Sanderson CFL, which includes the remnants of UCL Ltd and Computer Factors Ltd (CI No 1,527), is moving its core Pick applications over to Unix due to customer demand. The company, part of the Sanderson Electronics Plc, which includes the UK subsidiary of General Automation, production control specialists Sanderson Computers, insurance specialists Cotswold Computers and Pick company XSoft, as well as the General’s operations in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong, has taken Ultimate’s ULT/ix Pick under Unix operating environment to run on its Pick-based Ultimate 8000 and DPX/2 hardware from Bull HN Information Systems. ULT/ix is based on that old stalwart of the Pick and Unix world, Universe from Natick, Massachusetts-based VMark Software Inc, which emulates Pick under Unix. Sanderson CFL managing director Clive Arlidge, despite a continuing regard for the benefits of Pick over Unix (including a four to one advantage for Pick in terminal support), says that many of his customers are now asking for Unix, while still wanting access to the Pick applications. Core products for Sanderson include the Mailbrain mail order system, Minder debt collection package, Ambdev ambulance administration application, Distributor wholesale package and FMS financial management system. Sanderson is also evaluating Denver, Colorado-based Unidata Inc’s Pick under Unix product, for DEC and Data General hardware – it has the advantage of SQL compliance, as well as looking closely at dual Pick and Unix developments going on at sister company General Automation. And, for Intel-based systems, Sanderson is also looking at Advanced Pick under Santa Cruz Operation’s Unix. Sanderson software developers will continue to work under Pick using the Databasic language, making the transition to Unix over time. Arlidge reckons that Pick makes a great database, with the advantage that it has lots of applications, but thinks that it will vanish as an operating system.
