Apple and DEC are focusing on nine areas of development. Some of these areas (such as mail, distributed applications, and terminal emulation) will result in specifications and tools that allow third parties to build even greater functionality into their future products. In other areas, the two companies will work together at the fundamental architectural level to create new products (for example, tools that allow network managers, using DECnet network management, to view and manage a combined AppleTalk/DECnet network as a single entity).
The good news for customers is that many of the capabilities discussed by Apple and DEC are available today from third parties, and these products have been built on the architecture that Apple and DEC have endorsed. Since Apple and DEC will be making development specifications available to these third parties, they will be able to engineer their products to take full advantage of the Apple/DEC development efforts.
In summary, Apple and DEC have agreed to lay the foundation for compatibility and cooperation between Macintosh/AppleTalk and VAX/DECnet. This foundation includes specifications and tools that allow developers to build products with greater functionality.
However, it is not necessary to wait for the Apple/Digital agreement. Alisa Systems, Odesta, Pacer Software, and Telos have products based on "AppleTalk for VMS", which is one of the first tools available.
- Thursby Software's NSSnet, distributed by Alisa, fully supports DECnet protocols.
- All-in-1 support is available from Telos Software with their MacNOW product.
- Color terminal emulation is available using VersaTerm or VersaTerm-PRO.
For more information, search under: Alisa Systems, Odesta Corporation, Pacer Software, Telos Software, VersaTerm.