Attempts by Lotus Development Corp to raise support for the Open Messaging Interface by renaming it the Vendor Independent Messaging interface, and roping in Apple Computer Inc, Borland International Inc and Novell Inc, did nothing to please Microsoft Corp. The last is trying to push its own Messaging Application Programming Interface, and complains that Lotus delivered a snub by not issuing an invitation to join the group. Lotus denies any such thing. But while feathers may have been ruffled, application developers needn’t lose any sleep since there is a distinct possibility that Microsoft will implement the Vendor Independent interface within its Messaging Application interface. The aim of both interfaces is the same to give applications developers a standard way of incorporating electronic mail facilities within their programs, and making them vendor-independent. Microsoft’s interface was developed primarily for Windows, although a Unix version is in beta test, and the Vendor Independent Messaging service has suffered from being closely associated with Lotus products, springing as it did from work with cc:Mail and Lotus Notes. When striving to tout something as an industry standard, it is important is to establish vendor-independence, hence the name change, which Lotus admits is cosmetic. Meanwhile Microsoft’s UK electronic mail product manager, Mark Hassel, says that the Lotus offering may be incorporated into the Messaging interface. If the two camps do wed, it will be a boon to those independent developers that are trying to make groupware a reality. VIM should be released as a finished spec next month on a royalty-free basis, and Apple says it will support VIM in future versions of System 7, and it will crop up as part of Novell’s MHS Message Handling Service. The other big backer is IBM Corp, which not surprisingly, given its commitment to Lotus Notes as part of OfficeVision says that VIM will be supported in its office product strategy. It is not that simple however, since the X400 Application Program Interface Association announced two new application program interface specifications for mail-enabled applications last week. The Xapia, a coalition of network, computer, and electronic mail vendors, which includes Lotus, Microsoft and the others, was formed in 1989 to help users and vendors building applications that run on X400 networks. One specification issued last week, an application programming interface, tells programs how to receive messages sent over an X400 network; the second, Object Set for EDI, tells how to get electronic data interchange messages transported by X400 networks. Those specifications will be submitted to international standards organisations for consideration and approval. Three APIs previously announced by Xapia are still being evaluated by the IEEE as Posix standards for messaging and directory services. More specifically, the X400 message store acts as a buffer between programs where messages are queued and organised before the information in them is delivered to another program. The new interface attempts to help software developers providing a single set of commands that will work with Message Store facilities from different vendors. The Electronic Data Interchange API standardises support for EDI fixed format messages. Currently, Xapia interfaces are more important in the Unix world than in that of the personal computer. But Ian Devine, interworking manager with X/Open in the UK, says that they are practical enough to be implemented by an 80386 machine running Windows. Which may leave developers wondering which way to jump. It seems that a potential problem will be solved by the fact that the same vendors are working together behind the scenes. While they haven’t put their name to any formal agreements yet, most of the major electronic mail players are expected to commit themselves to producing at least minimalist support of the Xapia work. – Chris Rose
