NEURON DATA IN THE ISV/VAR MARKET
SELECTED CUSTOMERS
AIRTOUCH Communications
American Banker Bond Buyer
Aspen Technology
AT&T
Cincinnati Bell Info. Systems
Concept SA
Credintrans
Cycnos
Dai-Ichi Securities
Data Select Systems
Datastream International
Deloitte & Touche
Dialog Information Services
DST Clarke & Tilley
Dynamic Data for Hughes Aircr.
Duke University
Dynasty Technologies
Engineering Automation Sys.
Eurocopter
Factory Mutual Research
GE Fanuc Automation
Hughes Aircraft
IBM, US
INSYNC
International Private Bank
Japan Radio Co., Ltd.
Johnson Controls
LCI, Paris
Landmark Systems Corp.
Marketing Intelligence Co.
Mercantile & General
MUST Software International
New Paradigm
Oil Technology Services
Ontos
Openlink Financial
PRC
Rainin Instruments
R‚soudre
Sapient
Saxe Marketing
Snecma
Shark Software
Sofrecom
Sony Computer Systems
Sterling Softare
Swiss Electronic Stock Exchange
Tandem
Universal Systems, Inc.
Western Data System
White Cross Systems
Xmedia
ABSYSS
SI/Networking
Absyss, a systems integrator headquartered in France, developed
Visual TOM using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS and the Diagrammer.
Visual TOM is used for graphic modeling of networking configurations
and for graphically representing statistical analyses.
ADI
Manufacturing/Time & Attendance
ADI is one of the premier time and attendance application developers.
Located in Rhode Island, ADI is an integrated systems vendor that designs
systems for thousands of sites in the U.S. ADI is developing two applications
with OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS.
The first is an add-on package designed for multiple chain stores
in the warehouse retail industry. This DOS-based, character modeapplication is
a time-and-attendance accrual and employee pointing system that identifies
pluses and minuses of employee performance at a variety of levels. It will help
to entirely reengineer the management of employee scheduling and history
reporting.
The second application will be a more sophisticated system incorporating 300,000
lines of Turbo Pascal legacy code. It will run under DOS, Windows and a variety
of UNIX platforms. Both applications are scheduled to be released the first
quarter of this year.
AMERICAN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
SI/Consulting/Finance
Headquartered in Virginia, American Management Systems (AMS) is an
independent systems vendor with 1994 revenues exceeding $350
million. It provides systems integration and consulting services
worldwide to Fortune 1000 companies and the public sector.
Faced with a demand for GUI-based applications capable of
performing in complex and heterogeneous computing environments,
AMS needed a development environment that was both graphically
robust and highly portable for rapid deployment. AMS selected OPEN
INTERFACE ELEMENTS to develop applications for different clients,
including Windows and Windows NT, OS/2, UNIX and Macintosh.
OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS has allowed AMS to reengineer all user
interfaces to its existing applications and to migrate easily
into heterogeneous computing environments. OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS
enables early prototyping of new applications and allows AMS to
deliver the same application simultaneously in a variety of
windowing environments. Most importantly, OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS
is giving AMS the flexibility to adapt to the challenges of a
rapidly evolving industry.
ANDERSEN CONSULTING
Consulting/Database Tools
Andersen Consulting, employing 26,000 professionals in 151 offices
around the world, is a leading provider of management and
information technology consulting services.
Using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS, Andersen consultants created a
solution construction toolset for software development to help
programmers rapidly build customer applications which run on Open
Look, Motif, Macintosh, Microsoft Windows and Presentation Manager.
While creating applications for any environment, the OPEN INTERFACE
ELEMENTS construction toolset still provides the functionality and
power of a native windowing system. It allows programmers to
concentrate on making the application fit customer requirements,
rather than on programming details.
BECHTEL SOFTWARE, Inc.
Engineering/Doc. Mgmt.
Bechtel Software, Inc. (BSI) is a subsidiary of California-based Bechtel
Corporation, one of the world's foremost engineering construction and project
management organizations. BSI's Advanced Software Group develops and
implements engineering and artificial intelligence software technologies,
and provides training and consulting services. BSI needed to develop a
commercially viable document generation tool that could be used across a
variety of platforms. Especially important was the ability to program a
single set of code for multiple user interfaces.
BSI used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to develop Expert Document Generation
Environment (EDGE). EDGE enables users to quickly and accurately generate
complex business documents, such as contracts, proposals and licenses.
EDGE is currently available for UNIX, Microsoft Windows and Macintosh.
EDGE was developed and implemented in four months. The reduced start-up
time accelerated EDGE's introduction into the marketplace and saved Bechtel
one man-year of development time and $100,000 in development-related costs.
The company also anticipates substantial savings in ongoing maintenance and
enhancement costs.
BIOIMAGE
Healthcare/Analysis
Using Neuron Data's OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS, BioImage develops customized
gel scanners for analyzing films, photos, blots and other electrophoreses
samples.
BioImage systems are used by hundreds of research institutions, private
companies and government agencies around the world. The systems provide
tools to manage entire projects. They accept TIFF image files and image
files from virtually any imaging device. The systems are built on UNIX-based
workstations, so they can be linked together, or linked to existing networks.
CABLETRON
Networking/Network Mgmt.
Tools Cabletron, a leading supplier of network management equipment and
software, uses OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS for use across its line of network
software products: Spectrum and Remote LANView. These products are comprehensive
network management systems for UNIX and Windows platforms. OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS
ensures the ability to port network management products easily and rapidly to a
range of client/server platforms, including Windows NT, to meet market
opportunities.
The application provides all Cabletron software the same "look and feel" across
platforms, thereby reducing training costs for customers. It provides rapid
portability of GUI code with no need for separate windowing environment
specialists. It also delivers a superset of native windowing environment
toolsets for flexibility in GUI design. The object-oriented structure of the
system enables the easy creation of custom widgets through sub-classing.
CAMBRIDGE ANIMATION
SYSTEMS
Entertainment/Animation
Based in the United Kingdom, Cambridge Animation Systems is now in the
process of developing two systems using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS. These
systems will fill in incremental drawings of cartoons after artists have drawn
the beginning and ending sequences. The result will be smooth running
cartoons.
Cambridge Animation Systems is also developing synchronizing software that
will have the capability of adding a human voice to the corresponding lip
movements of cartoon characters.
CARLETON
Database Tools
Located in Belgium, Carleton developed a GUI application with OPEN INTERFACE
ELEMENTS, called Passport Workbench, which is attached to the company's
OpenHouse Data Warehousing system. OpenHouse simplifies the use of information
available in Carleton's production databases.
The OpenHouse architecture uses a pragmatic development, implementation and
maintenance approach. It is designed to meet the objectives of information
users, as well as the company's development, implementation and maintenance
guidelines. OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS allows OpenHouse to provide the ability
to reformat data into any of several PC file formats. Supported data structures
include DIF, SYLK, PRN, CSV and SAS. OpenHouse is now also available on multiple
hardware platforms supporting a wide range of operating systems, user interfaces
and databases, as both source and target.
COMMISSION OF EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Agriculture/Multi-Media
Diagnosis Aurion, a Neuron Data partner in Italy, uses SMART ELEMENTS for the
AREA R&D project promoted by the Commission of European Communities. AREA is
a multi-media application for agriculture which provides advanced technologies
in the field of phyto-pathologies (plant diseases). The multi-media expert
system supplies descriptions of pathologies caused by viruses, fungi,
bacteria and parasites together with information on chemicals used to fight
these diseases. A worldwide network provides on-line, real-time communication
with remote experts. It helps the user refine diagnoses and pest management
procedures.
COMPUTER & MICROIMAGE
Telecom./Fraud Detection
Computer & Microimage, a VAR for the government and telecommunications industries,
selected SMART ELEMENTS and C/S ELEMENTS to develop a fraud detection
application for use with cellular phones. The system runs under Windows and
accesses Sybase. Their reasons for choosing Neuron Data were product quality
and data access.
COMPUTERVISION
Engineering/Workflow, Doc.
ComputerVision is using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS and the Diagrammer to build
workflow and docflow applications for engineers. The applications will be used
by ComputerVision internally and resold by ComputerVision as Optegra to
engineering companies worldwide.
COMPUTRON
SI/Finance/Workflow, Doc. Mgmt., Imaging
Computron develops large-scale financial systems, including imaging and workflow
systems. Its customers represent an installed base of about 1,700 customers
including major banks, insurance companies, Big 6 accounting firms and Fortune
500 manufacturers. Computron customers typically use Microsoft Windows, Windows NT,
Macintosh, UNIX, VAX/VMS, IBM AS/400, HP MPE and DOS platforms. Computron needed
a GUI development tool that would be able to service all its customers' hardware
and software platforms needs.
The first application to reach production was a Computer Output to Laser Disk
(COLD) application. COLD is integrated with the company's imaging and workflow
solutions. The 50+ screen package renders obsolete microfiche storage systems
by enabling customers to store documents on an optical drive and access them
on-line.
DIE START GRUPPE
Travel/Reservation System
Die Start Gruppe is a travel industry joint venture owned by Lufthansa Airlines,
Deutsche Bundesbahn (the German railway) and the Touristik Union of Germany
(Germany's largest charter flight organization).
Die Start Gruppe used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to rewrite large booking
applications for all German charter and Lufthansa flights and railway
tickets. These systems will be sold to travel agencies throughout Germany
and appear on the screens of 15,000 travel agencies countrywide. Platforms
are SCO, SCO character mode, OS/2 and Microsoft Windows.
DST BELVEDERE
Finance/Asset Mgmt., Information Access
Using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS, DST Belvedere developed Global Portfolio System.
This asset management system provides real-time, enterprise-wide information
that meets the demands of today's dynamic asset management world.
DYNAMIC DATA ACCESS for
HUGHES AIRCRAFT
Aerospace/Analysis
Hughes, one of the major U.S. defense contractors, is engaged in building
the Tactical Expert Asset Manager, a prototype system and simulation environment
for the U.S. Army's Intelligence and Electronic-Warfare Directorate. The Tactical
Expert Asset Manager assists field operators through the process of jamming
enemy transmissions. Hughes used Neuron Data's business rule system, NEXPERT
OBJECT , and its GUI development environment, OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS, to design
the entire system, including the prototype. Developers began the project on a Sun
workstation and delivered it on a Macintosh. Hughes chose Neuron Data for three
key reasons. First, Neuron Data has exceptional porting capabilities. Second,
Hughes was impressed by the tools' universal database access. Hughes developers
needed to build applications that could access multiple databases, including
relational databases and flat-file systems. Since these data sources can change
rapidly, Hughes developers needed to leverage the ability to customize data
access. Finally, OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS' scripting language enabled developers
to embed the GUI right into the expert system. Hughes credits the link with
substantial savings in development time.
Neuron Data tools have earned a reputation for providing Hughes with monumental
increases in productivity and reliability and covering the company's most
important development needs.
EDS for General Motors
SI/Automotive/Dealer Ordering System
EDS also used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to build an innovative communications
system for General Motors dealers on a Pan-European level. General Motors Europe
strategically chose DCS2 as a software platform for its dealer network.
The OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS system is the most powerful and integrated dealer
communications system in the market and allows dealers' day-to-day business,
ordering, repairs and administration processes to run more smoothly.
DCS2 has a great impact on the overall business performance of GM dealers by
maximizing the power of existing systems and providing a better return on
computer and software investments. DCS2 now lets several users simultaneously
access data including vehicle, price and warranty information, a powerful parts
management tool, GM's new vehicle ordering system and a single electronic
messaging system through Lotus Notes (operational in eleven languages).
DCS2 offers dealers a single, future-compatible system for placing and
monitoring orders, checking availability of spare parts and even providing
detailed technical back-up.
EDS for the U.S. Army
SI/Government/HR Reporting
EDS built a personnel tracking and reporting system for the U.S. Army using
NEXPERT OBJECT. It was originally deployed on an IBM mainframe and later
downsized to a network of IBM RS/6000.
ELECTRONIC ARTS
Consumer Electronics/Animation, Game
After evaluating several products for building graphical user interfaces,
Electronic Arts (EA) programmers selected OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS as the
first commercial tool for widespread use by its graphics tools group. They
preferred Neuron Data's approach because all widgets for windowing environments
are supported - not just the least common denominator ones. This gives EA
developers the ability to create GUIs that employ any appropriate widget for
any environment.
In addition, OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS enables EA developers to write game tools
on any platform they choose and port the tools intact to any other platform
with only one compiling operation. The tool can then have the same look and
feel across all platforms, which simplifies internal maintenance and support.
These benefits have saved the work of at least one person-year of engineering
time. By automating the creation of GUIs, OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS has freed
programmers to focus on larger and more complex projects.
ENEL-CRA
SI/Utilities/Real-Time
Aurion sold SMART ELEMENTS to Italy's ENEL-CRA, which developed an expert
system as part of a maintenance program for power plants to handle alarms.
This real-time system runs on Sun Workstations. ENEL-CRA also evaluated G2
and Sun DevGuide, but selected Neuron Data products due to the performance
and embeddability of NEXPERT OBJECT, the OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS browser
and the ability to integrate Neuron Data with other software, such as real-time
databases.
ESRI
GIS/Mapping
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), located in California, is
the worldwide market leader in geographic information systems (GIS) software.
To increase its share among commercial markets, ESRI needed an application
with a GUI capable of running on UNIX and PCs. Using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS,
ESRI designed an easy-to-use application, called ArcView. ArcView runs on
various UNIX systems, such as Open Look and Motif, on Macintosh, Microsoft
Windows, DOS and OS/2-PM.
OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS reduced ArcView development time from three years to one,
accelerating its introduction into commercial markets. With the rich set of
widgets that OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS offers, ESRI built a sophisticated
interface aimed at the specific querying and viewing needs of the GIS
marketplace. In addition, it provides ESRI customers with enhanced flexibility
to design custom widgets without sacrificing portability.
FORMTEK, A Lockheed Company
SI/Workflow/Doc. Mgmt.
Headquartered in Pennsylvania, Formtek is a leading developer and integrator
of custom-made information, product data management and workflow solutions for
Fortune 1000 companies and major public agencies worldwide. Its customers span
the industries of manufacturing, aerospace, government agencies and
utilities.
OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS helps Formtek to seamlessly integrate its manufacturing
and engineering solutions with legacy systems and third-party products through
its wide cross-platform support capability and extensibility.
Using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS, the company built its central information and
work process management, named TDM. TDM is an open Total Information Management
System for the management, storage and retrieval of information in a heterogeneous,
client/server environment. The system enables an enterprise to improve efficiency
and achieve maximum benefit from streamlined business processes. TDM differs
from traditional information management systems in that it manages information
as real world objects like documents, sheets and folders. This approach allows
users to focus on their task and the data that supports the task instead of
focusing on the computer. The system supports multiple representations of data
while hiding the complexity of file and data type management from the users.
TDM is built in a modular fashion with core functionality that addresses the
common information repository needs and optional modules for specialized needs.
The system supports servers and clients for Sun SPARC, HP 900/700, IBM RISC/6000
and Silicon Graphics workstations, and clients only on the Macintosh and PCs.
GENERAL MAGIC
SI/Telecom./Wireless Connections Software
General Magic used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to build its TeleScript Development
Environment. This development tool, which will be targeted toward software
application development for the wireless industry (software connecting PDAs,
FAX, cell phone, corporate "home base," etc.), will make heavy use of OPEN
INTERFACE ELEMENTS as the graphical front-end. Third-party developers who
use TeleScript from General Magic will also be motivated to use OPEN INTERFACE
ELEMENTS for their own GUIs.
The TeleScript Development Environment runs on the client, the server or on both.
GLOBAL SOFTWARE
Multiple/Finance, Customer Service
Using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS with DB2, Global Software developed Global Open
Financials Software. This suite of intelligent accounting systems was designed
for complex, multicurrency environments. The systems run on S/390, RS/6000,
Hewlett Packard, Sun and Sequent servers that access DB2, Oracle and Sybase
databases.
GMIS, Inc.
Healthcare/Insurance
GMIS is a leading developer and marketer of strategic medical management systems
for the health insurance industry. GMIS develops quality medical management
systems aligned with national health care reform. Its clients include more
than 200 installations in indemnity, managed care and third-party administrator
organizations. GMIS and its Boston-based subsidiary, Medical Intelligence, Inc.,
together develop products that combine expert technology with clinical expertise
and protocols to help clients contain costs, enhance the quality of patient care
and strengthen their health care provider networks. GMIS' medical knowledge-based
products focus on critical issues, such as appropriateness of care, provider
monitoring and evaluation and claims processing. GMIS uses Neuron Data technology
in two products, MAPS and Provider Insight. The company leverages the portability
of OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS and NEXPERT OBJECT to deliver appropriateness of
care, performance review and retrospective analysis of care episodes.
MAPS is available on Windows standalone PCs and as a Windows client/server
application over a variety of networks to both PC and UNIX-based servers.
The system is also available as a terminal-to-host application on IBM AIX,
HP-UX and DEC RISC Ultrix. Provider Insight runs on most popular operating
environments and accesses relational databases as a client/server application
over a variety of networks.
HARTE-HANKS
Marketing /Customer Service, Database Reporting & Analysis
Harte-Hanks Data Technologies delivers customized databases and data access
technologies to banks, insurance companies, retail organizations and other
marketing-intensive businesses. As a vendor to more than 130 businesses
worldwide, Harte-Hanks must be able to deliver technologies that handle huge
volumes of customer records with point-and-click operation. To rapidly develop
consistent versions of its products' multiple platforms, the company selected
OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS and developed Personal/Customer Information System
(P/CIS). P/CIS is a sophisticated database reporting and analysis tool for
customer service representatives and business-to-business marketing
professionals.
OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS' API provided a robust set of calls that enabled
Harte-Hanks to construct complex data querying and reporting functions and
give its customers point-and-click access to large volumes of customer records.
OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS widgets also gave developers a wide range of options for
constructing graphical, pull-down menus and other interface objects. By eliminating
the limitations of working with a variety of windowing environments, OPEN INTERFACE
ELEMENTS has enabled Harte-Hanks to take a "concurrent engineering" approach,
developing P/CIS on multiple platforms simultaneously and dramatically shortening
product development time for multiple platforms.
P/CIS is available on Sun Workstations and IBM AIX workstations with the Motif
windowing system, OS/2 with Presentation Manager, Windows and Windows NT.
IBM
Healthcare/Mgmt.
IBM in Belgium used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to develop XCIS, an integrated
clinical information system for the efficient functioning of the total hospital,
as well as administrative and medical/paramedical functions. The application,
already deployed to several large hospitals, runs under AIX and accesses Sybase.
It will be deployed worldwide and resold by IBM in the near future.
INFINITY
Finance/Trading
Infinity in California developed Montage, which offers a full suite of financial
dealer support and risk management applications for managing a derivatives
trading operation of swaps, caps, floors, FRAs, bonds, futures options, swaptions,
money markets and foreign exchange.
Using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS, Montage applications combine an intuitive graphical
user interface with a powerful financial engineering approach to deliver flexible
and easy-to-use tools to traders, marketers, risk managers and operations
professionals.
INTEGRATED SYSTEMS, Inc.
SI/Real-Time Monitoring & Debugging
Integrated Systems built a real-time monitoring and debugging tool for embedded
systems using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS as the front-end. The system runs on Sun,
IBM AIX and Windows.
INTERGRAPH CORPORATION
Engineering/CAD
Located in Alabama, Intergraph provides solutions for the technical desktop to
Fortune 1000 companies worldwide. The company specializes in delivering
high-performance, high-capacity solutions of unparalleled value to the ASIC/FPGA
electronic design community.
Intergraph used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS at the core of its new state of the
art application, VeriBest Design System, because it allows platform independent
development as well as high-performance development capabilities. With OPEN
INTERFACE ELEMENTS, three out of four key portions of the system were developed:
ITALIAN RAILWAY
Transportation/Quality Control
NEXPERT OBJECT was used by Ansaldo Transporti in an application they developed
for the Italian railway. The system supervises all activities in the Italian
railway stations. NEXPERT OBJECT was chosen for its ease of porting to other
platforms and because of the short learning curve associated with its
usage.
The application runs on DEC Alpha Open VMS.
KOLLER PARTNERS for FUJI PHOTOGRAPHIC CHEMICALS
Cons. Prod./Process Control
Koller + Partner AG in Switzerland used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to develop
the OASIS family of applications used by Fuji Hunt's photographic labs all
over the world. Fuji calls it a "revolutionary system for total chemical
and process control management." OASIS Pro is 100% user-definable: it
allows the user to define his own checks on chemical parameters as required.
This information is then used by OASIS Pro for chemical or water additions,
to correct bath density for regeneration of chemical overflows or even for
advanced diagnostics of process control problems. By maintaining the proper
chemical balances, Fuji labs are able to optimize their chemical mixes and
keep photographic quality levels as high as possible. The application is a
full-featured Windows system that runs on IBM compatibles.
LINGO COMPUTER DESIGN, Inc.
Finance/Reporting, Information Access
Lingo Computer Design, Inc. is a Canadian company with a successful record
providing productivity solutions. Lingo has developed solutions for companies
in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Bermuda, Spain and Singapore. Lingo selected
OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to develop its next generation of enterprise-wide
information systems.
The company started with FISCAL, a financial decision support system that
includes corporate modeling technology, a general ledger and financial, sales,
marketing and trading systems, all in one package. FISCAL is revolutionary in
the sense that it helps users achieve their budget targets within cost constraints,
allows users to access sales performance data and provides business reporting
with minimum training needed, in record time.
The system supports thousands of users and runs on Windows, OS/2, UNIX and
Macintosh platforms. FISCAL provides access to any level of detail by simple
point-and-click commands through a variety of flexible options including charts,
ad-hoc reporting, drill downs, triggers and alarms, what-ifs, variance analysis
and multiple business views.
LLOYD'S REGISTER
Transportation/Info. Access & Mgmt., Regulations
Lloyd's Register has been involved in a major European research initiative aimed
at developing new methods of electronic information management and retrieval for
the shipping industry. Through this involvement, Lloyd's Register used OPEN
INTERFACE ELEMENTS to develop Rulefinder, a Windows-based interactive computer
database system designed to provide quick and easy access to current maritime
regulations.
Rulefinder runs on Windows or UNIX operating systems. It may be customized to
meet clients' needs so that they can easily access their own information
simultaneously.
LUCAS ENGINEERING
Engineering/Design, Manufacturing
Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Lucas Engineering used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS
to develop TeamSET, an integrated suite of software tools that increases the
effectiveness of multi-disciplinary product teams through the entire software
introduction process Ð from concept to customer.
The Lucas TeamSET suite helps teams to focus on key issues and optimize product
design at the early concept stage, where nearly 80 percent of the final product
cost is fixed. By helping teams select the best design options early on,
TeamSET helps them to actually achieve goals faster, at a lower cost.
The suite's common database enables users to save precious time moving back
and forth between the modules as a concept is refined, so more options can
be explored in less time. Its graphical user interface makes the system easy
to learn and use. And the suite's architecture provides ample room for expansion
through the creation of new TeamSET modules and data links.
The Lucas TeamSET suite is compatible with a variety of application environments
and can adapt to evolving market needs. Initial implementations run on Microsoft
Windows and Sun Workstations.
MC2/INTEGRATED AUTOMATION CORP. for EUROCOPTER
Aerospace/Doc. Mgmt.
Headquartered in France, Eurocopter designs and manufactures military and
nonmilitary helicopters. In the past, Eurocopter stored important development
information, such as technical descriptions, test reports, design parameters,
and simulation models on paper with access through a master index. Searching
for critical documents took up to 30 percent of valuable engineering time.
The company needed an electronic archiving system that could be easily accessed
from a variety of platforms, including Macintosh, PCs running Microsoft Windows,
and SUN Open Look UNIX workstations.
Eurocopter contracted MC2/Integrated Automation Corporation, a leading vendor
of electronic archival systems, to develop an application called ERUDIT.
A complete electronic documentation system, ERUDIT uses the Ingres relational
database manager and Batelle Labs' BASIS+ database to store scanned documents,
with their native format when available, as well as various indexes. The
application runs on two VAX servers. Client workstations, connected to the
servers via an Ungermann-Bass Ethernet network, run the OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS
front-end. ERUDIT uses OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS browser widgets extensively to
navigate the topics and indexes in both the document database and the list
boxes.
This intensive use of power widgets cut development time to only five months.
ERUDIT is considered a strategic application within Eurocopter's Aerospatiale
group and is deployed on 150 of the company's client workstations.
METAPHASE
Manufacturing/Workflow, BPR
Metaphase is a privately held software company headquartered in Minnesota,
selling commercial off-the-shelf software products called Metaphase. Metaphase
is an OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS-based suite of data management systems that serves
as the core to a wide range of enterprise-wide manufacturing solutions. Available
in a modular fashion, Metaphase addresses the specific needs of manufacturing
organizations throughout their product development cycle, such as Product Data
Management, CALS/CITIS compliance, configuration management, OSHA 1910 compliance,
ISO 9000 compliance, application data control, workflow, business process
reengineering and concurrent engineering.
At the core of Metaphase, OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS is used to provide users
with an object management GUI framework in which to complete their mission-critical
work assignments. With OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS, Metaphase implemented an advanced
architecture that is truly state of the art. Metaphase helps manufacturing
companies prepare to enter the next century, as their success will depend on
their ability to continually improve their quality, cost and
time-to-market.
The tool's architecture employs peer-to-peer networking and object oriented
techniques, as well as the extensive use of standards, which provides for a
solution with extremely high performance, flexibility, scalability and ease of
use. Its layered architecture provides complete platform, operating systems,
network, database and application independence. Metaphase components are
available on a wide variety of platforms including HP UX, DEC AXP OSF1, SGI
IRIX, IBM AIX, DEC AXP OpenVMS, Sun Solaris, Macintosh, Microsoft Windows and
Windows NT.
MICROCADAM, Inc.
Engineering/CAD Design
Headquartered in California, MICROCADAM is a subsidiary of Japan's CADAM
Systems Company, Inc. With 1994 combined revenues of more than $130 million,
both companies design mechanical CAD systems for Fortune 1000 design customers
around the world.
The companies jointly develop mechanical design tools for 3D and 2D drafting
for a wide variety of platforms. In search for a user interface tool with a
single input method of programming and the flexibility to support a wide variety
of character for markets in Asia, Europe and the Americas, MICROCADAM
investigated several potential GUI tools. They chose OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS
because it best addressed internationalization and multi-platform needs.
MICROCADAM and CADAM Systems Company are successfully leveraging their
international development using the Elements Environment tools. In the next
two years, 50 percent of their programmers will be using the Elements Environment
for their development.
These applications will run on RS/6000, HP, SGI, Sun, Windows and OS/2, and
they integrate easily into existing CAD products. Most applications are linked
via Novell or UNIX networks.
MUNICIPALS GROUP
Finance/Real-Time Trading
Municipals Group used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to develop Munifacts
for Windows, a complete municipal information service with built-in alerts and
automatic printing features that provides complete and continuous market
coverage and commentary, regional news, economic news and more.
Munifacts gives users a choice of windows on their screens, in any combination,
such as news, negotiated sales and offerings. It also allows users to easily
customize and save screen layouts in a variety of ways. Users can use multiple
windows and monitor activity on several fronts at once Ð and then, when ready,
go back to the standard setup.
NASDAQ
Stock Exchange/Real-Time Trading
The second-largest securities market after the New York Stock Exchange,
Nasdaq used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to completely reengineer the way its
traders perform their daily tasks. The new system, called Workstation II
Software, gives traders added capacity, speed and flexibility. This client/server
application distributes trading information to more than 4,000 stockbrokers at
1,200 sites. The system combines applications that support trading and analysis
with access to Nasdaq's database. It runs on clients including OS/2, Windows,
Sun and SCO UNIX-based PCs and Macintosh, and servers including Unisys and
Tandem host systems.
NESBIT
Telecom./Media, Advertising Scheduling
Located in New Jersey, Nesbit customers include broadcast and cable networks,
cable stations and large corporations with video departments, such as JC Penny
and Merrill Lynch. Nesbit recently provided software for all the broadcast
networks in support of the Olympic games and served as general contractor for
CBS during the 1992 and 1994 winter games, for NBC in Seoul, Korea in 1988 and
in the Barcelona 1992 summer games.
Television stations and networks, in their efforts to sell time, set up a 24-hour
program schedule that is interspersed throughout with advertisements. In order to
determine which advertisement slots are on-hand, they navigate through a complex
system to understand what is available, see what they can sell, slot-in spots as
they are reserved and keep a copy in house.
Nesbit selected Elements Environment because it provided the best toolset, an
advanced GUI and inference engine and more complete functionality. Using Neuron
Data tools, Nesbit developed a modern, integrated broadcast sales and traffic
system for the television industry. NEXPERT OBJECT 's inference engine is used
for intelligent placements of commercials, or slotting. The application is
scheduled to be released soon. One of the first users will be USA networks,
sponsoring more than 120 users once installed. The system runs on Sun Solaris
and PC workstations with Microsoft Windows as the client.
OBJECTIVE SYSTEMS INTEGRATORS
SI/Network Mgmt.
Using OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS, Objective Systems Integrators (OSI) developed
NetExpert, a powerful suite of network management products that integrates,
controls and automates both standards-compliant and proprietary-based network
components. OSI's customers represent some of the largest telecommunications
companies worldwide.
OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS is used as the front-end to NetExpert which performs
a wide variety of related tasks, such as the management of configuration,
customer network, fault, performance, service and traffic; data collection;
and system administration. A completely open, "standards-based software framework"
supporting SNMP, TMJN and OmniPoint, NetExpert has earned a reputation of
"cutting-edge" technology. It is a "programmerless" product that affords its
users a high degree of independence from actual network devices. Also, its
flexible, completely open architecture allows access to all common databases.
The future of NetExpert will expand to include Telephony and Broadband Area
Service capability. OSI will depend on Neuron Data development technology to
provide the very best portable GUIs available.
NetExpert is targeted for UNIX and is currently available on Sun, Tandem, SGI,
IBM, ATT and HP platforms.
PLATINUM TECHNOLOGY
Database Tools/Fault Tolerance
Platinum Technology used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to develop TSreorg Ð a complete
tablespace reorganization tool Ð for Oracle. TSreorg completely reorganizes
database analyst (DBA) tablespaces, including defragmentation and data
partitioning.
In addition to its reorganization functions, TSreorg enables DBAs to browse
database structures using a sophisticated object browser and proportional
space map. The product also enables users to browse all databases in the
network without having to constantly change sessions.
TSreorg is a true client/server implementation. Its smart reorganization agent
resides on the same host as the database so that network traffic is not necessary
during reorganization. The agent also uses failure prediction and recovery to
make the reorganization process reliable and safe.
QUALITY SOFTWARE PRODUCTS
Finance/Accounting
Quality Software Products (QSP) is the United Kingdom's largest developer of
IBM mainframe-based accounting and management information software packages.
The company's Universal On-Line Accounting Software (OLAS) package is a
multi-platform relational version of its IBM mainframe accounting system.
To increase the competitiveness of Universal OLAS, QSP needed a graphical user
interface that could service various environments.
QSP designed Personal SOFTSCREEN, the user interface to Universal OLAS. The
company used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to ensure that Personal SOFTSCREEN also
addressed different windowing environments.
QSP only had to write the application once for availability under every
windowing environment, saving eight man-years of development effort. The company
also has minimized its ongoing maintenance and enhancement costs for Universal
OLAS GUI. SOFTSCREEN provides compatibility with 3,270 terminal screens and
can run on any workstation with the Universal OLAS application on a host machine.
It is accessible to the user via Microsoft Windows V.3, Presentation Manager,
Open Look or Motif.
QUANT TRADING
Finance/Real-Time Trading
Based in Connecticut, Quant Trading develops software for the financial market,
including large securities dealers such as Drexel Burnham and other institutional
accounts. One of Quant's prime applications is Sector Trading System (Sector)
version 2.0 - a multi-windowed, real-time application that provides security
pricing, risk management, analysis, trade capture and profit and loss reports.
It has earned a reputation as one of the more successful U.S. Treasury bond
trading systems. Initially designed for Novell networks, Sector version 1.0
ran exclusively on DOS. As Quant's customer base grew away from the DOS
environment, Quant needed a new object-oriented tool that supported Sector
on Microsoft Windows, Sun Solaris and other platforms.
Quant chose OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to redevelop Sector because of its true
superset, its ability to change the look-and-feel "on the fly," and because of
the strong support services that Neuron Data offers. The application meets
changing customer demands, offers several operating platform options and
supports real-time feeds through a powerful multi-windowed environment.
SDRC
Hardware Tools Design/Finite Element Analysis
Structural Dynamics Research Corporation (SDRC), located in Ohio, is a preeminent
supplier of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software that employs more than 1,100
people around the world. Its major customers include cross-industry Fortune 1000
corporations worldwide.
SDRC used NEXPERT OBJECT to develop I-DEAS Simulation Advisor, an FEA front-end
that guides users through the process of creating, solving and interpreting
results from an FEA model. FEA is a highly specialized simulation technology
that allows engineers to test the structural integrity of their designs while
side-stepping costly physical prototypes.
Simulation Advisor uses NEXPERT
OBJECT 's rule-based technology to make suggestions and automatically check each
step of the process, insuring that the model conforms to standard FEA practices.
Simulation Advisor is an extremely intelligent, reliable, highly integrated user
interface that allows an engineer with no training in FEA to conduct a thorough
analysis of a prototype design. The use of NEXPERT OBJECT also ensures that
the design will work right the first time. Since the analysis gets accomplished
much earlier in the development process, the system ultimately saves thousands
of dollars in development costs.
The system, which was written in one man-year, draws upon 25 years of expert
experience. It supports Microsoft Windows and Motif and is available on a wide
range of workstations from PCs to VAX systems to UNIX workstations, including
Silicon Graphics, HP, IBM, Sony, Sun and DEC.
SENSORMATIC
Retail/Employee Fraud Detection
Sensormatic is a United Kingdom-based VAR in the retail market. They have
developed an application with OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS that takes information
from a closed-circuit television in supermarket check-out monitors, puts the
information into the OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS application which runs on Windows
and OS/2 platforms and processes the information to identify employees who cheat
the company (open the cash register and take out money without selling anything
or making change). The application compiles a report and plays an edited tape
for the manager. Sensormatic calls this "behavioral modification software," and
hopes that it acts as a deterrent to employee theft. Other software products
that run with the application are Microsoft Video and Soundblaster.
STATE OF KENTUCKY TECHNOLOGY GROUP
Finance/Auditing
SMART ELEMENTS is used for a bank examination (auditing) application deployed
to bank examiners in areas of asset quality, liquidity, management and capital
earnings. The primary target customer base is state governments. This is an
award-winning system.
STERLING WINTHROP
Pharmaceutical/Doc. Mgmt.
In the race to bring quality pharmaceuticals to market, Sterling Winthrop, a
leading U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer, needed a way for its researchers to
quickly access and review voluminous study documents and easily submit these
documents to government agencies for approval.
Sterling Winthrop's developers created three applications with OPEN INTERFACE
ELEMENTS: Document Review, Spreadsheet Review and Composer. All three applications
were developed on Macintosh and run on PCs.
SUNGARD
Finance/Trading
Sungard used OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS to develop Devon Derivatives System for
Windows, a system that can be combined with users' own macros, spreadsheets
and real-time data feeds for dynamic and unique perspectives on risk and
reward.
As a result of Devon Derivatives System, users are no longer restricted to
viewing and using data in the fixed formats of traditional systems. With a
drag of a mouse or a keystroke, they can create and manipulate screens to
help them work in the way they work best.
The Devon Derivatives System for Windows runs as a client application with
SQL access to industry standard relational databases operating on Windows NT
or UNIX platforms. Corporate data and audit controls remain intact, leaving
users free to access all the information needed to optimize performance and
profitability.
SYNERGY
Warehousing/Logistics
Synergy, a United Kingdom based VAR, is using SMART ELEMENTS to develop
Locator Expert, an application capable of controlling material handling systems,
conveyors and other warehouse systems. Synergy is also utilizing Neuron Data's
distributed messaging which will allow them to distribute the application's
components among various servers. Locator Expert will be capable of running
entire warehouses, not just recording warehouse information. The application
will be completely object-oriented and object-based.
VISTEC for SONY COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Consumer Electronics/Quality Control
DAIS is a CD-I (interactive video compact disk) authorizing tool developed by
Vistec in Tokyo for Sony. Sony expects this to be a growth market that enables
viewers to interact with the player. DAIS runs on Sony NEWS workstations and
is distributed by Sony. The product uses OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS. The main
functionalities of the software are the:
WESSEX, Inc.
GIS/Desktop Mapping
Using Neuron Data's OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS, Wessex developed First St.,
an integrated desktop mapping package for business. First St. integrates
business data with geography. It enables users to spot trends and patterns
not apparent in tables or charts.
YOKOGAWA
Real-Time, Debugging
Yokogawa group in Tokyo created micro VIEW-G with OPEN INTERFACE ELEMENTS.
Micro VIEW-G is a multi-window debugger supported in GUI environments. It is
used by software developers as a C source-level, real-time debugger. Micro
VIEW-G runs on PCs, Sun OS, Sun Solaris and HP9000.
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