Announcement of Genera 7.2

[Scott Garren <garren@scrc-stony-brook.arpa>]

    Date: Mon, 11 Apr 88 13:34 EDT
    From: garren@STONY-BROOK.SCRC.Symbolics.COM



    Contact:
	
						    Scott Garren	
						    Symbolics, Inc.	
						    (617) 621-7500	


						    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    SYMBOLICS ANNOUNCES UPGRADE OF ITS GENERA OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE

    CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 23 - Symbolics, Inc. today announced an
    extensive upgrade of its Genera(R) operating system software, used by
    all Symbolics computers.  The Company will begin shipping the system in
    mid-April.

    The update, called Genera Release 7.2, features dramatically higher
    performance, particularly in interactive response, and provides full
    upward compatibility with Genera 7.1.

    "Genera 7.2 includes many important advances in technology and user
    convenience as well as the improvements in performance and reliability
    that have come to be expected from Symbolics, " said David Stryker,
    Program Director, Software Products.

    "The system is much easier to use.  The user interface has been extended
    consistently across major system components.  In addition, there are
    eight new manuals in the documentation set, five of them specifically
    for new users."

    "Included is a workbook for new users with a series of interactive
    sessions that demonstrate major system tools.  Other new documentation
    is targeted at experienced users, most notably complete documentation of
    the Symbolics window system and Symbolics extensions to Common Lisp."

    Mabry Tyson of the SRI International in California commented, "In
    summary, after beta-testing, I am quite pleased with 7.2.  My
    compliments and congratulations to all who have worked on it."

			   Long List of New Features	

    A complete undo facility for the editor has been added, along with a new
    hints facility called "HackSaws" that provides interesting, useful facts
    about Genera for new and current users.

    Disk space requirements are far less in Genera 7.2.  Despite the
    extensive additions, the size of the Genera system has been cut by 15
    percent from Genera 7.1.  A new network booting facility greatly cuts
    down on the amount of disk space required per user as well as
    simplifying management.

    New metering tools help users build better, faster applications.  The
    metering tools have an easy-to-use graphical interface.  Complete
    control over the amount of detail is provided,allowing programmers to
    look closely at specific aras using fine resolution, or to take a broad
    overview of the general state of their application.

    Genera 7.2 features a full graphics system using the PostScript(TM)
    imaging model whichallows device-independent graphics in either Lisp or
    PostScript syntax.

    All Genera 7.2 sources are available, either as part of the operating
    system or on the new Supplemental Genera 7.2 Source Tape.  The
    supplemental tape is available at a price of $7,500.

    Genera 7.2 also includes support for a number of layered products:

    Symbolics C (TM) - with syntax-directed editing, incremental
    compilation, source-leveling debugging and the standard reference
    documentation, C:  A Reference Manual byHarbison and Steele
    (Prentice-Hall), available on-line.

    SNA 3270 Communications Systems - permitting programs on Symbolics
    system to work directly with data on IBM(TM) mainframes.

    Symbolics Prolog(TM) - with a Trace Window spy facility and with
    syntax-directed editing, incremental compilation, source-level
    debugging, and the standard reference documentation, Programming in
    Prolog by Clocksin and Mellish (Springer-Verlag), available on-line.

    Symbolics Pascal(TM) - with syntax-directed editing, incremental
    compilation,s ource-level debugging, and the standard reference
    documentation, Pascal User Manual and Report by Jensen and Wirth
    (Springer-Verlag), available on-line.

    The new release also includes support for new hardware:

    A system with a color console only, 6250 bpi tape drive, the recently
    announced Symbolics 3653(TM) multi-set departmental development system,
    the new Symbolics 3630, and support for future personal computer-based
    delivery platforms.

    The majority of Symbolics customers have yearly service agreements and
    will automatically receive a free Genera 7.2 upgrade kit in April or
    May.  All Symbolics systemsscheduled for delivery in April and
    thereafter will include Genera 7.2.

    Symbolics, Inc., headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., with operations in
    Chatsworth,Calif., in the leading manufacturer and marketer of symbolic
    processing systems for developing and running complex, strategic
    software.  For its fiscal year ended June 30, 1987, Symbolics had
    revenues in excess of $103 million.  The company's stock is traded over
    the NASDAQ system (SMBX).-0-Genera is a registered trademark of
    Symbolics, Inc. Symbolics, Symbolics C, Symbolics Pascal,Symbolics
    Fortran, and Symbolics 3653 are trademarks of Symbolics, Inc.

    PostScript is a trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc.

    IBM is a trademark of International Business Machine Corporation