Inprise Corp. released a new version of its Midas distributed application environment yesterday, adding Java and Corba capabilities that will help companies deploy applications across multiple platforms.

Midas 2, or Multi-Tier Distributed Application Services, integrates front-end thin clients and middleware technology, letting users access data quickly from distributed applications. It is intended to help IT organizations building or implementing applications make changes on clients across the enterprise. Earlier versions have run only in a Windows environment.

"If you develop in a Microsoft-centric paradigm, you're pretty limited in the way you can deploy [client-server apps]," says Phil Costa, an analyst with Giga Information Group. Midas 2's Java and Corba support will extend the breadth of the product and make it a more viable competitor to Microsoft Transaction Server, which has duplicated much of Midas' function. "They're adding value to what was a relatively undifferentiated product," Costa says.

Midas 2, available immediately, will also let users remotely pull data from applications, disconnect from the database, and later reconnect and post any revisions. Pricing for Midas starts at $5,000 for unlimited servers or $250 per user.