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PointBase Announces the First Truly Global Java Database With Multi-Language Support
PointBase's multi-user embedded database streamlines global data distribution and management with support for Unicode standard
SAN MATEO, CA, September 20, 1999 — PointBase, the Java embedded database company led by Oracle Corporation co-founder Bruce Scott and coming on strong in the e-commerce applications arena, today announced that its 100% Pure Java™ database products now fully support the Unicode standard for international languages. This standard includes support for the principal languages of the world including those in use in European and Pacific Rim countries, along with capabilities to support regional language variations. PointBase's multi-level implementation of Unicode allows developers to select language support for individual database columns, tables, database schemas, or entire databases depending upon application requirements. Unicode capabilities will be generally available to customers in release 3.0 of the PointBase product planned for delivery in the fourth quarter of 1999.
The impetus behind the Unicode standard is the Internet, which is driving the need for applications to be simultaneously localized and internationalized. By supporting Unicode, the PointBase Mobile Edition database, which supports mobile applications and Internet appliances, and the PointBase Network Server, which supports Java servers and e-commerce applications, can now provide data distribution and management for mobile workers that deal with international data or for Internet applications that manage data from multiple international sources.
"PointBase's Unicode feature allows us to support all of our European clients using one application and database design. The system is sufficiently flexible to support the more than 20 languages used in the European community," said Stephan Albers, principle partner of Albers & Frommberger Multiusersystemes, a systems integration firm based in Dortmund, Germany. "The language support now available in PointBase allows us to design one application with a single database that supports all European countries, instead of having to support several independent databases for each country and language."
"Applications with PointBase inside can now hurdle international borders as if they didn't exist," said Bruce Scott, president and CEO of PointBase "This capability gives Java application developers a powerful new tool that can be deployed anywhere in the world. We view the Unicode feature in PointBase as an essential element for extending database-driven applications to global multi-lingual communities on the web."
About Unicode
The Unicode Worldwide Character Standard is a 16-bit international character encoding system for information processing. Designed to support the interchange, processing, and display of the written texts of the diverse languages of the modern world, it also supports the classical and historical texts of many written languages. Encompassing the principal scripts of the world, the Unicode Standard provides the foundation for the internationalization and localization of software. Java, Windows NT, AIX, NetWare 4.0, QuickDraw GX, and now PointBase's embedded databases, are but a few of the applications which are Unicode Standard compliant.
The Unicode Consortium, in cooperation with the ISO, is responsible for defining the behavior and relationships between Unicode characters, and providing technical information to implementers. Consortium members include major computer corporations, software producers, database vendors, research institutions, international agencies, various user groups, and interested individuals.
The PointBase Mobile Edition and Network Server
The PointBase Mobile Edition is an embedded database for applications that support mobile workers and Internet appliances such as PDAs, set-top boxes and even potentially such devices as car navigation systems. The PointBase Network Server is an embedded database for networked applications and is especially suited to e-commerce and Java servers.
About Albers & Frommberger
Founded in 1991 and based in Dortmund, Germany, Albers & Frommberger is a software company offering complete Enterprise Resource Planning solutions for manufacturing companies. The Company's services include software development projects, consulting services, hardware procurement and installation, and training in conjunction with its jCatalog™, electronic catalog for Internet, CD and print applications.
About PointBase
The PointBase family of 100% Pure Java embedded data management products enables a new class of Java-based networked applications to support e-commerce, Web-based mobile workers, and Internet devices such as set-top boxes. PointBase provides the lowest cost of ownership by delivering robust, platform-independent data storage with breakthroughs in ease of use, data synchronization, near-zero administration, and portability.
PointBase was established in 1998 by Bruce Scott, co-founder of Oracle Corporation and Gupta/Centura Software, and Jeff Richey, one of the key developers of the Sybase SQL database server. The management team includes industry veterans from IBM, Oracle, Sybase, Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems. More information about PointBase is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.pointbase.com.
Note to Editors — PointBase, Dynamic Footprint, and Adaptive Management are registered trademarks of PointBase in the United States and other countries. Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, Java, and 100% Pure Java, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other product, trademark, company or service names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.
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