# Does anyone remember... **URL:** \ **Category:** Chatting over the Back Fence\ **Created:** [July 18, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861 "2012-07-18T23:16:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![System1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/51bf81/32.png) [@System1](https://forums.suse.com/u/System1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/1 "2012-07-18T23:16:01Z")
During one of my original CNE classes (circa 1994), we were shown a new software development tool from Novell. This was during the days when Novell was going crazy trying to beat Microsoft on every front (e.g. their own version of DOS, the WordPerfect Office suite, etc), and apparently they wanted to go after the RAD software business that Visual Basic led. I don’t know if this tool was ever commercially released – the version I saw may have been a late beta – but in essence it allowed you to develop Windows “programs” by dragging components onto a canvas, and connecting them with lines, like a flowchart or Visio diagram. The components were pre-existing logic “building blocks”, such as “read file” or “prompt user”, which could be configured for the specific task needed (e.g. “read value -_x_- from line -_y_- in file -_z_-”). There were also “decision” and “loop” blocks, to mimic the types of logic flow common in language-based development, and there was supposed to be an API for creating or using third-party building blocks (similar to Microsoft’s VBX extensions). Does anyone remember what this was called? Was it ever released? Thanks, Erik J Sawyer ## – EJSawyer EJSawyer’s Profile: [http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=129461](http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=129461) View this thread: [http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=458057](http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=458057) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/2 "2012-07-18T23:46:53Z")
On Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:16:01 +0000, EJSawyer wrote: [color=blue] > Does anyone remember what this was called? Was it ever released?[/color] AppWare/Visual AppBuilder. It was released, then sold to a company called Microbrew, who then vanished from the face of the planet. ## Jim Jim Henderson, CNA6, CDE, CNI, LPIC-1, CLA10, CLP10 Novell Knowledge Partner ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/3 "2012-07-18T23:49:36Z")
On Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:46:53 +0000, Jim Henderson wrote: [color=blue] > On Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:16:01 +0000, EJSawyer wrote: > [color=green] > > > Does anyone remember what this was called? Was it ever released?[/color] > > AppWare/Visual AppBuilder. > > It was released, then sold to a company called Microbrew, who then > vanished from the face of the planet.[/color] Almost got it right. The company was Network Multimedia, who branded the product as MicroBrew. Before Novell, it was a product from Serius called “Developer”. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppWare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppWare) ## Jim Jim Henderson, CNA6, CDE, CNI, LPIC-1, CLA10, CLP10 Novell Knowledge Partner ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/4 "2012-07-19T18:36:01Z")
hendersj;2207975 Wrote:[color=blue] > On Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:46:53 +0000, Jim Henderson wrote: > [color=green] > > > On Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:16:01 +0000, EJSawyer wrote: > > [color=green][color=darkred] > > > > > Does anyone remember what this was called? Was it ever released?[/color] > > > > AppWare/Visual AppBuilder. > > [/color] > > [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppWare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppWare) > [/color] Thanks so much, that’s exactly the system I meant. I remember the AppWare and Visual Appbuilder names. It’s a shame the thing was abandoned; it had the potential to do for Windows RAD what HyperCard did for the Mac. - Erik J Sawyer ## – EJSawyer EJSawyer’s Profile: [http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=129461](http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=129461) View this thread: [http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=458057](http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=458057) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 11:47am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/5 "2012-07-20T11:47:45Z")
On 19/07/2012 16:36, EJSawyer wrote:[color=blue] > Thanks so much, that’s exactly the system I meant. I remember the > AppWare and Visual Appbuilder names. It’s a shame the thing was > abandoned; it had the potential to do for Windows RAD what HyperCard did > for the Mac.[/color] Which fully explains why it suffered the same fate? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/6 "2012-07-21T00:46:51Z")
On Thu, 19 Jul 2012 15:36:01 +0000, EJSawyer wrote: [color=blue] > Thanks so much, that’s exactly the system I meant. I remember the > AppWare and Visual Appbuilder names. It’s a shame the thing was > abandoned; it had the potential to do for Windows RAD what HyperCard did > for the Mac.[/color] Yep. I had contact with Network Multimedia after they took it over (even had, until recently, a fully copy of MicroBrew 1.3 (I think that was the version number). I had used it pretty extensively, and things were going quite well. And then one day Network Multimedia just dropped off the face of the earth. It wasn’t merely abandoned - the company just disappeared. Apparently one of the founders (Ed Firmage IIRC) had something happen to him (I’ve heard mixed reports, and it borders on religious discussion IIRC so I’m going to stop there) and he completely changed direction overnight. There has been the occasional talk in AppWare mailing lists (there are some still active AFAICR) about seeing if someone could take ownership of the product, but those never went anywhere - again as I recall - because nobody could contact the current owners of the IP. There was even a suggestion that the ownership had moved back by default to Novell (probably not the case, though IANAL so don’t know the terms of the agreement or the relevant law) but they never pursued it to my knowledge. Jim – Jim Henderson, CNA6, CDE, CNI, LPIC-1, CLA10, CLP10 Novell Knowledge Partner ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/7 "2013-02-06T00:55:58Z")
Does anyone have a copy of AppWare or MicroBrew, or know where to find one? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/8 "2013-02-09T03:04:23Z")
On Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:04:02 +0000, Picador01 wrote: [color=blue] > Does anyone have a copy of AppWare or MicroBrew, or know where to find > one?[/color] I had looked for some sort of update a few years back, but it seems they just completely vanished. Last year, I had a clear out of all my old software, and I know a copy of AppWare went into the pile that I now have a certificate of destruction for. I /may/ still have a CD with MicroBrew on it. I don’t recall if that went into the pile or not. Network Multimedia (the company that AppWare went to and then that rebranded it) more or less vanished not long after the one release they put out. IIRC, Ed Firmage was the guy in charge there, but a Google search only turns up some very…shall we say “odd” things about him. There are/were some online user groups for the products after the company vanished, and once upon a time there was even talk that Novell could take ownership of AppWare back if they wanted to, but I don’t think anything was ever done with that. It would still be 16-bit only (as it never was ported beyond Win 3.1 IIRC), but if I do by some chance still have the disc, I can see if I can make it available somehow. Jim – Jim Henderson, CNA6, CDE, CNI, LPIC-1, CLA10, CLP10 Novell Knowledge Partner ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/9 "2013-02-10T19:46:30Z")
Thanks, Jim. I’d be curious to get any copy – though especially Mac (\*I still have an old Mac) Also: My understanding is that the product was licensed to Network Multimedia, not sold. Is that true? Any idea who at Novell would have a copy of that license, or info about it? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/10 "2013-02-10T20:15:26Z")
On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 17:54:01 +0000, Picador01 wrote: [color=blue] > Thanks, Jim. I’d be curious to get any copy – though especially Mac > (\*I still have an old Mac)[/color] At least for 1.3, both versions were on the disc IIRC. [color=blue] > Also: My understanding is that the product was licensed to Network > Multimedia, not sold. Is that true? Any idea who at Novell would have > a copy of that license, or info about it?[/color] That’d be a question for their legal department. Jim – Jim Henderson, CNA6, CDE, CNI, LPIC-1, CLA10, CLP10 Novell Knowledge Partner ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/11 "2013-02-10T20:41:40Z")
> [@](#): > > At least for 1.3, both versions were on the disc IIRC. [INDENT]well, if you find you have a copy, pls [let me know](http://www.picador.net/Picador/Email.html).[/INDENT] > [@](#): > > That’d be a question for their legal department. [INDENT]apologies; i misunderstood your forum sig, thought you were with Novell.[/INDENT] ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/12 "2013-02-11T03:35:07Z")
On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 18:44:02 +0000, Picador01 wrote: [color=blue][color=green] > > At least for 1.3, both versions were on the disc IIRC.[/color] > > well, if you find you have a copy, pls ‘let me know’ > ([http://www.picador.net/Picador/Email.html](http://www.picador.net/Picador/Email.html)).[/color] Will do. 🙂 [color=blue][color=green] > > That’d be a question for their legal department.[/color] > > apologies; i misunderstood your forum sig, thought you were with Novell.[/color] Once upon a time I was, but no, the Knowledge Partners are external volunteers. ## Jim Jim Henderson, CNA6, CDE, CNI, LPIC-1, CLA10, CLP10 Novell Knowledge Partner ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/13 "2013-06-04T23:15:24Z")
> [@Picador01;11643](#): > > Does anyone have a copy of AppWare or MicroBrew, or know where to find one? Yes, I just used it today to create a little scheduling app. I have 1.3 of Mac (somewhere) and 1.2 for mac and pc on CD. [rockkennedy.com](http://rockkennedy.com) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 9:46am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/does-anyone-remember/22861/14 "2013-06-06T09:46:01Z")
Sorry not having copy of AppWare or MicroBrew but you can search this from google. ## – annitakison annitakison’s Profile: [http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=138639](http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=138639) View this thread: [http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=458057](http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=458057)