Software
Article Abstract:
Software sales grew over 15 percent in 1991. The outstanding success of Microsoft Windows 3.0 and the numerous new applications for the graphical user interface (GUI) were responsible for a large part of the growth. New alliances, though, promise greater competition between Windows, OS/2 and UNIX-based operating environments in 1992 and beyond. The alliances include Microsoft's entry into the Advanced Computing Environment consortium, Apple Computer and IBM joint hardware and software ventures and IBM and Intel's planned joint development of future 80x86-family microprocessors. Other trends and events in software included a move to open computer-aided software engineering tool standards, the continuing ascent of object-oriented programming languages, particularly C++, as the preferred commercial programming environments, the US Air Force study that excluded C++ in favor of ADA for several areas of military programming and the introduction of many new ADA compilers and related program development software packages.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1992
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Software
Article Abstract:
Many software and computer companies saw the end of their prosperity in 1992. The weakened overall economy and a shift from mainframe computing to microcomputers and workstations had a negative impact on software sales in the US for many vendors. Software professionals may have a tough year in 1993 in general, however the remainder of the decade will bring an increased demand for their services due to the growing role of software in business and downsizing trends that cut out management jobs and administrative personnel. The software content of many types of products is expected to grow at an increased pace. Apple's System 7 operating system caused a big stir in 1992 due to its great functionality for multitasking. UNIX-based operating systems such as AIX, HP-UX, and versions of SVR4 were delivered to the business sector with workstations. UNIX is the market leader in scalability and covers the full range of systems from supercomputers to microcomputers.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1993
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How DEC developed Alpha
Article Abstract:
DEC began working on the Alpha microprocessor in the late 1980s, aiming to introduce a product that would be faster than others on the market and more versatile. The Alpha is a reduced-instruction-set computing microprocessor and DEC is committing to making the architecture open and available to other vendors. Alpha supports both VMS and Unix operating systems. DEC's development of Alpha was a long and complicated process that resulted in a 150-MHz prototype debuting in Apr 1992. DEC hopes to gain market share in the workstation market with the Alpha, which was designed to be a long-lasting architecture built with state-of-the-art techniques. The Alpha supports both VAX and IEEE floating-point formats. A detailed description of Alpha's development is presented.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1992
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