Seeking to jump-start its NewWave object-oriented environment in the wake of its joint submission with Sun Microsystems Inc of technology to the Object Management Group and after lacklustre sales of the product, Hewlett-Packard Co has announced NewWave Office 3.0 office automation software that adds 10 new product capabilities, launch of a WaveGroup Developers Programme, NewWave Office business consulting services and additional customer implementations. NewWave Office began shipping in June 1990 and release 3.0 adds enhanced core services to create value-added applications that build on existing systems. It incorporates 10 products including client-server software-distribution capabilities, support for Novell Inc’s NetWare, support for the 80386 machines under Santa Cruz Operation Inc Unix System V.3, and agent- and object-based electronic mail, networkwide ad hoc query and terminal-emulation capabilities. The Software Vendor facility enables personal computer users to pick applications from a server on the network; the application is automatically installed for the user – the company reckons that this is particularly useful for things like Microsoft Windows 3.0, which it reckons is typically difficult to install, although 3.0 is much easier than earlier releases. The product also manages functions such as licence tracking and enforcement, usage and configuration reporting. NetWare gives users access to all of the functions of NewWave Office services so that users can take advantage of file and peripheral sharing, connection maintenance and print-queue management. HP 3000 and HP 9000 servers now support Portable NetWare, and can be added to existing Novell networks. The aim of the WaveGroup Developers Programme is to create systems that solve business problems for customers and are tightly integrated with NewWave Office 3.0 products and core services. WaveGroup developers are picked by the company to enhance applications that complement NewWave Office 3.0 and some dozen developers have already been chosen. NewWave Office 3.0 will ship next month.
