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BAAN & Uniface

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Craig D. Lansing

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Jul 10, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/10/96
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I recently attended a presentation by BAAN which included an
overview of their product offerings, but also covered the
development environment with some detail. I couldn't help
but notice how close BAAN's development environment looks
like Uniface's. The whole multi user interface, platform,
and DBMS independence is much like Uniface's, but it goes
even further than that. Key terms (like Domains in Uniface
V5) and concepts are the same. The forms painter looks almost
exactly the same... somewhere about Uniface Version 5 1/2.
A propietary host connectivity is used, much like Polyserver.

Does anyone know whether there is some tie between BAAN and
Uniface, beyond the fact that they both are based in The
Netherlands? Are they just similar because they have had the
same growth path and adherence to the POSIX model? Is it a
"European thing" and I just wouldn't understand? I just thought
that it was interesting how close the development end of the
two products is. Obviously, BAAN has more to offer in the way
of an application suite on top of the development environment...
or at least they have marketed it better :) But, the development
end of things is extremely similar.

Has anyone developed with both products and can provide some
insight into how close the two really are? What are some of
the key similarities and differences?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Craig D. Lansing | Much has been learned through bats
METRO Information Services, Inc. | about radar--bombing the moon is now
Virginia Beach, Virginia | a possibility and mighty attractive
lan...@gc.net | because it can't bomb back. POGO 1949

Ruud H.G. van Tol

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Jul 12, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/12/96
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At 14:25 12-07-96 -0700, "Avi Ram" <Avi...@compuware.com> wrote:
> Hi Craig!
> You hit at the right thing. I think it's 'Europian' thing. A great
> deal of masterminding in both products have been originated in
> Holland. I know nothing about BAAN but some friends (who work on BAAN)
> of mine confirm your observation. I hope this similarity will help
> both Uniface and BAAN in taking more market share.
> Looking forward to hear from those who know BAAN!
>
> avi ram.
>
Who knows a good Baan mail-list?
Thanks,
------------------------------------------------------------------
| Ruud H.G. van Tol | ISOLUTION B.V. | At Data'dam they |
| fax +31 (0)20 4282001 | AMSTERDAM | call me Dr.Ruud |
------------------------------------------------------------------
Poetry doesn't belong to who wrote it, but to who needs it.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~rvtol/


Avi Ram

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Jul 12, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/12/96
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Craig D. Lansing

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Jul 15, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/15/96
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"Avi Ram" <Avi...@compuware.com> wrote:

Yours is the only reply that I've gotten so far. At least I know that
I'm not the only one who saw some similarities. Ask your "friends" if
Uniface development experience is actually applicable to BAAN
development.


Jeffrey S. Mann

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Jul 15, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/15/96
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lan...@global.gc.net (Craig D. Lansing) wrote:
>I recently attended a presentation by BAAN which included an
>overview of their product offerings, but also covered the
>development environment with some detail. I couldn't help
>but notice how close BAAN's development environment looks
>like Uniface's. The whole multi user interface, platform,
>and DBMS independence is much like Uniface's, but it goes
>even further than that. Key terms (like Domains in Uniface
>V5) and concepts are the same. The forms painter looks almost
>exactly the same... somewhere about Uniface Version 5 1/2.
>A propietary host connectivity is used, much like Polyserver.

>Does anyone know whether there is some tie between BAAN and
>Uniface, beyond the fact that they both are based in The
>Netherlands? Are they just similar because they have had the
>same growth path and adherence to the POSIX model? Is it a
>"European thing" and I just wouldn't understand? I just thought
>that it was interesting how close the development end of the
>two products is. Obviously, BAAN has more to offer in the way
>of an application suite on top of the development environment...
>or at least they have marketed it better :) But, the development
>end of things is extremely similar.

Aside from both originating from Holland, there hasn't been any formal
cooperation between BAAN and UNIFACE, although some employees have moved
between the two companies. I can remember a meeting many years ago to
explore some kind of cooperation, but we realized that the technology was
100% overlapping. That's not a good basis for a venture.

Baan is primarily an application vendor. They sell a suite of applications
which competes with SAP and Oracle's Financials and Manufacturing packages.
They also sell a tool called Triton (I think; that could be the name of the
application suite). However, as far as I know it's primarily of interest to
people who use the Baan applications and want to build add-ons. I haven't
heard that it was positioned to stand on its own.

Jeffrey Mann
-- Look for "Client-Server Development with UNIFACE" late 1996 --
Jeffrey Mann e-mail: ma...@ibm.net
Bloemgracht 189/1 Les Cottes, Chabotte
1016 KP Amsterdam 26420 St. Agnan en Vercors
The Netherlands France


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