4D Inc. will be demonstrating the next version of WebStar, their Mac server suite, at next week’s Worldwide Developer Conference. They’ll also be showing 4th Dimension 6.7.
The WebSTAR Server Suite features Web, FTP, Mail and Proxy servers integrated in a modular application, with secure, IP-based remote administration. WebSTAR V will take advantage of the speed and stability of Mac OS X, according to Brendan Coveney, 4D president and CEO. 4D 6.7 offers a more flexible development environment, an enriched set of Web development tools and greater support for larger database development, he added.
WebSTAR V for Mac OS X will be far faster than WebSTAR 4 running on Mac OS 9 because it will take full advantage of the new BSD socket network API and preemptive threading, resulting in a tremendous speed boost, according to Coveney. And since Mac OS X will be much more stable than Mac OS 9, a crashing CGI will not result in a crashed server. 4D WebSTAR V will also have new features, he added.
“We are committed to making the transition to Mac OS X as easy as possible for 4D users,” Coveney said earlier this year. “Our goal is for current 4D users to be able to seamlessly port applications from earlier versions to Mac OS X without needing to write or changing a single line of code. We take great pride in the fact that 4D has always supported backwards compatibility between versions and operating systems and we are committed to providing nothing less on the Mac OS X.”
The 4th Dimension product line offers a range of products that can be used together to create an integrated Web-enabled, cross-platform database development solution or as individual components depending on the needs of a business.
“We are working hard to provide developers with the tools their businesses need,” Coveney said in a statement. “Both 4D and 4D WebSTAR are being developed to offer a complete set of tools that can be used together or separate to provide enterprise solutions. We’re especially excited about the future of 4D WebSTAR V, as it will provide web administrators with a tool that truly takes advantage of Mac OS X’s dynamic new features.”