI interface," said Campbell. Specifically, STAR:GAte will include the integration of mainframe, IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) AS/400 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). hosts as well as Windows applications, relational databases and Internet information sources. The STAR:Gate environment will include Integration Server, Applet Builder, "Nomadic See nomadic computing. " Learning Agents and a component repository for the development of new applications from existing systems. The product's "nomadic" architecture will allow the server-based learning agents to gather information from all end users, while other learning agents personalize the application for each user. STAR:Gate will dynamically generate Java, VBScript, or other portable application languages that can be dynamically distributed to a platform-independent web browser. The STAR:Gate Applet Builder will be a highly intelligent point-and-click development environment for the integration of information sources and the creation of graphical interface components. The use of portable application languages will allow for the creation of "nomadic applications" using STAR:Gate. These applications will be dynamically distributed to the user on an as needed as needed prn. See prn order. basis and the learning agents will gather knowledge based upon user actions before updating the server. "The ability to rapidly create new, graphical, portable applications based on their existing portfolio of applications and data sources is something that our customer base is very excited about," said Ciocia. "Our customers are implementing the infrastructure needed for future development efforts, but need a way to incorporate, without disruption, their operational systems. STAR:Gate will provide them with sophisticated solutions that maximize end users' productivity while minimizing the requirements on the already overloaded IT staff." STAR:View will be available in September 1996, starting at a price of $1,995 for up to 10 users. STAR:Gate will be available in late summer 1997, starting at a price of $2,995 for up to 10 users. Additionally, the STAR:Gate development environment will be available for $5,995 a seat. Based in Redwood Shores, CA, Sterling Software's Desktop Integration Division is committed to the integration of host, server and desktop systems throughout the enterprise. The division develops, markets and supports client/server integration tools that enhance end user productivity while allowing companies to leverage their investment in legacy systems. Sterling Software and its subsidiaries provide software products and service worldwide for electronic commerce, applications management and systems management, as well as highly technical professional services for the federal government. Sterling Software, with its headquarters in Dallas, is one of the ten largest software companies in the world with 3,600 employees, 75 offices worldwide and an installed base of almost 40,000 customer sites in over 60 countries. CONTACT: Sterling Software, Inc. Lisa Campbell,415/802-7100 lisa_campbell@redwood-city.sterling.com or Baron, McDonald & Wells Donna Faulkner, 770/492-0373 dfaulkner@bmwpr.com |
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