With the onset of the open systems movement, Dick Pick’s Irvine, California-based Pick Systems Inc was forced to begin re-positioning its product as a stand-alone database management system, rather than a complete portable operating system. The launch of its Advanced Pick for some versions of Unix and for MS-DOS last year confirmed the firm’s direction. In the Unix world, Advanced Pick currently runs under AT&T Co Unix System V, Santa Cruz Operation Inc Unix, Data General Corp’s AViiON workstations running Unix System V.4-based DG-UX, ICL Plc DRS 6000 Sparc servers and IBM Corp’s RS/6000. Indeed Pick is claimed to be running on around 20% of IBM’s installed base of RS/6000 users, while Unix is now thought to account for around 25% of Pick’s overall revenues. However, because Pick is not written in the traditional language of Unix – C – the company has had to move the software on to each individual processor architecture, as well as each variant of Unic operating system running on it. Another factor hindering a greater take-up of its Unix versions is that although SQL is widely regarded as an inadequate means of accessing databases, the query language nevertheless enjoys widespread support amongst the Unix community. Pick justifiably asserts that in by-passing SQL it can offer better performance than other Unix database systems, however, it still needs a standard SQL interface to encourage developers to write to it, and to users to encourage users to adopt it. An SQL interface is on its way for this year, says Greg Shandel, Pick’s director of international sales. Ports to Hewlett-Packard Co’s PA RISC chip, Sun Microsystem Inc’s Sparc, Digital Equipment Corp VAX/VMS and MIPS Computer Systems Inc’s RISC/os are planned, but then the company has been talking about these since 1990. The deal to do a version of Pick for IBM’s ES/9000 mainframe is much more concrete – a beta version is expected before the end of the year, with a full release early due in 1993. Also on the way are Windows and Portable NetWare versions of Pick. After opening, then closing, a UK subsidiary, Pick has moved its remaining UK support office to the Haseley Business Centre in Warwick. Further afield, Shandel claims some 700 installations in Russia – a Cyrillic implementation is on sale for roubles – while its base in Moscow may begin to serve as a research and development operation as well as a sales and support office, Shandel says. A UK survey of Pick software developers prepared for the firm by Irvin Ella & Associates found that for 65% of respondents, Pick will play an increasing role in their future plans. Around 40% of developers are software houses with fewer than five employees, while 25% employ at least 20 staff. Most said they would like to see Pick implemented for other Unix systems. The financial stability of the privately-held company was thought to be in danger after it was revealed that founder Dick Pick and his wife were to split: Pick’s wife was thought to control a 40% shareholding in the firm. Shandel says the divorce is still proceeding, but Pick’s wife does not have a significant interest, indicating that that means less than a 25% stake.
