AT&T Says Software Will Broaden Range Of Unix System V Applications

San Francisco, Feb. 28, 1989 -- PRNewswire -- AT&T today said that software that will bring the power of UNIX(R) System V applications to a broader range of computer users will be available by the end of March.

Called the Open Look(TM) Graphical User Interface, the software provides a simple way for users to manage different programs running in different windows on a computer screen by using icons, such as push pins and elevators, and a mouse.

The availability of Open Look Graphical User Interface source code was one of several announcements made by the company's UNIX Software Operation at the Uniforum trade show underway here.

"The Open Look Graphical User Interface gives users at all levels of sophistication a simple, intuitive way to use the power of UNIX System V to solve business problems in a networked computing environment," said Larry Dooling, president of AT&T's UNIX Software Operation.

"The Open Look user interface has been in more than 60 beta sites," Dooling said. "We're confident that both the interface and the programmer's toolkit we're announcing meet the most stringent standards for quality, ease of use, and portability of applications across different hardware architectures. And we'll be shipping them by the end of March, as we promised."

Open Look Graphical User Interface products available from the UNIX Software Operation include source code for the Open Look End User system, which lets an end user run Open Look graphical and text applications, and for the Open Look X Toolkit, which provides programming functions and a "widget" library that help developers write applications for the Open Look user environment.

The Open Look X Toolkit, based on the MIT X Window(TM) System Version 11 Release 2 windowing environment, runs on top of the AT&T XWIN(TM) Graphical Windowing System, AT&T's implementation of the X Window System for INTEL 80386-based computers.

The company also released the Open Look Graphical User Interface Trademark Guide and terms and conditions for licensing source code for the Open Look Graphical User Interface and the AT&T XWIN Graphical Windowing System.

The UNIX Software Operation also announced the commercial availability of software that provides enhanced security and system administration features for UNIX System V. Until now the product, called System V/MLS (Multi-Level Security), has been available only to the U.S. Government.

"We're making System V/MLS available to commercial customers because they share the government's concern about safeguarding sensitive information," Dooling said. "This product gives commercial and government customers the control they need to implement security classifications for individual projects and administer secure systems effectively, without alienating users."

System V/MLS is in formal evaluation at the National Computer Security Center for certification at the government's "B1" level of security, a classification based on the government's "Orange Book" security requirements.

Other UNIX Software Operations announcements at Uniforum included:

-- Availability of the System V Application Verifier, which tests applications for conformance with the System V Interface Definition and makes it easier to ensure the portability of applications programs.

-- A Multinational Language Supplement (MNLS) for UNIX System V Release 3.2, which makes it easier to develop and port UNIX System V software products for international markets.

-- An update to UNIX System V/386 Release 3.2 for computers based on the INTEL 80386 microprocessor, that adds support for Locus Computing's Merge 386(TM) "DOS under UNIX" product as well as system and RFS (Remote File System) administration facilities, source code for PC AT(R) and Multibus(R) I and II drivers, and support for additional graphics boards.

UNIX is a registered trademark and Open Look and XWIN are trademarks of AT&T; X Window System is a trademark of Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Merge 386 is a trademark of Locus Computing, Inc.; PC AT is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation; Multibus is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.

/CONTACT: Dick Muldoon, 201-221-2694, or home, 201-635-5971, or John Skalko, 201-221-2888, or home, 201-729-8202, both of AT&T/ CO: AT&T IN: CPR ST: California ma -- NY010B -- 3778 02-28-89 09:56 EST