Software UNO Ltd.

V. Conclusions

Can you Afford not to?

For many developers, providing their customers with UNIX versions of their software is not a choice but a requirement. They are committed to market leadership and providing a total solution to their customer’s enterprise needs. Those have pursued cross platform capabilities as early as the design stage of their applications.

Others are comfortable on their existing platform and see no need for moving to new markets. The problem with this reasoning is that it is valid as long as your product has little or no competition or your competitors also think the same way. You might consider not waiting till your competitor is shipping their application under UNIX to start your porting efforts. By then it might be too late. The software market rewards leaders; followers tend to have a difficult time catching up.

Offering support for more than one operating platform also makes your revenue less sensitive to fluctuations in one particular platform. Many developers that were affected by the delays in release dates for Windows NT and Windows-95 now realize that they could have reduced their exposure by having UNIX, OS/2 or Mac versions of their applications. It is less likely that all of the major operating platforms get affected by delays in a release date by an operating system vendor.

Where do you go from here?

The first step is realizing that you definitely want to take advantage of the UNIX market. Once that commitment is there, you might want to download some of the WM_MOTIF demo executables and judge the functionality available. If you have access to a UNIX workstation and to a CompuServe or Internet node, your WM_MOTIF evaluation could start instantly. Sample executables are available via anonymous FTP from host ftp.uu.net directory /vendor/uno or from the MAGMA forum for CompuServe users. The sample applications include the equivalent Windows executables plus the source code and Makefiles used to build the applications under both Windows and Moti.

The second step is to plan properly and make sure you have the necessary resources to do the port. Check with us for the compiler and operating system requirement. Make sure that support for most or all the functions required by your software is there. Consider all third party components that you might be using; have their source code available or find functionally equivalent UNIX libraries.

Then start the port by getting an evaluation library. The WM_MOTIF evaluation library allows you to build your own applications with minor restrictions. With the proper discipline, your port will be complete in a fraction of the time than a recode of your application. To simplify code maintenance, you should implement the port with care so that you can keep common source code with other platforms.

We take special pride in our technical support to developers. During your port, questions will come up and we will be there to answer them. Our toll free support line is available to customers under warranty or support contract. We also offer unlimited CompuServe and e-mail support without support contract. Software UNO commits to assisting WM_MOTIF users with their porting efforts. As we said before: our success is tied to your success. We really want you to be successful with your UNIX efforts.

Once you are done, enjoy the increased revenues from your UNIX customers! Be aware that our solution requires no additional royalties on a per package or per runtime basis. For medium or high volume products, this offers significant benefits compared to existing alternatives.

We truly appreciate the time you have taken in reading this document and considering the WM_MOTIF alternative. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us. We are available via e-mail at info@uno.com or via phone at (800) 840-UNIX (840-8649) or (787) 723-5000. You can also send us a fax to (787) 722-6242.

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