An object-oriented user environment for deploying custom applications

Solaris^TM OpenStep^TM is an object-oriented user environment that provides an enterprise-ready framework for distributed object computing. It is based on the OpenStep Specification jointly developed by Sun and NeXT, which is based on the operating system-independent layer of NEXTSTEP.

Solaris OpenStep is implemented using the facilities of the Solaris Operating Environment, including the X11 windowing system with Display PostScript extensions, OpenWindows, SunOS, ONC and NEO. This tight integration with Solaris means that all OpenStep applications are fully compatible and interoperable with all Solaris applications and Java applications.

Users experience an easy to learn and highly integrated application environment, whether they primarily use Solaris OpenStep desktop applications or they choose to run OpenStep compliant applications from the Solaris Common Desktop Environment. Solaris OpenStep is also compatible with Sun's NEO family of products that create a networked object infrastructure using shared services.

The OpenStep Specification was created to provide the industry with an open object standard for enterprise computing. Sun's Solaris OpenStep combines an OpenStep-based user environment with the robust, scalable and reliable Solaris operating system foundation. The integration of the OpenStep Application Programming Interface (API) into an open, industry-standard operating system enables developers to bridge the gap between operating system and application functionality; this results in wide availability of custom objects that can be incorporated into solutions deployed in the Solaris OpenStep environment.

Objects are the foundation of the object-oriented OpenStep API. Objects are self-contained, reusable software modules containing data and associated behavior or methods. Objects help developers manage complexity because developers only need to understand what an object does and the messages it responds to - not how the object "works" internally - in order to use it

The Solaris OpenStep user environment contains a complete suite of integrated object-oriented applications, including:

• MIME-compliant multimedia mail

• Text edit with RTF, TIFF and EPS support

• File Viewer for easy file manipulation

• Preview for display and printing files in PostScript or TIFF format

• customizeable Dock and Preferences

The run-time libraries for the ObjectiveC runtime, Application Kit, and Foundation Kit are also included, so that Solaris OpenStep users can run any custom application created using Sun's WorkShop OpenStep object-oriented development tools.

Since applications based on OpenStep share a powerful object framework, users will find an extremely high degree of integration between applications, whether bundled with the user environment or custom-created. Solaris OpenStep applications are highly consistent in behavior and basic functionality, such as the ability to message other applications or to print information from any application.

Solaris OpenStep offers unparalleled ease of use as a deployment environment for custom applications in enterprise and Internet/intranet networks.

Ease of Use

• Combine the client/server power of industry standard UNIX® with the industry's easiest to use GUI

• Objects ensure consistency across all applications

• Easily browse LANs or WANs

• Perform file manipulation with simple drag and drop

Full Solaris compatibility

• Common Desktop Environment and OpenWindows

• Java

• NEO

• Microsoft Windows (through Wabi)

• Macintosh (through MAE)

Specifications

Object-oriented run-time libraries

• ObjectiveC runtime

• Application Kit

• Foundation Kit

Object-oriented desktop applications

• Workspace Manager: a graphical environment for managing network-wide applications and documents. Includes File Manager, Dock, and Recycler.

• File Manager: allows browsing and manipulation of files, folders and documents. Includes shelf, icon path and viewing area.

• Dock: a user-customizeable menu of applications

• Edit: a mouse-based editor for creating Rich Text (RTF) or ASCII files. Supports TIFF and EPS.

• Preview: an application that displays and prints PostScript and TIFF files

• Preferences: a graphical interface for changing system preferences

• Mail: a sophisticated, MIME-compliant messaging system for sharing text, sound and graphics

Minimum System Requirements

• CPU: SPARC and UltraSPARC

• Operating System: Solaris 2.4 and up

• Memory
  • 32MB (8 bit color displays)
  • 48MB (24 bit color displays)

• Disk Space
  • minimum: 20 MB
  • recommended: 70 MB