June 12, 1997

IBM to unleash various NCs and NetPCs
WordPerfect 8 to debut at show
Medley merges peer-to-peer, client/server
IBM's VisualAge for Java emerges
Samsung to roll out slew of clients

Feature: PC purchasing patterns shift
Feature: This year it's 'NetPC Expo'

Test Center Analysis
We show what the year-2000 problem looks like in code and evaluate automated analysis tools.

Extranet marks the spot
Overcoming extranet challenges can put your company ahead of the rest.

Tax agency turnaround
Massachusetts' Department of Revenue successfully goes paperless.

Marc Andreessen: Netscape's senior vice president of technology takes a long look at the company's rise to success and its strategy for the future.

Bob Gilbertson: Network Computing Devices' CEO discusses the market for network computers.

Karl Jacob: The CEO of Dimension X, the first Java start-up, comments on his company's merger with Microsoft.

Bob Bressler: Sun Microsystems' chief scientist for networking analyzes the challenges facing players in the directory market.

Million dollar idea
We're looking for a few good inventions. Give us the gizmo that will revolutionize IT.

Waiting for Dell
Are you waiting in vain for an Office '97 upgrade that might never arrive? Join Ed Foster's forum.

Processor wars
Is Intel taking a big risk by abandoning Socket 7 for Slot 1?

Calling all Clarion developers
Nicholas Petreley wants to know how you will use Application Broker to deploy your applications on multiple environments.

PointCast Network 2.0, Beta 1, includes some needed improvements for delivering information to the desktop.

Microsoft Routing and Remote Access Service offers low-end routing to Windows NT Server, but with limited functionality.

HP Netstation Software 8.0 and HP Envizex II together provide a glimpse of the NC future, but PC replacement isn't in the cards.

Frontier Technologies' e-Lock allows users to receive public-key certificates through their own Web browsers.

Bob Metcalfe: Will Pollinate's software-rental plan blossom or wilt?

Brett Glass: Changing your AOL screen name can reduce the amount of spam you recieve.

Sandy Reed: InfoWorld Electric is making us re-evaluate the purpose that served by our archives.

Advice Line: How to deal with an employee who's always right.

Letters: Readers take the opportunity to write to the CEO of their choice.

HotSites: Jim Battey's weekly list of essential IS Web sites.

HotSites Extra: 3Com's Web support is running on all cylinders.

Book reviews: To survive Mission Impossible projects, get a copy of Death March.

Keynote Business 40: Take a look at the performance results of the leading 40 business sites.

InfoQuote: Request quotes from several manufacturers simultaneously -- a service for InfoWorld subscribers.

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Netscape seeks a world of easily assembled JavaBean components

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- With the fragmentation of Windows into multiple versions, Java is emerging as the surest platform for developing distributed applications, said Netscape Chief Technology Officer Marc Andreessen, at the Netscape developer's conference here Wednesday.

Posted at 1:27 PM PT, Jun 11, 1997

Intel optimizes processors to gear up for NC popularity

SAN JOSE, CALIF. -- At a Wednesday afternoon keynote speech here at the Netscape Developers Conference, Intel's chairman and CEO Andy Grove said that all computers will be networked computers going forward and that the Internet will enable "screen-to-screen" business transactions to replace "face-to-face" ones.

Posted at 5:48 PM PT, Jun 11, 1997

Microsoft signs on to OPS model

Finally, Microsoft and Netscape have found something they can agree on -- Internet privacy.

Posted at 4:20 PM PT, Jun 11, 1997

Netscape's Compass gets closer

Tomorrow, in his keynote address at Netscape's DevCon show in San Jose, Netscape vice president Eric Hahn will preview a future technology called Compass that helps users filter the World Wide Web, avoiding a glut of online information.

Posted at 5:52 PM PT, Jun 11, 1997

IBM gives NCs a helping hand with broad development kit

Trying to accelerate demand for its network computers, IBM Microelectronics on Wednesday unveiled a combination hardware and software development kit that will allow electronics manufacturers to piece together their own systems that can serve as low-end terminal replacements to full-fledged network PCs.

Posted at 12:58 PM PT, Jun 11, 1997

IBM uses Java for smoother online gaming

Internet gaming's high ping rates and hanging connections may no longer be a "clear and present danger" if author Tom Clancy -- and some new Java-based technology -- have anything to do with it.

Posted at 5:34 PM PT, Jun 11, 1997

Study finds NT appeals mostly to small companies

Unit sales of Windows NT in the United States are growing, but for now the operating system is mainly finding its way into small companies and has yet to make much impact on sites with Unix servers and IBM plug-compatible mainframes, according to a report.

Posted at 1:53 PM PT, Jun 11, 1997

Development tools to trail Oracle8 release

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. -- Development tools tailored for the Oracle8 object-relational database, including the Sedona object-oriented programming environment, will lag behind the late-June release of the database itself, Oracle officials acknowledged at an executive briefing at Oracle headquarters here on Tuesday.

Posted at 6:43 AM PT, Jun 11, 1997

A first look at Netscape Communicator

Question: When is software really ready to leave the beta nest and spread its wings over your desktop? Answer: Pick a date, any date.

Posted at 3:40 PM PT, Jun 11, 1997

Third-party vendors trot wares at DevCon

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- A number of third-party vendors chose the kickoff of Netscape's DevCon show here this week to launch their own new products or upgrades, including Cosmo Software announcing the next version of its Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) client.

Posted at 11:46 AM PT, Jun 11, 1997

Microsoft posts file converter for Word

Microsoft is offering more help to Office 97 users who have had backwards compatibility problems between the latest version of Word and previous versions.

Posted at 5:23 PM PT, Jun 11, 1997

HP slashes server prices as much as 15 percent

Hewlett-Packard announced Wednesday price reductions of as much as 15 percent on its NetServer systems, and trimmed prices on various of its server accessories.

Posted at 11:15 AM PT, Jun 11, 1997

Alcatel, Hayes team up on ADSL products

French telecommunications equipment supplier Alcatel Telecom will team up with modem-maker Hayes Microcomputer Products to push the adoption of Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) technology in the home and small-business markets, officials said this week.

Posted at 1:53 PM PT, Jun 11, 1997

LANart leverages OpenView to provide hub, switch management

LANart has released LANart Inspector For HP OpenView for Windows, which is designed to provide network management of SNMP-based hubs and switches, including those from LANart.

Posted at 11:07 AM PT, Jun 11, 1997

Japanese vendors to embrace NetPC concept with product rollouts next week

Microsoft and Intel will bring their total cost of ownership pitch to Japan next week, when a raft of Japanese vendors and large customers announce their support for the companies' NetPC initiative, officials familiar with the plans disclosed this week.

Posted at 11:07 AM PT, Jun 11, 1997