Sun Microsystems Introduces New Tcl/Tk Plug-In For Netscape Navigator 3.0; Scripting Language Offers Rapid Internet Application Development.MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 10, 1996--Extending its leadership in application development for the Internet, Sun Microsystems Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAVA[3]) is an American vendor of computers, computer components, computer software, and information-technology services, founded on 24 February 1982. Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :SUNW SUNW Sun Microsystems, Inc (former stock symbol; now JAVA) SUNW Stanford University Network Workstation (Sun Microsystems, Inc) ) today announced a new Tcl/Tk plug-in module for Netscape Navigator An earlier Web browser for Windows, Macintosh and X Windows from Netscape that provided secure transmission over the Internet. Soon after its introduction in 1994, Navigator, or just "Netscape," as it was commonly called, quickly became the leading browser on the Web. (TM) 3.0. The Tcl/Tk plug-in makes it possible to develop small and medium-sized Internet applications rapidly and to view those applications via the World Wide Web. Tcl/Tk complements the capabilities of Java(TM) -- Sun's platform-independent programming language -- and adds to Sun's growing suite of tools available for Internet application development. Tcl (Tool Command Language (language) Tool Command Language - /tik*l/ (Tcl) An interpreted string processing language for issuing commands to interactive programs, developed by John Ousterhout at UCB. Each application program can extend tcl with its own set of commands. ) is an embeddable scripting language A high-level programming, or command, language that is interpreted (translated on the fly) rather than compiled ahead of time. A scripting, or script, language may be a general-purpose programming language or it may be limited to specific functions used to augment the running of an and Tk (Tool Kit) is a 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 toolkit based on Tcl. They have been used for application development under 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). (R) for several years and are widely recognized as the fastest and most powerful way to build graphical user interfaces. With today's announcement, the packages become available on Microsoft Windows See Windows. (operating system) Microsoft Windows - Microsoft's proprietary window system and user interface software released in 1985 to run on top of MS-DOS. Widely criticised for being too slow (hence "Windoze", "Microsloth Windows") on the machines available then. and Apple Macintosh platforms as well as UNIX. Furthermore, the Navigator plug-in makes it possible to deliver and execute Tcl/Tk applications using the World Wide Web. "Tcl/Tk lets software developers get the job done ten times faster than with toolkits based on C or C++," commented Dr. John Ousterhout, creator of Tcl and Distinguished Engineer in Sun Microsystems Laboratories Sun Microsystems Laboratories, or Sun Labs is the research and development branch of Sun Microsystems. It was established in 1990 by Ivan Sutherland and Robert Sproull. . "The benefits of Tcl/Tk -- simplicity and rapid application development -- are now available cross-platform and for Internet-based applications." Dr. Ousterhout is careful to distinguish between Tcl/Tk and Java, Sun's revolutionary new software platform for the Internet. "Java is a system programming language that meets the needs of sophisticated programmers with features such as objects, threads, and rich class libraries. Tcl is a scripting language that is ideal for smaller applications, such as simple user interfaces, macros, and system integration." Dr. Eric Schmidt, chief technology officer of Sun Microsystems Inc., said, "With Java, Sun introduced a new approach to portability and security that redefined the way large-scale applications are developed. Tcl/Tk provides the perfect complement to Java for scripting and system integration. It demonstrates Sun's continued commitment to making the Internet more open and widely accessible to developers and users." Dr. Ousterhout estimates that there are more than 200,000 developers actively building Tcl/Tk applications around the world, with many thousands of applications already deployed. Although Tcl/Tk is most commonly used for simple user interfaces, it is also popular for system integration and larger-scale applications. Tcl/Tk is used by several companies in the area of Internet commerce, including Open Market, First Virtual Holdings, and NeoSoft. Other companies that are using Tcl/Tk for a variety of exciting applications include: Oracle Corp., Cisco Systems, Motorola, Pixar Animation Studios and NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. . For example, NBC is using Tcl/Tk for monitoring and editing its on-air television broadcast schedules. The ability of Tck/TK to work seamlessly with other heterogeneous software components enables the NBC system to combine its custom Tcl/Tk interface with a Sybase database and C-based device controllers. The Tcl plug-in now makes it possible to create Web pages that include Tcl/Tk scripts. When the pages are viewed with Netscape Navigator, the Tcl/Tk scripts are executed to provide custom user interfaces and simple animations inside the Navigator view area. "We are pleased that Sun has extended the Netscape software platform via its Tcl/Tk plug-in for Netscape Navigator," said Bob Lisbonne, vice president of client product marketing at Netscape. "This plug-in enables developers to easily bring the thousands of existing Tcl applications to the Internet and illustrates the extensibility of Netscape Navigator as the leading Internet client." Netscape Navigator users can receive further information about Tcl/Tk and download a free beta version of the Tcl/Tk plug-in, via the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com. Support is also planned for other browsers, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer See Internet Explorer. . With annual revenues of more than $6 billion, Sun Microsystems Inc. provides products and services that enable customers to build and maintain open network computing See ONC. Open Network Computing - (ONC) Sun's network protocols. environments. Widely recognized as a proponent of open standards, the company is involved in the design, manufacture and sale of products, technologies and services for commercial and technical computing. Sun's SPARC (Scalable Performance ARChitecture) A family of RISC CPUs from Sun that runs mostly under Sun's Solaris, but also under Linux and BSD operating systems. After development began in the mid-1980s by David Patterson of the University of California at Berkeley and Bill (TM) workstations, multiprocessing servers, SPARC microprocessors, Solaris(TM) operating software and ISO-certified service organization each rank No. 1 in the UNIX(R) industry. Java(TM), Sun's platform-independent programming language, provides a comprehensive solution to the challenge of programming for complex networks, including the Internet. Sun Microsystems was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Mountain View. -0- Note to Editors: Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, Solaris and Java are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems Inc. in the United States and in other countries. All SPARC trademarks are used under license and are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International Inc. in the United States and other countries. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based upon an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries exclusively licensed through X/Open Company Ltd. CONTACT: Sun Microsystems Inc. Raymond G. Nasr, 415/786-4395 raymond.nasr@corp.sun.com |
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