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Be Newsletter
Issue 12, February 28, 1996
Table of Contents
BE ENGINEERING INSIGHTS:
Speeding with the BeBox
By Benoît Schillings
Since the performance of applications is pretty important on
the BeBox, here are some hints that can save you time both
during execution and when writing code.
The first thing you can do to slow the machine to a crawl is
to use the View system. The application server keeps the
exact clipping region for every view in a window up to date.
When the number of views gets large, the clipping region for
the view hierarchies can become very complex to maintain!
Furthermore, when part of a window needs to be redrawn, the
protocol between the server and the client for view redraw
is synchronous, meaning that there is a substantial fixed
overhead for view redrawing.
Need I say more? Many views cause poor performance; fewer
views containing simple user views are often faster and
aren't much harder to implement. The Browser offers a good
example, using its own simple view system to represent
icons.
Most of the communication between a client window and the
application server is done using buffered messages. This
means that multiple graphic requests are queued in a buffer
before being sent to the app_server. This dramatically
reduces the overhead of a client-server architecture by
reducing the number of context switches. However, there are
a number of calls that can't be buffered due to some
synchronization issues or the need for an immediate result
from the server. The best example is probably StringWidth.
If you do some timing using bitmap fonts (such as Erich and
Kate), you'll find that drawing the string is much faster
than measuring it. Be cautious with StringWidth. Consider
caching the width of certain strings locally, or creating
your own width table for a given size of typeface.
Some other calls that use a synchronous protocol include:
- ConvertToScreen, ConvertFromScreen, ConvertToParent,
and so on
- Frame, Bounds
- Many "Get" calls (GetMouse, GetKeys, and so on)
- PenSize, StringWidth, and other font measuring calls
- LowColor, HighColor, DrawingMode
- CopyBits, DrawBitmap (since the bitmap can be
modified by another thread!)
- Set/GetClippingRegion
A common mistake is to use the Bounds() method of BView
inside a drawing loop each time you need the bounds of the
view. This is a perfect case for caching, since the bounds
won't change while drawing. In fact, most of the synchronous
calls can be cached before using them in a loop, with the
obvious exception of GetMouse, GetKeys, and so on, which are
used to poll changing information.
When redrawing the content of a window, the application
server rejects any view that doesn't intersect the update
area. Of course, you're still responsible for rejecting
within your view, since you know exactly what needs to be
drawn. The first stage is to use the rectangle passed to
Draw(); the difference can be amazing. The second stage is
to ask for the clipping region, using the GetClippingRegion
call.
The BeginLineArray... AddLine... EndLineArray system is
another good technique for squeezing more drawing speed out
of the system. This technique is quite a bit faster than the
regular MovePen... StrokeLine..., often by a factor of 10!
When combined with a thick pen size, LineArray can be used
for some strange purposes, like drawing a color palette.
At this point, Bitmap fonts are an order of magnitude faster
than TrueType(TM) fonts. This will improve in the future,
but using bitmap fonts for common user interface items will
make things much smoother!
These are just a few little tips for improving the
performance and efficiency of your applications.
BE DEVELOPER PROFILE:
Brookline Software
Dan Schwarz, founder of Brookline Software, specializes
in utility software -- so far, primarily for the Macintosh.
He sees his role as "finding gaps in the software where
Apple didn't supply something useful, and leaping in to fill
that niche." He's hoping to do similar things for the
BeBox.
Not that he expects the Be Operating System to have a lot of
gaps. On the contrary, he says, "I know that the Be folks
have learned a lot from Apple's mistakes. But the system is
still very immature, and it seems like it's ripe for small
developers to jump in and do this kind of thing."
Brookline Software has two major Mac products. The first,
SerialSpeed 230, addresses the fact that Mac serial ports
are faster than most software can handle. It "brings the
software up to speed," Schwarz explains. The second, the
brand-new PrinterSwitch, fills "a longtime gap. It's very
inconvenient on the Mac to switch between printers," Schwarz
says. "The Chooser has been there since 1984, and no one's
done anything with it. Finally, I just got fed up and said,
here's a better way to do this." The products are
distributed over the Internet as shareware, a practice
Schwarz expects to continue "for the foreseeable
future."
Schwarz was attracted to the BeBox because he feels that, as
a small developer, he has a good chance to establish himself
with it. "It's a new platform, and the big players have not
established a foothold as far as killer applications and
utilities go," he says. "I'm not hoping to compete
effectively against Symantec or Microsoft. But in a field
where it's all new, it's a much more level playing field,
and there are more opportunities to be exploited."
He compares the BeBox now to the Macintosh in 1984. "There
were a couple of players who jumped in with software that
filled a need and became a de facto standard," he says,
pointing to Aladdin's StuffIt SpaceSaver as an example.
"They were able to come out with a quality product early,
and no one's been able to knock off their lead since then.
I'm hoping to replicate that sort of success."
Schwarz has high hopes for the future of the BeBox -- and
for Brookline Software. "Assuming [Be] really hits a market,
and really makes an impact on it, I could see them shipping
a lot of units, expanding over a decade," he says. "And the
people that get in first, with products that make a
difference, are going to be the ones that benefit
disproportionately. And that's where I'd like to be."
You can learn more about Brookline Software's products at
Schwarz's web site:
http://www.cs.brandeis.edu/~dan/home.html.
Where Will You Purchase
Be Products?
By Mark Gonzales
Here at Be, we've been talking with many (many, many) people
and companies about how best to distribute the Be System --
both hardware and software. There has certainly been no
shortage of ideas and suggestions from other players in the
industry. But when we think about this question, we think
more in customer-oriented terms. Where do customers purchase
hardware and software today? Where are they likely to do so
in the future? And what are the most convenient and
cost-effective channels, since customers are constantly on
the lookout for better value?
If you think of it from the customer's point of view, the
problem becomes simpler. Customers should be able to learn
about and order your products via any of three methods:
Through the Internet, by turning to a local reseller or VAR,
or by picking up the phone.
The Internet
Over the last year the Internet has burst onto the scene,
bringing millions of personal computer users with it. This
has been especially true in the United States, where it is
safe to say that the most influential customers in the
market all have Internet access and use it regularly.
But the impact of the Internet isn't limited to changes in
product and technology design -- it's causing a revolution
in how computing products are marketed and sold.
Not so many years ago, Dell Computer started a business in a
dorm room, selling personal computers over the phone. Dell
built its business through this innovation -- making it easy
for customers to order custom-configured PCs and have them
delivered directly for a great price. What Dell knew that
other industry players didn't was that customers were
becoming more knowledgeable, and better able to make product
decisions themselves.
Looking out onto today's marketplace, it doesn't take much
to draw the parallels between this innovation over the phone
lines and the Internet. But more important, the Internet can
provide more customer service than the phone can provide.
The Internet can deliver words, pictures, and other product
information. It can provide links to related products from
any company -- a critically important concept in the PC
industry. It can be interactive, working with the user to
configure a system, for example. It can deliver bits
directly to the customer's machine, meaning it can deliver
software. And to top it all off, the Internet provides all
of this at a fraction of the cost of any other distribution
method.
Because of all of this, it's not a question of whether the
Internet will be used to market and sell PC gear, it's only
a question of when. The answer is today. Expect to see an
explosion in this area of the Internet in 1996, and expect
to see Be participating.
Resellers
There are many configuration and marketing problems that
can't be solved over the phone or the Internet. The latter
methods assume that you already know what you're planning to
purchase. But what if you need expert advice about how to
solve problems in a more complex environment than simply a
home or small office?
That's where value-added dealers and resellers (VADs and
VARs) come in. Overall, computer resellers have experienced
hard times over the last few years, as customers have
shifted to low-cost channels for single-purchase and
commodity equipment sales -- from small resellers, to
computer superstores, and now to the phone and the Internet.
But the fact is, the base of VARs in the US is stronger
today than ever and they're solidly delivering to a wide
number of markets.
Why? Because these resellers have focused on specific
customer segments and developed expertise in a wide array of
vertical applications. If you're a growing graphic design
firm, for example, it makes sense to turn to a value-added
reseller to gain advice about how to set up an entire office
and to make sure you purchase the right amount of the right
equipment. Avoiding a single purchase mistake can easily
overcome any price difference between a VAR and direct
channels -- not to mention the time you can save getting
everything up and running. As long as this is true, there
will always be a strong reseller presence in the market.
The Phone
Last, customers should be able to pick up the phone to
order products. Customer can call a company directly, or
they can call a national reseller (commonly referred to as
"mail order").
Phone ordering has no equal in accessibility and
convenience. It's often the least expensive channel as well,
matched only by Internet ordering. The main disadvantage to
this channel is its inability to deliver information -- you
need to know pretty much exactly what you want before you
call. Don't expect a lot of detailed advice from the
operator at the other end of the line.
The Be Plan
So where will Be play? Over the long term we plan to make
it easy for customers to purchase Be products through any of
these three avenues. You'll see some differences in our
implementation between countries -- the level of channel
development differs among nations. But our general
philosophy in distribution is customer-oriented -- we should
be where our customers expect to be able to purchase
personal computer equipment. It would be arrogant to make
customers come to us.
In the United States, expect to see Be develop the Internet
channels and value-added resellers first. We'll be moving on
both fronts in 1996. This means you'll be able to order
directly via the Internet, configuring your BeBox to your
own specs. And you'll be able to purchase a Be System from a
knowledgeable reseller who can provide integration and
software expertise. Be resellers will have full access to Be
and our configuration systems, so they can deliver a high
level of service, and get customers up and running quickly.
As we complete these channels, we'll then implement phone
ordering, likely in partnership with our reseller
network.
Will you see BeBoxes in your local consumer electronics
store or computer superstore? In the US, these high-tech
supermarkets have business models that depend on high
inventory turnover and they're very sensitive to changes in
volume. For this reason, the rise of lower-cost channels
such as phone-ordering and the Internet present a
significant challenge. In addition, the resurgence of
competitive VARs in specialized markets blocks a retreat
into customer niches. Needless to say, these distribution
players have many issues to solve in the near future that
may distract them from focusing on emerging players such as
Be. I'm sure some of my colleagues within these superstores
will disagree with me (and can tell me so at
markg@be.com). If so we
may see some of these outlets carrying Be products in the
future.
Just as Be is taking advantage of changes in the technology
landscape, we're using changes in the business of selling
personal computer hardware and software to help define a new
-- and hopefully more customer-aligned -- way of
distributing products. Stay tuned as we make announcements
throughout 1996 about distribution partnerships.
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