Object-Orientation FAQ

Orbix
Iona Technologies Ltd.
8-34 Percy Place
Dublin 4
Ireland

The latest release of Orbix, Version 1.2, includes an Object Loader function
for the first time, as well as an upgraded Interface Repository, a new
approach to filtering, and more code examples to guide programmers. 

Orbix was launched in June 1993 as the first full and complete implementation
of the Object Management Group's (OMG's) Common Object Request Broker
Architecture (CORBA) standard.  With Orbix, programmers can develop
distributed, object oriented applications following a consistent and
straightforward, standards-based model.
With Orbix Version 1.2 IONA has added the ability to dynamically load objects
at runtime through its Object Loader function. This enables developers to more
easily integrate Orbix applications with existing data stores be they
traditional flat file databases, relational databases or object oriented
databases.
The improved Interface Repository is an integral part of IONA's CORBA
implementation. The Interface Repository operates as a dynamic browser which is
populated with all objects or services available at runtime keeping programmers
informed of the functions, attributes and characteristics of objects and
services.
In version 1.2 IONA has also extended the whole approach to filtering of
requests, and has made it easier for users to integrate Orbix with their
security systems providing for improved reliability of distributed systems
built using Orbix. IONA has also extensively extended the number, and scope, of
code examples it ships with the product to help developers learning how to use
the system.
IONA released Orbix for SunSoft Solaris and SunOS at the Object World
exhibition in San Francisco, Calif., June 1993.  Since then it has rolled
out versions of Orbix for Microsoft Windows NT,  Silicon Graphics IRIX  and
HP/UX. IONA demonstrated a version of Orbix for Microsoft Windows 3.1 at
Object World in London, England last October.  Orbix for Microsoft Windows
3.1 is now in beta.  In January 1994, IONA and SunSoft Inc. signed an
agreement to align their implementations of CORBA. The two companies
demonstrated interoperability between IONA's Orbix running on Microsoft
Windows 3.1 and SunSoft's Distributed Objects Everywhere (DOE) on Solaris.
In addition Orbix-TP, integration with Tuxedo for transaction processing, has
just entered beta testing. Work is underway on Orbix-FT, integration with
the Isis distributed system, will deliver a fault-tolerant ORB.

Paul Hickey,                                        tel: +353-1-6686522
Iona Technologies Ltd.,                             fax: +353-1-6686573
8-34 Percy Place,                                   email: pth@iona.ie
Dublin 4
Ireland