New York City-based Information Builders Inc used the Unix Expo show in New York to unveil beta versions of the next-generation version of its Focus 4GL it will use to move into the client-server market. The launch of the products had been anticipated (CI No 2,481), as it is clear that the mainframe middleware firm has caught the downsizing bug. Focus for Open Environments, a Unix version of Information Builders’ Focus 4GL, provides the ability to divide and run Focus database queries over symmetric multiprocessors, currently the hottest Unix boxes. The software apparently creates duplicate query images that can interrogate a Focus database in parallel running on symmetric multiprocessors, providing faster throughput for large applications than when running on mainframes. The database can be the firm’s own hierarchical system, which it claims is the third most widely installed mainframe database, or Sybase, Oracle, Informix or DB2/6000 via a set of interfaces. The firm says the migration tools provided in the software will enable the biggest business to rightsize application processing on to Unix boxes. Focus Reporter for Motif enables developers to create graphical interface-based reports and includes the ability to move applications transparently between Windows, character and Motif front-ends. Like the other Focus Reporters, the Motif version includes Report Assist and Report Painter for creating and formatting reports and Form Painter for creating prototypes or large-scale reporting applications using objects, forms and triggers. Focus for Open Environments will be up on Sun Microsystem Inc, IBM Corp, AT&T Corp and Pyramid Technology Corp servers in the first quarter of next year. Unisys Corp, Sequent Computer Systems Inc and other environments will follow by mid-1995. Prices start at $1,900 for a single user to $140,000 for 128 users running on eight-CPU systems. Focus Reporter for Motif is up on Solaris, AIX, System V.4 and HP-UX from the first quarter, and other Unixes by mid-year. Prices go from $2,200 to $90,000. The firm also has an Alpha OSF/1 version of Focus 4GL 6.5 and an EDA/SQL client for OSF/1.
