SoftWindows is available for the leading RISC-based Unix workstations from Silicon Graphics and other hardware manufacturers.

SoftWindows provides integrated access to information throughout an organization by letting PC users and Unix users share the same data and applications. From one workstation users can run native Unix applications, Windows and MS-DOS applications, and also use PC-based networked systems.

SoftWindows allows you to standardize on today's popular productivity applications, such as Microsoft Office and Lotus SmartSuite on PC, Unix, and Macintosh platforms, throughout the organization.

SoftWindows 2 provides full emulation of the Intel 80486 processor, enabling you to exploit the full functionality of current PC software.

Among the features provided by this emulation are:

In addition, the 486 processor emulation provides the environment required to run future versions of Windows.

SoftWindows runs in a window which emulates the main color and monochrome PC display types: SVGA and Hercules.

Indicators in a status bar at the bottom of the SoftWindows window show you whether special keyboard modes or certain configuration options are selected.

SoftWindows also includes color and monochrome Windows display drivers to optimize the performance of Windows and allow it to be run in a window of any size on either color or monochrome displays.

You can switch between a PC application and another Unix application at any time. You can copy and paste text or graphics between PC and Unix applications. Text or graphics can be cut or copied from Windows applications, and is automatically converted into the appropriate format when you paste it into a Unix application.

The SoftWindows menus allow you to configure SoftWindows to suit your PC applications. Many operations that would require hardware or board changes on a real PC can be carried out simply by choosing the appropriate function from one of the SoftWindows menus.

SoftWindows also supports most of the standard text terminals that can be used with your Unix workstation. You can run MDA (Monochrome Display Adapter) PC applications in text mode on a terminal.

Emulated 80486 (real, protected, and virtual-8086 mode).

Emulated 80487 math co-processor using the host computer's math co-processor.

PC memory up to 255 Mbytes.

SVGA graphics for MS-DOS applications. In Windows applications, a SoftWindows display driver is used to pass graphics calls directly to X Windows. This takes full advantage of the host graphics speed and display resolution, up to and beyond resolutions achievable with SVGA graphics.

The host keyboard is used. SoftWindows 2.0 provides an emulated IBM 101-key keyboard that maps to the host keyboard.

The host mouse is used. SoftWindows' own mouse driver allows the mouse to move between the PC and host windows acting as expected in both environments.

SoftWindows uses two Unix files as the PC's C: and (optionally) D: drives. Each drive can be configured to be up to 300 Mbytes. Unix directories can be used for network drives E: through Z: using the SoftWindows File Sharing Architecture (FSA). FSA allows PC software to access Unix files and vice versa.

Drives A: and B: are supported using the host's 3.5-inch drive. SoftWindows ships with the Floppy mapped to the K: drive.

Four communications ports are supported (COM1, COM2, COM3, and COM4) with selectable baud rate, parity, and word format. The serial port on the host is used as a communications port.

Three standard PC printer ports are supported: LPT1, LPT2, and LPT3.

A CD-ROM driver allows PC-format CD-ROMs to be read from within SoftWindows. The Microsoft CD-ROM extensions are included.

SoftWindows includes a set of ODI-compliant network drivers. These allow SoftWindows to access Novell NetWare 3.0 and 4.0, Microsoft LAN Manager, Windows for Workgroups, LAN Workplace for DOS, Winsock (Mosaic and Netscape), Banyan Vines, Microsoft Windows NT Server and other network resources in the same way that a PC can.