PowerHouse (programming language): Difference between revisions

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'''PowerHouse''' is a trademarked name for a family of [[Bytecode|byte-compiled]] [[fourth-generation programming language]]s (or 4GL) originally produced by [[Quasar Corporation|Quasar (later renamed [[Cognos]] Incorporated) for the [[Hewlett-Packard]] ''[[HP3000]]'' mini-computer. It was initially composed of threefive components:

* ''QDD, or Quasar Data Dictionary'': for building a central data dictionary used by all other components

* ''QuickQDesign'': an interactive,a character-based screen generator

* ''Quick'': an interactive, character-based screen processor (running screens generated by QDesign)

* ''Quiz'': a report writer

* ''QTP'',: a batch transaction processor.

* ''Quick'': an interactive, character-based screen generator

* ''QTP'', a batch transaction processor.

All three components were dependent upon a central Data Dictionary, ''QDD'' and later ''PDL''.

== History ==

PowerHouse was introduced in 1982 by Quasar Corporation and bundled together in a single product Quiz and Quick/QDesign, both of which had been previously available separately, with a new batch processor QTP, now sold as a single product. In 1983, Quasar changed its name to ''[[Cognos]] Corporation'' and began porting their application development tools to other platforms, notably [[IBMDigital Equipment Corporation]]'s series''[[VAX]]'', 38[[Data (later rebranded as theGeneral]]'s ''[[AS/400Eclipse MV]])'', and [[Digital Equipment CorporationIBM]]'s ''[[VAXAS/400]]'', along with the [[UNIX]] platforms from these rangevendors. Cognos also began extending their product line with add-ons to PowerHouse (for example, ''Architect'') and end-user applications written in PowerHouse (for example, ''MultiView''). {{Fact|date=February 2007}} Subsequent development of the product added support for platform-specific relational databases, such as HP's ''Allbase/SQL'', DEC's ''[[Oracle_Rdb | Rdb]]'', and [[Microsoft]]'s ''[[ Microsoft_SQL_Server | SQL Server]]'', as well as cross-platform relational databases such as [[Oracle_Database | Oracle]], [[Sybase_SQL_Server | Sybase]], and [[IBM]]'s [[IBM_DB2 | DB2]].

The PowerHouse language represented a considerable achievement. Compared with languages like ''[[Cobol]]'', [[Pascal programming language|''Pascal'']] and ''[[PL/1]]'', ''PowerHouse'' substantially cut the amount of labour required to produce useful applications on its chosen platforms. It achieved this through the use of a central data-dictionary, a compiled file that extended the attributes of data fields natively available in the DBMS with frequently used programming idioms such as:

Line 18 ⟶ 19:

* help and information texts.

In order to support the data dictionary PowerHouse was tightly coupled to the underlying database management system and/or file system on each of the target platforms. In the case of the HP3000 this was the ''Image[[TurboIMAGE | IMAGE]]'' shallow-network DBMS and ''KSAM'' indexed file system, and the entire PowerHouse language reflected its origins.

Like all [[virtual machine]] languages PowerHouse is CPU intensive.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} OnThis machines running at speeds considerably less than 40MHz thissometimes produced a visibly negative impact on overall transaction performance, frequently necessitating hardware upgrades. ''Cognos'' practice of tying license fees to hardware performance metrics resulted in high licensing costs for PowerHouse users.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}

== Migration to the PC ==

Cognos initially attempted to move to the [[Intel]] platform in 1988 (with the [[DOS]]-based ''PowerHouse PC''). butWhile the product was used by numerous partners to build bespoke applications for small to medium sized customers it was not entirely unsuccessful at that time. However, Cognos eventually produced Axiant (c.1995), which ported PowerHouse-like syntax to an Intel-based [[Microsoft Windows]] visual development environment and linked it to [[SQL]] aware [[DBMS]] running on these machines. The radical changes wrought by the PC revolution, which began just at the time ''PowerHouse'' was introduced, eventually brought down the cost of host computers to such an extent that high-priced software development tools such as PowerHouse became unattractive to customers.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}

==PowerHouse in the 21st Century==

Although ''PowerHouse'' is still available and continues to receive occasional minor functional and platform conformance updates, by 1999 ''Cognos'' had all but ceased furthermajor development of ''PowerHouse'' on mid-range computers in favour of newer product lines. Around 1999 ''PowerhousePowerHouse Web'' was released in order to support the development [[World Wide Web|web-aware]] applications.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Products like ''Business Intelligence'' and ''AxiantFinancial Performance Management'' that run on commodity architectures as well asand high-end ''UnixUNIX'' servers now form the core of ''the Cognos Corporation'''sproduct businessline.

Cognos was acquired by IBM on January 30, 2008, and continues to support the PowerHouse line of products.

==External links==

*[http://www.cognosibm.com/software/data/cognos/products/powerhouse/index.htmlsupport/ PowerHouse support home page]

[[Category:ProceduralFourth-generation programming languages]]

[[Category:Minicomputers]]

[[Category:Hewlett-Packard products|3000]]