Instantiations Broadens RCP Developer Support for Linux Platform

September 9 2006

Instantiations Inc., a leading provider of advanced software development solutions, today announced version 2.0 of RCP Developer(TM), its popular development tool for creating Eclipse Rich Client Platform (RCP) applications. The latest version adds Help Composer(TM) and extends Linux support for RCP Packager(TM) and WindowTester(TM). RCP Developer accelerates the creation of rich client applications by harnessing the power of Eclipse RCP to bring Java back to the desktop. Announced last March, it is the first development tool that enables developers to exploit Eclipse RCP core services for creating Java-based client and standalone desktop applications. The company is showing the new version at EclipseWorld in Cambridge, Mass., Sept. 6-8.

Levels Playing Field for Linux

"Developers using either a Linux or Windows platform can take advantage of RCP Developer's new Help Composer," said Mike Taylor, CEO of Instantiations "But the new version of RCP Developer levels the playing field for Linux. By deepening our support for Linux, we are providing developers who prefer that platform with the ability to design, create, test, document and build their software -- even applications designed to run on Microsoft Windows -- completely within the Linux environment."

Help Composer Eases Documentation Effort

"Building good help files is a pain for developers, but is critically important to users," said Dan Rubel, CTO of Instantiations. "It's a task that commonly gets short shrift by development teams, Help Composer reduces the time and effort it takes to create both Eclipse and web based help files."

The help composing function in RCP Developer 2.0 is fully compatible with the Eclipse Help system. It assists in linking the logical and physical structure of help files to an application in a consistent and reliable way. The Help Composer also can quickly translate help files into web pages using an organization's standard templates and style sheets to create easy to navigate Web-based documentation. Using Help Composer, developer needn't worry about their application Help files and Web-based Help documents being out of sync.

RCP Developer 2.0 Features

Several new features in RCP Developer 2.0 assist developers in delivering Java client applications to their customers faster and with more consistency whether they are using Linux or Windows-based platforms. Each of the major components of the product have new capabilities making it easier for developers to focus on creating business logic, rather than handcrafting and maintaining the infrastructure code needed for their application to run. These include:

-- Help Composer(TM) is a new function that simplifies documentation

creation inside Eclipse and in the Eclipse Help format. The Help

Composer easily produces and maintains Help files and documentation for

RCP applications. It can also easily translate Help files into Web

pages.

-- WindowTester(TM) automates testing of the graphical user interfaces

that comprise Eclipse RCP applications and now assures quality GUIs for

the Linux platform. Developers using the Linux platform can now assure

the correct performance of their GUI interface for Windows and Linux

applications through automated recording, test generation, assertion

coding and playback facilities.

-- RCP Packager(TM) streamlines the build and deployment process for

Eclipse RCP applications and has been extended to provide deeper

support for developers using Linux. Support for Linux includes

assembling application elements together into a single package for easy

deployment and update. RCP Packager helps developers using either the

Windows or Linux platform reliably create and maintain high-quality

Eclipse RCP installations while easing application deployment.

-- SWT Designer(TM) supports GUI design and construction using all popular

layout managers including the powerful GroupLayout. SWT Designer gives

developers complete control over user interface construction through

intuitive visual design, native look-and-feel, and access to the high

performance SWT GUI framework of Eclipse RCP.

Price and Availability

RCP Developer version 2.0 is available immediately through either a software subscription or by a traditional software license, allowing users to select the approach that best suits their needs.

For users who prefer more flexibility or a lower initial investment, the company offers a per developer subscription price of $199 (US) a year for the RCP Developer Tools Library(TM). The yearly subscription provides access to all the product tools available in the library -- including SWT Designer, WindowTester Help Composer and RCP Packager -- as well as upgrades and technical support. For users who prefer a standard software license agreement, Instantiations offers RCP Developer for $499 (US). These offerings include one year of upgrade, maintenance and technical support.

Full feature evaluation licenses and site license pricing is also available. More information can be found on the company's website at http://www.instantiations.com .

About Instantiations

Instantiations Inc. provides leading-edge software products, services and technologies for Eclipse, Java and Smalltalk. Through an industry partnership with IBM, Instantiations offers professional development environments and software products that integrate seamlessly with the latest development platforms. Instantiations is a member of the Eclipse Foundation and offers a line of products for Eclipse, IBM Rational, IBM WebSphere Studio and MyEclipse. Based in Portland, Ore., Instantiations was founded in 1997 by a team of internationally recognized pioneers in component software technology. For more information, visit http://www.instantiations.com or call 800-808-3737.

NOTE: RCP Developer, SWT Designer, WindowTester, Help Composer and RCP Packager are trademarks of Instantiations Inc. Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective companies.