============================================================================== FlashBack 1229 NetLinks Ships ORBitize, the Industry's First Multi-ORB, Multi-Platform Development Tool April 1995 John J. McLaughlin, Editor/Publisher flash@flashback.com ============================================================================== Nashua, NH -- NetLinks Technology, Inc. today began shipping ORBitize, the industry's first multi-ORB, multi-platform application development tool. ORBitize is the first in a family of tools for developers building distributed object applications using Object Request Brokers (ORBs) based on the OMG's CORBA. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ORBitize boosts developer productivity by providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to easily create, browse, and maintain OMG Interface Definition Language (IDL) definitions. ORBitize works with IDL files and CORBA interface repositories. Developers can now spend their time designing object interfaces instead of struggling with OMG IDL syntax and semantics. "Until now, there has been a complete lack of development tools for building ORB applications. ORBitize breaks new ground and meets the needs of both new and experienced distributed object developers," says Alan Ewald, NetLinks' co-founder. The ORBitize product family will help accelerate the adoption of distributed object platforms like CORBA into mainstream application development and systems integration. KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS ========================== With ORBitize, building and editing OMG IDL definitions is as easy as point and click. ORBitize's built-in IDL compiler lets you build correct definitions on the fly by enforcing all IDL syntax and semantic rules. A type browser gives the developer quick access to all available types and maintains referential integrity and valid name scoping. Each kind of IDL definition has its own editor with an intuitive GUI, dramatically improving the productivity of designers and developers that build and maintain OMG IDL for distributed object applications. ORBitize provides a powerful IDL browser as well. The browser reads IDL files and interface repositories and allows the user to make sense of even the most elaborate collection of IDL definitions. ORBitize offers filters that let you focus on specific kinds of definitions. Context-sensitive right mouse button menus in the ORBitize browser let you navigate directly to related definitions. For example, from an IDL interface, you can navigate directly to one of its base interfaces. From an operation, you can go to its return type, even if the definition is in a different IDL file. This frees developers from having to find definitions on their own. ORBitize also makes it easy to understand inheritance relationships between interface definitions. Using ORBitize, you can maintain projects containing related IDL files and interface repositories. ORBitize supports OMG IDL as defined in CORBA 1.1 and CORBA 1.2. Developers using ORBs that support OMG IDL, such as ObjectBroker, Orbix, SOM, DOE, ORBeline, and DAIS, can benefit immediately from using ORBitize. In addition, ORBitize directly supports OMG IDL extensions of specific ORBs such as IBM SOMobjects and Tivoli TME. AVAILABILITY AND PRICING ========================= ORBitize is available immediately on both Windows 3.1 and SunOS 4.1.3. Future versions of ORBitize will be available on Windows NT, OS/2, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, and Windows 95. The introductory price for a single developer license for ORBitize on Windows costs $495 and on Unix costs $995. Further discounts are also available for volume purchases. NetLinks Technology, Inc. is a leading ORB-independent provider of distributed object tools, training, and consulting. NetLinks has extensive experience designing and developing distributed object solutions and delivers consulting and training to organizations worldwide. ORBitize is a trademark of NetLinks Technology, Inc. CORBA and OMG IDL are trademarks of the Object Management Group. How to contact the vendor ========================== ======================================================== Mark Roy Phone: (603)594-0525 NetLinks Technology, Inc. Voice mail: (603)891-4177 Distributed Object Specialists Fax: (603)594-0527 74 Northeastern Blvd, Suite 8B Email: mroy@netlinks.com Nashua, NH 03062 ======================================================== ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Information about FlashBack available on the Internet via the World Wide Web. URLs: http://www.flashback.com ftp://draco.nova.edu/pub/sunflash/www/index.html ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FlashBack - A Full-Text On Demand Newsletter John J. 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