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Silicon Times Report "The Original Independent OnLine Magazine" (Since 1987) January 24, 1997 No.1304 Silicon Times Report International OnLine Magazine Post Office Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32221-6155 R.F. Mariano, Editor STR Publishing, Inc. Voice: 1-904-292-9222 10am-5pm EST FAX: 904-268-2237 24hrs STReport WebSite http://www.streport.com STR Publishing's FTP Support Server 10gb - Back Issues - Patches - Support Files (Continually Under Construction) ftp.streport.com Anonymous Login ok - Use your Email Address as a Password STReport published with MS Office 97 & Adobe Acrobat Pro v3 Featuring a Full Service Web Site http://www.streport.com Voted TOP TEN Ultimate WebSite Join STReport's Subscriber List receive STR through Internet Toad Hall BBS 1-617-567-8642 01/24/97 STR 1304 The Original Independent OnLine Magazine! - CPU Industry Report - Murdoch's ChinaByte - Inet FREE FAX - Chillier Chips - Corel NEWS - PM6.5 UPDate - Micrografx NEWS - WSJ Blasts Policies - Sega, Bandai Merge - USB JoyStick - Sony DEV FAQ - Classics & Gaming ONLINE SEX STING AOL HIT WITH MORE SUITS AT&T GAINS ON AOL MISERY STReport International OnLine Magazine Featuring Weekly "Accurate UP-TO-DATE News and Information" Current Events, Original Articles, Tips, Rumors, and Information Hardware - Software - Corporate - R & D - Imports STReport's BBS - The Bounty International BBS, invites all BBS systems, worldwide, to participate in the provision and distribution of STReport for their members. You may call The STReport Home BBS, The Bounty @ 1- 904-268-4116. Or obtain the latest issue from our WebSite. Enjoy the wonder and excitement of exchanging all types of useful information relative to all computer types, worldwide, through the use of the Internet. All computer enthusiasts, hobbyist or commercial, on all platforms and BBS systems are invited to participate. IMPORTANT NOTICE STReport, with its policy of not accepting any input relative to content from paid advertisers, has over the years developed the reputation of "saying it like it really is". When it comes to our editorials, product evaluations, reviews and over-views, we shall always keep our readers interests first and foremost. With the user in mind, STReport further pledges to maintain the reader confidence that has been developed over the years and to continue "living up to such". All we ask is that our readers make certain the manufacturers, publishers etc., know exactly where the information about their products appeared. In closing, we shall arduously endeavor to meet and further develop the high standards of straight forwardness our readers have come to expect in each and every issue. The Publisher, Staff & Editors STReport's Tenth Anniversary 1987-1997 Florida Lotto - LottoMan v1.35 Results: 1/18/97: 3 of 6 numbers, no matches From the Editor's Desk... 1997 is our tenth year of operation. Seems like it was only yesterday .when we began. Oh well on to today. In this issue, you'll find references to telecommunications difficulties by Amercia Online and here, in this missive, about local ISP access and routes from Jacksonville to both Atlanta and Orlando. Folks, something is going on that's not obviously clear to the powers that be. Hopefully, our opinions can shed some light on the possibilities. Let's take a quick look at where the "gold" is for the telephone companies; Sprint, MCI, the baby Bells and AT&T for starters . Many would quickly say the long distance toll calls to both businesses and private users. They would be partially correct. Five years ago, that answer would've been 100% correct. Today however, its in Commercial/Residential "line leasing", "access leasing" and gateways to the Internet. Now, we find the PHONE COMPANIES (The Carriers) in direct competition with those they lease the lines and access to! One can only wonder why it was. That recently in Jacksonville, the ISP's that were serviced by Southern Bell went down and lost their Internet Access Routes for almost the entire weekend but those ISP's who were using the lines leased to Sprint or, AT&T's lines had no problem at all. Southern Bell's direct lines experienced no problems either. The Uunet connections went totally dead though. Sure, it is easy to blame UUNet and its even easier to blame "some strange electronic anomaly" but please. stop and think about this. Look at it this way.. AT&T is now an ISP (Internet Service Provider), Southern Bell is now an ISP as well as MCI. Folks, in the USA, (perhaps the world) these ARE the big telecommunications guns. Nobody seemingly comes bigger. They are in direct competition with those they serve. Those little ISP's are, by the way, obliged to use the services of the big guns. Why is it the same problems were not being seen by all? After all, they are reportedly all using the same "lines". Why is it America Online is choking on the volume of Users accessing its service? Busy signals are the song of the hour for endless hours. Yet AT&T is running clear as the wind as are the other major ISP services. AOL IS an ISP first and an "added value" ISP second. The BIG question is, should the Telcom Carriers like AT&T, the Baby Bells, MCI, Sprint etc.. be allowed to be ISP providers also?? In our opinion, this is highly monopolistic and definitely not in the public interest. Sure, the big guys say AOL must BUY more equipment and lease more lines from .WHO?? Their competition!! What's wrong with this picture? It simply doesn't fit! The citizens of the USA must not be made bill paying pawns in the battles for supremacy in the telecommunications world. That's our opinion, what's yours? If you or, anyone you know is able to shed more light on this matter, please drop us a line either in Email or Snail Mail. All requests for confidentiality will be respected. Of Special Note: http://www.streport.com ftp.streport.com STReport is now ready to offer much more in the way of serving the Networks, Online Services and Internet's vast, fast growing site list and userbase. We now have our very own WEB/NewsGroup/FTP Site and although it is in its early stages of construction, do stop by and have a look see. Since We've received numerous requests to receive STReport from a wide variety of Internet addressees, we were compelled to put together an Internet distribution/mailing list for those who wished to receive STReport on a regular basis, the file is ZIPPED, then UUENCODED. Unfortunately, we've also received a number of opinions that the UUENCODING was a real pain to deal with. So, as of October 01, 1995, you'll be able to download STReport directly from our very own SERVER & WEB Site. While there, be sure to join our STR AutoMailer list. STReport's managing editors DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU! Ralph F. Mariano, Publisher - Editor Dana P. Jacobson, Editor, Current Affairs Section Editors PC Section Mac Section Special Events Section R.F. Mariano J. Deegan Lloyd E. Pulley Gaming & Entertainment Kid's Computing Corner Dana P. Jacobson Frank Sereno STReport Staff Editors Michael Arthur John Deegan Brad Martin Michael R. Burkley Paul Guillot Joseph Mirando Doyle Helms John Duckworth Jeff Coe Victor Mariano Melanie Bell Jay Levy Carl Prehn Alan Harkleroad Vincent P. O'Hara Contributing Correspondents Jason Sereno Norman Boucher Daniel Stidham David H. Mann Angelo Marasco Donna Lines Brian Boucher Glenwood Drake Vernon W.Smith Bruno Puglia Paul Haris Kevin Miller Craig Harris Allen Chang Tim Holt Ron Satchwill Leonard Worzala Tom Sherwin Please submit ALL letters, rebuttals, articles, reviews, etc., via E-Mail w/attachment to: Internet rmariano@streport.com STR FTP ftp.streport.com WebSite http://www.streport.com STReport Headline News LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS Weekly Happenings in the Computer World Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson AOL Hit With Still More Lawsuits Yet three more lawsuits have been brought against America Online -- these filed in Detroit, Chicago and Seattle -- accusing the Virginia online service of failing to meet customer needs. Like earlier suits filed in New York and California, these class action suits accuse AOL of stirring up demand by enticing subscribers with low-cost $19.95 unlimited usage, resulting in an overload in network traffic, frequent busy signals and network failures. They also allege AOL has failed to install an adequate number of call-in servers. In Michigan, attorney Lionel Glancy, representing AOL customer Mary Jo Miles, told United Press International, "Customers are not getting what they paid for ... America Online actually put 'America on hold.'" Saying Miles, a Ph.D. candidate, subscribed to AOL to communicate through the Internet with friends and family in the Detroit area, Glancy added, "Based on published reports, America Online can provide online access to approximately 3.5 percent of its subscribers at the same time. This means that up to 96 percent of all subscribers sitting at their computers to use AOL could be denied access to the system they paid for." UPI says the Chicago suit filed by Shirley Stern and Brent Harzman said subscribers rely heavily on truth in advertising and expect to receive the goods and services they buy, while the Seattle suit accuses AOL of failing to provide its customers with proper access to the Internet. AT&T Credits Gains to AOL Woes Thanks to America Online Inc.'s capacity problems, AT&T Corp. says it has begun to see a rise in new subscribers its own WorldNet Internet service. The Wall Street Journal reports this morning AT&T officials are saying the service is experiencing three times the number of daily sign-ups in January than in December. "So AT&T began polling new users," says the paper, "and of the 1,094 people asked between Jan. 12 and Jan. 19, 45 percent said they were also AOL subscribers. Seventy-seven percent of that group, when expicitly asked about AOL, said they were calling AT&T because they were dissatisfied with the service." Tom Evslin, who heads WorldNet, added, "A lot of the increase in orders we're seeing is directly because of the publicity of AOL's problems. People care a lot about the reliability of their Internet service. It's become a serious part of their lives." The Journal puts AT&T's subscriber numbers at roughly 600,000 people. Meanwhile, an AOL spokesman said, "Data suggest in general terms that people are staying with AOL. Our member retention is within historical norms." As reported, since the Dulles, Virginia, company went to flat-rate pricing last month, heavy usage has clogged its phone lines, various lawsuits seeking class-action status have been filed against the company and users are circulating petitions complaining that they aren't receiving the service they pay for. AOL has said it will scale back its marketing efforts and put an additional $100 million into boosting network capacity. WSJ Blasts Online Cancel Policy The Wall Street Journal this morning blasted online service companies for making it easy for the public to sign up as customers but sometimes quite tricky to cancel. Companies flood mailboxes and magazines with diskettes for "free trials," Journal reporter Jared Sandberg notes, "but once your tryout time is up, your credit card is automatically billed monthly unless you contact the service and explicitly cancel." And at the same time, he writes, many "have erected a thicket of hurdles that make quitting difficult." For instance, says the paper, America Online "forbids canceling via electronic mail; other companies allow it but sometimes fail to stop billing you after you cancel. Some services, including Netcom On-line Communications Services Inc., impose a deadline for cancellation but explain it deep in lengthy contracts and then slap on extra monthly charges if you miss the date. Most services will sign up new customers 24 hours a day on toll-free lines, but sometimes require quittrs to call during business hours at long-distance rates." Those hurdles are drawing fire from some state officials, who recently forced AOL to improve the disclosure of its charges following changes in its pricing plan. Of AOL, Michael Hering, assistant attorney general in Massachusetts, told the paper, "You cannot cancel online. You cannot mail them a letter because there's no address on the disk, and there is no 800 number dedicated to cancellation." He added some customers he talked to had such a hard time bailing out that they resort to canceling their credit cards. The Journal says AOL last February began allowing all customers to quit the service by e-mail, but had killed the option by June. "We found that our cancellation rate was going up considerably," AOL Vice President Raymond J. Oglethorpe of member services told Sandberg. "We felt that if we went back to our previous way, we would at least have the opportunity to talk to the member." Now users there must cancel by phone, "giving AOL staff members a chance to offer incentives for sticking around," Sandberg observes. Meanwhile, at services like CompuServe that do allow for membership cancellation by electronic mail, different problems arise, sometimes exacerbated by the customers themselves. For instance, says David Lajoudice, billing manager for the SpryNet unit of CompuServe, some customers cancel their accounts without providing adequate information, quitting, say, via e-mail sent from another service without providing a full name and billing address. "Then we don't know even who this person is." Justice Readies 'Decency' Fight U.S. Justice Department officials have told the Supreme Court they will argue a federal law restricting "indecent" communications on the Internet doesn't violate the First Amendment because "parents and their children" have a right to the Net too. The Supreme Court will hear argument March 19 in an appeal of rulings by three-judge federal panels in Philadelphia and New York that last year declared parts of the Communications Decency Act unconstitutional, saying they violated the free speech of Internet users who may want to send sexual material to other adults. Reporter Michael Kirkland of United Press International notes the Justice Department has filed its "merit" brief -- in effect, a look at the arguments it will use before the justices -- on the last day possible under a Supreme Court deadline. UPI quotes the brief as saying, "Parents and their children have a First Amendment right to receive information and acquire knowledge... Much of the Internet's potential as an educational and informational resource will be wasted, however, if people are unwilling to avail themselves of its benefits because they do not want their children harmed by exposure to patently offensive sexually explicit material." It also cited Supreme Court precedents that have allowed federal, state and local governments to restrict sexual material in print and broadcasting. Spurned By Apple, Be Goes Alone Failing to woo Apple Computer Inc. into buying it, high- profile Be Inc. is reverting to its previous game plan, says Chairman/CEO Jean-Louis Gassee, a former top Apple executive. As reported earlier, Apple last month announced a $400 million deal to buy NeXT Software, ending speculation the computer maker would acquire Be Inc. to update its aging Macintosh operating system. In an evening keynote presentation at the Upside Technology Summit in La Quinta, Calif., Gassee commented, "I certainly appreciate the exposure they've given us -- without them we wouldn't be here tonight." The Reuter News Service says Be executives demonstrated their system's ability to perform multiple video graphics-intensive tasks on a PowerPC based computer using four microprocessors. Gassee also said Apple's choice of NeXT was understandable in that his startup's software still is largely untested in large organizations which had been a major focus at NeXT, which was headed by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. "We have no credibility in the enterprise market -- I accept that," Gassee said, adding that despite the distraction of the Apple merger talks, which had begun in June, his company was prepared to go it alone on its original business plan, noting its financial backers' support predates the merger prospect. He said more than 2,000 developers had their hands on its software and that Be would go back to working with Apple Macintosh-compatible computer maker Power Computing and focus itself on the creative multimedia market. And, in the company's favor are "the rapidly changing dynamics of the computer marketplace, the prospect of cheaply marketing and delivering software over the Internet, and Be's working relationship with Power Computing and others in the PowerPC grouping of Apple, Motorola and IBM," said Reuters. PC Consumer Software Market Rises The worldwide PC consumer software market expanded to $4.5 billion in 1996, finds a new study from Framingham, Massachusetts, market researcher Intenational Data Corp. "End users continued to incorporate computing into their personal lives driving steady growth across the three major consumer segments: games and entertainment, education and edutainment and home productivity," says Mary Loffredo Wardley, IDC's consumer software research manager. IDC's study finds that the games and entertainment sector grew the most out of the three market segments (17.6 percent) to a total of $2.17 billion. Market share among the three segments changed little from 1995, notes the report. Education and edutainment titles currently account for a 26.9 percent share while home productivity packages represents a 24.9 percent piece of the PC consumer software market. The games and entertainment segment holds a 48.2 percent share. The education and edutainment market is luring vendors, states the study, which notes that most schools have a budgeted line item for education software. The study adds that schools represent a market opportunity since many purchase edutainment titles to augment course work. In software marketing, the study notes that channel frustrations continued in 1996, with limited shelf space and appropriate channel choices being major issues. Office stores and computer super stores are offering the best opportunities for software sales, since they can support narrow margins better than software only sales, notes the report. The Internet offers hope, the study adds, but its random and untargeted features have been limiting. The time and cost to establish and maintain a site is also a factor, although smaller companies without shelf space have had to use the Internet as a marketing tool. IDC's reports predicts that 1997 PC consumer market revenues will be spread more equally across the three segments as established vendors diversify their current product lines. The education and edutainment market will be in contention for market share leadership. Demand for activities like home banking and multi-player games on the Internet will evolve in 1997, notes IDC. The selling of software to homes with PCs on the Internet will increase as vendors focus their marketing efforts on tapping into this expanding market. IDC's World Wide Web site (www.idcresearch.com) contains additional information and recent news releases. It also offers full-text searching of recent research. Free Fax Service Debuts on Web A Mountain View, California, company is offering MagicFax, a software product that will allow users to send faxes to any destination in the world for free. Clarity Software Inc. says the product is the first of its kind to allows individuals in ompanies of all sizes to send faxes to other MagicFax users around the world without receiving any phone bills or monthly service bills. MagicFax routes the fax to the sender's MagicFax Web Server nearest to the recipient to avoid long distance charges. Clarity notes that an average international five-page fax sent from the U.S. to Japan costs approximately $18 over traditional phone lines. The same fax sent by MagicFax over the Web can be free of all phone charges. A beta test version of MagicFax is available for free on Clarity's Web site: www.magicfax.clarity.com. The software is compatible with UNIX or Windows NT servers as well as Windows and UNIX clients. Newbies Best Software Customers New PC owners are the best software customers, more than twice as likely to buy programs as the average PC owner, according to new data compiled by the software tracking service of market researcher The NPD Group Inc. The Port Washington, New York, company's SofTrends Consumer Study finds that 14 percent of all PC-owning households bought software between June and August of 1996, the period covered by the study. However, among new PC owners (consumers who had owned a PC for less than six months), nearly a third made purchases. The study also finds that the longer consumers had owned their PCs, the less likely they were to purchase software. Less than 10 percent of consumers who had owned their PCs for a year or more made purchases. Online service subscribers also indexed higher for software purchasing, the survey finds, with nearly a quarter reporting buys. And ownership of CD-ROM drives and modems also influenced purchase patterns -- 23 percent of CD-ROM-owning homes and 19 percent of modem-equipped households bought software. The SofTrends survey finds that 20 percent of all software units purchased during the survey period were bought direct from publisher, up from 13 percent a year ago. The next largest sources of software sales were computer superstores (14 percent), consumer electronics stores (12 percent) nd warehouse clubs (9 percent). "Since 1995, it has been an upward trend in consumers purchasing direct from publisher," says Diane Freedman, manager of SofTrends, "particularly purchases of those titles developed for the Mac platform." The survey finds that productivity and entertainment titles remain the best-selling categories. However, the study also shows consumers buying slightly less productivity software (30 percent this year vs. 34 percent a year ago) and slightly more entertainment software (29 percent vs. 26 percent). Not surprisingly, Microsoft continues to dominate the total market as the most popular publisher, with an 11 percent share of reported units sold. Twenty-seven percent of software purchases reported were acquired for the Windows 95 operating system. The second and third most popular publishers were Sierra On-Line at 5 percent and Broderbund at 4 percent. Most consumers reported they were either satisfied or very satisfied with software performance, according to the survey. Most also felt that their software was easy to use and easy to install. "Overall, consumer satisfaction ratings were very positive," says Freedman. "Since SofTrends began conducting the study nearly two years ago, they've shown consistent improvement with each survey, indicating better performing software and a more savvy consumer." Retailers also scored high marks in the SofTrends study. When asked to rate the retailer on staff, direct from publisher and mail order ranked high on satisfaction. Ranking highest on overall customer satisfaction were computer superstores and direct from publisher. For more information, visit the SofTrends Web site at http://www.npd.com/soft.htm. Study: PC 'Must Have' Technology Results of a new nationwide survey of U.S. teens and adults, finds that Americans believe the computer is a "must have" technology that plays a positive role in everyday lives and helps people address broader social issues. The similarity of responses among different age and gender groups also indicates a strong positive consensus among the populace, notes the survey, which as sponsored by Intel Corp. and conducted by Yankelovich Partners Inc. When asked to place the computer today on a scale of 1 to 10 (where 1 means the computer revolution is just beginning and 10 means it's over), 60 percent of the respondents selected numbers between 1-3. In addition, over half indicated that they look to the computer to expand their capabilities and possibilities by helping them to accomplish new things rather than merely enabling them to do current things better. The study notes that almost nine out of ten Americans believe that telephones and cars are both "must have" technologies -- that is either "hard to live without" or "essential." About one out of two Americans see the PC as a "must have" item, roughly equivalent to television and radio. Respondents were even more bullish when considering the future of the PC: almost nine out of ten believe the PC will be as necessary as the telephone and the car in the future of today's children, compared to only about six out of ten for the television. According to the study, three-quarters of Americans view technology as playing a major role in influencing the U.S. economy. This puts technology tird behind health care and agriculture/food, but ahead of such traditional economic heavyweights as defense and transportation. Interest in technology generally outscores interest levels in sports, politics and international news among other areas, finds the study. Contrary to some views that computers will replace workers or reduce skill levels, nine out of ten Americans feel strongly that computers will play a positive role in improving job quality and three-quarters believe that they will help reduce unemployment. A large majority also believe that technology in general and computers in particular will help keep the U.S. competitive and aid in addressing other social problems. The study finds that Americans see enormous personal potential and benefit in the personal computer. For example, nine out of ten Americans believe that the PC will have a positive impact on continuous/lifelong learning and helping them find the information they want most. A large majority also look to the PC to help in other ways such as managing finances, providing entertainment, communicating and increasing efficiency/allowing more leisure time. Asked to choose from a pair of words the one that best describes their feelings about computers, a large majority opt for the positive alternative. For example: nine out of ten choose "creates opportunities" over "denies chance;" almost the same number choose "engaging" rather than "dull" and "friend" rather than "enemy." Some challenges and opportunities for improvement remain in the areas of usability and accessibility, notes the study. While over half of the respondents choose the words "easy" and "affordable" to describe PCs, a large number still describe computers as "difficult" or "unaffordable." "As microprocessor technology delivers more and more computing capability, we wanted to get feedback on consumers' views of the computer compared to other consumer items," says Dennis Carter, Intel's vice president of marketing. "The results of this study on American views of technology ar a strong endorsement of the PC and its appeal to a broad range of users." Study Says Net Is No Phone Threat A study commissioned by an Internet industry group has concluded that the fast-growing Internet poses little threat to the nation's telephone networks. Reporting from Washington, the Dow Jones news service quotes the Internet Access Coalition, which includes companies such as Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp., as saying its study refutes recent claims by local telephone carriers who say the growing pace of digital traffic threatens to clog telephone lines. Says Lee Selwyn, the author of the study and president of Economics and Technology Inc. of Boston, "Our findings clearly show that claims of phone network congestion resulting from Internet traffic and predictions of a meltdown are greatly exaggerated." The wire service notes the new study comes as some regional Baby Bells are voicing growing concern over use of the network by Internet service providers, who are exempt from paying access fees to local carriers who connect calls. As reported, the FCC last month launched an inquiry into Internet use, but tentatively concluded that the system of access charges shouldn't be extended to include Internet providers. The regional phone companies have argued that by avoiding access fees, Internet service companies are essentially getting a free ride on the nation's phone lines. They say the providers should help pay to maintain and upgrade telephone networks that are handling growing amounts of digital data. However, says DJ, the study concludes that: · Data communications doesn't currently pose a significant problem to the integrity of telephone networks. · The increase in data traffic has produced additional revenues for local carriers that far exceed their costs for accommodating that traffic. · The long-term solution to meet increased demand lies in the deployment of data-friendly network technologies. Intel executive Paul Misener, who chairs the Internet Access Coalition steering committee, told the wire service, "We intend to work closely with the FCC and policy makers in Congress and in the administration to ensure that this country continues to support the growth and health of our information society." Distance Advised for Monitors Ergonomics experts are revising their thinking about how far we all should be sitting from our computer monitors. They now say that for good eye health, we need to move the screen back farther. Dennis R. Ankrum, director of Human Factors Research for Nova Solutions Inc. in Effingham, Ill., says in the current issue of Workplace Ergonomics magazine that the old recommendations for viewing distances of around 20 inches are based on what you may have to do to see the letters on the screen, not on what is good for your eyes. When looking straight ahead, Ankrum notes, your eye muscles are most relaxed when you're viewing something about 45 inches away. When looking downward, at the angle at which you normally read a book, your eyes are most relaxed at a closer viewing distance -- about 35 inches. Viewing a monitor at those distances or farther does not create a proble, he says, but when you view it at a closer range, you're setting yourself up for eye strain. Therefore, Ankrum recommends you lower your monitor and move it as far back as possible, but definitely no closer than 25 inches. The magazine says the old recommendation were based on character size (if you sit too far away you can't read the letters on the screen), but with newer software, you can easily increase the letter size. But the new thinking, says Ankrum is, "The farther the viewing distance, the better." A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N LEXMARK OPTRA C COLOR LASER PRINTER For a limited time only; If you wish to have a FREE sample printout sent to you that demonstrates LEXMARK Optra C SUPERIOR QUALITY 600 dpi Laser Color Output, please send a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope [SASE] (business sized envelope please) to: STReport's LEXMARK Printout Offer P.O. Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32205-6155 Folks, the LEXMARK Optra C has to be the very best yet in its price range. It is far superior to anything we've seen or used as of yet. It is said that ONE Picture is worth a thousand words. The out put from the Lexmark Optra C is worth ten thousand words! Send for the free sample now. (For a sample that's suitable for framing, see below) Guaranteed. you will be amazed at the superb quality. (Please.. allow at least a two week turn- around). If you would like a sample printout that's suitable for framing. Yes that's right! Suitable for Framing. Order this package. It'll be on special stock and be of superb quality. We obtained a mint copy of a 1927 COLOR ENGRAVER'S YEAR BOOK. Our Scanner is doing "double duty"! The results will absolutely blow you away. If you want this high quality sample package please include a check or money order in the amount of $6.95 (Costs only) Please, make checks or money orders payable to; Ralph Mariano. Be sure to include your full return address and telephone number . The sample will be sent to you protected, not folded in a 9x12 envelope. Don't hesitate.. you will not be disappointed. This "stuff" is gorgeous! A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N PageMaker 6.5 STR Focus Windows PageMaker 6.5 to 6.51 Update PRODUCT: PageMakerVERSION: 6.xPLATFORM: WindowsRELEASED ON: 01/13/97ADOBE BBS (206-623-6984) LOCATIONFile Library, adobe, pagemaker, win, 6.x, updaters, pm65-651.exe (860K) ADOBE FTP LOCATION ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/pagemaker/win/6.x/updaters/pm65-651.exe (860K) DESCRIPTION This update modifies an existing installation of PageMaker 6.5 for Windows 95 and Windows NT to fix a small number of problems that were discovered after the product was released. After running this update, PageMaker will appear as version 6.51. This update specifically fixes these problems in PageMaker 6.5: Some keyboard shortcuts failed to work when running an English version of PageMaker 6.5 with keyboard drivers other than the US English driver. On Windows 95 systems, PageMaker 6.5 substituted Courier for printer resident fonts that were not also present as outlines in ATM. PageMaker 6.51 corrects this problem and prints the appropriate font. Undoing the deletion of text that includes hyperlinks in the PageMaker 6.5 story editor could result in lost hyperlink information in the PageMaker 6.5 publication. PageMaker version 6.51 corrects this problem. Panning with the cropping tool in an empty frame or resizing a grouped irregular text frame could crash PageMaker 6.5. PageMaker version 6.51 corrects these flaws in the frames feature. This update also improves the following components: Build Booklet, HTML Import Plug-In, and Adobe Table. For further details on all improvements with PageMaker 6.51 for Windows, please see the Read Me document included in this archive. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS PageMaker 6.5 for Windows Windows 95 or Windows NT AVAILABLE OFFLINE? This update is available at no charge to registered owners of PageMaker 6.5 for Windows from Adobe Customer Services. Inside the United States and Canada, call 800-833-6687. Outside the United States and Canada, contact your local Adobe reseller. HANDLING NOTES To decompress a ".exe" file in Windows 95 and Windows NT, double-click on the ".exe" file. By using the software described here, you agree to the terms of the license agreement set forth below. INSTALLATION NOTES To update PageMaker for Windows from version 6.5 to version 6.51, read the Read Me document included in the archive for detailed instructions for both single-user and network installations. Before proceeding, be sure to to exit all programs, including Pagemaker 6.5, and turn off virus-detection and screen-saver software. ADDITIONAL NOTES This update is only for owners of PageMaker 6.5 for Windows. Owners of PageMaker 6.0x for Windows will not benefit from this update. Owners of localized versions of PageMaker 6.5 for Windows (e.g., French, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish, and Swedish) do not need this update because the problems described above were fixed before the localized versions were released. This update only correct problems listed in the Read Me document included in the archive. If you are experiencing problems that are not listed, please contact Adobe Technical Support using the information included with your product. LICENSE AGREEMENT By downloading software of Adobe Systems Incorporated or its subsidiaries ("Adobe") from this site, you agree to the following terms and conditions. If you do not agree with such terms and conditions do not download the software. The terms of an end user license agreement accompanying a particular software file upon installation or download of the software shall supercede the terms presented below. 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FILE CONTENTS Filename Filesize Date Time Long Filename PM651UPD EXE 883,328 01-10-97 3:12p PM651UPD.EXE README DOC 9,613 01-17-97 4:10p README.DOC LICENSE TXT 1,906 10-09-96 3:42p license.txt KEYWORDS 6.5.1 6.51 patcher Shareware Treasure Chest STR Feature "The Latest & Greatest" Shareware Treasure Chest By Lloyd E. Pulley lepulley@streport.com Lloyd is home now doing fine.. Triple By-Pass Open Heart Surgery. He sends his thank you's for all your kind thoughts and prayers. Corel Corporation Ships Life Science Mysteries: Crisis at the Animalia CenterT OTTAWA, Canada - January 20, 1997 - Corel Corporation has begun shipping Life Science Mysteries: Crisis at the Animalia CenterT, an educational CD- ROM game introducing youngsters aged 9 to 16 to the animal kingdom. This dual-platform CD-ROM title also runs on Windowsr 95 and carries a suggested retail price of $39.95 U.S. "Life Science Mysteries: Crisis at the Animalia CenterT is an ideal tool for learning both research and observation skills,"said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief executive officer of Corel Corporation. "It also gives users a general overview of the animal kingdom and lets them relate this knowledge to other branches of science, as well as their own life experiences." The crisis surrounding the Animalia Research Center consists of two different problems which require the users' immediate intervention. In "Computer Breakdown," an unusually powerful electrical storm has caused a breakdown of the Center's entire computer system, destroying all of the data stored in the Center's computers. The only way to restore the lost data is to enter a secret password into the computer. Users will have to figure out this password by answering questions on the locomotion, skeletal structure and phyla of different animals. The other assignment, "Danger and Defense in the Wild," is also the title of an exhibit scheduled to open at the Center in less than 24 hours. Users are asked to finish the exhibit for the Center using plans for the unfinished displays as a guide. In order to complete their task, users must research defense mechanisms such as spraying and stinging, mimicry and camouflage, and then order the appropriate materials for each of the display themes. Users will find the Learn Zone, an on-line encyclopedia with educational games, text, animations, diagrams and self tests, very useful in completing their assignments. The information in the Learn Zone is available to users in all rooms of the Animalia Research Center. By clicking on the Learn Zone link, users are referred directly to the section in the encyclopedia that covers their topic of research. The Learn Zone contains information that can be used both in the users' work at the Animalia Research Center and their own science projects. The Learn Zone contains six different scientific learning modules which include, "Science & Technology: Observations and Inferences," "Survey of the Vertebrate Phyla" and "Survey of the Vertebrate Classes." In addition, it teaches users the seven steps of the scientific method and the six defining characteristics of the animal kingdom. The users' activities at the Animalia Research Center will require that they work in various areas, such as the Resource Center, the Special Exhibits and New Displays areas, the Terrestrial Gallery and the Underwater Observatory. Users will stay in touch with the Center's staff over email, an intercom, the telephone and a video conference system. Users can save, open or change their missions. Before they start working at the Center, they can take a guided tour of the Center and familiarize themselves with its resources. In addition, they can print any lessons in the Learn Zone and access a 215-word dictionary of scientific words and terms. Development and Systems Requirements Life Science Mysteries: Crisis at the Animalia Research CenterT was developed by EduConcept Ltd. Windowsr users will require a minimum of an IBMr PC or compatible 486 DX33, Windowsr 3.1x, 8 MB of RAM, 4 MB of hard disk space, a double-speed CD-ROM drive, 8-bit audio capabilities and a 640x480, 256-color graphics display. Macintoshr users will need a minimum of a 68030 processor, System 7.1, 16 MB of RAM, 4 MB of hard disk space, a double-speed CD-ROM drive, standard Macintoshr audio and a 640x480, 256- color graphics display. Corel Corporation Releases Life Science MysteriesT The Green Files OTTAWA, Canada - January 20, 1997 - Corel Corporation has begun shipping Life Science Mysteries: The Green FilesT, an educational game designed to teach children aged 9 to 16 the structure of cells and the effects of the environment on organisms. This dual-platform CD-ROM title also runs on Windowsr 95 and carries a suggested retail price of $39.95 U.S. "Life Science Mysteries: The Green FilesT is a fascinating way to learn about the life cycle of cells and the effect of toxic waste on the environment," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief executive officer of Corel Corporation. "It also encourages the use of the scientific method in the users' observations and conclusions." Users conduct their scientific experiments aboard a ship called the "Blue Whale," where they are given two assignments. The first assignment, called "Oil Spill," requires a close examination of the underwater life at Baron Coral Reef in the Pacific Ocean. This area has just suffered one of the worst oil spills to ever affect one region. The scientists who have been working at the Reef are in need of healthy underwater organisms to compare with those affected by the spill, and hope that the users can help by collecting plant specimens. Users will also be asked to perform experiments and report their findings to the team of scientists. For the second assignment, called "The Gemco Disaster," users must inspect the fresh water supply on Coco Bay Island which has been jeopardized by toxic waste from Gemco Chemicals. By analyzing samples of soil, water and vegetation from different parts of the island, users must assess the extent of the damage and report how this incident has affected life on Coco Bay Island. From wherever they are on the "Blue Whale," users can access the Learn Zone, an on-line encyclopedia with educational games, text, animations, diagrams and self tests, which will prove extremely useful in their experiments. By clicking on the Learn Zone link, users are referred directly to the section in the encyclopedia that covers their research topic. The Learn Zone contains information that can be used both in the experiments on the "Blue Whale" and in the users' own scientific projects. The information in the Learn Zone is divided into six scientific learning modules, including "The Scientific Method," "Characteristics and Needs of Organisms" and "Scientific Naming of Organisms." It also teaches users the principles of observation and inference, the structure and function of cells and how cells grow, divide and specialize. Users have access to different rooms on the "Blue Whale," including the Laboratory, the Storage Room and the Diving Area. They also have all the equipment and facilities on the "Blue Whale" at their disposal, including a microscope, a computer, a fax machine, a video conference system, and email capabilities. Users can save, open or change their mission. Before they start their work, they can take a guided tour of the "Blue Whale" to acquaint themselves with the ship and its resources. They can, as well, print any lessons in the Learn Zone and access a 215-word glossary of scientific words and terms. Development and Systems Requirements Life Science Mysteries: The Green FilesT was developed by EduConcept Ltd. Windowsr users will require a minimum of an IBMr PC or compatible 486 DX33, Windowsr 3.1x, 8 MB of RAM, 4 MB of hard disk space, a double-speed CD-ROM drive, 8-bit audio capabilities and a 640x480, 256-color graphics display. Macintoshr users will need a minimum of a 68030 processor, System 7.1, 16 MB of RAM, 4 MB of hard disk space, a double-speed CD-ROM drive, standard Macintoshr audio and a 640x480, 256-color graphics display. Marimba, Inc. Enables Corel Corporation to Deliver Self-Updating Productivity Applications Via Castanet Channel Technology Corel's Streamlined 'Corel Office for Java' Channel To Feature Ongoing Development and Updates Throughout Beta Cycle PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Jan. 21, 1997 -- Marimba Inc., developer of the Castanet system for Internet and Intranet-wide software and content deployment, announced today that Corel Corporation, developer of award- winning productivity applications, graphics and multimedia software, will deliver its pre-beta Corelr Office for JavaT, via Castanet channel technology. This makes possible, for the first time, completely transparent installation and updates of the corporate user's desktop programs. "The decision to deploy and update this desktop suite using a Castanet channel provides an extremely efficient, cost-effective way to get the latest software updates automatically to the thousands of Corel program users," said Kim Polese, president and chief executive officer of Marimba, Inc. "This alliance will dramatically shorten the development cycle of next generation productivity applications, a process which has traditionally been hampered by software installation and version incompatibility." "Corel Office for Java, the first desktop application suite written entirely in Java, combines the expertise of Corel's productivity applications with the power of Castanet to attain a self-updating, streamlined, platform-independent and infinitely scaleable new environment for document creation and workgroup collaboration," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief executive officer of Corel. "The Castanet mechanism for software distribution is an excellent vehicle for distributing this new suite and allows beta application updates to be integrated on the fly through each user's running channel." By securely leveraging the efficiency and universality of the Internet, distribution of Corel Office for Java via a Castanet channel represents the next generation of software application deployment for corporate enterprises. About Corel Office for Java Corel Office for Java delivers a complete Client/Server enterprise solution. The pre-beta download contains the client side only and includes Corelr WordPerfectr for JavaT, Corelr Quattror Pro for JavaT, Corelr Chart for JavaT, as well as a new Personal Information Manager and email component. Corel Office for Java offers a modular, extensible, platform-independent, document and network-centric environment for document creation and workgroup collaboration. Thousands of users have already downloaded this pre-beta since it became available on Monday, January 13, 1997. About Castanet The Castanet system deploys rich media content and self-updating software to millions of users across the Internet. The system comprises the Castanet Tuner client and the Castanet Transmitter server. The Tuner enables end- users to subscribe to application `channels' deployed by various Transmitters across the Internet or corporate networks. Examples of the types of channels that the Castanet system enables include multimedia entertainment, interactive games and productivity applications -- all updated in the background of users' desktops with next-generation efficiency of bandwidth allocation. Tens of thousands of end-users on Windows and Solaris operating systems have already downloaded beta Castanet Tuners from Marimba's Web site (http://www.marimba.com) since Castanet debuted on October 7, 1996. Among the hundreds of developers already evaluating Castanet for Internet and corporate Intranet use include Trilogy, @Home, MGM Interactive, HotWired, Excite, CMP, SportsLine, Sarrus, Inc., Tribune Media, United Media, and PeopleSoft. Netscape Communications Corp. recently announced it will integrate the Castanet Tuner into Netscape's forthcoming desktop environment code-named `Constellation.' Castanet is compatible with all Java development tools and runs on any platform that supports the Java Virtual Machine, including Windows NT, Windows 95, Solaris 2.5 and the Mac OS. Castanet 1.1, expected to be available in the first half of 1997, will include encryption support to enable the deployment of non-Java executable code over public networks, as well as "pay-per-view" functionality. About Marimba, Inc. Marimba, Inc. is a privately held applications technology company whose products enable developers to create, deploy and maintain robust network- managed applications, multimedia experiences and dynamic information systems within enterprises and across the Internet. Marimba was founded in February 1996 by four members of the original Java development team at Sun Microsystems: Jonathan Payne, Kim Polese, Sami Shaio and Arthur van Hoff. Marimba, Inc. is based in Palo Alto, California. Availability A pre-beta version of Corel Office for Java is now available for download at Corel's Web site (http://www.corel.com). A link to Marimba's home page from Corel's Web site is available for users wishing to experience the self- updating Castanet channel of the pre-beta of Corel Office for Java. The free beta version of Marimba's Castanet is also now available on the Marimba Web site (http://www.marimba.com). Corel Corporation Reports 1996 Fourth Quarter and Year-end Results OTTAWA, Canada - January 15, 1997 - Corel Corporation today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year which ended November 30, 1996. Net sales for the fourth quarter were $125.4 million, a 102% increase over 1995's fourth quarter. The company reported a net income of $6.5 million, compared to a net loss of $1 million for the fourth quarter in 1995. This translates into earnings per share of $0.09 in the fourth quarter of 1996, compared to a loss of $0.02 per share in the fourth quarter of 1995. For the 1996 fiscal year, the company recorded net sales of $334.2 million, a 70% increase over 1995's net sales of $196.4 million. It has posted a net loss for the year of $2.8 million which translates to a per share loss of $0.04, compared to 1995's net income of $14.4 million and earnings per share of $0.26. "Although the earnings per share are down for the year as a whole, the strong fourth quarter sales - an incredible gain from the same quarter in 1995 - point to a banner year in 1997," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief executive officer of Corel Corporation. "Besides looking forward to continued success with our world-leading graphics line, in particular CorelDRAWT 7, we will continue to focus on providing innovative and feature-rich business applications software, and maximizing the benefits of open standards through our strategic alliance with Netscape." "In addition, our strong relationship with Sun and our position as the leading developer of business Java applications places us in a unique position to benefit from the huge momentum that Java continues to build," added Dr. Cowpland. Looking ahead to 1997, Corel will continue to capitalize on the ongoing success of its flagship graphics product, CorelDRAW, while increasing its market share with such products as Corelr WordPerfectr Suite 8, Corelr Office Professional 8, and Corelr WordPerfectr 7 for Windowsr 3.1. Corel will also maintain its position as an innovator in the Java arena by launching Corelr Office for JavaT and the CorelVIDEOT Network Computer, which will be bundled with Corel Office for Java, early in the year. As at November 30, 1996, Corel had $196.2 million in current assets which included $6.9 million in cash and short-term investments. For more information, please contact Corel's Investor Relations Department, at (613) 728-8200 ext. 4500, fax (613) 761-9350. All figures are reported in US currency. 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, Corelr WordPerfectr Suite, Corelr Office Professional, CorelVIDEOT, CorelCADT and over 50 multimedia software titles. Corel's products run on most operating systems, including: Windowsr, Macintoshr, UNIXr, MS-DOSr, OpenVMSr and OS/2r 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. Corel and WordPerfect are registered trademarks, and Life Science Mysteries: Crisis at the Animalia Research Center, CorelDRAW, CorelCAD and CorelVIDEO are trademarks of Corel Corporation or Corel Corporation Limited. All products mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed Edupage Contents AOL Plans To Build Up Network Capacity ACLU Challenges New York Internet Law Chillier Chips Compaq Steps Up To NC Challenge Cost Savings From NC Concept Questioned Virtual Learning Superior To Traditional Instruction Grade Reporting At The Turn Of The Century "Push" Channel Filters For Info Overload Mutual Funds: Web Used Mostly For Looking Chinabyte 1996 Telecom Bill: What Hath It (Actually) Wrought? Netscape Communicator Is Peat Marwick Pick CompuServe Targets Europe Software For Teaching Over The Net Poking Holes In Net Security What To Be Next? FGCU Targets Distance Learners The Most Well-Connected Country In The World? Finland! Olivetti Sells Its PC Unit Competing With Phone Companies U S West Expands Services Pornography On The Net ACLU Fights Political Restrictions On Academic Facilities Gartner VP Says Don't Throw Those PCs Out Yet AT&T WorldNet Benefits From AOL Logjam Internet Patent Numbers Superscape's 3-D Web-Within-A-Web CR Tackles Online Medical Help Virtual Pet Sweeping Japan Online Sex Sting Muppets Go To Microsoft AOL PLANS TO BUILD UP NETWORK CAPACITY America Online says it will reduce its ad campaign budget by $300 million and plow an extra $100 million into bulking up its network capacity to accommodate higher traffic loads. By downgrading marketing efforts, the company hopes to stem the flow of new subscribers that has overwhelmed AOL's ability to provide prompt connectivity. The amount of time a member typically spends online has more than doubled, from 14 to 32 minutes, since AOL reluctantly adopted flat-rate pricing last month. By the time the company completes its network expansion next June, it will be capable of handling 16 million online sessions each day, up from 10 million. (Wall Street Journal 17 Jan 97 B7) ACLU CHALLENGES NEW YORK INTERNET LAW The American Civil Liberties Union, along with 14 other plaintiffs, has filed a lawsuit against the state of New York, stating that the recently enacted online decency statute is facially unconstitutional under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and is impermissibly vague. The law makes it a felony to distribute to children under 17 "indecent" material that is "harmful to minors" over a computer system. The ACLU argues that New York's law "does not define the relevant 'community' for purposes of determining what is 'patently offensive' in the global medium of cyberspace," nor does it distinguish between what might be harmful to young children and vs. what might be harmful to teenagers. Finally, the lawsuit says the statute violates the Commerce Clause because it attempts to regulate communications that take place outside New York, poses an unreasonable burden on interstate and foreign commerce, and subjects interstate use of the Internet to inconsistent regulations. (BNA Daily Report for Executives 15 Jan 97 A13) CHILLIER CHIPS Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are using the concept behind how smoke rings are produced to devise a system for keeping computer chips cool. The device is simple: it consists of a box with one flexible wall and a series of holes in the opposite wall; by vibrating the flexible wall at the proper frequency, cooling jets of air puff out of the holes. The boxes are as small as 100 microns in diameter, and because the microjets are highly directional, they can be pointed where needed. In one test, the researchers were able to boost the power of an array of chips by 150%, with no increase in temperature. (Scientific American Jan 97 p40) COMPAQ STEPS UP TO NC CHALLENGE Compaq Computer, not content to rest on its laurels, is planning a new line of network computers, designed as e-mail, Internet and terminal- replacement devices, which the company plans to bundle with its PC servers. The systems will include a separate monitor, a thin chassis and a keyboard, and will be priced in the $500 to $800 range. The company also plans to introduce a NetPC this year -- a low-cost, easy-to-use networked PC built to standards devised by Intel and Microsoft. "We believe there is a market for these devices and that our customers want them, and we'll deliver them to the market," says a Compaq VP. (Information Week 13 Jan 97 p24) COST SAVINGS FROM NC CONCEPT QUESTIONED Some of the enthusiasm for the network computer concept has been generated by companies hoping to save money by eliminating some of the widely publicized costs associated with maintaining a PC. A Gartner Group study last year estimated that a networked PC costs a business an average of $13,200 a year -- 21% is the cost of the PC and the portion of the network it consumes; 36% is the cost of administering it; and 43% is the cost of "end-user operations" -- employee tinkering, game playing, etc. However, purchasing network computers will not save the entire $13,200 -- the cost of the network and the server that can support all the needs of network computers will be far higher than those required for PCs, which basically wipes out that savings. The cost of administering the system will indeed be far lower, but there will be an additional cost involved in the introduction of NCs. And the cost of lost employee productivity is perhaps most difficult to measure -- indeed, if the employee is hooked directly to the Internet, instead of playing Solitaire, even more company time might be wasted. (The Economist 18 Jan 97) VIRTUAL LEARNING SUPERIOR TO TRADITIONAL INSTRUCTION A study produced by Jerald Schutte, an applied statistics professor at the California State University at Northridge, claims that students learning in a virtual classroom (using text posted online, e-mail, newsgroups, chat, and electronic homework assignments) tested 20% better than their students who learned the material in a traditional classroom. (News.Com 17 Jan 97) GRADE REPORTING AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY The University of Utah has discontinued using the U.S. mail to send students their grade reports, and will instead distribute grade information exclusively by the World Wide Web or by telephone request. The university will save $10,000 a month. Grades can only be obtained only with a confidential identification number. (AP 17 Jan 96) "PUSH" CHANNEL FILTERS FOR INFO OVERLOAD Verity Inc. and Tierra Communications have developed products that filter data channels "pushed" to Web users from content-delivery companies. Verity's product will expand its search engine's agent technology to allow users to fine-tune the information they receive by creating a profile for what they want to receive off of a Web site's channel. Tierra is developing a server-based model of its Highlights browser utility, which monitors Web content and matches users' profiles on a dynamic basis. "Verity and Tierra both have pieces of the puzzle. Verity has filtering and back-end expertise, and Tierra has a nice client with a channel-type metaphor that works great with browsers," says a Forrester Research analyst. (InfoWorld Electric 10 Jan 97) MUTUAL FUNDS: WEB USED MOSTLY FOR LOOKING A study conducted last fall by the national research firm Elrick & Lavidge found that 18% of mutual fund owners have Internet access and only 28% of those who do have used the Web to check mutual fund sites. Those who do visit mutual fund sites are interested mainly in checking fund share prices, reading or downloading a fund prospectus, or checking a balance; only 3% buy or sell shares. But mutual fund companies expect usage to increase "as sites get better and investors begin to realize the convenience offered by the Web." (New York Times 19 Jan 97 Business Section p9) CHINABYTE In partnership with People's Daily, the Communist Party newspaper, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is now offering ChinaByte, a Web-based service in China, The Chinese Government recently loosened controls barring users on the Internet's World Wide Web from accessing foreign news sources such as CNN, the Wall Street Journal and other news providers, though it continues keeping watch for politically suspect content on the worldwide computer network. Murdoch hopes his investment will be recouped from advertising. (Financial Times 16 Jan 97) 1996 TELECOM BILL: WHAT HATH IT (ACTUALLY) WROUGHT? The aim of the telecommunications bill passed last February was to encourage more competition, with the expectation that competition would result in lower prices for consumers. Almost a year later, a few rates are lower than the overall inflation rate (3.3%) but intrastate calls and cable TV prices have significantly outpaced inflation. Percent changes, from Dec. '95 to Dec. '96, for key indicators are: consumer price index for all services, 3.3%; telephone services, 2.1%; telephone local charges, 0.9%; interstate toll calls, 3.7%; intrastate toll calls, 6.1%; cable TV, 7.8%. (Washington Post 19 Jan 97 H01) NETSCAPE COMMUNICATOR IS PEAT MARWICK PICK The accounting firm KPMG Peat Marwick LLP has selected Netscape's Communicator software package -- which is based on Internet "open standards" and which combines a Web browser with workgroup collaboration and e-mail -- for use by its 17,000 workers in 120 offices throughout the U.S. The accounting firm will also act as a reseller of the software to KPMG clients. (New York Times 21 Jan 97 C2) COMPUSERVE TARGETS EUROPE CompuServe, which already offers online access in the U.K., Germany, France and the Netherlands, is expanding into four new European countries: Switzerland, Austria, Sweden and Belgium. The company currently has about 880,000 subscribers in Europe, compared with America Online's 400,000 and Microsoft Network's 100,000. "I think it's their only chance," says a technology analyst at Banque Paribas. "They've been trounced by America Online, so they have to go to those countries where AOL isn't." (Investor's Business Daily 20 Jan 97 A20) SOFTWARE FOR TEACHING OVER THE NET A computer scientist at British Columbia has designed a set of software tools called WebCT (for Web Course Tools) that allows instructors to design online courses, create their own Web sites, hold interactive and bulletin-board-type discussions, and administer exams, all on the Internet. Professors simply enter their own material into pre-prepared forms, and the virtual classroom takes shape. WebCT is already being used in more than 70 courses at the University of British Columbia, and the program is available for testing to faculty members outside the university. Once testing is completed, the program's authors plan to charge a fee for its use. (Chronicle of Higher Education 24 Jan 97 A23) < http://homebrew.cs.ubc.ca/webct/ > POKING HOLES IN NET SECURITY Dan Farmer, author of SATAN software, which is designed to find holes in Web site security systems, has conducted a nonscientific survey of about 2,200 Web sites, and found about 70% to 80% had "serious security flaws." The survey consisted of 1,700 "high profile" sites, and another 500 that were selected at random. The high profile sites were found to have security problems at about twice the rate of the random sample. "Many of the really interesting sites are juggling," explains Farmer. "They offer a bunch of services -- electronic mail, Internet news, user accounts and the like. Any one of these isn't that difficult to keep up in the air. But put enough "balls" up there and you start losing track... It's simply difficult to manage all this stuff over a long time. And often employees are being screamed at just to keep things running -- not necessarily secure. System administrators almost never get the proper budget or training to do security properly." Of the 660 banks surveyed, about 68% had sites that Farmer considered highly vulnerable. (Investor's Business Daily 20 Jan 97 A6) WHAT TO BE NEXT? Be Inc. CEO Jean-Louis Gassee says now that he's no longer a potential Apple partner, he's gearing up to market his BeOS system software for multimedia developers, pointing to a recent licensing agreement with Power Computing, a maker of Macintosh clones. Be will also continue to make its PowerPC-based Be Box computers, and will port the BeOS to Intel microprocessors "if we see an opportunity," says Gassee. Gassee also suggests that Apple selected Next over Be for its new operating system in part because of Next's ties to corporate computing. "My perspective is that Apple sees in NextStep an opportunity to go into a marketplace that has been a perennial problem, the enterprise market." (InfoWorld Electric 21 Jan 97) FGCU TARGETS DISTANCE LEARNERS The new Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), which is scheduled to open its doors next August, has as part of its charter a mandate to incorporate distance learning practices into each of its 17 undergraduate and nine graduate degree programs. The new school will use videotaped classes and interactive, two-way video as well as the Internet to reach out to working adults, homemakers and shut-ins who otherwise would not avail themselves of the opportunity for higher education. FGCU consulted models such as Britain's Open University and the University of Maryland in designing its own program. (CIO 15 Jan 97 p21) THE MOST WELL-CONNECTED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD? FINLAND! In Finland there are 62 Internet host computers for each 1,000 people, twice the proportion in the U.S. Nearly 30% of Finnish homes have portable computers and about 60% have access to the Internet. (New York Times 20 Jan 97 A1) OLIVETTI SELLS ITS PC UNIT Italian conglomerate Olivetti S.p.A is selling its personal computer company to an investor's group called Piedmont International, which will license the Olivetti brand name for 20 years (renewable for 20 years more) and lease Olivetti's personal computer plant for four years. (Financial Times 21 Jan 97) COMPETING WITH PHONE COMPANIES The Deloitte & Touche consulting company says the cable industry risks losing a lot of money trying to compete in the phone business, and urges cable companies not to use the superior fiber optic networks to deliver a relatively low-tech service such as local phone calls; instead, the cable companies should focus on video-on-demand and other two-way broadband services. (Toronto Financial Post 21 Jan 97 p4) U S WEST EXPANDS SERVICES U S West Communications, the Denver, Colorado-based local phone service provider, plans to begin offering long-distance phone service by the end of the year, as well as wireless personal communication services allowing customers to connect wireless phones with computers, fax machines and pagers. The company will offer new high-speed digital Internet access to customers in 10 cities in the next six months: Minneapolis, Seattle, Phoenix, Portland, Denver, Salt Lake City, Boise, Cedar Rapids, and Rochester, MN. (AP 20 Jan 97) PORNOGRAPHY ON THE NET A feature article on pornography on the Internet said the abundance of sex on the Internet is the result of a century of obscenity battles won in the courts. It mentions that Industry Canada has recently released a background paper on illegal and offensive material on Internet, which points out that many Web images are taken from magazines that are freely available in Canada. (Ottawa Citizen 21 Jan 97 A4) <http://info.ic.gc.ca/ic-data/info-highway/general/offensive/offens_e.html> ACLU FIGHTS POLITICAL RESTRICTIONS ON ACADEMIC FACILITIES American Civil Liberties Union lawyer David Rocah says it's "ridiculous" to think that a university's 501(c)3 nonprofit status could be jeopardized if its faculty, staff or students use e-mail or Web pages to send partisan political messages. "That's not the law, it can't be, and it never will be. The law prevents the university itself from indulging in political activity, not others using its property. With their logic, a professor using a Princeton phone in a Princeton office couldn't talk about who to vote for." Princeton University will now simply require that any personal political opinions be clearly identified as being those of the sender rather than of the university. (Reason Feb 97 p13) GARTNER VP SAYS DON'T THROW THOSE PCs OUT YET "Don't throw away your PCs. Network nirvana is not yet a reality," says the Gartner Group's VP of research. A study released this week by Gartner says network computers from Oracle, Sun Microsystems and IBM will result in only a 41% savings over regular PCs running Windows 95, far below the 80% number used by Sun when it debuted its machine last October. But Sun says it got its PC figures from an earlier Gartner study, and criticizes the latest report because it includes an analysis of the NetPC design (a joint product by Microsoft and Intel), which does not have any test models currently available. Both Gartner and Sun do agree on the annual costs of running the JavaStation -- roughly $2,500. (Investor's Business Daily 23 Jan 97 A6) AT&T WORLDNET BENEFITS FROM AOL LOGJAM AT&T is enjoying a recent boost in subscriber numbers, which it attributes to overload problems experienced by America Online. AT&T says the number of new subscribers has tripled this month from last, and in polling new users, found that 45% are also AOL members. "A lot of the increase in orders we're seeing is directly because of the publicity of AOL's problems," says the head of WorldNet. "People care a lot about the reliability of their Internet service. It's become a serious part of their lives." An AOL spokesman says AT&T's 600,000 subscribers don't present any threat to AOL's 8 million: "Our member retention is within historical norms." (Wall Street Journal 23 Jan 97 B6) INTERNET PATENT NUMBERS The Internet Patent News Service (IPNS) says that in the first half of 1996 there were 3,966 patents issued, of which 919 were in network software and 528 were in image processing patents. (Communications of the ACM Jan 97) SUPERSCAPE'S 3-D WEB-WITHIN-A-WEB Palo Alto, Calif.-based Superscape Inc. operates a Virtual Web, comprising about 60 corporate sites that sport 3-D pages as part of their Web environment. "If you create an environment that's like an interactive game, people like it," says Superscape's CEO, who also touts the benefits of 3-D "test drive" shopping which, along with entertainment, is a prime aspect of the Virtual Web. Companies such as United News Media Group, Intel and Northern Telecom are among Superscape's Virtual Web clients. (Broadcasting & Cable 13 Jan 97 p131) < http://www.vww.com > CR TACKLES ONLINE MEDICAL HELP Consumer Reports spent two months exploring and evaluating the myriad medical information sites on the Web, and has concluded, "The wealth of useful medical information available online is well worth the initial difficulty of finding one's way around this new world -- and the constant need to be on guard against dubious material." Their recommendations? <http://www.ama-assn.org >, < http://www.medicinenet.com >, <http://medscape.com >, < http://www.oncolink.upenn.edu >, <http://parentsplace.com >, <http://pathfinder.com/thrive >. Also recommended are two sites that offer links to other sites: <http://www.arcade.uiowa.edu/hardin-www/md.html > and <http://www.slackinc.com/matrix >. Oh, and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. (Consumer Reports Feb 97 p27) VIRTUAL PET SWEEPING JAPAN The newest high-tech consumer fad in Japan is tamagochii, an electronic bird creature which starts life as an endearing, bird-like image on the screen of an egg-shaped key ring device, and then changes from a chick to a fully grown adult in around 10 days. However, the owner must push the right buttons to feed, groom and soothe the digital creature or else see it waste away and die from neglect. (Vancouver Province 23 Jan 97 A27) ONLINE SEX STING An Albany, New York, college business major was arrested yesterday in a cyberporn sting operation, on a charge of using America Online to transmit three dozen sexually explicit photos of children. (Vancouver Province 23 Jan 97 A37) MUPPETS GO TO MICROSOFT Jim Henson Productions, which created Kermit the Frog and all the other Muppets, has agreed to a three- year deal with Microsoft Network, under which the puppet company will develop nine shows for MSN. A Microsoft executive says: "It's a very big win for us. When you think of family programming, you think of Henson. This shows we can play with the big boys." The expectation is that the programs will make use of real-time, computer-controlled digital puppetry." (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 23 Jan 97 G3) 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. 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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 edition of Edupage, send mail to edupage-fr@ijs.com with the subject "subscribe"; or see < http://www.ijs.com >. 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Explore the superb possibilities of advertising in STReport! Its very economical and smart business. In addition, STReport offers a strong window of opportunity to your company of reaching potential users on major online services and networks, the Internet, the WEB and more than 200,000 private BBS's worldwide. This is truly an exceptional opportunity to maximize your company's recognition factor globally. (STReport is pronounced: "ES TEE Report") STR Publishing's Economical "Partners in Progress" Plans! "Partners in Progress" Program.. Call Today! STR Publishing, Inc. 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STReport is published and released weekly on Fridays Evenings. All sizes based on a full color, eight and a half by eleven inch page. Trade-outs and Special Arrangements are available. Email us at or, for quick action call us at: VOICE: 904-292-9222 10am/5pm est FAX: 904-268-2237 24hrs Support BBS DATA: 904-268-4116 or, write us at: STR Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32205 Micrografx FlowCharter 7 Redefines Desktop Diagramming New Solution First to Enable Dynamic On-Screen Interaction with Diagrams Richardson, Texas (January 14, 1997) -- Micrografxr, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGXI), a global leader in graphics software, announced today the immediate availability of Micrografx FlowCharterr 7, the most productive diagramming tool to manage business processes. An innovative business drawing, diagramming and charting software tool, FlowCharter 7 includes patent- pending Living FlowCharts, a first in the business diagramming category which allows business people to dynamically interact with diagrams on- screen. This unique technology enables users to create flowcharts that collect data, perform calculations and simulate processes, helping them gather information, teach others, understand a process, evaluate options, make decisions and learn new skills. In addition to the Living FlowCharts functionality, Micrografx FlowCharter 7 includes easy-to-follow wizards and templates to create more than 20 different diagram types, including pyramid charts, comparison charts, timelines and circle spoke styles. Catering to the needs of enterprise- wide corporate users and small business users alike, FlowCharter 7 brings a new level of intuitiveness, power and extensibility to the diagramming category. "Micrografx FlowCharter 7 leapfrogs the competition by completely redefining the desktop diagramming category. It does for flowcharting what Lotus did for spreadsheets - allowing users to interactively build and edit business diagrams, which are never static in real life." said Doug Richard, president of Micrografx. "Users will return to FlowCharter 7 time and time again, whether to create a simple process chart or even an interactive customer survey. No other diagramming software is such an indispensable business tool." Micrografx FlowCharter 7 Outscores Visio in Usability In a November 1996 comparative test of Micrografx FlowCharter 7 and Visio 4.0 by independent testing group Usability Sciences Corp., users completed tasks 43 percent faster in FlowCharter than in Visio - translating into greater productivity and efficiency for business people who use Micrografx FlowCharter 7. "It is rare to see a product outperform a competitor as significantly as FlowCharter did in this study, which focused on working with process flowcharts and multi-page diagrams," said Jeff Schueler, president of Usability Sciences Corp. "Users were more productive, more satisfied and preferred Micrografx FlowCharter over Visio by a wide margin." * For details on the test, methodology and results, please refer to the attached Usability Study Summary document. FlowCharter 7 Delivers Advanced Ability, Flexibility and Ease Micrografx FlowCharter 7's new features add intuitiveness, power and extensibility to the software. Among its new features are: Living FlowCharts - gives the ability to create diagrams that are interactive and dynamic, thereby helping users understand the content of the diagram much more readily. Creators of Living FlowCharts can also utilize the Shape Action Wizard (SAW) to apply actions to shapes and paths adding interactivity to flow diagrams. CoolSheets Templates - enables people to quickly and easily create structured diagrams, such as pyramid-shaped charts, comparison charts, timelines, checklists and target charts to embed in documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. The new CoolSheets templates automatically lay out the diagram structure and require the user to simply drag-and-drop shapes into the CoolSheet, type in their text, and connect shapes with lines. Microsoftr Office 97 Compatibility - dramatically reduces the learning curve for FlowCharter 7 with Microsoft Office 97 users. Micrografx FlowCharter 7 supports tear-off menus and dockable toolbars, and it utilizes the same common dialog structure found in all Microsoft Office 97 applications. Microsoft Intellimouse Support - allows Micrografx FlowCharter 7 users to more intuitively navigate through diagrams, especially complex flowcharts that span multiple pages. Using the Intellimouse's innovative wheel, scrolling through a document or zooming in to view data becomes a one-step effort that alleviates hunting for scrollbars, buttons and menus on the screen. New Drawing Tools - provide customizability and added creativity with 10 freehand drawing tools, seven ways to combine shapes, 16 pre-defined shadow effects and 20 pre-defined 3D effects. These new drawing tools greatly enhance people's ability to generate shapes and special effects that more effectively communicate the intent of a diagram. Custom Templates, Shapes and Applications - allows Micrografx FlowCharter 7 to be utilized as a platform to create customized templates, shapes and applications. FlowCharter 7's huge library of OLE automation application programming interfaces (APIs) and methods makes it easy to tailor any template or shape to custom specifications. Enterprise-wide deployment of custom templates, shapes and applications ensure the same look-and-feel of diagrams across a company. What's Ahead for Micrografx FlowCharter Micrografx plans significant enhancements to FlowCharter 7 over the coming year. Updates will include: Visio 4.0 File Filter - will allow previously created flow diagrams in Visio to be easily imported into FlowCharter- increasing productivity and leveraging previous investments. Micrografx FlowCharter 7 Viewer - will allow Living FlowCharts to be accessed from any source and run on a local PC without requiring FlowCharter 7. The Viewer will be offered as a free download from the Micrografx website. Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) - will enable developers to add specialized behavior to their diagrams and integrate them with other applications like those in the new Microsoft Office 97. Pricing and Availability FlowCharter 7 carries a suggested retail price of $299.95, and an upgrade price of $129.95 for ABC FlowCharter customers and users of competing flowcharting products such as Visio, CorelFlow, and AllClear. The software is available direct from Micrografx or via distributors including Ingram Micro, Merisel, and Tech Data; retailers including CompUSA and Computer City; mail-order companies including Micro Warehouse; and corporate resellers including Stream International and Software Spectrum. For Windows 3.1, ABC FlowCharter 4.0 is also included, providing users with a cost-effective migration path to Windows 95 or Windows NT. For more information on Micrografx FlowCharter 7 call 1-800-676-3110. Micrografx Unveils Latest, Enhanced Web Graphics Solution New QuickSilver Offers Animation, Added Web Effects for ABC Graphics Suite Richardson, Texas (November 11, 1996) -- Micrografxr, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGXI), a global leader in graphics software, announced today the immediate availability of Micrografx QuickSilverTM 3, the latest version of its Internet graphics technology. Micrografx QuickSilver 3 now offers added functionality for users to animate graphics by tying specific object graphic actions to mouse events and clicks to create standard builds and looped animations. Micrografx QuickSilver 3 is available immediately for free and can be downloaded from http://www.micrografx.com/quicksilver. Designed to be used with ABC Graphics Suite, Micrografx QuickSilver 3 transforms most any Windows or graphics file type into customizable, interactive graphics for use on Web pages. Micrografx QuickSilver 3 offers Windowsr metafile support for WMF and EMF file types, enabling users to include these files inside of Web pages without modification. This broad support allows users to leverage existing content for use on the Web, reducing content creation costs and minimizing time spent on page production. "Businesses and individuals look to Micrografx to provide the easiest, best and most full-featured Web graphics solutions for the Internet or corporate Intranets," said Doug Richard, vice president, global marketing, Micrografx. "We're delivering unmatched functionality and usability in Micrografx QuickSilver 3. We've made it almost effortless to create interactive Web graphics - from a basic animation to cool transitions and effects." To showcase just how easy it is to create an interactive Web site with QuickSilver, Micrografx is sponsoring a Web page design contest called winthis.com. Aspiring Web page designers can submit their web page entry by following the instructions at http://www.winthis.com through December 31, 1996. One grand prize winner will begin the new year driving a 1997 Ford Expedition. All eligible winthis.com entries will be judged by a panel of experts including editors, online industry pundits and digital artists. The judges panel includes: Dave Balmer, Cyberculture; Karen Bannan, PC Magazine; Suzanne Frear, Digital Diner; Laurence Gartel, a pioneer of Computer Art for over 20 years; Kim Hastreiter, Papermag; Christopher Parr, Cybermad; Rich Santalesa, NetGuide; Chris Shipley, DEMOLetter; and Anna Tokumoto, NetGuide Live. Winthis.com entrants can experiment with Micrografx QuickSilver's latest enhancements, including: Greater file support - transforms almost any Windows or graphics file type into an interactive Web graphic;Animation and builds -- turns grouped images on and off to simulate animation; Support for hit detection in grouped images - enhances interactivity by allowing objects to react to separate buttons and controls;Syntax checking - alerts users to input errors resulting in incorrect commands for particular events; New transitions - adds four additional transitions (slide top, bottom right and left) bringing the total number of transitions to 15 for greater graphics display customization and fun; Zoom panning - permits objects and scenes to be zoomed and panned simultaneously, meaning multiple levels of detail can be viewed from a single Web page. Samples of these new features are available at http://www.micrografx.com/quicksilver. Micrografx is embracing the Internet as an interactive, dynamic publishing medium and is utilizing the comprehensive graphics capabilities within the ABC Graphics Suite as the cornerstone of the company's Internet offerings. Micrografx QuickSilver 3 extends Internet capabilities to the applications of the award-winning ABC Graphics Suite, including Microsoft Office 95- compatible versions of Micrografx DesignerTM, ABC FlowCharterr, Picture Publisherr, Instant 3DTM and ABC Media ManagerTM. QuickSilver 3 offers dual compatibility for Netscape Navigator 3.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, including a plug-in for Netscape Navigator 3.0 and an ActiveX control for Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0. QuickSilver also features ABC WebCharterTM , an innovative technology that creates high-level views of Web sites inside of ABC FlowCharter, allows Web site crawling, the creation of multiple chart types inside of ABC FlowCharter, and offers an easy to use interface wizard. ReadyUseTM Web content with HTML page templates also allows experienced and novice Internet users to publish sites quickly by incorporating HTML formatted sites and pages with backgrounds, interactive graphics and hotlinks. Visual Basic and JavaScripting samples enable users to create custom scripts to drive object graphics from Designer inside of Web pages. Availability and Pricing The Micrografx QuickSilver 3 can be immediately downloaded for free at. http://www.micrografx.com/quicksilver, or may be ordered on CD-ROM for $10 shipping and handling by calling (800) 640-2049. Micrografx is the global leader in developing and marketing graphics software which enhances visual communication and empowers creative expression. Founded in 1982, Micrografx has become a leading software publisher by responding quickly to customer and worldwide market needs. The company's U.S. operations are based in Richardson, Texas, with development offices located in San Francisco and Los Angeles. International subsidiaries are located in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia and Japan. For more information about Micrografx, its award-winning graphics software and content for creative expression, visit the Micrografx Web site at www.micrografx.com. Micrografx Announces Executive Appointments Paul Grayson to Leave Micrografx Richardson, Texas (December 5, 1996) - Micrografxr, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGXI), a global leader in graphics software, today announced it has appointed Douglas Richard as interim president, Joseph Kupke as interim Chairman of the Board, and has promoted Robert Gutekunst to vice president of development and development services. Richard currently serves as vice president of marketing for the company. Kupke, one of the original founders of Micrografx, served previously as executive vice president and chief financial officer and also served on the board both during and after his employment with the company. The company today also announced that Micrografx Chairman J. Paul Grayson has resigned from all offices of the company effective January 1, 1997 to pursue other business opportunities and his philanthropic interests. A formal management committee has been established consisting of Richard, Kupke and Larry Morris, chief financial officer. The company recently began a search for a new chief executive officer and will continue this effort. "I have made the decision to turn over my responsibilities to this capable management team in order to pursue other business opportunities and philanthropic endeavors via the J. Paul Grayson Charitable Foundation and with the Micrografx Chili for Children Foundation," said Grayson. "I am very proud of Micrografx's accomplishments and am convinced that this management team will continue the company's success as a world leader in both the consumer and business software arenas. My confidence in this team makes me very comfortable with my decision to leave Micrografx," he said. Kupke observed, "Paul founded the company in 1982 and propelled Micrografx forward as a pioneer in Windowsr graphics. Over the past 14 years, he has dedicated tremendous effort in establishing Micrografx as the 26th largest software company in the world (Softletter, April 11, 1996)," Kupke said. "We wish Paul the very best as he leaves to focus on altruistic ventures." As interim president, Doug Richard will be responsible for the business operations of Micrografx including all sales, marketing, product management, development and development services functions worldwide. Richard joined Micrografx as vice president of marketing in April of 1996 following the acquisition of Visual Software, a company he founded in 1991. A successful entrepreneur with more than 11 years of experience in the technology industry, Richard in 1985 founded the largest CAD systems integrator in California, and in 1991 founded Visual Software. He graduated with a law degree from the University of California at Los Angeles and earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of California at Berkeley. Gutekunst, in his new position, will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the company's on-going software development plans, providing Micrografx the unified leadership necessary to refine its development model to meet the demands of an Internet-driven software development cycle. Gutekunst joined Micrografx in 1988 and has served in a number of development positions including vice president of product development, managing the overall research, development and design of new and existing products. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in computer science from the University of Texas at Austin. About Micrografx Micrografx is the global leader in developing and marketing graphics software which enhances visual communication and empowers creative expression. Founded in 1982, Micrografx has become a leading software publisher by responding quickly to customer and worldwide market needs. The company's U.S. operations are based in Richardson, Texas, with development offices located in San Francisco and Los Angeles. International subsidiaries are located in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia and Japan. For more information on Micrografx, its award-winning graphics software and content for creative expression, visit the Micrografx home page at http://www.micrografx.com. All products mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Kids Computing Corner Frank Sereno, Editor fsereno@streport.com The Kids' Computing Corner Computer news and software reviews from a parent's point of view In the News Hi there gang! This week's news is that The Kids' Computing Corner is holding another drawing to give away a program. We have a copy of the Macintosh version of Titanic: An Adventure Out of Time that will be awarded to a lucky winner via a random drawing. Entries will be accepted through 12:01am Thursday, February 20 and the winner will be announced in the February 21 edition of the Silicon Times Report. To enter, all you need to do is send an e-mail to me with the word Titanic in either the message body or the subject header. My e-mail addresses are fsereno@streport.com and fsereno@matrix.uti.com. The winner will be notified by e-mail and the prize will be shipped as soon as I have the winner's address. The staff of STR Publishing is not eligible for this contest. Just so that everyone knows, the winner won't have to pay shipping costs or have any obligations to STR or GTE. The prize is totally free. Send your entries today! Apologies Again Due to computer problems, the review of Microsoft's The Magic School Bus Explores in the Age of Dinosaurs will not be in this week's issue of the magazine. I built a new system this week that is crashing constantly while running Windows 95 so I'll have to sort out that problem. On another system, the mouse keeps going to the upper left portion of the screen when I try to run Dinosaurs. So I'm trying to get technical assistance from the good people at Microsoft and hopefully I can get the program to run on one or both systems. Special Notice!! STR Infofile File format 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 Indenting of any lines or "special gimmickery" · No underlining! · Columns shall be achieved through the use of tabs only. Or, columns in Word format. 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 rmariano@streport.com STReport International Online Magazine Gaming Hotwire STR Feature - The World of Contemporary Gaming Featuring the Action from; "Video Gaming Central" on CompuServe Thrustmaster STR Infofile Thrustmaster USB Joystick Hillsboro, Oregon, January 15, 1997 -- ThrustMaster, Inc. (NASDAQ: TMSR) a leading manufacturer of game controllers for PC-based entertainment announced today the release of one of the first joysticks to support the Universal Serial Bus (USB). ThrustMaster, whose diversified product line leads the industry in realistic game simulation, is now paving the way in USB flight simulation with the TOP GUN USB joystick, based on the 1986 Paramount Pictures film starring Tom Cruise. TOP GUN USB will be shipping to OEM accounts in the first quarter of 1997. The TOP GUN USB joystick is modeled after the grip found in the F-4 Phantom fighter jet. It offers a patented 4-way hat switch, three beveled buttons and a quick action trigger, taking advantage of the standard ThrustMaster set-up found in nearly all game software. In addition, the TOP GUN USB joystick features a weighted base for stability, precise desktop control and a realistic feel. The TOP GUN USB joystick will be fully programmable through USB, making it the lowest-priced programmable joystick ever offered by ThrustMaster. By developing and manufacturing one of the first USB joysticks, ThrustMaster has demonstrated its commitment to USB technology as well as ensuring universal plug and play capabilities for all users. USB technology - a collaborative development effort by Compaq, Digital Equipment Corporation, IBM PC Company, Intel, Microsoft, NEC and Northern Telecom - was designed to bring all peripheral connectivity outside the computer92s central processing unit. Known as "hot attach", this new connection standard streamlines computer peripheral installation by allowing multiple devices to be instantly detected and configured when plugged into the USB ports. Initially, Microsoft Windows 95AE and Windows NT will support devices in the "USB Human Input Devices" category, which includes gaming devices, keyboards and mice. This will ensure TOP GUN USB is one of the first USB-supported peripherals on the market. ThrustMaster designs, develops, manufactures and markets gaming peripherals. After establishing itself as the leader in flight game controllers in the early 90's, then capturing the market in the driving wheel category, ThrustMaster's broad product line includes action, adventure, sports and arcade peripherals. Known throughout the computer entertainment industry for producing the most realistic and best functioning gaming controllers, ThrustMaster continues to be a leader in the development of innovative peripherals. For more information, please call (503) 615-3237 or view the ThrustMaster Web site at http://www.thrustmaster.com. TOP GUN TM, AE & A9 1996 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. TOP GUN is licensed through Viacom Consumer Products. Viacom Consumer Products merchandises properties on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television and Simon & Schuster as well as third-part properties. Viacom Consumer Products, a unit of Viacom Entertainment Group, is a division of Viacom Inc. WCS is a trademark of ThrustMaster, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Classics & Entertainment Section Editor Dana P. Jacobson dpj@streport.com From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!" Super Bowl Weekend!! Well, I wouldn't normally mention it in these pages, but since I do live in Boston, I have to be rooting for the Patriots! Naturally, they're underdogs - it seems I'm always supporting the "teams" that aren't favored to win (Atari, for another!). Not much happening these days in the news. However, this doesn't seem to bother me as I'll always try to generate some things. Something that I've been thinking about, and ironically mentioned to me a few days ago by fellow staffer, Frank Sereno, is to put together an accurate and updated listing of Atari user groups, bulletin boards, Web sites, and other sources of Atari support. Back in the "good ole days" I can remember having tons of BBS numbers to call (and I had the phone bills to prove it!). As I look in some of my BBS listings, it's amazing how so many of these boards are but a memory these days. I miss calling a BBS and enjoying the individual "flavor" of each board that I visited. So, in order to be able to re-enjoy that experience, I have to find out where all the boards are. I thought I'd start here, and shortly afterward, spread out to the online community (the Internet and Usenet) to solicit "entries" so I can put together a list and keep it maintained as best as possible (maybe make it available on the STReport Web page and others). Also, the same is true for user groups. I know there can't be all that many still active these days, but many people just aren't aware of them. So, I see a need to have a list of these groups as well. Web sites? Sure, there are many of them that support Atari topics. Where are they is anybody's guess (other than some of the "big" ones). May as well organize that list too! <g> I think all of these lists should include all types of Atari products: the computers from the 8-bits to the Falcon and clones, the Portfolio, game consoles, magazines, etc. So, what can you do? Send me e-mail with your lists of sites, whether it/they be Web sites, Usenet addresses, BBSs, user groups, or whatever. Provide as much info about each entry as possible. If I need more info, I'll ask. Eventually, I'll make available a text "form" and post it wherever possible so more people will see it. In the meantime, send me any info that you feel is relevant, via e-mail at "dpj@delphi.com" or "71051.3327@compuserve.com". If you have my GEnie address, don't use it as I'm no longer a member there. I'll be adding my BBS and user group info to my own Web page shortly, so you'll also be able to e-mail me via that method. I'll post those details at a later time. So, if you'd like to see a comprehensive list, please help to provide the relevant info. I know there have been other lists attempted in the past, by various sources. Those have seemed to disappear for one reason or another. Let's see what we can do to increase the Atari online experience for everyone using Atari computers! Until next time... JTS Corporation Completes $25 Million Private Financing SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- JTS Corporation (AMEX: JTS) today announced the completion of a $25 million private financing involving the sales of its Series C Convertible Preferred Stock. The Series C Preferred shares are non-voting and have no annual dividend. They are convertible into JTS' common stock at the lower of $3.6125 or dependent upon certain conditions, at or below market. Tom Mitchell, President and Chief Executive Officer of JTS Corporation (the "Company"), commented on the financing, "The completion of this private placement provides us with adequate equity financing to reach our targeted production schedules. We now believe that having strengthened our balance sheet and made significant progress in building our business, we will be able to pursue more traditional types of debt financing to satisfy any future funding needs." "I am very pleased with the progress we have made over the last nine months having produced just 8,000 drives per week in Q2, fiscal 1997 and 17,000 drives per week in Q3, fiscal 1997," added Mitchell. "We are currently producing approximately 40,000 drives per week up from 25,000 drives per week at the beginning of Q4. We had originally projected production of 50,000 units per week by the end of our fiscal 1997, ending February 2, 1997. However, due to a number of small production problems which have since been resolved, we will not reach these production levels until sometime in Q1 fiscal 1998, ending May 4, 1997. "We plan to announce our fourth fiscal quarter results at the end of February. We anticipate that in spite of the previous production problems, we will still be able to nearly double our Q4 revenues versus Q3 revenues. With production issues now resolved, the Company expects to be able to ship approximately $100 million in hard drives in the first quarter of fiscal 1998, and we expect to turn profitable about that time. Furthermore, we expect to sequentially grow our unit volumes and revenues throughout fiscal 1998." During the quarter, JTS began to ramp the industry's first ultra slim 1GB 3.0-inch hard disk drive, which is currently being shipped to a major domestic brand name OEM customer. The Company also introduced three new 3.0-inch hard drives: the Nordic 1.4GB, 1.6GB and 2.0GB disk drives for the high-end portable market. The Company expects to ship the 1.4GB and 1.6GB drives in volume early in the first quarter of fiscal 1998. Gaming Section Net Yaroze FAQ! Iron Soldier 2 Next! Sega Merges With Bandai! Gretzky! Tetris Re-Vitalized! And More! From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is! Well, the big news this week is that Sega has merged with Bandai, Japan's largest toymaker. This merger should be interesting to watch in the coming months. Lots of interesting items happening - mostly new game announcements for the various console platforms. We have a FAQ file dealing with the Net Yaroze, for the PlayStation - intriguing if you've an interest in developing console games; or, if you like to keep up with the technology. Still no packages from Telegames, which is quite disappointing. I'll probably make a couple of more attempts to check on the "progress" of review copies of Towers II and Breakout 2000. If I don't hear anything from those, we'll write them off as totally uninterested. It never ceases to amaze me... Until next time... Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News! Sega & Bandai To Merge TOKYO, JAPAN, 1997 JAN 23 (Newsbytes) -- By Martyn Williams. Electronic entertainment giant Sega Enterprises Ltd. [TOKYO:7964] and Japan's largest toy maker, Bandai Co., [TOKYO:7967] have announced they will merge on October 1st to become Sega Bandai Ltd. The merger will create a "worldwide high technology company that produces both hardware and software for the home and office," said officials of the companies today. The merger has been approved by the boards of both companies. Under the terms of the merger, announced at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, one share of Bandai stock will be worth 0.76 shares of Sega Enterprises. The new company will have consolidated revenues of 600 billion yen ($5.03 billion). On the Tokyo Stock Exchange shares in Sega ended the day down 60 at 3660 yen and Bandai closed up 200 at 2560. "The merger will permit us to focus more energy on expanding business promotion in all markets from toddlers to adults," said a company statement from Bandai. It was also announced that Bandai's Makota Yamashina will be president of the new company and Sega's Isao Ohkawa will be chairman, the same position he holds now. Sony President Nobuyuki Idei, whose company battles Sega in the home video game market, was quoted by Reuter as saying, "I never expected such a combination of the two companies, so I'm very surprised." For the two companies, the merger comes at a time when they are both beginning to feel hard times. Sega is still he leader in commercial video games, the type found in games centers, but has lost its second place in the home market. Strong competition from Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's 64 machines have pushed it into third place. Bandai, while still maintaining its position as Japan's top toy maker, is in a market that is, ironically, suffering from the increased time children are playing video games and using the Internet. Bandai is expected to post a loss this year for the first time in its history. That loss is expected to be around 2 billion yen (US$16.78 million). Sega is best known for its computer video game software and hardware. The company's Saturn and MegaDrive games systems have sold millions of units around the world, but its real strength lies in the video games installed in games centers. It has recently moved into the digital camera sector and markets the "Digio" digital still camera. In Japan, the company also runs a karaoke network and is manufacturer of "Print Club," a video game-like machine that takes a user's picture and prints them out small stickers with phrases and cartoons. The system has proved the biggest hit of 1996 with Japanese high-school girls. Sega started life in 1960, ten years after Bandai, as an importer of American jukeboxes and entered the computer software market in the 1980s by working with CSK Corporation, now a 20 percent shareholder. Bandai is best known for its "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," "Sailor Moon," "Dragon Ball," "Ultraman," and "Godzilla" toys, but also manufacturers electronic devices. Bandai's American subsidiary, Bandai Digital Entertainment Corp., recently developed an Internet terminal device. The unit, named Pippin AtMark in Japan and World in the United States, allows consumers to surf the Web and have access to electronic-mail on a television screen. Sega also produces an additional unit for its Saturn video system that allows users to browse and access the Internet. Net Yaroze FAQ V 1.0 (970117) (c)1997 Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) Compiled by: Bill Rehbock, John Phua, Don Thomas, Brian Dawson, Greg LaBrec, Mike Fulton, Peter Alau, Sarah Lodge and Molly Smith. Information herein applies to North America only. Any tradenames used within this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their owning companies. NOTE: MOST COMMON QUESTION OF ALL... How do I register my interest in Net Yaroze? E-Mail: YAROZEINFO_SCEA@INTERACTIVE.SONY.COM (U.S. and Canada only) PS_YAROZE@INTERACTIVE.SONY.COM (All of Europe and Australia including France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland and U.K.) NY-INFO@SCEI.CO.JP (Japan) Sections I. HOW, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE II. COST, PAYMENTS, CONDITIONS III. TECHNICAL IV. COMPLETED WORK V. WHERE DO I SIGN-UP? I. HOW, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE Q. What does Net Yaroze mean? How is it pronounced? A. YAROZE (yarozei), or phonetically (ya row zey) vb. means "let's do it together" or "let's work together" in Japanese origin. The term embraces the Net Yaroze concept of getting members to work together and share their work to reach meaningful objectives in what they do. Q. When will Net Yaroze be available in the U.S. and Canada? A. Net Yaroze is currently targeted for release within the U.S. and Canada by late March 1997. It is possible this may change. Interested persons should make certain they register their interest so that they are automatically updated when news becomes available. Q. Is Net Yaroze planned for Mexico? A. We want to support and service programmers in Mexico, however,plans to do so are not in place at this time. Q. Can I license the U.S. version of Net Yaroze to be shipped outside of the U.S. or Canada? A. Sony Computer Entertainment America will not accept international transactions. Interested persons outside of North America will be referred to other Sony facilities for support if they exist for that region. See the answer to the most popular question of all at the top of this document. Q. What is the difference between Net Yaroze and a professional developers' program? A. SCEA's professional developers' program is much more intensive. The commercial package includes higher level hardware/software tools, hardware with greater RAM capacity, an in-depth array of on-site assistance and on-call technical help. Q. How will the Net Yaroze system differ from the Japanese version? A. All the basic elements provided in the Net Yaroze program are universal with the exception of translated text within support materials and the Internet address where members go for support. Q. Hardware-wise, how is the Net Yaroze unit different from the North American PlayStation which is sold in stores? A. The retail (grey) North American PlayStation hardware unit can only read commercially developed PlayStation game titles from licensed PlayStation developers and publishers. The Yaroze hardware offers no territorial lock-out, which means that that it can play both PAL (Europe) and NTSC (Japan, U.S.) PlayStation discs. However, the user will need a multi-format TV to do this properly. Q. Will Net Yaroze be available in stores? A. Net Yaroze is an extension of the services provided by SEA's Research & Development department. In many ways, Net Yaroze members become a part of SCEA's R&D activities. This unique relationship with Sony on a developer level will not be available from any independent retailer to insure members get support direct from SCEA and no where else. In short, Net Yaroze is not a commercial product and will not be available from retailers. Q. Where can I get support while a member of Net Yaroze? A. Net Yaroze integrates a World Wide Web Site with support areas, file download areas, message areas and more. No live telephone support is available as part of the Net Yaroze program. Access to the Web Site is limited to one year and renewable for a modest fee. Q. I have a Web Site and want to interview someone about Net Yaroze. Who should I contact? A. Contact Molly Smith by e-mail at: Molly_Smith@Interactive.Sony.COM Q. May I post this FAQ file on my web site? A. This document may be redistributed in whole in any environment that is supportive of Net Yaroze and Sony Computer Entertainment America. II. COST, PAYMENTS, CONDITIONS Q. How much does Net Yaroze cost? A. Net Yaroze is anticipated to be made available for under $1,000 in North America plus applicable taxes and shipping. Other costs may be associated to using Net Yaroze if the developer does not have other tools that may be required such as a personal computer or, perhaps, a more robust C compiler than the one provided. Q. Can I save any money if I already own a PlayStation? A. The Net Yaroze black PlayStation is different from those sold in stores. It is not interchangeable for development purposes. Q. Can I purchase more than one Net Yaroze PlayStation? A. The unique PlayStation designed for the Net Yaroze program is not for sale. It is only available as a licensed tool from Sony Computer Entertainment America. It is possible for one individual to obtain more than one for unique applications, however each one must be registered separately and all terms and fees remain the same for each. Q. Can I purchase the Net Yaroze PlayStation for resale? A. Net Yaroze is a developers network available and serviced directly by Sony Computer Entertainment America. It will not be licensed to any party for the purpose of resale. Q. So, I can only sign-up for NetYaroze from Sony Computer Entertainment America? A. Within the United States and Canada, yes. Members will demand and expect support tools which can only be made available under license directly from SCEA. Q. Why does Net Yaroze cost as much as it does? A. Net Yaroze is an economical version of professional packages which are licensed for many, many thousands of dollars. Net Yaroze includes all the essential elements of a comprehensive development package plus support tools have been streamlined to bring the price down to a level that dedicated enthusiasts and aspiring developers can afford. Net Yaroze is not a toy. It should be considered only by those people wishing to seriously engage in software development projects. Q. Will SCEA accept planned payments? A. Sony Computer Entertainment America will only ship Net Yaroze products when paid in full. SCEA will not have a financing program available. Q. What forms of payment will SCEA accept? A. It is anticipated that American Express, Discover, Visa and MasterCard may be used to pay the required licensing fees. Of course, money orders and cashier checks are always welcome. Q. Is Net Yaroze refundable if I don't like it? A. Net Yaroze is not a mass market consumer item and will not be available on any trial basis. SCEA will stand behind every unit from a manufacturing point of view, honoring any warranty (90 days) issue that may arise. On the other hand, Net Yaroze is a license. The black PlayStation is just one small part of the entire agreement to share information. It is not refundable and members are held accountable for their agreement to protect proprietay information shared with them. Those interested in Net Yaroze should consider their investment carefully in advance. III. TECHNICAL Q. What else is required to develop software using Net Yaroze? A. A 486 DX2 66MHz IBM-compatible personal computer with one or more serial ports, 28.8 bps speed modem, an Internet connection, 2X CD-ROM, 10MB of hard disk space, 4MB of RAM, mouse and an SVGA monitor is minimally required for Net Yaroze. In addition, members will need to be familiar with the operation of such a computer as well as a basic background using the C programming language and the ability to access the Internet and the World Wide Web. SCEA does not offer any training for using a computer or the use of the programming language. Q. Why 66MHz? How about on slower systems? A. We recommend a minimum of 66MHz for optimum performance. Choosing any configuration other than the minimums recommended are at the developer's risk. Q. Can I use the Yaroze system on my Macintosh? A. Yes. The Net Yaroze system can run on an Apple Macintosh with the aid of a complete development environment called Code Warrior designed by Metroworks Software. More information will become available soon. Q. Can I use international CDs on a Net Yaroze PlayStation? A. One of the "bonus" features of the black Net Yaroze PlayStation is its ability to play software distributed anywhere in the world. Q. Can anyone with a PlayStation play the games I write? A. Net Yaroze applications are only capable of being executed by other Net Yaroze members who have a black developers' PlayStation; however, the use of Net Yaroze applications will be strictly subject to the terms of a license agreement. It will not be possible to develop, publish and distribute software created by Net Yaroze by circumventing SCEA's established quality guidelines applicable to commercial products that are sold through retailers. Q. How long does it take for a competent person to learn "C" as a programming language? A. That's very similar to asking how long it may take to learn to speak French (unless you already know it). It depends on your background, how good you want to be, how much time per day you allocate to the learning process and what learning skills you have. Please do not purchase Net Yaroze to learn C You can learn the same C on a PC then consider applying your skills to dedicated platforms at a later time. There are no components of the Net Yaroze package to teach the use of C. Q. Why is "C" the development language on Net Yaroze instead of C++? A. C++ may be used, however, C is usually more efficient in a game programming environment where active programming space may be an important issue. Q. Is it true that the code for each Net Yaroze program developed cannot be greater than 3.5 MB? A. Primary RAM in Net Yaroze is 2 megabyte PLUS there are secondary RAM locations that grant programmers up to 3.5 megabyte of working space. Game code, graphics, audio samples and run-time libraries are limited to 3.5 megabyte because Net Yaroze drivers must be installed. There are many commercial PlayStation titles that are entirely RAM-resident and could have been developed with Net Yaroze while using the CD strictly to spool Red Book audio. Creative developers apply compression and run-time techniques that accomplish virtually anything they strive for. Again, Net Yaroze can be used as a professional tool, but it is not intended to be as robust as much more expensive machines. Q. How can Net Yaroze programs be made to run on a normal (grey) PlayStation? A. Net Yaroze participants can share their work with other Net Yaroze members throughout the world by posting that work on SCEA's designated server, Web Site or any other location authorized by SCEA. The standard consumer PlayStation is not designed to run Net Yaroze titles directly. All commercially available PlayStation titles are developed by "licensed developrs" and published by "licensed publishers" using a specialized professional PlayStation development environment. Of course, Net Yaroze members can eventually apply to become a fully licensed commercial developer at later time. Q. What kind of software can I develop that is most likely to be published commercially? A. This is hard to answer. On one hand, there seem to be enough baseball games already. On the other hand someone will create a new baseball game like none other before. Successful games seem to be those that offer a high degree of immersion and virtual world interaction. Sports games need to be fast and lifelike. Fantasy and arcade games need to be visually stunning and full of surprises. Some developers start with a remake of an old favorite and hope they can acquire a license later or change it enough to be different such as Doom II or Duke Nuke 'em. Other developers begin with a premise that some completely new idea is marketable such as Tetris, Klax or Zoop. Q. Is the link cable supported in hardware and software? A. There are two links that may be referred to by this question. There is the serial link to the PC for the Net Yaroze package and there is the game link cable intended for head-to-head gaming between two different PlayStations. In either case, Net Yaroze does not include library functions to directly address either link described above, but determined Net Yaroze members may likely hack out solutions if they feel their applications would benefit. Q. Can I develop a networked application with the Yaroze? A. Creative and experienced developers will accomplish many things using Net Yaroze tools. Many things are possible. That's what makes a talented developer valuable. Q. We are mainly interested in applications of the Yaroze outside of games, mostly visualization applications using this technology. Is there any restriction on development outside of games? A. We hope the Net Yaroze program will allow a lot of freedom in creativity in regard to what content will be created. SCEA does not place restrictions on Net Yaroze members as to what kind of applications to develop. Q. Does Net Yaroze interface with any memory cards? A. The Net Yaroze package includes the tools needed to interface with PlayStation compatible Memory Cards which are used in the slots above the controller ports just as they are on the commercial versions of the game system. Q. Can we access the CD to play audio and/or video? A. During the boot-up of Net Yaroze, a special CD is required on the PlayStation that contains information for the system. After boot-up, the PlayStation CD may be used to play Red Book audio from a standard audio CD. It may be possible to control the CD-ROM on the PC, however, it would e up to the developer to devise such protocols if practical. IV. COMPLETED WORK Q. Who owns the rights to software developed written using the Net Yaroze system? A. The original author retains legal ownership of all source code that he or she creates as part of Net Yaroze except as protected by applicable copyright law. For instance, users who create copies of Crash Bandicoot or Asteroids cannot assume rights to that work. Individual authors are legally responsible for the work in terms of infringement of copyright, etc.. In particular, source code can be freely shared among Net Yaroze members as desired by its creators -- in accordance with their agreement with SCEA. Indeed, a cornerstone of Net Yaroze is the concept of members sharing their work and ideas, and participating in joint projects. Note that distributed code through the Net Yaroze program can only be downloaded by other Net Yaroze members throughout the world. To formally publish software for all PlayStation owners, Net Yaroze members will need to look at becoming licensed as commercial developers. Q. Will my software be published commercially? A. We hope to publish commercial products containing software developed through the Net Yaroze program; statiscally, however, it is not very likely that any one project will be published. Even a great number of projects which begin as commercial projects never make it to store shelves. It would be misleading to promise a great likelihood, but many of the "big guys" do have modest beginnings. Bear in mind that commercial software must be compelling an not infringent on anyone else's copyrights. Q. Is there any interest by Sony in working with companies to develop specific applications? A. SCEA also offers a professional developer program. Serious developers should consider whether a hobbyist grade package really fits their needs. SCEA will not be looking to partner with development programs originating from the Net Yaroze program. When commercial grade work evolves from Net Yaroze members, SCEA will counsel with the developer on an individual basis. Q. Where should I start if I'm not a programmer? A. If you are not presently a programmer, Net Yaroze will probably not be for you right away. The best thing to do would be to purchase some books on programming and a BASIC or C programming package for development on the computer. You may wish to look into some local college courses that may be offered. V. WHERE DO I SIGN-UP? Q. Where can I go for more information? A. People interested in Net Yaroze can register their interest by e-mailing their name, address, phone number and email address to: YAROZEINFO_SCEA@INTERACTIVE.SONY.COM Sony Computer Entertainment America is also developing a Web Site in which users can obtain more information about Net Yaroze. The address of this site will be announced soon. See the top of this document for registering interest in other parts of the world. Tetris Is Back, Smaller Than Ever TOKYO, JAPAN, 1997 JAN 21 (Newsbytes) -- By Martyn Williams. Remember Tetris, the Russian authored computer game involving descending blocks made famous by Nintendo's GameBoy? A low-cost pager-sized version of the game was introduced to Japan two years ago and, with current sales running at over 100,000 a month, is the latest Japanese craze to be exported to the world market. As with many products in Japan, the game first became a hit among high-school girls and soon sales began spreading to electronics and general stores nationwide. Tetris Jr., as the game is named, is about the size of a pager and attaches to a key-chain and is now commonly seen in the hands of businessmen on commuter trains. Sales were so good in 1996 that Dentsu Inc., the world's largest advertising agency, named it one of its "1996 Hit Products In Japan." Sales are said to be over 100,000 units per month. The game typically costs just less than 1,000 yen ($8.49). With such strong sales and broad appeal, it is no surprise that the game is soon to be marketed around the world. San Francisco-based Blue Planet Software said it is marketing Tetris Jr. across the United States and, in the future, internationally, and hopes for sales in the millions to be achieved in the near future. The American version of Tetris Jr. will be identical to the Japanese version and priced as such, just under $10. Gretzky Scores $25 Million for Nintendo 64 CORSICANA, TEXAS (Jan. 20) BUSINESS WIRE -Jan. 20, 1997--Midway(R) Home Entertainment Inc. announced today that its action packed 3-D video game The NHLPA(TM) & NHL(R) Present Wayne Gretzky's 3-D Hockey(TM) is the top selling sports title for the Nintendo 64. This 3-on-3 plus goalie, fast action thriller stars hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and features the NHLPA & NHL licenses. Released by Midway for home play exclusively for the Nintendo 64, Wayne Gretzky's 3-D Hockey has sold an astonishing $25 million at retail since its Nov. 15, 1996 launch. Through the end of December, Nintendo has sold 1.7 million units of Nintendo 64 hardware at retail in the United States alone. The success of Wayne Gretzky's 3-D hockey reflects the increasing popularity of hockey and the heightened profile of the NHL. According to Gretzky, "It's amazing how much fun my kids have playing the game, but even more exciting to me is the fact that this game helps increase awareness of the NHL and hockey in general. It's a direct benefit to everyone involved. I just hope to someday beat my kids at the game!" Currently on exhibition at the Pinnacle NHL FANtasy during the NHL All-Star sports title released for the Nintendo 64. Midway is currently the only 3rd party licensee offering software titles for the Nintendo 64 having also released Mortal Kombat(R) Trilogy late last year and NBA(R) HANGTIME(TM) earlier this week. Wayne Gretzky's 3-D Hockey was created by utilizing state-of-the-art motion capture video, 3-D animation, and texture mapping for an ultra-realistic sports gaming experience. All-time NHL scoring leader and four time Stanley Cup champion Gretzky was personally involved in the design and mechanics of the game. Gretzky's own style has been digitized to reflect real skating motions and competitive hockey moves. Wayne Gretzky's 3-D Hockey presents players with a realistic NHL hockey experience. Battle Arena Toshinden 3 Serves Up Another COSTA MESA, CALIF. (Jan. 23) BUSINESS WIRE -Jan. 23,1997-- Playmates Interactive Entertainment unleashes new characters, new graphics and more furious gameplay on your PlayStation Sharpen your weapons! May 12, Playmates Interactive Entertainment (P.I.E.) will unchain Battle Arena Toshinden 3, the latest installment in one of the hottest series of 3-D fighting games ever. Set in newly redesigned, enclosed 3-D "fighting arenas," this new round of the Sony PlayStation mega-hit adds new characters, new graphics and improved, highly responsive game and control dynamics to the already-popular 360-degree rotation excitement. Developed by Tamsoft for Takara Co. Ltd. in Japan, Battle Arena Toshinden 3 brings back the toughest and most ruthless characters that survived Battle Arena Toshinden 1 and 2 to defend their title, inflict new damage or just try to get out alive. Over 30 exotic, sexy, bloodthirsty and deadly characters -- including more than 15 new fighters -- battle it out in the popular Toshinden series real-life fighting perspective with its different "camera angles" and its variety of fighting techniques, locales and opponents. The title will carry an estimated street price of $49.99. "Battle Arena Toshinden 3 remains true to the series' tradition of setting the standard for 3-D fighting games," said David Localio, vice president, sales and marketing, P.I.E. "Without a doubt, this is the best Toshinden ever developed and a fighting game to be reckoned with." The playing arena has been completely redesigned and closed in. Now there's nowhere to run if you're down and out. Players can use the walls, ceilings and floors to maneuver and pounce on the weak in 10 different, new arenas. And improved graphics deliver the battle in sucker-punching detail. Battle Arena Toshinden 3 adds another exciting game to a slate of thrilling releases from Playmates Interactive. Upcoming releases include the tire-squealing, motocross racing title VMX Racing; the graphically enhanced, turn-based space strategy game Into the Void; the much-anticipated action/strategy game MDK; and the sexy, sophisticated, third-person isometric view action game Meat Puppet. Mexico to Make Sony PlayStation Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., a unit of Sony Corp., will turn to Mexico by the middle of this year for production of its PlayStation game players. In Tokyo this morning, the company said it plans to produce about 100,000 units a month. "We are planning to start producing PlayStations at Sony's new plant at Tijuana, Mexico, this summer," a Sony spokesman told the Reuter News Service, which notes that currently, the company produces 32-bit PlayStation machines only in Japan and sells them on the Japanese and overseas markets. Sony, which already makes television sets and other products in Tijuana, says the new Tijuana plant will start operations in April and to begin with will mainly poduce video recorders. It will start producing PlayStation machines in the summer, he said, without elaborating. T-HQ To Distribute Seven Psygnosis Titles for Sega Saturn CALABASAS, CALIF. (Jan. 21) BUSINESS WIRE -Jan. 21, 1997-- T-HQ Inc. (NASDAQ:TOYH) Tuesday announced it has signed an agreement with Sega of America Inc. and Softbank Corp. to exclusively distribute seven games developed by Psygnosis for the Sega Saturn video game platform. The upcoming titles are "Destruction Derby," "Krazy Ivan," "Assault Rigs," "Adidas World Power Soccer," "G Police," "Sentient" and "Tenka," and will be released in the United States and Canada in 1997. "Destruction Derby," "Krazy Ivan" and "Assault Rigs" are scheduled to release in the first quarter of 1997. "Adidas World Power Soccer," "G Police," "Sentient" and "Tenka" are scheduled for release in the second and third quarters of 1997. "Part of our publishing strategy for the next generation 32-bit systems is to partner with leading game companies like Sega, Softbank and Psygnosis who have the highest quality game content," said Brian J. Farrell, president and CEO, T-HQ. "As Sega's installed base continues to grow, we are very pleased to work with talented third party developers like Psygnosis," said Shoichiro Irimajiri, chairman and CEO, Sega of America. "T-HQ's strong distribution power reinforces our commitment to provide game enthusiasts with the best games possible." "We are truly excited about the prospect of Sega Saturn owners here in the U.S. and in Canada being able to get their hands on these popular Psygnosis titles and with T-HQ's excellent track record in distribution, we are confident our titles will reach these enthusiastic gamers," said Ian Grieve, Psygnosis. GREEN BAY PACKERS DEFEAT THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOT'S IN INTERACTIVE SUPER BOWL(tm) XXXI SHOWDOWN Edgar Bennett Beats Terry Glenn In Second Annual "Game Before the Game"(tm) NEW ORLEANS, Louis., Jan. 22, 1997 -- Two teams met yesterday in New Orleans to decide the NFL championship. The stands were filled to capacity with anxious fans, eagerly awaiting their favorite player's appearance. When it was over, one team was victorious, due entirely to the efforts of one man. . . and his video game skills. In the Second Annual Game Before the Game(tm), Edgar Bennett, running back for the Green Bay Packers led his team to a 22-6 victory over wide receiver Terry Glenn of the New England Patriots yesterday in New Orleans. The game was decided as the players tested their video game skills on the Sony PlayStation(tm) game console and NFL GameDay(tm) '97, in an interactive preview of Super Bowl(tm) XXXI. Fortunate fans packed the stands to cheer on the two NFL players, and their surprise guest teammates William Henderson from the Packers and Devin Wyman from the Patriots, at the specially constructed PlayStation Arena complete with a 9'x12' Sony Mobiltron. "Seeing Terry and Edgar really get into the competitive spirit while playing NFL GameDay '97 shows just how real the PlayStation game is," said Jeffrey Fox, senior director, public relations and promotions, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "The players started out just having fun, then it turned into a game. . . a game to win. That speaks volumes about the realism of NFL GameDay '97." The game was won by the single-minded determination of Bennett, who wanted nothing more than to prove his skills. That, combined with the plays of NFL GameDay '97, were enough to boost his team to victory over Glenn and the Patriots. With a kick-return that led to a fast touchdown, Bennett took the lead right from the start of the game. Glenn answered back on the very next possession, with a sustained drive down the field. Reverting to his wide open style of play, Glenn completed an exhilarating 45-yard pass. At the half, Green Bay had scored twice, successfully converting both two-point conversions, putting the Packers in charge 16-6. In the second half, the Packers came out with a vengeance, capitalizing on their strong defense, putting a stop to Glenn on two fourth-down conversion attempts. Bennett sealed his victory with a final "interactive" hand-off in the game to William Henderson, who also happened to be standing next to him on the stage at Game Before the Game. Throughout the second half, Glenn forced Bennett into many third and long situation, selecting defenses that adjusted to Green Bay's running game on the fly. Despite their fierce on-screen competitiveness, both players demonstrated great sportsmanship throughout the game with constant good-natured ribbing and rounds of high-fives. Even though the Packers were victorious, all four players left winners. NFL GameDay '97 is the most realistic football video game available. Features include: more than 1,500 "real" NFL players; the most sophisticated artificial intelligence in a video game; real uniform designs -- both home and away; actual player numbers on the uniforms; and, all 30 NFL teams. NFL GameDay '97 features the motion-capture animation of the Oakland Raider's All-Pro wide receiver, Tim Brown, for the most accurate movement in a video football game. Jaguar Online STR InfoFile - Online Users Growl & Purr! 20-Jan-97 18:52:44 Sb: IS 2: ITS OFFICIAL!!!! Fm: Curt Vendel 75212,2071 To: ALL Its official !!!! The other day I spoke with Bruce from B&C Computervisions, he's just come back that morning from Atari (well, whats left of Atari; an almost empty warehouse) and John Skruch was finishing the encryption code and licensing for Telegames so that they can begin selling Iron Soldier II, the graphics are a step above the first version the music is a kick ass sound track, special effects are even better than before and best of all: 25 new levels of game play!!! price: $59.95 Curt ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'! PEOPLE... ARE TALKING On CompuServe Compiled by Joe Mirando jmirando@streport.com Joe will be back next week.. Seems pickin's were mighty slim.. PEOPLE ARE TALKING EDITORIAL QUICKIES Dumb Blonde Secretary Guide.. "If your diskette is full and needs more storage space, remove the disk from the drive and shake vigorously for two minutes. This will pack the data enough (data compression) to allow for more storage. Be sure to cover all openings with Scotch tape to prevent loss of data. Data access time may be greatly improved by cutting more holes in the diskette jacket. This will provide more simultaneous access points to the disk. Periodically spray diskettes with insecticide to prevent system bugs from spreading..." STReport International OnLine Magazine [S]ilicon [T]imes [R]eport HTTP://WWW.STREPORT.COM AVAILABLE through the Internet and OVER 250,000 BBS SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE All Items quoted, in whole or in part, are done so under the provisions of The Fair Use Law of The Copyright Laws of the U.S.A. Views, Opinions and Editorial Articles presented herein are not necessarily those of the editors/staff of STReport International OnLine Magazine. Permission to reprint articles is hereby granted, unless otherwise noted. Reprints must, without exception, include the name of the publication, date, issue number and the author's name. STR, CPU, STReport and/or portions therein may not be edited, used, duplicated or transmitted in any way without prior written permission. STR, CPU, STReport, at the time of publication, is believed reasonably accurate. STR, CPU, STReport, are trademarks of STReport and STR Publishing Inc. STR, CPU, STReport, its staff and contributors are not and cannot be held responsible in any way for the use or misuse of information contained herein or the results obtained therefrom. STReport "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" January 24, 1997 Since 1987 Copyrightc1997 All Rights Reserved Issue No. 1304