| Developer(s) | Professional Software Associates |
|---|---|
| Written in | C++ |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Type | Widget toolkit |
| Website | psa |
The Zinc Application Framework is an application framework, intended for the development of cross-platform software applications with graphical user interface (GUI), using a widget toolkit. Zinc targets both embedded (such as Wind River's VxWorks) and desktop platforms.
History
In 1990 Zinc Software released its first software development package Zinc Interface Library as a tool for Borland Turbo C++. This package allowed creation of text and graphics based user interface, initially only for DOS applications and since the 2.0 release also for Windows programs.
In 1994 Zinc Software introduced version 4.0 of its C++ tool under Zinc Application Framework name. Zinc aimed at cross-platform development of the user interface supporting DOS, Windows, Mac and Unix.
With the release of the version 5 in 1997, Zinc Software changed pricing policy and distributed "Personal Version" of the Zinc Application Framework free of charge for non-commercial use - including source code and limited only by lack of technical support and distribution rights.
Zinc Software was acquired in 1998 by Wind River and continued to operate as a subsidiary.
In 2004 Zinc Software was sold to Professional Software Associates (PSA).
References
- "Product Comparison, Portable GUI frameworks, Program once, port often". InfoWorld. Vol. 17, no. 6. IDG. February 6, 1995. pp. 70–72, 76–78, 80–82. ISSN 0199-6649.
- Zimmer, M. (1996). "The H1 Data-Quality Tool-GUI Programming With A Commercial C++ Class-Library". Proceedings of the International Conference on Computing in High Energy Physics '95: 644. Bibcode:1996chep.conf..642Z. doi:10.1142/9789814447188_0117. ISBN 978-981-02-2783-8.
- Watt, Peggy (May 21, 1990). "Third-Party Tools Announced at Borland's Turbo C++ Rollout". InfoWorld. Vol. 12, no. 21. IDG. p. 21. ISSN 0199-6649.
- Ayre, Rick; Ayre, Sue (December 17, 1991). "Zinc Delivers a Robust Interface Library For Windows Application Development". PC Magazine. Vol. 10, no. 21. Ziff Davis. p. 75. ISSN 0888-8507.
- Johnston, Stuart J. (August 15, 1994). "Zinc unites environments, languages with one code". Computerworld. Vol. 28, no. 33. IDG. p. 72. ISSN 0010-4841.
- "Press Release--Zinc Announces ZAF 5" (Press release). Pleasant Grove, Utah: Zinc Software. June 20, 1997. Archived from the original on February 12, 1998. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- Coffee, Peter (September 29, 1997). "Zinc Application Framework: A too-well-kept secret". PC Week. Archived from the original on June 5, 2001. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- Coffee, Peter (July 6, 1998). "Wind River, Zinc to duel Win CE". PC Week. Archived from the original on April 27, 1999. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- "PSA Press Releases, Milestones Partnering, 2004". PSA. 2006. Archived from the original on December 15, 2006. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
Further reading
- Maxwell, Ken (November 1997). "Creating an Embedded GUI with the Zinc Library, Using Zinc for an Embedded Systems GUI". Embedded Systems Programming. Vol. 10, no. 11. Miller Freeman, Inc. ISSN 1040-3272. Archived from the original on February 12, 1998. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- Parker, Tim (November 1997). "Zn Is Believin': Zinc's Fortified ZAF 5 Toolkit, Zinc Application Framework 5". UNIX Review. Miller Freeman, Inc. ISSN 0742-3136. Archived from the original on December 2, 1998. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- Dragan, Rich (January 1998). "Software Development: Cross-Platform The Native Code Way". Windows Sources. Ziff-Davis. ISSN 1065-9641. Archived from the original on December 5, 1998. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- Xinxin, Liu (2004). "Zinc Application Framework and Its Program Design". Computer & Digital Engineering. CNKI. 2004-01. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
External links
- PSA Zinc Development — 2007
- OpenZinc — open-source software project based on Zinc up to version 4.2