$ ? | £ ¥ ▄ UVfúΓ &'dí├─▄Vô╨π ]Ü╫ ?|îìÄ optiCDigest is an independent optical journal, published quarterly by SelectWare Technologies, Inc., 29200 Vassar, Suite #200, Livonia, MI 48152. optiCDigest will make every effort to assure the accuracy of articles published in the magazine. optiCDigest assumes no responsibility for damages due to errors or omissions. Subscriptions To subscribe or send address changes, write to optiCDigest, c/o SelectWare Technologies, 29200 Vassar, Suite #200, Livonia, Michigan 48152, or call 1-800-342- 3366. One Year (four quarterly updates): $99.00*; One Quarter: $49.95* (*International orders add $40.00; Canada/Mexico add $15.00 for postage and handling.) Copyright Information The contents of this magazine COPYRIGHT 1991 by SelectWare Technologies, 29200 Vassar, Suite #200, Livonia, MI 48152. You may reproduce this publication for your own use, but any other use requires the prior written permission of the publisher. By submitting an article or manuscript, the authors agree that the copyright for their article is transferred to the publisher if and when the article is accepted for publication. The copyright covers the exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute the articles. optiCDigest disclaims responsibility for the statements, either of fact or opinion, advanced by the contributors and/or authors. -optiCDigest is a Trademark of SelectWare Technologies, Inc. , @ A [ u Ü ╡ ╠ ═
45_£┘GHuvàÿ╜┘∩≡-jºΣ≤⌠1n¡Ω)/0o¼Θ&<For Comments and Suggestions - Please forward by mail to: Mr. Jeffrey J. Connors Publisher, optiCDigest c/o Selectware Technologies, Inc. 29200 Vassar, Suite 200 Livonia, MI 48152 For information on subscribing to optiCDigest see Subscription Information in this section. Review Policy for Software and Hardware Hardware and software submitted for review will not be returned, nor retained by this publication. Products submitted for review will be periodically donated to non- profit organizations at the editor's discretion. Please submit all products for review to: optiCDigest Product Reviews c/o SelectWare Technologies, Inc. 29200 Vassar, Suite #200 Livonia, MI 48152 It would be wise to use Federal Express or some other type of overnight service to provide you delivery confirmation. Please do not call to confirm receipt. You will be contacted if, and when, a product is selected for publication. If possible, you will be forwarded a copy, as submitted for publication. You must not quote from this until it appears in print, without the permission of optiCDigest. After it is in print, you may use quotes, provided you give optiCDigest proper credit and accurately quote what has been said. The optiCDigest editorial staff makes every effort to leave these columns as written, but reserves the right to reschedule or eliminate portions of the column if necessary. This is done solely on the basis of space constraints, not editorial content. . 1 2 j è ┤ µ 0YÇ╝╜ⁿ,-jnû╕╓⌠⌡ XYòû┐└²TUæÆ╬╧ HIàå SUBSCRIBE NOW & SAVE OVER 50% ____YES! Send me a 1 year (4 issues) subscription to "The SelectWare System" with DOS, Windows, and Multimedia Demonstration Packages and optiCDigest Magazine All for just $99 A savings of over 50% off the single issue price of $49.95 PLUS - By using this form you will receive an additional $10 OFF and Pay Only $89.00 Complete this form and return with your Check or Money Order to: SelectWare Technologies, Inc. 29200 Vassar, Suite 200 Livonia, MI 48152 ATT: Kathy Connors For VISA/MasterCard: FAX, Mail, or Call: FAX: 1-313-477-6488 Phone: 1-800-342-3366 _____Payment Enclosed - Payable To: SelectWare Technologies _____VISA _____MasterCard (U.S.Funds) * International orders add $40.00 (Canada add $15.00) for postage and handling. Name________________________________Title__________________ Company_____________________________Phone(____)____________ Address____________________________________________________ City___________________________State_________Zip___________ Card Number______________________________Exp.Date__________ Signature__________________________________________________ Environment: DOS _____ MAC _____ OS/2 _____ 4.2 1 Z ù « » ╗ ═
Gä┴╟╚BMNïÿÖ╒╓ε >VWö╤▐)[\ÿ╘Lê─ <=z╖⌠1***INTERESTED IN CD-ROM?*** Then you should be reading the most informative magazine dedicated to CD-ROM users and publishers...CD-ROM Professional magazine. *********** In Every Issue... Find full-length reviews of CD-ROM titles, new product announcements, CD-ROM drive reviews, and 10 regular columnists tackling hot industry issues...plus, interviews, CD-ROM publishing how-to's, opinionated editorials and much more! Fax or mail this form to start your no-risk subscription to the industries' leading CD-ROM publication..over 150 pages per issue! AND...Save over 50% off the regular subscription price...now only $39.95! ********SAVE OVER 50%... FAX OR MAIL THE FORM BELOW******** FAX to: (203) 761-1444 MAIL to: CD-ROM Professional 462 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897-2126 PHONE: (203) 761-1466 ___YES, please start my one-year subscription for $39.95. That's six issues at 53% off the regular price of $86.00/year. Charge my: ___VISA ___MC __AMEX ___Bill me ___Payment enclosed ___International orders add $35.00 (airmail only) Name_______________________________________________________ Company____________________________________________________ Address____________________________________________________ City_____________________________State______Zip____________ Country____________________________________________________ Phone______________________________________________________ Card Number______________________________Exp. Date_________ Signature__________________________________________________ First issue will arrive in approximately 4 weeks. Offer good for new subscribers only. Checks drawn on non-U.S. banks will be charged a $7.00 handling fee. No questions asked money-back guarantee on unmailed issues if not satisfied! K = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ╝∙6s░φ*de}║≈4q«δ(>{╕⌡2o¼▌Wö╤÷≈ B ╝ ∙ +
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\ Ö ╓ P r » ∞ )fúα)*gñ╦╠ F Particularly for those working at home, computer conferencing is proving a true boon. Using a modem, conferees dial in to a program on a remote computer that allows them to read and respond to ongoing discussions. It is this interactive capability that distinguishes a conferencing system from an electronic bulletin board, on which information is merely posted, or an electronic mail package, with which you exchange E-mail. When you join a computer conference, it's like walking into a room in which a conversation is already under way; the advantage is that you have access to the full context and history of everything under discussion. The disadvantage is that you must dial in to participate--which costs money and time. It also means that you must read and respond on the fly; you can't post a message when the mood strikes. But a shift is afoot in the conferencing arena. As Lotus Notes begins to spread across local area networks, into homes, and onto laptops, this innovative program is infusing life into online exchange. Don't Touch That Dial What distinguishes Lotus Notes from other conferencing applications is the fact that the forums (called databases in Notes) reside on your hard disk. You add thoughts to an ongoing discussion without firing up your modem; you read topic threads at your leisure. To exchange updated files, your computer dials a Notes server, where the information is stored. Any new postings are automatically transferred to and from your system. Besides serving as a discussion vehicle, Notes is an application development environment. With no programming skills, you can create a Notes database in minutes. First, you define a few fields and design the way you want the screen to look and behave; then you create various views for filtering the information. You can then post a fully operational application others can copy and use. Notes encourages the exchange of information. Like most publishers, my company is often frustrated by the lack of feedback. Since my company began "publishing" in Lotus Notes, we've found our electronic clientele more proactive than our traditional print audience. Big Bonuses Updated material arrives on your machine. (Lotus' server can call yours during the wee hours.) The information sits innocuously under an icon on the screen. When the mood strikes, you look up new information, ask questions, or declare an interest in a new topic. In house we are plagued by the same dilemmas facing any busy organization. With Notes databases, we now track articles in progress, ongoing consulting projects, our editorial calendar, financial reports, and more. some employees took to Notes immediately; others had to be coaxed into putting work in progress and half-formed thoughts where others could see it and make comments. Now no one feels left out of the loop and the quality and rigor of our analysis have improved markedly. As you might have gathered, we're happily addicted. Looking into the future, I'd like to offer multimedia solutions to our clients. Our newsletter Paradigm Shift supplements printed articles with interviews and case studies on audiotapes and the occasional videotape. Although our electronic services are currently limited to text and graphics, I expect multimedia PCs to proliferate among our customer base. We'll be ready when they are. Lotus Notes 2.1 Requires OS/2 or Windows 3.0, LAN server, 286, 5 MB RAM. $495. Lotus Development Corp., 55 Cambridge Pkwy., Cambridge, MA 02142, 800-343-5414. Patricia Seybold heads Patricia Seybold Office Computing Group in Boston. A consultant on office and new technologies, she publishes Paradigm Shift. ä = z ù ╘ Nï╚▐Xò╥Lë╞▀ Yû╙Mè╟╬╧Γ \Ö╓"_£┘SÉÖ╓ P ì ╩
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\ Ö » ∞ ) f ƒ ▄ Vô╨67Jç─>{╕⌡2Vô╨Jç─╙Mè╟A~¢╪RÅñß [ÿ╒6s░╒Oî╔≥/l⌐µ#_£┘Swxî╛≤ Rf Ready to try out your own animations? Not sure yet which tools are right for you? Willing to put up with a mixture of interface styles? If you answered yes to all three questions, you're a good candidate for Autodesk's Multimedia Explorer. This $199 package includes an excellent midrange DOS-based 2-D animation authoring program, a Windows-based player with sound, and animated graphic and audio clips that you can use in your own projects. Typically, you might use this package to put together animated sales or meeting presentations, to create supplementary educational materials, or to create simulations of more complex animations for movie or video work. Although starting with the package's prepared elements lets you skip much of the detailed drawing work, the animation process is complex, and the program will no doubt prove more satisfying to the serious digital explorer than to the casual user. Multimedia Explorer is moderately priced for a complete multimedia authoring package, but it is not a toy. The 2-D animation program in the package is a full version of Autodesk's popular Animator. The Windows player includes advanced features, such as list-style scripts that let you assemble complete presentations comprising animated segments and sounds. The CD includes more than 200 MB of clips from a collection Autodesk has been selling separately on floppy disks. Two Modes in One This product combines disparate elements and different interfaces rather than being one coordinated package. The Animator program launches from Windows but takes over the full screen with a single Window and its own drop-down and pup-up menus--and its own distinct conventions for using the mouse buttons. However, the Autodesk Animation Player module is a true Windows program and uses Windows conventions, such as a sizeable window, a control box, the standard drop-down menu bar, and single-mouse-button control. And since you do your sequencing, sound editing, and scripting in this module, you use it a lot more than you would a true output-only player program. You eventually get used to the mental gymnastics involved in switching between the modules. Autodesk may produce Windows versions for both modules later on. In general, working with Animator consists of creating or selecting image elements, placing them, in sequences of frames, compositing them with other sequences or images (combining them as overlays with transparency control), and adjusting the results as necessary. As an image and sequence creation program, Animator has a number of virtues. For image creation, the program supports dual drawing buffers, which let you switch quickly between two versions of an image or create a mask. Masks get their own buffer, as do cels (small images that you use like a rubber stamp). In paint mode, you get 22 painting tools ranging from straight lines to stars and petals, but the standout features is a selection of 26 ink effects--everything from glass (a shiny glare effect) to scrapes (color removal). The program also supports extensive palette manipulation, an unfortunate but necessary part of working with 16-color, 256-color, or other limited-color displays in DOS or Windows. The manual provides a limited explanation of color but a bewildering number of palette options, such as accessible color registers, clustering and thresholding, custom ramps, and selectable key values. Tween Me and You For animation, the program directly supports traditional frame-by-frame drawing and a cel mode that lets you move an existing image to a selectable position onscreen. There's also a limited object-drawing mode with tweening and morphing (the program supplies intermediate images and shapes between starting and ending objects that you define), but the final image is no longer object oriented; it is stored as a bitmapped image, which means it can't be enlarged or reduced proportionally. The program also includes an optics mode, in which you move, shrink, grow, rotate, or fade text, cels, and other shapes on any combination of axes. To offer better performance, this module allows you to preview effects using wireframe outlines to represent the new elements. But as with compositing, once you commit to full rendering, there's no going back. Resolution of all Animator files is limited to 320x200x8 bits (256 colors), a level that's adequate for most onscreen presentations and concept pieces, but often too jagged for high-quality video or public displays. Autodesk's more costly $795 Animator Pro supports higher resolution (resolution is limited only by hardware) and imports Animator files (.FLI or .CEL formats), so you do have a clear upward migration path. The Animation Player module of Multimedia Explorer lets you combine elements (from Autodesk Animator, Animator Pro, 3D Studio, and still-image Mac formats such as PICT and TIFF) into sequences, add transitions and sounds, and examine the results. Fortunately, the program offers a clear step-by-step method for adding elements and configuring their characteristics for playback. Using a dialog box, you can select loops and speed, including a choice of locking a segment to its present total length of time, frames per second, or number of frames. You can also hold an image or loop until the end of a music clip. You can copy the Animator Player to distribute your results (and use any of the supplied images in your presentations) without extra charge. Unfortunately, when sequencing, the player shows your presentation only as a list of elements, with no graphics display of the elements of their timings. You can't make changes graphically, nor can you set up a general format with final selections left for run time. Multimedia Explorer gets high marks for support. The package comes with an installer program that copies all the required files to disk, and the documentation includes a useful getting started manual plus reference books for Animator and Animation Player. When I called with questions about the software, I received prompt, informative answers. Multimedia Explorer certainly isn't the easiest multimedia authoring package to use, nor is it the most powerful or consistent. But if you want to find out whether you have the ability to produce animation, you can start your exploration with this program. Multimedia Explorer Floppy and CD-ROM based. Requires Windows or DOS 3.1, 286, 2 MB RAM, VGA. Sound board and multimedia Windows recommended. $199. Autodesk, 2320 Marinship Way, Sausalito, CA 94965, 800-525-2763, fax 415-331-8093. J = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ╟A~╗°5r¼¡┐ⁿ9v│≡-jºΣ!Dü╛√8u▓╝╜╧ I å ├
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1 n ½ Φ % G ä ┴ ■ Yû╙MÇüÄ├≥%& Capturing images and sounds for multimedia presentations and projects is always a challenge. Managing the inevitably large graphic and audio files after you've captured them is equally trying. Madison Ave., a new multimedia package from Eclipse Technologies, is an intuitive program that allows business users and amateur authors of presentations, tutorials, storyboards, and trade show and point-of-sale demonstrations to collect and organize the necessary elements in a fairly simple and straightforward manner. "We are flattered when people call us entry level," says Richard Primeaux, vice president of marketing at Eclipse. "We want to take the mystery out of multimedia." Madison Ave. runs under MS-DOS but is Windows compatible, and its interface is quite similar to those found in the Windows environment. (A Windows-only version may be available by the end of the year.) It uses icons that any business user will recognize and feel comfortable with--a camera for screen capture, a tape recorder for audio capture, and a slide carousel for holding the individual images and sounds that make up a multimedia presentation. Picture Perfect To help you collect visuals for your presentation, Madison Ave. provides Camera, a 28K TSR (terminate and stay resident) utility that captures screens from any standard DOS or Windows program. (You can capture any image that can be displayed on a VGA screen--not super-VGA.) You can also use Camera to bring in images from sources such as scanners, still-frame video capture boards, and CD-ROMs. The utility captures full-screen images directly from hardware and gives the files an .SCR extension. To open a screen captured with Camera in another software package, all you have to do is rename it with the extension .PCX. After you capture images, they are automatically saved in Carousel. An Edit function lets you change the order of the slides. Other features let you add visual effects such as transitional fades between images. You can also record the movement of the mouse as an onscreen pointer for tutorials or direct attention to a particular element onscreen. Digital Doo-Wah To incorporate sound into a multimedia show, you can choose from among the included digital audio selections or use Madison Ave.'s recording feature to save audio directly to a hard disk. You do, however, need a digital audio card to hear the sound, and a microphone, audio CD player, or other audio source if you want to record sound. Madison Ave. comes configured for the Sound Blaster Pro but will also support other audio boards, such as the Sound Blaster and ThunderBoard. A driver for the new AdLib Gold card should be available now. Other boards, such as the ATI Stereo FX (emulates the Sound Blaster) and the Compudyne Boom (an OEM version of the ThunderBoard) will also work, according to Eclipse. The more sophisticated Pro AudioSpectrum card in my test machine, a Northgate Elegance SP433, is not supported, however. To save space on your hard disk or other storage medium, the program uses an effective compression scheme--each minute of music, voice, images, and text takes up a mere 1 MB of space on the hard disk. Madison Ave. provides a relatively painless set of tools for capturing and assembling a presentation. Although a pale cousin of Eclipse's robust MusicMaker line--internal and external MIDI software/hardware systems that let a PC act like a 64-track recording studio--Madison Ave. may be just the ticket for a beginning multimedia author. Madison Ave. Floppy based. Requires DOS, 286, 640K RAM. Eclipse Technologies, 1221 W. Campbell Rd., Suite 125, Richardson, TX 75080, 800-456-6434, 214-238-9943. Y = z ╖ ⌠ CÇ╜·7tù╘Nï╚BÿÖ»∞)fúα Zs░φ*4q«δ(eó▀ % b ƒ ▄
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Q é ┐ ⁿ 9 v ¡ Ω 'dí▐Xò╥7t▒ε+hì╩;<Uæ╡σ# Language instruction has always been an interactive, multimedia-type activity--listen and repeat, read and write, see it and say it. Small wonder, then, that some of the very first titles released for multimedia computers were language courses. One such title is HyperGlot's Learn to Speak Spanish, a $99 program that features digitally recorded speech and emphasizes a contextual approach to language training. Contextual, in this case, means that instead of breaking a language down and teaching vocabulary and grammar, Learn to Speak Spanish presents material in the context of situations travelers are likely to encounter. The package comes on two CDs. The first disc contains the course software and lesson texts. To minimize Learn to Speak Spanish's impact on your hard disk, HyperGlot includes a program that enables you to install each of the course's 30 lessons individually as you come to them. The second CD contains spoken Spanish examples, all recorded by native speakers. (If you want to practice your Spanish when you're not near your computer, you can listen to the speech disk on any ordinary CD player.) Bingo, Senor Smith! Each lesson begins with a screen that shows a few sentences describing a situation. In Lesson 1, Thomas Smith, a Chicago businessman, has just arrived at the airport in Mexico City. He needs to change some dollars into pesos, and goes to the information booth. Clicking on the Dialog button plays the recorded version of Mr. Smith's conversation with the clerk and displays a Spanish transcription on screen. After listening to the conversation, you can replay individual sentences by clicking on them. Using this method, you can practice saying each sentence until you learn it. After listening to the dialogue, you could proceed in a number of ways. The Closer button, for example, reveals a dual display with Spanish words and phrases on the left and their English translations on the right. After you have memorized the individual words in the lesson, you can practice by clicking the Listen button. The program plays each sentence in Spanish but leaves several key words out of the screen display. It's up to you to fill in the blanks in Spanish. The spoken dialogue in Learn to Speak Spanish sounds clear and is perfectly pronounced. If you have a microphone, you can record your voice side-by-side with a spoken Spanish example. Clicking between the two, you can compare your accent with that of a native speaker. Getting Testy Once you think you've learned a lesson, it's test time. Clicking the Test button begins a two-part quiz, the first part of which resembles the Listen practice feature. You listen to complete sentences in Spanish and fill in the blanks on screen with the correct Spanish words. In the second part of the test, you are presented with questions such as, "To find out where the currency exchange office is located, you ask...." This section is challenging; the responses generally need to be complete sentences, such as, "Donde esta la oficina de cambio?" Personally, I found HyperGlot's approach of diving straight into real scenarios a bit overwhelming. I prefer a program more like Power Japanese (see "Flipping Out with Floppies"), which guides students in a more structured way and gives them a clear sense of how each lesson builds on the previous one. For a second opinion, I asked my friend Mark, who's been studying Spanish for two years, to take a look. Mark agreed that a person who has no prior experience may be initially intimidated by Learn to Speak Spanish's sink or swim approach. However, he found the program very good for practicing and testing skills. Learn to Speak Spanish is at its best when used in tandem with classroom instruction, or at the very least with a quality Spanish language book. While one could quibble over HyperGlot's teaching methods, no one who's felt the power of random-access drill and practice will ever want to go back to tapes, records, or books. Short of packing up and moving to another country, multimedia instruction is by far the least painful way to acquire the skills it takes to master a new tongue. Learn to Speak Spanish CD-ROM based. Requires Windows with Multimedia Extensions, 286, 2 MB RAM, sound board. $99. The HyperGlot Software Company, P.O. Box 10746, Knoxville, TN 37939-0746, 615-558-8270, fax 615- 588-6569. @ = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½┼╞╫QÄ╛√8u▓∩,Dü╛√8u▓╗╝╚B╝∙6s░╜·7t▒ε" _ £ ┘ <
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0 < y ╢ ╙ ╘ ⌡ ) Y É With the best educational programs, it isn't obvious that you're being educated. Annabel's Dream of Ancient Egypt is one of the best examples of this genre. For kids aged 10 and older, it offers a pleasant introduction to Egyptian history and Verdi's opera Aida. For ages 6 to 10, the program's main value lies in its ability to expand reading vocabulary and generate curiosity that might result in a trip to the library. The Cat's Meow If you operate under the assumption that cats are miserable, snobbish, conniving, sneaky creatures that kill parakeets and aren't fit to share the planet with the noble weimaraner, this program will drive you crazy. To thoroughly enjoy Annabel's Dream, it helps to be absolutely dippy about cats. Annabel is the star feline in this whimsical tale. After her mother informs her about the story of Aida, Annabel falls asleep and dreams about the land of Egypt. As she wanders about the ancient land, she visits the Sphinx and the pyramids, and she is taken to meet the cat goddess Bastet. After Annabel begins acting in the "queenly" fashion advocated by Bastet, she finds that her relationship with her extended family is greatly improved. In addition to the obvious educational goals of the program, the authors of Annabel's Dream make a series of gentle points about social and cultural topics ranging from adoption to sibling rivalry. EduCATion Annabel's Dream is a model for developers of educational software who want to make multimedia products that really teach, rather than products that just show off the technology. Most CD-ROM educational titles are no more effective as learning tools than traditional books and reference texts. Annabel's Dream, however, includes a variety of auxiliary exercises, such as directions for projects on papermaking and a bit of indoor family archaeology. The program features a series of articles on Egyptian customs and history, complete with references for further reading and a hieroglyphics translator that lets you edit and print a small vocabulary of symbols. The title also offers several musical selections from Aida and a song about cats by the avant-garde rock-and-roll band Timbuk3. Annabel's Dream builds vocabulary by using an ambitious set of words. Click on any word in the program to get its definition and proper pronunciation; the glossary provides a vocabulary review with pronunciation. Young students will probably need help on the projects and explanations about some parts of the text, but the simple set of icons for running the program (there's a paw symbol that means "pause," as one example) makes it possible for even the youngest students to operate Annabel's Dream by themselves. Although the price may give some parents second thoughts, the program provides much more than $85 worth of education and entertainment. Annabel's Dream of Ancient Egypt CD-ROM based. Requires Windows 3.0, 286, 640K RAM. $85. Texas Caviar, 3933 Spicewood Springs Rd., Suite E-100, Austin, TX 78759, 512-346-7887, fax 512- 346-1393. N = z ╖ ⌠ )fúα 9v│≡%bƒ▄Vô╨╓Pì╩DSÉ═
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? | ╣ ÷ 3 a ₧ █ Ul⌐µ#`¥┌!"=>{»Σ Picture this: You're sitting in a classroom and the instructor plunks a note on the piano asking you to sing a perfect fifth above it. You freeze. The other students chuckle nervously. Their turn is coming up. It's true, ear training in a classroom setting can be pure torture. But let's suppose that on the way home from class you pass a local computer emporium. To cheer yourself up, you decide to stop in and browse. The ignominy of the day still fresh in your mind, you head for the music software section. There must be a better way. If you were to bring Ibis Software's Play It By Ear home, you could be transcribing Charlie Parker sax lines and following the contour of Joe Satriani guitar licks after a few weeks of solo humming in front of your computer. Play It By Ear won't make you a musical genius, but it will help you identify tones, intervals, scales, chords, and melodies--all in the privacy of your home. Ear training is the kind of repetitive task that is suited to the computer. You control the pace, set your own goals, and take breaks whenever you like. And, if you suspect that you are tone deaf, you can avoid the humiliation of being the last to know. There are two ways to use Play It By Ear. You can pick out notes on a screen representation of a piano keyboard or guitar fretboard using a mouse or a keyboard (the black-and- white keyboard is easy to read; the brownish guitar fretboad with copper-colored frets is less readable). You can also hook up a MIDI-compatible instrument to play the notes in the exercises. In the first instance, the sounds are generated by the computer; MIDI, of course, offers a more realistic sound. In addition, a MIDI interface lets you train your ear with actual chords; without MIDI you hear only the constituent notes played one at a time. The program includes eight exercises: single note, melody, interval, chord composition, scale composition, interval identity, chord identity, and scale identity. The six skill levels range from elementary to demanding. You can adjust the skill level by tailoring various parameters of the exercises (for instance, you can narrow or broaden the range of notes you want to be tested on). You can easily replay an exercise if you don't get it in the first time. Beat It A companion program to Play It By Ear published by the same company, Rhythm Ace trains your ear to distinguish rhythms rather than melodies. You learn to transcribe rhythm patterns as they are played and to read and execute written rhythm patterns. Rhythm Ace includes a custom feature that lets you write your own rhythms and is MIDI compatible. Rhythm Ace takes up more disk space than Play It By Ear. Rhythm Ace was too large to load when I first tried to install it. If you have this problem, call Ibis and they will help you correct the problem free of charge. Like Play It by Ear, Rhythm Ace lets you chart your progress and increase or decrease the level of difficulty. It also spans a range of skills, from basic to challenging. As the manuals make clear, both programs are intended to supplement but not replace traditional methods of musical training. Two things you don't get with a computer program are human interaction and a schedule of sessions--you must supply the discipline. The bottom line is that you can't play it if you can't hear it. If you want to be a musician, you have to train your ears. Whether you're a practicing musician who wants to improve your ability to identify and transcribe sounds and rhythms or a music fan who wants to increase your sensitivity to the harmonic and temporal building blocks of music, these tools offer an easy and relatively painless way to do it. Play It By Ear; Rhythm Ace Floppy-based. Require DOS 2.0, 8086, mouse recom- mended. Both programs $99.95 each. Ibis Software, 140 Second St., Suite 603, San Francisco, CA 94105, 415-546-1917. x = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½╨╤▌Wö╤Kê┼σ"_£┘B╝∙6s░┴■;x╡≥/l⌐µ⌡≈ @ } ║ ≈ 4
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6 s ░ φ * 6 s ░ φ *gñß [ÿ▒▓╛√8u▓∩,iª╣÷3pÅ╠ Fâ└█UÆ╧τΦ⌡2o¼╕⌡2oæ╬ Hà┬ßΓ \Ö╓ΦΘ To hear current pundits rave about multimedia and its potential impact on education, you'd think the melding of computer science and teaching is a new concept. Hardly. IBM pioneered the field almost 30 years ago, and innovative educators have been experimenting ever since. To get a perspective on what we might expect from MPCs in the 1990s, let's trace the development of educational multimedia computing over the past few decades. The 1960s As long ago as 1964, a handful of carefully chosen U.S. and Canadian schools began experimenting with the first true multimedia computing system, the IBM 1500. Unlike today's desktop PCs, these computers were huge. My first such machine, the Digital Equipment PDP-9 minicomputer, measured 10' by 7' by 5', about the same girth as an armored truck. I couldn't help being impressed with its 64K of RAM and 1-MB hard disk. The price paid by my graduate school was more than a quarter million dollars. One of the things that characterized these monster machines was the impenetrable jungle of wires and cables that led from the computer to the multimedia equipment. The computer used the cables like an automated remote control unit to find and play audio from a tape player or to select and project an image from a slide carousel. When everything worked, it was great, but embarrassed teachers often watched their students straining to read an upside-down or backward slide. The audio tapes often jammed or the tape player would slow down, leaving the narrator sounding like his or her batteries were dying. Undeterred, the computer continued on its merry way, busily displaying irrelevant text. Despite these problems, early machines were the experimental laboratories for today's MPCs. IBM's pioneering computer-assisted instruction language, Coursewriter, was the model for many of today's application development systems. One of the first courses developed in Coursewriter was used in the late 1960s for university-level chemistry laboratory simulations. Today, my own university uses a similar MPC-based chemistry simulation program that relies on technology that is much less expensive and much more reliable. The 1970s As funding for education dried up in the 1970s, funding for research and development of multimedia computers slowed down. During that decade, the most forward-looking and innovative multimedia computing system was PLATO from the University of Illinois. PLATO was driven by a time-shared Control Data Corporation mainframe computer that simultaneously serviced dozens of monochrome graphics workstations. One of the most famous multimedia courses developed using PLATO demonstrated the effects of fruit fly procreation. In this simulation, a student selected the mother and father from a fruit fly line-up. Then, generations of fruit flies manifested themselves from screen to screen, illustrating the genetic development of the fruit fly family. In 1974, while working at IBM, I was involved in the planning, development, and use of a mainframe/minicomputer- based multimedia computing system that we labeled CITV (Computerized Instructional Television). A CITV workstation used a standard Sony TV to play videotape images and display text and bitmapped graphics. Strictly speaking, the CITV's functionality wasn't much different from that of today's MPCs. Although the CITV system was only a prototype and was dismantled in 1978, it served the valuable purpose of infusing a new generation of educators with the excitement of multimedia computing. The 1980s The multimedia computing systems of the 1960s and 1970s weren't really practical. Although we learned how to develop multimedia educational applications, the mechanical audio/video equipment that we used was expensive and mechanically unreliable. Even worse, we needed a different piece of equipment for each of the multimedia effects--for sound we needed an audio tape player, for still images we added a slide projector, and for moving images we hooked up a film projector. It wasn't until the early 1980s that laser optical videodiscs allowed us to store large volumes of audio and video data on a single medium. Laser discs made multimedia computing a practical reality. In 1979, I was convinced that laser discs, which are compatible with home television and stereo equipment, would usher in a new era of multimedia applications. the missing link was the personal computer. The breakthrough didn't come from IBM this time, however. It came from Apple Computer in the Apple II+. The huge success of the Apple II+ enabled teachers to experiment with color, graphics, and animation. With the introduction of laser discs, educators began integrating multimedia into computer based instructional material. The MPC was on the horizon. And Beyond Before his tragic death in a Dallas plane crash, Phillip Don Estridge, the pioneer of the IBM PC who headed IBM's Entry Systems Division, once shared with me his vision of the future. He foresaw children, parents, teachers, and businesspeople using laptop-like PCs attached to home televisions and stereos, and interacting with local and remote audio and video databases. We are on the brink of making Estridge's vision a reality. CD-ROMs, 50-Mhz personal computers, graphical user interfaces, virtual realities, and a host of other emerging technologies are just a few of the things that are sure to make the future of MPCs in education a real adventure. I'm excited. I hope you are, too. Dr. Sorel Reisman is an associate professor of information systems at California State University, Fullerton. He joined the university in 1986 after working for more than 15 years in research, development, and marketing of multimedia- related products. k = z ╖ ⌠ 1nt▒ε+hÑΓ■ RÅ╠ Fâ└²:p¡Ω'dí▐"_£┘SÉ═
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\ Ö ╓ P ì ô ╨ Jç─>{╕⌡2oÅÉñß [ÿ╒Oî╔CÇ╜·7tç─>{╕⌡2oáí╖─>{╕⌡2o¼Θ&cá▌≡±√8u▓∩,iªπ≈° Hà┬ < y ╢ ≤ 0 m æ Æ Ö ╓ P ì ╩ D ü ║ ≈ 4 q « δ (!e!æ!Æ!ú!α! "Z"ù"╘"#C#Ç#╜#·#7$t$▒$ε$+%h%v%w%ê%┼%&?&|&╣&÷&3'C'Ç'╜'·'7(t(▒(ε())1)n)½)Φ)%*b*ƒ*▄*+V+ô+╨+,E,é,┐,ⁿ,9-@-}-║-≈-4.q.{.|.╣.÷. A great travel guide has to be thin enough to carry around the world but fat enough to contain the basic information a curious traveler needs to know. It has to include anecdotal not academic history-enough to make a place interesting, without weighing it down with superfluous details. It has to convey a sense of culture and life-as if the writer were confiding in the reader, talking personally about what can be seen or experienced there. It has to talk to the reader on many levels, as if at the same time the audience were made up of novices and experts, naifs and world travelers. And finally, it has to confidently and expertly recommend the best of everything in a range of prices-from inexpensive to moderate to expensive restaurants, hotels, entertainments, sightseeing, etc. All these recommendations should be intermixed with stories about famous visitors, interesting events or unusual facts. A great travel guide should pique interest and enhance anyone's visit anywhere. TRAVEL GUIDE ON DISC InterOptica's multimedia Travel Guide "Great Cities of the World" (Volume 1) attempts to do all these things in the most concise package conceivable-one lightweight, compact, loaded with information CD-ROM. And this poses perhaps its biggest problem: The "Great Cities" travel guide on CD-ROM is, invariably, a product ahead of its time. With fewer than 1.5 million CD-ROM drives sold so far and a miniscule percentage of those of the portable variety, tourists thumbing through this guide are likely to be riding their armchairs instead of jet airplanes, rental cars or high speed trains. Although the up-side promise of an exploding CD-ROM drive market is possible and maybe even probable, "Great Cities" on CD-ROM is (unless you travel with a CD- ROM-capable notebook computer), not yet quite ready for your baggage. Be that as it may, putting maps, pictures, restaurant and hotel lists, reviews, essays, histories and language lessons in one place, all readily available at the click of a mouse, is an inherently sensible use of CD-ROM. And with the new MPC multimedia extensions, which add animation, audio capability and super VGA images, "Great Cities" becomes a genial and informative way to take an armchair journey to some of the most exotic and interesting places on earth. A Macintosh version with QuickTime movies will be available later this year. COVERING THE GLOBE In this first volume, InterOptica covers Sydney, Rio, Bombay, Cairo, Tokyo, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Moscow and New York. Loading and installing the disc is simple. Clear about 3.2 million bytes of space from your hard drive (if you want to see the opening animation, which eats up 1.3 million bytes right there), go to the CD-ROM drive and type Install. Be prepared to consider whether you want InterOptica to run Memset, enhance your use of memory, or rewrite your config.sys and autoexec.bat files. A batch file sets up a subdirectory named "Reader" somewhere on your hard drive and typing the word Cities takes you on a grand tour. The first screen encountered (after the flying Logo) is a world map with each of the ten cities indicated by name and identifiable monument (Cairo, pyramid; Los Angeles, Hollywood sign; etc). In the lower right-hand corner are a series of click-on boxes with utilities that offer online help, printer access, word searches, exit to system, exit to the world map, or go to the previous screen. When the mouse tracks over these boxes, the familiar Windows-generated arrow turns into an uplifted hand-indicating a "hot spot" that will bring up the specific utility requested. The arrow also turns into a magnifying glass when tracked over the cities on the world map. A click on one of those takes you into the various databases. DISC ORGANIZATION InterOptica has taken a page from print guides in organizing its information-dividing each city into a dozen categories. The nitty-gritty practical travel information is covered in the sections on hotels, restaurants, entertainment, shopping, sights, transport and recreation. A look into Muscovite nightlife, for instance, under Entertainment, turns up a disclaimer opining that not much happens for tourists at night in Moscow. But you may want to take in the one suggestion: Jazz at the "Bluebird Cafe." In Paris, however, the fare is decidedly different: Close to 100 cabarets, bars, discos, cafes, jazz clubs, etc. are listed, from the famous leggy-laden haunts of painter Henri de Toulouse Lautrec (the Moulin Rouge) to the Anglophilic bar-crawling destination "Pub Sir Winston Churchill." When moving to Shopping in Cairo be sure to bargain at the Khan II Khalili Bazaar-where selected stalls are singled out. Recreation subdivides into Air, Land or Water. Oddly, finger-clicking visitors to Los Angeles, home of Muscle Beach and Malibu, won't find much in the way of water activities listed except the obvious: hit the surf along the Pacific Coast highway. And the New York-bound will at least be a little dismayed to hear that InterOptica's editorial staff "definitely does not recommend swimming" in the New York City beaches or community pools (from Jones Beach to Montauk Point, however, it's a different story). SIT-BACK-AND-RELAX SLIDE SHOW Out of the practical travelers category and into those readers-with-idle-curiosities, you can take a few minutes to experience an armchair-length view of each locale with a sit-back-and-relax slide show, complete with photographic quality prints and the tour-guide toned voice of an appropriately accented native introducing their city. The London slide show, several minutes long, begins with the Thames, moves to Buckingham Palace, the Parliament and Big Ben, making an effort to be lighthearted and witty as it moves along. Over a slide of the Tower of London, the British narrator explains how few of his fellow countrymen actually ever go there. When one Londoner asks another "Have you seen the Tower?" the other replies "No. And neither have you." CULTURE The Culture category subdivides into history, festivals, holidays, etiquette and-one of the most promising aspects of the disc-descriptive essays. These were penned by well- known travel writers Jan Morris and Simon Winchester (Winchester is one of Traveler magazine's far-flung correspondents, as well as a principal at InterOptica). The essays draw the reader into the personal side of these cities, evoking a sense of place that is hard to find in traditional guides. OTHER CATEGORIES The other categories are Fast Facts, Quiz and finally Travel Planner. Fast Facts, like most of the other categories, is a tree-structured text-based listing that breaks into general Info, communications (post offices and telephones), climate, currency, local time, useful addresses and phrases. In the Sydney guide, there was a sparsity of phrases (merely five), although I did learn that "bonza" (pronounced when clicked) means "good," and "Oh jeez I'm crook" means "I'm ill." Japanese phrases in the Tokyo guide don't offer much more-a mere nine phrases, including "Ogenki-desuka" for "How are you?" Quiz The Quiz offers ten questions about the city-click on the question to see the answer. If, for example, you were perusing the database on Bombay and wanted to know which ritual takes place at the Towers of Silence, you can click on the question and be relieved to find out that the Parsi dead are eaten by vultures there. In answer to the potential question "What are Parsi?," however, the curious reader must retreat from the Quiz and go into the culture box, click on history and then do a search for "Parsi." The search engine for "Great Cities" doesn't look globally into all the databases at once, but is context- sensitive. Once you find the place where "Parsi" is described, however, you'll find that they are an Indian- based religious sect who number fewer than 90,000, do not believe in burial (their bodies are consumed by vultures) and often carry the names of their professions-Mr. Engineer, Mr. Auto Mechanic, Mr. Spice Merchant, etc. Travel Planner In the Travel Planner category, InterOptica lets you pick a restaurant and hotel according to price and cuisine. Although this planner is straightforward and simplistic, it is a leap in the right direction for CD-ROM-based guidebooks. Planners that can take your likes and dislikes in all categories and "map out your trip," from soup to nuts, have huge potential as software products. Perhaps InterOptica will take advantage of this start on Travel Planning and develop it further into a product that not only covers the city in a guide but also interfaces with other aspects of your particular trip, including working out the transportation and overnights with online databases as well as CD-ROM-based information. Future versions might permit users to create a detailed itinerary-complete with road and topo maps, useful phrases, cultural and historical material, rental car info, train schedules, emergency numbers, etc. RECOMMENDATION "Great Cities" is a good product: the interface is colorful; the audio limited but interesting; and the data at times overly simplistic. In general, although there is lots of information, some categories are getting short shrift considering the disc space available. Data-hungry CD-ROM users want it all-with an easy and powerful search engine to pull it out. Ultimately, "Great Cities" just doesn't go deep enough. For example, these questions were never answered: In what tavern did Dylan Thomas drink himself to death (hint: not the White Horse). Where did Proust hang out? Where did Thomas More lose his head? And where are the skimpiest bathing suits (of either sex) in Rio. CD-ROM visitors want to know who came from where, who did what, when and why. Or, at least they'd want the solice of knowing that if they asked, it'd probably be there somewhere. SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGE "Great Cities" is useful, comprehensive and entertaining. Despite my own wish list of what the very best travel guides can be, they cannot be all things to all people. Disc capacity is chewed up by photographs, audio tracks and the GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces). Although CD-ROMs should do it all-or almost all-they cannot do it all on the first pass. The search engine should allow global searches across categories. The phrase dictionaries need beefing up. The maps could be more detailed, with real zoom capabilities. The Quiz could get into levels of play and really take on the character of an interactive game. And there should be just, in general, more of everything. InterOptica has turned out a respectable product that can only improve with time. They hold the category of CD- ROM MPC-based multimedia armchair travel guides pretty much to themselves, with a respectable product that offers viewers, for under $100, a taste of ten great places on earth. Ultimately, the end-result of taking these personal tours through the "Great Cities" is exactly what you might expect. Once smitten, you hunger for more. The cure is simple: Pack your bags (including the CD-ROM-with-notebook pc), get on a plane, train, or automobile and make the trip yourself. Communications to the author may be addressed to Jeffrey Beer, 172 West 79th Street, New York, NY 10024; 212/724- 2641, FAX 212/724-0391. f = z ╖ ╛ √ 8u▓∩,STfúα Zù╧ Iå├ =u▓∩,iªπ ]Ü╫QYû╙ M ` a y ╢ ≤ 0
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Another reason chess is so popular as a computer game is that it is one of the few in which the human mind can come reasonably close to keeping up with--or even surpassing--the machine. (Just recently, some of the more advanced computer chess programs have been able to consistently defeat human chess masters, but most games allow players of lesser mastery to handicap the program to equalize the match.) Chess relies on the muscle between your ears, not the ones in your trigger finger. Contrast this with the battle of your weak little mind and your clumsy fingers against a computer directed onslaught of R-9 Nectarian space cruisers. For its first 1350 or so years, chess was played with 3- D pieces on a flat board. Contestants looked down on the board and fought a game of surround and conquer. The first computer chess machines typed out their moves on a teletype in chess notation, and humans moved the pieces by hand on a chessboard set up in the dim glow of the console. The advent of computer graphics changed all that. For the first time, players observed the movements on a 2-D vertical screen. It was chess, of course, but it felt and looked very different. The change involved more than a different perspective. It required players to think of the action in terms of up and down, and left and right, instead of in 3-D territorial terms. You'll Fall to Pieces Battle Chess MPC has taken traditional chess and the familiar computer versions, and turned them on their ears. The chessboard is still on vertical video screen, but the board is tilted slightly, and the "pieces" are drawn as animated characters in stunning colorful 3-D. In addition, each move is animated and accompanied by sock-dropping sound effects and music. You have not experienced state-of-the-art chess until you have seen the queen of Battle Chess MPC sashay across the screen in her tight red gown, hands on wiggling hips, to do battle with an enemy knight. Feminists take not: She's no slouch as a warrior; she tosses a wicked spell that reduces the horseman to jelly. Battle Chess MPC is the latest version of Battle Chess, which was first introduced as an MS-DOS release in 1988. The newest incarnation makes excellent use of CD-ROM's huge storage capacity, packing more than 100 MB of graphics (256- color 640x480-pixel resolution super-VGA images) as well as music, character voices, and the battle sound effects. The package includes a clever 30-minute animated tutorial about each piece, or character, in the game (each character has the voice of a professional actor and its own unique way of doing battle). the game itself includes an opening library of 30,000 moves and ten levels of play. You can compete against the computer, against another player on your computer, or over a modem against another player who has the game. You can set up the board in any arrangement to test possible moves. You can also take back a move or request that the computer suggest a move for you. Beginners and experts alike will enjoy watching the computer play against itself. Installation is absolutely painless, running off a SETUP.EXE file on the CD-ROM that is invoked from within Windows with Multimedia Extensions. You have the option of installing a 300K kernel to launch the program or loading a whipping 31 MB of data on the hard disk for the fastest execution. Serious chess players may need to find 31 MB of free hard disk space for this game, or load and unload all the files each time they sit down to play. Although a tremendous amount of processing and retrieval of information are necessary, even on our speedboat of a test machine, a Northgate SP433 with a zippy Toshiba XM3301B CD-ROM, many moments passed without action when we chose minimum installation. In any case, Battle Chess MPC is thus far the best answer to the question, "What can multimedia do for me that MS-DOS cannot?" Battle Chess MPC CD-ROM-based. Requires Windows with Multimedia Ex- tenstions, 386, 3 MB RAM, sound board, super-VGA. $79.95. Interplay Productions, Inc., 3710 S. Susan, Suite 100, Santa Ana, CA 92704, 714-549-2411, fax 714-549-5075. ┴ = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ·7t▒ε%bƒ▄≤⌠Pì╩Dü╛√2o¼Θ&cá╦Eé┐ⁿ9 v £ ┘
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G ä ┴ ■ ; x ╡ └ ² :w┤±.k¿σ"_£úα Zù╘IJWö╤Kê┼?|╣ε+hÑΓ NObƒ▄Vô╨Vô╨Jç─$a₧█UÇ╜·7t▒ε+ h Ñ Γ \ Ö ├ = z ╖ ⌠ 1 n ½ Φ % b ƒ ▄ !V!ô!╨!"J""╝"∙"6#s#░#φ#*$g$ñ$ß$ %H%I%[%ÿ%╒%&O&î&╔&'C'Ç'╜'·'7(O(î(╔()C)J)K)])É)╜) If you're upgrading your machine to meet the MPC spec, one of the key components you'll need to install is a sound board. By itself, a sound board isn't much more difficult to install than any other accessory. However, the sound board in an MPC needs to be connected to other components (such as the CD-ROM drive and possibly the PC's speaker), and must be configured so that it doesn't conflict with other peripherals. Therefore, it takes special care to get everything right. This article tells you how to add the first shipping MPC-spec sound board--Media Vision's Pro AudioSpectrum--to a standard IBM PC-compatible computer. It also gives you important hints about the tools and techniques you can use to make the entire operation come off without a hitch. To remember the steps involved in wiring your computer for sound, keep in mind the four I's: Interrupts, Input/Output (or I/O for short), Interconnections, and software Installation. We Interrupt This Program... Before you put your sound board into your computer, you'll need to know a few important facts about that computer. The first bit of information you'll need is the number of a free interrupt. An interrupt is a signal that a peripheral (such as your sound board) uses to send a "wake- up call" to the computer's central processing unit (CPU). When the sound board wants the computer's attention, it activates the interrupt signal, which causes the CPU to stop what it's doing and tend to the sound board's needs. On an IBM PC-compatible computer (all machines that meet the MPC spec are IBM PC compatible), the interrupt signal lines are numbered from 0 to 15. On all machines except those that use the EISA or Micro Channel bus, each peripheral must use a different interrupt number (usually called an interrupt level) so that the computer can distinguish between the signals they send. The "Interrupts on a Typical IBM PC Compatible" table shows the interrupts numbers for certain common peripherals. As you can see, many of the interrupt levels are permanently spoken for, but others are often available. (Unfortunately, nearly all audio cards, including the Pro AudioSpectrum, have a problem: They can't use interrupts with numbers higher than 7. This means that you'll probably have to find a free one in the range from 0 to 7.) If you're not sure which interrupt levels are free on your computer, try Interrupt 5, unless you know that another peripheral is using it. Since few machines have two parallel ports, this interrupt is usually free in most systems. Another good choice is Interrupt 7: Although the first parallel printer can use the interrupt, in reality it almost never does. Interrupt 3 is only a possibility if you don't have a second serial port (or if you do have one but never use it for anything--not even a mouse). Stay away from Interrupt 2; it can cause problems when you run Windows in 386 Enhanced Mode. The Pro AudioSpectrum comes preconfigured to use Interrupt 7, which works on most systems, including the one used for this installation procedure. Once you've determined the level of the interrupt you want to use, it's time to set the board to use that interrupt. Be sure that you don't damage the board's components with your body's inherent static charge. Place the board (still in its protective antistatic wrapper) on a table, sit down, and touch a grounded metal object, such as a water pipe or a bare metal part on a computer that's plugged into a grounded outlet. Then carefully remove the sound board from its wrapper and lay it, chip side up, on top of the wrapper. By grounding yourself and keeping the board on top of its wrapper until it's time to plug it in, you'll guarantee static charges won't zap the chips on the board. Use the instruction manual to find the jumper posts or switches that set the board's interrupt level (abbreviated IRQ for interrupt request). The Pro AudioSpectrum board has little black jumper blocks (see Figure 1) that fit over pairs of gold-plated posts and make an electrical connection between them. One pair of pins is labeled 7, and we verified that there was a jumper block connecting them. In and Out The second thing you'll need to determine is how the board does I/O (data input and output). Most boards use one of two methods: DMA (which stands for Direct Memory Access) or an I/O port (in which the computer uses a number called an I/O address to select that card from among the many cards in the machine.) If your sound board uses DMA, you need to assign it a DMA Channel Number. Use the channel number recommended by your sound board's manufacturer unless you know that channel is in use. On most machines, DMA channels 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are free. (The Pro AudioSpectrum came configured to use DMA Channel 1, which worked fine.) If your sound board requires an I/O address, try the default setting, unless you recognize that another peripheral is using that address. Your card's DMA channel or I/O address will often be set with switches or jumper blocks, like the interrupt number. You may need to use the manual to find out how to change the settings. Interconnections The next thing you'll need to do is remove the cover from your PC. To open most desktop PCs, loosen three to five screws around the edges of the rear panel and then slide the cover forward. Some machines have flip-up tops that are released by buttons on the sides, while others have "tower" cases that you have to slide forward and then lift. (Your PC's manual should include instructions for removing its cover.) No matter what kind of case your computer has, two general tips always apply. First, it's a good idea to get a PC toolkit--like the one shown in Figure 2--before you start. These toolkits, available for $10 to $15 at computer stores or by mail, have screwdrivers, nut drivers, and other handy tools that make working with PCs a breeze. (The one used in our example even includes a plunger-activated device, aptly named a "grabber," that's great for retrieving screws dropped into tight places.) Second, leave the PC's power cord plugged in. The high- voltage components of a typical PC are safely enclosed in an inner metal box, so there's no risk of getting a shock even with the cover off. However, by keeping the power cord plugged in, you're keeping the machine grounded--a tactic that prevents static build-up as you work. Once you've got the cover off, it's time to prepare a slot to receive the audio board. The best one to use is usually the closest free slot to the CD-ROM drive, since you'll be running at least an audio cable (and possibly a control cable) between the two. On all standard PCs, one end of each peripheral slot is covered by a small metal cover, which is secured by a single screw. In most cases, this screw has a hexagonal head--and the best tool to use to remove it is one of the nut drivers in a standard PC toolkit. But if the screw does not have a hex-shaped head, or if you don't have a nut driver, use an ordinary screwdriver. Put the cover in a safe place in case you need to remove the board, but save the screw; you'll need it to secure the audio board in the slot later. Next, attach the various cables to the audio board. The Pro AudioSpectrum accepts several cables (see figure 3). The thick ribbon cable (right) connects the board's SCSI interface to the CD-ROM drive. Not all audio boards have CD-ROM interfaces on-board, but it's convenient when they do; it saves a slot, simplifies setup, and obviates the need to reserve more interrupts, DMA channels, and/or I/O ports for a separate CD-ROM interface. An audio cable (top center) connects the CD-ROM's stereo output to the sound board's internal mixer, allowing all the audio components to play back through a single amplifier and speaker system. The Pro AudioSpectrum also has an optional connection for the PC's speaker (top left). Needless to say, you won't get high-quality sound from such a small speaker, so you won't want to use this connection most of the time. But it's great if you don't have headphones (or a patch cord for your stereo) and want to hear the system do something. The Pro AudioSpectrum automatically feeds the usual speaker sounds through this output as well, so you can still hear the PC's usual beeps and boops when you're not playing music. Once you've attached all the cables, it's time to lower the board into its slot. (If you try to attach the cables after the board is inserted, you might have trouble squeezing them into place.) In Figure 4, photographic prestidigitator Fred Stimson shows the board magically lowering itself into the slot, but in real life you may have to push a bit to fit it into place, especially if the socket has not been used before. (The internal speaker cable isn't shown in this shot, but it should be installed at this point if you're using it.) Replace the cover screw, locking the board in place, and rearrange the cables to make sure that they won't prevent the case from closing. Checking It Out Put the cover back on. (You may want to leave the cover screws loose, or put one only in, until you're sure that everything's working.) Then fire up your machine and install the software. If you bought your sound board as part of an MPC upgrade kit, chances are that you received a CD-ROM with a multimedia version of Windows and perhaps a game or two; otherwise, you probably received utility packages on floppy disks. Follow the installation instructions included with your board to get the system up and running. Attach a pair of headphones, some powered speakers, or a stereo to the output jack on the back of the board (they may be identical, so definitely check the manual to see which is which). You can now compose symphonies, play CDs (if you have a CD-ROM player), hear the sound tracks from your computer games, and customize Windows to have it make strange and amusing noises in response to errors and other events. Enjoy! Pro AudioSpectrum $389. Media Vision, 47221 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538, 800-348-7116, fax 510-770-8600. û = z ╖ ⌠ 1nà┬ <`¥┌Tæ⌐µ#`¥┌∩,iª╪┘≥/l⌐µ#`¥╗°5r»░╩ D ü ╛ √ 8
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9 ] ^ ~ ╗ ° 5 r » ∞ )fúα.k¿σ"_£┘SÉÜ¢«δ(eó▀ Yû┼╞▄Vô╨CÇ╜·7t▒εⁿ²QÄ╦ENï╚B╝∙+,Dü╛√8u▓∩B╝∙ s ░ φ * g ñ ß ■ ; l Okay, so you just hooked up a new multimedia PC, or you just installed an MPC upgrade kit. You settle back with that spiffy CD-ROM-based title, the one with all those great audio tracks and...gee, the hum of your hard drive is drowning out the opening theme. Nobody pointed out that a set of amplified speakers is a virtual necessity for a true multimedia experience. You could connect the computer to the stereo amplifier and speakers--if they are all in one room, that is. If they aren't, you head back to the store in search of a self- contained powered speaker system. Most powered speakers aren't designed to amplify MPC output; they are intended to turn portable radios, cassette, and CD players into budget stereo systems. We did find a number of powered speakers that are ready to connect to your computer, however, and we subjected them to a series of, well, subjective tests. Our sound samples included a digitized classical selection, several MIDI clip music files, and a digitized voice sample. We listened for strengths and weaknesses in the bass, middle, and treble ranges. We checked to see if the maximum undistorted volume was loud enough for multimedia settings. Below, we provide general comments about each set of speakers and some quotes from our editors. We've rated the speakers, giving our favorites three ears. (See the feature in our next issue for in-depth speaker coverage.) AR Power Partner, $475 If money and size are no object, these are the speakers to buy. It should come as no surprise that many multimedia- based trade show booths use these Acoustic Research speakers. They are AV-shielded (shield against magnetic fields), powerful (30 watts per channel), and built like tanks. Our editors dubbed their unique triangular design "spiffy" and "aerodynamic," but their large size may prove a concern for the average user. The midrange sound is rich, but the bass sometimes vibrates at high volume, and in the musical selections, the treble and bass seemed muffled. Somewhat inconveniently, each speaker requires a separate audio cable and power cord. Bose RoomMates II, $339 The AV-shielded Bose RoomMates deliver passable bass and treble, but the overall quality is "a little flat" and "muddy." Tone controls would help, but, unlike the other speakers in our sample, the RoomMates offer none. A "weak high end" was particularly obvious in the synthesized music clips, and we heard a buzzing when we turned the speakers up full volume. While smaller than the Power Partners, the RoomMates were too big for our desks, but they require only one power cord with a single wire running between the speakers. In general, their sound is adequate for multimedia, but not good enough to justify their price. Koss HD/1 Hard Driver, $39.99 The Hard Drivers don't live up to their name. Even with the volume all the way up, they seemed to only double the 4- watt sound of the Sound Blaster Pro we used. Only with the bass and treble boosts at full volume did they sound usable. Overall, the Koss speakers have neither the power nor the fidelity for serious multimedia use. The sound was, according to three editors, "tinny." Other comments included "thin," "muffled," and "blurry;" "okay for presentations before clients who don't matter:' and "not any better than my car radio, which is so bad thieves refuse to steal it." However, they are priced at only $39.95. Labtec SS-700, $69.95 According to the manufacturers, the SS-700 speakers were designed specifically for computer and multimedia use. And they do feature such amenities as a choice between AC and battery power (4 "C" cells), shielded speaker magnets, individual volume controls, and three tone controls (euphemistically called a "graphic equalizer"). One of the controls is labeled "Super Bass," but one editor answered, "Bass...not." Many of the instrument sounds in the MIDI file were not distinguishable, and we noticed an annoying buzz at high volume. However, the speakers do have a crisp midrange. Persona PC, $229 These three-way speakers pack a hefty 10 watts per channel into their slim AV-shielded cases and, given their unique shape, they fit easily on either side of a monitor. They provide more than adequate power and a reasonable amount of bass. There's even a "sonic imaging control" circuit and surround-sound processor, which give monaural music a bit of a stereo feel. Some of our editors' comments included, "slight crackle in treble at high volume," and "nice design but too many cables in the back." Roland MA-12C, $290 These AV-shielded speakers offer relatively rich, clean sound. The classical music we played sounded nice, but we weren't able to pick out all the individual instruments. The announcer's voice in our test was resonant, and the voice inflections were clear. In the MIDI music clip, we could hear the full range of synthesized instruments. Designed to amplify Roland keyboards, the Roland speakers require quarter-inch phone plugs, which means you may have to hunt for a special patch cord to hook them up to your computer. Each speaker is individually AC-powered with separate power cords and tone control sets. Our editors' comments included, "kinda mushy on top," "perky and insouciant," and "not bad for munchkins" (the speakers are quite small). Sony SRS-67, $179.95 The sony SRS-67 pair boasts 5 watts per channel and AV shielding, and the label boldly proclaims, "Mega-bass." We were not sure the system merited this extravagant descriptor. The classical music we listened to sounded full and rich, but there were occasional gaps in the high end's quality. The speakers do, however, provide adequate volume without distortion. The editors were fairly consistent in their descriptions: "like listening to Muzak playing in an elevator across the hall," "like a pocket AM radio," "like a Walkman at a distance," and "okay for games in which the music is annoying anyway." One last complaint: "The front panel LED pulses on and off with the music, and it becomes pretty darned annoying after only a few minutes." Sony SRS-D2K, $199.95 What a difference a woofer makes! This setup offers bass you can feel across the room. The three-piece SRS-D2K system consists of two small "satellite" speakers and a floor-standing box that contains amplifiers, controls, and a separate subwoofer. There are two tone controls (one for treble and midrange, the other for bass), and dual inputs, which allow you to switch between your computer and, say, a radio or tape player. AV shielding isn't mentioned in the product literature, but the big subwoofer magnet is safely out of the way on the floor. The Sony SDS-D2K provides only 4 watts per channel for its satellite speakers and reserves a separate 11-watt amplifier for the subwoofer, which make the whole system sound more powerful than it really is. With the three-way setup, there seemed to be a better presence to the sound, as if it were produced by real instruments. The MIDI came across with more instrument voices than we had previously realized were there. Our editors' responses were generally positive: "audio is focused and sounds like it's coming from the screen," "full depth of field," and "rich sound, easily the best of the lot." At half the price of the Acoustic Research speakers, the Sony SDS-D2K pair is the best bet for the money. á = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ▄ <y╢≤0m¬τΦ°5r»∞)fúα =z╖⌠1fgÇ╜·7 t ▒ δ ∞
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6 s « δ ( e ó ▀ Jç─>KL^¢╪R}║≈4efü╛√8uÜ╫QÄ╦ETUp¡Ω'dm¬τ$a₧█Oî╔CÇ╜·7Yû»░╞@AYû╙MèÖ╓ *J^k|}í╕╬▀∞²■ 1 D Q b c á ▌ Previous articles in CD-ROM Professional have outlined the nature of these benchmark tests. These tests use the same CPU, a 286 class computer, operating at 16MHz, without a math co-processor and a "plain vanilla" config.sys and autoexec.bat. Generally, the drives are tested with the same device driver supplied in the majority of the tests by Trantor Systems. However, some of the drives tested to date have device drivers supplied by the company who supplies the CD-ROM drive. These include the tests done on the Sony, Hitachi, Philips and Mitsumi drives, all of which have proprietary interface cards and device drivers. All the previous tests have used the Microsoft Extensions version 2.1 and not the newer version 2.2. Generally speaking, these tests to date have focused on the hardware performance of the drive. They do not focus on other significant variables that impact the performance of the drive such as device drivers and caching on the interface cards (as opposed to caching on the CD-ROM drive itself). This set of tests concludes this protocol. Future articles in this series will continue to benchmark CD-ROM drives but with a newer focus on multimedia considerations. Texel DM 3021 The Texel DM 3021 is the second generation CD-ROM drive from Texel America, Inc. Texel has two basic versions of their CD-ROM drives. The first is a linear motor system which utilizes similar motor circuitry to other CD-ROM drive manufacturers. The second version of their CD-ROM drives has a unique motor which is a lead screw. The drive has a "rugged" manufacture for field usage. This test was conducted on the second generation linear motor system which replaces their DM 3020 model. The unit tested was a typical internal unit as shipped from the plant in Sunnyvale, California. It has the same size and weight characteristics as its predecessor but has been rated faster in terms of access time, i.e., the access speed has dropped from 430ms to 340ms according to the manufacturer. The on board buffering is still 64KB. Readtest Texel DM 3021 The readtest conducted on the drive showed a range of performance from 0.01 seconds (10ms) at 1 block to a high of 490ms at 20 blocks. Overall, the performance in the readtest was 447ms. This compares to their overall performance with the DM 3020 of 465ms, or an improvement of only 18ms representing a 4.03% increase in performance. Skiptest Texel DM 3021 The skiptest for the Texel DM 3021 showed a performance range of from 10ms at blocks -1 and 0, to a slow reading of 280ms at the most difficult level of the tests. The average of the skiptests was rated at 162ms. This compares with the DM 3020 skiptest results on average of 163ms. Therefore, this test shows only a 1ms improvement in performance over their original model, or a 0.6% increase in performance. The final test conducted on the Texel DM 3021 was the scandir test. This test is a good overall performance test which reads complex index structures. Each scandir test in previous articles measures the same root directory, therefore, the comparative summary results of this test will lead one to a solid conclusion as to the relative performance levels of one drive over another. The scandir test of the Texel DM 3021 was measured at 3.69 seconds. This compares to the same test done of the Texel DM 3020 clocked at 3.24 seconds. This test actually shows a decrease of nearly one half a second in the newer Texel model. Toshiba XM 3300 The Toshiba XM 3300 is a third generation CD-ROM drive from Toshiba. It is lighter weight with a hard plastic shell as opposed to a metal shell. The stated performance improvement by the manufacturer is from 350ms access speed to 320ms access, with still a 64KB buffer. The drive has a pull-down door which hinges from the bottom which, along with Hitachi, addresses the dust problem seen in some CD-ROM drives. The drive is by all means a visible upgrade on its predecessor, the XM 3201. Readtest Toshiba XM 3300 The readtest of the Toshiba XM 3300 ranged in performance from 10ms to a slow of 370ms, with an average of 170ms. In addition, several of the interim tests, for example from block 6 to block 12, showed kilobyte transfer rates in excess of 200KB per second. Compared to the previous model, the XM 3201, the XM 3300 showed an increased performance of 8ms having improved its performance from 178ms on average to 170ms. This represents, however, only a 4.7% increase. It should be noted, that while this is only a marginal improvement, the XM 3201 was so fast as a second generation drive, that many third generation drives are still slower than this time- tested model. Skiptest Toshiba XM 3300 The skiptest for the Toshiba XM 3300 showed a range in performance of from 10ms to a slow of 200ms. The average skiptest results performed on all 30 reads was 116ms. This represents an increased performance in this test of 34ms, or 22.7%. The final test done of the Toshiba XM 3300 was the scandir. This test measured out at 2.80 seconds. This compares to the original test on the XM 3201 rated at 2.52 seconds. This is actually a reduced overall performance of approximately one third of a second and difficult to explain given the other, faster performance tests cited above. The test results, however, were confirmed. Sony CDU 541 The Sony SCSI-based drive is the model tested here. The majority of CD-ROM drives shipped by Sony use their proprietary interface cards. This test compares a CD-ROM drive not common on the market with the more popular products of Sony, like the new Laser Library, seen in many recent advertisements. The results of this test, therefore, should not be used as a comparison against these proprietary Sony systems, but can be used to compare the Sony SCSI model with either the Texel DM 3021, the Toshiba XM 3300, or any other standard SCSI CD-ROM drive. Sony rates their CD-ROM drive as having a 380ms access speed and a 64KB buffer. Readtest Sony CDU 541 The readtest showed a range in performance from 130ms to a slow of 390ms. The average readtest results were 279ms. Skiptest Sony CDU 541 The skiptest conducted on the Sony drive showed a performance range of 0ms to 220ms. The 0ms test was on block 0 and is not a statistical anomaly. The average of the skiptests showed an overall performance on all tests of 147ms. This test ranks the Sony in the top of the CD-ROM drive class. The last test done on the Sony CDU 541 was the scandir. This test rated the Sony drive at 2.90 seconds. Company Directory Texel America 1080 East Duane Avenue, Suite C Sunnyvale, CA 94086 408/736-1374 FAX 408/736-1378 Toshiba America Information Systems Disk Products Division 9740 Irvine Boulevard Irvine, CA 92713 714/583-3223 FAX 714/583-3133 Sony Corporation of America 655 River Oaks Parkway San Jose, CA 95134 408/944-4220 FAX 408/432-0253 Communications to the author may be addressed to Roger Hutchison, CD ROM Inc., 1667 Cole Boulevard, #400, Golden, CO 80401; 303/231-9373; FAX 303/231-9581. ε = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ▄EFVgñß [ÿ╒Oî╔CÇî╔CÇ╜·7t▒ε+ K L a ₧ █
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*G*ä*┤*╡*┬* *<+y+╢+≤+0,m,¬,τ,$-\-Ö-╓-.P.ì.╩./D/T/U/b/ƒ/▄/·/70t0Å0╠01 1H1ç1─1╥1 This is CD-ROM's eighth year as an information storage and retrieval medium, and I have been reviewing the many advancements made during that time. I have also been thinking about current information technologies, and where they are likely to be in five years. The impetus for this reflection is the university's strategic plan, for which the library's input will be due soon. In addition to drafting the library's section on automation, I am a member of a policy and planning committee which provides input to the Associate Provost for Computing and Information Services for his unit's section of the plan. In this column, I shall share thoughts and opinions about CD-ROM technology which may be useful to other information professionals involved in long-range planning or equipment purchases. CD-ROM DRIVES GETTING BETTER Third-generation CD-ROM drives, though more expensive than older drives, provide sufficient performance improvement to justify the added cost. Newer drives provide access speeds of 300 milliseconds, as contrasted with the industry average of 500 milliseconds. The data transfer rate for new drives is much better; if you purchase a drive with a larger buffer, the more instant will be your access to required information [1]. Thus, anyone planning future equipment needs should look at high performance CD-ROM drives and microcomputers. It is important to remember that publishers of CD-ROM titles will list the minimum equipment requirements for their discs. They generally will not indicated the optimum equipment configuration in their literature. Often, however, you can gain additional information about equipment really needed for a particular CD-ROM title by contacting a sales representative or customers who have purchased and installed the title. When possible, do not economize on either the CD-ROM drive or the microcomputer. Second generation CD-ROM drives may appear to be bargains, but they will probably be too slow for networking applications or for use with multimedia CD-ROM discs. While some dealers may tell you that a slow microcomputer operating at less than 16MHz is okay, do not be taken in. You will be dissatisfied, and a fast CD-ROM drive will be wasted on a slow microcomputer. BUNDLING OF DRIVES Microcomputer vendors have begun to add CD-ROM drives to their computers as a matter of course. This development will provide a large boost to the CD-ROM market. It has occurred for several reasons: First, microcomputer manufacturers who want to take advantage of the multimedia market realize that CD-ROM makes it possible for a microcomputer to handle both audio and video. Secondly, as DEC, Apple, and other computer manufacturers have shown, CD- ROM is an efficient mechanism for the distribution of programs, manuals and other instructional material. Major microcomputer vendors including CD-ROM drives in recently announced microcomputers include: Autodesk, Apple, Compaq Computer, CompuAdd, Digital Equipment Corporation, Insight Computers, Media Vision, Microsoft, NEC, Philips Consumer Electronics, Sun Microsystems, Sun Moon Star and Zenith Data Systems. This is indeed an impressive list of companies which essentially have endorsed CD-ROM technology. We information professionals may want to take a serious look at the microcomputers from these companies and others which provide built-in CD-ROM drives, because they will be designed to efficiently use multimedia technology. Some of us already are having to cope with new multimedia CD-ROMs, and our older equipment really does not suffice. Libraries and individuals making their initial purchases of CD-ROM equipment and titles may wish to consider drives from companies which are bundling CD-ROM titles with their drives. Among the companies currently including CD-ROMs with certain drive models are: Sony, Genesis and Procom Technology. Care should be taken to verify that any drive offered through such an arrangement is of sufficient quality to meet user needs. Some drives intended primarily for the home market are slow. If Sony's unprecedented effort to put CD-ROM in the American home with the Sony Laser Library is successful, we may see more quality CD-ROM drives and titles offered as package deals. Even IBM and Microsoft are getting interested in this market. "Microsoft Corporation bought a 26 percent share of Dorling-Kindkersley, Ltd., a publishing partner with a reputation for excellent illustrations and an ideal CD-ROM vehicle into the home market. IBM formed a deal with Britannica Software, Inc."[2]. Britannica will market hardware/software package for IBM's PS/1 which will include an IBM CD-ROM drive and Compton's Electronic Encyclopedia for Windows. USERS WILL DEMAND REMOTE ACCESS At a recent meeting of faculty members who serve as liaisons between their departments and the Evans Library, one of the first questions was: When will remote access to the CD-ROM's and other databases be available? As more users become accustomed to networked computing, they will demand remote access. We have already seen that occur at the Evans Library with the loading of databases under NOTIS Multiple Database Access Software (MDAS) and with the highly successful pilot project involving unrestricted access to OCLC's FirstSearch Catalog. Now we, and I suspect, many other librarians, must plan for remote access to CD-ROMs. The CD-ROM workstations in Evans are standalone stations. Our first experience in networking will begin next month when we provide access to CD-ROMs via the campus VAX network using an InfoServer from Digital Equipment Corporation. Our long-range planning effort must include funds to upgrade existing CD-ROM equipment, to purchase the interface(s) needed, and to pay license fees. Networking should become easier in the future, as more network operating systems support CD-ROM access. EXPLORING NEWER DISC TECHNOLOGIES Technological breakthroughs have increased the variety of compact disc types commercially available. There is Sony Corporation's Data Discman, a hand-held CD-ROM player which plays changeable 3.1-inch discs. How many of us have looked at a Discman to evaluate its possible use in a library setting? Will we not be checking out discs someday, just as we check out books and videotapes? While libraries have been slow to adopt write-once read many (WORM) drives, industry and businesses, which have a great deal of data to store, have not. Yet, Freeman Associates, Inc. claims that WORM optical disc drives are facing obsolescence as a result of increased usage of multifunction drives. The higher-capacity multifunction drives can accept both erasable and WORM cartridges. Freeman Associates predict that by 1996, CD-ROM drives will account for 60 percent of the optical drive market, multi- function drives, 39 percent, and WORM drives, only 1 percent[3]. Libraries considering purchasing WORM drives may also wish to evaluate multifunction drives as well. Librarians and information professionals should acquaint themselves with these information storage devices for several reasons. They may be applicable to the library or company's own storage needs. In addition, other staff of your parent organization may expect you to be able to provide advice about this equipment. CD-ROM Networking Last week, I viewed with interest SilverPlatter's new tower which contains four 1GB magnetic disk drives. An advantage of the magnetic drives over CD-ROM is quick access time: an average of 10 to 20 milliseconds. Because of the quicker access time, up to 30 users can access one disk without causing a degradation in response time, as compared with eight to ten users for networked CD-ROM discs. According to Jay Esty, network system technical coordinator at SilverPlatter, the magnetic drives currently can be installed on a Novell network, but by early 1993, a UNIX-based client-server system also will be available. In addition, SilverPlatter has begun negotiations with several large online catalog software suppliers. If successful, it should be possible to access networked CD-ROMs or magnetic drives via OPAC terminals with a seamless interface. Users could then search CD-ROMs using OPAC commands, and if desired, search the OPAC using the commands used to search their favorite CD-ROMs. A second piece of equipment exhibited at ALA Midwinter which has great potential is the CD-ROM jukebox developed by UMI for use with the ProQuest Article Delivery Network. Each jukebox holds 240 discs and can be attached to any IBM PC or compatible and can be daisychained. Like SilverPlatter, UMI is working with OPAC vendors to make it possible to access the ProQuest system from an online catalog. As I viewed the two prototype jukeboxes on display, I immediately thought how useful a jukebox would be for specialized government produced CD-ROMs, of which our library soon will have nearly 100. According to John Barnes, manager of Library Automation Products for UMI, jukeboxes will be made available to other vendors, particularly those involved in networking applications. Hopefully, some vendor will use jukebox technology to help libraries deal with the overwhelming number of CD-ROMs being distributed by the U.S. government. CD-ROM'S ROLE IN THE FUTURE As I worked on the strategic plan, I thought about CD- ROM's role in the Evans Library's future. It definitely will still be one of the mechanisms used for information delivery, but probably not for the current discs of the most popular CD-ROM titles. These, I expect, will be accessed through a gateway service, such as FirstSearch or its competitors. While some databases will continue to be available on our mainframe as part of the online public access catalog, storage requirements probably will prevent the loading of full-text files or databases with lengthy abstracts. There is an important role for CD-ROM. With the new multimedia machines and with more powerful micros available to faculty as workstations, we should be able to provide access to full-text reference works and abstracting services on CD-ROM via the campus network. The literature distributed at ALA Midwinter by several major OPAC vendors make it clear that these companies have realized the need to provide an interface between OPACs and CD-ROMs. CONCLUSION My concern as I recommend automation strategies for our long-range plan is that we look far enough to the future to ensure that equipment will not be obsolete by the time it is installed. Sometimes, a little more money spent now can increase the useful life of equipment considerably. I hope this article will encourage others be more futuristic in planning equipment purchases. If you need more information when making your decision, call the equipment manufacturers or distributors and ask questions about equipment now on the market and about new equipment being developed. Then, read the literature, and find product reviews and forecasts. All of us can make mistakes about the future, but none of us should purchase equipment with only the present in mind. By planning wisely for the future, we are bound to be right part of the time, even though technological advancements may occur faster than predicted, or take an unexpected turn. The changes we can expect in the next five years are exciting, but we must be prepared--both financially and technically--to implement them, if our users are to benefit. REFERENCES [1]Hutchison, Roger. "Considerations of Technical Sheets and Testing--The New Mitsumi Drive," CD-ROM Professional 4 (5): 81-85, September, 1991. [2]Shandle, Jack,. "The Birth of an Industry; A Multimedia Infrastructure Begins to Take Shape," Electronics 64 (5): 13-15, May, 1991. [3]Varney, Sarah E. "Multifunction Drives to Obsolete WORM Rivals," Digital Review 8 (30): 9, September 9, 1991. Communications to the author may be addressed to Kathy Jackson, Head, Automation Office, Sterling C. Evans Library, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1263; 409/845-8111. + = z ╖ ⌠ 1nåç─78uz{║≈ >Gåæ╨?@}║≈RÄÅÉ═µτ 0= Finally a software product the whole family can enjoy. The Software Jukebox, by SelectWare Technologies, Inc. has taken home entertainment a step further by not only including full working software packages from some of the leaders in the industry, but will include over 50 software demonstrations and trial versions of the hottest computer software on the market. The first edition of the Software Jukebox has over $130 worth of actual software packages that will entertain everyone in your family from your preschooler to you. The featured products on the premier JukeBox package are: LINKS - The challenge of Golf by ACCESS Software. The golf simulation is so realistic you'll think your actually on the course. Jetfighter - by VELOCITY. An award winning flight simulation package. FACES...TrisIII - by Spectrum Holobyte. Face the Soviet challenge. Berenstain Bears Fun with Colors - by COMPTON'S NewMedia. Your children will have lots of fun creating and coloring with their favorite bears on their home computer. The Software Jukebox allows you to interact with currently available software products in an easy to use environment, allowing you to make an educated decision on future software purchases. So if love software, especially at a good value, and like to shop, you can't go wrong with the Software Jukebox. The Software JukeBox will be released in June 1992 and retails for ONLY $39.95. SelectWare Technologies, Inc. 29200 Vassar, Suite 200 Livonia, MI 48152 313-477-7340 ? | ╣ ╥ Leó▀ ()fç└² optiCDigest would like to hear from you, our readers, about your experiences with CD-ROM and Multimedia. Tell us about software or hardware you have used and give us your input on those products. We would like to receive articles, reviews, comments, suggestions or any other information you feel would be of interest to our readers. Each quarter we will select at least one of the articles submitted by our users. If the response is good, we will create a permanent section in optiCDigest for these articles. Please submit to: optiCDigest, ATT: Kathy Connors, 29200 Vassar, #200, Livonia, MI 48152. Be sure to include your name, address, and phone number. (The optiCDigest editorial staff reserves the right to edit the articles for clarity and space.) * = z ╖ Ω 'dí¿σ"_ä┴■;x╡╝∙6s░φB╝∙ \Ö╓Θ&cá▌()* When MPC World magazine debuted, it was the first in the uncharted multimedia territory. Although it did phenomenally well in the advertising universe, the magazine has been unable to support its stand-alone status. So, this month, as the staff readies the August edition, they faced some unique challenges that coincide with the recent decision to include MPC World as a magazine within PC World. Beginning with the August issue MPC World will be distributed inside of PC World's newsstand issues as well as to the 22,000 paid MPC World subscribers. The magazine will appear every other month thereafter. The ability to keep MPC World in print and continuing to serve the readers was due to the unique advantage of being a subsidiary under parent company PC World Communications Inc. The plan allows for MPC World to stay in the market, double the reach of the publication and cut distribution costs. Although MPC World will be scaled down in size and follow a more traditional ad/edit ratio, it will continue to have its own cover, editorial and advertising staff, as well as its own design. However, as a result of the conversion, five of nine staff members will have the option to find jobs elsewhere within IDG. According to Publisher Jonathan Epstein, the multimedia market did not develop as quickly as anticipated. "Over the fall and spring we began to realize that the product plans for multimedia had not been realized, and therefore the market itself has not been realized." "Although we had a very strong growth and got most of the available advertising base, this market is difficult to forecast when it is still in a very formative phase," Epstein explained. Epstein noted that since the staff has been notifying readers about the change response has been positive. "MPC World will run more [multimedia-related] editorial and advertising than any publication, and we intend to roll it back out of PC World as soon as market conditions warrant," Epstein said. s = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½╕╣Φ■ <y╢≤0Zù╘Nï╚B╝∞)fúα Zé┐ⁿ9v│≡- j º Σ !
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A: Oliver Pesch, Technical Director for EBSCO Publishing, comments: Direct Net has been updated and replaced by Direct Access Network and this is the product currently being used for the EBSCO CD-ROM Network. Used correctly, Direct Access can provide you with what you are looking for. To describe how it will work, we will need to provide a little detail about how Direct Access Network operates. Direct Access makes use of user records and menu records as part of its configuration. The user records, which are assigned to individual users (you can also provide generic user records such as "patron" or "faculty" to allow access to basic services), contain information such as a password (optional), whether usage statistics are gathered, whether the user is allowed to maintain his or her own menu, print statistics, or gain access to DOS. The other key piece of information is the "menu" the user will see-it is the menu record that controls what applications can be accessed. Applications can be password protected as well. A nice new feature of Direct Access is the library defined online help that can be provided for each application-you can use the online help to discuss what the application is and what charges may apply. By establishing user records for each user you wish to track and assigning that user the appropriate menu, you will be able to control access to services by legitimate users. Every time an application is run through Direct Access, it records the time the application was run, how long it was run and by which user. By using Direct Access' reporting function you can obtain a report listing users and for each user the applications run; giving the number of times the application was run and for how many minutes (summary report); or providing the time and date information for each time the application was run (detailed report). The activity reports can be restricted by date range and can be limited to one or a range of users and/or applications. If you run these reports on a weekly or monthly basis, you will have the information you need to charge the individuals back for services. For further information about Direct Access and how it is used on EBSCO's LAN contact EBSCO Publishing, P.O. Box 325, Topsfield, MA 01983; 800/ 221-1826, FAX 508/887-3923. For additional information about Direct Access contact Delta Technology International, 1621 Westgate Road, Eau Claire, WI 54703; 800/242-6368, 715/832-7575. See also: Miller, Naomi and Joyce E.B. Backus. "Menu Systems for CD-ROMs at the National Library of Medicine- Using Direct Net and Direct Access." CD-ROM Professional 4(5):48-52, September 1991. Q: We are running a 3Com 3+Share (version 1.6) network. We have two dedicated file servers and 50 computers. We want to add CD-ROM drives to our network. Will that work? Who can we contact for technical advice? A: Dirk Martin, a private consultant presently doing contract work with CD-ROM technology and former employee of 3Com Corporation, responds: The best method of accessing a CD-ROM on a 3Com 3+Share network would be to hang the CD-ROM drive directly off a 3Com server. This would allow the CD-ROM drive to be shared just like any other sharename and access would be totally transparent to the user. Due to hardware and software limitations of the 3Com servers, however, today, this is not possible. This is not to say, though, that CD-ROM drives cannot be accessed over 3Com 3+Share networks. It can be done quite easily using some third party software. Opti-net, a software package produced by On-Line Systems, facilitates the sharing of CD-ROM drives over full NETBIOS networks and, therefore, 3+Share networks. Implementation is simple. First you bring up any netstation running full NETBIOS that has a CD-ROM drive attached as a local device. This requires running the NETBIOS.exe in your autoexec.bat rather than the popular partial implementation of NB.exe. Then you execute a program provided by the OPTI- NET software which turns that netstations' CD-ROM drive into a sharable device. When running another TSR provided in the OPTI-NET software package on other netstations, any other full NETBIOS netstation can see and access the CD-ROM drive on the host netstation. Meridian Data also has a networking solution for CD-ROM drives on 3+Share networks that involves their proprietary hardware and software. The system is called CD-Net. Though expensive, their solution is about the fastest on the market. Their hardware attaches directly to the network, eliminating the need for a host PC and the CD-ROM drives can be mounted in a jukebox fashion for a very streamlined approach. The best contact I have for solutions to networking CD- ROM drives in 3Com environments (both 3+Share and 3+Open) is Richard Cole at SpectraCom in Simi Valley, California, 805/527-0369. SpectraCom has been networking all types of CD-ROM drives on 3Com networks for years and they should be able to provide the absolute best knowledge to accomplish your tasks. For further information, contact Dirk Martin, 6183 Hidden Canyon Road, Centreville, Virginia 22020; 703/266- 8829, FAX: 703/749-9752. Q: CD networks send megabytes of data down the network at a time. Would it be advisable to put it on the same network as an automated library system that only sends screens of data, or make it a separate LAN and use some sort of gateway/router box to keep the majority of traffic off the automated library network? A: Grant Young, Assistant Head, Systems Office, MIT Libraries, comments: The key to the answer is in your network's bandwidth utilization. CD-ROM products will use more of the bandwidth than a transaction-oriented application, but it is only important if it prevents the transactions from getting on the network. Since transactions tend to be small, that is unlikely unless your network is already close to saturation or you have a couple of CD-ROM servers competing for the same bandwidth. The CD-ROM server will also tend to regulate the traffic, generally being able to handle only one request at a time and CD-ROM drives being rather slow to actually transfer data. This seems to hold in practice with both Ethernet and Token Ring networks. I would stay away from routers and gateways until absolutely necessary since they will become bottlenecks when you search from your transaction network to your CD-ROM network. (That is why they are connected at all.) They will also complicate your network management and make maintenance trickier, too. It is possible that security and privacy concerns might make it desirable to keep the transaction network's packets away from potentially vulnerable public workstations by using routers. Our experience (with LANtastic Ethernets) has indicated that the biggest determinant in response time is the speed of the workstation. The network seems to be able to handle the data transfer rate of a CD-ROM drive rather nicely. The workstation PC is the one that needs the horsepower to process the megabytes (e.g., when doing Boolean searches). For further information, contact Grant Young, Assistant Head, Systems Office, MIT Libraries, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139; 617/253-5651; Internet:gyoung @athena.mit.edu. Q: We wish to buy CD-ROM drives for our library. We are not familiar with the industry and do not know how to evaluate the drives. Does anyone have a list of available drive manufacturers? Are there any articles that can give us some basic information about drives? A: There are quite a number of drive manufacturers and distributors. Unfortunately, many local computer stores have still not made the effort to become proficient in CD- ROM technology nor do they distribute drives due to their perception of the current market. The following list attempts to include as many drive manufacturers and distributors as possible-they should be able to provide the name of a representative or dealer who can work with you: Manufacturers Apple Computer Inc. 20525 Mariani Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014 800/538-9696 CD Technology 780 Montague Expressway, #407 San Jose, CA 95131 408/443-8698 FAX 408/432-0250 Chinon America Inc. Information Equipment Division 660 Maple Avenue Torrance, CA 90503 800/441-0222; 213/533-0274 FAX 213/533-1727 Denon America 222 New Road Parsippany, NJ 07054 201/575-7810 FAX 201/808-1608 Future Echo 21414 Chase Street, #1 Canoga Park, CA 91304 818/709-2091 FAX 818/709-0489 Genesis Integrated Systems, Inc. 1000 Shelard Parkway, Suite 270 Minneapolis, MN 55426 800/325-6582, 612/544-4445 FAX 612/544-4347 Hitachi Home Electronics Multimedia Systems 401 West Artesia Boulevard Compton, CA 90220 800/369-0422 FAX 213/515-6223 IBM U.S. Marketing and Services Dept. ZW1, 1133 Westchester Ave. White Plains, NY 10604 800/426-9397; 800/426-9402. Laser Magnetic Storage International 4425 Arrowswest Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80907 800/777-5674; 719/593-7900 FAX 719/593-4597 Mitsumi Electronics Corporation 4655 Old Ironside Drive, Suite 130 Santa Clara, CA 95054 408/970-0700 NEC Technologies, Inc. 1414 Massachusetts Avenue Boxborough, MA 01791 800/632-4636 Next Technology Corporation Ltd. St. Johns Innovation Centre Cambridge CB4 4WS, England 0223-421-180 Peripheral Land Incorporated (PLI) 47421 Bayside Parkway Fremont, CA 95438 800/288-8754 FAX 415/683-9713 Pioneer Communications of America 600 East Crescent Avenue Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 800/527-3766 FAX 201/327-9379 Procom Technology 200 McCormick Costa Mesa, CA 92656 800/800-8600, 714/549-9449 FAX 714/549-0527 Radio Shack 700 One Tandy Center Fort Worth, TX 76102 817/390-3300 Scenario, Inc. 3 Bridge Street Newton, MA 02158 617/965-6458 FAX 617/965-6460 Sony Corporation Computer Peripheral Products Co. 655 River Oaks Parkway San Jose, CA 95134 800/222-0878; 408/944-4326 Sun Moon Star Personal Computer Division 1951 Ringwood Avenue San Jose, CA 95131 408/452-7811 Texel America, Inc. 1080 East Duane Avenue, #C Sunnyvale, CA 94086 800/348-3935; 408/736-1374 Toshiba America Information Systems Disk Products Division 9740 Irvine Boulevard Irvine, CA 92718 714/583-3000 Distributors Corel Systems Corporation (Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba) Optical Products Division 1600 Carling Avenue Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1Z 8R7 613/728-8200; 613/761-9177 Micro Design International, Inc. (Toshiba) 6985 University Boulevard Winter Park, FL 32792 407/677-8333 FAX 407/677-8365 Reference Technology, Inc. (Hitachi) 5775 Flatiron Parkway, #220 Boulder, CO 80301 800/345-9569; 303/449-4157 FAX 303/442-1816 Todd Enterprises (Hitachi drives) 224-49 67th Avenue Bayside, NY 11364 800/445-8633; 718/343-1040 FAX 718/343-9180 For those who wish to read about the drives before buying one, there are a number of articles currently available as of October 1991: Falk, Howard. "CD-ROM Drive Units for Personal Computers." The Electronic Library 8(6):434-435, December 1990. Gielda, Scott A. "CD-ROM Drives; What's Available and What to Look for When Buying One." Laserdisk Professional 2(2):13-19, January 1989. Harvey, David A. "CD-ROM Drives: How Good Is the Third Generation?" Byte 16(9):268-270, 272, 276, September 1991. Hutchison, Roger. "Benchmark Testing of CD-ROM Drives." CD-ROM Professional 4(1):31-34, January 1991. Hutchison, Roger. "Benchmark Testing of CD-ROM Drives, TEST #2: Hitachi CDR-1700S and NEC CDR-72." CD-ROM Professional 4(2):46-49, March 1991. Hutchison, Roger. "Benchmark Testing of CD-ROM Drives, TEST #3: Sony CDU 531 (Internal); Chinon 431 (Internal); GenSTAR 2000 (External)." CD-ROM Professional 4(3):56-60, May 1991. Hutchison, Roger. "Benchmark Testing of CD-ROM Drives, TEST #4: NEC CDR-36; Texel DM-7120; Philips CM-50." CD-ROM Professional 4(4):48-52, July 1991. Hutchison, Roger. "Considerations of Technical Sheets and Testing; The New Mitsumi Drive" CD-ROM Professional 4(5):81-85, September 1991. Jones, Mitt. "CD-ROM Drives; Finally Up to Speed." PC Magazine 10(18):238-288, 299-300, 305, 308-309, 312-314, 323-327, 330-334, 336-338, October 29, 1991. Luhn, Robert. "Buyers Guide to CD-ROM Drives." PC World 9(4):180-184, April 1991. Mercante, Mary Ann. "Basic Questions From Hitachi Drive Users." CD-ROM EndUser 1(10):14-15, February 1990. Rosen, Linda. "CD-ROM Hardware Choices." Online 14(5):121-124, September 1990. Schiller, Larry. "Selecting a CD-ROM Drive." OCLC Micro 6(5):26-27, October 1990. "Test Lab: 10 CD-ROM Drives Tested-Which One's Best?" Compute 13(10):30-33, 36-41, October 1991. Communications to the author may be addressed to Karen Starr, Networking Consultant, Idaho State Library, 325 West State Street, Boise, ID 83702-6072; 208/334-2153; Bitnet: alistarr@idbsu. ₧ = z û ù ╘ Nï╚7t▒ε+hÑ»∞)fúα Zù¿⌐µ
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The faster the transfer rate, the faster pictures read from the disk will be displayed onscreen. On the other hand, the average access time requirement of 1 second--rumored to have been loosened due to lobbying by manufacturers--isn't good enough. If you have any plans to run powerful MPC software, especially references programs such as Microsoft Bookshelf and New Grolier's Electronic Encyclopedia, do not settle for a drive with an average access time of less than 350ms. Otherwise, you may find yourself starting at the Windows hourglass instead of doing productive work. Q: Would I get a better image if I use a super-VGA graphics adapter instead of an ordinary VGA? A: It depends on the software you're using. Most MPC software is designed to run on a standard VGA, which displays 640x480 pixels in 256 simultaneous colors. If you move to one displaying more pixels--say, 800x600 or 1024x768--most programs won't look any better, but you'll be able to fit more windows on the screen at the same time. This is a boon if you find, as we do, that your Windows desktop tends to get cluttered. A graphics adapter with more possible colors will help if you're using painting or image editing software, but probably won't improve the image quality on multimedia titles. Some super-VGA boards let you choose different modes in which to trade colors for pixels. For instance, the Paradise Super VGA used in the Tandy M 4033 LX (see page 58 for a review) can display 640x480 pixels with 256 colors or 1024x768 with 16 colors, though you need a different driver for the latter mode. The mode that's best for a particular program (or a particular Windows session) depends on what kind of software you're running. If your software displays color pictures, it will look best with more colors. But for applications like desktop publishing, more pixels are better. Unless you're really strapped for cash, we recommend investing in a state-of-the-art super-VGA board and monitor that support 1024x768 pixels at 256 colors. If you shop around, you won't spend much more, and you'll probably enjoy your system more than if you're using the lowest common denominator. Q: My system crashes if it tries to access the CD-ROM drive while I'm playing an audio disc in that drive. Is the machine defective? A: This problem is common in many vendors' implementations of the Microsoft CD Extensions software. It can occur when any program--multimedia or not--tries to access the drive to look for a program or data file while you're playing CD audio. Unfortunately, the only way to solve this problem permanently is to report it to the vendor who supplied the CD-ROM software and get an update. In the meantime, you can reduce the likelihood of a crash by making sure that no directories on the CD-ROM drive are included in the PATH statement in your CONFIG.SYS file, and that you don't invoke a CD-ROM program unless the right disk is in the drive. Q: Windows seems to run slowly on my machine. How can I get better performance? A: Windows is a complex environment, and many parameters can influence how fast it runs. (Fine-tuning Windows is a subject that could fill volumes--not just one article.) However, most multimedia software vendors say that you can get a quick speedup in multimedia applications by running Windows in Standard mode (by typing win /s at the DOS prompt) rather than 386 Enhanced mode. In Standard mode, some of the speed-sapping features of 386 Enhanced mode (virtual memory, multiple DOS boxes, and so on) will be turned off, leaving more computing power for your program. If you do run in 386 Enhanced mode, make sure you use a permanent swap file if possible. For instructions on how to create a permanent swap file, see page 520 of the Windows 3.0 user guide. Q: Is there an area on Compuserve where CD-ROM and multimedia topics are covered? A: CompuServe does have a Multimedia forum, both a general one and a Vendor forum. Look under Computer Service and Support, and go to the hardware forums. There is also a CD- ROM forum in the same location. On the Multimedia Forum, firms such as Meridian Data, Owl International, VideoLogic, Voyager, Authorware, nTergaid, HSC Software, CFEA, Specular, and Sound Blaster distributor Brown-Wagh maintain their own areas. Vice President Steve Wagh is even a regular participant in forum discussions. Media Vision recently uploaded new drivers for its Pro AudioSpectrum sound board, and others send out shareware. And, most valuable, other users post messages giving hard-worn advice, such as a recent message with words of warning for CD-ROM shoppers. The Forum's run by Nick Arnett and his cohorts at the Multimedia Computing Corporation. Try it for one free hour by calling 800-848- 8199, operator number 228. On the Prodigy service, Inside Report publishers Tony Bove and Cheryl Rhodes write a regular column looking at various aspects of multimedia, one that shows no platform loyalty--they cover NeXT, Macintosh, Amiga, and the MPC. It's also under Computers, hardware. Q: Could you clarify what I need to add to my system to make it an MPC? I have a 386/33 with 4 MB of RAM; 5.25- inch, 1.2-MB, and 3.25-inch 1.44-MB drives; 130-MB and 85-MB hard drives; NEC 36 CD-ROM, VGA (.28) 1038x768 monitor; joysticks; mouse (optical); and amplified speakers for the CD-ROM. I'm running DOS 5.0, Windows 3.0, and QEMM 386. Currently I can run Multimedia Mammals (DOS) and Multimedia Birds (DOS). Can I run any MPC titles with my system or must I upgrade? A: Your machine is an ideal multimedia PC if you add a sound board and upgrade your CD-ROM drive. Your drive lacks the sustained data transfer rate necessary for playing video clips and carrying out other multimedia techniques. You have two choices. You can phone NEC for an upgrade (800- 632-4636) or you can buy a new MPC upgrade kit. NEC offers their own MPC upgrade kits, which consist of their new drives and a Media Vision Pro AudioSpectrum sound board. Pricing on these kits wasn't set at press time--perhaps customers will be able to upgrade their drives and obtain the sound board and Windows Multimedia Extensions from NEC. Upgrade kits are also presently available from Brown- Wagh and Media Vision. Both include an MPC-spec CD-ROM drive and a stereo audio card. You also need Windows Multimedia Extensions which come with MPC upgrade kits. Otherwise you can try to buy them from IBM, Creative Labs, or Media Vision, or wait for Windows 3.1, which will incorporate them. Send questions to Q&A via MCI Mail at MPC WORLD; America Online at MPC World; Prodigy at MPCWORLD; CompuServe at 75300,2503; The WELL at mpcworld; fax them to us at 415-281-3915; or mail them to Q&A, MPC World, 524 Second St., San Francisco, CA 94107. If we publish your question, we'll send you $50. Sorry, but we can't acknowledge submitted materials. > Y Z [ æ ú ░ ╧ ▄ <=z╖⌠1n½Φ%bƒ▄Vô╨Jç─>{╕⌡2o¼Θ&cá▌ F â └ ² :
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Schwerin of InfoTech, with the co-sponsorship of the Optical Publishing Association, who publish and distribute the report. The survey and analytical methodology is carefully constructed and appears thorough. Commercial activity is derived almost completely by direct interviewing methods, with a +/- 5 percent degree of confidence. In-house activity is derived by modified Delphi techniques based on expert consensus, with a +/- 15 percent degree of confidence. In-house CD-ROM publishing has been notoriously difficult to gauge accurately. Fairly sophisticated statistical methods are brought to bear on this data in order to make the forecasts, although "The OPIA has a conservative approach to forecasting and makes forecasts only as many years into the future as precede the current year." The report is divided into several sections: executive summary, methodology, industry analysis, specifics of industry performance summarized in twenty seven graphs and nine major tables listing commercial CD-ROM titles by geographical area, publisher and subject. The basic substance of the report is contained in the twenty-page executive summary with its six graphs and worldwide summary 1986-1989 table for titles, readers, disc production and revenue. Without wishing to divulge too much of this proprietary data, the type of information provided includes a forecast of 6,438 commercial CD-ROM titles in print by the end of 1992 and a tracking of the growth of the optical publishing industry by total revenues 1986-1992, which is expected to exceed three billion in 1991. The OPIA report is an essential acquisition for companies active in any segment of the optical publishing industry; and it is even economical, since this sort of market study can easily cost ten times as much as the OPIA does (without being any more valid or reliable). Other libraries and information centers have an equal interest in this data, but only the largest will be able to justify the investment. If it is any consolation, the main results of the study do filter down through the literature during the year following each annual edition; and that's where most of us will finally have to read it. -Paul Nicholls, School of Library and Information Science, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6G 1H1. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue CD-ROM RESEARCH COLLECTIONS: AN EVALUATIVE GUIDE TO BIBLIOGRAPHIC AND FULL-TEXT CD-ROM DATABASES Pat Ensor, Editor 1991. 302 pp Meckler Publishing 11 Ferry Lane West Westport, CT 06880 ISBN 0-88735-779-8 Hardcover. $55.00 RATING: Excellent/Well Done This is a collection of one hundred sixteen evaluations of research-oriented CD-ROMs useful for bibliographic research. Thus, numeric and directory databases are excluded in favor of indexes and full-text sources; in-print bibliographies in favor of national bibliographies. The evaluations range from one to several pages and include the title, publisher, scope and content, reviews, counterparts in other media, arrangement and control, search software and capabilities, hardware and software requirements. The scope and content section contains descriptive information as well as critical assessments by Pat Ensor, who also refers to published reviews. There is a publishers and producers index, a list of fifty two publisher addresses and a subject index provides access under thirty one broad headings. As the Foreword notes, "Although numerous reviews are scattered throughout the CD-ROM periodical literature, there are almost no books that provide selected, evaluative CD-ROM listings and none that focus on the kinds of databases needed by research organizations." Indeed, the only two similar works are CD-ROM Information Products (Gower Publishing 1991) and CD-ROM Collection Builder's Toolkit (Pemberton Press 1991) both of which have a wider focus. About half of the titles in CD-ROM Research Collections are not covered by either of the other two publications, although some of the entries are repetitive (i.e., Excerpta Medica has eleven entries, from "Anesthesiology" through "Radiology and Nuclear Medicine"). This is clearly an excellent work of high editorial quality and is a valuable addition to the range of available CD-ROM evaluation and selection tools. The focus on bibliographic sources makes it particularly relevant to the needs of academic and research libraries. The Gower publication has longer and more in-depth evaluations, but covers less than half as many titles. The Pemberton publication provides better access to the rest of the review literature (almost half of the entries in CD-ROM Research Collections do not provide any reference to other reviews) and covers an equal number of titles, but the focus encompasses the whole range of CD-ROM database types, not strictly indexes. Both CD-ROM Librarian and CD-ROM Professional have collected their CD-ROM reviews and published them as books. Now, with CD-ROM Research Collections joining CD-ROM Information Products and CD-ROM Collection Builder's Toolkit, a substantial number of CD-ROM evaluations are beginning to be available in convenient monographic form. These sources are complementary-each has its particular strengths and focus; and no single source will provide comprehensive coverage for titles of interest. Which source or sources will be most suitable for a given library or information center will depend on its particular requirements. Certainly, CD-ROM Research Collections is a welcome addition to the available alternatives and will prove an invaluable resource in many instances. - Paul Nicholls, School of Library and Information Science, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6G 1H1 From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue THE MACINTOSH BIBLE GUIDE TO FILEMAKER PRO Charles Rubin 1991. 280pp. Goldstein & Blair Box 7635 Berkeley, CA 94707 ISBN 0-940235-22-6 Softcover. $18.00 RATING: Well Done Following in the tradition of other "Macintosh Bible" guides, the Guide to FileMaker Pro is an in-depth look at a popular Macintosh database software package. Charles Rubin, author of numerous computer books, not only looks at the features of the program but also tries "to put FileMaker Pro in perspective." Rubin includes a brief history of FileMaker and also has a short chapter on the basic terms and concepts needed to understand the purpose and function of a database. For example, he explains the differences between a relational and a flat-file database like FileMaker. Although organized slightly differently from the manual, the remaining chapters are on all of the basics of FileMaker Pro, including files, fields, layouts, finding information, sorting and checking, previewing and printing, scripts and buttons and networking. Each chapter is designed to cover a given feature of FileMaker Pro and can be read independently to learn about a specific aspect of the program. Sub-divisions of the chapters are sometimes explanations and other times step-by- step directions for using FileMaker. There are frequent sample screens and dialog boxes to illustrate the features. The index is well-designed and complete. It includes, for example, an entry for "troubleshooting," which is divided into fifteen areas for which Rubin has given some hints about problems from "button on layouts," to "viewing data." Another useful chapter reviews using FileMaker Pro on a network. There are several tips on sharing files, and access and privileges of users. Like most users, I set up my files in FileMaker Pro quite some time ago using the manual and through trial and error designed a database I could live with. Only when I had a problem or needed to adjust my files did I consult the manual again. So when I was first asked to look at this volume I thought, "well, why not?" I have been pleased with the way my files work but since I use it primarily as a text file database, I thought it might be interesting to learn something more about FileMaker Pro's math features. What a pleasant surprise to find some suggestions and features I didn't know existed! It was exciting to find examples of "look-up features" and discover ways of using the calculation fields to check text fields with "if" statements. In my original file, I set up a "value list" field so that other users would be consistent in entering information into the records. This, however, restricted my ability to automatically count this field when making my semi-annual reports. So, I was manually sorting and counting this field. After reading the section on calculation fields, I realized I could set up a calculation field that would check each record to see if the text in the value field matched a condition; if so, it could automatically enter a number 1 in another field; if not, it entered a 0. Then these secondary fields with the number 1 in them could be totaled in a summary field. Sounds complicated, but not nearly as complicated as the sorting and counting I was doing by hand. The Macintosh Bible Guide to FileMaker Pro is a good addition to a software library. Although there are only a few things in Rubin's book that are not included in the FileMaker Pro manual, his forthright, simple style presents an easy-to-read alternative for learning about FileMaker Pro. If you are a new user and need some ideas or explanations of what's going on or are an experienced user who could use another perspective of FileMaker Pro, I think you would find this book a worthwhile investment.--Sherrye Young Reference Assistant, Education Library, Vanderbilt University, Box 325 Peabody, Nashville, TN 37203 From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue CD-ROM REVIEWS 1987-1990: OPTICAL PRODUCT REVIEWS FROM CD-ROM LIBRARIAN Norman Desmarais, editor 1991. 350 pp. Meckler Publishing 11 Ferry Lane West Westport, CT 06880 ISBN 0-88736-733-X Hardcover. $40.00 RATING: Excellent This is a reprint collection of all CD-ROM product reviews appearing in the CD-ROM Librarian magazine from the beginning of 1987 to December 1990. Pemberton Press has issued a similar retrospective collection of the reviews in CD-ROM Professional, and this type of compilation is very useful. Also included in the present volume are a vendor address list with 52 entries for the products reviewed, and a subject index arranged under 31 headings. CD-ROM Librarian was the earliest journal completely devoted to CD- ROM, appearing (under the title Optical Information Systems Update/Library and Information Center Applications) in January 1986, a mere six months after BiblioFile appeared on the scene. Product reviews began to be included with the February 1987 issue, and the title was changed to CD-ROM Librarian with the July/August 1987 issue. This book, therefore, provides complete retrospective coverage for, at least, the review material in the journal. Over 70 reviews are included, with over half of them from 1990 issues. This is a very handsome large-format book which appears to be very reasonably priced considering its size and the extent and quality of the information provided. The titles included cover the full spectrum of the CD-ROM medium, ranging from AV-Online and ABI/Inform to Vietnam Remembered and Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. The reviews average four to six pages, often with screen images or other illustrations. There is little to complain about, apart from the inclusion of some titles that are now discontinued and some fairly illegible illustrations derived from no doubt equally illegible dot-matrix printouts. Some of the information (such as prices and software versions) in the older reviews will no longer be valid; but, as mentioned earlier, almost three-quarters of the reviews are from 1989 or later. Also, older reviews are sometimes the only ones available after a CD-ROM title is done to death in the review literature--when was the last time you saw a review of ERIC or a similarly well-established CD-ROM database? This excellent collection can be recommended with no hesitation whatsoever to any library or information center that must evaluate CD-ROM titles and associated search software for purchase. It contains a wealth of varied information, provides complete retrospective coverage of the review content of CD-ROM Librarian (especially useful to the many libraries that only began subscribing to a CD-ROM journal recently) and is one of the better values among the various CD-ROM books now on the market.--Paul Travis Nicholls, School of Library and Information Science, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6G 1H1. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue à = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ▄Vô╨Jç─>{áí│≡-jºΣ!CDs░φ*gñß [ ÿ ╨
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G ä ┴ ■ ;xäà░├ =z╖╤Kê┼?|╣÷/l⌐▐Xòúñ▒ε+hÑΓ \Ö╓°5r»∞)fúα Zä┴■;x╡≥/l⌐µMè╟Awx╡≥/ R The explosive growth of CD-ROM database use in libraries has resulted in a massive fallout of CD-ROM literature. While much of this literature deals with the costs of acquiring databases and workstations, little attention has been focused on the recurrent costs of CD-ROM use and ways to alleviate those costs. Consumable supplies, printer repair and replacement, and the labor involved in day-to-day servicing of printers are all aspects of CD-ROM database use which effect the total cost of providing CD-ROM service. Downloading is one avenue libraries can explore in an effort to reduce the recurring costs of CD-ROM printing. At the Ohio State University Libraries, a task force was appointed to examine the potential of downloading as a means of reducing recurrent printing costs. An informal survey was conducted through the Public-Access Computer Systems Forum (PACS-L) computer conference and via telephone within the state of Ohio to determine how other libraries approach this problem. Only a few questions were asked from which the authors gathered descriptions of printing availability and fees, downloading capabilities, support and promotion and printing facilities. Additional comments were provided by many respondents. The PACS-L component of this brief survey netted 29 responses; telephone interviews of selected Ohio libraries provided twenty responses. TYPICAL LIBRARY According to this informal survey, a typical library has eight CD-ROM workstations, each with its own printer. Suggested printing guidelines are posted but not enforced. Downloading is available at each workstation but downloading instructions are not posted. The very few patrons who download may peruse, print, or otherwise manipulate their data at a nearby computer site. PRINTING AVAILABILITY, RESTRICTIONS AND FEES Printers were available at CD-ROM workstations at all but one of the institutions surveyed. Eighty-three percent of the institutions reported that printers were available at all of their CD-ROM workstations; 15% reported that some or most had printers available. Only one library did not have printers at their CD-ROM workstations. This library did not purchase printers with its CD-ROM workstations because the number of microcomputer labs on campus was deemed sufficient to meet patron needs. Faculty complaints ceased when all faculty were provided personal computers with printers. Only 33% of the institutions reported they restrict the number of pages or citations that can be printed. Many respondents answered with a qualified "yes"; they said users ignore suggested guidelines. Because the suggested guidelines are not enforced, those qualified responses were not included in the tabulation of institutions which restrict printing. Very few libraries (13%) charge for printing at CD-ROM workstations. Fee structures vary greatly, with prices ranging from five cents to 16 cents per page. One library charges for time spent on the workstation; another charges 25 cents for 15 minutes of printing. One library noted that its parent institution charges $5 per credit hour for computer support but did not indicate how much, if any, was allocated for library computer systems. Several respondents noted that they are considering some form of fee-based printing. DOWNLOADING AVAILABILITY, PROMOTION AND COMPUTER SUPPORT Downloading appears to be slightly less available than printing. Sixty-six percent of the respondents indicated "all" workstations allowed downloading; 19% reported "some" availability; and 15% reported downloading was not available at CD-ROM workstations. Promotion of downloading is far less common than its availability. While downloading is available at 86% of the institutions at all or some of their CD-ROM workstations, only 38% indicated that they engaged in any formal promotion or marketing of downloading. Many respondents indicated that downloading is mentioned in bibliographic instruction sessions and that one-to-one assistance is available if patrons ask, but that downloading is not actively promoted. Several respondents did note that they would be more actively encouraging downloading in the upcoming year. Public computing sites for manipulating downloaded data are generally available. Computing facilities in or near the library were reported by 83% of the libraries. Few institutions provide discs for patrons wanting to download search results. Discs are made available on a loan, swap, or sales basis in only 19% of the responding institutions. CONCLUSION The high level of interest in the results of this preliminary survey (nearly all respondents requested the results of this survey as well as any suggestions the authors might offer to reduce their printing costs) shows the widespread concern about CD-ROM printing costs. Varying patron needs and the level of service an institution wishes to provide may require that both printed and downloaded output be available. Printing is preferable for those seeking a few articles; downloading makes better sense for those doing extensive research. The data and comments this survey generated show two serious barriers to downloading despite its high level of availability. Comments such as: "Downloading is possible, but not advertised or encouraged," and "We have not advertised the availability of downloading, but verbally recommend it whenever we notice someone beginning to print more than 100 citations" were typical. Is it surprising that in one case: "Downloading is an option at all sites. It is seldom used." Formal promotion of downloading is not a widespread practice and discs are generally unavailable for users who could take advantage of it. These barriers to downloading can be easily addressed. The active promotion and full support of downloading need to become top priorities if libraries expect to see an increase in its use as a means of reducing printing costs. Promotion should take place during CD-ROM workshops and BI sessions which discuss CD-ROM, through signage or handouts and in one-to-one assistance. Support for downloading could include making discs available on a loan, purchase, or swap basis. Hardware that will accommodate both disc sizes and densities needs to be provided. Libraries must make it as easy as possible for users to download. So is downloading just one more thing librarians are going to have to remember about CD-ROM? First printers, now this? Just think about it the next time you need to put in a new ribbon, or the next time the printer has run out of paper during a reference interview, or when the printer jams again, or when the printer has stopped printing.... Communications to the authors may be addressed to Helena VonVille or Bruce Weaver, Education/Psychology Library, Room 60 Arps Hall, Ohio State University, 1945 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43210; 614/292-6275. ▌ = z ╖ ⌠ 1nÆ╧ Iå├ =fgà┬ <y╢≤0m¬┴■;x╡≥/l⌐µ#CÇ╜·7 t ▒ ε +
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* \ v w ¼ ¡ Ω ' d í ▐ · √ Xò╥Lë╞╥Lë╞@{|Å╠ Fâ└² Yû╙Mè╟A~╗φ*gñß [z{úα Zù╘Nï╚Bÿ╒Oî╔≥/l⌐µ# ` ¥ ₧ ▒ ε + h Ñ Γ \ Ö ╓ N ï ╚ B O î ╔ !C!Ç!╜!·!7"t"▒"ε"+#h#Ñ#Γ# $\$Ö$╓$%&%'%H%à%┬% %<&y&╢&≤&0'm'¬'τ'$(a(y(z(½(Φ(%)b)ƒ)▄)*V*ô*¿*σ*"+_+£+┘+,S,É,═,∙,6-s-░-φ-*.g.ù.╘./N/ï/╚/00060s0░0φ0*1g1ñ1ß1 2[2ÿ2╒2∩2,3i3ª3π3 4]4Ü4╫45Q5Ä5╦56E6k6¿6σ6"7_7£7╞7╟7Σ7°758r8»8∞8)9f9ú9α9 :Z:ù:¿:σ:";_;w;x;▓;δ;%<J<K<â<╖<≡<==8=s=«=τ=>>M>ê>╕>╣>≡>*?D?|?₧?ƒ?▄?@V@ô@╨@Θ@&AcAáA▌ABWBöB╤BCKCoCpCÅC╠C DFDâD└D²D:EwE┤E±E.FkF¿F└F²F:GwG┤G±G.HkH|H╣H÷H3IpIñIßI J[JÿJ╒JKOKîK£K┘KLSLÉL═L
M M M*MgMñMßM N[NÿN╒NOOOîO╔OP PZPùP╘PQNQïQ╚QRBRR╝R∙R6SrS»S∞S)TfTúTαT UZUùU╘UVNVéV┐VⁿV9WvW│W≡W-XjXºXΣXYY#Y`YèY╟YεY+ZhZuZ▓Z∩Z,[i[ù[╘[\N\^\¢\╪\⌠\1]n]½]Φ]%^A^~^╗^°^_J_ç_½_Φ_%`b`ƒ`▄`a+ahaùa╘abNbïb╚bcBcc╝cδc How best might one gain access to U.S. government information? The answer is complicated by a range of existing U.S. information policies and practices directing agencies to disseminate government information. How agencies choose to interpret-or ignore -these policies has a significant impact on how successfully the public gains access to government information. Dissemination is a concept that is rarely defined when applied to the general information policies of the U.S. government. Nonetheless, dissemination is a proactive concept providing for more than the availability and distribution of government information. Dissemination recognizes the role of the government, for example, to announce, circulate, communicate, diffuse, publicize, publish abroad and carry publications. DEFINITIONS OF DISTRIBUTION Only a few government agencies undertake these activities for the distribution of paper and microform government publications to the general public. Some agencies might, however, adopt some dissemination practices for specialized clientele served by the agency's mandate. For widespread dissemination, they might rely upon the services of a clearinghouse, such as the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), the sales program of the Government Printing Office (GPO), or the GPO's Depository Library Program [7]. On the other hand, agencies and congressional committees might not engage in dissemination activities, opting instead for a more passive approach, one which is not broadly known. For example, anyone wanting a copy of a House bill, resolution or report might call the House Documents Room and receive that publication within days. A call to the Senate Documents Room would not be as productive; once they discover that the caller is not a congressional staff member, they require a written request for that publication. Those needing prompt access to the Senate publication would have to pursue other avenues. The evolving context for dissemination of U.S. government information affects the manner in which individuals can, in fact, obtain a Senate report, census block statistics, global climate change data or a host of other information. This article focuses on government information policy issues related to dissemination of information, especially in electronic format. It also discusses a number of policy initiatives that, if enacted, will have significant implications for the dissemination of government information products appearing in electronic form. These areas include: * Reauthorization of the Paperwork Reduction Act * Revision of the Office of Management and Budget's Circular No. A-130, "The Management of Federal Information Resources" * The National Research and Education Network (NREN) These and related initiatives provide a backdrop for examining selected dissemination activities of the government. Moreover, our discussion will suggest the importance of understanding the federal information policy system if individuals are to gain access to government information successfully. DISSEMINATION: ITS BACKGROUND Linkage of government information dissemination with economic competitiveness, or making U.S. business and industry more competitive in international markets, emphasizes that agencies should be concerned with more than the production of information, knowledge and publications. It is important to get resources to those individuals who will advance science, give the nation a competitive edge and so forth. While the thrust of information policy discussions recently has been on encouraging dissemination for improved competitiveness, dissemination of government information serves a broad spectrum of uses throughout society. These uses include consumer awareness; environmental protection; practical/recreational activities; decision-making in private, public and governmental sectors; and many more. Mandating Access Agencies have, however, a range of options for the dissemination of government information. Some agencies, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are mandated by law to disseminate information. Other agencies may have no specific mandates in their enabling legislation but are required under Title 44 of the United States Code to print information through the GPO. The presence or absence of legislative mandates has a significant impact on the agency's interest in dissemination activities. But equally as important is the agency's sophistication in using information technologies in the dissemination process. For example, some agencies have electronic bulletin boards and online databases that can be dialed up from anywhere in the world. Other federal agencies make datafiles available over NREN (see later discussion) where users can acquire and download files via anonymous file transfer protocol (FTP). At the same time, some agencies make their information available only in printed form via direct request to that agency. In short, the burden of understanding the federal dissemination context falls on users if they hope to be successful in gaining access to government information. The following sections offer a snapshot of key information policy issues and suggest a range of implications for users of government electronic information in terms of gaining access to that information. CD-ROM AVAILABILITY AND DISSEMINATION Many are amazed to learn that the U.S. government is the largest producer of publications and information in the world; every four months the government generates "a stack of records equal to all those produced in the 124 years between George Washington and Woodrow Wilson" [11]. Most dramatic is the fact that the number of presidential records increases with each administration. Imagine that it took 19 tractor trailers to move President Carter's material from the White House to Atlanta "on the last day of the administration. And that did not include the audio-visual materials" [12]. Although the data are not comparable, five C5B military cargo airplanes transported President Reagan's records to California. Turning to printed publications from 1981 through 1990, the GPO distributed 514,054 titles to depository libraries; 56% of these in microfiche instead of paper. Now the depository program is beginning to include some CD-ROM and depository libraries have access to electronic mail, FAX services and selected bulletin boards. These other media do not necessarily displace paper copy and microform publications; rather, they are complementary. Take the 1980 and 1990 Census of Population and Housing as an example. The Bureau of the Census tends to release more general data in paper copy and microfiche and more specialized data on CD-ROM and magnetic tape. Additional data appears on the Department of Commerce's bulletin board. CD-ROM Explosion The question arises: "How much CD-ROM does the government produce and disseminate each year?" The answer is: "Nobody knows. But the number increases annually." One estimate is that the government will "publish more than 500 new CD-ROM products in 1991, three times the number...issued [the previous] year" [2]. Furthermore, this number, although dramatic, excludes many products prepared by the Defense department. Expressed another way, in 1991, the government will "single-handedly" increase "by half the number of English-language CD-ROM titles worldwide" [2]. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has plans to release more than 270 CD-ROMs, while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) "has so much data stored on tapes that if the effort could 'start now and go real fast, it would take 1100 years to publish it all'" [2]. Table 1 illustrates the types of CD-ROM products emanating from the government. Most importantly, it shows that there are more than just bibliographic CD-ROM products. The Bureau of the Census produces Level 1 CD-ROM, a format similar to a tape file except that it takes advantage of a few indexes that are considered standard or basic. These are usually on the disc in a standard format, such as dBASE. Level 1 discs are designed so that data are easily separated from software (an open architecture). In contrast to Level 1, there is a Level 2 tape file in which the data are usually in a proprietary format and cannot be used separately from the software. These are usually text applications and are highly (keyword) indexed. At this time, the Bureau has only released Level 1 CD-ROM products. In short, the production and dissemination of federal CD-ROM products are increasing at enormous rates. A spokesperson for the GPO predicted a "40 percent rise in the number of discs [that the] GPO will produce in 1992" [1]. NTIS has reduced the cost of CD-ROM mastering to less than $1000 and has cut the procurement cycle from eighteen months to five days [1]. THE INFORMATION POLICY CONTEXT The significant increase in the production and use of federal CD-ROM products, however, occurs in a larger information policy context. That context has been described elsewhere [6]. The information policy context strongly encourages agencies to make their information services and products "available" to the public. Guidelines for how this should be done can be found, for instance, in 44 USC, the distribution of government publications through GPO and its Depository Library Program and OMB Circular A-130, "The Management of Federal Information Resources" [9]. While these and other policies provide a context for information policy, a number of new initiatives are likely to affect this context and the manner in which government information will be disseminated. Reauthorization Of The Paperwork Reduction Act The purpose of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (P.L. 96-511), which was enacted on December 11, 1980, was to enhance government efficiency by improving information policy making and reducing the paperwork burden on the public. The act mentioned dissemination twice. When the act was reauthorized in 1986 (P.L. 99-591, Title VIII, Part A), the word was included in four more places. The 1986 reauthorization placed additional emphasis on public access and dissemination. In 1989, the act expired but the executive and legislative branches could not agree on reauthorization. The bills (S. 1742 and H.R. 4329) incorporated information resources management (IRM) principles and practices and covered information access. The legislation, however, failed to pass; the White House and key congressional committees and participants could not agree on the regulatory provisions and oversight of OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The information access provisions were not controversial. New legislation introduced in 1991 (S. 1139 and S. 1044) lacks the strong IRM framework. S. 1139 focuses primarily on reducing the paperwork burden, while S. 1044 calls for the dissemination of "public information products and services, regardless of format, in an efficient, effective and economical manner," and the distribution of publications through the depository program (section 106). Of course, both bills are subject to change. In fact, they may fail to become law, or else the dissemination provisions may be introduced as separate legislation. As another alternative, A-130, or its possible replacement, may be the only general information policy having government- wide implications and directing agencies in life cycle management. Revision Of OMB Circular A-130 The Paperwork Reduction Act gave OMB general authority over government information functions through the establishment of the OIRA. As a result, on December 12, 1985, OMB issued Circular No. A-130, which offers a general policy framework having government-wide implications for the management of government information resources. The circular provides a rationale and basis for OMB to view management in the context of the entire life cycle of government information: the creation, collection, production, protection (where appropriate), distribution, dissemination, retrieval, access, use and retirement of government information. OMB labeled government information as "a commodity often with economic value in the marketplace" (A-130, section 7a), attempted to reduce the cost of information flow to the taxpayer and limited agency information dissemination to instances specified by law or necessary for the proper performance of an agency's function. Furthermore, agencies were instructed not to duplicate the information activities of other agencies or the private sector (section 8, a(9)). In 1989, OMB issued an advance notice reasserting "that government information is a public asset" and that, excluding national security issues and other areas of protection covered by law, "it is the obligation of government to make such information readily available to the public on equal terms to all citizens" [10]. Despite this notice, OMB did not withdraw A-130. In March 1991, OMB announced its intention to revise A- 130, especially the portions covering information dissemination [8]. At the time of this writing, OMB has not released its draft circular for public comment. The release is projected for January 1992, with the period of public comment extending for at least 30 days. The National Research And Education Network NREN will possibly be the single most important information policy issue of the 1990s. The National High Performance Computing Act of 1991 (P.L.102-194) intends to create a national network of "information superhighways" designed to transmit billions of bits of data per second. The network would allow researchers, business people, educators and students around the country (indeed, around the world) to communicate with each other and to access a broad range of research tools and information resources. Space does not permit a detailed review of NREN's development and current status, but such can be found elsewhere [5]. The passage of the High Performance Computing Act of 1991 and the establishment of the NREN will have significant impact on access to and management of electronic information. It will: * Establish a Federal High Performance Computing Program in which science agencies and national libraries will fund and conduct research and develop technologies and resources appropriate for the NREN * Mandate the creation of the NREN- to link over 1,000 federal and industrial laboratories, educational institutions, libraries and other facilities-over the next five years * Promote the development of a number of electronic information resources and services on the NREN, such as directories of users and databases, electronic journals and books, access to commercial information resources and services and user support and training * Link these electronic information resources into the nation's educational infrastructure to enhance learning and develop new models of distance education * Fund the development of supercomputers and advanced software to help resolve certain "grand challenges" in science and engineering * Provide for improved dissemination of federal agency data and electronic information Issues related to NREN are still being debated in the government and in other settings. Lacking from much of this debate, thus far, is a user perspective on how the evolving networked environment can best meet user needs and how the network can facilitate users' access to networked information resources. The technical issues associated with the development of NREN may be easier to resolve than the social and behavioral ones. The development of NREN, however, may recast both governmental and non-governmental information policy making into very different contexts than policy makers are currently considering. Moreover, with the development of NREN, agencies will have a wider range of options for the dissemination of government information. Indeed, in the future, it may be easier and less expensive to simply provide access to an agency database via NREN than to produce that database on CD-ROM. Other Initiatives To Monitor House resolution 2772, the "GPO Wide Information Network for Data Online Act of 1991," which is known as GPO Windo, proposes to make the GPO a central distributor of online federal databases to depository libraries free of charge. The GPO, however, would not displace other providers of the databases. If the legislation advances through Congress, numerous issues must be resolved. For example, can the GPO distribute a database of the National Library of Medicine and does the GPO have the expertise to provide the type of support services libraries will require (i.e., value-added enhancements)? The legislation could be enacted, but Congress might not appropriate the money necessary to make GPO Windo into a viable alternative for the receipt of electronic information. S. 1034, the "American Technology Preeminence Act of 1991," envisions NTIS operating a locator system "which would serve as a comprehensive inventory and authoritative register of information products and services disseminated by the Federal Government and assist agencies and the public in locating federal government information. Information protected from public disclosure shall not be included" (section 405). Conceivably, that system might be placed elsewhere and competing legislation could do so. Naming an agency as coordinator is only part of the picture. A complementary issue relates to the amount of money allocated to the accomplishment of a comprehensive locator system. Successful management of government information resources requires agencies and users to know what information is available and where it is located. Due in part to the piecemeal, decentralized approach to federal information policy, there is no Government-wide Information/ Inventory Locator System (GIILS) to U.S. government information and little oversight of agency compliance with existing congressional requirements related to maintaining such systems. A recent study, which investigated the possibility of developing a GIILS, concluded that such a system was both feasible and desperately needed [4]. Congressional initiatives during 1990 (H.R. 3695, H.R. 4329 and S. 1742) all contained language related to the development of such a locator system. None of these bills, however, passed the 101st Congress. WHAT NEXT? Lawrence H. Thompson, Assistant Comptroller General, Human Resources Division, General Accounting Office, has reminded agencies "that service quality cannot be defined internally, but must be defined as meeting the public's expectations" [13]. He underscored that agencies must effectively and efficiently deliver services to the public, but that they have not "defined what level of service they expect to provide to the public." He also asked: "Are the American people getting their money's worth from the federal government...[in an environment of continual revenue shortages]?" We could append to his question "from the information that the government collects, produces and makes publicly available." Determination of the public's needs and expectations requires insights into the information needs and information seeking behavior of the public. This, in turn, necessitates the conduct of marketing research, such as that supported by the Department of Agriculture [3]. If Thompson's viewpoint becomes the majority one within government and supported by both statutes and the Office of Management and Budget, the public will benefit. More information will become readily available in a usable and understandable form and the government will have to attest to the reliability, authoritativeness and validity of the information content. The government will also need to cater to the information seeking preferences of the public. Clearly, we all should support increased attention to information dissemination. Developments related to reauthorization of the Paperwork Reduction Act, revision of OMB's Circular A-130, enactment of the National Research and Education Network and other related initiatives will have a significant impact on the dissemination of government information in an electronic and information age. Readers should monitor developments in these areas by scanning the types of sources listed in Government Computer News, the Federal Register, Federal Computer Week, Friday Memo (Information Industry Association) and the Washington Newsletter (American Library Association); by responding to government invitations for public comment; and by looking forward to our update planned for an issue of CD-ROM Professional next summer. Readers should become knowledgeable about information policy initiatives and the existing information policy framework. They should let their elected officials know their views on the bills discussed here, as well as other legislation. It is important that some individuals in government frame information access and dissemination issues as critical components in the development of overall government policy. The result may well be the release of vast numbers of new CD-ROM products which, in turn, will present the private sector, the public, libraries and others with significant challenges and opportunities. REFERENCES [1] "CD-ROM Technology's on a Roll in Federal Offices," Computer News 10: 71, September 16, 1991. [2] "Feds Have Big Plans for CD-ROM," Government Computer News 10: 1, 6; April 1, 1991. [3] Hernon, Peter and Cheryl Metoyer-Duran, "The Public," Government Information Quarterly, 9 (1992), forthcoming. [4] McClure, Charles R., Ann Bishop, Philip Doty and Pierrett Bergeron, Federal Information Inventory/Locator Systems: From Burden to Benefit (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University, School of Information Studies, 1990) available through the ERIC Clearinghouse as ED 326-249. [5] McClure, Charles R., Ann Bishop, Philip Doty and Howard Rosenbaum, The National Research and Education Network: Research and Policy Perspectives (Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1991). [6] McClure, Charles R., Peter Hernon and Harold Relyea, eds., United States Government Information Policies (Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1989). [7] Purcell, Gary R. and Peter Hernon, "The National Technical Information Service and the Dissemination of Report Literature," in United States Scientific and Technical Information Policies: Views and Perspectives, edited by Charles R. McClure and Peter Hernon (Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1989), pp 226-227. [8] Office of Management and Budget, "Advance Notice of Plans for revision of OMB Circular No. A-130, Management of Federal Information Resources," Federal Register, 56 (March 4, 1991): 9026-9028. [9] Office of Management and Budget, "The Management of Federal Information Resources," Federal Register, 50 (December 24, 1985): 52730-52751. [10] Office of Management and Budget, "Second Advance Notice of Further Policy Development on Dissemination of Information," Federal Register, 54 (June 15, 1989): 25557. [11] Ritchie, Donald A. "Oral Histories May Help Scholars Plow through the Rapidly Accumulating Mass of Federal Paper," Chronicle of Higher Education, 35: A44, November 2, 1988. [12] Schewe, Donald B. "The Jimmy Carter Library," Government Information Quarterly 6: 241, 1989. [13] Thompson, Lawrence H., General Accounting Office, "Service to the Public: How Effective and Responsive Is the Government," Testimony before the House Committee on Ways and Means. GAO/T-HRD-91-26 (May 8, 1991), unpaged summary. Communications to the authors may be addressed to Peter Hernon, Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115; 617/738-2223 or Charles R. McClure, Professor, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244; 315/443-2911. $ = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ▄Oî╔CÇ╜·7t▒ε+h{╕⌡2o¼╨Jç─ > { ä ┴ ■ ;
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/ l ⌐ µ # ` ¥ ╬ ╧ ▌ Wö╤KêÿÖ¿σ"_£┘⌡2o¼Θ&c}~ï╚Bæ╬ Hà┬ <y╢▀α⌡1n½Φ%bƒ╧ Iå├ =z╖┴■;x╡≥/l⌐╡≥/l⌐µ≤⌠ A ~ ╗ ° 5 r » ∞ ) f t ▒ ε + h Ñ Γ A B M è ╟ !A!~!╗!°! "I"å"├" #=#z#ò#╥#$L$ë$╞$%@%G%ä%┴%■%;&x&╡&╦&'E'é'┐'ⁿ'9(v(│(≡(-)<)J)ç)─)*>*{*╕*⌡*2+>+{+╕+⌡+2,o,¼,Θ,&-c-á-▌-.W.ö.╤./K/g/ñ/ß/ 0[0ÿ0╒01O1î1╔12C2u2v2ô2╨23J3ç3─34>4{4╕4⌡425<5I5å5├5 66E6é6┐6╫67Q7^7¢7╨78J8ç8─8⌡829o9¢9╪9:D:ü:╛:√:;J;ç;╕;⌡;2<J<M<N<ê<╗<α< CD-ROM searching is now an integral part of many, if not most, libraries and information centers. These discs are, without a doubt, marvelous tools which have brought database searching within reach of a greatly expanded population of library users. The reality in many libraries, however, is that we now offer electronic bibliographic searching on demand to patrons who may or may not be ready for it. There is little information in the literature on what actually happens when library patrons sit down at a CD-ROM workstation. Use of CD-ROM discs has meant that library patrons are increasingly becoming end-users of bibliographic databases and, as they do so, the number of CD-ROM searches is growing. CD-ROM searching also appears to be replacing mediated searching, at least in academic libraries. Before the advent of database searching on CD-ROM, searches at the Colorado State Libraries were exclusively performed online, on a cost recovery basis, by the professional library staff. During Spring Semester (January-June) 1988, the last period before purchase of CD- ROM products in the sciences and engineering, the number of mediated online searches performed by the Sciences and Technology Department was 234. By Fall Semester (July- December) 1990, a period in which 12 science and engineering CD-ROM products were offered by the department, the number had dropped to 48. In contrast, the number of CD-ROM searches performed during Fall Semester 1989 in science and engineering, the first period during which statistics were kept, was 1,814. During Fall Semester 1990, the last full period for which figures are available, the number had risen to 3,341. Library patrons, particularly those in academic libraries, are increasingly becoming end-users of electronic databases. This is a new situation for most libraries which requires new measurements of patron needs. The Colorado State University Libraries have been acquiring science and engineering databases on CD-ROM since the Fall of 1988. The first database obtained was Medline on Dialog and by the beginning of 1990 we had added four more products: Agricola, the Cambridge Life Sciences Collection, Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts and the Wilson General Sciences Index. In March 1990, Compendex was added. As more and more students and faculty in the sciences and in engineering started to experiment with searching the available databases on CD-ROM discs, questions were raised about how well the databases were actually being used. Anecdotal evidence began to mount regarding problems patrons were encountering during searches. Haines found that end- users of online databases required a one day training session followed by experience in order to search successfully [6]. Would the same be true, we began to ask ourselves, of CD-ROM searchers? The question we set out to answer was: Are end-users going beyond the basic level of searching? This basic level of searching having been defined as follows: entering uncontrolled search terms and displaying the results on the computer screen. METHODOLOGY In order to study CD-ROM searching, a way had to be found to record the searches. A literature search revealed a program called Total Recall, developed by Computer Foundations of Rochester, New York [4]. Total Recall records keystrokes and provides options for them to be examined and played back. In this way, a snapshot of actual searches could be obtained exactly as they were entered into the computer. Total Recall During testing, it was discovered that the program could be activated and then left on for an indefinite period of time; this became the method for recording searches. As the keystrokes comprising the searches were recorded, they were automatically downloaded to the computer hard disk and stored there temporarily. Each morning Total Recall was activated before the first scheduled search session; the next morning the file created by the previous day's searches was copied to a 5.25-inch disc and then erased from the hard disk. At this point, Total Recall would be reactivated and the process begun again. At a later time, searches stored on the 5.25-inch disc would be analyzed. DISCUSSION Analysis of the searches involved two areas: identifying and overcoming technical problems; and recording and classifying data. Instruction in the use of CD-ROM databases and privacy were also important issues which had to be resolved. One technical problem was a disparity in the number of searches recorded into each daily file. Usually, one or two searches would be found in an individual file, though, in a few instances, several were recorded. Occasionally, no searches would show up in the daily file at all. This was puzzling as Total Recall should have kept recording data until the program was deactivated. Since the workstation was in almost constant use, it proved difficult to investigate this disparity. The author was never able to precisely determine why this occurred. Playback Of Search Playback of the searches also offered challenges. Had the department installed just one single-disc CD-ROM product, these difficulties probably would have been avoided. Adding to the problem was the fact that the menu program for the workstation was changed halfway through the period of the study. For this reason, it sometimes became difficult to determine, without careful examination, exactly which product a particular searcher had used. This problem was best dealt with by using the Browse option on Total Recall, particularly two features, Look and Begin. With Look, one could examine the search and determine the database involved. This was of critical importance since if the correct database (and, in some instances, the correct disc within a database) was not entered into the workstation CD-ROM drive before playback, total confusion instead of total recall would inevitably result. The Begin feature established the point at which playback of a search would commence. Use of this feature became invaluable as loss of synchronization was the most frustrating problem encountered during playback of searches. Even after the correct disc was in the CD-ROM drive, synchronization was often lost. The only way to regain it was to return to the last known point of alignment between disc and recorded keystrokes, set Begin and restart the play function. Browse also offered an options feature which would allow a time delay to be set for each keystroke during playback. This feature proved to be quite useful for conducting analysis of searches without having search elements whiz by too quickly to be examined. A 1.2 second delay seemed to work best. Data Analysis Data from each search was analyzed with the use of a locally prepared worksheet, designed to measure sophistication of searches and yet be flexible enough to record the effectiveness of different search strategies (see Appendix). The former proved to be quantifiable but the latter was simply too subjective to be measured in any meaningful way through a raw record of searches. In the end, comments on effectiveness of search strategy were excluded from the research results. When all searches had been analyzed, results were then compiled from the worksheets. During the period of this study, instruction in the use of the CD-ROM databases was almost exclusively given at the point of use. Usually, this instruction was provided by a librarian manning a busy reference desk (situated about 40 feet away). While many CD-ROM searchers did receive in- depth instruction, it tended to be all but impossible during busy times for the reference staff to teach more than the basic necessities of searching. FINDINGS Data compiled from sign-up sheets completed during the period of this study revealed that out of 1,633 CD-ROM searches performed on the Sciences and Technology Department workstations, 45% were done by graduate students, 31% by undergraduates, 10% by faculty and 14% by others (including library staff and patrons from outside the university). A total of 46 searches were recorded and analyzed using Total Recall (Table 1). In these searches, a total of 356 search terms were used for an average of 7.9 terms per search. For purposes of this study, a search term was defined as a word or phrase which was accepted by the database, processed and assigned a specific number of "hits" or occurrences (including zero) on the disc in use. Forty-five searches or 985, produced at least one search result. In 26 of the searches, or 56%, Boolean operators were used. In all instances but one, this was the word AND (in the single exception, the OR operator was used in conjunction with AND). This is roughly consistent with the findings of Sewell and Teitelbaum who reported that in their 11 year study of experienced Medline end-users AND was the only Boolean operator used by over half of the searchers [9]. The function most often used during the searches studied was "print." Prints were made at some point during 32 of the searches or 70%. However, in only 20 searches or 62% of those in which prints were made and 43% of the total number of searches, were records actually selected for printing. In the other cases, records were printed by simply "dumping" into a print queue. The findings in this study also indicate that the CD-ROM users whose searches were analyzed were unlikely to use sophisticated search features. Only 8 or 17% used any sort of a special feature key such as "search history" or "expand" and only 6 or 13% used segment or field searching. Attempts to measure use of a controlled vocabulary proved unsuccessful because of differences in searching software. All such uses were confined to Medline and Compendex on Dialog where, in the Easy Menu mode (searched predominantly), use of a controlled vocabulary is inescapable. CONCLUSIONS It appears that most CD-ROM end-users in this study acquired enough sophistication to print citations. Less than 20% used special feature commands or segment searching and slightly more than half used Boolean connectors, the basic building blocks of database searching. These results indicate the CD-ROM end-users examined in this study were usually able to obtain results and print records, but that few used more sophisticated techniques to refine their searches. The results also show that less than eight search terms or keywords were used during an average search. Many factors may have lead to this situation: patrons who felt intimidated by database searching, time pressure, lack of knowledge, frustration with the mechanics of searching and other, less obvious, factors. It is clear, though, that most of the searchers observed in this study were unwilling or unable to progress beyond the basic level of searching. This study also indicates that there may be a correlation between database and depth of search. Fifty-six percent more search terms were used, on average, during Medline searches than for the next highest database, Compendex. Perhaps this was due to the fact that Medline had been available in the library longer than any other database and patrons had gained greater sophistication in its use. Perhaps it was also due to a need for greater complexity in medical searching. This might be a fruitful area for future research. One tentative conclusion from this study is that instruction should be a high priority for any library unit offering searching on CD-ROM databases. In the Sciences and Technology Department at Colorado State, we now offer regularly scheduled workshops on CD-ROM searching and discuss database searching in our bibliographic instruction presentations to classes in science and engineering disciplines. We also make a point of seeking out CD-ROM users who are encountering problems. One staff member is now designated as a CD-ROM resource person for just this purpose. One simply cannot assume that patrons are successfully using bibliographic databases on CD-ROM after only a few minutes of introductory instruction. Areas For Further Research There is much room for further study in this area. We need to know how patrons approach sessions on CD-ROM databases, what they expect and if those expectations are being met. Most of all, we need to learn what sort of instruction is necessary in order to enable patrons to more fully realize the potential of CD-ROM searching. This study seems to point to the fact that in the world of CD-ROMs, it is no longer enough for information professionals to develop their own skills in using databases. The art of searching needs to be shared with others so it becomes as familiar a skill in libraries and information centers as finding a call number. REFERENCES [1] Belanger, A.M. and S.D. Hoffman, "Factors Related to Frequency of use of CD-ROM: A Study of ERIC in an Academic Library." College & Research Libraries 51(2): 153-162, March 1990. [2] Borgman, C.L. "All Users of Information Retrieval Systems are not Created Equal: An Exploration into Individual Differences." Information Processing & Management 25(3): 237-251, 1989. [3] Brueggeman, P. "Observation and Playback of CD-ROM Searches with Total Recall." CD-ROM Librarian 4(6): 12-18, June 1989. [4] Brueggeman, P. "Software to Monitor CD-ROM Usage." Laserdisk Professional 4(6): 44-48, November 1989. [5] Dalrymple, P.W. "CD-ROM MEDLINE Use and Users: Information Transfer in the Clinical Setting." Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 78(3): 224-232, July 1990. [6] Haines, J. S. "Experiences in Training End-User Searchers." ONLINE 6(6): 14-23, November 1982. [7] Mischo, W.H., J.Lee, "End-user Searching of Bibliographic Databases." Annual Review of Information Science and Technology 22: 227-263, 1987. [8] Moore, M.M. "Compact Disk Indexing and its Effects on Activities in an Academic Library." Journal of Academic Librarianship 16(5): 291-295, November 1990. [9] Sewell, W. and S. Teitelbaum, "Observations of End- user Online Searching Behavior over Eleven Years." Journal of the American Society for Information Science 37(4): 234- 245, July 1986. [10] Silver, H. and S. Dennis. "Monitoring Use of CD-ROM Databases using SignIn-Stat." Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 78(3): 252-257, July 1990. [11] Welsh, J.J. "Evaluation of CD-ROM Use in a Government Research Library." 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/G/ä/┴/■/;0x0Ä0╦01E1é1┐1ⁿ192v2│2δ2φ2≈243q3«3δ3(4e4ó4▀4 5,5i5ª5π5 6]6Ü6╫67Q7Ä7╦78,8i8ª8π8 9]9Ü9╫9ⁿ99:v:│:≡:-;j;º;Σ;!<^<¢<╪<=R=Å=╠= >F>â>└>²>:?w?┤?±?.@b@c@á@▌@AWAöA╤ABFBâB└B²B Security and metering of products and information stored on CD-ROM are tasks central to the future of the CD-ROM market. For the CD-ROM industry to achieve its predicted, explosive growth, the industry requires products that secure and meter CD-ROM contents transparently and in background. CD-ROM products need to deliver effective security in both software only and software/hardware formats. Depending on a publisher's requirements, these products must be either unbreakable, or breakable only after considerable difficulty and with significant programming skill. Once developed, these security and metering features will allow American businesses to exploit the enormous cost and efficiency advantages of CD-ROM without being concerned about losing control over a CD-ROM's contents. LACKING A CD-ROM VISICALC The CD-ROM market has gotten off to a much slower start than predicted by almost all "experts." It is true that in the last two years the CD-ROM market has grown substantially. But this spurting growth is primarily the result of the compelling cost savings that CD-ROM and related optical technologies provide large organizations who wish to distribute internally non-secured information. Commercial CD-ROM products have not played a major role in this substantial growth because of the absence of exciting and compelling CD-ROM products and practical and flexible pricing strategies. These problems can in large part be redressed by security and metering technology. Effective metering and security capabilities are particularly important to the CD-ROM market because these qualities may be necessary for the creation of "killer" business or professional CD-ROM applications. To establish itself as a principal, standard component of personal computing, the CD-ROM market, though now growing at a healthy pace, needs its own version of a VisiCalc application. There is no CD-ROM equivalent of VisiCalc, no CD-ROM product that drives market growth because customers must have the product to be professionally competitive. This situation is due to the absence of metering and security technology. Such technology would enable CD-ROM to exploit much more fully its advantages. Metering and security products should enable publishers to distribute collections of information, software products, books, magazines and images, without being constrained by security, billing and administrative concerns. PRICING AND MARKET CONSIDERATIONS The "second revolution" of the personal computer industry is developing. The first revolution focused on an assortment of software applications that enhanced corporate and professional productivity. These applications included: spreadsheets, word processors, database managers, desktop publishing packages and product and project design and management software. Each application category accomplished a critical task with greater efficiency than previously available with non-computer tools. Computer's Second Revolution The emerging "second revolution" differs from the "first revolution" in its focus on the general productivity of computer users rather than on delivering specific task- oriented applications. Three interrelated productivity enhancement issues drive this second revolution: * The availability of and ease of access to pertinent information * Interconnectedness and communications between computers, computer users and applications, communications between computers and users including multimedia technology * Portability of computers and computing capability Information availability, the issue underlying metering and other access issues, is fundamental to business and professional productivity. Bill Gates, recognizing this future direction of computers, selected "Information At Your Fingertips" as his theme for his address to COMDEX in 1990. Currently, a computer user's access to reference information is primarily through online databases. This process is often awkward, inefficient and expensive. Outdated, standardized user interfaces imposed on diverse types of information and costly centralized computers and telecommunications overhead, all contribute to online problems. Combining CD- ROM applications with effective metering and security technology will allow CD-ROM publishers to emulate online's capabilities while avoiding online's principal shortcomings. With advanced text/data compression techniques, a publisher can already store up to a gigabyte of information on a single CD-ROM disc. This translates to the full-text contents of up to 1,000 books. In addition, with technologies already available, CD-ROM and similar storage media could offer four to perhaps 20 times current CD-ROM capacity, storing up to perhaps 20,000 books on a single disc. Someday, additional technologies may make it possible to greatly increase optical storage capacity. It is reasonable to contemplate small, portable, CD-ROM-like discs that cost under $1 to produce, but hold the equivalent of 50,000 to 100,000 or more books, including images. Pricing Problems Without metering and security capabilities, database publishers must charge a flat subscription fee for CD-ROM database products. This author believes the constraints and limitations of subscription-based pricing are a principal reason why few commercially valuable and compelling CD-ROM products exist. The high prices resulting from single level subscriptions frequently limit valuable databases to very small audiences. Currently, the more useful CD-ROM products may cost users anywhere from a $1000 to more than $10,000 annually. Pricing inflexibility is an enormous impediment to the growth of CD-ROM since the buyer must both be able to afford and be convinced of the compelling value of a CD-ROM product. Inflexible pricing precludes many publishers from fully exploiting the storage capacity of CD-ROM or related products. For example, it is wholly impractical to charge a $100,000 annual subscription fee for a CD-ROM product simply because the value of the contents require such pricing. CD-ROM publishers often engage in an electronic version of "portion control" in recognition of a subscription pricing limit that shouldn't be exceeded for a given type of CD-ROM product. In sum, the absence of metering requires single level pricing and discourages publishers from placing substantial information or product resources on a single disc. Single level subscription pricing deters infrequent users of databases and users unable to afford a database's cost, from subscribing. If they do subscribe they must pay the same price as the wealthiest and highest volume users of a product. The end result is heavy users frequently pay less than they would or should and potential smaller users normally don't subscribe. Integrated Information Resources CD-ROM metering would solve an additional problem affecting CD-ROM publishing: the impracticality of placing databases or libraries of properties from different organizations or authors on the same CD-ROM disc. Many of the most useful and exciting potential CD-ROM products would involve collections of related databases or properties which together constitute integrated information resources. Such integrated information resources- information libraries that combine many related sources of information for a given professional discipline-would be exciting tools that provide true "Information At Your Fingertips." These information or product libraries would require a very high security for the database contents and the ability to identify the amount of use of each individual property on the database. Such comprehensive reference libraries for specific professional or technical disciplines could become VisiCalc-like applications. They would have the potential of being products that professionals simply had to have to be competitive. From medicine to law to business, comprehensive CD-ROM information-on-demand libraries-could revolutionize business and professional productivity. These products will require metering and security features. Super-distribution System Given its capabilities, we should view CD-ROM expansively as a super-distribution media, a combined library and store on a disc that offers the benefits of traditional distribution facilities and then some. Security and metering could free up for CD-ROM publishing many of the properties that have been withheld because of legitimate concerns about unauthorized use and piracy. With the discounted street prices of some brands of CD- ROM drives dropping toward $300 per drive, the very low cost and vast storage capacity of CD-ROM can, with effective metering and security technology, offer extraordinary opportunities for the placing of enormous libraries of information and collections of products at the end-user's fingertips. Compared with online services, libraries, stores and direct mail, CD-ROM libraries and collections of products can deliver information and products far more cost- effectively and efficiently and with much greater immediacy. WHAT IS METERING AND SECURITY? If publishers or organizations wish to distribute 600MB of information on CD-ROM storage media, how do they secure that information against improper or unauthorized use? When licensing an information collection how does one ensure that the publisher(s) of the books, databases, multimedia, images, or software receive proper compensation for the use, licensing, or purchase of their products? No Unauthorized Use How does one prevent unauthorized copying of disc contents? Six hundred megabytes of contents of a full CD- ROM disc frequently has substantial, intrinsic value. Whether a CD-ROM's contents are corporate databases, libraries of software programs or libraries of books, employing an information or product delivery strategy that allows the publisher or distributor to lose control over the product contents is often unacceptable. Publisher control over CD-ROM contents can be ensured by interrelated strategies for metering and security. Basic security is ensured by one or more encryption (encoding or enciphering) techniques. Sufficiently sophisticated encryption techniques can effectively prevent unauthorized usage. Unfortunately, since encryption must be complemented with decryption capabilities supporting access to CD-ROM contents, the use of encryption by itself does not result in a practical security system. Integrating Encryption An effective system also requires secure metering mechanisms that are used in conjunction with encrypted contents. These metering mechanisms normally should be combined with budget limits specifying maximum allowable usage for one or more portions of the disc contents. The following four critical elements would enable a super- distribution environment to develop: * encryption techniques * very securely maintained histories of usage * maximum usage limits or formulas * supporting database functionality This super-distribution system would support flexible usage-based pricing, multiple property owners and on-demand, immediate delivery to the client or user. Multiple, Simultaneous Meters Secure metering and control mechanisms can involve multiple, simultaneous meters. For example, high level security requires metering of the decryption of CD-ROM contents. But the use of CD-ROM contents and the quantity of CD-ROM contents decrypted often do not match or even closely approximate. This lack of matching results from a variety of factors including: database, network and disc caching strategies, the design of efficient database retrieval mechanisms and the pattern of usage of CD-ROM contents by a user. Usage of CD-ROM disc contents by a user-such as displaying, copying and printing-are critical variables for both accumulating usage histories and for usage billing. Monitoring one or more of these processes is often necessary. In addition, each metered process may need to be separately metered for each individual department, workstation and individual user on a network or in a large organization. A "super-distribution" product also could require all the above meters to be repeated for each property, library or database contained on a product. SUMMARY A CD-ROM application may require literally tens of thousands of meters. An example of a metering intensive CD- ROM application would be one hundred products or databases used on a network having one hundred users in ten departments, each product being metered for: decrypting (for security) and displaying, downloading and printing (for usage and billing). This application requiring up to 100 (products) x 110 (users and departments) x 4 (metered processes) or up to 44,000 meters if each user has access to all products. Given both the likely increase in storage capacity of CD-ROM and other portable media and the likelihood of multiple, metered CD-ROM products on a single computer system, it is easy to foresee collections of products used in large organizations that might require hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of meters. Such a large number of meters requires a metering database design that is optimized for speed (budgets must be checked before an action is allowed), very efficient in storage overhead, as well as highly secure. A metering/ securing system also requires efficient, easy-to-use administrative databases that allow a client to budget and analyze CD-ROM usage within the client's organization. Providing CD-ROM publishers with similar tools for budgeting and analyzing client usage is also important. In addition, CD-ROM metering/security systems require one or more methods for communicating usage histories to the administrative databases and for communicating budget and access rights to CD-ROM product installations. As can be seen, metering is not necessarily a simple process in which a value is accumulated in a counter. Metering and decryption mechanisms should be maintained as securely as possible, though only decryption metering can be made to be effectively bulletproof, since the user usage processes such as displaying intersect with computer I/O (input/output) functions and the metering of such processes can fairly easily be dissected by skilled software hackers. Because of this vulnerability of the metering of displaying, downloading, etc., to software hackers, effective security often requires strategies that make use of secure decryption metering, but go well beyond merely measuring the amount of decryption of CD-ROM contents. For example, secure CD-ROM products may measure contiguousness, logical relatedness or other variables which reflect the decrypting of information. Control is achieved, in part, by an automated encryption of the database or product contents and an integration of certain control information into these contents. This occurs as the last step in preparing databases or other products for mastering (manufacturing). The control information is then used by the highly secure control mechanisms of the software and software/hardware metering and security systems. These systems will very significantly deter (software only version), even more seriously deter (software/hardware version employing very inexpensive, off- the-shelf hardware), or prevent (software/hardware version employing an inexpensive custom designed hardware module) unauthorized access to, or use of, a CD-ROM product, while remaining entirely transparent to authorized users. Victor Shear is president of Electronic Publishing Resources, which is developing metering and security systems that involve both software only and software/hardware versions. These systems allow publishers and clients to maintain complete administrative and access control over databases and properties published on any storage media (in particular on CD-ROM and other optical media, but also on magnetic media for network file server applications). Communications to the author may be addressed to Victor Shear, Electronic Publishing Resources, 2 Wisconsin Circle, #700, Chevy Chase, MD 20815; 301/656-6910; FAX 301/652-4651. « = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%YZr»∞)fúα Zù╘Nà┬ <y╢≤0m¬τ$JKk¿σ W ö ╤
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In reality, ISO formatting is a small-albeit important-piece of the total development effort. Understanding the significance of ISO formatting and the options available for implementation, is a necessary step in the successful development of a CD-ROM application. EVOLUTION OF ISO 9660 When the "Yellow Book" specifications were announced by Philips and Sony back in 1983, they focused on the error detection and correction/error correction codes (EDC/ECC) for compact disc. No provision was made for the logical placement or format of the files on a disc. Early CD-ROM participants quickly designed and promoted proprietary file formats in an attempt to establish an ad hoc standard. One of the most memorable of these was Digital Equipment Corporation's Unifile system. By October of 1985, industry participants realized that an ad hoc standard would not evolve naturally. They believed that in order for the industry to grow, they would need a cooperative effort to develop and promote a standard file format for CD-ROM. The High Sierra Group was an informal collection of interested parties who gathered together to discuss and agree upon CD-ROM format issues. They formed sub-committees that made recommendations concerning functional requirements, volume table of contents specifications and directory structure definition for CD-ROM. At the end of these meetings, a draft standard, called the High Sierra Proposal, was produced and submitted to the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) for acceptance as an international standard. NISO modified this proposal slightly and eventually accepted the modified version as ISO 9660 file format standard for CD-ROM. Some Specifics About ISO 9660 Without going into a lengthy technical discussion, it may be helpful at this point to have a general understanding of what is contained within the ISO 9660 standard. The format specification for volume table of contents (VTOC) defines a volume as a single, dismountable disc. Just as a book's table of contents allows readers to locate chapters, the VTOC allows the operating system to identify a disc's contents and key characteristics. The directory structure defined in the ISO standard allows users to open any one of more than 140,000 files or subdirectories on a CD-ROM volume with a single seek. To achieve this, the Volume File and Structure Standard specifies an indexed path name directory, a physically flat directory structure that organizes data into logical hierarchies. One important point to note here is that the ISO standard specifies that the deepest sub-directory may not exceed eight levels. The Volume File and Structure Standard places no practical restrictions on file structure. Neither file size nor the number of sub-directories is limited by the size of the disc. The standard permits multiple-volume files and file names longer than 8 characters, plus a 3-character extender. A developer does, however, need to be careful concerning files names as the ISO standard defines a specific, acceptable character set. Benefits Of ISO 9660 Because the placement of files in the ISO 9660 format is an extra step in the CD-ROM development process (with an associated cost), it is important to understand what advantages are to be gained for adopting this standard. The first advantage concerns the operating system that the application will be running under. Initially, within MS-DOS, there was no provision for the physical input/output (I/O) to a CD-ROM drive. Microsoft Corporation solved this problem by making MSCDEX available as an extension to MS- DOS. The installation of MSCDEX software on a personal computer equipped with a CD-ROM drive permits standard MS- DOS users to communicate with all CD-ROM discs and drives which conform to the ISO 9660 file format standard. Common MS-DOS commands like Dir, Type and Copy will now work on the files stored on the CD-ROM disc. Basically, MSCDEX makes an ISO formatted CD-ROM disc look like just another, very large, hard disk. Different operating systems like Unix and MAC/HFS are also able to read the files stored in ISO 9660 format. The second advantage to using the ISO 9660 format standard relates to the retrieval software the application will be using. If you plan to use one of the commercially available search and retrieval software packages for your application, they will undoubtedly require that the disc be in the ISO 9660 file format. Even if you are planning to write your own search and retrieval software, you will probably want to adopt the ISO standard, since it will allow you to utilize the MSCDEX calls, thus preventing you from having to design your own I/O routines. The third advantage to using the ISO format concerns the issue of performance. Since the introduction of the first CD-ROM drive, retrieval performance has been a constant concern. Not only do developers have to be concerned with the volume of data to be retrieved, they also have to compensate for the relatively slow drive. During the High Sierra Group meetings, retrieval performance was of utmost concern. While many industry experts may argue that the ISO 9660 standard has room for improvement, it was designed specifically for CD-ROM and does have some features which will compensate for the slow performing drive. Consequently, adoption of the ISO standard should make an application perform better. ISO 9660 FORMATTING OPTIONS As a CD-ROM developer, you have two basic options for ISO 9660 formatting. You can purchase software (and potentially hardware) and perform this function in-house, or you can send your data to a mastering facility or service bureau that provides this service and have them do it for you. Today, most mastering facilities provide this service and the price is often negotiable. Standard pricing runs $300-$500, however, if you are a large customer you may be able to negotiate this cost downward. The real decision here relates to volume. If you are a first-time developer and your future CD-ROM development plans are uncertain, you may not wish to invest in an in-house formatting solution. If, however, you plan to master a number of discs, economics may dictate that you perform this step in-house. Before looking at some of the in-house products available for ISO formatting, it is important to clarify some of the terminology that is often associated with this step in CD-ROM development and to differentiate between the various functions available to potential developers. Premastering Premastering is a term which is often misused and misunderstood. Many people believe that premastering refers to the ISO formatting process or to a collection of steps in CD-ROM development prior to the actual mastering of the disc. In reality, pre-mastering refers to a process which is often performed at a mastering plant. During premastering, error detection and correction bytes are calculated from the true data bytes and inserted into the byte stream, according to the protocol described in the Sony-Philips "Yellow Book" standard. The error-correction bytes will be present in the disc data, to be used by the disc drive and associated software drivers for accurate retrieval. The fee for this pre-mastering is usually included as part of the basic mastering charge. Doing this step in-house will not necessarily save you money. Disc Image The most reliable method of sending your data to a mastering facility is to send a physical disc image. This is where the data is already logically formatted in ISO 9660 format and is an exact image of what the final CD-ROM will be. In this case, there is only one file which contains the entire CD-ROM image. In-house formatting tools will produce this disc image as your final output, thus insuring that you control what is ultimately placed on the disc. Some software tools provide the ability to create what is referred to as a virtual CD-ROM image. A virtual image does not physically lay-out files the way they will be on the final disc, but rather, using specialized software, creates a map of a yet to be created CD-ROM disc along with the required formatting data structures (path tables, directories, etc.) The advantage to creating a virtual image is the fact that the application can be tested, modified and re-tested without requiring the use of massive hard disk space or the time-consuming effort required to copy the data files into an actual physical CD-ROM image. Simulation The testing done at this stage in the CD-ROM development process is often referred to as simulation. Simulation is another term which requires some clarification. Simulation involves testing the functionality and performance of the application after it has been placed in ISO format and before it is sent for premastering and mastering. In the simulation process, data is read from the hard drive by MSCDEX, thus "simulating" the finished application. "True simulation" involves the use of programmed delays in acquiring data from the hard disk to more realistically "simulate" the performance from the slower CD-ROM drive. Most ISO formatting tools claim to provide simulation. What they actually do is to provide a physical image of the data on a hard disk which allows a developer to test out the application for errors and inefficiencies. Performance measurement is not really accurate without the aforementioned software delays. For small databases and applications where performance is not really an issue, simulation from a physical or virtual image on a hard disk is perfectly adequate. Formatting tools which provide the option to do simulation testing from a virtual image rather than a physical image provide the added convenience of not having to take the time and disc space to create the actual physical image prior to simulation. This can be an important time saver if you are making a lot of changes during the testing process. Optimization Another factor which can affect application performance is the actual geographical location of the files on a disc. By performing simulation testing, a developer can try out various placement schemes. Some formatting products provide optimization tools that assist in the placement, or rearrangement, of files on the disc. The utility functions available from various vendors for optimization vary in terms of sophistication and capability. At a minimum, there are utilities which assist in the manual rearrangement of files. The more sophisticated tools provide an automated process which traces the actual seeks during simulation and recommends an optimal placement of the files for maximum performance. When evaluating in-house formatting tools this is an area which should be investigated very closely if you feel simulation and optimization will be an important step in your development efforts. Output Once an application has been placed in the ISO format, simulation and optimization are complete and the data is ready for mastering, a developer needs to review the hardware options available. Most mastering facilities accept a variety of media with 9-track tape being the most common. With the introduction of CD-Write Once devices, there is also the option to create a disc in-house. Prior to the selection of an in-house formatting tool, careful consideration should be given to the output media to be used and a review of the output devices supported by the specific tools. ISO FORMATTING TOOLS The following is in no way to be interpreted as a complete listing of the formatting tools available to CD-ROM developers. Neither is it a technical evaluation of the features and functions of each respective tool. Rather, the information provided here is a sample of the type of products available. Included is information concerning price and some of the more notable features for each product. The information presented here was derived from generally available sales materials provided by each company. I would encourage potential developers to contact the companies listed to obtain detailed information about each product and demonstration software, where available. CD-Creator CSM Inc. 211 N. El Camino Real San Diego, CA 92024 619/944-1228 FAX 619/942-5447 $199 Enhanced Version: $499 (MS-DOS) CD-Creator is a software package that enables developers to create either a High Sierra format or an ISO 9660 format directory image from an MS-DOS directory structure. In addition, CD-Creator employs a merging technique that allows the developer to merge two directory structures together. This ability to merge two structures makes updating an existing CD-ROM very easy. Using the existing CD-ROM as an archive, the developer simply creates an empty tree structure, identical to the CD-ROM's tree structure, places the updated files in the proper place in the empty tree and then merges the updated tree structure with the archived tree structure. This allows the developer to update an existing CD-ROM without having to reload the entire CD-ROM database. For simulation, the CD-Creator creates a physical image on a hard disk. Output can be directed to: Hard Disk SCSI Device (Hard Disk or Magnetic Tape) Adapter cards supported: Basic Version: CSM cards only Enhanced Version: CSM, IBM, Future Domain, Toshiba CD Formatter Online Computer Systems, Inc. 20251 Century Boulevard Germantown, MD 20874 301/428-3700 FAX 301/428-2903 MS-DOS: $3995 IBM OS/MVS: $15,000 SUN: $5995 DEC VAX: $5995 CD Formatter is a software program that packages electronic files into either High Sierra or ISO 9660 format. The virtual image produced by CD Formatter may be used for creation of a prototype or for quality assurance purposes prior to actual CD-ROM production runs. Raw data sources may reside on hard disk, magnetic tape, network or even another compact disc. The image may be written directly to compact disc media or to tape as a data source for premastering service bureaus. The Sony Writable CD-ROM System may be used in conjunction with the MS-DOS version of CD Formatter to produce the actual compact disc. CDMake Reference Technology, Inc. 5775 Flatiron Parkway, Suite 220 Boulder, CO 80301 303/449-4157 FAX 303/442-1816 $3000 (MS-DOS) CDMake is a software product for formatting and testing CD-ROM disc images. Both ISO 9660 and High Sierra formats are supported. The formatted CD-ROM disc image can be written to hard disk, tape or to a Sony CD-ROM Write-Once System. CDMake creates a virtual CD-ROM image for testing and modification prior to the development of a master tape to be sent for mastering. Supported output devices include: half inch magnetic tape drives, 8mm tape cartridge drives and Sony Writable CD- ROM System. Considered a production tool, CD-ROM developers can create a virtual CD and copy 750 files (60MB) in thirty seconds. They can create a physical image from the virtual image at 15 to 25MB per minute. They can create a master tape from the virtual image at 25MB per minute. CD-Formatter Crowninshield Software, Inc. 1105 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215 617/787-8830 FAX 617/787-3035 $2495 (MS-DOS) CD-Formatter outputs data in ISO 9660 format to 9-track tape drives, optical disk, or other large scale removable storage media, ready for delivery to a CD-ROM mastering facility. CD-Formatter will create an ISO 9660 image from any set of DOS files and provide optimization by allowing the developer to control the physical placement of files on the disc. Disc layout and data retrieval can then be tested with CD-Formatter's simulator. CD-Formatter supports a variety of removable storage media through a continually expanding driver library. Supported Drives/Interfaces: Cipher Data Products Series M990 GCR Telebyte TDX-50 1600 bpi 9-Track Tape Drive Overland Data PC AT Interface Board Qualstar 6250/1600 bpi 9-Track Tape Drive w/Overland Board Exabyte 8mm Tape Drive w/Western Digital Interface CD-Simulator Velderseweg 25 5298 LE LIEMPDE The Netherlands +31 (0) 4113-3021 FAX +31 (0) 4113-2763 Contact Elektroson for distributors and specific configurations. Typically, a hardware/software combination that provides formatting, simulating, debug and optimization utilities for CD-ROM applications. Supports multiple platforms-IBM-compatible, PS/2, Macintosh and Unix workstations. Interactive simulation, trace and debug tools to test and diagnose problems in the database and the application software. Builds virtual image and provides developer Edit utilities and disc partitioning utilities. Tape utilities include drive control, read/write, backup, EBCDIC-ASCII conversion and "C" language subroutines for customization. Also supports CD-ROM XA, CD Audio and CD-ROM mixed mode discs. VR Publisher VR Professional VR Producer CD Publisher CD Professional VRX Professional Meridian Data, Inc. 5615 Scotts Valley Drive Scotts Valley, CA 95066 408/438-3100 FAX 408/438-6816 Price varies with specific product and configuration A full range of hardware/software products supporting IBM-compatible and Macintosh computers. Provides both High Sierra and ISO 9660 formats. The VR Professional and CD Professional utilize a Yamaha Write-Once device to create on-site, real-time creation of one or more CD-ROMs for use in prototyping and final testing prior to mastering. The VR Publisher and CD Publisher produce a set of 9- track tapes ready for CD-ROM mastering. Transfer times of mirror image data: 600MB from hard disk to tape drive in less than 35 minutes. The VR Producer is a multimedia development system which supports the CD-ROM XA format. It includes a multimedia software production package and publishing software for the PC, in addition to specific development and output hardware. The VRX Professional combines the VR Publisher and the VR Professional into a single station which provides full- function formatting, simulation and optimization. In addition, it supports write-once CD-ROM. Communications to the author may be addressed to Mary Ann O'Connor, P.O. Box 50114, Colorado Springs, CO 80949. ) = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ╦Eé┐ⁿ9v½¼┼?|╣÷3pÆ╧ Iåƒ▄Vô╨ = > N ï ╚
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In our search to find you the hottest multimedia accessories out there, we found products such as the Power Chair (the ultimate joystick), Voice Master (responds to your spoken commands), and a bunch of ingenious ways to enhance your MPC's image quality and sound. But that's only the beginning. Your MPC does a lot more than play games and educational CDs--it also lets you unleash your creative impulses. To show you how to turn your system into a tool that any photographer, musician, or artist would love, we've covered products for creating digitized images, retouching color photos, composing music, and even controlling household appliances. All you need are a basic multimedia PC, deep pockets, and technolust. Fly the Friendly Skies The MIDI port on your MPC does double-duty as a joystick interface. Before you sign up as a flight commander, be sure to have more than just a mouse between you and the windscreen. Although a quick look at gaming magazines will show you that PC joysticks aren't quite keeping pace with the power gloves and LaserScope voice command targeting headsets for Sega Genesis and Nintendo, there are still dozens of basic models available. Selecting the 'stick that's right for you is as subjective as buying a new pair of shoes; be sure to try out a number of models. Pictured here is the Flight Stick from CH Products, a good choice because it has a full-sized grip and a wide, stable base. If a single handle isn't enough for you to control your game, look to the Power Chair for what may be the ultimate in gaming hardware. Due out in a PC version this summer from Power Marketing and ATI/Funmakers, the Power Chair has two rowing machine-like handles, each with five configurable buttons for slowing down, speeding up, and firing. At around $200, its price is pretty ultimate, too. Voice Control If you'd rather move your vocal cords than a joystick, you'll be glad to know about the $149 Covox Voice Master. It doesn't really decipher your speech, but when you say "close window," for example, it knows enough to invoke the familiar Ctrl-F4 command to close the forward window; when you yell "Fire!" your game suddenly takes offensive action. Voice Master requires extensive "training time" before it's useful; every task you want it to carry out has to be taught (the software learns to associate the words you say with the desired actions). For certain repetitive tasks, the Voice Master can turn tedium into fun. Mice That Move Odds are the mouse that came with your MPC isn't the right one for you. Check out the many alternatives available, including the three-button mice, cordless mice, and trackballs from Logitech. If you dare to be different, look into the $199 UnMouse from MicroTouch Systems. This 3"x4.5" touch-sensitive tablet lets your finger do the walking across its surface; your cursor will follow it like a Pinkerton detective. Using the included stylus, the UnMouse also serves as a mini graphics tablet. Paint on Your PC If you use CAD, drawing, or paint programs, you'll sigh with relief when you use a pen and drawing tablet instead of a mouse. CalComp, Kurta, Summagraphics, and others offer a number of attractive units in the $300 to $600 range. An affordable place to start is with Acecad's $129 Acecat, which comes with a corded pen and a 5"x5" tablet that connects to your PC's serial port. If you really like drawing or painting, try moving up to the $695 Wacom pressure-sensitive tablet. This puppy is an artist's dream tool: The lightweight pen has no cord to slow you down. You haven't truly experienced drawing on a computer until you see your pen line widen when you push down on the pen. The responsiveness of a pressure-sensitive pen truly adds a magical quality to digital painting. The Bit Picture The 12" VGA screen that comes with most MPCs isn't exactly on the cutting edge of video technology. Of course, you could buy a bigger, more expensive monitor, but why not take full advantage of the big-screen TV that you already own? It takes some doing, but you can hook up your system to a TV with a product called an NTSC converter, which takes the red-green-blue VGA signal the PC sends to the monitor and encodes it to the National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) specification used by everyday TVs. Jovian Logic offers the $395 VINplus encoder, and Willow Peripherals sells the $995 LaptopTV, a small converter box that also has a special "flicker filter" to provide a more stable picture. You can also hook up to your VCR and record your PC's VGA graphics output. For the ultimate in home multimedia, add a projection system--if you have a few thousands bucks to spare. The Sharp XV-120P took an NTSC signal and projected an awesome 100-inch image on the wall. Its three LCDs provide 300-line resolution, but that looks a heck of a lot better than it sounds. Too bad the 20-pound projector costs $3995. Scintillating Sounds Although your MPC has the ability to put out CD-quality stereo sound, it requires something better than a 1" paper cone to push those good vibrations through. Once again, the answer may lie in your home entertainment center; just take your sound card's output and pump it through your home hi- fi's amplifier and speakers. It's simply to do: A "Y" adapter (with a stereo 1/8 jack that splits the signal to two RCA plugs) and a patch cord are all that are needed to connect your MPC sound to the stereo amplifier's auxiliary inputs. But if you want portability as well as good sound, look into Media Vision's soon-to-be-released option for those who haven't already upgraded their PCs to multimedia standards. Its $1295 CDPC puts a CD-ROM drive and sound card into a slick, high-tech-looking case with a big 100-watt amplifier, a pair of tubular speakers, and an optional woofer. The end result is some powerful sound. If that's not enough, or if you already have a different MPC configuration, regular speakers can do the job and powered speakers are becoming more reasonable. The Sound Blaster Pro sound board's 4-watt output can drive many low- cost bookshelf speakers. Shop around, but check the shielding--the bare magnets in most speakers can distort your monitor's image. That, however, is a problem only if you're setting the speakers alongside the display; from a foot away or so, there's no interference. If your board has only line-outs (stereo output that by itself can barely drive headphones, let alone large speakers), another option is to buy shielded self-amplified speakers from big-time acoustic vendor Bose, which offers a RoomMate Computer Monitor Stereo System for $339. Labtec Enterprises also offers three shielded-speaker models, starting at $29.95. Their CS-150, for example, has its own volume and tone controls, as well as a special "bass- boosting" feature. Meanwhile, Altec Lansing's $400 ACS 300 system includes its own digital signal processing circuit, in addition to 4" woofers and dome tweeters. Photo Magic Tired of the Windows wallpaper that came with your system? How about putting a shot of your child or sweetheart on your desktop screen? Want to paste photos into letters, business memos, or other desktop-published documents; or create a painting by retouching your own photos? With the new still-video and digital cameras, you can do it all. Still-video cameras, such as Sony's $249 Mavica and Canon's $799 Xapshot, function like a camcorder except that they take only single frames (stills), which are stored on a disk that holds up to 50 stills. On an extended photo shoot, you simply put in a new disk and keep on shooting. Unlike digital cameras, they can capture images in color and at higher resolutions. But still video cameras require another device to translate their analog video images into the digitized images that can be used on a PC. The Xapshot is available with a ComputerEyes Digital Vision color imaging board (you have to install it in your PC) for $899 from a number of mail-order firms, $1099 list. But look for it under its formal name. Canon is replacing the pedestrian Xapshot name with the snazzy RC250 still video camera. And look for the Mavica selling far below its suggested list price--I just bought one for $199. Digital cameras, on the other hand, capture grayscale images in digitized form and store them in the camera's RAM. Unlike the still-video cameras, the $895 Dycam Model 1 and its mass-marketed clone, the $799 FotoMan from Logitech, are limited to 32 pictures per session; you must download the captured images to a PC before continuing to shoot. If you'd like to manipulate your digitized images further, you'll want to get your hands on image editing software such as Micrografx's Picture Publisher, Aldus' Photostyler, or ZSoft's Photo Finish. Your imagination is the only limitation when you couple digital images with these powerful photo retouching tools. Living in Two Dimensions If you're working with previously created photos or other images, you may want to purchase a hand-held or a flatbed scanner. With a scanner you get the convenience of inputting photos or illustrations instantly, and image quality is higher than with digital cameras. Optical character recognition (OCR) software translates your scan of a letter, memo, or magazine article and gives you editable text; you may never have to retype data. Flatbed scanners, which look like small copiers, tend to be more expensive than hand-held scanners and take up a lot of desk space. Nowadays, hand scanners are practically free--heck, they are free when you buy Micrografx's image editing software. The Texas company tosses in the Mustek (it was formerly Marstek) M6000CG color hand scanner at no extra cost until June 30. PC World readers voted the Scanman 256 and the Marstek M800 hand models as the top scanners last year--right after the Hewlett-Packard Scanjet Plus, a flatbed. The Complete PC offers its Half Page Scanner, shown here, for $349. For high-quality work, color flatbed scanners that work with Windows, scan at 300 dpi or better, and cost less than two grand are available from Advanced Research, Microtek Lab, Umax Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, and others. Testing 1, 2, 3... Your MPC has a port on its backside for stereo sound input, whether from a cassette player, TV, or your own voice through a microphone. If you record using the small microphone with your $25 cassette recorder, you'll get tinny playback that no sound board can fix. A good microphone can be yours for less than $50. Radio Shack offers a $27.95 dual-element stereo mike (catalog #33-1065) that is ideal for your MPC's stereo recording abilities. Making Music Another type of sound input on your MPC shouldn't be ignored: MIDI. This industry-standard music format supports a wide variety of instruments, allowing you to connect your MPC to keyboards, sequencers, samplers rhythm machines, and even MIDI electronic guitars. A great place to start is with the Miracle Piano from Software Toolworks. This $479 MIDI keyboard features full- sized pressure-sensitive keys and 128 digitized instruments and sound effects. What's more, the keyboard comes with ingenious instructional software for making a maestro of yourself, even if you now break into a sweat trying to play Chopsticks. And remember, your MPC is also a mini recording studio with its sound board's mixing abilities. So pick up some MIDI-sequencing software (yours for less than $200), combine your digitized voice with your original composition, and indulge your pop-star fantasies. You'll need a big hard drive-those digitized recordings of your out-of-tune wailing (well, my out of tune wailing, anyway) consume tons of storage space once they are transformed to bits and bytes. Where You Put It All The hot accessory, when and if it becomes available, will be the CD reader/writers drives being developed by Kodak and top hardware vendors. Kodak has made its own disc surface medium, one you can record on--unlike the CD-ROMs you already own. It'll be like comparing cassettes to LPs (see "Family Photos on PC and TV" in News). Fall Comdex should see companies offering floppy drives that can store 20 to 40 MB per disk-compared to the 1.4 MB of today's high- density floppies. These accessories will offer the recording space we'll all need to make the most of our favorite digital video and audio toys. The Run of the House The fully computerized home of the Jetsons is still just a fantasy, but at least two companies are promising setups that run your home appliances from your desktop computer. Caravan Productions offers the Club-play home Entertainment Designer, which can be used to simply program your VCR or to orchestrate an entire evening's entertainment of movies and music. Prices range from $399 for the basic system to the $899 deal that includes all five software modules. An infrared controller is included. It connects to your PC's parallel port and it operates your remote-controlled home entertainment electronics--TV, VCR, stereo--with the custom software. No appliance controls are available--you'll have to make your own popcorn. When combined with, say, the Covox Voice Master, you could potentially use Clubplay to control all your home entertainment equipment by voice. Imagine yelling "Play Lloyd Cole's new CD very loud!" and having your computer- controlled stereo start the disk and crank up the volume. Caravan is looking into its own voice control interface as well. Tandy Electronics, which has been offering remote appliance controllers and timers for years, is now putting together its own PC package. The $69 DeskMate Automatic House Companion software comes with Radio Shack's "Plug'n Power" Computer Interface and requires Deskmate, the Tandy version of the Windows interface Modules for each appliance are sold separately. But with the whole setup you can control household appliances (well, turn 'em on and off, anyway), dim lights, turn on security devices, and even control your thermostat. The system can handle 128 separate timer events and control 256 modules. The computer is used only to set up the House Companion; the module functions by itself whether the PC is on or not. That MPC on your desk is more than just a computer with improved sound. So take advantage of the expandable nature of your MPC. Unlike just about every other piece of home entertainment hardware, it can keep growing to accommodate needs you never knew you had. ⌠ = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ▄Vô╨ε+hÑΓ \Ö╓P╝∙6s░╔CÇ╜·7 t ▒ ε +
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+G+ä+┴+╓+╫+∙+,,a,ö,ò,╜,▌,-G-y-ó-ú-╖-φ- .O._.`.}.¡.α./4/5/^/ï/╜/≡/"02030p0¡0Ω01 It started with Dungeons & Dragons, the role-playing game that had college students gathering at midnight in dingy dorm rooms, staying up until the wee hours of the morning, blowing off the concept of final exams. Each player created a fantasy identity and then generated that character's abilities by rolling dice. The outcomes of the throws determined the character's strength, dexterity, intelligence, and success, and dictated how powerful opponents were, how much damage one character's halitosis could cause when he or she belched, and whether another's cosmos-shattering spell would have any effect at all. Today's computer role-playing games are the direct digital descendants of Dungeons & Dragons, only more sophisticated, because most of the calculations go on in the background. According to game publishers, role-playing games trail only combat simulators in popularity and sales--which might tell us something about ourselves. Unlike arcade games, role-playing games emphasize strategy, tactics, and the ability to keep your characters alive and healthy. Compared with adventure games such as King's Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, and Monkey Island, computer role-playing games add the dimension of character development; your character or characters grow and change as the adventure progresses. A major part of game play involves turning them from naked and defenseless wannabees into well equipped superheroes. Indeed, for the less fun- loving types among us, role-playing games can be looked at as exercises in effective resource management. In a typical game, characters band together to form parties and embark on quests--wandering through mazes, fighting monsters, and finding treasures along the way. If characters survive their encounters with danger, they gain experience and become stronger, wiser, and more powerful. But, so do the monsters. The games tend to have one basic plot. You and your companions have to find the UBG--the Ultimate Bad Guy/Gal-- who has found/stolen/made some object or demon that will allow the UBG to rule the universe/world/kingdom. In many cases, the UBG's desire is to be the biggest and baddest dude or dudette of all. Your mission is to overcome all obstacles before the universe is shattered or enslaved. Hacking and slashing your way through everything that moves, your party must eventually fight or destroy the UBG. Winning that fight usually saves the universe, which is a step up from being this week's winner on "Star Search." In the best computer role-playing games, sounds and graphics are painstakingly detailed. You can hear the arrows whoosh and swords clang against shields and armor. Background music enhances moods and settings, and characters expire in sonic splendor. Smoothly animated VGA graphics move you through detailed forests, cities, castles, dungeons, oceans, and space. If role-playing appeals to you read on to find out about some of the best games available. Wizadry VI-- Bane of the Cosmic Forge Role-playing games are not always the juvenile hack-and- slash epics that their plot summaries and reputations might indicate. Wizadry VI--Bane of the Cosmic Forge is a dark, rich tale of power, lust, incest, revenge, murder, and human sacrifice. It's adult in nature, and controversial for its use of topless women warriors. Sex, love, and lust are the dramatic devices driving a story that dramatically unfolds over 200 hours or so of playing time. In this game, a mystical pen with the power to rewrite reality--the Cosmic Forge--is missing. You must take an adventuring party crawling through dungeons, swamps, mines, mountains, and the River Styx in an attempt to recover it. Depending on the choices you make during the game, Bane has not just one, but three potential endings, and sets up its sequel, Crusaders of the Dark Savant, to have one of four different beginnings. As your party goes about its business, the game's artificial intelligence keeps track of a number of other competing parties on the same quest. Sometimes they'll get to the necessary objects, places, or clues before you, and you'll have to bribe or steal to regain them. Factions and alliances form, and politics churn on in the background as the world's races prepare for war. Important characters you meet may simply not like you and shut off sources of necessary information. It's a dynamic world that's always changing--just like real life. Ultima VII-- The Black Gate Ultima VII--The Black Gate deals with complex adult themes, and it's one of the few games that emphasizes the moral development of your characters. You return to the land of Britannia to find a world ravaged by drugs, ecological disaster, and a disease strikingly similar to AIDS. A wave of murders adds to the mess. There's a UBG named The Guardian, but not everyone thinks he's evil. Reality, the perception of reality, and the nature of good and evil set the tone for this adventure in ethical dilemmas. Brittania is a game world so fully realized that in it you can do things that aren't possible in other games. For example, you can plant, grow, and harvest wheat; take it to a miller to make flour; and then use the flour to make bread, which can be sold to get money. You probably wouldn't want to do this, but you can. Ultima VII is the first role-playing game to proceed beyond the DOS 640K memory barrier, and it requires a minimum of 2 MB of RAM just to load and play. It also consumes 20 MB of hard disk space. Ultima VII is voluntarily rated MP-13, for players 13 years old and above, due to violence (but not to nudity). At press time, neither Ultima VII not Wizadry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant were expected to be released until March. We have seen these titles in pre-release versions and think both are destined for greatness. Of course, that was also said about the movie Ishtar. Might & Magic III-- The Isles of Terra Besides crawling through mazes and causing carnage, the characters in role-playing games often have to solve puzzles. No series of role-playing games has more, or tougher, puzzles to solve than Might & Magic. Number puzzles, word puzzles, deductive and inductive reasoning puzzles, puzzles within puzzles--they all combine to make M&M unique. Which isn't to say there isn't a lot of fighting. There is. Might & Magic III--The Isles of Terra is an entertaining blend of science fiction and medieval swords and sorcery. Your party has battled and chased the evil Sheltem for two full games. Each time you think you've finished him, he pops up again. This time Sheltem challenges you to come after him and change the course of history. During this adventure, you will meet everything from werewolves, witches, and dragons to robots and terminators. En route you'll amass untold millions of gold pieces (all of which you'll spend) and eventually become the Ultimate Hero. The digitized talking heads at the beginning and end of the game are an especially nice touch and provide a preview of what lies ahead when the MPC's potential is fully realized. Eye of the Beholder II-- The Legend of Darkmoon Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) began publishing official Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) computer games several years ago and now has over a dozen different titles on the market. Eye of the Beholder II--The Legend of Darkmoon is an artistic and commercial success that follows on the heels of the first Eye of the Beholder game. In EOB II, your heroes and heroines are sent to investigate evil forces on the march to the north. In the middle of the forest, you discover the great temple, Darkmoon, which isn't on your map. You must investigate the strange temple, discover its evil secrets, and fight corrupt priests, evil magicians, and the undead all the way. What you'll find is a nest of unholy experiments and a master plot by the UBG to rule the world. SSI publishes three other AD&D role-playing series, called "Gold Box" games because of the packages they come in. In many ways, they are the ultimate games for players who care about their characters. Plots are interchangeable and secondary to character development and advancement. Players of paper-and-pencil AD&D games can use their own dice-generated characters, and characters can be transferred from game to game within each series. Each character's vital statistics can also be changed at the player's whim. When it comes time for fighting, you control the combat down to the smallest detail, or put the game on auto-pilot and let the computer do your fighting for you. These enormously popular titles--especially the initial games in each series--make good first games for anyone who has never played a role-playing game. Don't let the AD&D jargon and arcana put you off; the games offer challenge and fun. Elvira II-- The Jaws of Cerberus If you can license the rights to a computer version of D&D, why not a computer version of America's favorite ghoul- -er, gal--Elvira: Mistress of the Dark? Despite the prominent use of the TV and film personality's name, image, and cleavage on the game boxes, these are true role-playing games. In the first game, your goal is to help Elvira recover her lost chest (hmmm!), which contains a magic scroll. In Elvira II--The Jaws of Cerberus, you must find Elvira herself. She's missing from a film set and will be sacrificed at dawn so that the UBG can do you-know-what to the world. On a studio lot where just about everyone is (most graphically) dead, you must learn to mix and cast spells from the everyday junk you find lying around. You also have to survive some of the most gruesome monsters in role- playing land. The VGA graphics are well drawn and explicit. This is unusual because, despite the death and killing that take place in most role-playing games, very few titles make the aftermath of slaughter so explicit. The Jaws of Cerberus has the goriest, most bloody death and mutilation graphics of any computer game. When your character dies--and he or she often will--you're treated to a detailed closeup of the burned, torn, or dismembered corpse. It's not pretty. The Lost Weekend Role-playing games have a great entertainment value. Expect to invest over 100 hours playing any one of them over the course of a lot of late nights and lost weekends. They become addictive. You may even find yourself becoming attached to the characters you create, name, and nurture. And don't be too surprised to find yourself affected if you lose one of them--you're supposed to. That's why it's called role-playing. Elvira II--The Jaws of Cerberus Floppy-based. Requires DOS 2.1, 8086, 512K RAM. $69.95. Accolade, 550 S. Winchester, Suite 200, San Jose, CA 95128, 408-985-1700, fax 408-246-0885. Eye of the Beholder II--The Legend of Darkmoon; AD&D Gold Box games Floppy-based. Require DOS, 8086, 512K RAM. EOB II $59.95; Gold Box games $49.95-$59.95 each. Strategic Simulations Inc., 675 Almanor Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086, 408-737-6800, fax 408-737-6814. Might & Magic III Floppy-based. Requires DOS, 8088, 640K RAM. $59.95. New World Computing, 20301 Ventura Blvd., Suite 200, Woodland Hills, CA 91364, 818-999-0606, fax 818-593-3455. Ultima VII--The Black Gate Floppy-based. Requires DOS, 386, 2 MB RAM, VGA Sound board recommended. $79.95. Origin Systems, P.O. Box 161650, Austin, TX 78729, 800-999-4939, 512-328-5490, fax 512-328-3825. Wizadry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge; Wizadry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant Floppy-based. Require DOS, 8086, 640K RAM. Bane $59.95; Crusaders $69.95. Sir-Tech Software, P.O. Box 245, Ogdensburg, NY 13669, 315-393-6633, fax 315-393-1525. Peter Spear is an Emmy-award-winning television news producer, the author of The King's quest Companion and The Uncensored Leisure Suit Larry Bedside Companion, and co- author of Dvorak's Guide to PC Games. = z ╖ ⌠ 1dí▐Xò┴■;x╡≥/l⌐µ#`¥┌Tæ╬╓Pì╩ -jºΣ! ^ ¢ ╪ ° 5
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) f ú α $ a ₧ █ UÆ╧╒Oî╔CǽΦ%bƒ▓┤├ =z╖⌠1n½Φ%2o¼Θ&cá▌Lë╞@}║≈4`¥┌Tæ╬ HRSr»∞)fúα (eó▀ Y û ╙ M è Ü ╫ Q Ä ╦ E é ┐ ⁿ 9 ? | ╣ ÷ 3!>!?![!ÿ!╒!" "["ÿ"╒"#J#ç#─#$>${$▒$π$ %]%Ü%╫%δ%(&e&ó&▀& 'Y'û'╙'(M(è(╟()A)~)╗)°)5*f*ú*α* +Z+ù+ª+π+ ,],Ü,í,▐,-X-ò-╥-φ-*.g.ñ.ß. /[/ÿ/╒/0O0î0┬0 0<1y1₧1ƒ1│1≡1-2j2}2║2≈243q3«3δ3'4d4í4▐485u5▓5∩5,6K6L6 In the beginning there was Pong: a ghostly white lozenge blipping along a screen between two rectangular "paddles." It looked more like an oscilloscope on Valium than table tennis, and after a while it got kind of boring. But it was a game, and it was on a computer. Back in the mid-1970s, things didn't get any better than that. Fast Forward to 1992. You wake up to find yourself in a filthy bathroom stall. Both the cops and the mob are looking to pin a murder on you. You hear footsteps outside the door and the sound of a snub-nosed .38 echoing off the porcelain tiles. Is this a movie? A bad dream? No. It's Deja Vu, a game for IBM-compatible PCs. Computer games have come a long way in the last 15 years. Once arcade-style puzzlers with tinny sound and chunky Lego-like graphics, games have evolved into electronic adventure stories featuring sophisticated plots, realistic sound tracks, and TV-quality images. Along the way, they hit a fork in the evolutionary road, splitting off into two types: simple low-cost video setups that hook up to a TV, and more expensive personal computer-based games. Recently, a third option has emerged that marries the simplicity of video games with the sophistication of CD-ROM. These days gamesters can choose from Nintendo and Super Nintendo, CDTV and CD-I, and personal computer-based platforms such as the Amiga, Macintosh, and IBM PC compatibles. Which game system is right for you? How do these systems stack up against an MPC? To find out, I strapped on my armor, powered up the rocket thrusters, and set off to find the best system for your budget and style of gaming. But remember, best doesn't always mean the latest and greatest technology. Rainbows of color, concert-quality sound, and ultra-fast processors don't mean much if the games available for your system are yawners. The point is not which system uses the most hardware; it's the one that offers the most fun. HOOKED ON TV Unless you've been living under a rock on the planet Zorgon, it's impossible not to be cognizant of cartridge- based video-game systems. According to Nintendo, a mind boggling one in ten U.S. households owns a Nintendo Entertainment System. The company also claims that more Americans can identify Mario, the bouncy Italian plumber and star of the Super Mario Bros. game series, than can name the president of the United States. As with other branches of evolution, the genus of video games has split into a number of species, notably the older 8-bit Nintendo and Sega Master systems and the more powerful 16-bit Super Nintendo, Turbo Technologies' TurboGrafx-16, and Sega Genesis. Outwardly, they all look remarkably similar: Each is about the size of a small dictionary, with a slot of adding game cartridges and wires leading to one or more handheld controllers. The differences among the systems lay in price, sophistication, and availability of games. You can't beat the Nintendo for price or range of game titles. For less than $100 for the system and about $25 per title, you get a lot of fun for a little money. And setup is a snap: Just plug it into the back of your TV, and minutes later you can be trying to rescue Princess Toadstool in Mario Bros., skirting the Nibbly-Pibblys in Snake, Rattle 'n Roll, or figuring out how to sink the eight ball in Lunar Pool. On the down side, Nintendo gives you low-resolution graphics and plinky sound, and most of the titles are geared toward kids--hack-'n-slash adventure games and precious few puzzles or titles with depth. Even worse, less than 1 percent of the Nintendo titles let you save a game while in the middle of playing it. If you're partway through a complex game, you have to scribble down cryptic passwords or be sure to finish the game in one sitting. The Sega Master System has all the disadvantages of the Nintendo without any of the advantages. Few fun titles are available, and Sega has focused most of its efforts on its more powerful Genesis line, making the Master System a poor choice for gaming. SWEET 16-BIT New 16-bit systems are a big improvement over the Nintendo. For one thing, they give you more buttons on the handheld controller (six on the Super Nintendo compared with two on the regular Nintendo), allowing for more interaction with the game. You also get stereo sound and flicker-free animation. For instance, Sega's mega-cool Pit Fighter uses digitized photos of actual human characters beating on each other (a popular theme in video games). Super Mario Land for the Super Nintendo system offers some amazing graphics and audio--even a realistic echo when Mario is exploring underground. Of all 16-bit systems, the Genesis has the most games available for it, such as the funky Toe Jam and Earl (which includes by far the best blues riff in a video title) and the witty Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (in which America's favorite rodent is trapped in a beautiful 3-D castle). As Nintendo titles such as Contra, MegaMan, and Bart Simpson migrate up to the Super Nintendo platform, I expect the Super Nintendo to dominate the market. The genetic mutation in this equation is the TurboGrafx- 16, a $99 cartridge system that offers a $199 CD-ROM add-on. Unfortunately, the TG-16's selection of game cartridges is nothing to write home about. And if you choose the CD-ROM option, be prepared to wait--the drive's extremely slow access time leads to tedious blank-screen delays between scenes and interrupted theme music. Overall, the CD titles don't offer better graphics, cleaner sound, or a more sophisticated and engrossing game--just tons more territory to explore. In the end, it's kinda boring. Video-game setups have two main advantages over personal computer systems: They're cheap, and they use existing hardware. However, they offer little in the way of sophisticated story lines and control over the game environment. The handheld controls are great for playing no-brainers that require fast reactions. But move to a game like Nintendo's Jeopardy, in which you spell out answers by puttering around in a list of letters, and you'll kill for a keyboard. I CAN CD FOR MILES AND MILES Between the cheap cartridge setups and pricey PCs is a hybrid home system looking to carve out its own niche: CD- ROM-based home entertainment "appliances." These $800 to $1000 boxes are like VCRs, except that they play CDs instead of tapes and secretly have a computer for a heart. A nifty infrared remote lets you control the system from across the room without worrying about wires, disk drives, and keyboards. This breed is so new that only two systems are currently available: Commodore's CDTV and Philips' CD-I. Of the two, Philips' Imagination Machine is clearly superior. Although Commodore offers more than 100 CDTV titles, almost all of them are poorly designed or just plain dumb and have annoying interfaces, with audio and animation apparently added as an afterthought. Of all the titles, only the witty puzzle game Lemmings (included with the CDTV and also available on other platforms) is any fun. One very good game cannot justify laying out $999 plus $40 to $60 per title, however. Philips' $1000 CD-I system is vastly more sophisticated. Its clever programming helps to minimize the built-in disadvantages of CD-ROM. For instance, instead of displaying a blank screen while the systems accesses the disk, the scene freezes and dissolves into a new one. The result is real-time interruption-free animation, wonderful audio, and a terrific sense of what this next generation of systems can offer. Under CD-I, old favorites like Battleship take on new life--featuring vintage video footage of ships firing earshattering rockets and crystal-clear audio indicating whether the shot was either a hit or a miss. But although CD-ROM systems offer vast potential as game platforms and information resources, they're still too much in their infancy to be worth the investment. After all, why hook a dumb multimedia box to your TV when you can buy a smart one? MY KINGDOM FOR A KEYBOARD There is yet another dimension to the world of games, a dimension of sight and sound, of animation and imagination. The signpost is up ahead. Your next stop: the "Beyond the Game Zone." Beyond games? With the added power and capabilities of a desktop computer, you can play games that seem more like the weave of a hyper-reality fabric, a material that can suck you out of your own world and into the computer's. No TV hookups. We are talking about a full fledged system complete with keyboard, monitor, CPU, and mouse. As an initial investment, it's easily the most expensive way to play. But let's face it: You can spend $1500 on a video cartridge or CD-ROM system and a handful of titles, or, for the same amount, get a system that gives you superior gaming experience and lets you write letters, balance your checkbook, log on to CompuServe, plus a lot more. Because you'll want to use the system for more than games, your decision to buy an Amiga, Macintosh, or IBM compatible will depend as much on the options you get from the serious side of the software equation as on the fun you get from the games. Take Commodore's 500 DS Amiga. For $499 you get a system with great graphics and entertaining games. But outside of games, music, and graphics programs, your software options are sorely limited. Word processors and spreadsheets? Not even close to those on the Mac or the PC. The Macintosh has the opposite problem. The application software is first rate, but Apple has insisted for so long that the Mac is not a game machine that relatively few really good games have been released for it. Don't get me wrong; there are some hot Mac games. Spectrum HoloByte's Vette is a high-speed car chase that lets you run cops ragged around the hills of San Francisco. (Funny, it's just not the same when I try it in my Supra.) Delta Tao's Spaceward Ho is a top-notch space adventure, and Velocity Development's Spectre is an explosive multiplayer tank battle. But although a $1300 color Mac gives you such gorgeous graphics and great sound, the selection of Mac games simply does not stack up against the thousands of titles that are now available for DOS-based PCs. The only system offering a wealth of terrific games and applications is the PC. An AT system gets you a gaming platform unmatched by any other. From the sleazy humor of Leisure Suit Larry to the Arthurian style fantasies of King's Quest, the list of fun PC titles could easily fill this magazine. When you let them loose on a multimedia PC, these games really come alive. With a high-speed 386, extra-sharp super-VGA display, CD-ROM drive, sound board, and speakers, a game transforms into an interactive movie--with you as the star. Consider the story line of Sierra On-Line's ManHunter. You're living in a hostile future, working for alien invaders and tracking down humans. All the while you're secretly trying to build an underground resistance force and wrest Earth back from the aliens. With plots this good, who needs to go to the movies? Although an MPC enhances any game created for standard PCs, only a handful currently take advantage of the MPC's potential--adding features like video footage, a Dolby sound track, and multiple story threads running simultaneously in real time. Hot MPC titles include Battle Chess MPC, which comes with an extensive chess tutorial featuring voice commentary, and the educational Headline Harry and the Great Paper Race. There's also Jones in the Fast Lane, a sort of hitech turbo version of the old board game "Life," and an outrageous new version of the exploration game Loom, which features high resolution animation and voice capabilities. Even more hot MPC games are just around the corner. With prices starting $2000, an MPC is not cheap. But for that price you get more than a state-of-the-art gaming system; you also get one of the hottest computing platforms available for all your applications. WHAT'S IN A GAME? I admit it: I'm a game junkie. I've used all the systems mentioned in this article, from Nintendo to the MPC. Almost all have good things going for them and offer fun and engrossing titles. If you're looking to pacify your 6-year-old, a Nintendo system makes a fairly cheap electronic babysitter that's also a lot of fun. For something the whole family can enjoy, consider a CD-I system, but wait at least six months before you invest in this brand new technology. If fast shoot-'em-up arcade action is more your style, you can do equally well with either the Super Nintendo or the Genesis. If you want to make a shrewd investment and maximize both your fun and productivity, an MPC is the winner. With its excellent audio and video capabilities, and swelling support from the industry, an MPC gives you the best of both worlds, real and imaginary. Dave Taylor is the editor of the Digital Games Review newsletter and an analyst in the gaming industry. He is also reviews editor at SunWorld magazine. His favorite games of the moment are Pipe Dream on the Nintendo, Lemmings for CDTV, and Loom on the MPC. = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ▄T_`ƒ▄VÅÉ╧ Iåùÿ╫QcdúαEé┐ⁿ9vîìó╝∙6 s ░ φ *
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Jç─>ij⌐└┴■;x╡≥√ⁿ;x╡≥CÇ╜·7t▒ε+hvw╢≤ m ¬ τ $ a ₧ ╩ ╦ µ ⌡ 2 o ¼ Θ & c á ▌ W ö ╤ !K!ê!╗!°!5"r"»"∞")#a#₧#█#$U$Æ$╧$ %I%å%╢%╖%╫%&Q&Ä&╦&'E'é'┐'µ'#(`(¥(┌()T)æ)╬) *H*à*┬* *<+y+╢+╤+╥+ε++,h,Ñ,Γ, -\-Ö-╓-ß- .[.ÿ.╒./O/î/ò/Ü/┘/0-0.0 Multimedia computing embodies both a promise and a challenge. The promise is the ability to turn your PC from a simple productivity tool into a complete information resource, one that lets you steer interactively through information presented in sights, sounds and text. The challenge is to do that without getting hopelessly bogged down in hardware/software incompatibilities and without running out of cash. To meet both that promise and that challenge, multimedia computing needs a standard that maximizes the capabilities of technology while providing a realistic and cost-effective adoption path. That standard is the Multimedia PC (MPC) specification and, at its core, Microsoft's Windows with Multimedia Extensions software. The multimedia PC approach offers distinctive benefits for users: * Easy access to multimedia technology. The multimedia PC offers standard, device-independent access to a broad range of multimedia devices, including CD-ROMs. Worries about hardware/software compatibility and having the right device-specific drivers are things of the past. * Extensibility. Users aren't just assured of access to today's multimedia technology. They get an open migration path to adopt future multimedia technologies and have those new devices work with their current applications. * Ease of use. Because it's based on the familiar Windows operating system, users already know the interface. Current PC programs and files will continue to run on the multimedia PC. * Affordability. Many PCs can be upgraded to multimedia PCs for as little as $700, and complete multimedia PCs can be purchased for about $2000. * Flexibility. Users who want more powerful multimedia computing systems can buy them--or upgrade their base- model multimedia PCs at their own pace. The multimedia PC specification is fully compatible with higher configurations (486 processors, more RAM, larger hard disks) and even optional multimedia devices, such as videodisc players. MOMENTUM GROWS FOR WINDOWS WITH MULTIMEDIA Because it's based on Windows--the most popular PC graphical operating system, with more than nine million copies sold in its first 18 months--the multimedia PC approach is the most risk-free way users can adopt multimedia. Developers are committed to Windows, so users can and do feel comfortable adopting it, too. The software and hardware they want is available--more than 100 vendors are creating the hardware or software that supports the multimedia PC standard. Users can be confident that this third-party support will continue to expand rapidly. More than 700 developers attended the Microsoft sponsored Multimedia Developers Conference in November 1990 and more than 2,100 attended the Conference on Windows 3.1 last August. More than 3,000 Multimedia Development Kits have been distributed. Microsoft also encourages multimedia development through multimedia seminars held around the country and through its sponsorship of the annual International Conference and Exposition on Multimedia and CD-ROM, which it founded seven years ago. A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MULTIMEDIA PC STANDARD The multimedia PC standard builds on familiar PC elements. It requires: * 386SX or higher CPU * 2MB RAM * 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, 1.44MB capacity and at least a 30MB hard drive * CD-ROM with compact disc digital audio outputs and a data transfer rate of 150KB per second * 8-bit digital/analog converters, microphone input, music synthesizer and on-board analog audio mixing * VGA color graphics adapter * Microsoft Windows with Multimedia Extensions 1.0 operating system WINDOWS WITH MULTIMEDIA: WHAT IT IS Windows with Multimedia provides the underlying system software support to allow multimedia applications to work-- and to work easily with a range of multimedia devices. If you buy a multimedia PC or a multimedia PC upgrade kit, the Multimedia Extensions will come integrated with your Windows system software. Microsoft also includes the Multimedia Extensions with Windows 3.1 and Windows 3.1 upgrades. That lets users who already own compatible multimedia devices-- such as CD-ROMs and audio boards--enjoy many of the benefits of multimedia PC computing. The Multimedia Extensions provide several significant enhancements to the standard Windows environment, including: * Support for a range of audio types. Users will be able to access waveform audio, Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) audio files, and compact disc audio from a CD-ROM disc drive. * Support for virtually any device type from a "high-level" Media Control Interface (MCI). For example, it supports CD-ROMs, digital audio devices, video overlay cards and videodisc players. It supports hardware required for multimedia PC, optional hardware, and even virtual software devices, such as software-only video players. * Support for Multimedia services at the "low-level" of specific Application Programming Interface functions. * New software control panel applets that let users change display drivers, set up a screen-saver, install multimedia device drivers, calibrate joysticks, select sounds to associate with system events and map MIDI instruments so that externally produced MIDI files will play appropriately on your synthesizer. * New VGA display drivers, including both high-and low- resolution drivers. Microsoft based the Multimedia Extensions on an array of industry accepted computing standards. That makes it easier for hardware and software developers to create products for Windows with Multimedia, and for users to easily mix and match these components as they wish. Those standards include: * RIFF. The Resource Interchange File Format provides a new, extensible way for the system to identify data. That allows it to work with new data types over time, while maintaining compatibility with existing files and applications. * OLE. One of the great advances in Windows is Microsoft's Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) technology, which lets applications perform functions not described in their own code, by "borrowing" the expertise from Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) elsewhere in the system. For example, an OLE-aware electronic mail program can access dynamic link libraries (DLLs) for audio or video to add voice and pictures to e-mail messages. Or a spreadsheet program could include a video icon which, when clicked, uses a DLL to access a prerecorded message from the treasurer on videodisc. * Media Control Interface (MCI). At the heart of the Multimedia Extensions is the Media Control Interface (MCI). The MCI is a software extension that lets applications control: hardware devices required under the MPC specification (audio cards and CD-ROMs), optional hardware devices such as videodisc players, and virtual devices such as software-only video and animation players. MCI supports CD audio, digital video, multimedia movies, analog video overlay, MIDI sequencers, videodiscs and digitized waveform audio. WINDOWS WITH MULTIMEDIA: HOW IT WORKS The Multimedia Extensions work right alongside the standard Windows systems software components; they sit between the user's multimedia application software and the multimedia devices that software must access. Figure 1 shows how the Multimedia Extensions interact with applications and devices. The application sends regular Windows commands to the Windows system software and drivers, and sends high-level multimedia commands to the MMSystem layer. These device-control commands include Open, Play, Record, Seek, Pause, Save and Close. The MMSystem interprets and routes them to the appropriate device driver. Some multimedia drivers, such as those for CD-ROM drives, control the device directly, while others call an existing low-level device driver to indirectly control devices such as waveform audio. Multimedia drivers can also access DLLs to add multimedia functionality to an application. This structure gives Windows with multimedia its device independence. Users don't need to worry if their multimedia PC-compatible CD-ROM and application can work together, because devices and applications need only communicate with a single element: the MCI. That makes it easier for developers to produce multimedia PC-compatible products-- which means users will get a broader choice of options. That device independence is especially important at this early stage of the multimedia industry. One example is digital video. Options for playing digital video include Microsoft's AVI, Intel's DVI, MPEG, motion-JPEG. As long as they support MCI, all of these variations can be called from the same set of commands for digital video. Neither users nor applications need to know which digital video format they're controlling. That gives powerful insurance, because as the industry shakes out, users won't be stuck with applications that only support a losing format. EXTENSIBILITY AND EASE OF USE In theory, there's little limit to the device types that Windows with Multimedia can support. So as additional types--such as digital audio tape, VCRs, Fax modems, television and radio tuners, etc.--gain multimedia drivers, existing applications will be able to control them. And as entirely new types of devices are invented, they can be brought under the Windows with Multimedia umbrella, too. Nor are those new devices limited to hardware; they can include software-only implementations. The commands noted above eschew complex code for simple English. That helps make the system device independent, extensible and easy to use. Users will likely find that some applications let them use these simple commands to control multimedia devices directly, on their own. And they won't need to learn new commands each time they go to a new device. The command system is so simple, it is even opening multimedia software creation to an entirely new class of developers--users, who may have little or no programming knowledge. Many of the people who should be writing multimedia titles, after all, are the content experts (historians, linguists, political scientists, and so on) who have, until recently, been limited to the role of multimedia users. Using a high level authoring tool that supports the Multimedia Extensions, such as Microsoft's Visual Basic with Professional Toolkit, they can create sophisticated, multimedia content titles. CD-ROM PERFORMANCE ISSUES New, multimedia applications and titles need massive amounts of data--more data than can fit into a few megabytes of RAM. That could cause awkward delays as the system continually seeks additional CD-ROM data and loads it into RAM. To avoid those delays, the multimedia PC performance specification requires that a CD-ROM drive be able to maintain a sustained data transfer rate of 150KB per second while utilizing no more than 40 percent of the CPU's bandwidth. Many older drives--which shipped before the standard was set--do not meet this requirement. But some can be upgraded with new software device drivers or interfaces to improve performance. The result: applications including, for example, software-only video, can continually read or stream data at a full 150KB, including full interleave audio and video, decompress the data and render it on screen and speaker. Communications to the author may be addressed to Patrick Ford, Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052; 206/882-8080. G = z ╖ σ "_ï╚B╝τ$a₧█Ω'dí▐9v│≡-jº═╬σ"_£┘%bƒ▄ J K b ƒ ╥
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N ï Æ ╧ I å æ ╬ Hlm¬½Φ Windows 3.1 represents more than just the 1000 claimed improvements to the popular PC graphical user interface. Its sound and animation functionality should spur development and sales of multimedia products. Previously, Microsoft's multimedia extensions were widely available only with MPC-certified hardware. It was a kludgy combination on top of Windows 3.0. Windows 3.1 integrates the extensions into the basic Windows product so that any PC running Windows will use sound, animation, and other multimedia types of data without making software calls to the add-on device drivers and applications of the old extensions. It should give multimedia users a more elegant solution. In addition to the sound and animation capabilities available in multimedia extensions, Windows 3.1 includes the MCI (media control interface) driver, which provides a "plug-in socket" for coordination of video and other future media drivers. "The real difference between 3.0 and 3.1 is that the basic operating system is sound enabled," said Creative Labs marketing director Arnold Waldstein. "It's like a transparent shell that all developers can write to. Down the road that means that sound may be used by more people; it's there waiting for them." For multimedia title publishers, Windows 3.1 may open up a new market. "Our customers aren't power users," said Broderbund Publisher Richard Whittaker. "We target a broad spectrum of consumers. They aren't going to make the complicated buying decisions of getting extra hardware and extensions to Windows 3.0. Having it in one package with Windows 3.1 opens up a broad market." Hardware Advertising "More people will have the opportunity to experience the benefits of multimedia, and that will have an impact on market acceptance," said Media Vision Marketing Vice President Michael Humphress. "Once developers are assured of a larger customer base, more will add sound to their applications." Jeff Klinedinst, vice president of marketing for sound board manufacturer Turtle Beach, also expect to capitalize on Microsoft's move. "It's the best form of advertising in the world, with the broad base Microsoft has," he said. "It's really going to expand the market for us." Illegitimate No More More importantly, incorporating the extensions into Windows 3.1 authenticates multimedia as a PC tool. "It's legitimizing aspects of multimedia," said Multimedia Computing Corp. Chief Analyst Nick Arnett. "It's a signal that sound is becoming a standard part of this DOS environment." "Multimedia belongs in the operating system," said Inside Report Publisher Tony Bove. "Without it being in the OS, it's a niche application. Multimedia is just different data types, and an operating system should accommodate that." Bove did complain that Windows 3.1 doesn't answer many problems associated with multimedia on the PC, and Microsoft did not go far enough in setting the necessary standards. "Microsoft should have decreed how CD-ROMs work with Windows and SCSI." Even with that limitation, Windows 3.1 represents a new opportunity. "Multimedia Windows opens up possibilities," said Broderbund's Whittaker. "Our Windows Kid Pix wouldn't have been possible six months ago." By Paul Worthington From MPC World, June/July 1992 Issue O = z ╖ ⌠ ⁿ (eó▀ /l⌐µ Zù╘-jé┐ⁿ9v│≡-jºΣ!@}║≈4q«δ( e ì ╩
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8 u ▓ ∩ · 7 t ▒ ε +hÑΓ \Ö╓φ*gñß JKêë╞ One of the largest PC expositions of the year was almost overshadowed by the battle of the operating systems between Microsoft and IBM. But the two giants had to compete with dozens of multimedia products for attention at Spring Comdex. The expo was held April 6-9 in Chicago. Microsoft's over-rehearsed premiere for Windows 3.1 was as glitzy as a prime-time game show compared with IBM's lengthy sales pitch for the new version of OS/2. IBM demonstrated its DOS-replacement running DOS, Windows, and OS/2 applications. IBM seemed to score a decisive blow when it showed OS/2 running Windows 3.1, which had been shipping for only 24 hours. But then IBM admitted it was just a demo, and the shipping version of OS/2 worked only with Windows 3.0. Both new GUIs add multimedia support, and multimedia hardware and software was all over the show floors of the two expo halls, including two special-focus pavilions. Dozens of vendors hyped their Windows 3.1 compatibility and their multimedia abilities. Here's a brief look at some of the products that caught our interest at Comdex: AdLib (418-529-9676) was showing its soon-to-ship AdLib Gold stereo sound adapter. This MPC card may be the first to hit the street with the new Yamaha FM synthesis chips. Advanced Gravis (800-663-8558) announced the addition of extra onboard memory for CD-quality audio to its $199 UltraSound board, which uses the same Ensoniq DOC II chip as RTM's $249 AudioMaster (see "Ensoniq Sounds Off" in New April/May 1992); both boards drew a lot of attention, and the companies promise to have them out by this summer. For playing with any sound board, Midisoft (206-881-7176) has a $149.95 music tutorial Music Mentor for Windows. It sports lots of information and music. Sun Moon Star (408-452-7811) showed a faster-than- average MPC; its 33-Mhz machine comes with a hi-res monitor for $3500. Leading Edge (508-836-4800) announced four multimedia PC systems, which come with an "Integration CD" for setting up an MPC's operations and restoring a system configuration after a crash. Prices start at $2399 for a 20-Mhz 386SX model. Packard Bell (818-886-2098) is including a similar CD with its new MPC; $2200 includes speakers and a subwoofer, but not a monitor. Prices start at $1999.95 for the 25-Mhz 386SX model. Speaking of low prices, Pinnacle Micro (714-727-3300), which already offers a $399 MPC-spec internal CD-ROM drive, announced a portable model for the same price. The company was shooting for a May release. Aitech International (408- 946-3291) showed a $299 cassette-sized adapter for converting PC video to standard TV video. A TV can be used as a computer monitor for playing an MPC title on the big screen, or PC output can be recorded on a VCR. Another company, Modern (800-237-4599), showed a similar product, TV Link, as did Digital Vision (617-329-5400) with its $299.95 TelevEyes. Interactive Storytime, a children's book CD title, is a top-seller for Multimedia Products Corp. (914-426-0400). Volume II, which includes the tale of the "Boy Who Cried Wolf" and a coloring book printing option, is now available. For playing 100 titles at the same time, call NSM at 516-261-7700 for more info on the jukebox CD changer. It holds 100 discs, and automatically loads them into the drive for playback. It should be out this summer for around $6000. To really fill it up, the Multimedia PC Marketing Council said that more than 105 MPC-certified titles are now available, including 28 new ones shown at Comdex by publishers such as EBook, Dynamix, Future Trends, and Applied Optical Media. It was hard for us to ignore the Screen Machine from Fast Electronic (508-655-3278), whose mixedmedia video demo with Madonna was playing loudly across from our booth. The $2595 16-bit board for the PC promises the professional power that's making the Amiga-based Video Toaster from New Tek so popular for broadcast-quality video. By Paul Worthington From MPC World, June/July 1992 Issue = z ╖ ╔ CÇ╜·7t¿σ YZoÄ«╬╧ Compton's NewMedia announced publishing agreements with U.S. publishers to bring out more than a dozen titles on CD- ROM. The discs will play on both an MPC and the new Sony CD-ROM XA Player. Among the announced new multimedia titles are Billboard History of Rock and Roll, which mixes text and pictures, including album covers, with music and video clips; The Doctor's Book of Home Remedies from the million seller book by the editors of Prevention magazine; and an interactive newspaper database (published in cooperation with Knight- Ridder Newspapers) that will be updated four times a year. All titles are expected to sell for less than $100. Compton's also announced it will begin development with McGraw-Hill on the first college multimedia textbook. By Paul Worthington Compton's NewMedia, 722 Genevieve, Suite M, Solana Beach, CA 92075, 800-532-3766, 619-259-0444, fax 619-259-0449. From MPC World, June/July 1992 Issue I = z ╢ ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%\Ö╓Pì╩D|╣÷3p¡Ω'd¥┌Tæ╬ Hà┬ < y ╢ ≤ 0
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[ ÿ ╒ O î ╔ CÇ╜·7t▒ε+hê┼?@}As reported by Alfred Kagan, Secretary, Government Information and Official Publications Section, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). "Review of Experiences with CD-ROM for International Development and Prospects for the Future," was a meeting organized by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) in Amsterdam and hosted by the International Labour Office (ILO) in Geneva in December, 1991. Fifty-six people from 34 organizations, including 11 intergovernmental organizations, attended the meeting. CD-ROM is an appropriate technology for use in any country and it is clear that a great amount of activity is already underway in numerous third world countries. Additional reasons why CD-ROMs are appropriate in poor countries include their ability to withstand climatic extremes, power cuts, insects, and fungi. There also isn't any need to connect to (probably unreliable) national telecommunications and electricity grids. This is a relatively inexpensive technology that can stand alone. Hans van Hartevelt from the Dutch Royal Tropical Institute focused on the sustainability of CD-ROM projects in underdeveloped countries. He noted the importance of using local suppliers to purchase and maintain equipment. In a current project, they are able to do so in 20 of 22 countries. He stressed the need for administrative support at the top levels, accountability and commitment of local organizations, promotion of services, and in-depth development including the production of local databases. Two-thirds of the meeting participants focused on agriculture and rural development work. Cornell University, with the help of the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, is undertaking the most ambitious project in this field. When complete, it will be a full-text agricultural library on 250 CD-ROMs containing 12,000 books and five years of 750 journals. Development agencies will buy it for about $50,000 and distribute it to appropriate sites. Hardware considerations, however, must be examined. The sheer volume of the material may be too much for the medium. Best use would require a jukebox, or at least multiple workstations with multiple disc drives. Will such equipment be available? Should such a large scale project wait for the development of the next generation of high capacity storage media? These are some of the questions brought up in the meeting that need further discussion and coordination. The group concluded that there was a need to meet annually, publish a newsletter, set up an e-mail listserver, and develop a database of CD-ROM sites. Agencies should look to providing multiple disc equipment and several workstations at each site. To address the common problem of finding citations to articles that are not available, the production of full-text databases should be encouraged. Ways should be found to produce CD-ROM discs in project countries to distribute local information. The U.N. Advisory Committee for the Coordination of Information Systems (ACCIS) will soon do a survey of present and projected plans for CD-ROM use throughout the U.N. system. Perhaps this will suggest further avenues for consideration. Economics is driving CD-ROM technology forward. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has started a program to encourage its member countries to switch from paper documents to the new WIPO CD-ROM disc. As an incentive to members, and as a cost-saving measure, WIPO is donating complete workstations to member countries that choose to receive CD-ROMs instead of paper documents. This is a dramatic illustration of future trends and points out a direction for further activity. For more information, contact Alfred Kagan, Research and Informaiton Services Department, Homer Babbidge Library, Box U-5RI, Storrs, CT 06269-1005; 203/486-1262; FAX 203/486-3593 From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = u ▓ ∩ ,iª┌Gmn If you like the virtual reality of Cybercon, you can try creating your own with Domark's Virtual Reality Studio. This introduction to 3-D modeling lets you create a world of your own--furniture, rooms, buildings--as well as solid 3-D objects. Build yourself a computerized car and take it for a spin; rotate it to view all sides of your 3-D creation. Virtual Reality Studio also comes with a tutorial video cassette and with 15 predesigned 3-D objects. Scheduled for a spring release, the price is $89.95. Domark, 550 S. Winchester, Suite 200, San Jose, CA 95128, 408-296-7933, fax 408-246-6701 From MPC World, April/May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%0m¬τ$a₧█Uk¿σ"_£┘▀α Meridian Data, Inc., has introduced a new software product called Personal Publisher, which converts all types of business information to ISO 9660 format. Priced at $495 list, Personal Publisher allows anyone with a 386- or 486- based PC to format any combination of text, numeric and spreadsheet data, source and executable program files, or images, photos, illustrations, fonts, bit mapped pages and graphs, and transfer the formatted information to four and eight millimeter tape, hard disks, or CD-ROM write-once recorders. According to Meridian, Personal Publisher software is easy to use, featuring a fast, single-step process from a DOS file structure to ISO format. It can input any image file type to provide real flexibility to create CD-ROMs for environments such as UNIX and HFS. While CD-ROM data is formatted to the ISO standard, Personal Publisher users can choose three output options: premaster an exact image of a CD-ROM to an image file stored on a cartridge tape system, on a DOS volume, or master a disc directly using a write- once CD-ROM recorder. Personal Publisher, designed to provide beginning corporate users with an easy to use, high performance, low cost software solution, is the first generation of Meridian's corporate desktop publishing products. For more information contact Meridian Data, Inc., 5615 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066; 408/438-3100; FAX 408/438- 6816. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½╥Lë╞@}║≈²■ SilverPlatter's Health Sciences Group has announced a March 1992 release of the MDX Health Digest on CD-ROM. MDX Health Digest, produced by Medical Data Exchange of Los Altos, CA, is a consumer health database containing summaries of current articles on health issues from magazines, newsletters, newspapers and medical journals. Over 10,000 records from nearly 200 publications published since 1988 are contained on one disc. Every record in MDX Health Digest includes an abstract - written in layperson's terminology-to help users avoid chasing down references that are not pertinent to their needs. Annual subscriptions are $1900 and include quarterly updates. For more information, contact SilverPlatter Information, Inc., 100 River Ridge Drive, Norwood, MA 02062- 5026; 800/874-1130 or 617/769-2599; FAX 617/769-8763; or SilverPlatter Information Ltd., 10 Barley Mow Passage, Chiswick, London W4 4PH UK; 44/81-995-8242; FAX 44/81-995- 5159. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ╗°5r»╙Mè╟./ Maxwell Electronic Publishing (MEP) has announced the launch of a new product line, Personal Medlines on CD-ROM, developed to meet the needs and budgets of physicians in practice and research. The first MEDLINE product to be released is The Physician's MEDLINE, five years of abstracts from the 150 top medical journals across all specialties. The new MEP product line also features a series of Specialist's MEDLINE CD-ROMs, developed by medical information specialists and edited by respected physicians from each specialty. Each CD-ROM contains five years of references and abstracts (over 200,000) from the MEDLINE database in each specialty. Currently available Specialist's MEDLINE CD-ROMs include The Cardiology MEDLINE, The Infectious Diseases MEDLINE, and The Obstetrics & Gynecology MEDLINE. Future specialty MEDLINEs will include Pediatrics, Family Practice, and Critical Care & Emergency Medicine. The Physician's MEDLINE and the Specialist's MEDLINEs are available on CD-ROM for $195 (once a year) and $495 (quarterly). CD-ROM drives may also be ordered from MEP at discounted prices. For more information, contact Maxwell Electronic Publishing, 124 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; 617/661-2955; FAX 617/868-7738. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½╕⌡2o¼╗°5r»∞)fú╙╘ OPAL (On- Disc Professional and Academic Libraries) has announced its first full-text legal and medical CD-ROM products. The first of the new legal discs cover immigration law and international environmental law, and include complete statutory materials and commentary as well as immigration forms, environmental permit applications and administrative law forms. The discs are available immediately. OPAL's medical disc libraries feature text and images, and include original material that will not appear in print as well as published reference works. The first of these discipline-specific CD-ROM titles are scheduled for release in March 1992. According to the announcement, distinguished physicians and authors serve as editors and authors for OPAL's medical and legal publications. OPAL's management includes two practicing international lawyers with backgrounds in the medical industry and in publishing. For more information contact OPAL Publishing Corporation, 495 Westport Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851; 203/849-8892; FAX 203/849-9181. In Europe contact OPAL Publishing Corporation, Seefeldstrasse 62, CH- 8034, Zurich; 41-1-383-3079; FAX 41-1-383-3541. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ α Zù╘Nï╚≥/l⌐╤Kê«δ(eó▀ "# Morningstar has introduced a CD-ROM database of over 2,200 mutual funds with a menu-driven software program that allows users to compare, evaluate and track all funds and produce customized reports and graphics. Morningstar Mutual Funds OnDisc provides 152 fields of information on each fund, ranging from Alpha to complete portfolios. The product allows the user to search and sort for the funds which match his needs, to analyze total returns for a single fund or group of funds for any time period over the last 15 years, and to evaluate results- numerically or graphically-against any of nine benchmark indices including the S&P 500, Wilshire 4500, and Lehman Brothers Government/Corporate Bond Index. In addition to performance and fund statistics, the disc also provides "inside" information for many funds, including candid written analyses based on one-to-one interviews with the fund manager and manager profiles. Specialized software allows users to generate detailed line, bar, and pie graphs to present findings, to create customized screening formats, and to export data, reports or graphs into other software programs. One year subscriptions are available with annual ($295), quarterly ($495) or monthly ($795) updates. Morningstar will also provide a Hitachi CD-ROM drive for an additional $500. A network version is available. For more information contact Liz Michaels, Product Manager, Morningstar, 53 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604; 312/427-1985; FAX 312/427- 9215. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½╓Pì╩Dü╛√8hi Dialog OnDisc American Banker is now available from Dialog Information Services, Inc. The new full-text newspaper database corresponds to the online version (File 625 on Dialog) and includes all articles from American Banker, the "newspaper of record" for the banking community. In addition to articles from the newspaper, it also includes the full text of regulations affecting the industry and articles and speeches by industry leaders. Dialog OnDisc American Banker is available in three configurations: the complete file from 1982 to the present on two discs, the current file (1990-1992) on one disc, or the backfile (1982-1989) on one disc. The current disc will be updated quarterly. The one-time purchase price is $1450 for the current version, $2400 for the backfile version, and $3500 for the complete version. Current year renewals are $850. DOS and Macintosh versions of the discs are available. For more information contact Dialog Information Services, Inc., 3460 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304; 800/3-DIALOG or 415/858-3785; FAX 415/858-7069. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ▄Vôá▌Wö═
G亿σ CD-ROM software developer Dataware Technologies Inc., the largest independent CD-ROM authoring company with over 150 clients (largely Fortune 1000 companies) paired with Reference Technology Inc. (RTI), one of the founding service bureaus in the CD-ROM industry. RTI will continue to operate from its Boulder headquarters, taking on Dataware's name. Kurt Mueller, Dataware's president and CEO, will lead the new enterprise, with RTI's current president Michael Brisnehan expected to serve as Dataware's CFO. Clients of each will continue to work with existing support and sales personnel. In the future, efforts-particularly in the multimedia arena-are expected to create opportunities for cross-platform development between the two companies' products. RTI's current work in reselling CD-ROM drives and other third-party work is expected to continue for the near- term future. The merger ends speculation surrounding the recent layoffs and downsizing at Reference Technology. Having struggled for profitability in the eighties, RTI posted their best year yet in 1991, and will surely benefit from the combined strengths the two companies bring together. [CP will cover the merger in greater detail in the July issue.-ed.] For more information contact Kathleen Hunter, Dataware Technologies Inc., 222 Third Street, Suite 3300, Cambridge, MA 02142; 617/621-0820. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1@}║≈4q«δQÄ╦Eé┐ⁿElm¬ IBM announced the availabity of PhotoMotion, a unique software-only video compression and decompression technology that will enable application developers to bring the power of motion video with synchronized audio to the installed- base of DOS systems and the growing number of systems with CD-ROM drives. PhotoMotion is an easy-to-use, point-and-click editing software package for personal computers running DOS and enables capture, digitization and compression of video and audio, then provides easy-to-use capabilities for trimming the clips to precise intervals. Applications created with PhotoMotion can be played back on any Personal System/2, Personal System/1 and other 100% compatible systems, without the requirement for additional hardware. With PhotoMotion, developers can pack over two hours of quarter-screen motion video (10 frames-per-second) in VGA or XGA mode, complete with synchronized 8-bit audio on one CD- ROM disc. Users can also take advantage of PhotoMotion's scaleability to increase performance on more powerful playback machines even when applications are dedicated to CD-ROM playback. PhotoMotion is being made available to multimedia developers through IBM's multimedia organization in Atlanta. For more information, contact the IBM Multimedia Information Center; 800/426-9402 x60. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue " = z ╖ ⌠ 1cá▌Wö╤8u▓∩,iª╝∙6s░φ*gñß∩≡- In beta tests among several libraries in New Jersey, Auto-Graphics, Inc. has introduced a new, file server-based version of its electronic interlibrary loan (ILL) system. The software is a module of Auto-Graphics' IMPACT CD-ROM public access catalog system, which has an installed base of over 3,000 terminals throughout North America. Library staff use the IMPACT software to search a CD-ROM union catalog at their local PCs to find needed materials held by other libraries. To create loan requests they press a few keys and the system automatically inserts the necessary bibliographic data into an ILL request form. Lender selection is automatic, and constant data elements are profiled in advance. A blank request form and reference question referral form are also provided. The new system uses a centrally located file server to manage telecommunications between participating libraries, rather than the former third-party electronic mail service. Each day, library staff prepare new requests and status reports; each night the file server dials every workstation to obtain outbound messages, transmit inbound transactions, and generate reports. The new system adds many features for automatic forwarding, updating, and maintaining loan requests. It tracks time-sensitive requests, alerts libraries to expired and overdue requests, and lets staff report on request status. The module also supports statistics, reports, and backing up requests before and after transmission. For detailed information on the ILL system, contact Sales/Marketing Dept., Auto-Graphics, Inc., 3201 Temple Ave., Pomona, CA 91768; 800/776-6939 or 714/595-7204; FAX 714/595-3506. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n}║≈4q«δ(e£┘Svw┤ Tax Analysts has announced the release of its new CD-ROM product, TAxSource 92, which contains the full texts of the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1986, as amended, the complete Treasury Regulations issued under titles 26 and 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and all taxpayer information publications released by the IRS for the 1992 filing season. Using Folio software, each of these databases can be accessed individually, or a search may be conducted across all three databases. In addition, each of the programs provides links to appropriate sections of the other databases. For example, a person browsing the Internal Revenue Code may quickly jump to the appropriate regulation section through a link token. Similarly, a person reviewing the IRS publications may quickly jump to the regulation or Code section cited as the basis for the IRS' position. TAxSource 92 is available for IBM PCs and 100% compatibles. For more information, contact Tax Analysts, 6830 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22213; 800/955-2444 or 703/533-4400; FAX 703/533-4444. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½ΦTæ╬ Hàó▀ Yû╙Mefú Corel Systems Corporation is now offering a competitive upgrade to the CorelDRAW CD-ROM Blockbuster bundle. Users of Micrografx Designer, Arts & Letters, Aldus Freehand (PC), Adobe Illustrator (PC), Harvard Draw and Gem Artline-as well as registered CorelDRAW users-can upgrade their diskette versions to the CorelDRAW CD-ROM bundle for $595 U.S. (internal drive) and $695 U.S. (external drive). The bundle includes CorelDRAW 2.01 on CD-ROM, a CorelDRIVER SCSI CD-ROM interface kit and a Toshiba 3301 CD-ROM drive. CorelDRAW 2.01 on CD-ROM includes a collection of over 10,000 high-quality clipart images and symbols from ArtRight, Totem, One Mile Up, TechPool, MicroMaps and Image Club. All of the clipart images and symbols are uncompressed and available in both CorelDRAW and EPS formats. According to Corel, the value of these images and symbols alone is over $5000. For non-users of the aforementioned illustration packages, the suggested list price of the "plug and play" bundle including SCSI interface kit and Toshiba drive for PCs is $1295 U.S. (internal drive) and $1395 U.S. (external drive). For more informaiton contact Corel Systems Corporation, The Corel Building, 1600 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1Z 8R7; 800/836-6366 or 613/728- 8200; FAX 613/728-9790. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1Jç─>{╕⌡2o{╕⌡2o¼╗°5r»∞)efú IBM will market the 1991 School and Library Multimedia Edition of the TIME Magazine Compact ALMANAC-a complete current events reference program developed by TIME and Compact Publishing, Inc. IBM will distribute the new edition, which includes an Activity Guide for students, teachers and librarians. Created specifically for CD-ROM, the second edition of the ALMANAC includes more than 10,000 TIME articles. It has been completely updated to include the full text of TIME from 1989 through April 1, 1991, the end of the Gulf War, plus TIME's coverage of the failed Soviet coup. Many new articles have been added as well to the collection of stories from 1923 to 1988, covering TIME's 69-year publishing history. In addition, the program is updated annually with new features and the full text of every new TIME issue. New features added to the 1991 edition include quarter- screen video clips with audio from CNN Newsroom's school video service, multimedia portraits of famous TIME cover subjects, more than 400 completely updated tables from the U.S. Statistical Abstract and 180 new full-color charts and opinion polls. The multimedia edition of the ALMANAC is designed to run on IBM PS/2 or compatible computers equipped with 640K of RAM memory, DOS 3.3 and above, a VGA color monitor and a CD- ROM drive with DOS extensions 2.10 or higher. The ALMANAC is available to educators for $195. To order the School and Library Multimedia Edition of the Time Magazine Compact ALMANAC call your local IBM representative or 800/IBM-3327. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1A~╗°5r»┬ <yúñ MicroPatent has announced the availability of a special, low-priced edition of their Automated Patent Searching (APS) CD-ROM product. "Who Invented What? 1991-The Year In Patents" includes the complete abstracts of every patent issued during 1990 and 1991 on a single disc for IBM- compatible PCs. According to the announcement, "Who Invented What?" is easy to install and allows searching by keyword as well as by any combination of the following criteria: inventor, patent holder (assignee), status, patent number, issue date, application number, application date, U.S. references, U.S. classification, international classification, and residence of first inventor. "Who Invented What? 1991-The Year In Patents" is available directly from MicroPatent for $199. For more information contact MicroPatent, 25 Science Park, New Haven, CT 06511; 203/786-5500; FAX 203/786-5499. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = g ñ ß [ÿ╒Oî╔Cx╡≥/l⌐µ∙6s░╨╤ The Bureau of Electronic Publishing has announced the shipment of its newest multimedia titles. Great Literature on CD-ROM contains the full text of over 900 classic works. The works include biographies, journals, letters, dramatic works, poems, essays, religious documents, and accounts of voyages and travels. The single disc, which works on any PC with a CD-ROM drive, also has period music performance excerpts, hundreds of color illustrations and etchings integrated with the text, and CD- quality narrations by well-known TV and movie personalities. Monarch Notes on CD-ROM contains Simon & Schuster's complete set of over 200 study guides, including author biography, overview of literary style, story synopsis, character analyses, commentaries, bibliography, essay questions and answers and hundreds of illustrations. The 1992 CIA Multimedia World Fact Book contains de- classified information from the Central Intelligence Agency. It is illustrated with flags and color maps from Hammond, and includes actual performances of national anthems. The 1992 version includes the latest information from the CIA. Owners of an earlier version may upgrade by sending in $49 plus the old disc. Each of these new titles sells for $99. For more information contact the Bureau of Electronic Publishing, Inc., 141 New Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054; 800/828-4766 or 201/239-0022; FAX 201/239-0511. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ⌡2o¼Θ&cƒ▄./l Compton's NewMedia announced joint ventures with major publishers and R.R. Donnelley to produce as many as 50 new multimedia titles for consumer and education markets. Eight major U.S. publishers-including Rodale Press, Merriam- Webster, Dialog Information Services, Billboard and McGraw- Hill-will develop specific titles to be ported into the CD format using Compton's SmarTrieve software, compatible with Sony's new portable CD-ROM XA machine, MS-DOS, Windows or MPC formats. Among the six initial titles will be a Dialog amalgamation of national and regional news from Knight Ridder Newspapers to be updated quarterly. Norman Bastin, senior vice president at Compton's, sees the transformation of these works "into value-added interactive electronic products representing a major potential... because they are the first titles... to have a broad-based consumer appeal." For more information contact Christina Germscheid, Compton's NewMedia, 722 Genevieve, Suite M, Solana Beach, CA 92075; 619/259-0444. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue H = z ¢ ╪ 3p¡Φ%bƒ▄Vfúα Zù╘Nï¿σ"_ò╥Ll⌐µ#`¥┌≈4 q ¼ Θ &
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Gä┴■QRÅ Instead of shopping, socializing, and eating junk food, you'll soon be able to do something new at the mall--take a $4 trip to an alternate reality. What had previously been an electronic playground for the elite few who owned expensive hardware setups is now available to the rest of us. For a buck a minute, you'll be able to enter CyberSpace to kill pterodactyls and your best friend, hang glide over cities and coastlines, or drive an armored combat vehicle. If the best test of a product is how it goes over in America's shopping malls, coin-operated Virtual Reality has a real chance at scoring big time. At its three-day public debut in a San Francisco mall in December, hundreds of people waited more than two hours to try Virtuality. Some folks came back to stand in line for a second or third visit to CyberSpace. In the game Dactyl Nightmare, up to six players compete against each other or computer generated opponents. You wear a seven pound helmet and a lighter hip pack, and stand inside an enclosed, raised platform. The helmet cuts off all sight of the outside world, and the piped-in stereo sound does much the same for hearing. Vision is also stereo; the helmet aims different displays at each eye for a 3-D simulation. You are armed with a small two-button pistol grip as a controller, which brings new meaning to the "point and shoot" interface. Inside, you're in a three-dimensional multilevel checkerboard world. It's like an M. C. Escher drawing with stairs, platforms, archways, and pillars. A flying pterodactyl tries to snatch you into the virtual sky. Your opponents move around inside this strange environment with you--you see them and they see you. In true arcade-game fashion, you must kill first and ask questions when the game's over. What separates Virtuality from arcade or computer games is that it responds to your body movements. As you move your head to look around, the computer generated view changes. You dodge and duck to avoid weapons fire and attacking winged dinosaurs. Don't worry about dying; the number of lives given each player is limited only by the amount of paid playing time. While the $1 per minute cost may be high, the Virtuality illusion is so complete that it seems a lot longer than three or four minutes of play. The adrenaline rush helps. While you're inside Virtuality, the outside audience sees what you're seeing on large monitors next to the game unit. If what happened in San Francisco is any example, onlookers will be rooting for the players, shouting "Look out!" or applauding a particularly good kill. This party atmosphere could be good news to Horizon Entertainment, the people marketing and distributing the Virtuality system. They plan to put Virtuality machines in arcades and in what they dub Virtuality Centers, and also in bars and clubs where dollars often flow as freely as beer. Virtuality isn't always violent. At a premiere party, industry VIPs tried out Hero, a hang gliding simulation that won raves. Other games in development for the Virtuality system include Exorex, which puts the player in an armored combat vehicle careening across a battle torn city. If you prefer a Harrier Jump Jet as your combat vehicle, wait for VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing), a shoot'-em- up flight simulation. A driving simulation, due out soon, is optimistically entitled Total Destruction. Expect to see Virtuality popping up everywhere. Units are currently available in Seattle and New York City, and many will be installed in Las Vegas by summer. Thousands of us will soon have the opportunity to trip with electronics instead of chemistry. By Peter Spear From MPC World, April/May 1992 Issue @ = z ô ╨ Jç─>{¬τ$.k¿σ@}║≈(eó▀A~»∞)fúα Zè╟ A ~ ╗ ╙
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M è á ▌ < = n ¥ ├ ─ At a time in our lives when most games keep score with a mounting body count, Disney offers blood-free entertainment that keeps you thinking. It's the required thinking that puts these games in a class by themselves. Stunt Island lets you fly a plane exactly like any other simulator--but you also direct a movie of the stunt flight. Heaven and Earth gives you violence-free Tetris-like games, and also sets you off on an Eastern spiritual quest for enlightenment. And Coaster offers the pulse-pounding thrills of whipping around some of the top roller coaster rides in the country--but it also lets you design your own ride of a lifetime. These three games usher in Disney's new software entertainment label, Buena Vista, which is aimed at an older audience. Another soon-to-be available game, Dog Eat Dog, doesn't star Goofy or Pluto engaging in cannibalism. No, it throws you into the throes and the nastiness of office politics presented as a computer game. Stunt Island was developed with the input of Hollywood directors. It is more than just a flight simulator. Players construct their own stunt runs, consider the best photographic angles, place their cameras, and then edit the film from each camera into one final production. Stunt Island also puts players to work as scene designers; 150 objects in 3-D come with the program, including trees, buildings, and famous landmarks for the stunt plane to fly over--or through. For flight simulation, Stunt Island offers ten planes, a hang glider, and even a parachute for players to take under bridges, over buildings, and through explosions. Heaven and Earth is the Zen of PC games. Its Pendulum module features 12 animated simulations to ease your biorhythms instead of raising your adrenaline. The Card Game module is based on Hanafuda, the popular Japanese card game. The Illusion module has 13 brain teasers, including an "anti-maze," in which you go through walls to move, not around them. All three modules take you on the "Road to Shambhala," the Eastern path to ancient wisdom. Coaster, developed with input from the designers of Disneyland and Disney Word's most thrilling attractions, gives you both the thrill of riding around and the challenge of constructing a ride of your own: buildings towers, laying tracks, erecting loops, and adjusting the curves of your coaster. A cast of animated characters, each with its own preferences for roller coaster thrills, ride and judge your creation, unless, for example, you forget to connect all the tracks in your ride, in which case they refuse to ride your death trap. Coaster even lets you break all the rules and play with gravity; you can see how the higher gravity of Jupiter or the lower G-force of the moon would effect your own Space Mountain. Buckle Up! According to Disney, the games will be available by June and have the following prices: Stunt Island $89.95; Heaven and Earth $49.95; Coaster $39.95. Buena Vista (a division of Walt Disney Computer Software), 500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521, 818-567-5340, fax 818-567-0284 From MPC World, April/May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%Tæ╬αßDE Foray on the fairway! One of the smoothest simulations we've seen, Links from Access Software, is coming to the MPC. The Windows CD-ROM version (it doesn't require full MPC compatibility) of this golf game has separate windows for swinging, scoring, and a special top view of the action. The program will be MPC-aware--if you have a sound board, it will play its sound track in stereo. Links will take advantage of the large storage capacity of CD with video and audio data to give players the feeling of being out on the green. Golf carts aren't included. Access Software hadn't settled on a price by press time, and they're projecting a summer release date for the CD-ROM version of Links. Access Software, 4910 W. Amelia Earhart Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84116, 801-359-2900, 801-359-2968 From MPC World, April/May 1992 Issue 5 = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ╟A~╗°5r»∞ [ÿ╒Oî╔CÇ╜Θ&cá▌ W ö ╤
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] Ü ñ Ñ Norman J. Bastin, senior vice president and general manager of Compton's NewMedia announced plans for major development of print materials provided by six leading U.S. publishers into CD-ROM format. The titles announced include: Billboard's History of Rock 'n Roll 1952-1991. The CD-ROM will be based on Billboard Magazine's extensive music charts and publications, including photographs, documentation and musical experts and will feature over thirty-seven years of archives that can be searched by artist, group, title, genre and several other different ways, including a time line that visually shows the significant events of this music form. Compton's NewMedia will design the CD-ROM so a person can explore rock and roll in a variety of modes. Album cover and artist photographs will be available as well as musical excerpts available as tours and tie-in to culturally significant events, keyed to chart data. Billboard Magazine's "Top 100" Charts will allow the user to follow the hits from week to week for the past forty years. The first release will cover the period from 1962 to 1972 and is expected to ship in the fall. Subsequent releases will cover 1952 to 1961, 1973 to 1982, and 1983 to present. The program is designed to run on MS-DOS machines and will retail for under $100. The History of the Grammy Awards, a full database of all winners and nominees, will be published under an agreement between the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), the owner of the Grammy Awards Show and Compton's NewMedia. The CD-ROM product will enable the user to type in any name, award, category, year, or other key word, and retrieve historical information about winners and nominees. The text will be accompanied by more than 250 pictures from the ceremonies and over 45 minutes of sound, including many memorable events from the Grammy archives. The California/Hawaii MultiMedia Golf Guide is designed to help golf enthusiasts plan and maximize their excursions to popular golf courses without leaving home. The core information on the disc is derived from two books, The Complete Guide California Golf and The Complete Guide Hawaii Golf published by Foghorn Press and Frontier Publishing. These will be enhanced with other multimedia effects such as sound and animation. The text information will be expanded into an interactive multimedia CD-ROM product featuring complete details of golf meccas including layout, location, membership requirements, course architect, slope ratings, facilities and playing cost. The product will ship in the third quarter of 1992. Compton's NewMedia is the publisher of Compton's MultiMedia Encyclopedia, The Guiness Disc of Records and other multimedia titles for both the consumer and education markets. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½─>jºΣ!^¢╪°∙ Multimedia Products Corporation (MPC) has announced the release of Interactive Storytime, Volume I. Interactive Storytime, planned for three volumes, is a multimedia children's series on CD-ROM for the IBM PC and compatibles. Developed in association with National Textbook Company, it tells interactive stories to beginning readers using colorful images and high-fidelity sound with narration, music and sound effects. According to MPC, children can use the program without much adult supervision: "audio help" guides the child through the different parts of the program. Each of the three discs will include three stories. Volume I features Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Little Red Hen, and The Boy and the Donkey. The disc, available through retail chains nationwide, carries a suggested retail price of $49.95. For more information, contact Multimedia Products Corporation, 300 Airport Executive Park, Spring Valley, NY 10977; 914/426-0400. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ▄Vô╗°5r»∞)flm SilverPlatter's Health Sciences Publishing Group has enhanced its Sport Discus title. Previously, the data on Sport Discus was derived completely from the Sport database maintained by Sport Information Resource Center (SIRC) of Ontario, Canada. Effective with the January 1992 update, Sport Discus will also include the Sport & Leisure database from Specialized Information Retrieval and Library Services (SIRLS) of Waterloo, Canada. This database contains references to more than 20,000 documents covering research literature for the social and psycho-social aspects of sports and leisure, including play, games and dance. Also newly included on Sport Discus is the Sport Thesaurus which enables searchers to better track down needed references in the Sport Database. Current subscribers will automatically receive the new information as well as a complimentary copy of the Sport & Leisure Identifier List. An annual subscription to SPORT Discus, which continues to fit on one disc, is $1500, and includes semi-annual updates. For more information, contact SilverPlatter Information, Inc., 100 River Ridge Drive, Norwood, MA 02062- 5026; 800/874-1130 or 617/769-2599; FAX 617/769-8763; or SilverPlatter Information Ltd., 10 Barley Mow Passage, Chiswick, London W4 4PH UK; 44/81-995-8242; FAX 44/81-995- 5159. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z î ╔ CÇ╜Θ&cá▌KrsÖ├δ∞ Beam aboard the USS Enterprise to fly your own five-year mission with Interplay Productions' Star Trek: 25th Anniversary game. Although missing the actual anniversary year (1991), this role-playing game looks like it's on target for putting the player in Captain Kirk's command chair as everyone's favorite Federation starship boldly explores the galaxy. Recognizable characters from the TV series, including Spock and McCoy, populate 3-D sets of the bridge. While seeking out new life and new civilizations, you can visit dozens of fractally generated worlds. Once you beam down a landing party, you can explore thousands of alien 3-D sets. And the musical score in the demo we played is even less cheesy than that in the 1960s show. The $59.95 floppy version is available now, and a CD-ROM version will be available in December. Interplay Productions, 3710 S. Susan, Suite 100, Santa Ana, CA 92704, 800-969- 4263, 714-545-9001, fax 714-549-5075. From MPC World, June/July 1992 Issue = z ╖ ╚ B╝∙6^¢╪RÅ╠ )fú⌐¬τ The Software Toolworks, Inc., and Lucasfilm Games have announced an agreement whereby The Software Toolworks will distribute specific CD-ROM entertainment products created by Lucasfilm Games. Lucasfilm Games, a developer of interactive CD-ROM entertainment, strives to create intensely cinematic games with graphical special effects and outstanding sound. Doug Glen, general manager of Lucasfilm Games, said, "Consumers should directly benefit from this agreement because The Software Toolworks distribution provides broad-based access to LucasArts' innovative CD-ROM games." The agreement is the third such relationship The Software Toolworks has forged with entertainment software leaders. Previously, agreements have been announced for the company to develop software for Sega's 16-bit Genesis System, and for Nintendo's 8-bit system and 16-bit Super NES as well as for the PC market. All new products under the Nintendo agreement will be based on the classic Nintendo characters, The Mario Brothers. For more information contact The Software Toolworks, 60 Leveroni Court, Novato, CA 94949; 800/234-3088 or 415/883- 3000. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1né┐ⁿ9v│≡-jñß [a₧╤╥ Philips Consumer Electronics Company has announced the addition of the CM202XRS to its CD-ROM drive line-the company's first internal CD-ROM drive for the PC delivered under the Philips brand name. The CM202XRS features an average access time of 350 ms. Philips will bundle the New Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia and PC Sig Library discs with the new drive. The drive, which is manufactured in the U.S., is backed by a full two-year warranty, and carries an MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) rating of 40,000 hours. The system includes an audio output jack for headphones and front panel volume control for ease in using the drive to play audio CDs. The suggested retail price of the CM202XRS is $549, which includes an internal I/O cable to host interface, installation and operation manual, two caddies, a PC-AT host interface, device driver, and MS-DOS Extensions software. The CM202XBK, a new Philips drive featuring the same hardware configurations as the CM202XRS, is available without the software bundle at a suggested retail price of $499. For more information contact Philips Consumer Electronics Company, 800/722-6224 or 615/475-8869. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1Hà┬ <y╢≤0mªπ ]Ü╧ IYZ Xplore from Devlonics n.v. of Belgium is a portable data bank with a capacity of up to 16MBs RAM and 650MBs in CD- ROM. Developed for use under severe conditions by medical emergency teams, Xplore is capable of standalone operation for up to 5 hours, and can withstand extremes of heat, cold, humidity and dryness. The basic Xplore CD-ROM data bank and display is a fully self-contained, highly efficient and complete information retrieval tool with CD-ROM drive and optics. Power is supplied by rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, and the paper white LCD screen provides clear definition allied with minimum battery drain. Utilizing the latest electronic circuitry technology, Xplore's ergonomically-designed housing is tropicalized, water resistant (open or shut), shock and vibration resistant and virtually unbreakable. Optional extras include floppy and/or hard disk drives. In addition to filling an important need among human and veterinary medicine professionals in the field, Xplore is also ideally suited for use by fire brigades and other emergency services, as well as by field technicians and engineers in the maintenance and service industries. For more information contact Devlonics n.v., Prins Bisschopssingel, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium; 32/11/27-54-34; FAX 32/11/27-43-53. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1Lë╞@}å├ =UV Genesis Integrated Systems has introduced two new drives in its GenSTAR CD-ROM product line. The new GenSTAR 3000i (internal) and GenSTAR 3000e (external) are MPC compatible and offer state-of-the-art features including high-speed sustained data transfer rates and a patented dust-resistant optical protection system. The GenSTAR 3000i has a suggested retail price of $399, and the GenSTAR 3000e has a suggested retail price of $499. The drives are available with new four-color retail packaging, a variety of CD-ROM title bundles, in-store promotional materials and complete dealer/customer technical support. For more information about GenSTAR drives or Genesis's new reseller program, contact Genesis Integrated Systems, Inc., 1000 Shelard Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55426; 612/544- 4445; FAX 612/544-4347. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½ΦCÇ╜·'dí▐Xò«δ(1n½╥╙ JVC (Victor Company of Japan Limited) has announced the availability of the JVC XR-W1001 Write-Once CD-ROM drive in the first quarter of 1992. JVC's WO CD-ROM is a half-height internal drive that supports the industry's Orange Book standard, writing media in the ISO 9660 file format. The recorded media can be played in the WO CD-ROM drive or any CD-ROM drive which supports the ISO 9660 standard. In the future, the drive will support multiple session recording as specified by the Orange Book. The WO CD-ROM drive will be offered with JVC's Personal RomMaker and will also be available separately. The retail price of the complete JVC Personal RomMaker system, including dedicated 600MB hard disk drive and the 5.25-inch WO CD-ROM drive, is expected to be $12,000. Richard Young, JVC's Director of Marketing, said, "The Personal RomMaker with WO CD-ROM is the second in a series of premastering/authoring products that JVC is committed to providing to the CD-ROM multimedia industry. The affordable price coupled with significant software advantages will contribute to the establishment of a personal publishing industry using CD-ROMs." JVC has also announced that a Macintosh version of the JVC Personal RomMaker will be available in the first quarter of 1992. For more information contact Jack Moran, Sub-system Sales, JVC, 19900 Beach Blvd., Suite I, Huntington Beach, CA 92648; 714/965-2610; FAX 714/968-9071. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%Nï╚12 Samsung Information Systems America, Inc., has introduced the first in a new line of powerful 486SX computers, the Sensor SP-486SX "Pro," which features a MPC compatible internal CD-ROM drive. The SP-486SX "Pro" comes with a 124MB hard drive and a CD-ROM drive, has a 25MHz CPU, 4MB RAM expandable to 32MB, a 2400-baud/9600 fax modem, and a mouse. The software bundle includes MS-DOS 5.0, Microsoft Windows 3.1, plus Alien Fax-It, Prisma Your Way, The Norton Desktop for Windows, and a comprehensive multimedia software library on CD-ROM valued at over $2000. The SP-486SX "Pro" has a suggested retail price of $3499. For more information contact Samsung Information Systems America, Inc., 3655 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95134-1713; 408/434-5400; FAX 408/434-5653. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue 0 = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ»∞)fúα Zù╘:w┤±.fú╬╧ Code named the `Bookman,' Sony's portable XA player is an extension of their earlier work to bring CD into consumer channels-following the 1991 release of the Sony Laser Library and Sony Data DiscMan. The unit weighs two pounds, has an imbedded XA drive, plays both audio CDs processor, 640KB system memory, a 4.5" diagonal monochrome display (with 300 x 200 pixel resolution), built-in speaker and headphone jack and video jack as well. About 7" wide, 2" high and 6" deep, the black-colored unit includes both a small keyboard and a pointing device. Upgrading to a trackball and other potential enhancements were hinted at by Sony officials. Planned to debut by Fall, the unit will be available via consumer channels. No pricing details are yet available. The system complies with existing standards and both Microsoft and Mammoth Microproductions (through Sony) announced software authoring systems. Microsoft's called `Multimedia Viewer,' will be available this spring and work for both the XA player and Windows MPC development. Chris Doerr of Microsoft expressed the widespread belief that this was "a very important step in the development of multimedia" and promised that Microsoft was committed to helping develop "a wide variety of compelling software." Sony, which has successfully marketed many products under the catch-suffix "-man" (Walkman, Discman, Data Discman, etc.) may be unable to formally name this product bookman due to potential infringement on IBM's BookManager software. Sony executives did not confirm this theory. For more information, contact Sony Corporation of America, Sony Drive, Park Ridge, NJ 07656. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1a₧█UÆ╧ Iå├ -jºΣ!?@} Sony Corp. of America announced a new double-speed CD- Recordable drive for CD-ROM, XA, CD-I and CD-audio desktop authoring. The CDW-900E works with IBM-compatibles, Macintosh and UNIX-based workstations and creates discs 100% faster than Sony's earlier write-once units: in about 30 minutes-twice the speed of real-time recording. The new drive spins the CD-Recordable discs at double the rotational speed of earlier drives and uses a high-power semiconductor laser and tracking servo electronics to cut the recording time. Up to 16 CDW-900E units can be daisy- chained for simultaneous recording as well. The system is compatible with Red, Yellow and Green Book standards. Switchovers between different CD-ROM formats from the Yellow Book (CD-ROM)-Mode 1 and Mode 2, plus Form 1 and Form 2 of Mode 2-can be performed automatically. The CDW-900E scrambles, CIRC processes, performs EFM (Eight-to-Fourteen Modulation) and then records the data on a CD-Recordable disc at either double speed or in real-time. The drive will be available this summer, pricing (reportedly less than $10,000) has not been announced. For more information, contact CD-ROM Division, Sony Computer Peripheral Products Company, 655 River Oaks Parkway, San Jose, CA 95134; 800/352-7669. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1m¬τ$@}║≈4qä┴■;u▓∩B Based on IBM's own 20Hz 386 SLC chip, the 57M has a built-in CD-ROM drive bundled with DOS 5.0, Microsoft's Windows 3.0 and Multimedia Extensions for Windows 1.0. With 4MB of internal memory, VGA display and 80MB hard drive, the PS/2 system is compatible with all existing multimedia titles. IBM promises continuing add-ons , including multimedia extensions for OS/2 2.0 expected later this year. Ultimedia, demonstrated at the conference, provides a more natural interface for users that will eventually allow for touch, pen and voice input. In opening the Ultimedia platform for other developers, Mike Braun, IBM's assistant general manager, multimedia, said that IBM hopes to "provide application developers and tool creators a more stable environment in which to develop their software and allow customers to plan for their multimedia needs." An upcoming Ultimedia DV will have built-in DVI hardware. Ultimedia AV extension targets videodisc applications. Braun would not comment on any plans to divest the Ultimedia platform from the OS/2 architecture. For more information contact your local IBM dealer or Jim Keller, IBM, 1133 Westchester Avenue, White Plains, NY 10604; 914/642-5472. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1Nï┴┬ The Laser Magnetic Storage International Company introduced the new CM 205, a 5.25" tray-loading, 600MB CD-ROM drive that is MPC compatible and has an average access time of 375ms. Suggested retail price is $499, including a PC AT host adapter and cables. The complete kit carries a 24-month warranty. For more information contact LMSI, 4425 ArrowsWest Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80907-3489; 719/593-7900. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ ■ ;x╡≥ [ÿ╥Lë┬├ The Multimedia Systems Division of Hitachi Home Electronics (America) Inc. announced a "plug-and-play" CD- ROM drive kit that will interconnect a Hitachi drive to the printer port on any IBM compatible notebook or laptop computer. The CDR-1750SPT package comes complete with a Hitachi CDR-1750S drive which supplies SCSI termination power, a MiniSCSI parallel to SCSI cable, a CD caddy, an instruction manual, and (on a 3.5 inch floppy disk) CD-ROM extensions, device drivers and an installation program. The system is DOS 3.3, 4X, and 5.0 compatible. Up to seven drives can be daisychained through the MiniSCSI. The SCSI data transfer rate is approximately 75KB per second. Including the drive, the CDR-1750SPT carries a suggested retail price of $1140. For more information contact Multimedia Systems, Hitachi Home Electronics (America), 401 West Artesia Boulevard, Compton, CA 90220; 213/537-8383. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%\Ö╓Pr»∞BCDE CD-ROM Strategies, Inc. announced a premastering software called CD-GEN which generates ISO 9660 or High Sierra formats. CD-GEN is operational on IBM PC, Mac and UNIX. CD-GEN's easy-to-use interface and window architecture allows the developer to build and view the file structure to the CD-ROM disc image in minutes, enabling testing and full simulation immediately. After simulation, using the deferred copy feature, the disc image may be immediately transferred to tape or Write-Once drive without any time-consuming intermediate data copy requirement. CD-GEN is optionally available bundled with an Exabyte 8200 8mm tape drive or JVC DATA/DAT 4mm tape drive. The tape drives require either ASC-86, Adaptec, Future Domain or WD7000-SX SCSI cards. Disc image may be output to JVC, Sony or Phillips CD Write-Once drives. For more information contact Dr. Ash Pahwa, CD-ROM Strategies, Inc., 18 Chenile, Irvine, CA 92714; 714/733- 3378; FAX 714/786-1401. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue ] = z ╖ ⌠ CÇ╜─>{╕⌡%bƒ▄Vô╨■;x╡≥/l⌐µA~╗°5r»╞ @ } ║ ≈ 4
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L ë ╞ M è ╟ A~╗°'dí▐Xò╥Ω'dí▐(eó▀ Ycá▌BCÇü╛ The change in the basic specification for a multimedia PC reported last issue won't affect the plans of most MPC title developers. But abandoning the 286 as too slow for Windows multimedia may leave the millions of AT-class PCs to other developers. As of December 17, the Multimedia PC Marketing Council raised the minimum standards needed to qualify for an official MPC logo--from a 10-Mhz 286 CPU chip to a 10-Mhz 386SX. In the short run, only a few end users will notice the change. All announced MPC complete systems are already built around 386 chips, said Glenn Ochsenreiter, Managing Director of the Council. Based on the information provided on registration cards for upgrade kits, he said, "98% of systems already upgraded have a 386 or higher." Most observers said the change in the MPC base spec was inevitable and widely expected. "There's really not that much to say except it's about time and we told you so," said Denise Caruso, editor of Seybold's Digital Media newsletter. "Anybody who ever looked at that spec or saw a 286 trying to grind through the bits on a CD-ROM knew it wasn't going to fly. It was a pipe dream of the folks who saw the gold in upgrading 10 million 286 machines out there." According to Ochsenreiter, the change in his group's base standard came out of a reexamination by a committee of the Council last year. Despite a design that had been set in 1989, when the hardware and software environments were quite different, the only element the committee felt needed immediate attention was the CPU chip. With 386 systems now so affordable (many complete PCs sell for under $1500), the committee wanted to offer a better level of performance than could be obtained with a 286. Ochsenreiter pointed out that the change affects only the base specification for MPC-marked machines. "This doesn't necessarily mean that a [minimum configuration] 386SX system is what we recommend," he said. As with the previous version of the standard, he emphasized, the new specification is only a minimum requirement. Users who want maximum performance should pick still speedier, more sophisticated systems. In theory, the new standard should let developers "make greater use of the better memory management power of the 386 chips and the capability of running Windows in the more sophisticated modes," reported Mike Grubbs, senior director of marketing for Tandy Corp. in Fort Worth, Texas, and a member of the Council. "Software developers could assume they would be operating in Enhanced mode, and that would give them better access to memory." According to Michael Samett, a member of the PC development team at The Voyager Company, most developers are more interested in the performance difference than in the difference in architectures. "All the programs we write can use Standard mode," he added. Standard mode is Window's operating speed on a 286. "It's a question of having more horsepower." Many publishers and developers agree that the change doesn't mean MPC software won't run on the older machines. "We still are running okay on a 286," reported AimTech's marketing vice president Ellen LeBlanc. AimTech, the Nashua, New Hampshire based publishers of IconAuthor, will continue to develop software that runs on the MPC, LeBlanc explained. "But we don't require it. We still have a lot of users who aren't running MPC. We will continue to support users of IconAuthor who are on a 286." If the Council does abandon the 286 market, other firms will be eager to pick up the slack. The Multimedia Publisher Group (MPG) says its members will ship dozens of titles that don't require the new or old standard MPC environment. MPG is a loose coalition of publishers organized by Multimedia Products Corporation in Spring Valley, New York; it promotes multimedia products that don't depend on the MPC mark. "You can have a very valid multimedia experience without the MPC standard," said Sol Rosenberg, president of the group. If the Council drops the 286, he said, it will create an opportunity for other firms. "If there isn't an MPC solution for the 286," he said, "other people will provide it." Also interested is Berkeley Software Design, a Berkeley, California firm whose highly regarded GeoWorks environment already provides a nimble and powerful graphical user interface on even older and more limited PCs. The firm has been exhibiting its products at several multimedia events recently. Although Marketing Vice President Lee Llano insisted that no announcements have been made so far, he admitted his firm believes it would be "silly" to ignore this market of older PCs with less power than the 386. By Steve Rosenthal From MPC World, April/May 1992 Issue _ = z ╖ ─ >{╕≥/l⌐µUÆ╧ Iå├╠ Fâ└²Tæ╬ HÇ╜·7tç─ > { ╕ ╠
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G ä ┴ ■ ;QÄ╦RÅ╠ FTæ╬ %bƒ╥╙2XY|ª╖╕▄LRÄ While Windows 3.1 (whenever it arrives) promises to include the abilities of Microsoft's Multimedia Extensions, you can get the same extensions right now from an unlikely source--IBM. Prior to IBM's quiet announcement of its intention to sell the Windows 3.0 Multimedia Extensions as an IBM product, they were available only from certified MPC hardware developers as part of an MPC upgrade kit or system. Now do-it-yourselfers can assemble their own MPC systems. You still can't get the package directly from Microsoft. But IBM was a co-developer of the original extensions and retains a license to distribute the code. In February, IBM dealers began selling the extensions (program 5871AAA, dealer item 92F2740, feature code 2274) for $100. "It's the exact same software you get in the Microsoft version," said Peter Blakeney of IBM's multimedia division in Atlanta, Georgia. You don't get all the auxiliary reference software or extra drivers that you get with the Microsoft package on a CD, Blakeney added, but the extensions software that you get on a floppy in the IBM product is byte-for-byte the same as in the Microsoft version. After some initial confusion, even Microsoft executives say that you can assemble your own system. "We've been emphasizing the upgrade kits, because we wanted to give users a plug-and-play solution," maintained Microsoft Multimedia Group Manager Rob Glaser. "But we've always said there are other options." However, as Glaser and others warn, if you assemble your own system, you're on your own as far as Microsoft is concerned. Because of the number of variables involved and the close interaction between hardware and software, neither Microsoft nor the publishers of multimedia titles guarantee that their software will work on an uncertified system. If what you want out of multimedia is a plug-and-play package, go for a complete MPC-marked PC or upgrade kit. But if you're a tinkerer at heart and the journey is part of your reward, it's quite possible to roll your own MPC-style multimedia system. On the software side, you'll need a copy of DOS and Windows, Windows with Multimedia Extensions, and the drivers for your CD drive and sound boards. If you have an unusual video system, you'll need a Windows driver for that, too. But with any luck, some or all of those pieces will come with your hardware. For the CD drive, you'll need the MS-DOS CD-ROM extensions 2.2 or later and the driver software for your model CD player. Although the greater part of the CD-ROM extensions are the same for all drives, a portion is different for each model. Many manufacturers post their latest drivers on a bulletin board, but for others you may have to scrounge around. If you have a sound board from one of the firms providing complete MPC upgrades--such as Creative Labs of Milpitas, California, and Media Vision of Fremont, California--they'll also be able to furnish the Multimedia Extenstions. Creative Labs sells their Extensions CD for $59.95 (and apparently they rarely ask for proof that you own one of their boards). Media Vision supplies the software free to owners of their Pro AudioSpectrum boards, but not to outsiders. If you want full MPC performance, you'll need one of the more recent sound boards and their drivers to get the on- board mixer that routes audio from the CD drive through the sound board. But if you're willing to forego this feature--and few of the first generation of MPC or DOS multimedia titles require it--you can use an earlier sound board. Updated Microsoft Multimedia Extensions drivers for the earlier boards are now available on manufacturers' bulletin boards or you can get them on disk. If dealing with interrupt levels, drivers, and mounting brackets isn't your idea of a fabulous time, Microsoft is probably right in saying that it's preferable to go with a vendor-provided solution. But if you're an early adopter who already has most of the elements of an MPC, you don't have to start over--with a little ingenuity, you can upgrade your own system. By Steve Rosenthal IBM Corp., 1133 Westchester Ave., White Plains, NY 10604, 800-426-3333 Creative Labs, Inc., 1901 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035, 403-428-6600, fax 408-428-6611 Media Vision, 47221 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538, 800-845-5870, fax 510-770-9592 By Steve Rosenthal From MPC World, April/May 1992 Issue c = z ╖ ╩ Dü╛√%bƒ▄:w┤±.k¿σSÉ═
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Y û ╠ F â └ ² :o¼Θ&cá▒ε∩.MNasăá║╠Γ∩≡ ?@ew﬽┬╒τ⌠⌡2 You could say the MPC is getting at least an AA rating, as half a dozen companies, including high-end compatible makers AST and ALR, announced their MPC or compatible systems this year. While the announcements range from nearly ready to ship systems to "technology peak" promises, the number of vendors adding multimedia options to the standard PC platform should validate the MPC and cause a greater number of software vendors to develop interactive titles. Just as importantly, the competition should bring prices down. Also, rumors in February had more companies announcing MPC products at the Microsoft-sponsored Multimedia Conference in San Francisco in March. The companies include Tandon, Northgate, Packard Bell, Gateway, Leading Edge, Dell, Matrox, ATI, and Cumulous. Advanced Logic Research is shipping its new line of 386SX-based PCs with an optional Windows MPC kit installed. The $995 PowerFlex flyer runs at 25 Mhz and comes with 1 MB of RAM. Up to 16 MB can be installed. The modular design is built to allow a fast upgrade; users swap in a 486SX CPU module. VGA display, fax modem, and other choices are available through six special add-on kits. The MPC option includes a standard sound card and CD-ROM drive. AST Research Inc. used January's Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas to push its move into the consumer markets with a line of Advantage! PCs. At the announcement, AST showed a model that sported a CD-ROM drive and the Windows with Multimedia Extensions, but spokes persons didn't comment on it until asked. Although the AST MPC is officially unannounced, it should be in the stores by the end of the year. Also at the Las Vegas show was a 50-Mhz 486 machine from Goldstar (price not available at press time). The company promised to offer multimedia options with all its PCs, including the new highpower units. The $899 full kit includes a sound card and CD-ROM drive with interface. The high-end 50-Mhz Goldstar system includes 4 MB of RAM (expandable to 32 MB), a math coprocessor, eight expansion slots, and an integrated smart cache system. Samsung is traveling a different path by using the new ASC Media Master for sound on its MPC system and upgrade kit instead of the ubiquitous Sound Blaster Pro or Pro AudioSpectrum audio cards. The sound we heard may make Samsung a popular MPC choice. Samsung is also bundling a number of MPC titles with its $799 upgrade kit, including Microsoft Bookshelf, MPG's Interactive Storytime Vol. 1, and Interoptica's Great Cities of the World. The kit includes a sound board, external speakers, and a 500ms CD-ROM drive. That same hardware is installed in Samsung's Sensor 486SX Pro, along with a 124-MB hard drive, a fax modem, built-in speakers, and 4 MB of RAM (expandable to 32 MB). The $3499 system also comes with MPC software titles. Another 386SX MPC is on the way: one from Wang Laboratories Inc. The 20-Mhz Exec Plus 3127-1 will come with an 80-MB hard drive and 4 MB of RAM (expandable to 16 MB). The $2599 system (a monitor is extra) uses the Sound Blaster Pro card and Panasonic CD-ROM drive of the Creative Labs multimedia upgrade kit. First Byte's Monologue for Windows text-to-speech converter is also installed. As for other upgrade kits, Media Resources announced an $899 package that includes a 300ms access time, Sony CD-ROM drive, and Media Vision's new MPC-sound chip set. At Your Service, Brightstar's animated "personal assistant" software, is among the five software packages bundled with the upgrade kit. By Paul Worthington Advanced Logic Research, Inc. 9401 Jeronimo, Irvine, CA 92718 714-581-6770, fax 714-581-9240 AST Research, Inc. 16215 Alton Pkwy. Irvine, CA, 714-727-4141, fax 714-727-9355 Goldstar Technology, Inc. 3003 N.First St. San Jose, CA 95134, 408-432-1331 Media Resources 640 Puente St. Brea, CA 92621 714-256-5000, fax 714-256-5025 Samsung Information Systems American 3655 N. First St. San Jose, CA 95134 408-434-5400, fax 408-434-5653 Wang Laboratories Inc. One Industrial way Lowell, MA 08151 508-459-5000 From MPC World, April/May 1992 Issue 4 = z ╖ ╚ B╝╦Eé┐ⁿ#`¥¬τ$aå├ =u▓∩"_£┘SÉ═σ"_£┘ F g ñ Ñ ╛ ╪ τ
With its new M-series CD-ROM drives, NEC joins the MPC movement--and also extends its lead as CD-ROM speed champ. The new drives complete NEC's MPC upgrade kit that should now be shipping. Previous NEC models were fast, but they couldn't sustain the high data transfer rate that the MPC demands for animation and video playback. But NEC's new Intersect M- series has doubled the sustained throughput for MPC compatibility. A hopped-up disc drive motor spins discs faster, and doubles sustained throughput from 150 to 300 KBps. An improved algorithm for the 64KB cache and higher throughput together may smooth playback of MPC titles, by eliminating the uneven loading of sound tracks, compressed video and animation that can plague some titles. For faster database searches, NEC has shaved its average access time from 300ms to 280ms, keeping its crown as CD-ROM speed champ. NEC's MPC upgrade kit will include an M-series CD-ROM drive, a Media Vision Pro AudioSpectrum sound board, headphones, a microphone, and Labtec amplified speakers. The price was not set at press time. The CDR-73M and CDR-83M replace NEC's CDR-73 and CDR-83 drives. The $675 external 73M has its own case and power supply, while the $599 internal 83M mounts in a half height PC drive bay. Otherwise, the two drives are identical. Both these drives have a SCSI port built in, and add support for audio compression. They are also available with an AT-bus adapter for $765 and $689, respectively. The $449 portable Intersect CDR-36M, which replaced the CDR-36, gets MPC compatibility without the doubled spin speed by implementing the improved cache algorithm. Its access time was cut 10 percent, to 450ms. The 36M weighs 3 pounds with battery pack and has its own SCSI port. In the likely event that your laptop doesn't have a SCSI port, $559 will get you the drive and a special adapter to plug the 36M into the parallel port. If you've already purchased one of the discontinued drives, you're in luck: NEC plans to offer MPC upgrades for them as well. Details were not available at press time, but the cost will be under $200 for the CDR-73 and CDR-83, and under $100 for the CDR-36. The upgrades will provide MPC compatibility only, not the doubled disk speed. By Robert Lauriston NEC Technologies, Inc., 1414 Massachusetts Ave., Boxborough, MA 01719-2298, 800-632-4636 From MPC World, April/May 1992 Issue $ = z ╖ ≥ /l⌐µ#7t▒ε+8u▓Σ!^¢╪57tuÑ╒▐▀FOP Phoenix Technologies is working to put Disney Software's Sound Source technology in every PC at the most fundamental operating system level, bringing good sounds to PCs of all types without requiring you to buy a separate sound board. PCs incorporating Phoenix's new BIOS (basic input output system) with the Sound Source technology will play back MPC software written for Microsoft's Multimedia Extensions. They can use low-cost Sound Source hardware or an internal speaker, and produce markedly better acoustics than now heard on plain PCs. Windows titles today play back through the PC's monophonic internal speaker or a stereo MPC sound card. The Sound Source technology will not provide any of the stereo recording, multisource mixing or MIDI capabilities of MPC sound cards. Disney's Sound Source is a digital-to-analog conversion scheme that allows compressed sound to be decompressed and played back in real time using low-cost hardware. Disney's Sound Source currently uses a $39.95 external speaker that plugs into the parallel printer port of any MS- DOS-compatible computer. The battery-powered box is supported by most Disney software titles as well as games from Sierra On-Line, Broderbund, and other vendors, and provides remarkably good sound. By Paul Worthington Phoenix Technologies Ltd., 846 University Ave., Norwood, MA 02062-3950, 617-551-4000, fax 617- 551-3750 Walt Disney Computer software, Inc. 500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521, 818-567-5360, fax 818- 567-0284 From MPC World, April/May 1992 Issue ( = z ╖ µ #`¥┌Tæ╬∞)fúαφ*gñßφ*gñ╥Lë╞╤╥4\mn While most of the 8-bit MPC sound boards on the shelves use Yamaha's standard synthesizer chips or await the next generation stereo chip set, RTM Inc. is using a different 13-bit chip that delivers some superior sound. A beta version of the board, which uses the Ensoniq DOC II synthesizer chip, was demonstrated at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show in January. In head-to-head comparison with the market-leading Sound Blaster Pro, the demo board produced much richer sounds--individual instruments were more discernible, and the overall audio was more life like. (Admittedly, this was just a show demo. But Samsung's MPC, which uses the same chip, also demonstrated superior sound.) The $249 AudioMaster is scheduled to ship this spring, according to company President Christopher Chan. The AudioMaster will have a SCSI interface, as well as a 4-watt- per-channel audio amplifier. It's designed to be fully MPC compatible. Chan said the board also features a Motorola 6800 microprocessor--the CPU of the Macintosh Classic--to deliver substantial performance gains over other audio adapters. But, he said, it's the Ensoniq DOC II that makes the difference. "Yamaha has been the dominating factor out there," Chan said. "No one has looked at any other chip set." An RTM engineer first told him of the Ensoniq's sound. "We tested it, and it does sound better," Chan reported. Other products supporting the Ensoniq Chip are scheduled to be announced at the March 10 Multimedia Exposition in San Francisco, according to Multimedia Products Corporation President Sol Rosenberg, who is coordinating the Ensoniq's marketing. By Paul Worthington RTM Inc., 13177 Ramona Blvd., Suite F., Irwindale, CA 91706, 818-813-2630, fax 818-813-2638 From MPC World, April/May 1992 Issue 2 = z ╖ ┴ ■ ;x╡≥/l⌐µ#`¥┌Tæ╬ B╝∙6s⌐µ#`¥┌Tæ╬ H à ┬
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Media Vision introduced a new system which allows software developers to immediately bring motion video to all personal computer users, regardless of what type of computer they own. Called "Motive" (Motion Video Engine), the system is comprised of two sections: a compression algorithm, which allows the conversion of conventional analog video to digital video using an ordinary personal computer or workstation; and a capture/edit/playback/decompression engine, which allows manipulation and playback of the digital video. The technology allows flexible resolution and frame rate; playback of full motion color video; ability to play on many different types of computers-including PC- compatibles (386 or higher), Apple Macintosh computers (CX or higher), Sun Microsystems SPARCstation, and Silicon Graphics Indigo workstation-and offers compatibility with existing full motion video standards and the capability to conform relatively easily to new standards as they attain a substantial market position. Currently supported standards include Apple Computer's QuickTime, Microsoft's Audio Video Interactive (AVI), and UNIX. Technology licenses (in either object or source-code form) are available immediately for $10,000 to $100,000, depending on the type of license. Media Vision also introduced a new device that allows sound to be simply and easily added to PC-compatible computers. The card-deck-sized Audioport, which attaches to the outside of the computer, allows users of laptop or desktop PC-or PS/2-compatible computers to use sound as an integral part of their personal computing experience. The Audioport plugs into the parallel port of any PC or PS/2-compatible computer and allows both voice recording and playback. The product can be run on battery or AC power and is completely portable, allowing sound enhanced programs to be used in any location. Some of Audioport's features include: Simple, external installation, pocket-sized packaging for portability, built-in speaker for playback, microphone jack for sound input, speaker jack to attach external speakers, ability to be compatible with existing entertainment sound standards including the Sound Blaster and AdLib, and parallel port attachment (bus-independent). Included with Audioport is voice-annotation software from Lotus Development Corp., which developed the design in conjunction with Media Vision. The Audioport carries a suggested retail price of $199. For more information contact Media Vision, 47221 Fremont Boulevard, Fremont, CA 94538; 510/770-8600; Fax 510/770- 8648. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z £ ┘ S|╣÷3p¡╛√8u▓∩⌠1ntu▓ NEC Technologies, Inc. announced a business multi-media solution specifically designed for users who require portable multimedia capabilities. The NEC Portable MPC Solution consists of NEC's new color notebook with TFT active matrix color display, the Ultralite SL/25C, combined with NEC's portable Docking Station unit and Multimedia Upgrade Kit. The Ultralite SL/25C notebook computer with the portable docking station provides powerful desktop functionality and near CRT-quality color computing. Features include a 25MHz i386 SL microprocessor, 64KB of cache memory, and an active matrix screen display capable of showing over 225,000 possible colors. The Multimedia Upgrade Kit consists of an MPC-complaint multimedia-ready Intersect CDR-83M CD-ROM reader with SCSI interface, Asymetrix ToolBook 1.5 software, an AdLib and Sound Blaster compatible soundboard, speakers, microphone, headphones and Microsoft Windows with Multimedia Extensions 1.0. For more information contact NEC Technologies, Inc., 1414 Massachusetts Avenue, Boxborough, MA 01719; 508/264- 8000. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1nu▓∩,iªπ ]ì╩÷≈4 COMPUTE magazine selected the Tandy 2500 SX Multimedia PC as the Best Personal Computer of 1991. Since the announcement, in the January issue, the computer has been enhanced. The new Tandy 2500 SX/20 Multimedia is a 20MHz 80386sx-based PC with 2MB of standard memory, a 532MB hard drive, a Tandy CDR-1000 CD-ROM drive and an advanced audio board. In 1988, Tandy and Microsoft corporation began working to develop minimum Multimedia specifications. Last year, Radio Shack announced the first CD-ROM drive for under $400 and the first full line of affordable multimedia PCs based on new specifications. The Tandy MPC line received the Best of Spring Award for desktop PCs at COMDEX/Spring '91 in Atlanta. All Tandy Multimedia PCs include MS-DOS 5.0 operating system and Microsoft Windows 3.0 with Multimedia Extensions 1.0 preinstalled on the hard drives. For more information contact Radio Shack, 700 One Tandy Center, Fort Worth, TX 76102; 817/390-3300. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1në╞@}║≈4q«δ(@A~ Future Domain Corporation has announced the release of three new Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) host adapter kits targeted for use in PC multimedia applications. Designated the DOS Optical Solution, or D.O.S. kits, these products provide the elements needed to easily add multimedia peripherals to computers running under the DOS or Windows operation systems. The Model TMC-1670DOS kit interfaces ISA bus systems and is made up of the TMC-1670 host adapter, SCSI software for DOS, including The Disk Maestro disk management system, CD- ROM device driver, cable, and an installation and user's guide, and sells for $225. The Model MCS-600DOS kit interfaces Micro Channel systems and features the same assortment of software, documentation and cable, and lists for $195. The TMC-885MDOS interfaces ISA systems, features an 8-bit host adapter and is priced at $182. For more information, contact Laura Brandlin, Future Domain Corporation, 2801 McGaw Ave., Irvine, CA 92714; 714/253- 0400; FAX 714/253-0913. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue ! = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½τ$a₧█UÆ░φ*gñß CÇ╜·7t▒ε Raised Dot Computing, a pioneering firm in computer technology for the blind, has produced a PC floppy disk containing information and software tools that make it easier for blind persons to use CD-ROM technology. Using speech synthesizers and screen access software, blind persons can read the contents of CD-ROM discs without using a sighted reader. If a braille embosser is available, material from the CD-ROM can be produced in braille easily. The CD-ROM Access Disk contains articles describing how to acquire, install, and use CD-ROM technology. In addition, the Access Disk contains software to make it easier to install and use different CD-ROM titles. For example, the disk contains a summary of commands for over a dozen CD-ROM titles, thus eliminating the need to deal with printed documentation. Raised Dot is distributing the 3.5-inchPC (MS-DOS) disk at no charge. For a blind person to use a CD-ROM, a computer workstation needs two items: a speech synthesizer and a screen access program. To produce braille, two additional items are needed: a braille embosser and a braille translation package. To enlarge material on the screen, a screen enlargement program is required. All these items are available from Raised Dot Computing. Raised Dot Computing produces a bimonthly newsletter in large print and on audio tape. In the last year, a significant portion of the newsletter has been devoted to CD-ROM technology and its use by blind persons. A sample of the newsletter is available at no charge upon request. For more information contact Raised Dot Computing, 408 South Baldwin Street, Madison, WI 53703; 800/347-9594 or 608/257- 8833; FAX 608/241-2498. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%bƒ▄Vw┤±.k¿σ":; Archives & Museum Informatics has published the proceedings of the International Conference on Hypermedia and Interactivity in Museums, held in Pittsburgh, PA, October 14-16, 1991. The volume contains over forty papers including project reports on about twenty museum-based programs distributed on videodisc, CD-ROM, CD-I and DVI. Papers examine such problems as the ability to communicate across cultures using images, the unresolved state of copyright for digital media products, the technologies for extremely high resolution image capture and delivery, and the evolving state of hypermedia standards. Worldwide developments are reflected in chapters authored by seventeen participants from Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, India, Japan, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, and dozens of reports on U.S. museum projects. The volume, which consists of 340 pages of text and images, with full papers and extended abstracts, is available from Archives & Museum Informatics for $50, which includes postage if prepaid. Billed orders will be assessed an additional $5 billing fee plus postage. To order or for more information contact Archives & Museum Informatics, 5501 Walnut Street, Suite 203, Pittsburgh, PA 15232; 412/683- 9775; FAX 412/683-7366. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Σ!^¢░▒ The Russ Bassett Company has introduced a new CD-ROM storage product, the CD-48 carousel. The durable metal unit features a double-sided module that holds 48 discs, with a locking cover. The CD-48-S is a starter unit that comes with a swivel base and removable top for expansion. When it's time to expand, the CD-48-A unit slips on top. To provide easy visibility and secure retention while rotating, the support shelves are angled downward at fifteen degrees. All Russ Bassett products are backed by a ten-year warranty and a safe ship warranty. For more information, contact Russ Bassett Company, 8189 Byron Road, Whittier, CA 90606; 800/350-2445. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue ' = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%`¥┌Tæ╛√8u▓∩'dí▐Xò╛√8u▓∩,iïî Frost & Sullivan has completed a 282-page study, The U.S. Market for CD-ROM Players and Pre-recorded Media, which says CD-ROM is poised to become a $3.1 billion consumer electronics hit by 1996. According to the study, previous impediments to the growth of CD-ROM are vanishing, including the high cost of players and a lack of database products. The study notes that "several vendors have introduced CD-ROM mastering systems which significantly reduce the time and cost associated with publishing pre-recorded media. This has resulted in more publishers entering the optical area..." According to Frost & Sullivan, the significantly reduced cost of CD-ROM players means that "the constraint between player sales and software availability is in the process of being converted into a pair of mutually driving forces," with the prospect of "significantly altering the market for both printed and online reference material." The study predicts that drive sales will soar: it indicates sales of 350,000 units in 1991, and says sales will approach 5.4 million by 1996. While more than 1.4 million CD-ROM database products were sold in 1991, the study says a concomitant boom will occur, as some 22.2 million units are expected to be sold annually by 1996. While the study indicates that the rate of growth in dollars will not be quite as spectacular due to continuing price erosion for players and database products, the overall market for players is predicted to rise from a $217 million market in 1991 to $1.45 billion by 1996. Database sales during the 1991-96 period are predicted to climb from $245 million to nearly $1.7 billion per year. The study also includes survey results conducted among owners of home computers, brief profiles of suppliers involved in the market and estimates of their share of CD- ROM players now in use. The report is priced at $2800. For more information contact Frost & Sullivan, Inc., 106 Fulton Street, New York, NY 10038; 212/233-1080; in Europe contact Frost & Sullivan Ltd., Sullivan House, 4 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W ODH, UK; 71/730-3438. From CD-ROM Professional, March '92 Issue = z ╖ ⌠ 1n½Φ%b£┘S`¥½¼Θ PCTV Live, the half-hour weekly television show on personal computing, is now available to viewers in ten new markets. The show debuted nationally last November for satellite viewers and can now be seen on cable and broadcast stations in a growing number of cities. Regular segments include: industry news, in-depth product demonstrations, features on people and applications, industry-wide analysis of trends and developments, and commentaries from computer experts. PCTV Live also features a weekly product give- away, computer animation, event calendar, and helpful hints for getting maximum productivity from personal computers. Some of the new stations and marketplaces are KFTY-TV 50 San Prancisco, CA; KWHD-TV 53, Denver, CO; and WJAL-TV 68, Hagerstown, PA. Check your local TV listings for air dates and times. For more information contact Sharry J. Manning at 603/357-5898. From CD-ROM Professional, May 1992 Issue ╕ 6 G h Å ú ╣ ║ α <]vò½┼╞σ:Pjkæ▒┼ß√4Z{ú├Σ·6Qhê₧ƒ╗╙Ω )EYf|æÆ░╘ε!5]}₧┤╬╧≡+@\}Ü╖█⌡÷(E[\Çí├┘┌µτ 0 H U k à å º ╛ ╦ ß Γ
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" 7 O j k y z ¥ └ ╫ · A e ñ ╝ Σ %;UVyÜ╛ß 2Sg}ó╢╠═▐▀■"<cxá└ß≈5\qì«╦Φ &'=PjÇüJune 1992 3-6 Multimedia '92 Exposition and Forum Toronto, Ontario, Canada Professional Photo Video Trade Shows Ltd. 416/660-2491 4-5 Managing Electronic Records Course/Information Management Science George Washington University School of Engineering & Applied Science Washington, DC 20052 202/994-6106 FAX 202/872-0645 15-17 National Educational Computing Conference Dallas, TX University of North Texas 817/565-3983 FAX 817/565-2185 17-20 International Conference on Computers & Learning (ICCAL 92) Nova Scotia, Canada Acadia University 902/542-2201 16-18 RepliTech International Santa Clara Convention Center Santa Clara/San Jose, CA Knowledge Industry Publications 701 Westchester Avenue White Plains, NY 10604 914/328-9157 FAX 914/328-9093 18-20 Interactive Healthcare Conference 1992 Washington, DC Stewart Publishing Inc. 703/354-8155 20-22 ShowBiz Expo West Los Angeles, CA Live Time Inc. 213/668-1811 22-25 Association for Information & Image Management Anaheim, CA AIIM 301/587-8202 RESCHEDULED 22-26 IMAGE WORLD CHICAGO featuring VIDEO EXPO and THE CAMMP SHOW Rosemont O'Hare Exposition Center Chicago, IL Knowledge Industry Publications 701 Westchester Avenue White Plains, NY 10604 914/328-9157 FAX 914/328-9093 23-25 10th Annual PC EXPO in New York Jacob Javitz Convention Center New York, NY Bruno Blenheim Inc. Fort Lee Executive Park One Executive Drive Fort Lee, NJ 07024 800/829-3976; 201/346-1400 FAX 201/346-1602 23-25 Digital World Beverly Hills, CA Seybold Publications 215/565-2480 25-26 Canadian Multimedia World Toronto, Ontario, Canada Plesman Publications Ltd. 416/497-9562 July 1992 12-17 International Communications Industries Association Minneapolis, MN ICIA 703/273-7200 FAX 703/278-8082 17-20 Making Multimedia Work Blacksburg, VA AECT 703/231-5879 22-24 CD-I Publishers Conference Sheraton New York New York, NY Knowledge Industry Publications 701 Westchester Avenue White Plains, NY 10604 914/328-9157 FAX 914/328-9093 27-31 Electronic Imaging & The Visual Arts London, England Brameur Ltd. +44-252/313437 FAX +44-252/22580 August 1992 5-6 FOSE CD-ROM & Multimedia Conference & Exposition Washington, DC National Trade Productions 800/638-8510; 703/683-8500 10-14 IMAGE WORLD LOS ANGELES featuring VIDEO EXPO and THE CAMMP SHOW Long Beach Convention Center Los Angeles, CA Knowledge Industry Publications 701 Westchester Avenue White Plains, NY 10604 914/328-9157 FAX 914/328-9093 26-28 Interactive Videodisc in Education & Training, Development of Effective Interactive Instruction Materials and Applications of Artificial Intelligence & CD-ROM in Education & Training Washington DC Society for Applied Learning Technology 703/347-0055 September 1992 21-25 IMAGE WORLD NEW YORK featuring VIDEO EXPO and THE CAMMP SHOW Jacob Javitz Convention Center New York, NY Knowledge Industry Publications 701 Westchester Avenue White Plains, NY 10604 914/328-9157 FAX 914/328-9093 22-24 UNIX EXPO (Ninth Annual) Jacob Javitz Convention Center New York, NY Bruno Blenheim Inc. Fort Lee Executive Park One Executive Drive Fort Lee, NJ 07024 800/829-3976; 201/346-1400 FAX 201/346-1602 30-2 CD-ROM Expo Boston, MA World Expo Center 617/361-0817 ) * + ] ^ ¢ ╪ The SelectWare System See future issues of SelectWare for new products. If you would like to see a new feature, type of product or a specific product, just give us a call. We would like to hear from you (800-342-3366). K ù ß 0{─┼ OÅ╓2é╤You are currently at the Category Search screen. The red title bar at the top indicates the previous category on the left and the current category or product in the center. The 1 to 7 boxes on the left side may be scrolled through by using the arrow keys or the mouse. Pressing the [Enter] or double- clicking the right mouse button will move to the next level. You may also double-click on any upcoming selection displayed in the large blue area. Use the following keys to explore the software categories: KEY/ICON NAME ACTION Up, Down Arrows move through categories. PgUp, PgDn Move through categories one page at a time. Home, End Move to the beginning or end of the category list. Enter Select a category or product to view. Mouse operations: (if installed) Left Button: Click on any category or product box on the left, any upcoming category or product in the large blue display area, or any of the command buttons currently displayed on the screen. Right Button: Same as the [Esc] key. Use it to back up one level. I î │ ┌ "läà╣╥VÜ╪┘·IÅYou are currently at the Index Search screen. From here, you can search for products by selecting a product from one of two indexed lists: Products Listed by Company [F7] key Products Listed by Title [F8] key Product choices appear in the large blue area, with the current product highlighted. You may also begin typing a few letters to jump directly to your product selection. Use the following keys to select a product to view: KEY/ICON NAME ACTION Up, Down Cursor control keys/arrows move through the products. PgUp, PgDn Move through products one page at a time. Home, End Move to the beginning or end of the product list. Enter Select the highlighted product for viewing. Mouse operations: (if installed) Left Button: Double-click on any product seen on the screen for viewing or click on any of the command buttons found on screen. Right Button: Same as the [Esc] key. Return to category search. H ì Ä ╞ ⌠ eª∩0w⌐¬╦ZYou are currently at the Product View screen. From here you can review various aspects of each product, or run the product's demonstration. Use the following keys to explore and compare products: FUNCTION KEY ACTION/INFORMATION AVAILABLE F2 Manufacturer information. F3 General product information, features, capabilities. F4 Technical requirements for running the product. F5 An overview of the product written by the manufacturer. F6 Run the demonstration program for this product. F10 Print company and product profiles, product overview. (ASCII text printer necessary) Mouse operations: (if installed) Left Button: Click on product boxes to select product viewed or any of the command buttons currently displayed on the screen. Right Button: Same as the [Esc] key. Use it to back up one level. P ¥ ₧ ╨ ╤ ∞ !Uô▄▌∩#hYou are currently at the Overview Text level. Here, you can read text prepared by the manufacturer, which will give you more information about the product. Use the following keys to read the overview text: KEY/ICON NAME ACTION Up, Down Move up/down one line at a time. PgUp, PgDn Move through text page by page. Home, End Move to the beginning or end of the text. Esc Leave Overview Text and return to the Product Level. Mouse operations: Left Button: Click on icons to move through text. Right Button: Same as [Esc] key. Use it to leave Overview Text and return to the Product Level. G ì │ ² PïÑ▐°∙ The SelectWare System needs to create a work directory on your hard disk to run demos that perform write operations. These demos will be automatically removed and maintained. The subdirectory \SWTDEMOS\DEMO will be the only directory created on the hard drive you select. NOTE: To enhance the performance of The SelectWare System, it is recommended that your CONFIG.SYS file have the following settings: FILES=20 (A minimum of 12 is required) BUFFERS=8 To continue installing The SelectWare System, O ₧ φ <ï┌)x╟e┤Rí≡?Ä▌,{╩****************************************************************************** * * * Thanks for using The SelectWare System * * * * $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ * * $ Cash Rewards! $ * * $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ * * * * As simple as 123 FAX * * * * A $50.00 check is waiting for 1 out of every 10 surveys we receive! * * * * 1. Run The SelectWare System or run SURVEY. * * * * 2. The next screen will automatically move survey information * * from Vol 4, No 1 to a single floppy or to a single page. * * * * 3. Label your entry with company name, your name, address, and phone. * * * * FAX-it, mail it, or send in your floppy. * * * * After entering, this screen will be eliminated * ****************************************************************************** Press any key to continue > The SelectWare System was started from an invalid drive . . . To start: Log on to your CD-ROM drive, then type SWSTART. ? î ╟ The graphics card was set improperly or is not supported . . . The SelectWare System requires a color monitor with EGA or VGA resolution. If you have a color monitor, try typing "SWSTART /?" and selecting a monitor type closest to yours. > Insufficient RAM available to run The SelectWare System . . . Free at least 430K memory before re-running SWSTART. ! Memory de-allocation error . . . Reboot and re-run SWSTART. Demo command line error . . . Reboot and re-run SWSTART. 3 r The SelectWare System has not been installed . . . If you would like to run The SelectWare System, type SWSTART and enter a valid hard drive letter for temporary use. @ ê There was a problem creating \SWTDEMOS on your hard drive . . . Check the drive, make sure it is not write protected or out of space. Then, re-run SWSTART. 9 There was a problem loading the Font and Icon file . . . Check to make sure The SelectWare System was started properly. N The software or database on the hard drive do not match the CD-ROM disc . . . Run SWSTART from the CD or reinstall the software to the hard drive. X { ¬ ┘ Database open error . . . Check to make sure your CONFIG.SYS file has the statements: (these are minimum values) FILES=12 (We recommend at least 20) BUFFERS=8 (We recommend at least 10) Remember to reboot after making changes to CONFIG.SYS. Then, re-run SWSTART.
