---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash SunGKS Product Transition SunFLASH Vol 50 #21 February 1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUN TRANSITIONS SUNGKS TO THIRD PARTIES AS PART OF COMMITMENT TO OPEN GRAPHICS INITIATIVE SUNGKS-COMPATIBLE PRODUCTS TO BE AVAILABLE FROM SEVERAL INDEPENDENT GKS VENDORS As a fulfillment of its commitment to the Open Graphics Initiative Strategy, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation [SMCC(TM)] is announcing the transition of its SunGKS(TM) software product to the third-party marketplace. SunGKS has been an extremely successful product for Sun, and a substantial number of third-party implementations of GKS (last count is nine) currently exist. Through the Open Graphics initiative, SMCC reduces the technological barriers for implementing graphics APIs, hardware products and applications. Vendors are thus provided with simpler means to port their product to SPARC(R) and Solaris(R), and users are provided with greater freedom of choice through a larger number and variety of products. SMCC is transitioning SunGKS because a sufficently large number of quality GKS implementations exist, and reducing Sun's role in directly providing GKS will create a more competitive and open market. In transitioning its GKS graphics software business, SMCC is working directly with several third-party vendors, who will provide SunGKS-compatible products during the first half of 1993. ****************************************************************************** SMCC will continue to ship its current Solaris 1.0-based product, SunGKS 4.1, through May 28, 1993. SMCC will not be porting SunGKS to Solaris 2.1, but will be actively working with several third-parties to insure they have SunGKS- compatible products ported to Solaris 2.1. - Prior Data Sciences and the Advanced Technology Center (ATC), both of whom have successful multi-platform GKS implementations today, have ported their products to SPARC/Solaris 2.1. We expect other third-party vendors to follow. - Prior and ATC have initiated GKS upgrade programs for existing SunGKS customers. Contacts for these companies are provided at the end of this article. - Prior and ATC are working with Sun to insure compatibility of their GKS language bindings and extensions with the current SunGKS product. Both Prior and ATC provide Xlib-based ANSI-compatible GKS products today. Both will provide XGL-based GKS products during the first half of 1993. - The last quote day for SunGKS is February 26, 1993. Last order date and ship dates are April 30 and May 28th respectively. SunGKS will be removed from future versions of the pricebooks. ************************************************************************ * * * LAST QUOTE DATE IS FEBRUARY 26, 1993 * * LAST DATE FOR RECEIPT OF ORDERS IS APRIL 30, 1993 * * LAST DATE FOR SUNGKS SHIPMENTS IS MAY 28, 1993 * * * * UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ORDERS BE ACCEPTED AFTER APRIL 30, 1993 * ************************************************************************ - As of May 1, 1993, Sun will no longer accept orders for SunGKS. All orders for GKS MUST be directed to one of the many third-party vendors with GKS products. Please consult the Catalyst(SM) catalog for details on third-party GKS implementations. ****************************************************************************** WHY IS SUN DOING THIS? To quote Anil Gadre: "SMCC's strategy is to focus our resources on providing high-volume, open graphics platforms." The key to Sun's Open Graphics Initiative is to provide open specifications for graphics hardware and software products, and thereby create an environment which will attract significant numbers of Solaris-based shrink-wrapped applications. By transitioning its GKS business to the third-party marketplace, Sun can focus on providing core foundation technology which enables third-party vendors to better integrate their products into Sun's graphics and multimedia architecture. At the same time, Sun can take advantage of: 1. Each third-party vendor's graphics expertise 2. An open, competitive market with many more products 3. The percieved open-ness of Sun's graphics strategy by not competing directly with graphics software vendors WHY IS THIS GOOD FOR SUN CUSTOMERS ? The customer is better served by allowing a greater choice of hardware and software products. Availability of products increases because integration into the SPARC/Solaris environment is simplified through: A. Documented interfaces between a set of Foundation Graphics Libraries (XIL, XGL(TM) and Window System), which permit an application, graphics API or hardware to be implemented easily B. Solaris 2.1 support for loadable drivers, permitting a hardware device to be ported to Solaris and the Foundation Libraries and henceforth to be 'shrink-wrapped' for simpler customer installation C. Dynamic linking to the Foundation Libraries for shrink-wrapped applications, regardless of the underlying hardware D. No run-time license or right-to-use fees for the Foundation Libraries means lower cost applications PART NUMBERS AFFECTED BY THIS ANNOUNCEMENT The following part numbers will be affected. After April 30th, 1993 orders for these part numbers will NO LONGER BE HONORED: GKS-4.1-4-4-21 (SunGKS Software Version 4.1, CD-ROM Media) GKS-4.1-X-X-9 (SunGKS Version 4.1 Manual Set) GKS-X-X-X-0 (SunGKS Right-to-Use License) GKS-X-X-X-RT (SunGKS Runtime License) UNGKS-4.1-4-4-21 (SunGKS Software Version 4.1, Educational) UNGKS-X-X-X-S (SunGKS Educational Server Pack) UNGKS-X-X-X-LUN (SunGKS Educational Site License) UNGKS-X-X-X-0 (SunGKS Educational RTU) GKS-4.1-4-4-21U (SunGKS Software Version 4.1 Per-Incident Upgrade) GKS-X-X-X-0U (SunGKS Right-to-Use License Upgrade) Sun has also had preliminary discussions with Xelion of Holland regarding their ANSI GKS product. Customers in Europe should contact Xelion regarding product availability and pricing. SUPPORT AND SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS Existing SunGKS users will continue to recieve support for SunGKS through SMCC. Sun will provide support for SunGKS for three years, as per standard EOL guidelines. Customers unable or unwilling to move to a third-Party GKS product can remain on Sun support. Existing SunGKS customers that wish to upgrade their SunGKS to a GKS under Solaris 2.1 should contact Prior Data Sciences or ATC. Both Prior and ATC offer attractive upgrade programs for SunGKS customers. Prior sells their GKS upgrade at US$600, and ATC provides an upgrade for US$495. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q: How successful has the SunGKS product been? A: SunGKS has been very successful in the earth resources and mapping markets. A number of third-party applications currently use SunGKS. Q: How does Sun plan to support the existing installed base? A: The existing installed base of SunGKS users who purchase the product prior to April 30th, 1993 will be supported by Sun. Users wishing to purchase GKS after May 1st should contact Prior Data Sciences or ATC for information regarding their products. Q: What about upgrading customers to GKS under Solaris 2.1? What are the options? A: SunGKS will not be available under Solaris 2.1. However Sun has been working with many third-party GKS vendors to insure that their products are available under Solaris 2.1 and that compelling upgrade programs are in place. Currently Prior and ATC both offer upgrades for SunGKS customers. Others are expected to follow. Q: Why is Sun exiting the GKS market? A: Sun is not leaving the GKS market. Rather, we are refocusing on the high-volume strategy of the Open Graphics Initiative, providing a compelling platform for third-party graphics, imaging and visualization products. The Open Graphics Initiative will enable both hardware and software vendors to 'shrink-wrap' their products for SPARC, meaning easier ports for the developer, more competitive and larger numbers of accelerator hardware and application software products for the user, and finally, easier installation and maintenance. Given the nine GKS implementations currently available, GKS is ripe for competitive pressures to assure the highest quality, lowest cost products. Sun will spend its efforts on working with the third-party vendors to insure SunGKS compatibility, and performance. Q: What is Sun's graphics strategy? A: Sun's strategy is to focus on high volume price points in the various graphics/imaging markets. We will also partner with third parties (such as Evans & Sutherland) to serve the higher-end needs of these markets. From a software perspective, the Open Graphics Initiative is a focus of Sun technology and resources on providing the most flexible and powerful Foundation Graphics Libraries, as well as simple implementaion guidelines designed to make it easy to build SBus-based graphics devices. For the application or graphics API developer, the Open Graphics Initiative means these vendors simply port to the Foundation Graphics APIs and can be confident that their application will run under Solaris. Q: What is Sun's relationship with Prior and ATC? A: Sun views both Prior and ATC as independent software vendors that provide GKS software running in the UNIX environment. We are working closely with these two vendors because of their established presence in the marketplace. Contacts: For SMCC Transition and Customer Issues: Bob Mitton (bob.mitton@Eng.sun.com), Open Graphics Product Manager, SMCC Graphics and Multimedia Product Marketing For third-party Graphics Vendor Questions: Doug Schiff (doug.schiff@East.sun.com), Market Segment Manager, SMCC Marketing Prior Data Sciences: Peter Hanschke (613) 591-7235 Advanced Technology Center (ATC): Ingrid Leon (714) 583-9119 Xelion (Holland): Michael Cohen 011-31-15-622121 Specifications are subject to change without notice. (c) 1993 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, SunGKS, Solaris, Catalyst, and XGL are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All SPARC trademarks, including the SCD Compliant logo, are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based upon an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. All other product or service names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information send mail to info-sunflash@Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@Sun.COM. Archives are on solar.nova.edu, ftp.uu.net, sunsite.unc.edu, src.doc.ic.ac.uk and ftp.adelaide.edu.au All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or publication by Sun Microsystems. John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@Sun.COM. (305) 351-4909.