From: austin@cs.wisc.edu (Todd Austin) Subject: Sun's PWI under Linux (was Re: dosemu and windows) Date: Tue, 1 Jun 1993 22:10:21 GMT
In article <1993Jun1.201657.8220@sol.UVic.CA>, pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald) writes:
|> In article <1993Jun1.181301.7313@cs.cornell.edu> dulitz@cs.cornell.edu (Dan Dulitz) writes:
|> >In article <1993May31.212901.8476@magma.mines.colorado.edu>,
|> > vgough@mines.colorado.edu (Valiant Gough) writes:
|> >
|> ...
|> >Emulating the Windows entry points directly isn't much easier. There
|> >are hundreds of them, including True-Type rendering. Do you really
|> >want to spend your time writing stuff like that? And once you're
|> >"done," you'll have to work hard to deal with Win4.0 (if it comes out,
|> >but it probably will).
|> >
|> >The reason I'm writing this emulator is so that Win3.1 will run under
|> >Linux. Don't hold your breath. It will be months, at *least*, until
|>
|> The problem with this approach is that you will then have the overhead
|> of running both Windows and windows apps. The WABI interface (I think)
|> achieves a 70% performance boost by doing the entry point thing.
|> Also, you would have to have a copy of MS Windows to use the apps.
|>
|> And, you probably could get just implement a subset of them at first,
|> just enough to get most apps running, and doing more as time permits.
|> Win4.0, may not be an issue, if the control is wrestled from the
|> iron grip of MS.
|>
Indeed, implementing the interfaces to MS-Windows (specifically PWI) is
the way to go:
- like Peter notes, user's need not own MS-Windows to run
windows application, and
- the internals is a moving target, whereas the interface
is (somewhat) static, probably moreso now that Sun is pushing
the PWI standard.
A few years back, I (and one other person) did an X server implementation
using the primitives of the Tajo windowing system running on the Xerox
D-machine architectures. BTW, the Tajo windowing system is in many ways
the parent of all other windowing systems, authored in the mid-seventies,
it was the system that spawned the system that Jobs patterned the Mac
interface after :-). Basically, its the same scenario with different
windowing systems, here's a few ideas:
- windowing systems are basically all the same, it is relatively
easy to map functionality from one to another, this is more true
when the system that you are mapping onto (in this case X-windows)
has an expressive and orthoginal set of operations -- which IMHO
is the case for X
- programs generally use a very limited set of functionality
provided by the windowing system, this is especially true for
programs that were ported to MS-Windows (most), since the
developers used basically the same process discussed here, that is,
they mapped needed functionality onto a minimal set of MS-Windows
calls
- and more importantly, most programs' output can be significantly
degraded (during development) without any significant loss in the
functionality of the program, there are umpteen variations of each
primitive available -- just map them all to one simple equivalent
operations and move on, later, after the interfaces are fully
functional (but degraded), they can be completed
Sun, is going to publish the PWI interface (the one Wabi uses) and they
are pushing its use by all. And since, the hard part is already taken
care of, that is, executing 80x86 instructions, it seems that Linux would
be an excellent PWI target. I've included a copy of the Wabi/PWI press
releases from Sun.
I'd love to take on this project, but I've got a little matter of a Ph.D.
to finish up, so I'll have to remain a sink of Linux goodies until late
1994. In any case, I'd be happy to be peripherally involved.
Cheers,
Todd
-- The Florida SunFlash
Sun Introduces Wabi - Allows MS-Windows Apps To Run Under UNIX
SunFLASH Vol 53 #x May 1993
============================================================================
This issue of SunFlash has three Sun press releases about SunSelect's
Wabi technology. (Note - Wabi is not an acronym.). -johnj
============================================================================
SunSoft To Copackage Wabi With Solaris
Sun Introduces Wabi - Allows MS-Windows Apps To Run Under UNIX
SunSelect Proposes Public Interface For MS-Windows Apps
================================================================================
Subject: SunSoft To Copackage Wabi With Solaris
Contact: Laura Ramsey, +1 415/336-0739
Contact: Emily Cohen, Hi-Tech Communications at +1 (415) 904-7000
SunSoft: +1 510-460-3267
Windows Applications To Run On Solaris
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 5, 1993 -- SunSoft, Inc. today announced
that it will copackage SunSelect's Wabi technology with the Solaris
software environment, enabling users to run Windows applications with
no performance compromise. The Wabi technology was recently
demonstrated running Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word and Microsoft
PowerPoint for Windows on Solaris at SunSoft's Annual Solaris Developer
Conference.
"Wabi coupled with Solaris gives users the best of both worlds -- the
power of UNIX with the range of Microsoft applications," said Edward
J. Zander, president of SunSoft. "Now users can run their spreadsheet
on Wabi and their business on Solaris."
Solaris users will initially be able to run key Windows applications
that account for about two-thirds of the applications sold in the PC
market. These include Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows, Lotus AmiPro, Microsoft
Word for Windows, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft
Project for Windows, WordPerfect for Windows, Harvard Grahics for
Windows from Software Publishing Corp., Aldus Pagemaker, PROCOMM PLUS
for Windows from Datastorm Technologies, Inc., CorelDraw, and Paradox
for Windows from Borland International, and the complete set of
Microsoft Windows 3.1 accessories. Wabi will be certified to run
additional applications later in the year.
SunSoft will begin a promotional offer for Wabi this month. Customers
of Solaris for x86 and Solaris 2.2 for SPARC will receive a coupon with
their product redeemable for the Wabi technology at no extra cost. The
offer will extend through December. In addition, the Wabi technology
will also be copackaged with SunSoft's INTERACTIVE UNIX product line by
the end of the year. INTERACTIVE UNIX is SunSoft's product targeted at
the low end multiuser x86 marketplace.
SunSoft's Solaris environment is designed to combine the features of
high performance computing -- such as multiprocessing, multithreading,
installation, administration and network security -- with the
ease-of-use of personal computers, making it the rightsizing solution
of choice for global enterprises. It is available on the highest volume
RISC and CISC architectures, SPARC and x86, and will soon be delivered
on the new PowerPC platform. More than 7,500 32-bit applications -- the
largest base in the world -- run on Solaris today.
Product inquiries should be directed to SunSoft at 510-460-3267 in the
United States and to local SunSoft offices in Europe and Asia.
================================================================================
Subject: Sun Introduces Wabi - Allows MS-Windows Apps To Run Under UNIX
Contact: Beth Byer, SunSelect +1 (508) 442-0271
Contact: Kathryn Lang Hi-Tech at +1 (415) 904-7000
Contact: Larry Lytle, USL at +1 (908) 552-5186
SUNSELECT INTRODUCES WABI SOFTWARE, BRINGING MICROSOFT(R) WINDOWS
APPLICATIONS INTO THE UNIX(R) SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT
USL, SCO and SunSoft to implement technology;
USL forms co-development partnership with SunSelect
CHELMSFORD, May 5, SunSelect, the PC integration business of Sun
Microsystems, Inc., today introduced the first technology that allows
Microsoft. Windows applications to run directly on UNIX.-based PCs and
workstations at full performance without the need for MS-DOS. or
Microsoft Windows itself. Named Wabi, the software gives UNIX system
users the ability to run the most popular Microsoft Windows
applications on the most powerful open network computing environment.
"The Wabi technology represents a giant step in making UNIX broadly
acceptable to the commercial marketplace," said Dave Power, general
manager of SunSelect. "For the first time, users can run their favorite
Microsoft Windows applications at full speed while still accessing the
rich resources of the UNIX environment."
SunSelect will license Wabi to leading UNIX operating system vendors.
Companies planning to implement Wabi as a part of their respective UNIX
system offerings include UNIX System Laboratories (USL), The Santa Cruz
Operation (SCO) and SunSoft.
SunSelect has formed a co-development agreement with USL to build key
components of the Wabi technology. "We are making a major engineering
commitment to this project, and view Wabi as a key element of our UNIX
strategy," said Don McGovern, vice president of USL. "The technology
dramatically advances open systems by enabling customers to take
advantage of both their Microsoft Windows and UNIX system applications,
without depending on a single vendor."
In addition, several other vendors, including Toshiba, Fujitsu Limited,
NCD, Tadpole Technology, and Quarterdeck Office Systems, have endorsed
Wabi as a way to broaden the choice of software available to their
customers.
Wabi is based on technology acquired by SunSelect from Praxsys
Technologies, Inc. (Norwood, Mass.) in September 1992. SunSelect has
also entered into an agreement with Bitstream Inc. (Cambridge, Mass.),
under which SunSelect will license Bitstream's font handling technology
to make a large selection of TrueType fonts available to Wabi vendors.
As a result, Wabi users will have the same access as Microsoft Windows
users to Bitstream's library of more than 600 scalable TrueType fonts.
From Microsoft Windows to X Windows
The Wabi software will enable UNIX system users to run Microsoft
Windows applications right out of the box. Additionally, those
applications become part of the UNIX as easily accessible as any UNIX
allowing users to cut and paste text between Microsoft Windows and UNIX
applications. For example, information queried from a UNIX-based
database management system or received via an email message can be
incorporated within a presentation document created with Microsoft
PowerPoint. or CorelDRAW!.. The user simply utilizes the cut-and-paste
facility built into X Windows, the open systems standard for displaying
graphical elements on networked computers and terminals.
While other products permit Microsoft Windows applications to run under
the UNIX system, they do so by running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows in
an emulation environment, a feat that requires considerable system
resources, reducing application performance. By contrast, Wabi
translates the function calls made by a Microsoft Windows application
into those recognizable by X Windows. This approach consumes much less
processing power, permitting Microsoft Windows applications to run with
no compromise in performance.
Support for leading Microsoft Windows applications
Major application vendors, including Lotus Development Corporation,
Borland International, WordPerfect Corporation, and Corel Corporation,
have recognized the Wabi product as an innovative way to make their
Microsoft Windows applications available to new users.
"Wabi is a strong bridge between UNIX and Microsoft Windows, and
broadens customer's options, allowing end-users to run desktop
applications like 1-2-3. for Windows and Lotus Freelance Graphics on a
wider range of platforms," said Jim Manzi, president and chief
executive officer of Lotus Development Corporation.
The most popular Microsoft Windows applications on the market are being
certified to run on Wabi. These programs, which together represent
about two-thirds of all Microsoft Windows applications sold, include
Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows, Lotus AmiPro, Microsoft Word for Windows,
Microsoft Excel., Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project for Windows,
WordPerfect. for Windows, Harvard Graphics for Windows from Software
Publishing Corporation, Aldus PageMaker., PROCOMM PLUS for Windows from
Datastorm Technologies, Inc., CorelDRAW!., Paradox. for Windows and
Quattro Pro for Windows from Borland. International, Inc., as well as
the complete set of Microsoft Windows 3.1 accessories.
Ongoing certification program
SunSelect, USL and other partners will continue to test and certify
other Microsoft Windows packages for the Wabi environment. To increase
the library of applications compatible with the Wabi software,
SunSelect is establishing a self- certification program for
developers. Through the program, available in June, developers can
receive a free preview copy of Wabi, enabling them to conduct
compatibility testing during the course of application development.
SunSelect and its partners will also work with developers to make Wabi
as broadly compatible as possible.
Availability and pricing
SunSelect will make release 1.0 of Wabi available to its licensing
partners this summer. Each vendor will announce its own plans for
packaging, pricing, and availability.
================================================================================
Subject: SunSelect Proposes Public Interface For MS-Windows Apps
Contact: Beth Byer, SunSelect +1 (508) 442-0271
Contact: Kathryn Lang, Hi-Tech +1 (415) 904-7000
SUNSELECT PROPOSES PUBLIC INTERFACE FOR MICROSOFT(R) WINDOWS APPLICATIONS
Users, Manufacturers, Software Vendors Join in
Supporting Public Windows Interface
CHELMSFORD -- May 5, 1993 -- In keeping with the philosophy of open
systems technology, SunSelect, a Sun Microsystems, Inc. business, today
proposed creating a specification called the Public Windows Interface
(PWI) to bring the Microsoft Windows application programming interface
(API) into the public domain. The idea of a PWI specification as the
foundation for industry innovation is broadly supported by computer
system vendors, independent software vendors (ISVs) and end users,
including American Airlines, Borland International, Corel Corporation,
Hewlett-Packard Company, ICL, Network Computing Devices Inc., Norwegian
Telecom, Quarterdeck Office Systems, Sun Microsystems Computer
Corporation, SunSoft, Tadpole Technology, The Foxboro Company, The
Santa Cruz Operation, Inc., UNIX System Laboratories, Inc., and
WordPerfect Corporation.
The goal of creating PWI is to define a standard API for Microsoft
Windows. With a defined standard, applications and tools can be
developed that will enable the users of systems based on multiple
operating systems to directly run the almost 5,000 existing Microsoft
Windows applications today. The PWI concept will be submitted to open
systems organizations with the goal of creating PWI as an industry
standard. Further, SunSelect has examined the recent industry movement
to the common open software environment processes, and believes that
PWI is well aligned with these processes. SunSelect welcomes
participation of others in accelerating the initial PWI specification
into an industry standard.
"Microsoft Windows is the most popular application programming
interface on desktops today. Changes to the API, which affect thousands
of ISVs and millions of users, should be made through an open process,"
said Scott McNealy, chief executive officer of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
"By establishing PWI as a standard, developers will have an open forum
to debate the programming interfaces they would like to see included in
the future."
SunSelect proposed that the initial specification for PWI be based on
the Microsoft Windows application interfaces published by Microsoft and
additional components of the Microsoft Windows API used in popular
software products. The specification could be enhanced over time as
ISVs, systems vendors and end users evolve the PWI specification in a
public forum.
Benefits for ISVs and End Users
"The shackles are broken," said Roel Pieper, president and CEO of UNIX
System Laboratories. "And that's great news for customers. Bringing
Microsoft Windows into the open systems arena will foster innovation,
and result in many new products. Most important, PWI will be a public
standard enabling customers to achieve their enterprise client-server
objectives by combining Microsoft Windows with UNIX for a compatible
and stable application environment."
For ISVs and end users writing high-powered business applications, the
native UNIX environment will continue to provide the richest set of
tools and features. PWI would enrich UNIX and other operating systems
by providing an API for personal productivity applications. Together
PWI and a robust operating system provide the complete solution for
today's competitive business environment.
"Borland believes that all computer languages should be available for
implementation by any party, as evident by our participation in
creating a dBASE( language standard," said Philippe Kahn, chairman and
CEO, Borland International. "The PWI initiative headed by SunSelect is
a necessary step in broadening the standards effort from languages to
user interfaces, and Borland both applauds and supports this effort."
For developers and end users alike, the widespread availability of
PWI-compliant applications will leverage their existing investments in
software and training. End users also benefit from a PWI because it
protects their investment by giving them an active voice in the
products they want to buy. Similarly, OEMs are endorsing the PWI
proposal because it provides a stable platform for customers, allowing
new markets to be opened.
"The adoption of PWI as a public standard will bring the benefits of
open technologyQinnovation, competition, choice to the world of desktop
productivity applications," said Helge Vinje, Section Chief of
Norwegian Telecom.
SunSelect, in a separate, but related announcement, today announced its
Wabi product, which is intended to be an implementation of a PWI
standard.
(c)1993 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
SPARC is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Inc.
Solaris, Sun Microsystems, Sun, SunSelect, SunSoft, the Sun logo, the
SunSelect logo, Wabi are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun
Microsystems, Inc.
Aldus is a trademark and PageMaker is a registered trademark of Aldus
Corp. All other products or service names mentioned herein are
trademarks of their respective owners. Borland and Paradox are
registered trademarks, and Quatro Pro is a trademark of Borland
International, Inc. CorelDRAW! is a trademark of Corel Corporation.
Harvard Graphics and Software Publishing Corporation are registered
trademarks of Software Publishing Corporation. Lotus and 1-2-3 are
registered trademarks and AmiPro is a trademark of Lotus Development
Corporation. Microsoft, MS-DOS, Excel and PowerPoint are registered
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. PROCOMM PLUS is a trademark of
DATASTORM TECHNOLOGIES, INC. TrueType is a trademark of Apple
Computer, Inc. WordPerfect is a registered trademark of WordPerfect
Corporation.
UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc.
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