Issue 1, 10th September 1995: UNIX, Intel and 64-bits
UNIX has won the desktop computing battle. Yes, really. Windows NT is an emasculated (Mach) UNIX. All the other UNIX vendors are working together to provide a standard programming model and environment for the top-end of off-the-shelf computing solutions. So why have we not reached portability nirvana yet? With UNIX just starting to embrace 64-bit computing, the UNIX camp has a chance to get its act together. Since Intel must be desperate to keep its future out of the hands of Bill Gates, and the main users of its P7 64-bit CPU chips are likely to be the UNIX and supercomputing communities (which overlap substantially), Intel is proposing to act as a ``neutral facilitator'' along with HP to push this new spec, including a common 64-bit C programming model, for eventual submission to X/Open for endorsement as a standard. Fifty UNIX vendors are involved, including Sun (more) DEC IBM, and Silicon Graphics, and database vendors who potentially have lots to gain, Oracle, Sybase, and Informix. This should be good news for all users and developers. Analysis from UNIX News.
Damon Hart-Davis, Computing Editor dhd@exnet.com.
20--21, New York, NY, USA. Internet and International Trade Conference on using the Internet for import/export, joint ventures, market research and other international trade activity. Contact Assist International for a brochure.
26, by 'phone and Internet. Session 1. Subsequent sessions 31st Oct, 28th Nov, 19th Dec, and Jan 1996. TeleSANS ``SS101: Enhancing Security on SunOS Systems.'' ``A fast-paced, five-part course designed to help you and others at your site learn new ways to improve the security of your SunOS 4 systems and the networks on which those systems sit. And, you don't have to leave your office to participate.'' Mail the organisers for more details.
27, London, UK. ``Start it up with Microsoft Windows '95.'' Tel: Kathy Gibson +44 181 940 8385 or +44 181 490 4000.
4--6, Paderborn, Germany. Third Conference on Mechatronics and Robotics: ``From Design Methods to Industrial Applications.'' For more details see the Web page.
5, New York, NY, USA. ``Parallel Computing: Ready for Prime-Time.'' Why scalably-parallel computing has emerged as key strategic technology for the '90s.
12, Cyberia, London. Wired Buildings. From telecottages to wired buildings; architects and planners think of how to use the Internet for leisure and work. Mail Sally Matrick.
23--26, Cornell, Ithaca, NY, USA. Workshop on Parallel Programming on the IBM SP.
31--2 Nov, Electronic Commerce '95. Barbican Centre, London. New exhibition and conference ranging from EDI to the Web. Contact Lorraine Hall, tel: +44 181 332 0044.
20--23, Atlantic City, NJ, USA. 8th Software Engineering Process Group Conference. The theme of the conference is ``Broadening the Perspective for the Next Century''. The conference will include plenary sessions, invited and contributed presentations, tutorials, panel discussions, and informal birds-of-a-feather (BOF) meetings. Vendor exhibits will also be offered. For more information mail SEI Customer Relations, and see the Web page.
20--26, Crete, Greece. CAiSE 1996. CAiSEs96 is the 8th in the series of CAiSE Conferences which provide a forum for presentation and exchange of research results and practical experiences within the field of Information Systems Engineering. The main theme of the CAiSEs96 Conference is ``Software Engineering Challenges in Modern Information Systems (IS).'' See the Web page (inaccessible at time of writing) or mail Ms Margaret Balothiari for more details.
13--14 April 1996. Intl Workshop on Object Representation for Computer Vision. Contact Jean Ponce or as above.
6--9 May 1996. ATM '96. Send proposals to the Technology Transfer Institute.