IBM SystemBuilder
Encyclopedia
SystemBuilder is the name of a 4GL development and runtime environment originally written for the Pick
family of computer databases/environments and now part of the Rocket U2 software suite.
The SystemBuilder environment comprises SB+ Server, often running on a Rocket U2 database, and SBClient which runs as a Microsoft Windows
desktop application. The product can be run in either developer or runtime mode.
The development environment enables rapid prototyping, development and deployment of applications and includes a rudimentary GUI
application environment.
by first cousins Neill and Derek Miller in 1982. The popularity of the Pick database system, combined with a lack of a good development framework led them to develop a standardised menu and screen building tool.
The System Builder Software company was incorporated in the Isle of Man
when the cousins moved to Sydney
, Australia
in the early 1980's. The product was very successful and after expanding into international markets and after a few versions they began to re-develop the product from the ground up. This was to become SB+ and was released in early 1990.
Traditionally, up to this time, Pick systems were accessed using dumb green-screen terminals but with the rise of the PC
a new paradigm presented itself and so around the end of 1991 the product was enhanced with the addition of a specialised terminal emulation client called Termulator!. This was able to tightly integrate the server and the PC to allow for facilities like downloads direct from the server into Lotus 1-2-3 or the new kid on the block, Microsoft Excel
.
Shortly after, the client program was renamed SBClient and the ability to render the server 'green-screens' as client GUI screens was added with a clever set of driver interpreters. Unfortunately, even to the present day, the client GUI never lived up to the expectations of the rapidly changing world of the PC desktop. A few staunch supporters of the GUI layer still persist using it for systems but it remains a slow, staid, inflexible, standards-lite, curmudgeon of an interface. (IBM was rewriting the GUI interface as an SOA for release sometime in 2007. Hopefully it will live up to the potential of the concepts underlying the server.)
Having been bought by Unidata Corporation in 1996, and following Unidata's merger with VMark Software to form Ardent Software in 1998, the SystemBuilder product set came under the ownership of Informix
in 2000 following their purchase of Ardent Software for its Datastage
product. Subsequently in 2001 Informix themselves were bought by IBM, and the U2 and SystemBuilder products eventually found their way to become part of IBM's Data Management portfolio.
Development of the SystemBuilder and RedBack products continued in Sydney until 2005, when they were merged with the U2 development team located in Denver, USA.
On the 1st of October 2009 Rocket Software announced the purchase of the entire U2 suite, which includes SystemBuilder, from IBM.
programming language, an expression language, the GUI components and report writer tool.
Pick operating system
The Pick operating system is a demand-paged, multiuser, virtual memory, time-sharing operating system based around a unique "multivalued" database. Pick is used primarily for business data processing...
family of computer databases/environments and now part of the Rocket U2 software suite.
The SystemBuilder environment comprises SB+ Server, often running on a Rocket U2 database, and SBClient which runs as a Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
desktop application. The product can be run in either developer or runtime mode.
The development environment enables rapid prototyping, development and deployment of applications and includes a rudimentary GUI
Gui
Gui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
application environment.
History
System Builder was started in a garden shed in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
by first cousins Neill and Derek Miller in 1982. The popularity of the Pick database system, combined with a lack of a good development framework led them to develop a standardised menu and screen building tool.
The System Builder Software company was incorporated in the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
when the cousins moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the early 1980's. The product was very successful and after expanding into international markets and after a few versions they began to re-develop the product from the ground up. This was to become SB+ and was released in early 1990.
Traditionally, up to this time, Pick systems were accessed using dumb green-screen terminals but with the rise of the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
a new paradigm presented itself and so around the end of 1991 the product was enhanced with the addition of a specialised terminal emulation client called Termulator!. This was able to tightly integrate the server and the PC to allow for facilities like downloads direct from the server into Lotus 1-2-3 or the new kid on the block, Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is a proprietary commercial spreadsheet application written and distributed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It features calculation, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications...
.
Shortly after, the client program was renamed SBClient and the ability to render the server 'green-screens' as client GUI screens was added with a clever set of driver interpreters. Unfortunately, even to the present day, the client GUI never lived up to the expectations of the rapidly changing world of the PC desktop. A few staunch supporters of the GUI layer still persist using it for systems but it remains a slow, staid, inflexible, standards-lite, curmudgeon of an interface. (IBM was rewriting the GUI interface as an SOA for release sometime in 2007. Hopefully it will live up to the potential of the concepts underlying the server.)
Having been bought by Unidata Corporation in 1996, and following Unidata's merger with VMark Software to form Ardent Software in 1998, the SystemBuilder product set came under the ownership of Informix
Informix
IBM Informix is a family of relational database management system developed by IBM. It is positioned as IBM's flagship data server for online transaction processing as well as integrated solutions...
in 2000 following their purchase of Ardent Software for its Datastage
Datastage
IBM InfoSphere DataStage is an ETL tool and part of the IBM Information Platforms Solutions suite and IBM InfoSphere. It uses a graphical notation to construct data integration solutions and is available in various versions such as the Server Edition and the Enterprise Edition.DataStage originated...
product. Subsequently in 2001 Informix themselves were bought by IBM, and the U2 and SystemBuilder products eventually found their way to become part of IBM's Data Management portfolio.
Development of the SystemBuilder and RedBack products continued in Sydney until 2005, when they were merged with the U2 development team located in Denver, USA.
On the 1st of October 2009 Rocket Software announced the purchase of the entire U2 suite, which includes SystemBuilder, from IBM.
The SystemBuilder Development Environment
The System Builder/SB+ server environment is based around a set of key tools and utilities. These leverage out to provide a powerful and comprehensive development environment which is, itself, built mainly from these tools. SB+ includes an application menuing system, screen generator, a 3GLThird-generation programming language
A third-generation programming language is a refinement of a second-generation programming language. The second generation of programming languages brought logical structure to software. The third generation brought refinements to make the languages more programmer-friendly...
programming language, an expression language, the GUI components and report writer tool.