Unix Expo News Briefs: New Software Includes OSs, Applications
 
Copyright (c) 1989, McGraw-Hill, Inc.
NEW YORK (Microbytes Daily News Service) --- Interactive Systems
announced at Unix Expo what it claims is the first commercial
operating system based on the new Unix System V Release 4. The
486/ix Operating System will run on 80386 and 486-based computers
and will use Interactive's 386/ix X11 windowing system. 486/ix
will ship in the first quarter of 1990, Interactive said.
 
* Traditional suppliers of DOS-based software aren't ignoring the
growth of Unix either. WordPerfect Corp., which already makes a
Unix version of its word processor, announced plans to upgrade it
to match WordPerfect 5.0 for the PC. The new version will allow
graphics integrated with text and offer improved style sheets and
laser printing drivers, the company said. A release for SCO Xenix
should be available in early 1990.
 
* Borland intends to develop Unix versions of its Quattro
spreadsheet and Sprint word processor using the XDOS CAPS
computer-aided porting tool from Hunter Systems. The new
versions, which should be available in January, will work on Unix
systems running Hunter's XDOS Transformer Utility. XDOS Sprint
will sell for $239 and XDOS Quattro for $299.
 
* WordTech Systems released Quicksilver/Unix, which compiles
dBASE applications to run under Interactive Systems' 386/ix
operating system. Using Quicksilver/Unix, dBASE applications can
be developed under DOS and then compiled to run in a multiuser
Unix environment, the company said.
 
* Informix plans to release a Unix version of SmartWare II, its
integrated word processing, spreadsheet, database, and
communications package. A version for SCO Xenix will be released
in the fourth quarter of 1989, Informix said.
 
* SouthWind Software announced what it claims is the first
spreadsheet available for the NeXT computer. Tactician Plus is a
graphical spreadsheet that has built-in presentation graphics
tools, a macro language, and permits linking of multiple
spreadsheets. Lotus 1-2-3 files can be read in through a
translation utility, SouthWind said. Tactician is available now
for $425. Informix is moving Wingz to the NeXT cube but hasn't
finished it yet.
 
Contacts:
 
Interactive Systems, 2401 Colorado Ave, 3rd Floor, Santa Monica,
CA 90404; (800) 346-7111 or (213) 453-8649; fax (213) 828-6453;
 
WordPerfect, 1555 N. Technology Way, Orem, UT 84057;
(801) 225-5000; fax (801) 222-4477;
 
Borland International, 1800 Green Hills Rd, PO Box 660001,
Scotts Valley, CA 95066-0001;
 
WordTech Systems, PO Box 1747, Orinda, CA 94563; (415) 254-0900;
fax (415) 254-0288;
 
Informix, 16011 College Blvd, Lenexa, KS 66219; (913) 599-7100;
fax (913) 599-7350;
 
SouthWind Software, 3500 North Rock Rd, Bldg 200, Wichita, KS
67226; (316) 636-5100; fax (316) 636-5105;
 
                              --- Andy Reinhardt
 
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