The Apple Computer Inc-IBM Corp-AT&T Corp-Siemens AG Versit alliance – the name comes from diversity, they say – joins a score or more of standards bodies already active in the areas Versit will address, and to which its member companies already belong, but the new team insists that the committees are ignoring ‘real-world’ issues. Versit will develop specifications for computer telephony integration, data interchange and audio-video collaboration for use in computers, telephones, PABXs, networks and other personal assistant devices (CI No 2,557). Although Apple chief executive Michael Spindler and IBM vice-president and group executive Ellen Hancock denied that operating systems are at issue here, Versit is on one hand, a thinly-veiled attempt to oppose the Windows95 juggernaut. On the other, it is a sensible agreement to get rid of discrepancies between phone systems and telephony software development, and agree common telecommunications standards. It will not necessarily make it any easier to connect a portable computer to office or hotel telephone systems though, or to send and receive information without doing some programming. This is because Versit is not expected to brand retail products compliant with its specifications. It is also unclear how the specifications could apply to the zillions of devices already out there. The Versit Computer Telephony Integration Encyclopedia will include an enhanced version of Novell Inc’s Telephony Services Application Programming Interface; IBM’s CallPath switch normalisation architecture for switch-independent application development; Apple’s GeoPort, which includes most of the electronics for a modem within the port, the attraction of which is that it provides up to 200 times more bandwidth than traditional serial port connections; the Infrared Data Association’s wireless standards, in which Hewlett-Packard Co is also participating; the International Telecommunication Union H.320-based Integrated Services Digital Network video conferencing; and Bento container technology, and Apple’s object interchange mechanism, also the basis of OpenDOC. Telephony Services Application Programming Interface is the direct competitor to Microsoft Corp’s Telephony Application Programming Interface due in Windows95.
Standard developed
Novell’s interface is based on the Computer Supported Telephony Applications standard developed by the European Computer Manufacturers Association. Versit will add enhancements to support standard call bridging – because the vendors have different implementations – which may even reach across to Telephony Application Programming Interface. Others will ease Siemens and AT&T migration to TSAPI+, which is due in the next 30 days. Like Hewlett-Packard, Novell is talking to, but is not directly involved in Versit. Versit criticises the Microsoft interface’s procedural style, lack of flow control and normalisation of events. Its personal data interchange is based on Bento (OpenDOC) and directly opposed to Microsoft’s Object Linking & Embedding, also due in the next 30 says. Specifications for the Versit GeoPort standard plug for connecting computers, mobile devices and telephones, are promised to be out in early 1995, along with other specifications. A developers’ conference is planned for next summer. The founders have been working on Versit for a year and expect others to join. Santa Cruz Operation Inc did not get its act together in time but is still expected to join the party in some capacity – Compaq Computer Corp was in and then supposedly warned off by its suppliers. Microsoft announced a similar computer telephony integration effort last year in conjunction with Xerox Corp, Hewlett-Packard, Northern Telecom Ltd and Compaq. One Versit company privately admitted that the telecommunications stuff is easily attainable while the anti-Microsoft Telephony Services Application Programming Interface-Bento combination is not likely to get very far.
