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Conference unxa::cde

Title:CDE on Digital UNIXonment - CDE
Notice:CDE on Digital UNIX - for CDE on VMS, please see Note 1.3
Moderator:UNXA::SYSTEM
Created:Tue Nov 23 1993
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:660
Total number of notes:2674

597.0. "CDE + Netscape Constellation" by NETRIX::"[email protected]" (John McNulty) Tue Feb 04 1997 13:08

Netscape have been advertising for some time now that they plan to ship
a post Communicator product called Constellation, a cross-platform 
desktop environment which will be available on Win95/NT, the MacOS and
various Unix systems.

Well, the first thing that crossed my mind was, what about CDE?  Does
anyone reading this know if Netscape have approached the CDE comminity
to talk about integrating this with CDE, or have it co-exist with CDE.
Or are they planning to try and bump CDE out of the way and replace it
completely?

Unless Netscape are working with us on this, I find their strategy
confusing, as there is bound to be a conflict of interests.

Anyone care to comment?

John 
[Posted by WWW Notes gateway]
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
597.1UNXA::PARLOCKWed Feb 05 1997 11:1420
	Netscape is defintely on the page of being more than
just a "browser" and looking to become THE desktop environment
for the major platforms. I doubt they have talked with anyone from the
CDE side, its not really in their interest. With the move to thin
clients, NC's, java, activex, platform independence, etc.. the 
traditional X/MOTIF/CDE environment which today is limited mainly to
UNIX desktops and X terminals and can not be considered thin by any stretch
has trouble fitting in this environment. Does it still have a role?
I believe yes since its a more feature rich and powerful interface.
For users who want to stay with UNIX workstations and X terminals, its
the way to go. For people with mixed platforms who desire a common look
and feel and/or want a thin client/server environment, probably not 
UNLESS  thin CDE clients (java?) become available that would allow the
CDE enviroment sitting on a UNIX server to service a community of NC's,
PC's, etc.. I believe Triteal is interested in taking CDE in this  
direction, checkout their SoftNC product.

		-Bob
597.2Thin Clients and CDENETRIX::"[email protected]"John McNultyThu Feb 06 1997 02:5321
Yes, I've already checked out Triteals SoftNC and would very much like to see
Digital working closer with them to make this available as a server option on
Digital UNIX.  What better platform than an AlphaServer could a customer
choose
to run it on!  I also think that we should do a deal with Wyse to rebadge and
resell their Winterm 4000's, which run SoftNC and use our own StrongARM chips.
Hey presto, and our sales force would have a Digital Thin Client solution
(with a CDE look and feel) to sell with the minimum amount of development
effort (and financial investment) required on our part.  Makes sense to me.
Please feel free to mention this idea to any marketing people you happen 
to bump into too :-)

As for Netscape, I think they'll do very well with their server products 
and also with Communicator (Navigator 4).  But I'm very skeptical about
their Constellation product.  UNIX workstations are mainly  niche market
now, where a lightweight (sub-functional?) interface like that is not
required.   Time will tell.

John

[Posted by WWW Notes gateway]