Orbix

Orbix was a popular object request broker (ORB) developed by ICL and later acquired by Progress Software. It was a middleware technology that allowed applications to communicate with each other, regardless of their programming language, operating system, or location. Orbix implemented the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) standard, which defined a standardized way for distributed objects to interact.

The primary function of Orbix was to facilitate distributed computing by enabling the creation and management of distributed objects. Developers could use Orbix to build applications where different components could be deployed on separate machines and communicate seamlessly. This allowed for greater flexibility, scalability, and maintainability of software systems. Key features of Orbix included its support for various programming languages, its robust performance, and its comprehensive set of tools for developing and deploying CORBA applications.

Orbix played a significant role in the adoption of CORBA in enterprise environments during the 1990s and early 2000s. It was used in a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, finance, and aerospace. While the CORBA standard and ORB technologies have largely been superseded by newer approaches like web services and microservices, Orbix represented a crucial step in the evolution of distributed systems and demonstrated the power of standardized middleware for enabling inter-application communication.