Wrapping up the details on IBM’s AS/400 announcement last week, the company claims that the new release of OS/400, version 2.0, brings richer function to the family and reduces customers’ time installing and managing their systems – System/38 users may find the machine a breeze to run, but System/36 users still reckon it’s a pain. The new release is being offered to new users at the same price as the old one, and upgrades are free to existing licensees. IBM reckons that users will find new ways to make existing applications easier to understand and operate by using iconic interfaces for intelligent workstations attached to the AS/400 family. In addition to the significant ease of system and program temporary-fix installation enhancements announced in June, IBM highlights a new command to retrieve and save the current system configuration to facilitate copying or cloning a configuration for another system; a simple method for saving auxiliary storage; an automatic sign on as users pass through to another system; and an option to clear all but unresponded-to messages. Users can restore, on a Release 1 system, application objects saved on a Release 2 system; there is support for additional printers; there is an application programming interface for 3270 SNA; support for the new, faster tape drives; user-specified password composition rules; and a prestart jobs facility for communications. AS/400 Communications Utilities now provide increased support for the interchange of mail and files using the RSCS/Profs Bridge support as defined by Systems Network Architecture, and support is also provided for the interchange of personal computer files. Application Development Tools offer additional function and makes significant use of Systems Application Architecture Common User Access Entry Model rules and guidelines, and Cobol/400 now supports most elements of IBM SAA Cobol, and meets the Intermediate Level of ANSI Cobol X3.23-1985 plus many of the high-level elements of that standard. RPG/400 implements the RPG definition of the SAA RPG Common Programming Interface and provides new and improved function beyond the capabilities of System/38-environment RPG III.OS/400 costs a one-time $5,775 to $69,000; AS/400 Query is $890 to $8,900; and AS/400 Performance Tools is $995 to $6,965 on a B10 and B70 in each case. AS/400 Cryptographic Support is $1,890 to $13,230; SQL/400 is $1,575 to $11,020; and AS/400 Office is $2,885 to $28,640. All the new software is scheduled to become available on October 27.
