BJM - Background Job Manager - Announcement - December 14, 1989

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                    >>>>> BJM - Background Job Manager <<<<<
              A Product Announcement from Amazon Computer Systems
         
                               December 14, 1989
         

                                            
         Amazon Computer Systems of Little Rock, AR is proud to 
         announce the upcoming ship date of "BJM - the Background Job 
         Manager" for OS/2.


                                 WHAT IS "BJM"
         "BJM" stands for Background Job Manager - and that is 
         precisely what this utility does.  It starts background jobs 
         based upon the value of a resource or time variable.  BJM can 
         also monitor those background jobs and restart them if 
         problems occur.  Communications between BJM and the 
         background jobs allow those jobs to add/update/delete jobs, 
         change the value of resources, etc.

         BJM was originally part of a retail system being developed by 
         Amazon Computer Systems.  As the retail system grew, BJM also 
         grew in power and capacity until we at Amazon realized it was 
         also a product with a potential market.


                                HOW IS BJM USED?
         BJM is started as a background task during the machine's 
         booting cycle.  After it is started, it alternates between 
         polling the job and resource databases and communicating with 
         the jobs it starts.  No user intervention is needed. 


                            HOW DOES BJM START JOBS?
         BJM maintains two databases: jobs and resources.  The jobs 
         database maintains all programs that BJM will run, along with 
         dependency information, and any parameters for the job.  Jobs 
         defined for BJM can be started by BJM in one of the following 
         ways:
              DAILY:    the job runs at a specific time every
                        day.
              INTERVAL: the job runs every N seconds (N can 
                        range from 1 minute to 1 year.)
              RESOURCE: the job only runs when a resource is 
                        set to a certain value.
              EITHER:   the job runs at either interval or 
                        resource conditions.
              BOTH:     the job requires both an interval and 
                        a resource.

         BJM's second database is the resource database.  "Resources" 
         are BJM disk-variables that can be set to various values.  
         BJM can be set to start a certain job when the "resource" is 
         set to a certain value.

         Finally, BJM has a "nag" mode.  This causes BJM to ask a 
         program if he is still running.  If the program does not 
         respond within a certain time frame (set by the user), BJM 
         kills the program, then restarts it.  In effect, if a 
         program gets caught in a loop, this facility will catch it 
         and stop it.  Of course, this function requires a little bit 
         of programming effort for the program that will be started, 
         but a function library is provided to make this easy. 

         The function library also allows your 'C' programs to access 
         the databases and update the job and resource information.  


                        WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE?
         The BJM.EXE module is included, along with libraries so that 
         programmers can develop applications that work with BJM.  
         Small, medium and large models are supported.  Also, command-
         line utilities that access the job and resource databases are 
         provided.  


                                  REQUIREMENTS
         BJM requires OS/2, version 1.0, 1.1 or 1.2; standard or 
         extended.  It does not require PM, but can run under it 
         easily.  The BJM.EXE program (the actual manager) requires 
         roughly 384K of RAM.
         
                                                     
                                  REGISTRATION
         Two classes of registration will be offered: binary and 
         source.  Binary licenses will begin at $49, and will be 
         discounted for quantity purchase.  Source code will start at 
         $129, and will also be discounted.


                        TESTING AND SHIPPING INFORMATION
         BJM is currently in alpha test.  Beta testing will begin on 
         January 3, 1990, with shipment of version 1.0 around February 
         1, 1990.  We will not be accepting any registrations until 
         version 1.0 is shipping.  Please note that all registered 
         users of Version 1.0 will receive all updates and changes for 
         a period of one year following registration.  This includes 
         all major and minor revisions. 


                             QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
         If you have any questions, please call me.  If I am not 
         available, an answering machine is always online.  While I 
         keep odd hours (like all programmer/managers) I will do my 
         best to be here or return your calls.  Thank you for taking 
         the time to read this announcement, and I hope this product 
         can be of use!

                         Howard K. Warren
                         Owner, Amazon Computer Systems
                         25 Pamela Drive
                         Little Rock, AR 72207
                         (501) 225-4387