Comments on: Wikipedia on Cullinet and my comments on same http://www.softwarememories.com/2008/05/27/wikipedia-cullinet/ History of software, by somebody who lived it Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:36:06 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Gopi Nathan http://www.softwarememories.com/2008/05/27/wikipedia-cullinet/#comment-41815 Gopi Nathan Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:16:22 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/?p=33#comment-41815 I worked for Cullinet until 1989 in Scandinavia. Today in 2009 I can positively and firmly say that IDMS was the best database ever, if one compares the database features. IDMS was more than a database ie IDMS-DC, IDD and ADS shipped with that making it an almost complete development and runtime environment on IBM/370. IDMS DB/DC ran clean on MVS, DOS/VSE and native VM/CMS. IDMS-DC ran under VM (Even IBM doesn't have CICS running under VM native). Application code was portable across all the three. ie COBOL, ADS code and data definitions basically needed no change. I have never seen such compatibility anywhere else even in the modern era! One can write a lot on why Cullinet failed in 1989. It was wrong poisitioning, market switch to relational db and euphoria on client/server computing. Cullinet itself could have easily saved te company if they had introduced the SQL in 1989, which was needed for marketing reasons. But that time the management at Cullinet were wrongly focussing on VAX products. In fact, IDMS Release 11 was announced in 1987 but shelved in 1988. CA brought out this as Release 12.0 in 1992 with sql support. IDD - the data dictionary was an underestimated product. Even today there is no such complete dictionary on any platform! Active at development (100% ADS and database source is stored here) and active at run time (for ADS load modules). One can go on... IDMS and Cullinet were victims of pseudo market perceptions. The company leaders gave up too early. CA made more money from the product than Cullinet. Applications made in the mid eigthties are still running at a variety of sites even now... see the site for more stories ! I worked for Cullinet until 1989 in Scandinavia. Today in 2009 I can positively and firmly say that IDMS was the best database ever, if one compares the database features. IDMS was more than a database ie IDMS-DC, IDD and ADS shipped with that making it an almost complete development and runtime environment on IBM/370. IDMS DB/DC ran clean on MVS, DOS/VSE and native VM/CMS. IDMS-DC ran under VM (Even IBM doesn’t have CICS running under VM native). Application code was portable across all the three. ie COBOL, ADS code and data definitions basically needed no change. I have never seen such compatibility anywhere else even in the modern era!

One can write a lot on why Cullinet failed in 1989. It was wrong poisitioning, market switch to relational db and euphoria on client/server computing. Cullinet itself could have easily saved te company if they had introduced the SQL in 1989, which was needed for marketing reasons. But that time the management at Cullinet were wrongly focussing on VAX products. In fact, IDMS Release 11 was announced in 1987 but shelved in 1988. CA brought out this as Release 12.0 in 1992 with sql support.

IDD – the data dictionary was an underestimated product. Even today there is no such complete dictionary on any platform! Active at development (100% ADS and database source is stored here) and active at run time (for ADS load modules).

One can go on… IDMS and Cullinet were victims of pseudo market perceptions. The company leaders gave up too early. CA made more money from the product than Cullinet. Applications made in the mid eigthties are still running at a variety of sites even now…

see the site for more stories !

]]> By: Don Casey http://www.softwarememories.com/2008/05/27/wikipedia-cullinet/#comment-37970 Don Casey Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:07:08 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/?p=33#comment-37970 I worked for Culcorp from 1979 thru 1989; but out in California. A few notes: 1) both Nakerud and (the other) Casey returned to Culcorp at one point in the 1980s, 2) IDD was an extension of the original "directory", 3) It would be nice if some mention of IDMS-DC (tp monitor) is included. IDMS-DC had features way beyond CICS when it was introduced, and even today it is hard to pick which is technically superior. The ability to run ordinary application logic WITHIN a combined TP monitor/database engine was revolutionary. I worked for Culcorp from 1979 thru 1989; but out in California. A few notes: 1) both Nakerud and (the other) Casey returned to Culcorp at one point in the 1980s, 2) IDD was an extension of the original “directory”, 3) It would be nice if some mention of IDMS-DC (tp monitor) is included. IDMS-DC had features way beyond CICS when it was introduced, and even today it is hard to pick which is technically superior. The ability to run ordinary application logic WITHIN a combined TP monitor/database engine was revolutionary.

]]> By: Dan Lynch http://www.softwarememories.com/2008/05/27/wikipedia-cullinet/#comment-31334 Dan Lynch Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:50:34 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/?p=33#comment-31334 I always enjoy reading details about the history of Cullinet Software. I spent the first 5 years of my career working at the headquarters building on Blue Hill Drive in Westwood. One can hardly blame Cullinet or claim it to be a "flaw" that they developed GOLDENGATE before Windows. Let's remember that it was May 22, 1990 before version 3.0 of Windows shipped - the first version that offered even the slightest real hint of multi-tasking. And Excel (version 2.1d) was the only GUI app that Microsoft themselves had available for their Windows offering. Oh well - no matter - GOLDENGATE was an awesome product. And Cullinet was a great company to work for. I learned a LOT during those years. I always enjoy reading details about the history of Cullinet Software. I spent the first 5 years of my career working at the headquarters building on Blue Hill Drive in Westwood. One can hardly blame Cullinet or claim it to be a “flaw” that they developed GOLDENGATE before Windows. Let’s remember that it was May 22, 1990 before version 3.0 of Windows shipped – the first version that offered even the slightest real hint of multi-tasking. And Excel (version 2.1d) was the only GUI app that Microsoft themselves had available for their Windows offering. Oh well – no matter – GOLDENGATE was an awesome product. And Cullinet was a great company to work for. I learned a LOT during those years.

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