Computers: 1990

New Sun Operating System Release Is Bridge To System V.4

SunOS 4.1 is Industry's Premier UNIX Software Development Platform

WASHINGTON, D.C. --January 23, 1990-- Sun Microsystems today introduced at the UniForum trade show a new release of its UNIX(R) operating system, called SunOS(TM) 4.1, that adds significant new functionality and support for international standards, as well as offering customers a clear migration path to UNIX System V Release 4.0. System V.4 is the new operating system standard developed by AT&T, Sun and UNIX International. SunOS 4.1 is source code compatible with System V.4, so that applications written today on SunOS 4.1 for System V.4 will only require a recompile to run on any System V.4-based computer.

SunOS 4.1 is binary compatible with Sun's previous operating system release, SunOS 4.0.3. Thus the huge catalog of SunOS-based applications, including more than 1,500 SPARCware(TM) applications for SPARC-based computers, will run on SunOS 4.1 without modification. SunOS 4.1 offers many new capabilities and reflects several thousand manhours of testing, performance tuning and bug-fixing. The new release is completely compatible with POSIX 1003.1 and FIPS 151-1, which are standards frequently required by large corporate and government users.

SunOS 4.1 is also fully compliant with the X/Open Portability Guide Release 2 (XPG2) and has received X/Open branding. In addition, it conforms to System V Interface Definition, Issue 2, while offering source-level compatibility with System V.4.

A revised SunOS to UNIX SVR4.0 Compatibility and Migration Guide, first given to developers in November 1989, is now available for SunOS 4.1. This free guide includes an exhaustive list of SunOS interfaces, including commands, library routines and system calls, cross-referenced to show whether they are the same or different in System V.4.

Richest Development Environment

Continuing Sun's tradition, SunOS 4.1 is part of the richest development environment for UNIX applications available today, including a fast, easy-to-use operating system, powerful development tools from Sun and more than 400 CASE applications from leading third-party vendors. In its newest operating system release, Sun has added even broader capabilities that will benefit the developer.

New features include:

Loadable modules, a facility to simplify installation of kernel-linkable software (such as drivers);
Support of the SunCD(TM) CD-ROM product, for development of new CD-ROM applications;
Support of more file descriptors (256, up from 64), permitting development of sophisticated applications that solve more complex problems and require more open files per process;
Addition of the System V Transport Layer Interface, which shields developers from underlying network protocols, providing greater portability and protocol independence;
Programmatic interfaces that give developers greater control of the virtual memory system, which is particularly useful for realtime and database applications;
A new programmer's interface for dynamic linking facilities that assists in the development of more sophisticated applications.

Of special interest to system administrators is the SunInstall installation facility, which now includes QuickInstall, a fast, alternate method of installation using a menu of common configurations. Users will benefit from new documentation, revised for greater clarity and completeness.

New Internationalization Features; Availability

With SunOS 4.1, users have a choice of 14 native language keyboards in the SunView(TM) desktop environment as well as support for the ISO 8859/1 character set, which includes Western European characters. Library routines and commands necessary for building internationalized applications are also supported. These features are based on POSIX 1003.1, X/Open and System V.4 standards.

SunOS 4.1 will be available in April, 1990 for all Sun-3(TM) and SPARC(TM)-based systems. This release will be the standard operating system supplied with new system orders. SunOS 4.0.3 for the Sun386i(TM), containing most of the functionality of SunOS 4.1, including the easy installation features, will be available in a similar timeframe.

Sun Microsystems, Inc., headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is a leading worldwide supplier of network-based distributed computing systems, including professional workstations, servers and UNIX operating system and productivity software.

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SunOS, Sun-3, Sun386i, SunView and SPARC are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T. All other products or services mentioned in this document are identified by the trademarks or service marks of their respective companies or organizations.