It turns out that the Eric product from Leeds-based VisionWare Ltd, which is designed to enable developers to add a Microsoft Corp Windows front end to character-based applications without the need to change the existing code (CI No 1,947), is based on an existing product called Alex from Alex Technologies Ltd here in London. Alex enables an X Window System front-end to be created for an existing character-based Unix or VMS application, without changing the source code, and it has been used by Lotus Development Corp to produce the Open Look and OSF/Motif versions of 1-2-3, and Sybase Inc is using it to create X Window versions of its applications generator. Alex Technologies and VisionWare will develop an application programming interface that will ensure cross-system compatibility for all Alex environments; the new Eric version for Windows 3 will be marketed by both companies. The version for Windows 3 will enable developers to create a script in Alex’s C-like language that will run on the personal computer and convert the vt escape and control sequences sent by the host application into Windows calls. Alex for Windows will run over VisionWare’s VW Comms set of TCP/IP, asynchronous and proprietary network transport supports that are included in all other VisionWare products. The pair plan to give an update and show prototype applications at Unix Expo, New York in September.
