4 SOFTWARE BRIDGE I-Bridge is a commercial sources and a set of high version of core software level interface components. developed under a Small The components fetch data Business Innovation from UNIX and prepare it for Research (SBIR) grant from Windows application. By I-K ineticsTMI,n c., Burling- NASA, under which the com- communicating directly with ton, Massachusetts, is a pany developed and refined the components instead of new software company the Object Express data the data sources, the devel- formed to develop high per- encodingldecoding technolo- oper has a single access formance distributed com- gy that makes it easier for method for all types of data puting products that Windows applications on sources, including databases, integrate applications across the PC to "talk with UNIX UNIX utilities, and applica- multiple operating systems services. tions that control, analyze or and frameworks. The compa- I-Bridge is in commercial generate data. ny focuses on developing service with a variety of cus- Below is the Graphical practical applications solu- tomers. Example: in a major User Interface. At right is a tions to be deployed in large mutual fund investment com- modular representation of a distributed information sys- pany, fund portfolio man- way in which a corporation tems that integrate UNIX rela- agers are using I-Bridge might use I-Bridge; it can be tional databases and UNIX regularly to compare their used to connect different applications with popular funds' performance against operating systems in an Microsoft Windows applica- various benchmarks. Anoth- office and to allow workers in tions. I-Kinetics' products are er example: a manufacturer one facility to access infor- used to support securities uses the I-Bridge to analyze mation from computers in trading, financial manage- statistical quality data. different buildings, cities or ment, operations, planning I-Bridge is designed to sim- different countries. At lower and scheduling, integrated plify development tasks by right, a group of I-Kinetics design and manufacturing, offering the developer an computer engineers is work- and project management object model of the data ing on advancements to the applications. Among the company's products is the I-Bridge@ family of software systems that allows users of Windows applications to gain quick, easy access to databases, programs and files on UNIX services. Information goes directly onto spreadsheets and other applications: users system; at left is company tional databases, I-Bridge I-Kinetics, Inc. was formed president Dr. Bruce H. also includes an adapter that by Dr. Cottman, who had ear- Cottman. The I-Bridge family provides access to these pro- lier co-founded another soft- includes object adapters for grams and allows Windows ware development company, popular relational databases. applications to invoke UNK Symbiotics, Inc. In 1991, Since a large percentage of applications and high level Dr. Cottman led Symbiotic's enterprise data is not in rela- language scripts. spinoff of its R&D Division to become I-Kinetics. TMI-Kineticsis a trademark of I-Knetjcs, Inc "I-Bridge is a registered trademark of I-Kinetics, Inc. COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY