PRODUCT REVIEWS OpenStep for Solaris I by SIMSON L. GARFINKEL ore than three years after it was M announced, Sun Microsystems Inc. has finally shipped OpenStep for Solaris. This new object-oriented system brings an easy-to-use user interface and an easy-to-program developer's environment to an opera- ting system that has been sorely in need of both for years. OpenStep is a step in the right direction for Sun, and if the company supports this new environment, it could become a sig- nificant competitive advantage. OpenStep is based on the tech- nology that Sun acquired from NeXT Computer Inc. in 1993. The system is written in C, C++ and Objective-C (an object-oriented language that has an object model similar to Java's). It For NextStep lovers, OpenStep is like a dream come true: the full NextStep comes with a starter set of applica- user interface, running on Sun hardware and able to run with today's tions, including an editor, an email Solaris applications. system, a PostScript previewer, an improved terminal application and OpenStep's cut-and-paste features Solaris printers, and Solaris icons a "preferences" application. And it's interoperate with Solaris/X cut-and- show up on the OpenStep desktop. completely integrated with Solaris: paste, OpenStep applications can use Before continuing, I should say 78 Circle No. 20 on Inquiry Card SUNEXPERT Magazine February 1997 PRODUCT REVIEWS that I'm not your typical unbiased that smoothly implemented drag-and- hospitality of NextStep to a strange reviewer. For four years, I used a drop from every other graphical and twisted combination of Solaris, computer running the NextStep application. I came to rely on being Windows 95 and Mac OS. Neverthe- operating system on a daily basis. able to paste PostScript graphics from less, I was forced to make the switch: During that time, I enjoyed the my drawing program into my word NeXT's hardware was growing unparalleled ease of use that the processor. And I got accustomed to a increasingly obsolete, while new operating system offers. I got used terminal window that was fast and programs that I needed to run were to administering my UNIX system offered unlimited scrollback. coming out for the other computers. completely from a graphical user So I've seen the future. And for But now there's hope. For people interface and not feeling like I was the past two years, I've been like me who used NextStep, Open- being hamstrung by my tools. I got computationally homeless and Step is like a dream come true: the used to a multimedia email system stateless, having moved from the full NextStep user interface, running on Sun hardware and able to run with today's Solaris applications. For new users, this means that they can enjoy the wonders without having to give up Netscape Navigator, FrameMaker 5.0 and all of those other Solaris and Wabi apps. But beware, OpenStep 1.1 comes with a few catches. Evaluation I loaded Solaris OpenStep 1.1 beta on a SPARCstation 10 with 32 MB of RAM. Although I disapprove of reviewing beta software, Version 1.0 was too difficult to install to be acceptable, and Version 1.1 final was not ready for review at press time. So I was forced to review a custom write-once CD-ROM that had been prepared for me by the OpenStep engineering team. OpenStep 1.1 installs smoothly from CD-ROM by running a single installation script that's aptly named "install." This script figures out what packages you need to install and installs them automatically—no more manually adding Solaris packages. This is a step in the right direction; the rest of Sun should take note. After rebooting, the CDE login panel gives you a choice of three win- dowing environments: OpenLook, OpenStep or CDE. Once you've tried them all, you're sure to be an Open- Step convert. Log in and within a minute you'll see a window appear called "File Viewer." This is the OpenStep work- space manager. It's a window on your computer's file system, sort of like the Finder under the Macintosh opera- ting system or the Explorer under Windows. (It's so much better than the OpenLook and CDE finders that Circle No. 30 on Inquiry Card 80 SUNEXPERT Magazine February 1997 PRODUCT REVIEWS I didn't want to mention them in the Sun, NeXTmail was widely acknowl- language (English, French, etc.), same sentence.) But the OpenStep edged as the best email application placement of menus, command-key File Viewer is better than the ever written. Although email pro- equivalents, security, and keyboard competition. grams like Eudora have nearly caught and mouse. In addition, Preferences For starters, there is a powerful up in the past few years, OpenStep has a plug-in architecture so that browser view that lets you see both Mail is still among the best mail other programs (or other companies) the path through the file system to programs you can find. can add their own. the current directory as well as parts OpenStep Mail is a traditional of all of the other directories that you email application with messages, Application Kit followed on the way down. There's mailboxes and a "compose" window The OpenStep AppKit is the an icon view that's as easy to use as for creating new messages. Each underlying technology that gives the Mac's. mailbox is displayed in its own OpenStep programs their distinctive In addition, there's a shelf at the window, which is divided between look and feel. AppKit contains many top of the File Viewer where you can a list of messages on the top and the standard widgets: check boxes, radio drag directories or files to hold them message being viewed on the bottom. buttons, push buttons, scrollbars and while you are working on them. Messages can be easily transferred so forth. But each object has been (The shelf isn't a separate directory between mailboxes a number of tuned to make it a joy to use. or anything like that; it's just a refer- different ways. For kicks, you can Consider the scrollbars. They're ence to the file system object that's create a photos database to display similar to the scrollbars in Windows remembered by the File Viewer the image of the person who sent 95: the scrollbars' "thumb" resizes to program itself.) Click a directory or you the mail message. Surprisingly, indicate the amount of the window file that's in the shelf, and the File such a database goes a long way that you can view, and they scroll Viewer automatically jumps to the toward preventing flame wars within their contents when you move them. location of that object in the file an organization: It helps you to (Where do you think that Microsoft system. It's sort of like setting presets remember that there is a person at got its idea for Windows 95 scrol- on a car stereo. the other end of the network, not lbars?) But trust me: These are the Like most GUIs, OpenStep uses just an email address. most user-friendly scrollbars in the icons to represent both application Click a big "compose" button and industry today. programs and the documents edited you can write a new message. Open- For starters, the scrollbars are By those applications. The icons Step Mail is completely MIME- responsive; if you want to scroll two appear in the File Viewer: You can compliant. You can send rich mail thirds of the way down in the docu- launch an application by double- with boldface, italics and enclosed ment, just click two thirds of the way clicking on either kind. You can also attachments. Attachments that are down in the scrollbar, and you're drag the program icons into the TIFF, EPS or any other understand- instantly there. If you want to scroll, "dock" that runs down the right-hand able image format are displayed in you press the up or down buttons. side of the screen. Unlike other place. If you are sent a file -with It's easy to reverse direction because systems, a single instance of an attachments, you can double-click on the buttons are next to each other, OpenStep application might have the attachment's icon to launch the rather than at opposite ends of the many windows—one for each appropriate application program. scrollbar. document that you're editing. For What's missing from OpenStep This attention to detail permeates example, you can have five different Mail is automated filters for the OpenStep experience. Click on a terminal windows up but be running siphoning email from mailing lists button in a matrix, change your mind only a single instance of the terminal out of your main inbox and putting and drag to another button, and that application. This is actually much them in their own folders. But even second button goes down, without more memory-efficient than having without filters, I easily handled more the need to release the mouse button a separate program instance for each. than 300 incoming email messages and click it again. Widgets use color The OpenStep application kit makes a day with NeXTmail back in 1992. to create a gentle 3D look—again it easy to write multiwindowed The user interface speeds email similar to Windows 95. application programs that run reading and writing like nothing OpenStep also features a complete without a hitch. that's been developed since. "defaults" system which eliminates OpenStep ships with a few other the need for application programs to OpenStep Mail applications that both demonstrate create their own dot-files in the user's OpenStep comes with an email the underlying technology and help UNIX home directory.