Perkin-Elmer updates Unix

productsand services ThirdpartyDBMSfor PC

!A1 environment Racal Electronics and the Norweigan computer company, Norsk Data, have got together to launch a joint venture cornpany in artificial mtelligence systems. The first product to be launched by Racal-Norsk Ltd is the KPS Series. This is based on already avaIlable Norsk Data minicomputers with multiport memory systems and large writeable control stores, which the company argues to be important fi.>r artificial intelligence applications. Racal-Norsk intends to offer versions of PR( )I.( )I, and I.ISP cln the svstems. It is implementing an extended PROLO(; within :I ZetaI.I:;P environment Racal-Norsk sees one of the major benefits of the ND-570, the machine on which the KPS series is based, as its ease of microcoding. 1.1~1’and PROLOG functions are being microcoded, and other applications such as array are possible, processing. The company. which is 5 1’s owned by Racal and 4996 by Norsk Data, is concentrating on selling the environment I:O service companies who will produce applications. Several projects using KPS Series machines have already received Alvey funding. RacalNorsk will be selling first into the UK, Scandanavia and Germany, and then the rest of Europe. The I-SA IS not a target m the short term, although Racal Electronics does have 4000 staff based there already. Prices are likely 1.0 range from about &I80000 up(Racal-Norsk Ltd, wards. Richmond

Court,

Road,

Fleet,

8B L’,

UK.

309

Hams Tel:

Fleet GUI3 (OZSl4) 17

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VOI26 no 7

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1984

Latest software product to be included in IBM’s European scheme for marketing third party software for the PC is Everyman, a database system written by UK software house, Smallway. Under the scheme, products such as the Visicorp line are sold by IBM throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Based in London, IBM’s International Products Ltd (IPL), aims to find European products for the nonAmerican marketplace. As Peter McManus, IBM’s director of development explains, ‘Taking US products and expecting them to succeed ‘as is’ in Europe won’t work’. The marketing of Everyman is to be shared with its original

marketing company, Vector International, which is partly owned by Smallway Ltd. Everyman lets a user design a database by actually drawing boxes and lines on screen to define data structure. The program can then use this diagram to create data forms for each box. So, for example, the user might type ‘employee’ and ‘department’ on the screen, and then link the Iwo with a line, using cursor movements. Pinpointing a box, a user can then look at the information held in either of the categories. The system validates logic as data is input. It sorts data in logical sequence in files. Everyman costs the local equivalent of $700, which in

the UK is 61475 It needs a minimum alf 128 kbyte memory and two 320 kbyte floppy discs. It has been available since last November, through 75 direct dealers and 400 dealers via distributors. IBM’s interest in its marketing will expand its sales worldwide. English, German and French versions are available, and other languages will follow. (Vector

Intern:ational

tor House,

Ltd.

Vec-

6a Lower Teddington

Road,

Kingston-upon-Thames,

Surrey

KTI

01-943

JER,

125’7.

Kingdom

Lrd,

UK.

IBM PO

Box

North HarDour (Baltic Portsmouth

I’06

Tel: (0705)

694941.

Tel: Irnited 41,

House),

3AI!,

UK.

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Perkin-Elmer updates Unix Perkin-Elmer has updated the Unix system it offers on it 32 bit supermims to be compatible with AT&T’s Unix Release 5.2. The latest system is called Xelos, antI offers, in common with Unix, multiuser, multitasking facilities and job control. To go witlh the new operating system, Perkin-Elmer has announced a relational database management k?ystem, called Unify, which ?las already been installed in over 35000 site worldwide. Perkin-Elmer has been selling Unix-based minicomputers since 1981. II: is working on predictions that the US market for Unix systems salt5 will grow 600% I,I~ the next four years. (Perkin-.Elmer Data ,Y_ysterns, 227 Bath Berks

SLI

(07S3)34Sll.

4%.

J

Road,

Slough,

iJK.

Tel:

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