Announcing MacX 1.1 and X Window System 2.1

[Alan Mimms]

Announcing the availability later this month (January, 1991) of MacX 1.1,
an update to the popular X11 server for the Macintosh from Apple, and the
X Window System for A/UX version 2.1, an update to the complete X11R4
developmer and user environment for A/UX 2.0 and later.  The announcement
ceremonies for MacX 1.1 and X Window System for A/UX 2.1 are being held
at MacWorld in San Francisco this week, and at UniForum in Dallas later
this month.

MacX runs on the Macintosh Plus, Macintosh SE, Macintosh Classic,
Macintosh LC, and all of the computers in the Macintosh II series.  MacX
requires at least two megabytes of memory and supports color on machines
that can support Color QuickDraw (Macintosh II series and the Macintosh
LC and Macintosh SE/30).  The same MacX application binary runs on both
Macintosh System 6.0.4 and later with or without Multifinder, and on A/UX
2.0 and later.

The X Window System for A/UX runs on A/UX 2.0 and later systems.  At
least 5 megabytes of RAM and preferrably 8 megabytes are recommended.


COMMUNICATIONS

MacX communicates via the inherently-extensible Macintosh Communications
Toolbox -- MacX comes with a connection tool for TCP/IP.  Obvious third
party and Apple additions to this set are likely.  (There is already a
DECnet available.)

The MacTCP connection tool supports pretty much any Macintosh Ethernet
adapter (Apple's EtherTalk board, for example) or any AppleTalk transport
(e.g., twisted-pair LocalTalk) to communicate with a DDP<->IP gateway
(e.g., Kinetics KIP).

The X Window System for A/UX supports A/UX native TCP/IP communications.

X WINDOW SYSTEM SUPPORT

MacX is an X11 release 4 server -- it includes support for an optional
built-in ICCCM-compliant window manager, X11R4 fonts and colors, a
built-in BDF font compiler, built-in standard colormaps, and full support
of text and graphic cut and paste between the X11 world and the Macintosh
world.

MacX ships with the >1MB X11R4 set of MIT fonts (not all are required),
so a floppy-based system probably would be very cramped.  A hard disk is
HIGHLY recommended.

The X Window System for A/UX includes a highly optimized X11 Release 4
server, the MIT X11 Release 4 75- and 100-DPI font set, and X11 Release 4
clients and development libraries, including shared library support.


MACX 1.1 ADDITIONAL FEATURES

* More complete support for graphics cut and paste between the X11 world
and the Macintosh world and vice-versa, including a screen-shot facility
which supports full color for printing and/or paste into Macintosh or X11
applications.

* Greatly improved graphical and communications performance over MacX
1.0, setting a new standard for Macintosh X11 servers.

* Enhanced window manager functionality to support newer X11 clients
which rely more on compliance with the MIT X Consortium's Inter-Client
Communications Conventions standard.

* Support for the MIT X11 'Shape' extension, permitting windows of
nonrectangular shape to appear directly on the Macintosh desktop.

* Additional functionality in the MacX Font Director to permit
compilation of an entire folder of font source files at a time.


X WINDOW SYSTEM FOR A/UX 2.1 FEATURES

* A highly optimized full-screen 8-bit color and 1-bit monochrome X11
Release 4 server.

* Full 75- and 100-DPI font set from MIT's X11 Release 4.

* A complete end-user- and developer-oriented manual set, including
online manual pages for the full Xlib and Xt programming environment.

* The full MIT X11 Release 4 development set, including support for A/UX
shared libraries.

* Many of the MIT X11 Release 4 clients, all of which are built using
shared libraries.

* MacX 1.1 is included.


AVAILABILITY

MacX 1.1, which will ship in January, 1991, will be available via
computer store shelves priced at $295 in single quantities or, for site
licenses, from Apple Licensing.  MacX is also a part of Apple's X Window
System for A/UX product for A/UX 2.0 and later.

MacX 1.1 is an integral part of the upcoming A/UX release 2.0.1, which
will be available in the first quarter of 1991.

MacX is also available as part of the joint Apple/Digital Alliance
product called "DEC LanWORKS for Macintosh" (which is being renamed to
"DEC PathWORKS for Macintosh" due to some problems with the ownership of
the former name).  The version supplied by Digital includes support for
Appletalk and DECnet communications, the full set of DECwindows fonts,
and other tools to aid interoperability between VAX/VMS DECwindows and
MacX.

The X Window System for A/UX 2.1 is available from Apple dealers in
January, 1991 for $395.  It includes MacX 1.1, floppy disk media, and a
large collection of manuals.

For more information about getting these products you can get in touch
with a network-ready Apple dealer or you can call Apple at (408)996-1010
and ask for product information, site license info, upgrade info, or
dealer locations near you.

--
Alan Mimms (alan at apple.com, ...!apple!alan)   | My opinions are generally
A/UX X group                                  | pretty worthless, but
Apple Computer                                | they *are* my own...
"Laugha whila you can, monkey boy..." -- John Whorfin in Buckaroo Bonzai
"Never rub another man's rhubarb" -- The Joker in BatMan