From: gcolello@biosphere.Stanford.EDU (Greg Colello)
Subject: Re: Need For Automated Programming? (list of IB pkgs)
Organization: DSO, Stanford University
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 92 02:06:13 GMT

> 
> IB is a wonderful thing. It allows developers to focus on solving a  
problem
> instead of fighting with GUI implementation. ObjecTime or CodeBuilder is 
> another layer down. It allows developers to focus on the design of the 
> solution to a problem. 
> This type of tools is extremely helpful for developing complex software  
and software maintenance.
> Think about developing a complex software, you can validate your design  
by
> exhausting every possible path before coding starts. This will improve  
software quality a lot.
> In terms of software maintenance, you don't go in and change the code.  
You change the design and make sure your change is properly incorporated. 
>  
> Here's something they say about ObjecTime:
> [deleted]
>
> Regards,
> Hayward
> emial: hlam@bnr.ca

Hayward I had suspected from your original description that ObjecTime was  
a CASE tool. Thanks for clarifying that. It raises the question, "Are  
there already CASE tools on the Next?" To answer that question I referred  
to the "Next Software and Peripherals Catalog, Winter 1992". The answer  
is, "YES." I found one package called STRATCASE (described as a low-level  
case tool package). Perhaps HyperCube and CraftMan could be listed as a  
multimedia CASE tools. ModelBuilder is a simulation CASE tool.

The process of going through the "Next Software and Peripherals Catalog,  
Winter 1992" looking for CASE tools made me wonder whether other  
"autoprogramming" packages might be listed there. Actually there is a  
bewildering list of packages with some autoprogramming features, but few  
have any connection to IB.

Here are those that advertise connections to IB:

DATABASE
   Objective DB Toolkit ($1000) - Sybase forms generator
   The Access Toolkit ($?) - Helps programs the Next DBkit

FINANCIAL
   MV Link ($?) - Binds market data to Next applications

MATH
   Math Tools ($?) - Allows Mathematica connections to programs

PAPER MANAGEMENT
   PaperSight Developer's Toolkit ($40,000) - Programs PaperSight

MISC NEXTSTEP OBJECTS (set total would = $4750)
   ChooserPalette ($500) - Provides list manager objects
   GraphPalette ($1500 - Provides graphing objects
   MathPalette ($770) - Provides Mathematica objects
   Serial Solutions ($50) - Provides serial port driver objects
   Servikit ($500) - Provides viewlist, paginator, and imageview objects
   SmartFieldPalette ($770) - Provides input field validation objects
   GeoKit ($300) - Provides map rendering objects
   PowerPalettes ($350) - Provides list, sound, music, drawing objects

I have to admit forcing myself to go through the software catalog opened  
my eyes to how much really sophisticated software is out there. However,  
it seems the programmer/developer gets pretty slim pickings and gets  
charged a lot of $.

I guess the autoprogramming environment I'm looking for on the Next is a  
"complete" (much more than the above list) set of IB extensions for about  
$500-1000. Any comments?

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Greg Colello
Carnegie Institution, Department of Plant Biology
Stanford University
gcolello@biosphere.stanford.edu (NeXT mail OK)