MKS Toolkit - Running / Porting UNIX to Windows

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MKS Interoperability Times

FEBRUARY, 2007 EDITION

MKS Software Inc.


Now Available: MKS X/Server - Get the Quality of Hummingbird Exceed at Less Than Half the Cost!
If you are currently using Hummingbird Exceed, or any other PC X Server, the new MKS X/Server can save you money! For over 10 years, MKS has distributed the SCO X/Vision PC X Server product to thousands of customers with great success. Recently, MKS was able to acquire the source code rights to that X Server providing us the ability to enhance the product significantly. In fact, we've improved the product so dramatically we put our own brand on it. MKS X/Server now matches the quality and excellence of Hummingbird Exceed. But here's the best part, MKS is offering the product at less than half the cost of Exceed!

MKS has developed a program, the "Exceed Premiere Replacement Program" which is designed to let you swap out Exceed at a cost that's less than the annual maintenance on Exceed, even if you successfully negotiated a highly discounted site license with HCL. Once you own MKS X/Server, you can enjoy ongoing annual savings of up to 80% versus the cost of Exceed!

Also look for the newest version 8.1 which will be released mid-February 2007. Act now! This program provides you with the following benefits:

  •  An immediate cost savings versus your yearly Exceed maintenance
  •  Ongoing annual cost savings which could be as high as 80%
  •  Significant savings on any new PC X Server licenses you may need in the future

To request a no-charge full product evaluation copy visit: http://www.mkssoftware.com/eval/evalform.asp?product=mksx&distrib=IOT

To learn more about the new MKS X/Server and our special offer, please contact us:
E-mail: tk_info@mkssoftware.com
Telephone: US 1-800-637-8034 or +1-703-803-3343 in the UK +44 1483 733923
Elsewhere in Europe: +49 711 351 7757522
Elsewhere in the World: tk_info@mkssoftware.com


Improved UNIX Compatibility and Windows Vista Support with MKS Toolkit v9.1
MKS Toolkit v9.1, to be released mid-February 2007, demonstrates our continued commitment to delivering solid new features while enhancing existing Toolkit functionality.
Along with full support for Microsofts newest operating system, Windows Vista, 9.1 will introduce unparalleled support for UNIX/Linux-style single rooted file systems. Now more than ever, porting scripts and tools to the Windows environment using MKS technology will make development a cinch!
Look for these other new features in the 9.1 release:

  •  Full Vista Support
  •  Updated Build Tools (i.e., gmake 3.81) with improved performance
  •  Single Sign On (SSO) Support in telnet and ssh
  •  Single rooted file system options with binaries in /usr/bin/ls
  •  MKS X/Server 8.1 (replaces XVision in TKIO and TKEDEV)
  •  Over 100 Bug Fixes

* Please note: With 9.1 release MKS will no longer support NT4 and ME operating systems.


Are you ready for Windows Vista?
With the release of MKS Toolkit v9.1 in mid-February 2007, you will see that it will install and work on Windows Vista. However earlier versions of MKS Toolkit will not work. All customers will need to update to this latest release of MKS Toolkit.

All customers with a current PCS contract will receive an email with update instructions. PLEASE NOTE if you do not have a current PCS contract for all copies of MKS Toolkit currently in use, including MKS Toolkit and Runtime licenses you will either need to update your current licenses (depending on when your PCS contract expired), or purchase new licenses, as your current version will NOT run on Windows Vista.

MKS is offering special pricing programs through April 15, 2007 to help in your preparations for Windows Vista. For pricing options, please contact MKS directly at 1-800-637-8034 or +1-703-803-3343 or via email at tk_info@mkssoftware.com.


Daylight Savings Time 2007 Changes
In August 2005, Congress passed an energy bill that included a change to Daylight Savings Time. Beginning in 2007, DST will start the second Sunday of March and end on the first Sunday of November. 

MKS Toolkit products rely on the Microsoft Windows operating system timestamp to support the DST changes. Thus, there are no changes required on our part to make the MKS Toolkit products conform to the new rules. Information concerning Microsoft Windows effort to conform to the DST transition can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx


NEW MKS Partners
TCB Technologies MKS is also pleased to announce the release of MKS X/Server Japanese.  This is a thoroughly reworked X Server with Japanese support and translations. MKS, in partnership with TCB Technologies, has taken release 8.1 of the MKS X/Server and is releasing our Japanese version.  The translation has been done working with a new partner in Japan, TCB Technologies. TCB has been the leading distributor of X Servers in Japan and is responsible for the success of X/Vision in Japan. Since there was no longer support for X/Vision, TCB has been working with MKS to ensure the future of X/Servers in Japan and will continue to work with MKS in the evolution of our Japanese X/Server. More news to come, so stay tuned!

Moonsoft Oy, Finland MKS is pleased to announce its partnership with Moonsoft Oy, a Finnish company specializing in sales and distribution of standard computer software to companies, academic institutions and the public sector. Moonsoft Oy adds value in the process of helping customers select and implement the right products and licensing program for their organizations. Additionally the company provides services, support and tools to help customers properly manage the complete software lifecycle task. For more information contact: sales@moonsoft.fi


MKS Webinar: Optimizing IT Processes in Retail February 8th, 2007
Presented by Sophelle
In this webinar, MKS presents its retail partner, leading IT consultant Sophelle, a trusted partner for many top retail names in the Fortune 500. Doug Weich, principal with Sophelle, will share his knowledge and experience in optimizing retail IT and business processes for maximum effect, while introducing you to ChainConnect, a simple and effective process and workflow management solution built by retailers for retailers on the MKS Integrity platform. Attend this webinar being held Thursday February 8th, 2007 at 11am EDT (10am CST).

To register visit: http://www.mks.com/interop/SophellepptimizingITretailprocessesFeb0807


See MKS at the OMNI User Technical Conference February 26th and 27th, 2007
We welcome you to come visit MKS in Booth #11 at the 19th Annual OMNI User Technical Conference, The Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.

Seven conference rooms will simultaneously offer educational sessions, another will host a full track of technical hands-on lab sessions. Visit the Vendor Showcase, featuring many of the best System i vendors around, and hear from industry leading experts including the keynote address from Randall Munson and a post-session cocktail reception with the closing keynote address from Bob Cozzi.

To register for the conference, or to learn more visit: http://www.omniuser.org/conf2007.html


Visit MKS at Computerworld Premier 100 - March 4th - 6th, 2007
MKS encourages you to register for this year's Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leaders Conference in Palm Dessert, California.

Stop by the MKS Booth #1 or attend our Workshop on Tuesday March 6, at 10:40am with our guest speaker Ajay Waghray, Verizon Wireless - Vice President and Chief Information Officer. In this session, Ajay Waghray will share with you the Verizon Wireless experience in consolidating 13 customer billing systems down to one, enabling new levels of IT efficiency while enhancing customer experience. Leveraging application and project portfolio management from MKS, Verizon Wireless taps into real time metrics and dashboards connected directly to the application lifecycle for informed and quick decision-making. Ajay Waghray will share with you the Verizon Wireless experience in consolidating 13 customer billing systems down to one, enabling new levels of IT efficiency while enhancing customer experience. Leveraging application and project portfolio management from MKS, Verizon Wireless taps into real time metrics and dashboards connected directly to the application lifecycle for informed and quick decision-making.

Attend Computerworld's Premier 100 IT Leaders Conference, the only executive conference where you can hear from - and network with - Computerworld's Premier 100 IT Leaders and Alumni. They are a unique set of award-winning IT executives with valuable lessons to share, advice you can gain, and relationships available for you to foster.

Details & Registration:  http://www.premier100.com/index.html


MKS Toolkit Quick Tips
Q: Do MKS Toolkit porting products support links?
A: Windows NT 4.0 only supports hard links between files on locally-mounted NTFS file systems. Trying to link files on any other type of local file system, or on a network file system, will fail with errno set to EMLINK, specifying that the maximum number of links to the file has been exceeded. Windows 9x/Me does not support links.
Under Windows 2000/XP/2003, Toolkit implements soft links (symbolic links) between directories on locally mounted NTFS 5.0 file systems, but soft links are not supported by the other operating systems or other file systems.

Q: Can ported UNIX applications access files > 2G?
A: Yes, MKS Toolkit porting products use unsigned 32-bit file offsets to let you access 4G for any individual file. NTFS on Windows allows files as large as 16 Exabytes (16 million Terabytes, specified by a 64-bit file offset). You will have to use Windows APIs to access files larger than 4G.

Q: Do MKS Toolkit porting products support sockets? AF_UNIX sockets?
A: Yes, MKS Toolkit porting products implement the standard sockets API, based on the native Win32 Winsock 2.0 libraries (this is standard with Windows NT/2000/XP/2003, and distributed as part of the MKS Toolkit runtime components on Windows 9x/Me). Toolkit sockets are semantically the same as UNIX sockets, including support for out-of-band data and asynchronous I/O notification. Toolkit does not, however, support the TLI or XTI networking APIs. MKS Toolkit porting products supply a Winsock 2.0 service provider to implement the AF_UNIX address family. Applications ported to Windows with MKS Toolkit for Enterprise Developers should be able to make full use of the related API functions, including the use of sendmsg() and recvmsg() for passing file descriptors between applications. Native Win32 applications also can use AF_UNIX sockets, although they cannot use sendmsg() and recvmsg().

To get more MKS Toolkit Tips visit our knowledge base at: http://www.mkssoftware.com/support/kb/
To see more on the Porting Guide visit: http://www.mkssoftware.com/docs/sg/#uwpg
To download the Resource Kit visit: http://www.mkssoftware.com/reskit/


Buy MKS Products Online
MKS offers the convenience of purchasing our products directly from our Web Store. Buy and download today!
MKS now offers a 30-day UNCONDITIONAL guarantee: http://webstore.mkssoftware.com/webstore/


MKS Inc. trusts this information is of interest to you. If you are no longer the correct contact for MKS Toolkit Product Family information or would prefer not to receive this Newsletter, please send a reply to this email with the words "Please Remove" at the beginning of the body of the message. If you know of others who might be interested in this information, please forward their name and email address to tk_info@mkssoftware.com.

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