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- Silicon Times Report
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- The Original Independent OnLine Magazine"
- (Since 1987)
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- June 07, 1996 No. 1223
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- Silicon Times Report International OnLine Magazine
- Post Office Box 6672
- Jacksonville, Florida 32221-6155
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- 06/07/96 STR 1223 The Original Independent OnLine Magazine!
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- - CPU Industry Report - Corel News Updates - Acrobat 3.0
- - Kid's Computing - Disk Drive Market Up - RAM SCAM
- - Virus's a Plenty - Hatch Porn Bill - Florida TaxMan
- - People Talking - Sega & The Net - Jaguar NewsBits
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- Apple Management Reshuffles
- CompuServe, Microsoft Set Alliance
- RENO WANTS PROTECTION FROM CYBERCRIME
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-
-
- Florida Lotto - LottoMan v1.35
- Results: 6/01/96: 3 of 6 numbers with 0 matches
-
-
- From the Editor's Desk...
-
-
- Its the season . BBQ, beaches, suntans, and fun. Fun?? Hah! Enjoy it
- while you can! That is until the Government gets its way. with trying to
- hobble the Internet even more, tax the life outta the Net's services and of
- course, the "Johnny Jump on the Bandwagon" politicos trying to put even more
- Net Regulation in place. Whatever became of the Bill of Rights?? The
- Constitution?? Or, better yet.. The American Way??
-
- Leave it up to the likes of the Rostenkowsky's, Amato's etc., and you
- find the old, worn out principle of "don't do as I do. DO as I say.. very
- much the order of the day. ATTA BOY Amato!! Milk `em for all they're worth.
- after all, that's what Politics are all about. Right?? According to your
- latest EXPOSED Escapades it MUST BE! Compared to you and your various
- ventures since you "Hit the Hill".. Nixon should be put up for Sainthood!
-
- Then we have the good politician from Utah. Mr. Hatch trying to
- introduce more legislation to regulate the NET. Why are these politicians so
- afraid of the net?? Because they cannot shut up any one who is exposing them
- for what they really are. opportunistic charlatans trying to make some sort
- of legislative history with their names in "lights". Each of them gives this
- reporter the impression they're convinced they are "legends in their own
- minds". Someone ought to tell them they really are vultures looking for a
- place to blight! Hey, .. the US Government designed and then created the
- NET. Now, let `em live with it!
-
- But wait. the "Control Freak of Control Freaks" is at it too!! Janet
- "Control `Em or Lock `Em Up" Reno has declared she's convinced .as a result
- of some sort of "whatever" study, that the NET needs to have its VERY OWN Law
- Enforcement Group, Contingency or what-chama-callit.. Perhaps she's fearful
- that somehow, someone will figure how to suck your hardware back to their
- site thru the phone lines. well, maybe not that drastic a happening. Maybe
- she's worried about Martians taking over the net posing as programmers and
- users. DUH! I say, let's lock up the "Control Freaks and Censorship Nuts"!!
- Leave the NET alone.
-
- Meanwhile, Florida's "Revenuers", from the Keys to Pensacola, are
- driving themselves crazy trying to come up with all sorts of ingenious
- methods to TAX the new technology and the NET in one greedy way or another!
- Somebody out to tell them and the good Governor, Lawton Chiles, that the rest
- of the world feels sorry for Florida not being able to GRAB the BIG Tourist
- Bux its used to grabbing.
-
- But then Flordia ought to put an end to the constant massacre of foreign
- Tourists, Drug Smuggling, Speed Trap Cities and the God Forsaken Ill-Trained
- "Pork Chopper Red Neck Cops" with only a "Big Mouth" and a pair of "Shades"
- and their ever present "Glock" being all they can actually brag about having
- mastered.
-
- Oh! I almost forgot. have you EVER seen what many of the Florida Police
- Chiefs aka .. "DA SHERIFF" look like in Uniform?? Remember the Goofy, stupid
- (almost comical) looking South American Generalissimos?? You know, the ones
- with twenty Gold Stars on each shoulder and an equal amount on each side of
- the collar?? Next time a Florida Sheriff is "On the Tube" in uniform. take a
- good look. This. is what we have protecting us?? I'd rather have New York's
- Guardian Angels any day. At least those people look and act real.
-
- No doubt, Florida has to find Virgin territory to tax.. Until they get
- with the social times. instead of trying to create such. Florida will
- desperately need new sources of high revenue. The tourist trades in Florida
- are comatose. Its really Florida's own fault. But why must software and the
- Net pay for Florida's mistakes? By the way. don't forget where Janet Reno is
- from.. is Dade County, Fl. Hey, Dade Countians!! Is Dade County any better
- a place to live in because of Reno's ways of doing things?? Hmmm.
-
- This country was built upon the concept of free speech. By responsible
- adults who felt that the country would always produce responsible, well
- educated citizens who would bear in the mind the concept of being responsible
- for one's actions. Nowadays, we have politicians who are among the biggest
- of thieves, liars and cheats this man's world has EVER known. How in
- heaven's name can we expect our youngsters to respect the law and at the same
- time, teach their children to do so when they are repeatedly shown that most
- politicians are on "the take" or, have "the fix in" in some way or another!!
- The sleaze ball politicos had better clean up their own acts if we ever
- expect to have law and order be the normal way of life ever again.
-
- This is an election year.. maybe we should all stay home and make a
- mockery of slobs that are in power or, trying to gain power. Out of whole
- lot... maybe a baker's dozen are honest to goodness genuinely interested in
- the welfare of their constituents. Maybe!
-
- That's my opinion. I could be wrong. <g> Maybe not. let's hear from
- you!
-
- Ralph....
-
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- LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
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- Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
-
- Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
-
- Apple Management Reshuffles
- Apple Computer Inc. has changed its management structure in a move, its
- leaders say, to meet the needs of a new strategy announced two weeks ago to
- guide it back toward profitability. According to The Associated Press, the
- new structure, which officially takes effect next week, creates a layer of
- six managers just below Apple CEO Gilbert F. Amelio. Two of the six
- executives joined Apple after Amelio, the former CEO of National
- Semiconductor Inc., replaced Michael Spindler as Apple CEO in February.
-
- And James J. Buckley, the head of Apple's domestic operations, has become
- what AP characterizes as "a victim of the shakeup." Buckley is leaving after
- 11 years at the company. As reported, Amelio on May 13 said Apple will cut
- costs by simplifying its product line and will increase its development focus
- on Internet-related products.
-
- The six managers include the chief operating officer, chief administrative
- officer, chief technical officer, chief financial officer, senior vice
- president of corporate marketing, and vice president of strategic planning,
- AP says, adding Amelio appointed:
-
- · Marco Landi, the leader of Apple's European operations, to be chief
- operating officer. He will oversee Apple's product divisions, including its
- core Macintosh development operation.
- · George Scalise to be chief administrative officer, a position similar to
- the one he held at National Semiconductor before Amelio asked him to come
- to Apple in March.
- · Fred Anderson, hired last month, to be chief financial officer.
- · Satjiv Chahil to be senior vice president for marketing.
- · Douglas Solomon to be the vice president responsible for development and
- implementation of strategic plans.
-
- The wire service says Amelio will assume the duties of chief technical
- officer until he hires one for the company. As noted, Apple suffered a $740
- million loss from January to March, its worst quarterly performance, as it
- wrote off the value of unsold inventory and set aside money for severance to
- 1,300 employees being laid off. "Another 1,500 job cuts are planned this
- year to help restore the company to profitability," AP observes. "Executives
- have said they expect Apple to continue losing money for the rest of the
- year."
-
- DEC, Compaq Offer New Computers
-
- In time for the Spring Comdex trade show in Chicago, new personal computers
- for businesses have been introduced by Digital Equipment Corp. and Compaq
- Computer Corp. while Hewlett-Packard Co. has cut prices on its commercial
- line. Business writer Evan Ramstad of The Associated Press notes that
- earlier this year, PC makers accelerated their price cuts, denting their
- profit margins, as growth slowed, "but the more recent cuts, capped with
- those by Hewlett-Packard, have been part of a standard pattern in the PC
- industry as products age and new models come along. Hewlett-Packard's cuts
- ranged from 4 percent to 26 percent."
-
- Digital changed its main line of desktop models, being renamed from Venturis
- to Venturis FX, to make the machines easier to service, a move designed to
- appeal to technicians within companies. "For instance," notes Ramstad, "the
- main circuit board, or motherboard, has been placed on a rail to slide out in
- a few seconds and most of the components that are routinely upgraded have
- been placed at the front of that circuitry." AP says the firm's lowest-cost
- Venturis FX, which has a 100 MHz Pentium chip, 8MB of main memory and a
- 845MB hard drive, will be $1,695. DEC also introduced higher-priced PCs that
- act as servers.
-
- Compaq introduced an advanced line of servers called the ProLiant 5000,
- starting at $11,900. The most powerful versions, with up to four
- microprocessors running, will cost around $200,000. "Both Digital and Compaq
- said they had also developed new ways to improve performance of servers that
- are bundled or clustered together," AP reports. Meanwhile, Hewlett-Packard
- also introduced two new PC servers run by the Pentium Pro chip. The company
- is introducing new models of a more powerful group of workstations based on
- an advanced microprocessor, called the PA-8000, that it has developed.
-
- NEC Merges Unit Into Packard Bell
-
- In a deal valued at approximately $300 million, NEC Corp. is merging its
- worldwide PC operations outside of Japan into Packard Bell Electronics Inc.
- The new firm will be named Packard Bell NEC. The transaction is expected to
- be completed by July 1. Current Packard Bell chief Beny Alagem will serve as
- chairman, CEO and
- president of Packard Bell NEC.
-
- "Our commitment to world-class technological innovation, efficiency, quality
- and service is enhanced by NEC's management team and its track record for
- technological advances and engineering quality," Alagem said in a statement.
- Annual revenue for the combined entity will be about $8 billion, making it
- the world's fourth-largest PC maker after Compaq Computer Corp., IBM Corp.
- and Apple Computer Inc.
-
- The firm will pose serious competition to U.S. PC market leader Compaq. Had
- Packard Bell and NEC been a single company in 1995, it would have led U.S.
- PC sales. Packard Bell NEC's nine-member board of directors will include
- five individuals appointed by the founding shareholders of Packard Bell, two
- appointments by NEC and two appointments by Groupe Bull. The deal follows
- earlier NEC investments in Packard Bell, including the assistance it provided
- with a merger in February of Packard Bell and Groupe Bull's Zenith Data
- Systems Inc.
-
- CompuServe, Microsoft Set Alliance
-
- Microsoft Corp. and CompuServe Inc. have unveiled a broad strategic and
- technological alliance. Under the partnership, CompuServe will deploy
- Microsoft's new platform for commercial Internet services, code-named
- "Normandy," in its suite of online services, including the CompuServe
- Information Service, WOW! and SPRYNET, as well as in its commercial network
- and data hosting offerings.
-
- CompuServe is the first major online provider to license Microsoft's Normandy
- technologies, which are specifically designed for Internet service providers
- and commercial Web publishers. Normandy provides a set of software tools
- for delivering interactive services and creating, managing and distributing
- content. The technologies licensed by CompuServe include the major
- components needed to run a commercial fee-based service, including mail,
- forum areas, chat, news, indexing and other content-management services.
-
- By taking advantage of externally developed technologies such as the Normandy
- platform, CompuServe says it will be able to decrease time to market,
- significantly cut development costs and more effectively deliver
- leading-edge information products and services to its members. The alliance
- will also make access to the CompuServe Information Service and WOW! service
- more easily available to Windows 95 users. Microsoft
- will include icons for the services in a folder on the Windows 95 desktop.
-
- Additionally, CompuServe says it will reinforce its commitment to market,
- promote and distribute Microsoft Internet Explorer as its primary browser
- for CompuServe online services, including CompuServe Information Service,
- WOW! and other customized branded services. Microsoft Internet Explorer will
- be the default Web browser distributed on the installation CDs for the
- CompuServe Information Service and WOW! as well as in CompuServe's packaged
- software offerings.
-
- "Easy access to CompuServe services in Windows 95 adds tremendous value for
- users of our operating system," says Bill Gates, Microsoft's chairman and
- CEO. "As the primary browser for CompuServe, Microsoft Internet Explorer
- provides a rich and interactive browsing experience for CompuServe users."
- "Microsoft will implement icons within a desktop folder that can connect
- users to the CompuServe Information Service and WOW! This is a significant
- opportunity for us to expand distribution channels and be part of the most
- successful desktop operating system in the world," adds Bob Massey,
- CompuServe's president and CEO.
-
- Wall St. Wondering at Wired IPO
-
- As Wired Magazine prepares for its initial public offering on the stock
- market, the Wall Street Journal wonders out loud whether it will be "the
- latest sign that the hype about the future of Internet-related companies
- continues to far outrace reality." Wired Ventures Inc., publisher of the
- hot, hip computer magazine, is set to offer 6.3 million shares -- 17 percent
- of the company -- at $12 each, valuing the company at $450 million.
-
- "The company has ambitious plans to become a cyberspace media empire,"
- Journal reporter G. Pascal Zachary writes this morning, "with Wired as its
- print vehicle, online offerings and its own search engine for combining the
- Internet's vast amounts of information. ... But Wired Ventures has never
- turned a profit." The paper notes that in a recent filing with the
- Securities and Exchange Commission, Wired disclosed it lost $3.4 million on
- sales of $7.6 million in the first quarter. A year earlier, the company lost
- $6.5 million on sales of $25.3 million.
-
- "Moreover," adds Zachary, "many other companies have targeted, or are
- planning to target, some of the same cyber-markets Wired Ventures is going
- after." In addition, the paper says, questions remain about "what kind of
- business model can produce profits for companies hoping to capitalize on the
- so-called new media of the digital age. To some degree, Wired Ventures' high
- expected valuation reflects seemingly insatiable investor appetite for
- Internet IPOs, which has driven stocks of many obscure and small companies to
- towering levels recently."
-
- Still, says the paper, Wired's flagship magazine, launched in 1993, remains
- "the most recognizable publication in the world devoted to the latest
- advances in computing and the culture that these innovations have spawned."
- It remains to be seen if success in print -- circulation is 300,000 and
- growing -- translates into success in electronic media.
-
- The Journal quotes the SEC filing as saying the offering is expected to raise
- $75.9 million. "It will make paper millionaires out of some computer
- journalists and pundits," says the paper. "Founder and Chief Executive
- Officer Louis Rossetto will have a stake valued at $71.3 million, while
- computer visionary Nicholas Negroponte will see his stake valued at $29
- million."
-
- Disk Drive Market to Rise 13.5%
-
- Researchers are projecting worldwide shipments of floppy disk drives will
- jump 13.5 percent year-on-year to 92.2 million units in 1996, helped by
- strong PC sales forecasts. Reporting from experts at the San Jose,
- California, headquarters of market research firm Dataquest, the Reuter News
- Service cites "the enormous installed base of flexible disk drives, its
- virtually universal acceptance as a standard item on PCs and the fact factory
- prices are under $20" as factors in the market's success.
-
- Dataquest Vice President Phil Devin, chief of the firm's computer storage
- unit, says the market outstrips sales of PCs in strict unit volume, adding,
- "The floppy drive market continues to exceed that of the total computer
- market by as many as 20 million units annually, indicating some degree of
- multiple drive use and a continuing replacement or upgrade market."
-
- Reuters says the major vendors remain fairly constant, with TEAC Corp. moving
- into first place, increasing its estimated market share to 19.3 percent in
- 1995, compared with 16.8 million in 1994. Mitsumi slipped to second place,
- selling an estimated 14.3 million units in 1995 for a 17.6 percent market
- share, slightly below its 18 percent in 1994. Seiko Epson gained share to
- 11.2 percent from 9.7 percent, and Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co.'s
- Panasonic upped its share to 10.5 percent from 9.9 percent. Sony Corp.'s
- share slid to 10.1 percent from 11.9 percent. Reuters adds the total market
- grew to an estimated 81.2 million units in 1995 from 75.2 million a year
- earlier.
-
- PC World Cracks RAM Scam
-
- A group of mail-order companies that buy and sell RAM are ripping off
- consumers, suppliers and banks, with losses totaling $1 million, reports PC
- World. The publication investigated nearly 40 complaints made in the past
- year against five mail-order memory brokers located in Southern California
- and Nevada. Consumers alleged that the companies accepted payment or trade-
- ins and delivered defective products -- or nothing at all.
-
- The firms, including Nevada Computer, Windows Memory Corporation, Advanced
- Micro Solutions, California Memories Plus and Pacific Coast Micro, have
- failed, leaving banks, suppliers and customers in the lurch. PC World says
- all the firms can be traced back to one man: Don Royal Smith, now under
- investigation by the U.S. Secret Service. PC World also uncovered several
- new mail-order firms being operated by Smith, his familyand former employees.
-
- The firms follow similar patterns, notes PC World. They take out ads in
- computer magazines (including PC World), buy supplies, and set up shop.
- Some consumers receive products as promised, others don't. When people
- complain, the firms relocate, change names, switch owners or shut down.
- Sometimes the new owners are the same people using different names.
-
- According to PC World, Smith and his associates buy companies with solid
- reputations, transfer control of the firms between family members and use
- front people to disguise ownership. One source interviewed by PC
- Worldreporters estimates that Don Royal Smith alone has started about 25
- companies in the past 15 years. Another source called Smith and his
- partners, "The godfathers of the industry."
-
- PC World suggests consumers take the following steps when ordering computer
- products by mail:
-
- · Check with the Better Business Bureau. But remember that this is most
- helpful with established companies; new firms may have no track records.
- Don't assume that no news is good news.
- · Try and verify that the equipment is new.
- · Request written verification of your order. This will save you the
- hassle of shipping back an incorrect product, and provides you with
- documentation should the company go out of business. Note who you talked to,
- and what you were promised by whom at the time of ordering.
- · Pay with a credit card. With a credit card you can usually get your
- money back by canceling the charges; if you pay by cash or check, you might
- get stuck.
-
- FTC Warns of New Net Scam Threat
-
- The Federal Trade Commission says scam artists, already skilled at ripping
- off consumers through telephone fraud, soon may stalk new victims over the
- Internet. In a report titled "Consumer Protection Policy in the New High-
- Tech, Global Marketplace," the FTC says the Net offers crooks advantages such
- as anonymity and cheap startup costs, making it tougher for law enforcement
- officials to track down con artists in cyberspace, adding,
- "Fraudulent marketers will continue to use the telephone, but they soon may
- gravitate to the Internet in large numbers."
-
- The Reuter News Service says the report adds that in general new technologies
- involving telephones, television and computers will give consumers access to
- unlimited amounts of information and other benefits. But they also offer
- fertile ground for old-fashioned scams. "There is no sign," says the report,
- "that low-tech scams will go away and strong evidence that 'next-tech' scams
- will increase and be more difficult to detect and track across international
- borders. Law enforcement agencies must work harder, smarter and in concert to
- maximize the impact of their limited resources."
-
- Reuters reports the FTC is reviewing its regulations "to assure that they are
- well-suited to the new global marketplace," the commission says. As
- reported earlier, the FTC recently halted an illegal pyramid scheme on the
- Internet that bilked thousands of investors out of more than than $6 million.
- Reuters says that was the 12th and largest case pursued by the FTC against
- fraud on the Internet, a network of more than 60,000 computer networks in
- more than 90 countries.
-
- Hatch Proposes Cyberporn Bill
-
- Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is proposing a bill he says will combat computer-
- aided child pornography. Reporting from yesterday's hearing of the Senate
- Judiciary Committee Hatch heads, Associated Press writer Marcy Gordon says
- the legislation (S. 1237), which also is supported by key Senate Democrats as
- well as the Clinton administration, would:
- · Protect federal, state and local governments and law enforcement
- officials from civil lawsuits resulting from searches and seizures in child
- pornography and exploitation cases.
- · Establish a federal legal definition of child pornography that includes
- computer-generated material not using actual children, including "morphing"
- technology.
-
- Says Gordon, "Hatch stressed that the bill does not propose new restrictions
- regarding the Internet and is targeted instead at use of computers to alter
- sexually explicit photographs, films and videos in ways that make it
- difficult for prosecutors to prove that the material was produced using
- children." However, Judith Krug, director of the American Library
- Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, testified that the nation's
- librarians "are deeply concerned by this bill because we offer a broad range
- of visual materials that might be affected."
-
- Viruses Still Proliferating
-
- From a handful of computer viruses in 1989, the worldwide count has now
- surged to 9,000, report the experts at Dr. Solomon's Software Inc., an anti-
- virus software publisher. The experts warn that 150 to 200 new viruses are
- appearing each month, adding that the large-scale proliferation of viruses
- increases the likelihood of virus attack and the potential for data loss or
- computer damage. According to Dr. Solomon's, the three most common types of
- computer viruses are boot sector, file and macro-file codes.
-
- "Computer viruses can threaten the integrity of systems and data," says Rick
- Haigis, Dr. Solomon's vice president of North American marketing. "The rapid
- growth of computer viruses coupled with ever-increasing communication and
- file sharing abilities means that computer users need to be more careful than
- ever." According to Dr. Solomon's, the five most common computer viruses in
- circulation are:
-
- · Concept, a macro-file virus that infects Microsoft Word documents. It
- infects the NORMAL.DOT template, which is the default document form. Each
- time a user selects the File/Save As command, the virus infects the document.
- · Empire.Monkey, a boot sector virus that encrypts a critical area of a
- user's hard disk.
- · AntiCMOS, a boot sector virus, attempts to modify the computer's
- configuration information, CMOS.
- · Antiexe, a boot sector virus, infects computers when users start the
- computer from a floppy disk. Antiexe infects a program's "start" file, which
- causes unpredictable errors. In most cases, the computer hangs.
- · Form, a boot sector virus that infects computers when users start up
- from a floppy disk. Then, on the 18th day of each month, the keyboard makes a
- beeping noise for every key typed.
-
- Single 'SOHO' Market a Myth?
-
- The existence of a single SOHO (small office/home office) market is a myth,
- according to new research from Computer Intelligence InfoCorp. CII reports
- that technology use in the home-based businesses of self-employed
- individuals differs from that used in small businesses (1-19 employees) and
- from consumer use. The researcher also notes that self-employed people tend
- to use a wider variety of software, and to spend more time on the Internet.
-
- "There really isn't a single consistent 'SOHO' or small office/home office
- marketplace," says Dave Tremblay, senior industry analyst at CII. "The self-
- employed constitute a distinct segment that has some similarities with each
- of the other two, but also important differences. For example, says CII,
- Packard Bell was the number-one brand choice for PC purchases in 1995 for
- both the home and the self-employed segments, while for small enterprises
- Packard Bell ranked third, behind IBM and Gateway 2000.
-
- According to CII, self-employed people are automating their businesses at an
- increasing rate. The percentage of first-time PC buyers has been going up,
- from 32 percent of the PCs acquired by self-employed individualsin 1993 to 35
- percent in 1995 -- the opposite of the trend seen in the home segment, where
- first-time percentages have declined from 48 percent to 43 percent over the
- same period. Additionally, says CII, self-employed people spend more for
- their PCs. More than half of the PCs acquired by the self-employed in 1995
- cost $2,000 or more, and a mere 7 percent were acquired for less than $500.
- By comparison, only 46 percent of home users spent more than $2,000, and 18
- percent spent under $500.
-
- Additionally, according to CII, the self-employed are much heavier users of
- online services and the Internet than small business PC users. Nearly one of
- three self-employed PC users connects to at least one online service -- that
- is two-and-a-half times the rate in small enterprises. About one in four self-
- employed PCs connects to the Internet, which is about three times the rate
- of small business PCs. On average, self-employed people use about 6.5 types
- of software, nearly one-third more than the number of types used by small
- business users. Not surprisingly, word processing software is the most common
- type of software used by both groups, and spreadsheets are next. However,
- there are some differences in profile. Self-employed users are somewhat more
- likely to use desktop publishing software, for example. More notably, self-
- employed users are much more likely to use home-oriented types of software
- such as personal finance, entertainment and education. This clearly reflects
- the fact that the majority of the self-employed are located at home, where
- their PCs see use as home/family machines in addition to being used for
- business.
-
- Although the self-employed use more types of software, CII's data indicates
- that they don't use their PCs as much as people in small businesses. More
- than a third of small- enterprise users said that they use their PCs 30 or
- more hours per week, compared with 21 percent of self-employed users. "This
- doesn't come as a surprise," says Tremblay. "It's a situation where the
- self-employed have to be more self-reliant. Their businesses' demands may
- be more diverse, and may not require using a PC."
-
- EDITOR NOTE
- You simply have to LOVE "important sounding" but less than totally
- accurate demographic studies. They're so full of it! I imagine I'm a MYTH.
- I am part of the SOHO. I use the computers in this installation at least 50 -
- 60 hours per week. I was NEVER approached by anyone doing any sort of a
- study. Yet I'm registered far and wide as who and what I do and am.
-
- Clark Calls Net Death 'Ludicrous'
-
- The Internet is not dead, says Netscape Communications Corp. Chairman Jim
- Clark. It's not even sleeping. On the contrary, he says, the Net is the
- future of communications. Speaking to a standing-room-only audience at this
- week's Comdex computer trade show in Chicago, Clark added, "I personally
- think it's ludicrous to say the Internet is going away. In fact, I think
- it's so pervasive that there may not even be conferences about it, just like
- there aren't about telephones."
-
- The Reuter News Service notes Clark's comments came in response to a recent
- editorial in a trade magazine that warned of a decline of the Internet.
- However, Clark said the Net effectively will take the place of the telephone,
- with travel plans, catalog orders all being done via the World Wide Web.
- Added Clark, "I've been talking to the telecoms over the last few years
- trying to get them to embrace the Internet because that is the future of all
- communication -- and I really believe that."
-
- Clark added, though, that Netscape sees the technology of "intranet" - an
- organization's internal computer network, built on Internet protocols and
- linked to the worldwide network -- as a key to its own business. "A lot of
- our focus," he said, "has been on intranet because that's where the money
- is." To enterprises setting up their own networks he stressed the need for
- open systems. As reported, Sun Microsystems Inc., IBM, Oracle Corp. and
- Netscape recently announced an effort to define open software standard based
- on the Internet TCP/IP protocol.
-
- Micron Seeks Dumping Review
-
- Boise, Idaho, chipmaker Micron Technology Inc. has filed a request with the
- U.S. Commerce Department seeking to expedite the annual review of alleged
- dumping of DRAM chips by Hyundai Electronic Industries and LG Semicon in the
- U.S. market. According to United Press International, Micron accuses the
- Korean companies of selling the dynamic random access chips at below
- production costs.
-
- UPI notes spot market prices for the 16-megabit DRAM have plunged to below
- $15 from $50 six months ago. At current levels, analysts have said,
- companies could lose money on a product that was highly profitable a few
- months ago. Micron filed an antidumping suit several years ago against the
- three Korean manufacturers and small tariffs were imposed on Korean chips
- imported into the U.S. market as a result. Samsung was not included in
- Micron's filing last week.
-
- Micron Chairman/President/CEO Steve Appleton told the wire service, "These
- companies have previously violated U.S. trade laws, and there are active
- penalty provisions to deal with it. Prices have been dropping veryrapidly,
- and we have asked the Department of Commerce to take immediate and decisive
- action by doing a quick review of the amount of dumping now occurring. We
- have strong evidence that Hyundai and LG Semicon have once again chosen to
- sell below production costs."
-
- Court to Rule on Software Tax
-
- The state of Florida has been sued by several major technology firms in a bid
- to block property tax levies on their software. This opens the door for the
- courts to wrangle over whether computer programs are intellectualor tangible
- property. The Airbus Industrie unit Airbus Service Co. initially sued in
- Miami to block a Dade County property tax bill for a program used to run
- flight simulators for commercial pilot training. Lockheed Martin Corp. and
- General Electric Co. jointly sued to block Volusia County property tax bills
- on similar equipment that GE sold to Lockheed Martin.
-
- Meanwhile, Encore Computer Corp. has a similar suit pending in Fort
- Lauderdale against a Broward County tax assessment. Reporter Jane Sutton of
- the Reuter News Service quotes attorney Mark Holcomb, representing
- plaintiffs, as saying the bills involve "hundreds of thousands of dollars."
- "Some assert that software is taxble; many do not," Holcomb commented.
- "Even those who assert that software is taxable have no commonly accepted
- rationale that apply."
-
- Meanwhile, Florida Department of Revenue spokeswoman Donna O'Neal told the
- wire service, "There are no rules or state guidelines addressing the issue."
- Reuters notes the Florida Legislature failed during its 1996 session to
- enact bills that would have clarified the issue. It notes other states that
- have addressed the issue have come up with "a hodgepodge of approaches." For
- instance:
-
- · Colorado and Mississippi exempt all software from property taxes.
- · California taxes only basic operating programs needed to run a system.
- · Idaho taxes mass-produced or "canned" software but not customized
- programs.
- · Virginia taxes operating software but not applications software.
- · Washington taxes embedded software that is an integral part of the
- computer but exempts some other software and only taxes "canned" software for
- two years.
- · North Carolina exempts all software except embedded software and that is
- only taxed if it is capitalized on the taxpayer's books.
-
- As reported, Florida also is debating whether Internet services should be
- subject to sales taxes. The business lobby group Associated Industries
- contends that would be double taxation, since Internet users already pay
- taxes on the telephone services they use to access the Internet.
-
- Dems Protest GOP Web Wrangle
-
- Democrats are crying foul because of a new policy that requires anyone
- wanting to find certain party views on the World Wide Web to travel through
- Republican territory. Associated Press writer Laura Meckler notes that
- until now Web pages produced by Republican and Democratic staffs of House
- committees were all accessible from the main menu on the House's Web page.
- "No more," she reports. Now users "will find Democratic committee pages
- listed only on the committee's main page, which like the committees
- themselves are controlled by Republicans." Rep. Vic Fazio, D-Calif., the top
- Democrat on the Oversight Committee, told the wire service, "What we're
- talking about is an attempt to control the minority's communications with the
- American people. There is absolutely no reason that the majority should
- control information freely disseminated over the Internet."
-
- Fazio says that to access Democratic views, Web surfers may have to scroll
- through Republican rhetoric and a large photograph of the Republican
- chairman. Also, if Republicans on a particular committee decide not to have
- a Web site at all, Democrats can't have one either. "If a chairman doesn't
- like the contents of the minority's Web page," Fazio says, "he could simply
- decide not to have a Web page at all." AP notes a few committees currently
- have Democratic pages but no Republican pages. If a committee chairman wants
- to, he could kill the Democratic page until there's a GOP counterpart, said
- Bill Pierce, spokesman for the Oversight Committee. "The old policy gave
- each side disk space to produce Web pages but did not regulate how they are
- accessed," says Meckler. "Republicans explain that the party in power
- controls all committee activities and should control this as well.
-
- They note that all members use the same committee stationery, which
- highlights Republicans." According to minutes of a May 23 meeting where this
- was discussed, Oversight Chairman Bill Thomas, R-Calif., commented, "We are
- not going to enter a whole new relationship with the Internet, which is
- simply an additional way of communicating. Committee activities are under the
- control of the chairman of the committee."
- Democrats contend the Net is more like a press release, which they can
- distribute on their own.
-
- In a May 28 memo, Martha Coven of the House Democratic Policy Committee wrote
- her party's deepest concern is that this is a first step toward Republican
- control of content, adding, "It is even possible that committee chairmen may
- interpret the new policy to mean that they have direct control -- or veto
- power -- over the information that the minority chooses to post on its Web
- page." But Pierce, the Oversight Committee spokesman, says there's no
- chance of that, that "it has nothing to do with content." The House of
- Representatives' page on the Internet is located at Web address
- http://www.house.gov/.
-
- Vietnam Issues Net Regulations
-
- Vietnam has issued regulations requiring Internet service providers and their
- customers to be licensed by the government, giving the government broad
- powers to shut down any services deemed harmful to nationalinterests.
- Reporting from Hanoi, The Associated Press says the new guidelines also
- require service providers to agree to government inspections and absolutely
- obey the government's decisions on mobilizing parts of or the entire network
- for its own use."
-
- AP notes Vietnam has several tiny email networks with Internet links, serving
- mainly government officials, universities and foreign aid organizations, but
- anyone wanting to connect with the World Wide Web or international chat
- groups must dial servers outside the country. "The state telecommunications
- company, Vietnam Datacommunications, has the equipment to establish a full-
- fledged Internet link," says the wire service, "but is waiting for the final
- regulations before starting service."
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Corel Corporation Ships Two New Just In Time LearningT Products
-
-
- Ottawa, Canada - June 6, 1996 - Corel Corporation has begun shipping
- Learning CorelDRAWT 3 and Learning CorelDRAWT 6, the latest in its CD HOME
- line of titles developed by JIT Learning Products Inc. These fully
- comprehensive training courses guide the user step by step through the tools
- and functions of each software package. Benefits include learning the
- equivalent of two full days of classroom training at your own pace and an
- easy-to-use topic map that navigates the user through each program. Users
- will also be able to quickly practice what they have learned by simply
- clicking on the link to CorelDRAW, provided it has been installed, at any
- time during the tutorial. Both CDs carry a suggested list price of $24.95 US.
-
- "Both versions of Learning CorelDRAW are easy, interactive reference tools
- that will teach users how to create any number of professional-looking
- projects," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief executive officer
- of Corel Corporation. "The JIT feature offering additional instruction on
- functions, tasks and tools will help users become CorelDRAW experts in no
- time."
-
- Unique tips and tricks, in-depth details on all CorelDRAW 3 and CorelDRAW 6
- tools, as well as VCR-style controls which pause, repeat or skip over parts
- of each of the seven interactive projects will allow users to explore topics
- at their own pace and guide them quickly through the functions of these award-
- winning graphics packages.
-
- Modules for Learning CorelDRAWT 3 include:
-
- Getting Started: Run through an introduction to JIT and an overview of the
- projects. Learn how to launch CorelDRAW 3, set preferences, use the control
- panel and navigate the tips and tricks.
-
- · Browse: Click on any part of a mock page to launch pop-up boxes with
- indepth explanations of all the tools.
- · Greeting Card: Learn the basic tools of creating a mock-up, setting up a
- document, importing, resizing and repositioning clipart, as well as creating,
- formating and rotating text.
- · Logo: Import and edit a symbol; break apart, then colour and group
- items; and kern text to fit curve.
- · Business Card: Create a customized size, align multiple cards and set up
- crop marks for printing.
- · Fax Sheet: Insert a special character, import and resize a bitmap
- graphic, and blend objects.
- · Org Chart: Learn to set up a grid, draw a rounded rectangle, create a
- drop shadow, and space and duplicate a row of rectangles.
- · Presentation: Create distinctive borders and backgrounds, and shape text
- around a graphic.
- · Brochure: Design elements such as folded panels, headings, and
- illustrations, while creating and adding embossed text and a fill-in form.
-
- Learning CorelDRAWT 6
-
- Learning CorelDRAW 6 runs the user through more advanced projects in all of
- the same categories as CorelDRAW 3, but Browse is replaced by What's New. A
- total of 33 new and improved features, from right-clicking to wizards to the
- redraw and spiral tool, are listed. The user need only select a topic and
- click for a full demonstration of the most helpful features.
-
-
- System Requirements
-
- System requirements for both CDs include Windows 3.1x, MS-DOS 5.0 or Windows
- 95, a 486 33, 8 MB of RAM, 640x480, 256 color graphics display, 8-bit audio
- capabilities, and a double-speed CD-ROM drive.
-
- Corel has teamed up with JIT Learning Products Inc. to give consumers the
- most effective multimedia training available by distributing JIT's learning
- products line on CD-ROM. Other JIT learning products to be released as part
- of the CD HOME line of titles include Learning CorelDRAWT 4 and 5 and
- Learning the Internet. Corel's CD HOME series consists of reference,
- education, entertainment, personal productivity, and games titles for all
- ages.
- JIT Learning Products Inc.
-
- JIT Learning Products Inc. is focused on delivering highly effective, fully
- interactive multimedia training products to computer users around the world.
- JIT's approach is so unique that it was selected as one of 150 examples
- worldwide of exemplary technology at the recent G7 Summit Conferences on the
- Information Society in Brussels and in Halifax. The company was founded in
- 1994 and has a staff of over 20 highly trained and experienced production and
- marketing professionals.
-
- Corel Takes a Medieval Journey With New CD Home Title
-
- Ottawa, Canada - June 6, 1996 -- Corel Corporation has begun shipping
- Nikolai in Time: In the Time of the KnightsT, the latest in the imaginative
- adventures of NikolaiT and his toy cat Neow-NeowT. Following their previous
- adventures in Nikolai's TrainsT and NN'n N Toy MakersT, the two friends take
- a journey through time to a magical, medieval land. This "mixed-mode" CD-ROM
- not only runs on Windowsr 3.1x, Windowsr 95 and Macintoshr, but also on the
- home stereo - it is one of the first children's titles to present its 12
- original soundtrack compositions as audio tracks that can be played on any
- audio CD player.
-
- Nikolai in Time: In the Time of the Knights is shipping now and carries a
- suggested list price of $59.95 US. It is designed for children aged four to
- 10 and features 17 full color, interactive storybook pages as well as various
- educational tools -- a click on any word will elicit the correct
- pronunciation. In addition, children may choose to either have the story
- read to them in full by the narrator or to explore each page at their own
- pace.
-
- "Nikolai in Time: In the Time of the Knights is really three interactive
- storybooks in one," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief executive
- officer of Corel Corporation. "Children may choose to explore three different
- tales -- the Battle, the Joust or the Quest -- all of which will offer hours
- of entertainment."
-
- Some of the over 20 interactive hot spots per page lead to jesters dancing
- for the court, musicians playing a tune and knights in shining armor racing
- recklessly across the horizon. Other hot spots lead to quick, medieval
- history lessons and historically-based activities where children can design
- and print their own coat-of arms or compose tunes with on-screen medieval
- instruments.
-
- Development and System Requirements
-
- Nikolai in Time: In the Time of the Knights was developed for Corel by
- Toronto-based ABCD's, a division of I. Hoffmann + Associates Inc. Windows
- users will require a minimum of an IBM PC or compatible 486 33, Windows 3.1x,
- MS DOS 5.0, 8 MB of RAM, a double-speed CD-ROM drive and an 8-bit Sound
- Blaster or 100 percent compatible sound card. Macintosh users will need a
- minimum of a Macintosh LCIII, System 7.1 with Sound Manager, 8 MB of RAM and
- a double-speed CD-ROM drive.
-
- Corelr Ships Corel WordPerfectr Suite 7 for Windowsr 95
-
- OREM, Utah - May 29, 1996 - Corelr Corporation and its subsidiaries today
- began shipping Corelr WordPerfectr Suite 7 for Windowsr 95. This 32-bit
- version of the award-winning Corel WordPerfect Suite puts the Internet to
- work while tightly integrating Corelr WordPerfectr 7, Corelr Quattror Pro 7,
- and Corelr PresentationsT 7. Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 takes advantage of
- Windows 95 with 32-bit applications and enables users to finish faster and
- work smarter with improved output.
-
- "Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 95 redefines the "office suite" by
- including integrated best-of-breed graphics and Internet power as well as
- standard office applications," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief
- executive officer of Corel Corporation. "We listened to our customer base
- when they asked for more choice, more power and easy access to the Internet.
- Corel WordPerfect Suite makes the most of Windows 95 by enabling users to
- finish faster with less effort while putting the Internet to work. We are
- very pleased with the early response."
-
- Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 95 goes beyond traditional suites by
- setting a new standard in Internet connectivity-a standard illustrated by
- industry acclaim since its release this quarter. The June 1996 issue of Home
- Office ComputingT awarded Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 95-4 out of 5
- stars and a "Best Buy Award" with these words, "Feature for feature, the new
- Corel Suite outperforms its competitors." Government Computer NewsT recently
- named Corel WordPerfect Suite the "Best New Product" at their April awards
- gala in Washington, D.C. while the May issue of Computer ShopperT declared
- that, "The forthcoming Corel Office Professional for Windows 95 offers a set
- of the most advanced PC applications available, together with the integration
- and consistency once possible only in underpowered, all-in-one packages for
- beginners." The March 18, 1996 edition of InfoWorldT goes one step further
- to say, "Now it's Microsoft's turn to play catch-up."
-
- Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 95 includes the following full-featured
- applications:
-
- · Corelr WordPerfectr 7: Innovative key features such as Guidelines, Make
- It FitT and Spell-As-You-GoT as well as Internet capabilities, continue to
- make this the word processor of choice.
- · Corelr Quattror Pro 7: This award-winning spreadsheet contains new
- chart styles, a new mapping feature, QuickTemplates, Internet connectivity,
- and right mouse-button support for fast access to formatting options.
- · Corelr PresentationsT 7: This presentations graphics program includes
- the ability to move from a slide to an Internet site or to other slides with
- a single click, as well as the ability to convert slide shows to HTML format,
- and the option to combine multiple backgrounds, graphics, text, video and
- sound within one presentation.
- · EnvoyT 7: The perfect workgroup electronic publishing tool for CD-ROM
- and the Internet.
- · AT&T's WorldNet Service software including Netscape NavigatorT 2.01
- Internet Browser: Obtain access to the Internet with a premium service
- provider and best-of-breed Internet browser.
- · CorelFLOWT 3: Powerful business graphics.
- · Starfish Software's SidekickT 95: The most popular personal information
- manager and scheduler.
- · Starfish Software's DashboardT 95: Integrated application and task-
- automation launcher, as well as a Windows 95 system performance monitor.
- · DAD: Desktop Application Director
- · QuickView PlusT: View over 200 file formats quickly and easily.
- · IBMr VoiceTypeT Control: Use a microphone and your voice to navigate
- and activate each core application's graphic user interface.
- · 150 top quality fonts
- · 10,000+ clip art images
-
- Making the Most of Windowsr 95
- Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 95 makes the most of 32-bit power with
- more core application integration (Corel WordPerfect 7, Corel Quattro Pro 7,
- and Corel Presentations 7) than any other suite. All Corel WordPerfect Suite
- 7 core applications offer performance improvements and increased multi-
- tasking-plus features like:
-
- 1. File/macro conversion
- 2. Common address book
- 3. Integrated Speller, Grammatikr and Thesaurus
- 4. Simultaneous task performance with multi-tasking support
- 5. Simultaneous program function with multi-threading support
- 6. Long file name support, tabbed dialogs and drag and drop
- 7. Drag and drop to task bar
- 8. Extensive right mouse button support
- 9. File and property viewing from desktop
- 10. An Open dialog with more functionality than Windows Explorer
- 11. QuickFinderT indexing technology integration into Windows 95 shell
- 12. View over 200 file formats from the Windows 95 shell with QuickView
- PlusT
-
- All are integrated with full OLE 2 and OLE automation support as well as
- support for the Windows 95 registry.
-
- Putting the Internet to Work
- Access to the Internet has never been simpler or easier with AT&T's WorldNet
- Service software including Netscape NavigatorT 2.01 Internet Browser. Online
- assistance is available directly from Help menus in any application with one
- click. Other features include:
-
- · Internet links to link information directly to Corel WordPerfect Suite 7
- documents through URL cell support.
- · Import and export to and from HTML in Corel WordPerfect 7, Corel Quattro
- Pro 7
- · and Corel Presentations 7.
- · EnvoyT 7 electronic publishing solution for sharing Internet documents
- with all fonts, graphics and formatting intact.
- · QuickConnectT instantly connects users to Bookmarks in Netscape
- NavigatorT 2.01 or favorite places in America Onliner, CompuServer or
- Microsoftr Network.
- · Envoy 7 document viewing directly from Internet browser.
- · Create web-ready Corel WordPerfect documents that can be directly
- exported to HTML.
-
- Finish Faster with Less Effort
- Learn faster and easier in Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 95 with
- similar toolbars plus:
-
- · Spell-As-You-GoT
- · Ask the PerfectExpertT for help in your own words
- · QuickMenuT instant option menus
- · Improved QuickFinderT to rapidly access files
- · Integrated Speller, Grammatikr and Thesaurus
- · PerfectSenseT improved writing technology
- · QuickTasksT for instant automation of 60+ tasks
- · QuickCorrectT error correction as you go
- · QuickFormatT automatic document formatting
- · QuickTips online help
- · OLE Automation Interface
- · Advanced speech capabilities
-
- Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 95 goes beyond the standard ease-of-use
- features found in competing suites to automate entire tasks across all core
- applications. QuickFormat, QuickTasks and new QuickArt let users concentrate
- on the work at hand rather than applications.
-
- Customer Support
- Corel is the only software vendor to offer free, unlimited technical support
- (toll charges apply) for the life of the product. The life of the product is
- defined as the time period commencing when Corel last introduced the product
- until 6 month after Corel stops selling the product.
-
- Corel also offers these additional support options:
-
- · IVAN: Corel's Interactive Voice Answering Network provides customers
- with instant access to the most current product information available.
- Customers can obtain this service 24-hours a day, 365 days a year by calling
- (801) 765-4038. (Toll charges apply)
-
- · Bulletin Board Service (BBS): A 24-hour product information and program
- file resource that may be accessed through the following numbers: (801) 221-
- 5197.
-
- · Fax on Demand Service: Customers may obtain faxed information by calling
- · (801) 765-4037.
-
- · CompuServer Information Services: CompuServe subscribers can access the
- Corel Technical Support forum by typing GO COREL.
-
- · Corel Home Page: An Internet World Wide Web site @ http://www.corel.com
- or http://wordperfect.com with product information, technical documentation
- and press releases.
-
- Pricing and System Requirements
- Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 95 requires a 486/25 processor (486/66
- recommended), 8 MB RAM (16 MB recommended), VGA monitor or above and 30-220
- MB of free disk space depending upon installation and configuration.
-
- Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 95 is available for a suggested list
- price of $395 US for the CD-ROM version only and $449 US for both diskette
- and CD-ROM. WordPerfect users may upgrade to Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for
- Windows 95 for a suggested list price of $129 US for the CD-ROM version and
- $179 US for the diskette version.
-
- Corel Corporation
-
- Incorporated in 1985, Corel Corporation is recognized internationally as an
- award-winning developer and marketer of productivity applications, graphics
- and multimedia software. Corel's product line includes CorelDRAWT, the
- Corelr WordPerfectr Suite, Corelr Office Professional, CorelVIDEOT and over
- 30 multimedia software titles. Corel's products run on most operating
- systems, including: Windows, Macintosh, UNIX, MS-DOS and OS/2 and are
- consistently rated among the strongest in the industry. The company ships
- its products in over 17 languages through a network of more than 160
- distributors in 70 countries worldwide. Corel is traded on the Toronto Stock
- Exchange (symbol: COS) and the NASDAQ - National Market System (symbol:
- COSFF). For more information visit Corel's home page on the Internet at
- http://www.corel.com. Neow-Neow, Nikolai, Nikolai's Trains, NN'n N Toy Makers
- and Nikolai in Time: In the Time of the Knights are trademarks of I.
- Hoffmann + Associates Inc. Corel is a registered trademark of Corel
- Corporation. Corel, WordPerfect, Quattro, Presentations, and CorelFLOW are
- either trademarks or registered trademarks of Corel Corporation or Corel
- Corporation Limited. All products and publications mentioned are trademarks
- or registered trademarks of their respective companies and publishing houses.
-
-
-
-
-
- EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
-
-
-
-
- Edupage
- Contents
-
-
-
-
-
- Report Opposes Administration's
- Cryptography Plans
- Silicon Alley Vs. Silicon Valley
- Definitely Dense Data
- Companies License Java Chip
- Technology
- OECD Report Targets Information
- Technology Issues
- Pippin -- From The Living Room To
- The Board Room
- Hybrid Modems
- Gov't Stats On The Web
- Dish Wars
- Funds Management By Internet
- NCR Makes Deal In South Korea
- Intel Promotes The "Connected"
- Computer
- Writing Is On The Wall (Unencrypted)
- GlobeSpan Speeds Up The Infobahn
- Chip Wars Continue
- Big Board Goes Wireless
- Java Plans More Jive
- Bell Atlantic Opens Its Market To
- Competition
- "Green" Product Design Software
- OTA Reincarnated
- New TV Show Targets Technology
- Internet Is "Fundamental Change" In
- Telecom
- Technical Problems
- Packard Bell Becomes Packard Bell
- NEC
- The Information Imperative Index
- Eliminate Paper, Save Big Bucks
- Voluntary Guidelines For Privacy
- Protection On Net
- Satellite Time Is Getting Expensive
- For Schools
- Yahoo! Targets Europe For Growth
- Internet Banking
- The UnGame
- BellSouth And Time Warner Local
- Phone Service Agreement
- Reno Wants Protection From
- Cybercrime
- Satellite Dish Prices Headed Down
- PC Is "Desktop Hairball"
-
-
-
- REPORT OPPOSES ADMINISTRATION'S CRYPTOGRAPHY PLANS
- Rejecting Clinton Administration arguments that law enforcement efforts would
- be hampered by cryptography technology now based on a "key escrow" system
- allowing the government to decode any electronic communications after
- obtaining a court order, a report prepared for the National Research Council
- of the National Academy of Sciences says that unbreakable cryptography would
- actually help prevent crime by preventing criminals from intercepting
- legitimate business transactions. The report recommends dropping steep
- export controls currently placed by the government on products using the 56-
- bit key Data Encryption Standard, which offers significantly greater
- communications security than the 40-bit-key code that may be freely
- exported. (New York Times 31 May 96 C1)
-
- SILICON ALLEY VS. SILICON VALLEY
- While California still reigns supreme as the undisputed center of the
- hardware and software industries, a third high-tech market is emerging in
- New York City -- the content capital of the U.S. The new media boom builds
- on New York's established strength in traditional publishing, but is made up
- primarily of small start-up companies that thrive on the synergy between the
- old and new publishing realms. In response, Big Apple landlords are taking
- notice and one apartment building now bills itself as the first housing to be
- hardwired for the information revolution, providing built-in computer
- networking and high-speed Internet access for every tenant. (The Economist
- 25 May 96 p90)
-
- DEFINITELY DENSE DATA
- Templex Technology Corp. is claiming a world record in data-storage density,
- using a yttrium aluminum garnet crystal treated with billions of ions from
- the rare-earth mineral thulium. The result is a crystal that theoretically
- can store up to 1 million bits of data, although in practice it's produced a
- density of only 8 gigabits per square inch so far. Still, Templex
- researchers note that that's six times the storage capacity of IBM's latest
- magnetic disk drive. (Business Week 3 Jun 96 p123)
-
- COMPANIES LICENSE JAVA CHIP TECHNOLOGY
- LG Semicon, Ltd., a Mitsubishi Electronics unit, NEC Corp., and Samsung
- Electronic Co. have agreed to license the technology for manufacturing Java
- semiconductor chips from Sun Microsystems. The companies will then use the
- chips in their own consumer devices and cellular phones. In addition to
- these four, Rockwell International Corp. plans to use Java chips in guidance
- systems and Xerox will incorporate the chips in its automated office
- systems. Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy says this latest move takes Sun
- from the "sports utility vehicle" level (large workstations) to "the
- passenger-car unit market." (Investor's Business Daily 31 May 96 A13)
-
- OECD REPORT TARGETS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
- A report recently released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
- Development calls on member governments to support the principle of
- competition across various markets in the information sector, and to reduce
- national barriers preventing the diffusion of information technology across
- borders while respecting the importance of intellectual property rights.
- "There are few matters that can slow or distort the emerging global
- information society and create transnational frictions more than issues of
- security, privacy and intellectual property, including copyrights," says the
- report. It calls for convening an international conference to coordinate
- activities in cryptography and the protection of intellectual property, and
- to discuss issues such as jurisdiction in cyberspace, and the importance of
- maintaining linguistic and cultural diversity. (BNA Daily Report for
- Executives 28 May 96 A2)
-
- PIPPIN -- FROM THE LIVING ROOM TO THE BOARD ROOM
- Apple Pippin licensee Bandai Co. will use Pippin technology to develop
- corporate systems for a large travel company, and TRW Inc. is testing a
- Bandai-made Pippin for use in corporate training. Like the network
- computers being touted by Oracle, Pippin features a low-cost, low-memory
- system to access information rather than create it. Unlike the NCs, Pippin
- also includes a CD-ROM to speed up multimedia applications. Apple predicts
- more major licensees soon: "This is going to have a meaningful impact on our
- bottom line," says Pippin's marketing manager. (Information Week 27 May 96
- p28)
-
- HYBRID MODEMS
- Cable modems that offer a slower return path via a telephone line are
- offering smaller cable operators a way to provide cable modem service
- without investing in the costly upgrades necessary to turn their cable into a
- two- way transmission system. "Now they're realizing this is a business for
- them to get into. They're finding they don't have to wait for a two-way
- plant," says a Zenith Electronics product manager. The boxes could go for as
- low as $250, about half that of current cable modems. (Broadcasting & Cable
- 27 May 96 p44)
-
- GOV'T STATS ON THE WEB
- If you're looking for quick access to statistical data on U.S. income,
- employment, education, health or crime, the White House's Web site features
- a "Federal Statistics Briefing Room" and a "Social Statistics Briefing Room."
- The site provides one-stop-shopping for data located on various government
- computers.
- < http://www.whitehouse.gov/fsbr/ > (Chronicle of Higher Education 31 May 96
- A15)
-
- DISH WARS
- A group of Canadian broadcasting and satellite firms say they will sue
- Thomson Consumer Electronics Canada if it carries out plans to sell its RCA
- satellite dishes in Canada. At issue: Canadian companies hold the Canadian
- rights to programming that is being distributed by American satellite to
- Canadian consumers by companies that do not have licenses for the Canadian
- rights. (Toronto Globe & Mail 31 May 96 B1)
-
- FUNDS MANAGEMENT BY INTERNET
- Later this year retirement savings programs such as Fidelity, TIAA-CREF, and
- Cigna will be allowing individuals to manage their investments and transact
- loans and withdrawals over the Internet. (USA Today 31 May 96 1A)
-
- NCR MAKES DEAL IN SOUTH KOREA
- NCR will allow Korean manufacturers Samsung and Hyundai to build high-speed
- "massively parallel" computers based on NCR designs and to sell them
- everywhere in the world except for established markets (U.S., Western
- Europe, Japan, and Australia). By using large numbers of low-cost microchips
- working simultaneously on different parts of a computation, massively
- parallel computers are able to achieve mainframe or supercomputer power.
- (Wall Street Journal 31 May 96 B5)
-
- INTEL PROMOTES THE "CONNECTED" COMPUTER
- Intel chief executive Andy Grove says the company's strategy is now built
- around the "connected computer" that facilitates integration of software and
- data stored locally with that downloaded from the network. Intel's next
- generation of microchips will emphasize Multimedia Extensions (MMX) to
- enhance audio, graphics, imaging and video. (Computer Industry Daily 3 June
- 96)
-
- WRITING IS ON THE WALL (UNENCRYPTED)
- The Japanese company Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corporation (NTT) has begun
- selling a two-chip set containing encryption technology that is far more
- powerful than the "Clipper Chip" technology favored by the Clinton
- Administration, which wants to make it possible for law enforcement agencies
- to conduct wiretaps providing they have court-ordered warrants. The NTT
- chips have no such provision. The chief executive of RSA Data Security, a
- California company negotiating with NTT to resell the chips in the U.S.,
- says: "If there is anyone in the government who hasn't already seen the
- writing on the wall, here it is." (New York Times 4 Jun 96 C1)
-
- GLOBESPAN SPEEDS UP THE INFOBAHN
- A new type of modem that incorporates AT&T Paradyne's GlobeSpan technology
- will soon make it possible to access the Internet at speeds 200 times faster
- than a conventional 28.8 modem. GlobeSpan Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber
- Line technology can accommodate video phone calls, simultaneous calls by
- different family members, or movies, all over existing twisted pair phone
- lines. AT&T expects to have RADSL fully developed by November, and
- manufacturers should be ready to sell the gadgetry to telephone companies
- sometime in 1997. And though the phone companies are touting the benefits of
- ISDN now, the simplicity of RADSL technology has distinct advantages -- it
- doesn't require a separate phone line, nor does it burden telephone company
- switching equipment. (Tampa Tribune 4 Jun 96 B&F1)
-
- CHIP WARS CONTINUE
- Texas Instruments says it will begin manufacturing a chip next year that will
- be 20 times more powerful than today's Pentium Pro chip from Intel. The new
- chips will be used in automatic teller machines that can recognize a user's
- face, wristwatch PCs, or laptop computers with longer memory life. TI's
- TImeline chip- making process will pack 125-million transistors onto a single
- chip, beating LSI Logic's prediction that it soon will make a 49-million
- transistor chip. "What they announced is no different from where every
- semiconductor company is headed toward," says an industry analyst. "The
- question is, is there some reason to believe they can do it faster than
- their competitors?" (St. Petersburg Times 3 Jun 96 p8)
-
- BIG BOARD GOES WIRELESS
- The New York Stock Exchange is completing a $125 million technology overhaul
- that will allow its 1,400 brokers to use wireless hand-held computers to
- communicate from the trading floor. The much smaller American Stock
- Exchange currently uses similar technology for about 100 options brokers and
- plans to expand the wireless option to equities traders next year. (Wall
- Street Journal 3 Jun 96 A9C)
-
- JAVA PLANS MORE JIVE
- "Java will become the universal language of Internet computing," says an
- analyst with Forrester Research. "Users have discovered Java, and Java is
- perceived as mature. In the information technology industry, perception is
- reality." A Forrester survey of 50 companies shows most of them already
- using Java, and 42% said the software will take on strategic importance in
- their businesses within a year. Forrester predicts that by the end of next
- year, Java will have been used to create at least 60% of the programs running
- on the Internet. (Investor's Business Daily 4 Jun 96 A8)
-
- BELL ATLANTIC OPENS ITS MARKET TO COMPETITION
- The Bell Atlantic regional telephone company is allowing the cable company
- Jones Intercable Inc. to connect to the Bell phone network in Virginia; by
- showing the Federal Communications Commission that it is opening its own
- market to competition, the move may help Bell Atlantic in turn win federal
- approval to enter the long-distance phone market. (New York Times 4 Jun 96
- C4)
-
- "GREEN" PRODUCT DESIGN SOFTWARE
- For manufacturers who want to design with the environment in mind, there soon
- will be a new software product that analyzes product design to determine how
- things like materials or components might be changed to be more
- environmentally friendly. For instance, it suggests where recyclable parts
- might be appropriate, or how to manufacture products that are easier to
- disassemble later. Design for Environment is being developed by Booth
- Dewhurst Inc. in cooperation with the Dutch organization TNO Product Centre,
- and will be tested this summer by GE Plastics to see how DFE could help
- design greener instrument panels for cars. (Business Week 10 Jun 96 p109)
-
- OTA REINCARNATED
- The Office of Technology Assessment, which closed its doors last year after
- Congress cut off funding for the 23-year-old agency, has been reborn, with
- some of its alumni founding the Institute for Technology Analysis in
- Washington, DC. Following OTA's precedent, ITA will analyze technology
- issues and policy options through workshops at which all vested interests
- are represented. Unlike OTA, which worked exclusively for Congress, ITA is
- soliciting contracts from industry, professional societies and federal
- agencies. (Science News 25 May 96 p331)
-
- NEW TV SHOW TARGETS TECHNOLOGY
- NBC is planning a new cable TV show called "Scan" that will focus on how
- technology affects people's lives, with IBM tagged as the new program's
- exclusive worldwide sponsor. In return, IBM will own the show outright and
- maintain final editorial control. The show will air on NBC's CNBC cable
- channel in the U.S. and on its network channels in Asia, Europe and Latin
- America. (Wall Street Journal 4 Jun 96 B1)
-
- INTERNET IS "FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE" IN TELECOM
- Netscape president Jim Clark says: "I've been talking to the
- telecommunications companies and telling them that it's the future. It
- represents the first fundamental change since the telecommunications system
- was invented. The biggest change up to now was when the telephone moved
- from a rotary dial to Touch-Tone ... that's really a small change compared
- to this." (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 4 Jun 96 F3)
-
- TECHNICAL PROBLEMS
- No, we have not been on vacation. If you have not received Edupage recently,
- it's because technical problems caused a large number of subscribers to be
- dropped from the list. And so tonight's distribution is being made from a
- backup copy from several weeks ago, which does not reflect any recent
- database updates. If you do not wish to receive Edupage, please send mail
- to listproc@educom.unc.edu, with the message: unsubscribe edupage. If you
- have any subscription problems, please communicate with:
- manager@educom.unc.edu. And if you want to see any back issues of Edupage,
- please consult < www.educom.edu >.
-
- PACKARD BELL BECOMES PACKARD BELL NEC
- Packard Bell Electronics will merge with the foreign PC operations of the NEC
- corporation of Japan to become the world's fourth largest maker of personal
- computers, after Compaq, IBM and Apple, and to extend its marketing reach to
- corporations and governments. Packard Bell cofounder and chief executive Beny
- Alagem will be head of the new company, which will be called Packard Bell
- NEC, and which will add to Packard Bell's product line the full range of
- notebook computers and servers offered by Zenith Data Systems,
- which is owned by NEC and Groupe Bull of France. (New York Times 5 Jun 96
- C1)
-
- THE INFORMATION IMPERATIVE INDEX
- International Data Corp. has come up with a new ranking system, taking into
- consideration how well different countries' citizens can access, adopt and
- absorb information and information technology. The top slot, dubbed "Roller-
- Bladers," was filled by the U.S. and Sweden. Further down in the second-tier
- "Striders" category were South Korea, Israel, Japan, the U.K., Canada and
- Australia. IDC describes their information technology attitudes as
- cautious, but dedicated and consistent. Last among the 55 countries ranked
- was China. IDC, working with World Times Inc. of Boston, used 20 factors,
- such as technology spending, computer use and telecommunications
- infrastructure to develop their rankings. The companies found a close
- correlation between technology success and the following five factors:
- secondary school enrollment, college enrollment, newspaper readership, press
- freedom and civil liberties. (Investor's Business Daily 5 Jun 96 A6)
-
- ELIMINATE PAPER, SAVE BIG BUCKS
- E-commerce is coming -- it's just a matter of time, say the experts. U.S.
- companies already purchase $500 billion worth of goods a year
- electronically, and that's just a fraction of their total purchases, says a
- researcher at Giga Information Group. Once companies figure out how much
- money dealing electronically saves them, it will be much, much more. For
- example, a simple automobile parts purchase order is estimated to cost $150
- to process -- doing it electronically could cut costs to $25. "I really see
- the Internet as an explosion of electronic commerce. This is the most
- exciting sea change to hit commerce globally in the last 100 years," says the
- president and CEO of General Electric Information Services. (Business Week
- 10 Jun 96 p110)
-
- VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES FOR PRIVACY PROTECTION ON NET
- The Interactive Services Association, which represents online information
- services, and the Direct Marketing Association are proposing guidelines to
- limit unwanted e-mail and direct-mail solicitations and to protect the
- unauthorized collection of personal information. Online solicitations would
- be required to conform with the stated policies of the newsgroups or forums
- on which they are posted, to disclose the identity of the distributors of
- the solicitation, and to provide recipients a way of refusing to receive
- solicitations. Civil liberties and privacy groups say the proposals would
- fail to check online abuses and that government regulation will be necessary
- to protect individual privacy on the Internet. (New York Times 5 Jun 96 C6)
-
- SATELLITE TIME IS GETTING EXPENSIVE FOR SCHOOLS
- Universities that transmit courses and other educational programs via
- satellite are getting hit with charges of up to $1,000 per hour of live
- transmission, almost double the cost two years ago, and some are resorting to
- mailing out videotapes rather than pay for live shows. "Since the mid-'80s,
- there has been a 1,000% increase in satellite costs," says Oklahoma State
- University's Marshall Allen. Soaring prices have forced OSU to drop two
- advanced placement courses it offered to high school students. The problem
- stems from a shortage in satellites combined with more competition in the
- spot market, where many educators buy their time. Satellite brokers and
- consultants predict the shortage will ease over the next few years as users
- migrate from analog transmission to digital, which can be compressed to one-
- fourth the transponder space requirement of a full- motion analog signal.
- Meanwhile educators are looking to videoconferencing over phone lines and
- eventually the Internet as lower-cost alternatives. (Wall Street Journal 6
- Jun 96 B1)
-
- YAHOO! TARGETS EUROPE FOR GROWTH
- Yahoo! recently teamed up with Ziff-Davis to create Yahoo! Europe and plans
- to provide local versions of its search engine software to users in Great
- Britain, France and Germany by the second half of this year. The company
- also will install computer servers in Europe to handle European users and is
- seeking local partners to expand the business. "I think that Europe, from a
- user's standpoint, has got to represent in two or three years a third of the
- world network population, which will be some 100 to 200 million in 2000,"
- says Yahoo!'s president and CEO. (Investor's Business Daily 6 Jun 96 A8)
-
- INTERNET BANKING
- The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and some blue-chip technology
- companies are planning a system to allow people to make credit, debit and
- stored-value card purchases over the Internet and to conduct banking
- transactions. Whereas most Internet banking schemes involve software that
- authenticates the details of a transaction to make sure the buyer and seller
- are who they say they and then encrypts the whole process so ensure
- confidentiality, this system tackles the problem by aiming to place card
- readers -- like the ones used by retailers for credit or debit cards - in
- the homes or businesses of users. (Toronto Globe & Mail 5 Jun 96 B8)
-
- THE UNGAME
- Irvine, California-based DVD Software has a new product that automatically
- deletes games from networked computers, freeing up limited computing
- resources for students and business folks. Oregon State University's
- business school manager says, "I had a problem with games," noting that some
- students spent hours playing games while others were waiting their turn at
- the keyboard to complete assignments. UnGame scans the hard drive for any
- of 4,600 games every time the computer is turned on or logged on to the
- network. The list of games is updated every month. More than 20 colleges
- and universities are using the software now. (Chronicle of Higher Education
- 7 Jun 96 A24)
-
- BELLSOUTH AND TIME WARNER
- LOCAL PHONE SERVICE AGREEMENT
- Regional telephone company BellSouth will connect its network to the cable
- system of Time Warner, allowing BellSouth customers in three (Florida, North
- Carolina and Tennessee) of the company's nine-state area to complete calls
- to Time Warner customers. The regional "Baby Bells" will be allowed by the
- government to enter the long-distance telephone business only after they
- show that they have opened their own local markets to competition from cable
- and long-distance phone service providers. (New York Times 5 Jun 96 C4)
-
- RENO WANTS PROTECTION FROM CYBERCRIME
- Attorney General Janet Reno has told the FBI, CIA, and Commerce, Defense,
- Energy, Transportation and Treasury Departments that she wants to create a
- federal computer security emergency response unit to counter physical or
- network attacks against the federal computer infrastructure. (Computer
- Industry Daily 6 Jun 96) And some U.S. senators want to allow the FBI to
- combine forces with the CIA and other intelligence agencies to deal with
- international criminal and terrorist activity conducted on the Net. Senator
- Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) says that "if we're going to live in this kind of world,
- we're going to have to link the intelligence world with law enforcement."
- Vanderbilt business professor Donna L. Hoffman, whose work is focused on the
- Internet, says: ''There are not dead bodies in the street. It just doesn't
- make sense to rush into legislation.'' (San Jose Mercury News Center 6 Jun
- 96)
-
- SATELLITE DISH PRICES HEADED DOWN
- Industry observers are predicting lower digital satellite system receive dish
- prices, as the market gravitates toward the cellular phone model -- give the
- equipment away and make your money on the recurring service revenue. "It's
- getting very similar to cellular," he said. "The more manufacturers and
- service providers gain confidence that the income stream down the line from
- using the service will increase, the more they'll be willing to bring the
- price down," says one retailer who predicts a $99 dish before too long.
- Others aren't quite so sure, given recent sluggish sales. "Sales haven't
- been as strong this year as they were last year," says a Sears VP. "Maybe
- the start of a new football season in the third quarter will pick things up."
- (Multichannel News Digest 4 Jun 96)
-
- PC IS "DESKTOP HAIRBALL"
- Sun chief executive Scott McNealy, an evangelist for cheap, simple "network
- computers" which draw the programs and data they need from the network
- rather than storing them locally, says that the personal computer is "a
- desktop hairball...The best way to upgrade your PC is to downgrade it. Take
- Windows out, take the CD out, use the network instead." (Atlanta Journal-
- Constitution 6 June 96 F2)
-
-
-
- Edupage is written by John Gehl (gehl@educom.edu) & Suzanne Douglas
- (douglas@educom.edu).
- Voice: 404-371-1853, Fax: 404-371-8057.
-
- Technical support is provided by the Office of Information Technology,
- University of North Carolina.
-
- EDUPAGE is what you've just finished reading. To subscribe to Edupage: send
- a message to: listproc@educom.unc.edu and in the body of the message type:
- subscribe edupage Marvin Minsky (assuming that your name is Marvin Minsky;
- if it's not, substitute your own name). ... To cancel, send a message to:
- listproc@educom.unc.edu and in the body of the message type: unsubscribe
- edupage... Subscription problems: educom@educom.unc.edu.
-
- EDUCOM REVIEW is our bimonthly print magazine on learning, communications,
- and information technology. Subscriptions are $18 a year in the U.S.; send
- mail to offer@educom.edu. When you do, we'll ring a little bell, because
- we'll be so happy! Choice of bell is yours: a small dome with a button,
- like the one on the counter at the dry cleaners with the sign "Ring bell for
- service"; or a small hand bell; or a cathedral bell; or a door bell; or a
- chime; or a glockenspiel. Your choice. But ring it!
-
- EDUCOM UPDATE is our twice-a-month electronic summary of organizational news
- and events. To subscribe to the Update: send a message to:
- listproc@educom.unc.edu and in the body of the message type: subscribe
- update John McCarthy (assuming that your name is John McCarthy; if it's
- not, substitute your own name).
-
- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
- The CAUSE organization's annual conference on information technology in
- higher education is scheduled for the end of this month in New Orleans. The
- conference will bring together administrators, academicians and other
- managers of information resources. For full conference information check out
- <http://cause-www.colorado.edu > or send e-mail to conf@cause.colorado.edu.
-
- ARCHIVES & TRANSLATIONS. For archive copies of Edupage or Update, ftp or
- gopher to educom.edu or see URL: < http://www.educom.edu/>. For the French
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- "subscribe"; or see < http://www.ijs.com >. For the Hebrew edition, send
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- or see < http://www.kinetica.co.il/ newsletters/leketnet/ >. For
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- An Italian edition is available on Agora' Telematica; connection and/or free
- subscription via BT-Tymnet and Sprint (login: <agora) or via telnet
- <agora.stm.it; mail: <b.parrella@agora.stm.it for info. For the Portuguese
- edition, contact edunews@nc-rj.rnp.br with the message SUB EDUPAGE-P Seu
- Primeiro Nome Seu Sobrenome. For the Spanish edition, send mail edunews@nc-
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- Educom -- Transforming Education Through Information Technology
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-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Acrobat 3 STR Focus
-
-
-
- Adobe Introduces Adobe Acrobat 3.0 Software
-
-
- Provides Easy Solution to Create
- and Share any Document
- on
- Corporate Intranets
- and
- The World Wide Web
-
-
-
- Mountain View, Calif. (June 3, 1996) (Nasdaq:ADBE) -- Adobe Systems
- Incorporated announced today Adober Acrobatr 3.0 software, providing
- business customers with one of the fastest and easiest solutions for sharing
- any document on-line. With version 3.0, mainstream business customers can use
- existing software tools, such as word processors, spreadsheets, presentation
- and page layout packages, to create rich, cross- platform documents that are
- completely integrated with corporate Intranets and the World Wide Web.
-
- Adobe Acrobat 3.0 provides key features that optimize Adobe Portable Document
- Format (PDF) files for browsing, serving and searching on the Internet. As a
- result, customers will be able to quickly view, search and download PDF
- files directly within popular Web browsers, such as Netscape NavigatorT
- client software and Microsoftr Internet ExplorerT. In addition, Acrobat 3.0
- software greatly extends the ability of average desktop computer users to
- get a broad set of document types into a completely portable, Web-ready
- format. This includes the ability to scan and convert paper documents into
- PDF files, to create and use highly formatted electronic forms, and to
- integrate multimedia elements into PDF files using dynamic controls.
-
- "By integrating Acrobat software with the World Wide Web, Adobe significantly
- increases the quality
- and type of content that customers can use on the Internet," said John Kunze,
- vice president and
- general manager of Internet Products and Technologies, Adobe Systems
- Incorporated. "Acrobat gives
- business customers a simple and complete Internet solution for distributing
- information on the Web.
- Now corporations can represent almost any document on-line, including forms
- and paper-based
- documents, using a single, rich format and one application."
-
- Acrobat 3.0 extends the capabilities of Acrobat software to provide customers
- with a much richer experience of content on the Web. Customers will be able
- to seamlessly view PDF content directly within Web browsers that support the
- Netscape Navigator Plug-in Application Programming Interface (API). In
- addition, Acrobat 3.0 optimizes PDF files to be quickly downloaded by
- allowing customers to retrieve and view individual pages. Only the bytes
- necessary to display any given page are downloaded and separate objects on
- the page are progressively rendered. Optimized PDF files will render text
- first while larger objects, such as images, will be downloaded in the
- background and rendered afterwards.
-
- "By leveraging the Netscape Plug-in API, Adobe Acrobat 3.0 makes it easy for
- the over 30 million users of Netscape Navigator to view, search and download
- PDF files on the Internet as easily as they browse HTML documents," said
- Mike Homer, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Netscape Communications
- Corporation. "The Acrobat Plug-in for Netscape Navigator enables users to
- access the wealth of PDF information on the Web, such as critical business
- documents created with a broad set of desktop authoring tools."
-
- Adobe also announced it will provide a Microsoftr ActiveXT control for
- Acrobat 3.0 software. As a result, customers will be able to integrate the
- ability to view and control PDF files in a wide variety of applications
- supporting ActiveX technology, including Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0.
-
- "The ability to easily access rich information from the desktop is one of the
- most important features driving the acceptance of the Web," said Brad Chase,
- General Manager, Internet Platform and Tools Division, Microsoft. "Adobe's
- support of ActiveX will enable Acrobat customers and developers to fully
- exploit all the features of PDF in the widest variety of applications and
- browsers." New Features
-
- " Integrated viewing within popular Web browsers - Acrobat 3.0 software
- offers integrated viewing of PDF files directly within World Wide Web
- browsers that support the full Netscape Navigator Plug-in API or Microsoft
- ActiveX controls.
-
- " Page-on-demand serving and progressive rendering - Page-on-demand
- downloading ensures fast access to PDF files across the Web. Progressive
- rendering of PDF pages means that text is rendered first, using a substitute
- font if necessary, followed by hypertext links and images. Any embedded fonts
- are downloaded and drawn onscreen last.
-
- " Acrobat CaptureT plug-in to scan and OCR paper documents - With the
- Acrobat Capture plug-in for Acrobat 3.0, customers can scan in paper
- documents and easily convert them into PDF files. The Acrobat Capture plug-in
- combines document imaging, optical character recognition (OCR), and other
- technologies to convert paper-based information into PDF. Unlike OCR
- products, the Acrobat Capture plug-in preserves the exact formatting, page
- layout, text and graphics, from the original paper pages in a cross-platform
- format that can be easily shared on the Web.
-
- " Full-text searching -With Acrobat 3.0 software, searching PDF files on
- the Web can be as easy as searching HTML documents. Adobe provides a
- development toolkit that allows vendors of full-text searching solutions to
- index and retrieve PDF files on Web servers. In addition, Acrobat 3.0
- includes full-text searching technology from Verity, Inc. that allows
- customers to search collections of PDF files on corporate networks or CD-
- ROMs.
-
- " Interactive forms - With Acrobat 3.0, customers can create and fill in
- highly formatted, interactive PDF forms. Acrobat 3.0 forms support includes
- text fields, multi-line text fields, combo boxes, list boxes, radio buttons,
- and checkboxes, with extensive control over appearance, tab order and
- behavior. Actions can include posting forms data in HTML to the Internet.
- Forms data can also be received from a host server to update a form and its
- appearance dynamically, without having to resend the entire form.
-
- " Dynamic controls for multimedia elements - Acrobat 3.0 software allows
- customers to create dynamic controls, such as buttons or live areas on a page
- that perform a variety of actions, including playing movies or sounds and
- executing navigational controls or Acrobat menu items. Through dynamic
- controls, PDF files can incorporate multimedia and interactive elements that
- enrich end-user experiences with electronic documents.
-
- " Kanji support - With Acrobat 3.0 software release, Acrobat Reader,
- Acrobat DistillerT and Acrobat ExchangeT now support multiple-byte Asian
- languages: Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Customers can use Acrobat 3.0
- software to create, display and print PDF files that contain characters from
- these languages. In addition, Acrobat 3.0 software will include two Japanese
- fonts that can be used on any Microsoft Windowsr system or on an Appler
- Macintoshr system with KanjiTalk or a Japanese Language Kit.
-
- Pricing and availability
- Priced and packaged for the business desktop market, Adobe Acrobat 3.0
- software provides everything a customer needs to create Web-ready documents.
- Windows and Macintosh versions of Acrobat 3.0 software include Acrobat
- Exchange, PDFWriter, Acrobat Distiller, the Acrobat Capture plug-in, Acrobat
- Catalog and Acrobat Reader in a single box, which customers can optionally
- install to meet their specific needs.
-
- Windows 3.1, Windows NTT, Windows 95, Macintosh and Power Macintoshr versions
- are expected to be available in August, 1996, for a suggested retail price of
- $295. OS/2r, SunOST, SunT Solarisr, HP-UX, and AIXr versions of Acrobat 3.0,
- which will include Acrobat Reader, Acrobat Exchange and Acrobat Distiller,
- are expected to be available in September, 1996, for a suggested retail price
- of $295. Free versions of the Acrobat Reader software, for Macintosh,
- Windows, Silicon Graphicsr IRIXr, SunOS, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, AIX and OS/2,
- are expected to be available beginning in August, 1996. Beta versions of
- Acrobat Reader 3.0 and software for optimizing existing PDF files for
- efficient Web delivery are available now for free from Adobe's World Wide Web
- server at http://www.adobe.com/acrobat/3beta/.
-
- Based in Mountain View, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated develops and
- supports products to help people express and use information in more
- imaginative and meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media.
- Founded in 1982, Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution.
- Today, the company offers a market-leading line of application software and
- type products for creating and distributing visually rich communication
- materials; licenses its industry-standard technologies to major hardware
- manufacturers, software developers, and service providers; and offers
- integrated software solutions to businesses of all sizes. For more
- information, see Adobe's home page at www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.
-
- Adobe, Acrobat, Acrobat Capture, Acrobat Exchange, and Distiller are
- trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Apple, Macintosh and Power
- Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Microsoft and
- Windows are registered trademarks and Windows NT, ActiveX and Internet
- Explorer are trademarks of Microsoft in the U.S. and other countries. IBM,
- AIX, and OS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines
- Corporation. Sun and SunOS are trademarks and Solaris is a registered
- trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Silicon Graphics and IRIX are registered
- trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark in the
- United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open
- Company, Ltd. Netscape Navigator and Netscape are trademarks of Netscape
- Communications Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their
- respective owners.Page 4 of 4 Adobe Introduces Adobe Acrobat 3.0 Software
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Kids Computing Corner
- Frank Sereno, Editor
-
-
-
- The Kids' Computing Corner
- Computer news and software reviews
- from a parent's point of view
-
- The Internet Kid's Yellow Pages
- softcover book, 355 pages
- suggested price $19.95
- Written by Jean Armour Polly
- Published by Osborne/McGraw-Hill
- 2600 Tenth St.
- Berkeley, CA 94710
- 510-549-6600
- http://www.osborne.com
-
- reviewed by Frank Sereno
-
-
- The Internet Kid's Yellow Pages is a fantastic selection of the best Internet
- sites for children. Months of research and review went into choosing the
- 1800 sites included in the book. Sites were judged on several criteria, but
- especially educational content. These sites are among the very best the
- Internet has to offer for children.
-
- Selections are listed by categories so topics of interest can easily be
- found. Subject matter ranges from aquariums to video games. This book is not
- merely a list of URL's. Each selection includes URL information along with
- an informative summary of the site's contents. The book's pages are peppered
- with interesting net facts and trivia that enhance your reading enjoyment.
- This book is very easy and fun to read.
-
- The book also includes handy chapters that advise parents on how to introduce
- their children to the Internet, ways to get the most value from connect time
- and even has tips on how to find the new addresses for any pages that have
- been moved since the book's publication. Most importantly, the book has a
- section that advises children and parents on the best methods to make your
- kid's browsing experiences safe and fun.
-
- Jean Armour Polly maintains a website that supports The Internet Kid's Yellow
- Pages. The site (http://www.well.com/user/polly/ikyp.html) features a
- listing of URL's that have been changed since the book's publication. You
- can also recommend your favorite sites or send an e-mail to the author. She
- has pages devoted to other projects that may be to your interest as well.
-
- The Internet Kid's Yellow Pages is a wonderful reference tool for children
- and adults. It is a great value because it will save expensive connect time
- by reducing the need for time-consuming web searches. The chosen sites are
- fun and informative and provide many excellent learning opportunities. The
- book is great reading because of its light-hearted style. If you have kids
- surfing the Web or if you enjoy browsing a wide variety of educational Web
- pages, then you should add The Internet Kid's Yellow Pages to your library.
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Hawaii High
- The Mystery of the Tiki
- Hybrid Windows/Mac CD-ROM
- $9.95
- Ages 8 and up
- Essex Interactive Media
- 560 Sylvan Ave.
- Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
- 201-894-8700
- http:www.essexinteractive.com
-
- Program Requirements
- IBM Macintosh
- OS: Windows 3.1 or higher OS: System
- 6.0.7 or higher
- CPU: 386SX CPU: Color Macintosh
- HD Space: ? MB HD Space: ? MB
- Memory: 4 MB Memory: 4 MB
- Graphics: 640 by 480 with 256 colors Graphics: 256
- colors, 13" monitor
- CD-ROM: Double-speed recommended CD-ROM: Double-speed
- recommended
- Audio: 8-bit Windows compatible sound card
- Other: speakers, mouse
-
-
-
- reviewed by Angelo Marasco
-
-
- Don't ever let anyone tell you that you just can't get good software unless
- you're willing to pay a high price for it. Hawaii High, The Mystery of the
- Tiki is a low-priced, quality piece of software. While it does have some
- quirks, The Mystery of the Tiki has a quality about it that tells you that,
- while this may be inexpensive software, it is not cheap software. It is
- really nice to find that a program of this quality exists in the under $10
- price range. Kind of restores your faith in humanity, know what I mean?
-
- The Mystery of the Tiki is set in Hawaii. It is a story about two girls:
- Jennifer who has just moved in from New York City, and Maleah, her new friend
- and a native Hawaiian. The girls set out on an adventure to restore a stolen
- Tiki to its rightful place on the islands. They must avoid the thieves who
- lost the tiki while trying to survive their adventure. You follow along on
- the adventure and in the course of the adventure learn a few things about
- Hawaii and solve a few puzzles.
-
-
- When I first started the program, I was sure that I was going to be bored
- stiff. Much to my surprise, the farther along I went into the adventure, the
- more I liked this program. I spent several days trying to work my way
- through it and never finished. My thirteen-year-old daughter also tried to
- work her way through the program and never finished. There was enough
- challenge to it to keep us both busy for several days.
-
- One thing I was very pleased with was the multimedia help for the program.
- Instead of making you read endless, boring pages of instructions, this
- program uses a narrator in the help section to step you through its use. It
- is quick and easy to learn. I tried to use the program without help but was
- frustrated after a while and decided to ask for help. It didn't take long
- for the narrator to teach me what I needed to know all along.
-
- The graphics in Mystery of the Tiki are cartoon-like but of good quality.
- They are attractive to younger children. I was disappointed by how slowly
- the graphics loaded and moved even though my 486SX33 computer exceeds the
- minimum 386SX requirement. I was also disappointed by the fact that the
- characters' mouths do not move. However, the image quality was just too good
- to let these drawbacks lower the graphics rating much. Sounds are very good.
- The music is pleasant, the theme song is interesting, the background sounds
- are believable, the voices are clear and distinguishable from each other.
- This helped, since the mouths of the characters don't move, letting you know
- who is talking.
-
-
- I was a little disappointed with the interface while the adventure was
- running. The Mystery of the Tiki uses symbols to tell you that a particular
- part of the scene can do something. These symbols appear when the cursor
- passes over that item. The symbols indicate that a character or item does
- something interesting, has something to say, plays music or moves you on into
- the adventure. Many times the symbols would flash on the screen when the
- cursor arrow passed over an item but would not return when I went back to
- that item. It almost seemed as if the symbols were delayed at times. It was
- hard to tell if the problem stemmed from the slow graphics or if there was
- some kind of programming flaw. The interface rating took a hit because of
- this.
-
- The play value of The Mystery of the Tiki is good. Nearly every screen has
- some surprise waiting to be clicked on. Quite a few of these items brought
- unexpected results. The program isn't boring and keeps your attention. All
- three of my little ones, ages thirteen, ten and eight, got something out of
- this program. While the adventure does come to an end, I haven't been able
- to reach it after several days of trying, and neither have my children.
-
- The Mystery of the Tiki does have some educational value, surprisingly. In
- those screens that have some interesting or educational information to
- impart, a "guidebook" appears in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.
- Simply click and drag the guidebook over the items on the screen and let it
- go when it opens. The guidebook then opens to a page with something to teach
- about Hawaii. Subjects range from geography to biology to earth science. It
- teaches without getting too heavy. I was pleased with the way that the
- program handles this.
-
- Now for the big one, bang for the buck. Those of you who are familiar with
- my reviews know that it is very difficult for software to get a great bang
- for the buck rating from me. As a father of four at the head of a one-income
- family, I feel much of the software out there is priced well beyond the reach
- of the average family and I really think that this is unfair. Generally,
- anything greater than $35 is in danger of being rated as overpriced by me
- unless it is really high quality stuff. With a retail price of $9.95, I
- wasn't expecting much from The Mystery of the Tiki. Once again I learned
- never to assume because, when you assume it makes an ..... Well, you get the
- picture. I was very surprised by the quality and features of this
- inexpensive software. This software falls so far within my price comfort
- zone that I really wish I could give it a bang for the buck rating greater
- than 10. Maybe a 15? The Mystery of the Tiki really deserves it.
-
- Overall, this is a very good program. It may not be the best, but then what
- do you want for $10? If you are looking for something fun and inexpensive to
- add to your children's software library then Hawaii High, The Mystery of the
- Tiki comes highly recommended by me.
-
- Ratings
-
- Graphics . . . . . . . . . 8.5
- Sound . . . . . . . . . . . 9.5
- Interface . . . . . . . . . 7.5
- Play Value . . . . . . . . 9.0
- Educational Value . . . 8.0
- Bang for the Buck . . . 10.0
- Average . . . . . . . . . . 8.75
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- STR Editor's Mail Call "...a place for the readers to be heard"
-
-
- Editor's MailBag
-
-
- Messages * NOT EDITED * for content
-
-
-
- From: "Bob Carpenter" <bobc@globaldialog.com>
- To: <rmariano@streport.com>
- Subject: Feedback
- Date: Sun, 2 Jun 1996 19:33:58 -0500
- X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
- X-Priority: 3
- X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1080
- MIME-Version: 1.0
- Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
- Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
-
- Ralph,
-
- I've been visiting your site for awhile picking up the ASCII version of STR.
- I've been reading it since the Atari days. Since STR and myself have moved to
- the PC, I think I like it even better now. STR, nor I, are quite
- as emotionally charged as back in the Atari days.
-
- Anyway, this past week is the first week I've visited your site with IE.
- I've been checking out the 3.0 beta (I like some of it better than Netscape,
- some things Netscape does better) and your site is definitely better with IE.
- Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" was a nice touch on the "Latest issue"
- page.
-
- Thanks for hyping Thumbs Plus so much. I decided to take a look at their
- Win95 version and I'm real happy with it. It should make my life much easier
- when finding just the right graphic for the user group newsletter.
-
- Bob Carpenter
-
-
- Bob,
- I'm glad you like Internet Explorer 3, I do too! <g> I try to make the
- STReport WebSite as entertaining and informative as possible. As for Thumbs
- Plus. I use it most every day I work on the WebSite's graphics. Thanks for
- writing and reading STReport. Acrobat makes STReport shine!
-
-
-
-
- Special Notice!! STR Infofile File format Requirements for
- Articles
-
-
- File Format for STReport
-
- All articles submitted to STReport for publication must be sent in the
- following format. Please use the format requested. Any files received that
- do not conform will not be used. The article must be in an importable word
- processor format for Word 7.0.. The margins are .05" left and 1.0" Monospaced
- fonts are not to be used. Please use proportional fonting only and at eleven
- points.
-
- · No Indenting on any paragraphs!!
- · No underlining!
- · Column Format shall be achieved through the use of tabs only. Do NOT
- use the space bar.
- · No ASCII "ART"!!
- · There is no limits as to size, articles may be split into two if lengthy
- · Actual Artwork should be in GIF, PCX, JPG, TIF, BMP, WMF file formats
- · Artwork (pictures, graphs, charts, etc.)should be sent along with the
- article separately
- · Please use a single font only in an article. TTF CG Times 12pt. is
- preferred. (VERY Strong Hint)
-
- If there are any questions please use either E-Mail or call.
-
- On another note. the ASCII version of STReport is fast approaching the
- "end of the line" As the major Online Services move away from ASCII.. So
- shall STReport. All in the name of progress and improved readability. The
- amount of reader mail expressing a preference for our Adobe PDF enhanced
- issue is running approximately 15 to 1 over the ASCII edition. Besides,
- STReport will not be caught in the old, worn out "downward compatibility
- dodge" we must move forward. However, if the ASCII readership remains as
- high, rest assured. ASCII will stay. Right now, since STReport is offered on
- a number of closed major corporate networks as "required" Monday Morning
- reading.. Our ascii readers have nothing to worry themselves about.
-
- Many grateful thanks in advance for your enthusiastic co-operation and input.
-
- Ralph F. Mariano, Editor
- STReport International Online Magazine
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Atari: Jaguar/Computer Section
- Dana Jacobson, Editor
-
-
-
- From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
-
- Okay, so I was really in a foul mood last week c I admit it! I hate doing
- our budgets at work when it's a "slash and save" kind of year and then you
- get no feedback until you see the final version at the beginning of the
- fiscal year! Well, it's all done except for the screaming and review, but
- that's the easy part. <g> Things are getting back to normal (insert
- definition of "normal" here).
-
- And also, the news is picking up a little bit so that frustrating bit is
- changing, at least for the present. Our promised dealer listing last week
- didn't make it for some reason, so we're trying it again this week.
-
- Well, I'm going to head out and enjoy this terrific weather.. we deserve it
- here on the right coast.
-
- Until next time...
-
-
- ST INFORMER Magazine
-
- ST INFORMER Magazine [Issue #97] has been mailed. This issue is packed with
- goodies for all the interests of folks who love and enjoy their TOS platform
- computers. We invite letters of inquiry and criticism to enable us to keep on
- top of reader interest.
-
- INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE:
-
- 1. - [Potpourri], what is ahead for Atari and where have we been...
- 2. - [Letters], cross section of user interests that are of interest to
- all..
- 3. - [New Developments] that Include:
- · DA's Layout, Falcon Apex 3, MagiC4, Falcon Afterburner, Papyrus Help,
- · Falcon CD Rom, HP Scanjet-Mustek Drivers, Moving Pixels, ClipArt CD Rom
- 4. - [Sacramento Expo], all the folks, feeds, foibles, and frantic
- purchasing
- 5. - [Hard Drives], an explanation to all the jargon we keep hearing
- 6. - [What's Available in Databases], a look at the many offerings
- 7. - [Positive Image], retouching program that holds great promise for
- users
- 8. - [EZ Grade], Teachers tool that keeps on keepin' on
- 9. - [More CDs], a look at some more offerings of Atari compatible CDs
- 10. - [PD Watch], 1PRN, ATIVIRS, COWS, ELFBAK, ENDURANC, EVER_35, ST-WIZ,
- etc
- 11. - [Show Calendar], MIST AtariFest to be held in Indianapolis
-
- ....PLUS A FULL MEASURE OF COMMERCIAL OFFERINGS FROM DEVELOPERS AND
- ADVERTISERS YOU HAVE COME TO TRUST.
-
- ....Don't miss another issue. Cost is low, satisfaction is high. Be sure that
- you get a steady dose of what is happening in the Atari and Atari Clone
- market in the Western Hemisphere. Thanks for being an enthusiast.
-
- * U.S [12 Issues] $26us [12 w/Disk] $65us
- * Canada [12 Issues] $32us [12 w/Disk] $72us
- * Foreign [12 Surface] $36us [12 Air] $58us
- * Forgw/Disk [Surface] $76us [Air w/Disk] $98us
-
- SUBSCRIBE THIS MONTH:
-
- Every New subscriber and renewal subscriber is eligible for our monthly prize
- drawing. We are giving a meaningful prize away each month starting with
- renewals and new subscriptions of June 1996. We also feature a new DOMESTIC
- ONLY "Short timers" subscription [6 issues] for a reduced rate [1/2 Price +
- $4]. Ask us when you call. If you feel you can not make a long range
- commitment, then make a short range one and help us "Keep On Keepin' On".
-
- Subscribe now! Contact us via email at our address below.
-
- "Keep on Keepin' On", Rod MacDonald
-
- ST Informer Magazine | stinformer@chatlink.com | Tel: (541) 476-0071|
- A&D Atari Software | GEnie: ST-INFORMER | Fax: (541) 479-1825|
- 909 NW Starlite Place | CIS: 75300,2514 | Order(800) 800-2563|
- Grants Pass, OR 97526 | |
- MC/Visa/Discover |
-
- World Wide Web URL: http://www.chatlink.com/~stinformer
-
-
-
- Gemulator For Laptops now shipping!
-
-
- It's here. The long awaited notebook and laptop compatible version of
- Gemulator is now shipping and available from Branch Always Software, Toad
- Computers, ATY Computer, and other Atari dealers. The complete ready to go
- emulator costs as little as $119.95 U.S. Gemulator For Laptops turns any
- Windows notebook or laptop computer into a portable Atari STE with full
- support for the mouse, modem, printer, CD-ROM, and unlimited access to the
- hard disk. No separate Atari disk partitions need to be created, and no
- hardware is involved. As with other versions of Gemulator, speed is
- excellent. Gemulator For Laptops runs at close to Atari TT speeds when used
- on common notebook computers such as the Toshiba 105CS.
-
- For the complete Gemulator For Laptops press release, browse
- http://www.halcyon.com/brasoft/gemlap.txt or see our web page at
- http://www.halcyon.com/brasoft for information on all three versions of
- Gemulator.
-
- - Darek
-
-
- Darek Mihocka the PC Xformer and Gemulator guy, email:brasoft@halcyon.com
- c/o Branch Always Software, 14150 N.E. 20th St. #302, Bellevue, WA 98007
- phone:206-236-0540 fax:206-236-0257 WWW:http://www.halcyon.com/brasoft/
-
-
- [Editor's note: Apologies for the problems with the dealer listing that was
- slated for last week's issue. Let's try it again this week!]
-
- Atari Computer/Gaming Hardware and Software Sources
-
- CeeJay Software info@compdirect.com
- Carey & Janette Cates
- P.O. Box 1303 ATY Computers:
- Mt. Vernon, IL 62864 510-482-3775
- To order call us at: (618) 242-0405 a.yu@genie.com
- Mon-Fri 6-10pm CST
- Best Electronics:
- The Computer Dungeon 408-243-6950
- 1440 Spencer Ave.
- Berkeley, IL 60163 ST Informer
- Phone: (708) 547-7085 909 NW Starlite Place
- Fax: (708) 547-6550 Grants Pass, OR 97526
- M-F 9am to 6pm CST Voice (541) 476-0071
- Sat. 9am to Noon CST Fax (541) 479-1825
- Orders (800) 800-2563
- Toad Computers stinformer@chatlink
- 570 Ritchie Highway GEnie: ST-INFORMER
- Severna Park, MD 21146-2925 USA CIS: 75300.2514
- Info/International Orders: http://www.chatlink.com/~stinformer
- (410) 544-6943
- FAX: (410) 544-1329 Current Notes
- USA & Canada Orders: Current Notes attn: R. Boardman
- (800) 448-8623 (448-TOAD) 559 Birchmound RD. #2
- Email: info@toad.net or Scarborough, ON Canada M1K 1P8
- info@toad.net@INET# (GEnie Mail) (416) 261-5997
- Also TOAD on Genie hcarson@io.org lianne@io.org
- http://www.toad.net/
-
- Systems For Tomorrow
- Orders: (800) 875-4943 (US/Canada
- Only)
- Info: (816) 353-1221
- Fax: (816) 252-3611
- Mail: PO Box 3034
- Independence MO 64055
- Email: sft@sound.net
- Genie: k.kordes1
-
- STeve's Computer Technologies!
- 405 Main Street
- Woodland, CA. 95695
- Phone Voice (916)/661-3328
- Phone Fax (916)/661-1201
- Phone BBS 19166611538
- Mon-Sat 10 - 6 p.m.
- Sunday - Closed
- Main Home Page Web Site:
- http://woodland.net/wvm/STeves/
- 2nd Home Page Web Site:
- http://promedia.net/~dvm/STeves/
- Internet E-Mail:
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- Jaguar Section
-
- Towers II
- The State of Affairs...
- And more...?
-
-
- From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is!
-
-
- Just when you thought all was lost, you get a little boost from the world of
- third party developers. I've been corresponding with a few of the folks at
- JV Enterprises the past few months with regard to Towers II, a completed role
- playing game designed for the Jaguar. From what I understand, the game was
- not approved for release by Atari, for reasons which have not been disclosed
- publicly. JVE decided to seek an independent publisher and was, finally,
- successful. As you'll see later on in this column, Telegames has been
- contracted to publish Towers II (no release date has been set, but likely for
- the 3rd quarter).
-
- This is a plus for Jaguar owners as the console currently has no RPGs to
- enjoy. The game is based on the Atari Falcon version, with some changes due
- to the difference in media. More changes are likely before the game finally
- appears. JVE was kind enough to send me a Falcon version to look at since I
- didn't have a PC and necessary other hardware to view the Jaguar version
- (they offered it). They also sent me a video taken of the Jaguar version in
- action. I've played around a little with the Falcon version, but not a real
- lot of play yet. The video looked pretty good, but looked a little
- repetitious. It has a Doom like appearance, but with a lot of role playing
- mixed in. Since I haven't played the game much, it's difficult to get a real
- feel to the game in many aspects yet. But, I will play it some more and hope
- to get a Jaguar version to fiddle with in the near future. I can say that I
- am psyched to see this game finally going to see the light of day! To get
- even more prepared, I loaded up what I feel is the essence of role playing
- games on the Atari platform, Dungeon Master, and just completed it (again)
- after not touching it for a couple of years. Bring on Towers II (or Chaos
- Strikes Back)!! As I learn more about Towers II, I'll bring you up to date.
-
- There's been a lot of speculation regarding the status of Atari and future
- Jaguar games appearing (from Atari), if any. I must admit that I'm also
- concerned over the "future" of new games. Breakout 2000 was supposed to be
- next out, but that's on hold. Putting all of the pieces of information that
- I've learned over the past few weeks, I'm going to go out on a limb and say
- that we'll likely see Breakout 2000, but in limited quantities. I hope to
- have more specific information in the next couple of weeks; and hopefully, it
- will be positive.
-
- It appears that the final stages of the Atari JTS merger are in the works. I
- would imagine that at that time, there will have to be a definitive plan for
- the future of the Atari division of the proposed merger. Will there still be
- an Atari division, an Atari Interactive division, and a JTS drive division?
- Where's Ralph's mighty Crystal Ball when I need to borrow it?! <g> All that
- I can do at this time is make a guess; and I'm not willing to make one. I
- can see the Jaguar ending, other than perhaps a game here and there over the
- next year, shortly after the merger. I can also foresee Atari releasing some
- more games and dragging out the inevitable, especially once the Nintendo
- machine makes an appearance. What I am willing to state is that the Jaguar,
- as we envisioned it grow into two years ago, has reached the end of the line.
- The Jaguar, as has happened with the other console machines, just didn't live
- up to expectations. I believe that the "cycle" of console machines has come
- and gone again. I don't even believe that Nintendo's pending new entry is
- going to live up to its hyped expectations.
-
- I have 2 Jaguars, the CD player, and quite a few games. I plan to add to
- that collection and continue to play them for years to come. I still play a
- number of games on my Atari computers (see the mention of my finishing
- Dungeon Master, again, above). And, if any new games come out in the future
- for the Jaguar that I find appealing, I'll get those as well. But, my hopes
- for the Jaguar becoming a significant player in the console marketplace died
- quite a few months ago. Life does go on.
-
- Until next time...
-
-
-
- Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News!
-
-
-
- Sega to Offer Internet Links
- A modem and software to connect the Sega 32-bit video game player to the
- Internet will be marketed by the company in Japan beginning next month. In
- Tokyo today, officials with Sega Enterprises Ltd. told the Reuter News
- Service the price of the system, which would include a 14.4 kbps modem, an
- Internet browser and video game and communications software, will be 14,800
- yen. A Sega official also said the company aimed to sell 500,000 of the
- systems in the first year of marketing.
-
-
- Jaguar Online STR InfoFile Online Users Growl & Purr!
-
- As I mentioned earlier, I have been corresponding with some of the guys at JV
- Enterprises regarding the status of Towers II. The brief couple of messages
- below are those that I received once it was known that Telegameshad signed on
- to publish the game. I just thought that I'd share them with you:
-
- "Hello Dana,
-
- I hope you got the Video okay. Good News, we just signed an Agreement with
- Telegames for Towers II Jaguar. I just have to make a few final changes and
- then Compt. code T2, and it's off to them.
-
- We don't have a release date, but when we do we'll tell you. I assure you
- that I'll be working around the clock to make sure T2 is not delayed any
- longer because of us." :)
-
- Vince @ JV Enterprises
-
- "Yes, it is official. We signed a contract and we are getting a development
- Jag back to make the changes needed." :)
-
- Vince @ JV Enterprises
-
-
-
- ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
-
-
- PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
-
- On CompuServe
-
- compiled by
- Joe Mirando
- 73637,2262
-
- Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Well the days keep getting longer and warmer.
- Folks are starting to get accustomed to spring again, and things are getting
- back to normal here in the Atari Forums. People are posting questions a
- little bit more like the old days. It just goes to show you that folks never
- get tired of asking for help, giving answers to those who are asking for
- help, or just mingling with friends old and
- new.
-
- As I write this, my wife is watching APOLLO 13. We just passed the part
- where Tom Hanks is telling those penny-pinching Senator-types that many
- things had to happen to make the space program happen. One of them was the
- invention of a computer that would fit in a single room that could hold
- millions of pieces of information. My, my, how far we've come. We've come
- quite a way in the past twenty-or-so years. The mind boggles at what we can
- expect in the next twenty years. Will we all still be getting together here
- on CompuServe or will there be something bigger? Perhaps a "SuperNet"? I
- don't pretend to know what the computing world will be like then, but one
- thing is for certain: No matter what you can imagine being commonplace in
- the year 2016, it's likely to be quite outdated by the time 2016 actually
- gets here.
-
- So I guess all we can really do is live with what we have today. For me,
- that means an old, comfortable computer and all my friends on CompuServe.
-
- From the Atari Computing Forum
-
- Joe Lensbower asks for help with one of CompuServe's commands:
-
- "Someone told me this last month.... I wrote it down and now I've lost it.
- How do you scan ALL and ONLY the NEW files in the libraries? I thought it
- was BRO LIB ALL but that's not it. Am I close?"
-
- Sysop Jim Ness tells Joe:
-
- "If you do BRO LIB:ALL you'll get all files in reverse chrono order. If you
- do BRO LIB:ALL AGE:2 you'll get the same, but limited to the last two days."
-
- Last week one of my CompuServe friends told me about another Web Browser
- program for the Atari ST series of computers. It's called OASIS and it is
- reported to support PPP protocol, which is what is necessary to access the
- World Wide Web via CompuServe. As an added bonus, it also runs under plain,
- vanilla GEM! No MiNT, no MINIX, no kidding. All in a rush to try this new
- beastie out, Brian Scott asks:
-
- "Help Does anyone have a login script for Oasis 201 to Compuserve?" Since I
- posted this program, I break the temporary bad news to Brian: "Evidently,
- there is some problem with the login setup that needs to be fixed by the
- authors before it can be used on CIS. I just found this out myself (actually
- I was told about it, as I haven't had time to even try to use it on CIS).
- I've heard that the next version is due out shortly which will fix this
- problem along with some other bugs. (Thank you Neil for the info!) Oasis
- seems to be our best bet at the moment for a Web Browser since it uses TOS
- _and_ PPP at the same time. Let's hope that it happens soon!"
-
- Patrick Wong posts:
-
- "I have a friend with a TT and a Nova card (one with 1meg Dram). Recently he
- wanted to upgrade to one the newer, more powerful Nova cards. I remember
- that Nova allows owners to trade in their old cards towards a newer card.
- Does anyone know if Nova is still in this forum and if this deal still
- exists? He would love to upgrade his card for the TT. He's also
- interested in a Mac Emulator. I remember that the owner of the company went
- bankrupt and that the emulator only runs up to system 6 software. Is this
- accurate? How much would a system 6 Mac emulator
- cost?"
-
- Albert Dayes of Atari Explorer Online Magazine tells Patrick:
-
- "You might contact Toad computers and see if they can place in contact with
- the seller/importer of Nova cards. With regard to Spectre - GCR it only
- works with system 6.x software. Some dealers might still have them but I
- have seen a few in this forum being sold used too."
-
- Jack Hughes asks:
-
- "Can someone tell me if I will need HSModem to use a Supra Express 144 with a
- 1040STf, TOS 1.4 and 4Megs of RAM? From info I have seen in the past, here
- and elsewhere, the RS232 max's out at 9600. Is the Supra's speed subject to
- setting? Also I am currently using QuickCIS which does not have a 14.4
- option, goes from 9600 to 19200."
-
- Sysop Jim Ness tells Jack:
-
- "Use the 19200 setting with a 14400 modem. The modem adjusts to one speed
- from the computer and another from the phone line. I do recommend a TSR
- like HSMODEM for anything over 9600."
-
- Albert Dayes of Atari Explorer Online Magazine tells Jack:
-
- "You can use Serial Fix v2.0 which is in the library. That is what I use with
- my Mega4 ST and it works fine. I just use the AT&F2 setting for 99% of my
- work with the SupraFaxmodem and it works just fine. It should be the same
- for you also. Set the speed of the serial port at 19,000 since there is
- compression between the modem and your serial port."
-
- Michael Squire posts:
-
- "I recently bought a PC and a Gemulator card to go with it. Be aware that
- the Gemulator card currently emulates an STe (TOS 2.06) and does -not-
- support a joystick. If your games require a joystick, the Gemulator would
- not support them at this time. Incidentally, there is a version of MagiC for
- the PC in the works and Toad has uploaded a (German) demo over on Genie."
-
- John Stubbs asks:
-
- "I don't suppose its possible to link my old ST to a pc via some kind of
- cable? My atari is fitted with an old 286 emulator, is it of any
- consequence. I know its probably a complete shot in the dark....."
-
- Sysop Bob Retelle tells John:
-
- "It depends on what you want to do with your ST linked to a PC. There's a
- program that lets the PC's hard drive act as a "file server" for the ST, and
- you can just transfer files back and forth using a normal serial link via a
- "null modem". The problem with sharing files is that the CPU chips of the
- two computers are completely different, thus programs won't run
- interchangably on them. You can share data files though, like wordprocessor
- text files and graphics, to a limited extent."
-
- From the Atari Gaming Forum
-
- Andrew Howard posts:
-
- "Hi all. I want Nolan [Bushnell] to say he will save Atari and kick out the
- Trameils.... What do you lot say!! and dont be afraid...."
-
- Hugh Chewning tells Andrew:
-
- "I don't care who takes over. Just release the completed games."
-
- Joe Park adds:
-
- "[That's] Assuming that Atari can still be saved.."
-
- Steve Watkins tells Andrew, Hugh, and Joe:
-
- "I don't know that Nolan Bushnell is the guy to resurrect any company - he's
- pretty much lost in all his ventures since going belly up after selling
- Atari (and starting his "think tank" for start-ups)."
-
- Tim Wells adds his thoughts:
-
- "Even if Atari has gone out of business, the Jaguar could be bought by
- another company and promoted properly, and kick some serious butt."
-
- Hugh tells Tim:
-
- "Maybe 6 months to a year ago, not now, playstation at $199 would make it
- impossible to gain any support from third party developers. Atari had a
- chance to take its share of the pie. Now there are too many systems vying
- for customers and most outpower the Jag. Jaguar 2, wait till DVD is a
- standard."
-
- Our latest "Fight for Life" update from John Moreno:
-
- "I finished FFL, and thought that Junior was too easy to beat. The game is
- fun, but much more so with two players. I just got MC3D a couple of weeks
- ago, and it's great! Virtual MC is one of the hardest games I've played in a
- while... there's just too much coming at you at one time! I barely got to
- the cloud level for the first time and was destroyed pretty quick. You'll
- like it! And original MC is just as adicting as ever! (anyone got a track
- ball for this thing?)"
-
-
- Well folks, I know you couldn't tell, but I just spent several hours
- babysitting by five year old neighbor. We sat and played the game that came
- with my Jaguar CD, Blue Lightning. I'll tell you, for a five year old, he's
- got quite good hand-eye coordination. To make a long story short... um,
- shorter than it would have been, he thoroughly enjoyed himself. It made him
- easy to babysit, and his mom was glad that he wasn't playing either
- Wolfenstein 3D or Ultra Vortek (his former favorites). I don't know why I'm
- telling you this, but I had a good time, Nick (the five year old) had a good
- time, and his mother had a chance to go and enjoy herself. Isn't technology
- wonderful?
-
- Tune in again next week and be ready to listen to what they are saying
- when...
-
- PEOPLE ARE TALKING
-
- EDITORIAL QUICKIES
-
- Never Forget!
-
-
- "Normandy, The beginning of the End of Germany's NAZI Tyranny"
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