Newsbytes - Internationa…ews 1983 May to 1994 June/Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1994 Edition - May 1983 - June 1994 - Wayzata Technologies (5045) (1994).iso/mac/Text/Mac Text/1986/V157

Text File | 1991-08-09 | 42KB | 903 lines

[***][6/3/86][***]
CONVERGENT'S AT&T UNIX PC SALES SLOWING:
Convergent Technologies, maker of the AT&T Unix PC, has announced
that orders for the machine will decline 30% this quarter and
more for the rest of the year.  Between January and March,
Convergent shipped $35 million worth of Unix PCs to AT&T; this
quarter it will ship $25 million and expects to pack off another
$30 million for the entire second half of the year.  Convergent's
president Paul Ely told stockholders (5/30) that half the
company's decline in revenues is directly related to the drop
in AT&T's purchases of the Unix PC, and while other products
are under development, they won't account for any significant
revenue until mid-1987.

CONTACT:  CONVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES, 2314 N. First St., San Jose,
          Ca. 95131  408/946-2233

[***][6/3/86][***]
LEADING EDGE LEADS AT&T:
InfoCorp, a market research firm, reports that in April, Leading
Edge sold more Model D PC computers than AT&T sold PC 6300s, a
competing line.  While dollar volume is still below that of AT&T,
Leading Edge is quickly replacing AT&T as the fourth largest
seller of PCs, behind IBM, Apple and Compaq.  How'd they do it?
InfoCorp's Skip Bushee thinks buyers are more willing to go
for a lower-priced machine, not for name-brand recognition.
Leading Edge's basic Model D sells, on average, for $1,621
compared to the PC 6300's $2,501 price tag.

CONTACT:  INFOCORP, 20833 Stevens Creek, Cupertino, CA. 95014
          408/973-1010

[***][6/3/86][***]
HEWLETT PACKARD'S FIRST RISC:
Speaking of the Unix operating system, it's part of HP's first
RISC-based workstation, capable of running four times faster
than HP's current 9000, top of the line technical workstation.
The 840, with a base price of $113,000 and a speed of 4.5
million instructions per second, is up DEC and IBM for a
share of the engineering, scientific, and manufacturing markets.

On the low end, HP has announced a new line of calculators
which will be shown at CES this week.  "The Business Consultant"
has the most features:  built-in applications, both a numeric
and alphabetic keyboard, 64K ROM, 1.2K RAM, a 4-line by 23-
character LCD.  A battery powered thermal printer, which
communicates with the calculator via infrared light beam, will
be available for the 8-ounce, $175 unit in the fall.

CONTACT:  Kathy McAllister, Dick Harmon, HP, 3000 Hanover St.,
          Palo Alto, CA. 94303  415/857-1501

[***][6/3/86][***]
JOBS CONSOLES CHIAT/DAY:
In a full-page ad in the May 27 edition of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL,
Steve Jobs proclaimed, "Congratulations, Chiat/Day. Seriously."
The LA-based ad agency, which has created Apple's advertising
image since 1979, lost the Apple account last week to BBDO.
A sympathetic Steve Jobs wanted to thank the agency for its work
in the past, saying, "You took risks, sometimes failed, never
compromised.  You created some truly great work--the kind
that gives advertising a good name.  The kind people will
remember for years.  The kind people remain proud to have
been associated with.  I'm expecting some 'insanely great'
advertising from you soon.  Because I can guarantee you:
there is life after Apple. Thanks for the memories. Steve
Jobs."

The full page ad cost Jobs $22,000.  Was it a slap in Apple's
face?  Jobs' director of marketing at his new firm Next, Inc.
says the ad was just "a public thank you."

[***][6/3/86][***]
CHIP NEGOTIATORS REACH ACCORD:
Washington negotiators have reached a compromise with their Japanese
counterparts.  The Japanese agreed not to dump semiconductors
in other countries and will double its purchase of US-made chips
over the next five years.  The U.S. will, in turn, drop most of
its complaints against Japan.  The compromise came after 15
intensive hours of negotiation in Tokyo, and one day after the
International Trade Commission ruled that yes indeed, Japan
had dumped 64K RAM chips in the U.S. market below cost.  Japan
was previously cited for dumping 256K RAM chips and EPROM
chips in the U.S. at unfair prices.  The price for this
infraction, says the ITC and Commerce Dept., is a 35.3% "dumping
margin" that must be paid on Oki, NEC, Mitsubishi, Hitachi and
other Japanese chips imported into the U.S. from now on.

[***][6/3/86][***]
MR. MORROW RETURNS:
The irrepressible George Morrow, founder of the now-bankrupt
Morrow Designs of San Leandro, Ca. has a new company called
Intelligent Access, Inc. which is designing a super disk
controller, much faster than anything currently available for a
PC.  "Later products will focus on disk drives and their
connections to other functions, such as local area networks
and database systems," says Morrow.  Also, Intelligent
Access will focus on getting more money from venture capital
firms and investors.  Morrow blames the failure of Morrow
Designs on his reluctance to use outside funding earlier in
the game.  "Most of us had entrepreneur's sickness. We
wouldn't do anything that would dilute our control of our
companies."  Fully healed, he's on the prowl for others'
cash, and says his first product will be on the market later
this year.

CONTACT:  INTELLIGENT ACCESS INC., 7700 Edgewater Dr., Suite 500,
          Oakland, CA. 94621  405/633-0238

[***][6/3/86][***]
IN BRIEF--

COMMODORE's $500-off promotion of the Amiga ended May 31. The
price of the base unit is now back to $1,795.  That should really
help boost sluggish sales....

HEWLETT PACKARD's 18,400 Bay Area employees got $14 million in
profit-sharing checks last week, part of $51 million distributed
to nearly 80,000 HP employees worldwide.  How much is that worth
per employee?  About 2 to 4 weeks of normal paychecks.

SOFTWARE PUBLISHING expects to rack up the first loss in its
five-year history this quarter.  The 4th-largest software publisher
expects the loss could be as high as $3 million.

ANSA SOFTWARE'S "Paradox" was rated highest among 15 database
programs tested by the independent "Software Digest" recently.
"Paradox" is the first relational database to win the testing
service's 4-star designation, having received high marks for
ease of use, versatility, ease of learning, error handling,
and performance.

BYTE MAGAZINE just distributed 40,000 copies of "Byte/China" in
the People's Republic.  American companies were so hot to get their
message heard that they purchased 40 of the issue's 78 pages for
ads.

US ELECTRONICS SALES fell 4% in the first 3 months of this year
compared to last, from $55.3 billion to $53.1 billion, according
to the American Electronics Association.  Still, the association
said the electronics industry is the largest employer in the U.S.
manufacturing sector, employing more than 2.5 million workers.

RUMOR CENTRAL....NEWSBYTES is investigating a class action lawsuit
against Apple Computer....also a sudden BOOST IN SECURITY,
mandatory for software developers who have still-unannounced Apple
hardware....details next week.

[***][6/03/86][***]
INSIDE THE TANDY DRESS CODE
We talked to Ron Stegell, a Tandy senior vice president, about
the new Tandy dress code. Last week, Ron sent a memo to all Radio
Shack Computer Center personnel stating they should henceforth
wear conservative suits, sincere ties, and no (repeat, no) beards
or moustaches. The idea is to build an outside sales force to
rival IBM's. The memo led to loud guffaws in the trade press.

Mr. Stegall doesn't understand that at all. "I don't know why
it's getting so much attention," he said. "Our business products
people will now look as good as IBM's have for 10 years." He
insists the bigger news is a new pay plan under which instead of
getting an hourly draw against a 6% commission, Tandy computer
salesmen will now get a salary plus commissions paid on the first
dollar of sales. "It is a 50% increase for those of our people
who are performing," he said. "We're going to get a big sales
boost."

As to those salesmen who like their beards and think they look
neat, Mr. Stegell said, "That's not a problem. We'll supply the
razor."

CONTACT: Ron Stegell, TANDY, One Tandy Center, Ft. Worth, TX
         76001 [phone]

[***][6/03/86][***]
ATDC NAMES NEW DIRECTOR:
Dr. Richard T. "Dick" Meyer, 52, president of the Colorado
Research Development Corp. in Colorado Springs, was named the new
head of the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at
Georgia Tech Tuesday. CRDC is a privately-funded group which
works to move technologies from labs to both universities and
business; ATDC runs an incubator program which connects high-tech
start-ups with university resources. "That brings a new dimension
to our process here," said ATDC spokesman Don Plummer. Dr. Meyer
holds a doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of
California (1961) and has experience in both government and
industry. The position of ATDC director had been empty since May,
1985, when former director Jerry Birchfield committed suicide.

The appointment is scheduled for approval at the Georgia Board of
Regents June 10 meeting. That's not expected to be a problem,
since his name was approved as part of a list of 3 finalists last
month.  Dr. Meyer is due to report for work July 1.

CONTACT: Don Plummer, ATDC, 430 10th St., Atlanta, GA 30318
         [phone]

[***][6/03/86][***]
CHARLEY MUENCH GETS AN INVESTOR: MITSUBUSHI
When last we left Charles Muench, former chairman of Intelligent
Systems Corp., he was bemoaning the reluctance of American
companies to invest in new ideas like those of his Colorocs
Corp., a Norcross-based idea house for making full-color copiers,
printers and facsimile units which went public in a complex deal
a few months ago. Thursday he announced an investor has been
found and full-color copiers will be produced under the Colorocs
name.

The investor, Mitsubishi International Corp., has now exercised
an option to buy 171,428 shares of Colorocs, giving them 4%
ownership of the company. Mitsubishi has also become party to a
master agreement for manufacturing the copier in Japan and
distributing it.  "They're our trade agent, and they'll secure a
manufacturing partner for us, which will be another firm," said
spokesman Deborah Cox. Colorocs hopes to get a definitive
agreement in a few weeks.

CONTACT: Deborah Cox, COLOROCS INC. 2830 Peterson Pl. Norcross,
         GA 30071 [phone]

[***][6/03/86][***]
COMPUTONE EXPECTS BIG LOSS
Computone Systems Inc., the computer store chain (Future
Information Systems) which pushed out chairman Jay Rosovsky a
month ago, announced Thursday it will report a "significant" loss
for the quarter ending May 31, blaming softness in the computer
retailing business. The company lost $1.2 million for the first
three quarters of its fiscal year (the year ended in May), and
chairman Bill Robeson, who had led the company back from the
brink twice by changing businesses and now must apparently do so
again, said a "cost reduction" program is now under way which
will result in a writedowns.  Asked whether he can bring the
company back a third time, he said "I'm counting on it."

CONTACT: Bill Robeson, COMPUTONE SYSTEMS INC., 1 Dunwoody Pl.,
         Atlanta, GA 30330, [phone]

[***][6/03/86][***]
FIRST ATLANTA MARKETING HARBINGER CASH MANAGEMENT
First Atlanta announced Tuesday it will market InTouch Cash
Manager, a cash management system for businesses which evolved
from The Promise by Harbinger, a failed home banking system. The
software, which works on IBM PC compatibles outfitted with
modems, lets businessmen see which checks cleared the night
before, which checks have been returned unpaid, and allows for
transfers between accounts in a user-friendly system.

CONTACT: Joseph Patterson, First Atlanta, First Atlanta Tower, 2
         Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30383, [phone]

[***][6/03/86][***]
KLONE WARS: CROSSTALK SUES, IRMA FIGHTS
Agile, of Concord, CA, has gone the route of Tallahassee, FL-
based SoftKlone Distributing Corp. in copying what it can't beat.
Agile, a 5-year old board maker, has released a board it calls
Klone, a $595 micro-to-mainframe package it claims is 100%
compatible with DCA's IRMA board.

When SoftKlone pulled the klone act on Roswell-based Microstuf
Inc.'s Crosstalk last year, Microstuf sued. Judge William
O'Kelley got the suit in February but has yet to rule. So DCA is
trying another tack. "There are a number of boards out there that
are compatible with IRMA," said a DCA spokesman. Most, like
Klone, are bare-bone products without the fast file transfer or
other nifty utilities of the IRMA product, she added.  "It's like
comparing oranges and green cheese." Instead of Klone, DCA will
try to be more agile than Agile in the marketplace.

CONTACT: Mindy Littman, DCA, 1000 Alderman Dr., Alpharetta, GA
         [phone]



[***][6/03/86][***]
BURROUGHS FINALLY BAGS SPERRY:
After several weeks of cat-and-mouse takeover theatrics, Sperry
Corporation finally agreed this past Wednesday to be purchased by
Burroughs Corporation. The acquisition will be completed in about
two months, with Burroughs paying $76.50 a share for 62.5 million
outstanding Sperry shares -- a total of $4.78 billion. The new
company will edge out Digital Equipment Corporation as the
world's second largest computer company, though it'll still be
considerably smaller than Big Blue. The new company will also
have a new name, though a Burroughs spokesperson says the name
hasn't been chosen yet. Still to be decided is the fate of many
of Sperry's 77,000 employees. Analysts say that Burroughs
chairman Michael Blumenthal will likely move quickly to eliminate
duplicate positions.

CONTACTS: Burroughs Corporation, Burroughs Place, Detroit, MI
          48232, 313-972-7000

          Sperry Corporation, PO Box 500, Blue Bell, PA 19424,
          215-542-4131

[***][6/03/86][***]
KAPOR SELLS MORE LOTUS STOCK:
Lotus Development chairman Mitch Kapor sold half-a-million shares
of his stock last week for about $18 million. Earlier this year,
Kapor sold 390,000 shares in several transactions, pocketing
about $11 million. A Lotus spokesperson says the shares were sold
for Kapor's "portfolio diversification." And Kapor was quoted as
saying he sold them "for purposes of personal tax and financial
planning," and added that Lotus is his only business interest.
Kapor still owns 1.78 million shares, about 10% of the company.

Meanwhile, insiders report that Lotus will announce a volume-
purchase plan in July. Far from the hoped-for site-license plan
for which corporate buyers have been clamoring, the plan will
reportedly offer discounts starting at 50% off retail for
corporations who purchase 1000 or more copies of Lotus products.
Lotus will also reportedly change their support policies,
possibly charging for support that's been free up to now. Also,
our sources say that Lotus bigwigs have no intention of removing
copy protection form their products, despite its becoming rare in
high-end programs. With Microsoft and Software Publishing
Corporation dropping copy protection, and rumors that Ashton-Tate
will soon, Lotus may be the last major holdout.

CONTACT:  Lotus Development, 55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA
          02142, 617-577-8500

[***][6/03/86][***]
INTERLEAF GOING PUBLIC:
Riding the wave of interest in desktop publishing, Cambridge,MA-
based Interleaf Corporation will be going public later this
month. The company, which markets professional-quality desktop
publishing systems, racked up earnings of $18.6 million last
year, and also inked a major contract with the Defense Department
to supply Interleaf systems to the Army for preparing training
manuals. A typical Interleaf system sells for about $30,000, and
runs Interleaf's proprietary software on a Sun Microsystems or
Apollo workstation. Interleaf will offer 3 million shares of
stock, which will likely sell for between $8 and $10 a share.

CONTACT:  Interleaf, Inc., 1100 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge,
          MA 02138, 617-577-9800

[***][6/03/86][***]
WANG ENDORSES TOKEN RING:
Though most major computer players have been relatively tight-
lipped about formally endorsing IBM's token-ring local network,
Wang Laboratories has decided to take the plunge. This week, Wang
became the first major vendor to endorse the network, hoping that
token-ring users will use a Wang minicomputer networked to their
IBM PCs. At the same time, Wang introduced three new versions of
their Gateway software. The package's new incarnations will make
it easy for Wang users to hook their systems to IBM mainframes.

Wang also put its collective feet further into the tele-
communications business by purchasing Allen, TX-based InteCom,
which makes voice and data telephone switching systems (PBXes).
Wang bought 20% of the company two years ago for $82 million, and
paid $156 million for the rest of the company this past week.

Meanwhile, Wang quietly announced that (like Data General)
they're no longer going to concentrate on attempting to sell
their lower-end systems through retailers. Wang has dropped about
100 dealers over the past year and currently has about 250. The
company will concentrate on direct sales and on large vertical-
market OEMs.

Finally, the DeKalb, IL-based independent Wang User's Society of
America has set up an online support and conferencing special
interest area on the Cambridge, MA-based Delphi videotex service.
WUSA/Online will offer free assistance to all Wang users.

CONTACTS: Wang Laboratories, One Industrial Ave., Lowell, MA
          01851, 617-459-5000

          Delphi, 3 Blackstone St., Cambridge, MA 02139,
          617-491-3393

[***][6/03/86][***]
PHOENIX PUSHES 80386 STANDARD:
Norwood, MA-based Phoenix Technologies, which has built up a
solid business developing OEM system software for PC clones, is
continuing its push to develop a standard for the state-of-the-
art 80386 microprocessor. The successor to the 80286 used in the
PC AT and its clones, computers incorporating the powerful 32-bit
chip are expected to start appearing next year, Phoenix held a
meeting recently at COMDEX Spring in Atlanta, which was attended
by 44 companies. A subgroup formed at the meeting, which includes
AT&T, Quadram, and Tandy, is currently drafting a standard
specification, which they expect to present at a meeting during
the National Computer Conference (NCC) this month in Las Vegas.

Despite the optimism, industry pundits say most manufacturers
will wait for IBM to set the standard, afraid that any early
standard could be blown away by an IBM introduction. Another
factor working against Phoenix is that IBM (as expected), as well
as Microsoft and Compaq, is refusing to become involved. While
IBM had their usual "no comment," the often-arrogant Compaq
sniffed that "standards aren't set by committee."

CONTACT:  Phoenix Technologies Ltd., 32 Norwood Park South,
          Norwood, MA 02062, 617-769-3771

[***][6/03/86][***]
ALLOY INTRODUCES BI-TURBO:
Are you limited by the 640K RAM limit in your PC? Are the
extended and enhanced extended memory specifications too much of
a hassle to use? Well, you may be interested in a new add-in
board just introduced by Alloy Computer Products. The Bi-Turbo is
unique in that besides speeding up your main PC to 8 MHz, it
essentially adds a second computer inside your computer. The Bi-
Turbo includes an 8 MHz NEC V-20 microprocessor and 640K of
memory, allowing you to run multiple applications at the same
time. The Bi-Turbo comes with special software that controls
keyboard and monitor access, which a company spokesperson says
was the main problem in developing the board. Retail price for
the Bi-Turbo is $995.

CONTACT:  Alloy Computer Products, Inc., 100 Pennsylvania Ave.,
          Framingham, MA 01701, 617-875-6100

[***][6/03/86][***]
KODAK ENTERS BATTERY BUSINESS:
Eastman Kodak continues to diversify away from the photographic
business, and their latest move could spell relief for some users
or portable computers and peripherals. Later this summer, Kodak
will start selling "Ultralife" batteries, the first commercially-
available batteries to use metallic lithium. A company
spokesperson says the average life of a Kodak battery will be at
least twice that of an alkaline battery, and they'll have a shelf
life as least five times as long. The battery business is no
small potatoes -- some $5 billion worth were sold last year.

CONTACT:  Eastman Kodak Company, 343 State St., Rochester, NY
          14650, 716-724-4000

[***][6/03/86][***]
BOSTON COMPUTER DIET A SUCCESS:
It may not have a celebrity-related name, but a computerized diet
marketed by Scarborough Systems evidently does the job. Developed
by a team of Boston doctors, nutritionists, and psychologists,
the results of using the Boston Computer Diet were studied by the
Harvard Medical School. The study showed that the 300 people who
used the diet lost an average of 14 pounds each. However, 200 of
the dieters didn't return the survey. The Original Boston
Computer Diet is available for the IBM PC, Apple II, and
Commodore. (Cracks about an overweight bureau chief will be met
by stony silence.)

CONTACT:  Scarborough Systems, Inc., 25 North Broadway,
          Tarrytown, NY 10591, 914-332-4545

[***][6/03/86][***]
MITRE CORPORATION GETS FACTORED-NUMBERED RECORD:
When mathematicians go for records, they go for them in a big
way. Robert Silverman, a scientist at Bedford, MA-based defense
contractor MITRE Corporation recently got the record for
factoring the largest number ever -- 81 digits long. The feat
took a network of minicomputers 1260 hours to accomplish. In case
you're interested, the number is 948,568,795,032,094,272,909,893,
509,191,171,341,133,987,714,380,927,500,611,236,528,192,824,358,
010,355,713.

According to a former employee, MITRE -- which does mainly top-
secret work -- is very concerned about their employees being at
work on time. The former employee says MITRE occasionally takes
aerial photographs of the parking lot after starting time and
counts and compares the vehicles present with a database of what
employees drive. Is this story true? The company wouldn't
comment.



[***][6/03/86][***]
CLONE WARS 1 - IBM IN THE EURO-COURTS:
What a to-do!  This week's "PC Business World" reports that
Qubie, a London based PC clone supplier, has registered a
formal complaint against Big Blue with the European
Commission (EEC) in Brussels.  Prime motive behind the
complaint, which will cause much hassle and a possible EEC
court appearance for the computer giant, is that IBM's use
of UK copyright and design protection laws to stamp on clone
suppliers/importers in the UK is "distorting competition
within the EEC."  Roger Harvey, Qubie's MD, is quoted in "PC
Business World" as saying, "We're going right for IBM's
nose, and straight up it."  Harvey then goes on to say that
he's taken legal advice (who doesn't?) and reckons that the
UK copyright situation with Big Blue doesn't apply anywhere
else.  The EEC complaint seems valid, since one of the prime
reasons for an EEC complaint mechanism is to make sure that
fair competition exists in all EEC countries.

Contact: Qubie, Tempo House, Falcon Road, London SW11.
         Tel: London [phone]

[***][6/03/86][***]
CLONE WARS 2 - CLAIMING COSTS FROM IBM:
Whilst Qubie is the first dealer to actively hassle IBM
through the EEC, Frank Thornley, head of the Compulink User
Group is complaining loudly and publicly as well as to the
EEC, that IBM's activities are pushing up the price of a PC
(clone or otherwise), and are therefore an abuse of Big
Blue's dominant market position.  Again quoting from this
week's IBM-bashing "PC Business World", Thornley says,
"We're still awaiting a reply, but it's reassuring that
Qubie are taking that action.  Our (Compulink's) aim was to
draw attention to the issue."

Despite his user group's undoubted allegiance to the PC
standard, Thornley is no stranger to Big Blue-bashing.  He's
just sent off an invoice for the princely sum of 6 pounds,
99 pence, ($11-50) to IBM, claiming that's the discount his
user group lost on cheap clones as a result of IBM forcing
companies to change the IBM-lookalike front panels.  "If IBM
doesn't pay out in 30 days, we'll take them to court," says
the ebullient Thornley.  "If we win, then IBM should set up
a fund for each 6 pounds 99 pence that every compatible
customer feels he's lost."  NEWSBYTES UK thinks that IBM
will have a thorn in their side from the aptly named
Thornley (sorry Frank, couldn't resist that one).

Contact: Frank Thornley, Compulink, 67 Woodbridge Road,
         Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4RD,
         Tel. Guildford (0483) 65895.

[***][6/03/86][***]
SINCLAIR IN NEW CHIP VENTURE:
As well as Sir Clive Sinclair seemingly making a takeover
bid on the news front this week, his visage also appears in
this week's London "Sunday Times".  "Sunday Times" reporter
Margaret Park reports that the millionaire genius will soon
go to the London financial markets for funds for his
wafer-scale project.  The project, now called Anamartic
(translated from the Greek for fault-free), will move into
top gear once funds become available, and is expected to
produce wafer scale IC's by the end of this year.  No
doubt licking the financial wounds from his costly forays
into the computer market, Sir Clive has appointed Sir
Malcolm Wilkinson, former head of research at the Metalab
(Sinclair Research's Think Tank project), and John Riethoff,
latterly finance director with Pye, to head the firm.
American David Simpson is also reportedly flying over from
the US company Gould to take up the position of chairman
with Anamartic this coming July.

Ms Park reports that no-one is talking actual figures, but
estimates the cost of setting-up the company at around 5
million pounds ($7.5m).  On top of Barclays Bank, who've
invested around 2 million ($3m) in the project, this means
the city financial boys will have to stump up around 3
million ($4.5m) for Anamartic to take off--a tall order for
Sir Clive, particularly with his financial reputation in the
City of London!

[***][6/03/86][***]
COMMODORE UK BALING OUT?
Fuelling the rumour that Commodore US are moving towards
phasing out Commodore UK, and turning the UK into a major
dealer/distributor network, Commodore UK have just axed 70
jobs from their warehousing, spares and repair facilities at
Corby, their UK government-assisted plant in the Midlands.
Starting this week, all dealer and end-user warranties from
CBM UK effectively transfer to the dealer network, with CBM
UK taking a back seat on repairs - Well, they just sacked
their repair division!

All this leaves just 60 CBM staff clinging tightly to their
jobs here in the UK.  The Corby plant is up for sale, and
word is that, even if CBM US decide to keep what's left of
their UK operation ticking over, they're expecting a
purchaser of the Corby factory to lease back a portion of
the site for the 60 employees to work in.  Failing that,
they could relocate the staff to other CBM divisions within
the UK, such as Commodore Electronics in Slough, whose staff
already number several people who refused to move to Corby a
while back.  Given the number of axes falling in Corby,
NEWSBYTES UK can't really blame 'em for that decision!

Contact: Commodore UK, 53/69 King Street,
         Maidenhead, SL6 1DU.
         Tel: [phone].

[***][6/03/86][***]
AMSTRAD PCW BOMBING OUT?
Whilst Sears World Sales have great hopes for the
budget-priced PCW8256 word processing package from Amstrad,
which is now beginning to appear in US stores, cracks are
beginning to appear in sales and support for the machine.
For one thing, Amstrad's choice of a 3 inch (yup, three
inch) format for the machine is causing a disc famine on
both sides of the Atlantic.  In answer to the problem,
Amstrad point to the fact that their two major Japanese disc
suppliers, Matsushita and Maxell, have increased output to
cope with the demand for discs.  Matsushita now produces
1,000,000 discs a month, which, along with Maxell's 50 per
cent increase in output to 450,000 a month, will, say
Amstrad, go a long way to alleviating the shortage.

Not withstanding this, Sears, who wanted to ship 125,000 PCW
machines this year to the US, are somewhat dismayed at
having to retarget sales to a mere 40,000 in the face of
shipping shortfalls from Amstrad's Korean factory.  Although
Amstrad claim a worldwide supply of 40,000 (January) to
50,000 (March) for the machine, one prominent UK industry
analyst has being doing some digging and reckons that the
firm's Korean facility is only churning out 15,000 a
month... So who's telling the truth?  NEWSBYTES UK suggests
readers check on availability of the PCW with their local UK
and US outlets.  We'll publish the results next week!

Contact: Amstrad Consumer Electronics, PO Box 462,
         Brentwood, Essex, CM14 4EE.
         Tel: Brentwood [phone].

[***][6/03/86][***]
VDU SAFETY PART 4,572:
Months after the subject appeared on NEWSBYTES UK as a hot
topic of conversation, the UK trade press have caught on,
and are banging the drum over VDU safety.  This week's "PC
Business World", as well as being an IBM-bashing issue (see
lead stories), also mentions the VDU problem no less than
*three* times in the latest issue.  Staff writer Alice La
Plante has written a major article on how California has
zapped a campaign (Senate bills 1996 & 2509) to protect
private and public sector VDU operators from the perils of
glare, brightness, work breaks and the like.

The British Computer Society takes a dim view of the whole
situation surrounding VDU usage as well, reports the paper,
as, after a meeting recently, the society's technical board
has concluded that evidence that VDU's are a health hazard
is far from complete, and advised all members that further
research into the subject is called for.  The BCS, which has
members in most areas of computing, says that "Users should
be involved in the introduction of new technology equipment,
*before* it is intoduced."

Contact: PC Business World, CW Communications,
         99 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8BR.
         Tel: London [phone]



[***][6/03/86][***]
MICROAGE COMES TO CANADA:
A letter of intent has been signed between Hartco
Enterprises Inc. of Montreal, Quebec and MicroAge Computer
Stores of Tempe, AZ for Hartco to become the Canadian
franchisor of MicroAge stores.  Hartco is presently
franchisor of a network of computer outlets operating under
the name Compucentre.  The agreement will be completed by
June 30, and will see the expansion of MicroAge stores in
Canada.

[***][6/03/86][***]
NORTEL DEALS EASTWARD:
A $1.2-million (CDN) SL-1 business telecommunications
system has been sold by Northern Telecom Ltd., of
Misissauga, Ontario to Shoudo Iron And Steel Co. in
Beijing, Nortel's second deal with Shoudo.  In addition to
routing telephone calls, the SL-1 can also carry computer
signals over data lines.  The Shoudo system will have 5,000
lines hooked to it, in one of China's five largest steel
operations.

Nortel also announced a pact with Japan's Sankosha Corp. to
license manufacture of protective devices for digital
central office telephone switches and private branch
exchanges (PBX).  The ten-year deal will be worth
$10-million or more to Nortel.

CONTACT: Northern Telecom 800/362-7950

[***][6/03/86][***]
PACKAGES FOR IBM:
"Dual Port Serial Manager" is a package for software
engineers writing applications programs for the IBM family
of computers, or compatible workalikes.  The program acts
as an interface through serial ports Com1 and Com2 to
external modems, other computers, and peripherals.

CONTACT: Akron Software Research And Development, 53
         Hillside Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M8V 1S7

A package to ease the writing of database applications for
IBM or compatible PCs running MS-DOS 2.0 or later has been
announced under the name "The Andsor Collection 2.0."  All
information about a given application is kept in a single
DOS file or "data base [sic]," which can be up to 510 Kb
and must reside on a single floppy disk drive.  Any data
base can be called up through as many as eight "task
windows."  Text, spreadsheet, and data files are handled,
and there is a snapshot feature allowing the storage of
three 80X25 screen images.  Initial reviews of the program
have cautioned that "Andsor requires developers to be
familiar with design concepts and to feel comfortable
working with mid-level instructions."  The price for the
set of programs is $135 (CDN), with a 60-day money-back
guarantee.

CONTACT: Andsor Research Inc., 181 University Avenue, Suite
         1202, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3M7

[***][6/03/86][***]
EXPERT SYSTEMS EYE PROLOG:
A Canadian software company, Avenue Software of Quebec
City, Quebec, will be marketing "Prolog" in North America in
versions for several large systems and the Apple Macintosh.
Prolog has recently been chosen by the Japanese for its
Fifth Generation artificial intelligence project, in place
of the older Lisp language, and it is hoped that U.S.
developers will follow the Orientals' lead.  Prolog was
developed in France in 1972.

[***][6/03/86][***]
INTERNATIONAL CODE CONSIDERED:
The University Of Quebec (at Montreal) has announced a
system of ideographic codes, or icons, to make
international use of microcomputers "more accessible."
Developed by Prof. Michel Cartier, the system consists of
380 symbols which can be used for system or network design,
and computer training.  The symbols define elements of
computer or telecommunications systems, specifying
operating details and graphic functions, and they can
provide users at remote terminal with online instructions.
Prof. Cartier calls the icon system "code signaletique" to
divorce it from any spoken or computer languages, and to
encourage use by the international computer community.

[***][6/03/86][***]
U OF T GETS HELP FROM IBM:
$3-million (CDN) worth of hardware has been donated by IBM
Canada Ltd. (Markham, Ontario) to the University Of Toronto
for two new computer centres.  115 microcomputers and eight
series 3278 display stations with disk storage and tape
units have been given to the faculties of engineering and
humanities to ease the crush on use of existing terminals
and pcs.  The equipment will be used primarily for
undergraduate instruction, with some graduate research
facilities available also.  The centres at U Of T will be
connected to other institutions by the computer network
"Netnorth," operated by the University Of Guelph.

CONTACT: IBM Canada Ltd., 350 Steeles Avenue East,
         Markham, Ontario, L3R 2Z1, 416/474-2111

[***][6/03/86][***]
PLASTICS ONLINE:
"Plastics Business," an industry trade publication owned by
Toronto, Ontario's Kerwill Publications Ltd., will be the
Canadian distributor of "Plaspec," a two-year old
online database operated by "Plastics Technology Magazine"
of New York City.  "We are now more than a place to buy an
ad.  To be a successful trade publication publisher, you
have to be a member of the industry you cover first, and a
publisher second," says Kerwill vice-prexy John Kerr.  With
Canadian content added, Plaspec offers industry information
from 15 countries, including Europe and the Caribbean.  The
database contains information on more than 6,000 resins,
and can be searched by 56 specifications; also listed are
details on more than 2,500 machines.  Access to Plaspec is
by subscription ($500 U.S. annually), and there is an
online charge of $105 per hour.  Connection in Canada is
via Datapac.  Mr. Kerr hopes for 150 subscribers my mid-1987.


[***][6/10/86][***]
MORE APPLE ADVERTISING FALLOUT REACHES SOUTHLAND
When you lose $50 million worth of annual business, there are
bound to be repercussions.  Here is the latest news from the
Chiat/Day wire:

>>> After being fired as Apple's ad agency, Chiat/Day could
    still fall back on a few larger accounts to pay the light
    bill.  Well, expect brown-outs on S. Olive St. soon.  The
    agency's largest remaining client, Nike Sportswear, has
    announced that it will take its $10 million worth of
    advertising to the Weiden/Kennedy agency of Portland,
    Oregon.  "It doesn't surprise me," said Leonard Pearlstein
    of the West Los Angeles-based Keye/Donna/Pearlstein ad
    agency.  "There have been lots of rumors that perhaps Nike
    was unhappy."  Will Randy Newman take out a full-page ad in
    Variety to thank Chiat/Day for the career boost the Nike "I
    Love L.A." 1984 Olympics ads gave him?  We'll let you know.

>>> Is Chiat/Day for sale?  Some advertising industry analysts
    think so, with the potential buyer being the giant Saatchi &
    Saatchi agency of London.  The "Los Angeles Business
    Journal" reports that Jay Chiat says he's not interested in
    selling, but that Saatchi & Saatchi is putting on the
    pressure.  No estimates of a purchase price have been
    released yet.

>>> Steve Jobs says he wouldn't have fired Chiat/Day, and that
    Apple has been "taken over by caretakers."  Jobs told local
    reporters that BBDO, Apple's new agency, is much like the
    people now in charge at Big Red, "traditional."

>>> Apple is looking for a full-time freelance speechwriter to
    help improve the image of the company when executives are
    tapped to pontificate.  No qualifications were listed in the
    large help-wanted ad in this week's ADWEEK magazine, but
    anybody who uses the word "lemmings" during a job interview
    might as well sleep-in that day.

CONTACT:  Chiat/Day, 517 S. Olive St., Los Angeles, CA 90013
          [phone]

          Apple Computer Inc., Executive Speech Program, 10201
          N. DeAnza Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014

[***][6/10/86][***]
QUOTRON, BEING BOUGHT, BUYS
Quotron Systems has acquired Securities Industry Corporation, a
privately held firm based in Evergreen, Colorado.  SIC provides
software for order management, brokerage accounting, trading and
securities movement and control.  The terms of the buy-out were
not disclosed.  Quotron itself is still the target of Citicorp's
stock tender gambit, but the company reports that the SIC deal
did not have anything to do with it.

CONTACT:  Quotron Systems, 5454 Beethoven St., Los Angeles, CA
          90066   [phone]

[***][6/10/86][***]
TATUNG THROWS ITS CLONE INTO THE RING
Best known for its television sets and computer monitors, Tatung
has introduced an IBM PC-AT computer clone and expects to sell
10,000 units in the next year.  The Tatung AT, retailing at
about $2,500, will run at either six or eight megahertz and
comes with either 512 or 640Kb as standard memory.  The computer
can be expanded to 1Mb of RAM.  According to a company
spokesman, the computer will be available to OEM purchasers for
private labeling.

CONTACT:  Tatung, 2850 El Presidio, Carson, CA 90810   (213)
          637-2105

[***][6/10/86][***]
SAN DIEGO'S CRAY HUMS AT SEVEN TRILLION CALCS PER DAY
The new Cray X-MP 48 at the San Diego Supercomputer Center on
the UCSD campus is performing as advertised in the sales
brochure...handling about seven trillion calculations in an
average day.  "I don't want to brag," said SDSC director Sid
Karin, "but we are meeting our goals.  We're still on schedule
and under budget.  It's working out the way we thought it would,
and I am proud of our performance."  The SDSC, established by
the National Science Foundation, was created to assist
scientists with advanced projects.  One researcher, spoiled with
access to the mind-boggling computing power of the Cray, said
supercomputers would soon change the way colleges educate their
students.  "Programming won't be taught here," said George
Craig, dean of engineering at San Diego State University.
"We'll just teach applications.  Maybe we'll offer programming
as a non-credit remedial course."

[***][6/10/86][***]
`DISASTER PLANNERS' TELL TALES OF WOE
A recent discussion with executives of several Southland
computer "disaster-planning" firms uncovered some data-recovery
horror stories that would make even Peter Norton shiver.  First,
there was the large East Coast bank that was forced to borrow
about $1 billion from the Federal Reserve Bank at high interest
rates after a computer failure froze the bank's own money supply
for 12 hours.

Or, there was that roof problem at the Mazda Motors of America
headquarters in Compton.  Nearly 50,000 gallons of rainwater
collapsed the roof of the computer center, sending the ceiling,
water and the building's air-conditioning units crashing down on
terminals and backup tapes.  Within five days, the system was
back up and running...at a drier location.

Some independent disaster-recovery firms have even equipped
"hot" and "cold" rooms in locations throughout Southern
California in case of major accidents.  Comdisco Disaster
Recovery Services of Chicago, for example, is building a new
"hot" complex in Cypress that will be staffed 24 hours a day and
offer full computer services in case of major problems.
Comdisco's facility won't be cheap to use, though.  The firm
will charge a subscription fee of between $5,000 and $18,000, a
one-time pre-use fee of $25,000, and a $4,000 to $10,000 daily
operating fee.  "Cold" facilities for simple storage of backup
data tapes charge considerably less, but only can supply fresh
data to computers that are still in one piece.

[***][6/10/86][***]
BEACHBITS

>>> International Rectifier Corp. has completed the sale of its
    Rachelle Labs subsidiary.  Rachelle makes pharmaceuticals
    while International Rectifier's main business is
    semiconductors.  Angus Chemical Co. of Chicago was the buyer
    of Rachelle.  Terms were not disclosed.

>>> Ultrasystems Inc. of Irvine reports that it has successfully
    completed a $30-million offering of 7.75 percent convertible
    subordinated debentures due 2006 at a price of 100 percent.

>>> Xerox's El Segundo office announced that the firm will
    distribute Ventura Software's line of products through its
    regular marketing channels.  No terms of the agreement were
    released.