Sometime this month beta testing will begin on a new development suite for HP 3000 applications, the programs that HP keeps saying you should Webify. MiniSoft is calling the new product Web Dimension, and it’s a new generation of GUI development based on the company’s fundamental FrontMan technology. Web Dimension comes in two parts, according to a white paper from MiniSoft: an application server and a collection of Java components for designing and deploying Web and client-server applications. The software looks to be built around platform independence, from a description of its parts — an application server that can be used with or without a Web server, which will deploy site-built applications through Web browsers or through a Web Dimension User Interface (UI) Viewer. The software promises to use Java components for building applications and user interfaces, built around actual Java code.

The twist is that even though Java is being used as the underpinning, because it’s built using Web Dimension components, MiniSoft says no Java programming is necessary. This looks like it will provide the client platform independence that 3000 sites need, while eliminating a lot of Java study to get started. Without a doubt, building anything that runs in Java will require a developer to learn the language, but it looks like Web Dimension will make that first bite smaller. A Web site that hosts the white paper says you can use tools like Visual Café and JBuilder to assemble components into applications and user interface pages. A platform independent user interface viewer will run applications from the application server. Applications can be run through the UI viewer or a Web browser. This UI viewer, however, supports complicated user interfaces not suited for Web pages. It seems like nearly every week someone is offering a tool to improve the 3000’s look and accessibility, but this design promises the Web and client-server, too. You can get more details from the MiniSoft Web site at www.web-dimension.c om/WhitePaper.htm.