4GL for Data General users

4GL for Data Generalusers ‘New fourth generation languages can cut development time by a factor of 10 or 100 or even lOOO’,states Iain Davidson, general manager, UK and Ireland of Data General. Following a joint agreement with Cognos, a Canadianbased software company, the fourth generation application development language Powerhouse is now available on Data General’s Eclipse MV/Family. The product was announced two years ago, but was then only running on Hewlett Packard’s HP 3000 and DEC Vax, machines. Features of PowerHouse include a data dictionary which drives the software. According to Cognos it places all data definition outside of the application program. When modifications are necessary, the application developer changes the dictionary definition of the data rather than all the application programs. High-level, nonprocedural PowerHouse statements perform standard functions that can require numerous lines of code in some previous areas. Cognos suggests that the user is concerned with ‘what’ needs to be accomplished not ‘how’ or in what order the tasks need to be done. According to Iain Davidson, while Data General’s Complete Electronic Office (CEO) is one solution for office automation, PowerHouse is oriented towards data processing and operations applications, as well as for developing business applications. Any user with a C compiler and 32 bit microprocessor can implement PowerHouse on a minicomputer. It supports the Infos file system on the MV range, KSAM on HP3000 and RMS files on DEC’s VAX.

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At the launch ufP~~h~e OTZ Data General machines, Richard Branch adJohn and iain Davidson from Data General.

Aimed at both commercial and business markets, PowerHouse ranges in price from El.5000 for the MV4000 version to &29200 on the

MVlOOOO. Cognos has offices in Canada and the UK as well as distributors worldwide. (Cogtws Inc., 275 Slam St, 10th floor, Ottawa, Canada,

Ma~ufactu~~gpackagefor IBMusers A rn~~act~~g resource planning package designed for the processing industries has been introduced by Package Programs Ltd (PPL). It is modular in design and PPL claims it can be installed without additional software. Called Manufacturing Resource Planning System (MRP II), the system provides managers with the means to minimize inventory investment, improve production planning and provide cost control management. Its nearest equivalent, says PPL, is the IBM mainframe package Copies. PPL says that MRPII is compatible with Copits and is aimed at users of the IBM 4300s and above. It

will also act as an interface with other packages on the market from such companies as McCormack & Dodge and MSA. Features covered by MRPII include: Product and Inventory Management Master Requirements Scheduling Requirements Material Planning Manufacturing Costing Sales Order Management Sales Forecasting The system also integrates with Financial Management Systems supplied by PPL from

Purdan j&n Cclgnos

KIP SH9. Tel: (613) 237 1440. Cognos Ltd, Coworth Park House, Coworth Park, Ascot, Berkshire, UK SLS 7SF. Tel: cl (0990)27244) Interna~o~. GE-Software Since the package is modular, each ‘building brick’ can be bought separately at a cost of about ~30~. The total package is priced at under &100000 and is currently available on IBM 4300 and 30XX mainframes. According to Roy Taylor, PPL’s chairman, ‘PPL aims tc maximize on the much quoted f2OOM that the engineering industry will be spending on software in 1985. As well as the UK, we shall be marketing MRPII simultaneously in the Middle East and North America’. (PPL, 91 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8HW, UK. Tel: 01 633 0121. PPL (North America), Suitt 308, 110 Bloor St West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M-55 / 2W7. Tel: (416) 964 3893) -c

data processing