NeXT Ships NeXTSTEP Release 3.0, Third Generation of the Complete Object-Oriented Environment

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., September 8, 1992 -  NeXT Computer, Inc. today announced the shipment of NeXTSTEP Release 3.0, the third generation of the only object-oriented environment available today.  Release 3.0, which adds to the power and ease of use of earlier NeXTSTEP releases, features important new capabilities for both developers and users.

"NeXT is now shipping our third refinement of the industry's leading object-oriented environment NeXTSTEP 3.0 while our competitors are still years away from even sampling their first versions," said Steven P. Jobs, chairman and CEO of NeXT.  "The maturity and richness of NeXTSTEP is really evident in Release 3.0, especially in some of the new objects such as the Database Kit."

NeXTSTEP Release 3.0 Increases NeXT's Object-Oriented Lead NeXTSTEP Release 3.0 preserves all the features of the previous version, while adding improved mission-critical custom application development tools; greater interoperability; sharing of information across documents and applications; enhanced graphics; global computing; and general usability features.

"The general environment of NeXTSTEP 3.0 is extraordinarily stable for pre-release software and we are quite intrigued with what we see," said Hadar Pedhazur, vice president of UBS Securities, Inc. and a Release 3.0 beta user.  "The two added features in 3.0 that offer the most potential for us are DBKit, because it will allow us to standardize our database work, and Distributed Objects, because it will give us even more flexibility with the object-oriented custom work we do."

Custom Application Development

NeXTSTEP Release 3.0 adds four new object kits to its application development environment.  These new kits include the following:

• Database Kit (DBKit).  DBKit can dramatically shorten the time needed to create client/server database-driven applications.  It also provides a single, consistent interface to SQL databases from multiple vendors, including Sybase and Oracle.
• 3D Graphics Kit (3DKit).  Based on Pixar's RenderMan standard (both Interactive and PhotoRealistic RenderMan), it allows developers to easily  add three-dimensional graphics to new or existing NeXTSTEP applications.
• PhoneKit.  This kit includes support for ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) and POTS (plain old telephone service) and enables a whole new generation of telephony applications, such as smart answering machines and conferencing.
• Indexing Kit.  It provides tools for efficiently storing, indexing and retrieving textual or record-based information in any application.

Interoperability

NeXTSTEP Release 3.0 adds bundled Novell Client and AppleShare Client software, for accessing file servers and PostScript printers on NetWare and AppleTalk networks, respectively.  The new version of NeXTSTEP also includes additional Macintosh and DOS file support and expanded ability to share files, printers (from various vendors), fax modems and CD-ROM drives among networked users.  Built-in ISDN capabilities provide WAN (wide-area network) connections.

In addition, Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. provides Hayes ISDN Extender, a telecommunication network interface module that provides ISDN Basic Rate Access as well as analog telephone connectivity to NeXTSTEP computers.  Hayes ISDN Extender, when used in conjunction with the PhoneKit, can be used for point-to-point communications and remote LAN access. Third-party software is expected to support high-speed, digitized voice, data and multimedia applications.

Sharing Information Across Documents and Applications

Release 3.0 introduces Distributed Objects:  While previous versions of NeXTSTEP provided messaging between objects within a single NeXTSTEP application, Distributed Objects extends this simple yet powerful messaging model to include messaging between objects in different applications and across different computers on a network. Distributed Objects makes possible Object Links, which is a multimedia hyperlinking system that enables documents of different applications to share dynamic information.

Enhanced Graphics

Among the new standards supported in Release 3.0 are PostScript Level 2 integration, which adds support for calibrated color output, imaging filters for faster printing and pattern support; and the Pantone Matching System, the premier standard for specifying colors in printed output.

Global Computing

Users can localize their NeXTSTEP Release 3.0 interface, setting system text and sounds in any of seven languages:  English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Swedish and Japanese.  Also, as communications standards such as ISDN become implemented globally, NeXTSTEP will be able to easily take advantage of the expanded communication capabilities.

General Usability

Release 3.0 introduces an integrated, multimedia on-line hypertext Help system.  The Help system is used by all documentation that NeXT bundles with NeXTSTEP, and also consists of Help objects that all third-party developers can use to create consistent Help systems for their NeXTSTEP applications.  In response to customer requests, the new version of NeXTSTEP also includes more color in the user interface.

Importantly, any application written under NeXTSTEP Release 2 will run in Release 3.0, and will automatically take advantage of many Release 3.0 features, such as access to Pantone Colors, improved fax capabilities and color text (provided via the addition of color to the NeXTSTEP text object).

Object Orientation:  The Stakes are High

The fact that NeXTSTEP is an object-oriented environment is crucial for a number of reasons.  Object-oriented technologies are being hailed as the answer for corporate and government organizations seeking to create more competitive computing environments.  These organizations want faster means of developing mission-critical custom applications traditionally the domain of mainframe computers and to move to distributed client/server computers.  They have also discovered that shrink-wrapped software alone cannot provide tools that closely match companies' own, unique work processes.

The object-oriented NeXTSTEP provides not only the best and fastest environment for creating mission-critical custom applications, but also the "glue" to integrate the custom functionality with shrink-wrapped applications and with standard networking and connectivity tools.  Significantly, while most major computer and software companies talk at great length about their plans to offer object-oriented solutions, NeXTSTEP is the only fully object-oriented environment available today.  By virtue of its three years as a commercially marketed product, it has already achieved the status of de facto industry leader in object-oriented computing.

System Requirements and Pricing

NeXTSTEP Release 3.0 will be included automatically with all NeXT computers shipped after today, and will also be provided on a CD-ROM for back-up.  Release 3.0 runs on any NeXT workstation with a minimum of a 100 MB hard disk and 8 MB of RAM.  For optimum performance, however, NeXT recommends that Release 3.0 not be run on 68030-based NeXTcube systems.  Further, due to the added functionality of Release 3.0, NeXT recommends at least 12 MB of RAM on monochrome systems and at least 16 MB of RAM on color systems.

Registered owners of NeXTSTEP Release 2 can upgrade to Release 3.0 for $XXX; upgrades will be shipped on a CD-ROM disk and as a right-to-use license.

About NeXT

NeXT Computer, Inc. designs and markets the industry-acclaimed NeXTSTEP object-oriented software environment, and designs, manufactures and markets UNIX-based workstations that run NeXTSTEP. NeXTSTEP and NeXT workstations are used by medium and large organizations to develop and deploy mission-critical applications, using both custom and shrink-wrapped software.  NeXT is headquartered at 900 Chesapeake Drive, Redwood City, California, 94063.

NeXT, the NeXT logo, NeXTSTEP and NeXTcube are trademarks of NeXT Computer, Inc.  All other trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners.

Contact:

Emily Brower
Allison Thomas Associates
(415) 780-3786