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/1988/nb880329.249

Text File | 1991-08-18 | 65KB | 1,374 lines

[***][3/29/88][***]
MICROSOFT/APPLE LICENSE GOES PUBLIC
CUPERTINO, Ca. (NB) --  In what could turn out to be one of the
most intriguing software copyright cases in computerdom history,
feuding Apple Computer and Microsoft have jointly released a
previously confidential agreement which is at the root of their
dispute.  The 1985 agreement allows Microsoft to use certain
Macintosh-like displays in "present and future software programs."
In this particular case, it was the use of windows and icons in
Microsoft Windows version 1.0.  However, Windows version 2.0
is the center of the dispute -- Apple claims the visual interface
exceeds the boundaries set up in the original agreement; Microsoft
denies this.

The document was made public after both sides waived the
confidentiality clause and released it to the press, saying the
release would have been made during court proceedings anyway.

Meanwhile virtually everyone is saying Apple's lawsuit is really
a shot at IBM whose Presentation Manager, when it's finally
completed, is expected to be the most Mac-like of all clone
interfaces.  Apple Computer is probably trying to confuse the
market for the product, a trick which worked in other famous
corporate suits.

Richard Shaffer of the "Technologic Computer Letter" suggests
the results may be similar to what happened in the Polariod-Kodak
suit.  "It took Polariod a decade to win a case against Eastman
Kodak for violating its patents in instant photography......(and
Polaroid has forced) Kodak out of instant photography and could
collect as much as $5.2 billion."

[***][3/29/88][***]
INTEL/MICRON ALLIANCE AIMED AT BOOSTING DRAM SUPPLY
SANTA CLARA, Ca. (NB) -- Intel Corporation, which got out of the
DRAM market in 1985, is back in it by way of becoming a reseller
of DRAM chips made by Micron Technology of Boise, Idaho.
Intel will sell Micron's 256k chips under the Intel label, thereby
insuring Micron a steady market for its dynamic random access
memory chips.  The deal is designed to boost production of DRAMs
which  are in heavy demand worldwide, and to rally the "Buy
American" spirit.  Texas Instruments and Micron are the last two
American DRAM manufacturers; Japanese companies have quickly
dominated the worldwide DRAM market.

Intel also gets an option to buy 600,000 shares, or $11.6 million
worth of Micron stock.

[***][3/29/88][***]
HITACHI BUYS FROM INTEL - AND AROUND IT GOES
SANTA CLARA, Ca. (NB) -- In what appears to be a gesture of
reconciliation over the recent US-Japanese trade dispute, Japanese
electronics giant Hitachi has agreed to buy nearly $2 million in
microprocessors from Intel and Texas Instruments Japan.  Hitachi
plans to use the 16-bit and 8-bit custom made chips in air
conditioners and video cassette recorders.

[***][3/29/88][***]
BUT TRAMIEL STILL CRIES FOUL ON CHIP SHORTAGE
SUNNYVALE, Ca. (NB) -- While Micron Technology claims the worldwide
DRAM shortage is due to increased demand and  changes in
manufacturing, a former customer and now adversary is calling
these arguments "a scam" and vows to bring "the real story"
to the public.  Atari CEO Jack Tramiel, speaking in Hannover, West
Germany, contends the U.S. trade sanctions imposed against Japan
for alleged dumping of DRAM chips below cost in the US, were
"stupid and ill-conceived" and instigated by Micron Technology to
"improve the position of Micron in the world market."   Tramiel,
not known for mincing words, says he was cheated out of a
contract for DRAM chips by Micron when the semiconductor firm
suddenly demanded higher prices after a telephone deal at a lower
price had been made.  Tramiel is suing the Idaho company for
breach of contract, bad faith, and violation of antitrust laws.  Micron
isn't saying anything to the press on the advice of its attorneys.

[***][3/29/88][***]
PROTOTYPES OF STEVE JOBS NEXT COMPUTER REACHING DEVELOPERS
PALO ALTO, Ca. (NB) -- Some ten prototype models of the NeXT
workstation have been shipped to developers, according to inside
sources, and more are on the way.  Assembled by hand at the firm's
Fremont, Ca. manufacturing facility, the workstations are said to
be 68030-based and run a version of Unix with a proprietary graphic
interface.  Reports indicate that the products are loaded with a Sony
digital audio chip for knock-out sound; the screen routines will run
with Adobe Systems' Display PostScript.  Nobody is saying when we
should expect to see the workstation officially announced by NeXT.
However the best guess is that we'll see it announced within the
next few months in time for the fall academic buying season.

[***][3/29/88][***]
CORDATA STRADDLES THE FENCE: IBM AND APPLE CLONE IN ONE
NEWBURY PARK, Ca. (NB)╩-- Cordata Technologies is expected to
introduce the world's first dual IBM PC and Apple II clone.  The
$1,700 computer, which can be changed to run IBM or Apple II
programs at the flick of a switch, is aimed at the educational
market where both machines are in demand.  Called the WPC Bridge,
it was developed jointly with Rancho Cucamonga, Ca.-based
Calibre Industries.

[***][3/29/88][***]
SEND YOUR OLD COMPUTERS TO THE NEEDY
BOULDER, Co. (NB) -- In a tizzy as to what to do with that old Apple II
or the Osborne Executive nobody else wants either?  Don't trash them, donate
them..to the Global Technology Foundation.  This organization, set up
to supply computer gear to developing third world countries, is looking
for yesterday's technology and plans to use it for such noble causes as
improving the quality of life in the Third World.  Says Executive Director
Phillip  Friedman, "Equipment which is outdated here is often state of the
art in Africa, Asia, and Latin America."  The Foundation is applying for
tax-exempt status which would allow donations to be tax-deductible, but
that hasn't stopped donors from already unloading some $80,000 worth of
equipment for the cause.

CONTACT:  GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION, 303-440-1115

[***][3/29/88][***]
ZIFF-DAVIS BUYS HALF OF MACWEEK
SAN FRANCISCO (NB) -- Finally convinced there is a market for a Macintosh-
specific trade weekly, giant Ziff-Davis Publishing has purchased a 50%
interest in MACWEEK, a move which puts it one again squarely up against
its chief competitor -- PCW Communications -- with MACINTOSH TODAY.
Ziff purchased the interest from Patch Communications, which started
MACWEEK last May.  Word is Ziff will enhance MACWEEK with its marketing
and circulation muscle, but no word on how the purchase will, if at all,
change the trade weekly's editorial focus.

[***][3/29/88][***]
REGRETFUL THIEF RETURNS DISKS, KEEPS COMPUTER
WALNUT CREEK, Ca. (NB) -- Tax preparer Elizabeth Simpson Savano never
expected to see her $9,000 computer system again.  And she hasn't.
Her tax office was the target of a March 5 break-in that has resulted
in the return of something else. She has received back-up disks made
of the contents of her hard disk.  It seems the thief had a bit of remorse
after discovering the tax records of some 150 clients on the hard
disk, and being that it's tax time, decided to be a good guy about it.
Savano says she had been notified, first in a note promising to return
the hard disk and pay her back "some day" and secondly, in a phone
call.  "He said the backup for the hard disk was in the mail," she said,
but added that the thief hung up the phone before she could question
him further.  Savano is pleased to have the data back and was shocked
to find a note inside the package saying the thief was sorry that he
had done the dirty deed.  Says the California businesswoman of this
whole affair, "It's wierd."

[***][3/29/88][***]
IN BRIEF --

ASHTON-TATE, Torrance, Ca., has buried the hatchet in a suit against
a former employee.  Ashton-Tate had sued former chief scientist
C. Wayne Ratliff, claiming he took trade secrets  with him when he
went to Migent Corporation.  The settlement reportedly did not
involve cash, just some concessions on when Migent will bring to
market its new database product.

CHRONOS SOFTWARE, San Francisco, Ca., has introduced Who/What/When,
software for project and time management for the IBM PC.  Scheduled
to ship in April, the $189.95 software is designed for the busy
manager who needs help keeping track of people and projects.

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGIES, Scotts Valley, Ca., is happily supplying
drives to IBM.  Seagate has signed a major contract with IBM to supply
its new 3.5" hard disk drives for PS/2 computers.  The only other firm
competing with Seagate in this new market is Conner Peripherals
which is an OEM to IBM's competitor Compaq Computer.

WORDPERFECT CORPORATION, Orem, Utah, did not ship WordPerfect for the
Macintosh as promised March 15.  Unexpected snags in the program are
holding up shipment yet again and this time WordPerfect is saying
the product will be out the door March 29.  Deep breath.....

[***][3/29/88][***]
QUOTE OF THE WEEK

   "The success of a software company is directly proportional to
    how many shrimp its chief executive consumes in its first six
    months."

            --Stewart Alsop, PC LETTER, describing his theory called
       "The Schmoozing Tangent" which says that the most successful
       companies are led by people who show up at all the best parties.


[***][3/29/88][***]
THE ZENITH M286 WITH SUPERTWIST LCD, UNIX BOX DUE IN APRIL
GLENVIEW, IL (NB) -- The M286, a 12 MHz, 80286-based PC-
compatible with a better supertwist backlit LCD screen (a white
background and navy blue characters) is America's new hope
against the Japanese. The machine sports a standard 640K RAM, 1
megabyte optional, a 20 megabyte floppy and a single 1.44
megabyte 3 1/2 inch floppy. Weight -- 15 lbs. And the battery
works just 1.5-3 hours. Modem is optional (and weighs extra,
too.) It will be OEMed (also sold under the label of) Honeywell
Bull.

Also due from Zenith is a new Unix machine supporting up to 64
terminals through multiple 80386 processors. (Obviously someone
has seen the new AT&T computer ad where the sanctimonious AT&T
advocate claims you can hang 32 terminals off one AT&T PC.)
Initially the new Zenith box will run Xenix, but Microsoft has
announced it's merging Xenix with AT&T's Unix System V so it will
run "standard" Unix. The machine will go into the old Z-248 box,
and will be Zenith's entry in a big new contract now being bid by
the Air Force and Navy, according to Wayne Rash of "Microbytes
Daily." Zenith would confirm neither leak.

CONTACT: Glen Nelson, ZENITH, 312-699-4800)

[***][3/29/88][***]
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY -- LAYERING COPPER,OXYGEN
NEW ORLEANS (NB) -- The latest to wade into the superconductivity
debate is the University of Arkansas. Allen Hermann, a physicist,
says he's spotted a trend in superconductivity, namely that repeated
layers of oxygen and copper in superconductive ceramics make the
samples more efficient. Dr. Hermann conjectured that if you layer
atoms of copper and oxygen in a ceramic crystal repeatedly you may
create a room-temperature superconductor, most of whose materials
are as common as pennies and air. He said this at the American
Physical Society conference in New Orleans.

Generally, the ceramic compounds shown at the APS meeting were
still high in Rare Earths like thallium and bismuth, but Paul Chu
said his latest University of Houston recipe calls for a cheaper
material, lanthanum, which means progress is still marching
forward, and the real breakthroughs henceforth will be in finding
rules under which high-temperature superconductivity operates.

[***][3/29/88][***]
MERGER MANIA: QMS BUYS IMAGEN, AMERICAN AIRLINES
ATLANTA (NB) -- Merger mania continued to roll across the high-tech
front. QMS, the laser printer outfit in Mobile, AL, entered
a definitive plan to take over Imagen Corp., Santa Clara, CA,
which makes high-end computer publishing systems. The deal calls
for privately-held Imagen to get 1.85 million shares of QMS
common in late May, assuming it meets its goals and everyone
agrees to go for it. At $11.75 per share, its closing price on
March 23, the day of the merger announcement, the deal would be
worth about $21.74 million.

And American Airlines' AMR Information Services unit formed
a partnership to develop and market computerized reservation
systems for hotels and car rental agencies. The partners are two
hotel chains, Hilton and Marriott, and a car rental agency,
Budget. The resulting system will be compatible with American
Airlines' Sabre system and will be called Confirm. The partners
estimate design work will take 6 months to complete.

[***][3/29/88][***]
ONLINE YELLOW PAGES IN KC TO CLOSE, PENNEY'S UP, BELLS COMING
KANSAS CITY, MO (NB) -- The ground-breaking electronic yellow
pages operation here run by Volt Information of New York and U.S.
Telecom is closing, the companies announced this week. They said
it didn't meet profit goals, and they'll concentrate on a second
operation they started in Atlanta which shows signs it will do
better. This indicates that the business of offering free
directory service in exchange for advertising, which the Bell
companies have been so hot to get into, may not be so great after
all.

But that won't stop the Bells from testing the online waters.
Ameritech is now expected to come up with an online gateway Real
Soon Now, and BellSouth was reported in "Network World" to be
considering something called the Universal Gateway. NEWSBYTES has
learned that a test system from BellSouth could be online in a
matter of months.

Finally, J.C. Penney has put 4,000 cable TV subscribers up on its
Teleaction cable-fed videotex system in the Chicago suburbs. The
Teleaction system requires a phone connection as well as the
cable TV connection to work. A division of Post-Newsweek Cable is
handling the details.

[***][3/29/88][***]
THE LEGAL LEGACY OF IBM PC CREATOR DON ESTRIDGE
DALLAS (NB) -- NEWSBYTES reported a few weeks ago on the death-
benefit trial of Don Estridge, the late IBM executive whose
"intrapreneurial" (internally entrepreneurial) Entry Systems
group created the IBM PC. He and his wife died, tragically, in
1985, along with 136 others, when a Delta L-1011 jet went down at
Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport. During the family's suit against Delta
before a Texas jury, there was testimony from IBM Chairman John
Akers that Estridge once turned down the top job at Apple. The
family asked $25 million in damages.

The verdict is in. Total damages weren't what was requested, but
the family was awarded $7.975 million, a record amount. The award
was big enough to set off alarm bells throughout the insurance
industry and it got the attention of radio talk show hosts, who
asked questions about how much folks' lives are worth. No word on
whether Delta will appeal the award but one thing is certain.
Don Estridge's name will now go down in legal as well as computer
history.

[***][3/29/88][***]
PECAN CHIPS

ARK ELECTRONICS, Melbourne, FL, introduced the Datalink Express
Series communications system for the PS/2 Models 50, 60 and 80,
and a new line of PS/2 modems.

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS, Raleigh, NC, introduced II in a PC, a
$150 product that lets IBM PS/2 computers run Apple IIe software.
It ships the end of April.

COMPUTER SUPPORT, Dallas, announced Arts & Letters, a graphics
design tool for  IBM PCs designed for use under Microsoft
Windows and with major page-layout programs. They're best-known
for Diagraph, a clip-art file for the IBM PC. PC Emcee, a
presentations package, and the Arts & Letters Graphics Editor,
which saves and edits the company's clip art packages, were also
introduced at the National Computer Graphics Association show in
Anaheim, CA.

CRAY RESEARCH, Minneapolis, announced it will build a new plant
by 1990, far from its current plant in Chippewa Falls, WI. The
plant will come online with the Cray-3 expected in 1990. Cray
also said it many make its supercomputers overseas as well.

GEOVISION, Norcross, GA, announced Radio Shack will include its
CD-ROM GEOdisc maps in Radio Shack's Express Order Software
system. The company also signed an exclusive distribution pact
with Ingram Software of Buffalo, NY.

GMS, Boca Rotan, FL, a division of DEST, announce a scanner with
built-in optical character recognition (put it in your PC-Write
file) software. The Z-Scan II Model 35 includes EZ-Test, the
program in question, which connects to the EX-Fax facsimile
board, which controls the scanner. The whole shebang will set you
back about $2,200.

INDIANA FEDERAL SAVINGS, Valparaiso, IN, signed a deal to let
Citicorp handle its data processing, making it one of the biggest
banks so far to let Citicorp inside its business through the
computer room.

STAX, Austin, TX, announced a HyperCard stack filled with
HyperCard hints called the Macintosh Bible, at $70.

UNISYS, Detroit, announced new systems for banks at an Atlanta
trade show. Included were the DP 1000, a high-speed document
processor, the S 40, a desktop document processor, and the Item
Processing System, software ported from Unisys mainframe
computers.

[***][3/29/88][***]
QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Tomorrow Morning, at 10:35 AM, all software and data files on
every PC hard disk in your facility will automatically be deleted
by a computer virus that was planted in a program you stored on
one hard disk three months ago!" (Just when you thought it was
safe to look into your Sub-Directories.)


                                --From an ad for Disk Defender,
                                  an "anti-viral" program made
                                  by Director Technologies,
                                  Evanston, IL


[***][3/29/88][***]
APPLE WINS ONE, LOSES ONE ON COPYRIGHT
MARKHAM, Ont. (NB) -- Apple Canada Inc. was pleased with a mid-
March Federal Court of Canada decision fining three Vancouver men
C$5,000 each for violating an injunction against copying Apple
software.  But Apple wasn't so happy about a Federal Court of
Appeal decision that overthrew similar fines against two Montreal
companies.

Lami Yee Lam, Jack Liu and Jack Wu, all of Vancouver, were fined
C$5,000 each for contempt of court in breaching an injunction
against copying Apple software, the casing design of the Apple
IIe computer and the Apple logo.  Two Vancouver companies, O.S.
Micro Systems Inc. and Comtex Micro Systems Inc., were fined
C$10,000 and C$20,000 respectively.

The charges had to do with the defendants' sale of Apple IIe
clone computers.

The federal appeal court, meanwhile, set aside earlier fines
against House of Semiconductors Ltd. and Microcom, both of
Montreal.  The appeal court said contempt of court charges had
been upheld based only on evidence given in affidavits, and that
testimony from witnesses should have been heard.  The appeal
court said Apple can try again in this case if it can produce
witnesses to support its case.

CONTACT: APPLE CANADA INC., 7495 Birchmount Rd., Markham, Ont.
         L3R 5G2, [phone]

[***][3/29/88][***]
KINBURN ANNOUNCES DEAL WITH BCE
OTTAWA (NB) -- Kinburn Capital Corp., parent of SHL Systemhouse
Inc., has announced an agreement with BCE Inc. of Montreal,
parent of Bell Canada and Northern Telecom Ltd.  Under the
agreement, BCE could get 49 per cent of Kinburn, while Kinburn
will get BCE's Bell Technical Services computer service
subsidiary, a paper packaging company, and possibly BCE's
minority stake in Computer Innovations Distribution Inc., which
operates all the ComputerLand stores in Canada.

The deal provides that BCE will invest C$263 million in Kinburn
by purchasing debentures.  BCE gets a warrant to buy 49 per cent
of Kinburn, which can be implemented during a three-year period starting March
30, 1993.  BCE gets to appoint two directors each to the boards
of Kinburn and its subsidiaries Systemhouse and Paperboard
Industries Corp.

Kinburn gets 100 per cent of both Bell Technical and Rolph Clark
Stone Packaging.  Bell Technical has annual revenues of about
C$50 million from its third-party computer maintenance business.
Kinburn also gets an option to acquire BCE's 47-per-cent holding
in Computer Innovations, exercisable until Aug. 31, 1993.  During
the term of the option, Kinburn will manage BCE's investment in
Computer Innovations.

Kinburn has also arranged C$300 million in credit from a
syndicate of financial institutions, and will repay short-term
financing provided by BCE earlier.  Kinburn's other holdings
include office automation software vendor Xios Systems Corp. of
Ottawa, Toronto CAD software maker Accugraph Corp., and several
other technology and paper products companies.

CONTACT: KINBURN CORP., [phone]

[***][3/29/88][***]
LASER FRIENDLY ANNOUNCES NEW VERSION OF THE OFFICE PUBLISHER
TORONTO (NB) -- Laser Friendly Inc. has announced The Office
Publisher Version 1.1.  The new version of the desktop publishing
package features 22 added complete document designs for a total
of 43 templates, an international character set, hyphenation in
14 languages and improved documentation.  Printer and word
processor support have also been upgraded, adding support for new
versions of XyWrite III, WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, along
with additional printer drivers.

Laser Friendly has incorporated GEM 3.0, which it says allows for
faster response time and point-ahead ability.  Automatic font-
scale correction and screen font representation have been added
to improve the accuracy of the display.

CONTACT: LASER FRIENDLY INC., 56 Shorting Rd.,
         Scarborough, Ont. M1S 3S6, [phone]

[***][3/29/88][***]
MAC PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE IS ENTIRELY GRAPHIC
HALIFAX (NB) --  ProGraph is a programming language that lets you
write Macintosh programs by drawing pictures while matching the
power of popular programming languages, according to Phillip Cox,
a partner in the company that developed it.  Gunakara Sun Systems
Ltd. will bring ProGraph to market in late June or July --
possibly under another name since there are problems with
registering the ProGraph name in the U.S.  To be sold for about
$150 U.S., the initial version will contain an editor and an
interpreter.  A second version, adding a compiler, is planned for
the fall, Cox said.

ProGraph allows a programmer to develop applications by drawing
data flow diagrams, Cox said.  Aside from ease of use, he pointed
out, one of the language's advantages is that it makes syntax
errors impossible.  Cox said ProGraph has some of the features of
artificial-intelligence languages such as LISP and Prolog, and
its power compares favorably with these and more conventional
programming languages.

ProGraph had its roots in academic research done at Acadia
University in Wolfville, N.S., and at the Technical University of
Nova Scotia in Halifax, where the partners in Gunakara Sun are
currently teaching.  The project also had support from Canada's
National Research Council and from the Nova Scotia Department of
Development.  Gunakara Sun is hoping to sign agreements with
software distributors to help bring the software to market, and
Cox said the company also hopes Apple Computer will be able to
assist in selling it to the educational market.

CONTACT: GUNAKARA SUN SYSTEMS LTD., Suite 19, 1127 Barrington St.
         Halifax, N.S. B3H 2P8, [phone]

[***][3/29/88][***]
DEVELCON APPROVES INVESTMENT, APPOINTS EXECUTIVES
SASKATOON (NB) -- Develcon Electronics Ltd.'s board of directors
has approved an agreement in principle with a group of investors
headed by Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.  The agreement will
bring Develcon about C$8.5 million in additional capital, subject
to regulatory approvals and the approval of shareholders.

Develcon also announced the appointments of Anthony F. Griffiths
as chairman of the board and Richard G. MacPherson as president
and chief executive.  Griffiths replaces Nigel Hill, who resigned
the post a week earlier.  He is currently chairman of Mitel Corp.
MacPherson, most recently vice-president of international sales
for Timeplex Inc., replaces Herbert A. Woods, who will remain as
a consultant during the transition period.

Develcon, which manufacturing telecommunications hardware, lost
C$7.7 million in 1987 on sales of C$17.2 million.

CONTACT: DEVELCON ELECTRONICS LTD., 856 51st St. E.,
         Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 5C7, [phone]

[***][3/29/88][***]
UNIVERSITY RESEARCHER WORKING ON MULTIPROCESSING COMPILER
TORONTO (NB) -- Professor Dave Wortman at the University of
Toronto is working on a compiler for the next generation of
hardware: multiprocessor computers.  His design will exploit
multiple-processor hardware and should have the potential to
increase compilation speed substantially by dividing a program
into parts and processing them concurrently.

A major part of the project is testing and evaluating various
concurrent compilation techniques.  Wortman is working on a
Firefly multiprocessor system provided by Digital Equipment Corp.
He is writing a compiler for the Modula 2 programming language, a
good case study since it presents a range of problems found in
compiler design.  Funding comes from the Ontario University
Research Incentive Fund, hardware and software from Digital.

[***][3/29/88][***]
COGNOS, DIGITAL SIGN AGREEMENT
OTTAWA (NB) -- Digital Equipment of Canada Ltd. and Cognos Inc.
have signed an agreement that makes Cognos' PowerHouse fourth-
generation language available through Digital's Canadian sales
force.  Under the agreement, Digital will sell and deliver
PowerHouse on a non-exclusive basis, while Cognos will provide
after-sales service and support.

PowerHouse is an advanced application-development language
installed on more than 9,000 computers in 50 countries.  Versions
are available for minicomputers from Digital, Data General Corp.
and Hewlett-Packard Co., and for the IBM Personal Computer AT.

CONTACT: COGNOS INC., [phone]

         DIGITAL EQUIPMENT OF CANADA LTD., [phone]

[***][3/29/88][***]
BITS, EH?
-- IBM CANADA LTD., Markham, Ont., says it will invest C$70
million in upgrading its plant in Bromont, Que., this year.
Since the fourth quarter of last year the company has created
about 150 new jobs at the factory, which makes components from a
range of IBM products from the Personal System/2 to 3090
mainframes.

-- MEMOTEC DATA INC., Montreal, is planning a takeover bid for
Datagram Inc. of Boucherville, Que.  Memotec says shareholders
who control 44.7 per cent of Datagram have already agreed to sell
their stock.

-- COMPUTER ASSOCIATES CANADA LTD., Vancouver, is now shipping
SuperProject EXpert/2, the OS/2 version of its project management
software.  Suggested retail price is C$995.

-- DATAPOINT CANADA INC., Toronto, has been awarded a contract to
supply Air Canada with an office automation system.  Initially,
50 workstations will be installed at the airline's head office.
The installation will use Datapoint's OA/Vista-Office software.

-- NORTHERN TELECOM CANADA LTD., Toronto, is now Northern Telecom
Canada Ltd., Mississauga.  The Canadian manufacturing subsidiary
of the telecommunications equipment firm moves to new corporate
headquarters March 28.  The newly constructed building is at 2920
Matheson Blvd. E., Mississauga, Ont. L4W 4M7, telephone (416)
238-7000.



[***][3/29/88][***]
FUJITSU IMPORTS AMDAHL COMPUTER
TOKYO (NB) -- Japan's computer giant Fujitsu has agreed with
Amdahl (U.S.A.) to purchase its large-scale IBM-compatible
computer for sales in Japan.  That's the Amdahl 5890 series,
which is as powerful as IBM's 3090 series.  This computer could
be sold for about half the price of the competing IBM 3090,
however, due to a strong Japanese currency.  That could put
serious pressure on IBM Japan if it is actually sold that cheaply.

Currently the core of Amdahl 5890's CPU is supplied by Fujitsu,
and Amdahl customizes it for its computer.  Fujitsu has a 46%
share of Amdahl's stock.

[***][3/29/88][***]
SUPERSMART CARD WITH KEYBOARD AND DISPLAY
TOKYO (NB) -- The experimental use of an intelligent IC card with a
keyboard and a LCD will start in Tokyo in June.  California-based
Visa International and Toshiba, Tokyo, jointly began to develop
the card in 1985.  Users will be able to receive several
services, including airline ticket reservations and securities
trading.  The card measures 85.5 x 54.0 x 0.76mm, which is based
on the International Standardization Organization's (ISO) standard.
It will be priced at 3,000 yen or $23.6 when Visa starts the actual
service, receiving volume shipment from Toshiba in three years.

CONTACT: Toshiba, 1-1-1 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105

[***][3/29/88][***]
MITSUBISHI LINKS WITH NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR
TOKYO (NB) -- Mitsubishi Electronics, Tokyo, has signed an IC
production agreement with National Semiconductor.  In this
agreement, Mitsubishi will tailor a semi-finished high-speed
logic IC of National Semiconductor, and supply the completed
product back to NS.  In this way, NS will be able to market the
ICs, which meet the needs of Japanese customers.  NS will sell
those finished products to Japanese customers.  This could be one
of the best ways for the American chip makers to penetrate
the Japanese market.

[***][3/29/88][***]
CANON LEADS PATENT RACE
TOKYO (NB) -- It's survey time.  Intellectual Property
Owners, Inc. (U.S.A.) has released a survey of company
ranking according to the number of acquired patents in the U.S.
in 1987.  Amazingly enough, the top three positions are taken by
Japanese companies, and there are 29 Japanese companies among the
top 100 companies.

RANKING       COMPANY                NUMBER OF PATENT
-------       -------                ----------------
 1            Canon                              847
 2               Hitachi                            845
 3               Toshiba                   823
 4               General Electric             779
 5               Phillips                  687
 6               Westinghouse              652
 7            IBM                       591
 8            Siemens                   539
 9            Mitsubishi                518
10            RCA                       504
------------------------------------------------------

[***][3/29/88][***]
JAPAN AS INDUSTRIAL ROBOT KINGDOM
TOKYO (NB) -- Currently in Japan, research and development
of industrial robots is very popular in both public and private
sectors.  The government-affiliated association the Machine
Technology Institute is doing research on various industrial
machines and developing the mechanism necessary for advanced robots.
Electronics General Research Institute is also doing research
on the development of intelligent remote-control robots, and a robot for
space development.  The total research expenditure for this year's
major projects is estimated at about $18.9 million.

CONTACT: The Machine Technolgy Institute, c/o The Industrial
         Technology, 1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken

[***][3/29/88][***]
MAJOR COMPUTER SHOW SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
TOKYO (NB) -- Japan's major computer exhibition Microcomputer
Show will be held at Tokyo Ryutsu Center on May 11 through 14.
The list of the exhibits includes microprocessors, microcomputers,
personal computers, software, and peripheral devices.  A total of 63
companies will participate this year.  The admission is free.

CONTACT: Japan Electronic Industry Development Association,
         c/o Kikaikaikan, 3-5-8 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105

[***][3/29/88][***]
<<< SUSHI BYTES >>>

CDC JAPAN INTRODUCES 200M 3.5-INCH HDD -- CDC Japan, subsidiary
of Control Data Corp. in the U.S., will introduce a 3.5-inch hard
disk drive with a 200 megabyte memory in Japan.  The company will
release a sample product, called Swift, next month.

APOLLO COMPUTER JAPAN RAIDS IN UNIVERSITY -- Apollo Computer
Japan has received the orders of 200 engineering workstations
from Waseda and Kyushu Industrial Universities.  This American
subsidiary has also released a Japanese version of DSEE, a
software development supporting tool, for those workstations.

JAPANESE AUTOCAD -- AutoDesk Japan has developed a Japanese
version of computer aided designing program AutoCAD, in
cooperation with its parent company in the U.S.  The Japanese
version will run on SUN, Apollo, and VAX computers.
AutoDesk Japan expects to double the company's sales with this
version this term.

FUJITSU SUPPORTS ISDN -- Fujitsu has announced it will support
the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) standard.  To
start, the company has released the ISDN adapters for its
business computers.  Fujitsu will develop more ISDN adapters for
its word processors, personal computers, and host computers
later.

AT&T TIES UP WITH KDD ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS -- Two giants AT&T
and KDD will tie up in the telecommunication consulting business.
AT&T will join Telehouse International, which is KDD's venture in
New York.  The venture company is also consulting in the area of
telecommunications.

KANJI FEATURE FOR FAMILY COMPUTER -- Tokyo-based major securities
firm Yamaichi has modified a telecom adapter to display Kanji,
using the best-selling game machine Family Computer.  Yamaichi
has already started a stock trading service for this new
adapter.  Meanwhile, Family Computer maker Nintendo and
Nomura Securities are still testing their adapter for a similar
service.




[***][3/29/88][***]
ZENITH TO ANNOUNCE NEW LAPTOP AND PS/2 COMPATIBLES  *EXCLUSIVE*
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (NB) -- Zenith is to host a press conference on April
the 5th in the US, at which point the company will announce a new 286-
based laptop and PS/2 model 50 and 60 compatible systems.

Zenith, one of the codevelopers of the OS/2 operating system, is
to announce a new laptop. The new system, which is rumoured to look
like the Z181, is to use the 286 microprocessor running at 10MHz.
The system will also have a 3.5 inch floppy drive and a 20MB hard
disk. Featuring a backlit bluish LCD screen, the system is expected
to have a single half slot for interface boards.

In addition, the company is expected to announce a series of new
PS/2 compatible systems using the MCA bus. IBM has said it was going
to come down hard on companies which are copying the MCA bus, but it
is rumoured that Zenith has obtained an agreement from IBM for the
MCA bus.  Zenith co-developed OS/2 which enabled IBM to
offer OS/2 in December 1987, faster that planned!


[***][3/29/88][***]
IBM GIVES DETAILS ON AIX
FRANKFURT, WEST GERMANY (NB) -- IBM announced a series of new
products across its entire product range giving full support to
the AIX, UNIX-like operating system. Products range from the
AIX/370 to the AIX for the PS/2.

IBM announced that AIX/370 is the UNIX-like operating system for the
System 370 and System 3090s. The operating system will also function
on the 9370 system. The models supported are from the 9370 model
20 through the 3090 600E. Also in the case of the PS/2 systems, the
AIX will be supported on the PS/2 model 80, or any models that
use the 80386 processor chip and the RT/PC. The AIX operating system
which will be equivalent to the UNIX V release 3, will also support
IBM's SAA, the Systems Applications Architecture, which amongst other
things, proposes a unified user interface for software running on
AIX. In addition, IBM also announced the AIX will be fully compatible
with POSIX, the UNIX standard proposed by IEEE and favored by
the European Community as the operating system of the future.

All of these products will be able to be connected through the Ethernet
Local Area Network which follows the IEEE 802 standard. This means
that the AIX/370, the AIX/PC, and the AIX/RT will be able to
exchange information easily and effectively. AIX/370 will also be
able to run under the VM/SP, VM/SP HPO and VM/XA SP operating
supervisors together with other operating systems.

Since the PS/2 can connect other PCs to it, as does the RT/PC, this
means that IBM has announced a completely homogenous operating
environment for all of its systems (even the System/36/38 is supposed
to get AIX in the near future). The RT/PC can also have an eight
port adapter that can be connected to eight PCs or terminals
able to access the 370/AIX in a virtual circuit.

In addition, IBM also said that the X-Windows graphics operating
environment will also be implemented, giving mainframes, for the
first time, the ability to run graphics-oriented (Presentation or
MS Windows-like) user interfaces.
[***][3/29/88][***]
ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES ANNOUNCES BETA SITES FOR 29000
PARIS, FRANCE (NB) -- Thirty companies have signed up as Beta
sites for the new AMD 29000 microprocessor, which was specially
designed for UNIX. The 29000, which is a RISC UNIX chip, operates
at 25MHz and offers 25MIPS top performance (Million Instructions
per second). They cost $395 each. John East, AMD's senior vice president
for logic products said, "Out Beta test sites are Fortune-500 sites
whose response to the 29000 is extremely welcome." Of course it
depends who is going to use the 29000 in the end.

[***][3/29/88][***]
CANON TO INTRODUCE 21ST CENTURY PRODUCTS IN LONDON
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (NB) -- Canon has its eyes set on the
21st century. The company says it will introduce new products in
London on April the 27th which will allow us all to look past
the year 2000.

The company is to host a European Expo which will have as
its focus a typical office in the second millenium, an
office with roots in a vision not seen elsewhere and with
products whose introduction will be in the 2000s.

There are of course the short-term introductions. There
is the A200EX, an IBM/AT-compatible system with a
286 chip running at 10MHz, and the A200SX, the IBM
PS/2 model 80 compatible running at 16MHz, with a 5.25" inch
floppy disk (against IBM's 3.5") and apparently a PS/2
MCA bus. There is also the A200 Mark II which is the ever-
popular PC/XT-compatible system that uses the 8086 chip
at 10MHz to give it performance much higher than the IBM
PC.

However, although the above gives an idea on today's
products, the real picture emerges when tomorrow's product
are added to the list. "As far as the office of the future
is concerned, that is the REAL office of the future
is concerned," said Mathys, Canon's product manager,
"Canon believes that we have to start thinking in a
different manner than we do today. We have to think about
the IBM PC, when the first Kaypro CP/M systems appeared;
we have to think years in the future. This is certainly
not very easy. Even for a company such as Canon, the
future remains as secret and unpredictable as ever."

"However", he continued "Canon believes that we have to
start at the beginning. We have to evaluate all the
elements of the computer as we know it today. For example,
we believe that the 5.25 inch is too old and even the 3.5
inch floppy format is too old. We see the future as the 2
inch floppy disk and this is what our systems will have.
We also see the future as depending on artificial
intelligence. In London, we are going to show an office
environment with a really powerful PC, running on 386 micros,
supporting flat, bright screens and running some really
intelligent software, the fruits of a really expensive R&D
project which is certain to bring results. We hope to be
the first company in the history of the computer
industry who is actually bringing the lab to the market."

Whether all of these products will make it is a different
story. Mathys said that Canon, which has extrapolated its
R&D work over the next decade, has to learn to live in a
market dominated by IBM. If we extrapolate today's PCs and
realize that there are systems running today that were
developed more than 12 years ago,then it is safe to assume
that today's systems will still be there in the beginning of
the next century.

Maybe Canon is not really showing ideas and products for
the future but giving us a peek at what a single
manufacturer thinks the future will bring. Of course, as
we all know, the most important event will be what the
market brings. And the biggest player in the market, IBM,
normally calls the shots. Maybe they will hold a
"futurecast" in the fall. We will just have to wait to find
out!

[***][3/29/88][***]
EUROPE AND JAPAN: STRAINED RELATIONS
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (NB) -- Japan is falling out of favor again.
Japan's trade relations with the West and with Europe as a
whole have been strained lately. Since Japan's exports
have increased by 6.1% over the last few years,
mainly due to the yen exchange rate advantage, there is a
new wave of European protectionism appearing.

In 1987, Japan's GNP grew by 3.7% in real terms while the
EC (European Community) forecasts that during 1988, the GNP
will grow a further 3.5%. In terms of foreign relations,
Japan's exports to the EC grew by 6.1% in yen terms while
exports to the US and the world as a whole decreased by
5.6 and 10.4% respectively. The main increases in the EC
trade result from office machines and telecommunications
equipment. On the import side, Japan's imports from the EC
grew by 8.7%, none of which is related to computers and
office equipment.

How does this affect the European computer market? Does
this cause, for example, Toshiba computers to be replaced
by Siemens or the Rein 286 laptops (made in Germany)? Or
does this just goes to show that no matter what you do,
Japan will always be a step ahead?

Japan has been importing its trade and manufacturing
methods to Europe over the last few years with good
results. All of these have to do with non-computer
production because Japanese can built computers in the
far east for a lot less money than in Europe. The fact
that in the field of computers there is virtually no
export from the EC is a matter of concern here. Willy De
Clercq, the EC Commissioner for external affairs said
recently, "Japan and Europe must learn than in order to
make business in the future, there has to be a balance of
trade."

Japan's opening of its markets will probably be the most
important change of this century. If it indeed goes ahead,
and in fact it is not just talk to calm the EC down (or
the US for that matter), then European relations will
steadily improve. If, however, such a market fails to
materialize, then things will certainly get worse.
Similar to the wave of protectionism which hit the US a
few years ago, European markets will have to be told that
even though Japanese products may be better, the European
medicine is suited best. It may hurt in value and quality
but not in pride.
[***][3/29/88][***]
CONTROL DATA SHOWS AN ETA SUPERCOMPUTER AT HANOVER
HANOVER, GERMANY (NB) -- Hailed as one of the most powerful
computers in the world, ETA system, a Control Data Company, showed
the ETA P model, at the Hanover fair. This system, which is
the entry level computer for the ETA series, offers a cycle
time of 24ns (nanoseconds or 1 billionth of a second) and one
or two processors. Local memory which ranges from 32 to 64
MB while Global memory ranges from 64 to 512MB. Offering a
speed of 750 MFLOPS (Million Floating Point instructions per
second) it uses air as a cooling medium. The system was shown
running a weather program which was preprocessed by a CYBER 130,
minicomputer (powerful systems need preprocessors which prepare
the main system for the actual operation).

The smallest in a range of ETA system which finishes with one
of the most powerful computers in the world, the ETA model G.
This model which has a main memory of 32 to 256 MB and a global
memory of 512 to 2048GB (that is Giga bytes), has a cycle time
of 7ns and can perform 10280 million floating operations per
second! When you realize that the ETA G, uses 8 processors all of
which are physically dipped in special containers containing liquid
nitrogen (-100 degrees), the performance is expected. Costing
from $ 999,999, it is a little more expensive that the PS/2 model 80!



[***][3/29/88][***]
LOTUS GETS A BAD CASE OF THE VAPORS
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (NB) -- Lotus Development Corp. is facing a
Securities and Exchange Commission investigation and a nose dive
in the price of its stock. The turmoil follows the revelation
that Lotus won't get Release 3 of 1-2-3 into users hands until the
end of the year, the resignation of a key Lotus executive, and
heavy sales of Lotus stock by company insiders including Chairman
Jim Manzi. Lotus confirmed the informal SEC investigation, which
is focused on why Manzi, Senior Vice President Michael Kolowich,
R&D chief Edward Belove, and Palmer True, vice president for
manufacturing, unloaded large blocks of company stock a month
before the announced delay of Release 3. Lotus denies that the
sales had anything to do with the delay, arguing that the
decision to hold the new software off the market was made after
the executives sold their stock. The stock tumbled more than 10
percent following the announcement.

The problem with Release 3, according to Manzi, is that it is too
large to work in DOS, requiring OS/2. Manzi said Lotus is now
working to get the program down-scaled sufficiently so that it
won't leave its installed base behind. In the meantime, industry
analysts expect Borland's Quattro and Microsoft's Excel to eat
1-2-3's lunch until a new version is available. Manzi professes
to be "comfortable" with current sales of 1-2-3.

Clouding the picture at Lotus is the resignation of Senior Vice
President Charles Digate over a spat with Manzi. Digate said he
and Manzi have "differences in operating philosophies." Digate,
who joined Lotus in 1983, was seen as Manzi's heir apparent at
Lotus. His sudden resignation raised questions about the
scheduled mid-year roll out for Release 3, but Lotus denied the
rumor. An egg-faced Lotus had to reverse itself just days later
and confirm that Release 3 wouldn't ship until the fourth
quarter.
[***][3/29/88][***]
IBM: IS THE EMPEROR CLOTHED?
NEW YORK (NB) -- Just what is the "Micro Channel Architecture"
anyhow? The WALL STREET JOURNAL has posed that question on its
front page and concluded that the answer may be a lot of blue
smoke and mirrors. Calling it "one of IBM's most audacious
marketing gambits ever," reporter Michael Miller notes that the
Micro Channel is "IBM's mystery ingredient." In short, says
Miller, the Micro Channel is Big Blue's equivalent of the MFP
inside Colgate toothpaste or the "Chlorinol" in Comet cleanser.
It's as much designed to differentiate the product from others in
the crowded consumer market as it is to accomplish a technical
task. Miller quote's Edward Belove at Lotus Development that the
Micro Channel is "a lot of FUD," which is high-tech talk for
"Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt," and that "the emperor's wearing a
bathing suit." IBM insists, of course, that it is fully clothed
in the customary blue flannel. "This is not whether you're buying
Shell or Texaco, or whether you've got MFP or not in the
toothpaste," says Big Blue's PC-meister William Lowe.
[***][3/29/88][***]
KODAK CHARGES DISK DUMPING BY JAPAN
WASHINGTON (NB) -- Eastman Kodak Co. says Japan is dumping floppy
disks in the U.S. The charges before the International Trade
Commission say that Sony Corp., Hitachi, and Fuji Photo are
charging 40 percent to 60 percent less for 3.5 inch disks in the
U.S. than they charge in Japan. Kodak's Verbatim division says
the price discrepancy is not simply a matter of the changing
value of the dollar and the yen. A lawyer for Hitachi Maxell says
his company will fight the charges. Kodak's claim, he said, are
"consistently wildly overstated." The dispute over the hot 3.5 inch
disk market could revive trade tensions between Japan and the
U.S., according to State Department officials.
[***][3/29/88][***]
GE RECALLS SURGE SUPRESSORS
WASHINGTON (NB) -- General Electric Co. is recalling 45,000 GE
and RCA surge supressors sold between October 1986 and December
1987. The devices might cause an electrical shock, according to
the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Commission officials said
there have been no reported injuries, but a defect in some of the
supressors could cause the metal housings to become electrified.
GE models EPC-6S, EPC-6MS, EPC-4NS, and EPC-CPU and RCA models
SK416 and SKF416 are involved. Owners should pull the plug from
the electrical outlet, without touching the gray metal housing.
Then mail them to General Electric Co., Attn: EPC Recall, P.O.
Box 8203 Beaverton, Ore., 97076. GE will replace the units and
reimburse postage costs.

CONTACT: GE, 1-800-626-2000 or the CPSC at 1-800-638-2772.
[***][3/29/88][***]
GEE, GTE DEVELOPS NEW OPTICAL LASER
WALTHAM, Mass. (NB) -- GTE says it has developed a new
semiconductor laser that can switch on and off 22 billion times
per second. GTE scientists say the semiconductor laser will
revolutionize televisions, computers, and telephones. "Your
telephone is going to be a television, a computer telephone, and a
voice (device) all rolled into one," said a GTE official. The new
laser theoretically is capable of sending 200 to 400 video
signals over a single optical fiber.
[***][3/29/88][***]
CIA IN TROUBLE OVER TOSHIBA BASHING
WASHINGTON (NB) -- Secretary of State George Shultz is steamed.
National Security Advisor Colin Powell is miffed. Why? Because
the Central Intelligence Agency has provided members of Congress
with evidence that Toshiba has consistently and consciously
diverted technology to the Soviet bloc. Congressmen are using the
information to push for tough trade sanctions against Toshiba in
the pending trade bill, against administration policy. According
to Washington sources, Guy DuBois, who heads the CIA's Technology
Transfer Assessment Center, leaked the damaging Toshiba
allegations to Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), a leading Toshiba-
basher. Administration pressure has been so intense on DuBois
that the CIA has backed off its claims somewhat. The agency no
longer claims Toshiba diverted a 256K DRAM factory to East
Germany. Pentagon and State Department officials, including
Richard Armitage, assistant secretary of defense for
international security, told trade bill conferees that the
allegations against Toshiba are based on circumstantial evidence
and aren't "compelling."
[***][3/29/88][***]
ASK THE CANDIDATES AT BOSTON MUSEUM
BOSTON (NB) -- The Boston Computer Museum has a timely new
display: computerized information on how the presidential
candidates stand on the issues. Developed by Pugh-Killeen
Associates, a Newton, Mass., software firm, the interactive
display has the candidates' stands on the issues of the day. Want
to know about Dukakis on taxes, Simon on the budget, Dole on
defense? Just ask the computer. And as the slate of candidates is
pared down by primary voters, the exhibit will be changed to
reflect that. The museum will keep the exhibit going through
November.
[***][3/29/88][***]
INTEL, MICRON JOIN FORCES
WASHINGTON (NB) -- Intel Corp. and Micron Technology have
concluded a joint venture that will provide Intel with a reliable
DRAM supply and give DRAM manufacturer Micron a dependable
market, allowing the Boise, Idaho, company to build a new
manufacturing plant. Intel invented the dynamic random access
memory chip, but stopped making them in 1985 during the price war
between the U.S. and Japan. As a result of the U.S.-Japan
semiconductor agreement, prices for DRAMs in the U.S. have
skyrocketed. "We will be able to supply our customers with more
comprehensive, one-stop shopping," said Intel Vice Chairman
Robert Noyce at a Washington news conference. Micron, one of only
two remaining U.S. DRAM makers, plans to break ground for a new
plant in Idaho as a result of the assured market.

"The current [DRAM] shortage...is due to the Japanese destruction
of the U.S. DRAM industry," Micron Chairman Joe Parkinson said.
"It is essential that we preserve the remaining fragile base." If
Micron needs capital to increase its production, Intel has agreed
to purchase up to 600,000 shares of Micron stock.
[***][3/29/88][***]
NASD FINES MORGAN STANLEY
NEW YORK (NB) -- The National Association of Securities Dealers
has fined Morgan Stanley & Co. $50,000 for misuse of NASD's
computerized order-executive system and suspended the firm for
30 days. The NASD also fined Morgan Stanley trader Samuel
Wegbreit $10,000. The group said Wegbreit misused the NASD system
193 times between June and September, involving transactions in
14 securities. NASD said Morgan Stanley was at fault for failing
to establish security and supervision procedures that would have
prevented the abuses.
[***][3/29/88][***]
NEWS NIBBLES FROM AROUND THE REGION

DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORP. of Maynard, Mass., has lowered its
projected profits for the third quarter, citing fewer orders than
expected from large buyers.

DATAFLEX CORP. of Edison, N.J., has become an authorized
distributor for Digital Equipment Corp.'s small systems products
for the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area.

COMPUGRAPHIC CORP. of Wilmington, Mass., will is expected to ring
up a loss of $4.7 million for the first quarter, and a revenue
decline of 13 percent compared to the fourth quarter of last
year.

IBM is expected to buy PacTel Spectrum Services from Pacific
Telesis Group. Spectrum sells telecommunications trouble-shooting
services and products.

HAMPSTEAD COMPUTER GRAPHICS of East Hampstead, N.H., has
developed software that will allow users of Ventura Publisher to
access the Compugraphic typeface library. The price is $1,950
with 10 Compugraphic fonts.


[***][3/29/88][***]
APPLE #1 - EURO-CONFERENCE HELD IN LONDON
London, UK (NB) -- Amidst much flag-waving and back-slapping,
several key Apple figures flew into London last week for
'Information Systems & technology - The Apple Conference.'

As expected, the conference attracted a lot of interest from the
Apple home and business sector, and focused on how the Mac
integrates with the information systems of large corporations and
other similar topics of conversation which crop up at office
coffee breaks.

John Sculley, company chairman and CEO, and Jean Louis Gassee,
senior vice-president for R&D at Apple, were at the convention.
Sadly, other than much huff and puff for Apple product, there was
little of interest for the average Mac user.  Perhaps the most
relevant comment of the convention was made by Gassee, who said
that "users concentrate on what they're trying to accomplish, not
how to use the computer."
[***][3/29/88][***]
APPLE #2 - ESTABLISHES EURO-R&D CENTRE
London, UK (NB) -- Perhaps one of the best things (if not the
ONLY thing) to come out of the Apple conference (see story above)
was the announcement of a new R&D facility to be sited in Europe.

Headed by Edward Colby, the new centre will be sited at Apple's
existing European HQ in Paris and will aim to build up expertise
on a variety of Apple-related topics, with initial reference to
OSI communications standards.

The announcement was made by Michael Spindler, senior vice-
president of Apple's international sales and market division who,
along with Jean-Louis Gassee, was keen to stress the
international role that Apple is playing.

"The European R&D centre is a key element of Apple's strategy to
strengthen its position in Europe," said Spindler.  "We hope to
take advantage of the considerable expertise in Europe to staff
the centre, which will work closely with R&D in Cupertino.  Our
goal is to leverage Apple's global resources to harness European
evolution," he added.

CONTACT:  APPLE UK, Eastman Way, Hemel Hempstead,
          Hertfordshire HP2 7HQ.
          Tel: [phone].
[***][3/29/88][***]
COMPUTERISED ROUTE PLANNING ON A PC DEBUTS
Hindhead, Surrey (NB) -- Remember the days when the Automobile
Association (AA) used to send out route maps to members free of
charge?  The personalised route maps were created on a mainframe
computer, and were highly useful in the 60's, when motorways were
just being built.

Autoroute from Next Base Software does the same thing, but on a
PC.  The #149-95 package allows users to create a computerised
route map on-screen, complete with local maps and step-by-step
route instructions.  When a route is complete, the system then
prints out one or more route maps, which summarise the
information on-screen, allowing you to drive to your destination
without having to wind the window down and ask for directions.

The idea is good, and the software appears to work, subject to
the amount of data on the disks supplied.  The disks,
incidentally, are updated annually to take account of new roads
and old road reroutings.  The update service is available at
nominal cost.

CONTACT: NEXTBASE LIMITED, March House, Churt Road, Hindhead,
         Surrey, GU26 6PR.                   Tel: [phone].
[***][3/29/88][***]
NEW MAGAZINES IN THE UK: 3D, INFORMATION USER AND MI PC
London, UK (NB) -- What a week it's been for new computer
magazines, with no less than three new glossy monthlies/bi-
monthlies hitting NEWSBYTES UK's doormat with a resounding thump.

First up is 3D, a CAD/CAM-targeted controlled circulation
magazine with a distinctly up-market bias.  If you don't qualify
for a freebie subscription (i.e. you don't spend enough on
Desktop/Design/Documentation kit) then it'll set you back a cool
#24 to subscribe for 12 issues.

* NEWSBYTES UK VERDICT - Very high-end material.
  Little of interest for most PC users.

Next from the in-tray is INFORMATION USER, a #1-25 per issue bi-
monthly aimed at the business end of the online industry.
Published by Focus Magazines, the magazine has a lot of interest
for serious home users and information professionals needing
product and service appraisals in a nutshell.

* NEWSBYTES UK VERDICT - Useful for online addicts and
  professional users.  Nothing like it on the UK market at
  present.


Last, but not least is Mi-PC, a controlled circulation PC
magazine with a news stand price of #1-25.  The initially bi-
monthly magazine is the brainchild of Geof Wheelwright, computer
journalist and author who, along with his wife, formed Greenleaf
Publishing about four years ago.  Last summer saw the couple
start into the world of regular magazine/newsletter publishing.

"It started when we approached Migent last summer to write a
newsletter for them," Wheelwright told NEWSBYTES UK.  "Pretty
soon we branched out into the magazine stakes, with free
distribution to registered users of Migent software."
Wheelwright notes that Amstrad PC1512 buyers get a a registration
card free with their machines, so a good circulation for Mi PC is
assured.

"As long as potential readers qualify as a PC owner, they can
register for the first year's supply of the magazine free of
charge," said Wheelwright.  With an offer like that, can you
refuse?

* NEWSBYTES UK VERDICT - Nice magazine.  As good as some of the
  chargeable PC magazines at the moment.  Worth checking out.


CONTACT:

3D MAGAZINE, East Midlands Allied Press, 67 Clerkenwell Road,
London EC1R 5BH.                            Tel: [phone].

INFORMATION USER, Focus Magazines, Greencoat House,
Francis Street, London SW1P 1DG.            Tel: [phone].

Mi PC (Management in Personal Computing), Greenleaf Publishing,
10 Greville Place, London NE6 5JN.            Tel: [phone].
            Electronic Mail - Dialcom (Telecom Gold) 83:JNL123
[***][3/29/88][***]
PRECISION ACQUIRES GRAFOX SOFTWARE
Worcester Park, Surrey (NB) -- Precision Software, the publishers
of the much-restyled Superbase package, has acquired Grafox
Limited, publishers of Logistix.

The move to acquire Grafox, whose 1987 sales totalled #840,000,
gives Precision an income potential of more than #3 million,
taking the company out of the realms of the smaller software
houses, and heading up towards the Lotus/Ashton-Tates of this
world.

Under the deal, Grafox will continue to sell its Logistix
spreadsheet, which market analysts Context International says
accounts for 5 per cent of the UK PC spreadsheet market.  Not
that the UK is the major market for Grafox.  The company claims
that more than half of its production of Logistix ships overseas,
primarily to Europe and the US.

John Tranmer, Precision's MD, is pleased with the deal.  "Grafox
has considerable technical strength and international market
presence," he said.  "Its acquisition brings us nearer to the
goal of becoming a major international software publisher."

* Since its launch in October '86, Precision's Superbase Personal
  package has sold 130,000-plus units in Europe and the US. The
  package is bundled with the Amstrad PC1512 in France and Spain,
  and is featured in hardware promotions in Germany, Italy and
  the US.

CONTACT: PRECISION SOFTWARE, 6 Park Terrace, Worcester Park,
         Surrey KT4 7JZ.                   Tel: [phone].
[***][3/29/88][***]
RPS INTO MAC AND PC PUBLIC DOMAIN SOFTWARE
Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire (NB) -- Rhone Poulnec Systemes
(RPS), one of Europe's largest disk and recording media
manufacturers, is giving away public domain (PD) software for the
Apple Mac and IBM PC (and close compatibles).

Well almost.  For #37-50 (#4-50 extra for the Mac package) you
get a ten-pack of disks with a variety of PD software recorded.
In total, more than 50 software programs are recorded on the ten
disks that users pay top retail price for.   If you're not into
PD or shareware software for the Mac and PC by now, you should
be.  The RPS packs (one for the Mac, two for the PC) offer a
reasonable way in, although there are more selective ways to get
hold of PD software.

CONTACT: RHONE POULNEC SYSTEMS, High Street, Houghton Regis,
         Bedfordshire LU5 5QI.             Tel: [phone].
[***][3/29/88][***]
TELECOM GOLD - FOUR NEW DATABASES
London, UK (NB) -- Consolidating its position as the brand leader
in electronic mail in the UK, Telecom Gold has opened four new
gateways into third-party databases.

The databases are provided by Business Direction, the
restructured Dialcom Group's online business information division
and include the Wall Street Journal and Marketing Week, along
with BIS Infomat and Peat Marwick McLintock Grants.

In common with other Telecom Gold gateway services, no pre-
registration is required.  Charges vary between #1 and #2 per
minute for using the gateway.

The new database gateways are the first stage in a number of
service enhancements planned by Telecom Gold, which intends to
increase the number of news, company and market-oriented
databases in the near future.  Menu-driven front ends to these
gateways are also planned for the near future.

CONTACT: TELECOM GOLD LIMITED, 60-68 St Thomas Street,
         London SE1 3QU.             Tel: [phone].

[***][3/29/88][***]
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
+ BRITBYTES - Bytes of news from around the UK... +
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

ALDUS EUROPE and DEC have formed a strategic alliance in Europe.
The deal allows Digital to distribute Aldus Pagemaker throughout
Europe on a direct end user basis.

The ATARI Abaq Transputer-based workstation has completed a
whirlwind tour of several Scottish Universities.  Response to the
tour - the world debut for the Abaq - has been excellent,
according to John Noble, MD of the Silicon centre in Edinburgh,
who organised the tour.

BLUE CHIP TECHNOLOGY of Deeside has launched what it claims to be
a revolutionary type of printer.  The RM-80 printer has a
vertically-oriented mechanism that feeds behind a perspex screen.
This enables users to read a 40-line 'screen' of paper as it
feeds out to the paper tray.

CITADEL PRODUCTS of Edgeware has launched a low-cost flat bed
optical image scanner.  The A300 scanner costs #1,197 including
PC software and is capable of scanning up to an A4-sized area to
330 dots per inch resolution in one take.

The EEC is investigating allegations that phone manufacturers
have been dumping CELLULAR TELEPHONES onto the European market.
Prices on cellular hardware (thank goodness) have been falling
rapidly in recent months, so dealer profit margins have been
falling too.  Time to buy a cellular phone perhaps?

MERCURY COMMUNICATIONS has launched its new national data
network.  The UK service offers V21, V22, V22Bis and V23 speeds
using MNP Level 4 and Tulse Data error correction.  The company
has also reached agreement with MCI for alternative routing to
the US via MCI data circuits, as well opening links to the Far
East and Australia.

A shortage of skilled computer staff is on the horizon, according
to the NATIONAL COMPUTER director John
Artis reports that there is currently a shortfall of 19,400
skilled computer staff, and an anticipated 80,000 shortfall due
over the next five years.  (SOURCE: COMPUTER WEEKLY).

OFTEL has told BRITISH TELECOM that it must offer service to PAN
AMERICAN SATELLITE, or risk being breach of the UK's
Telecommunications Act.  Panamsat (no relation to the airline)
becomes the first truly independent transatlantic satellite
telecommunications carrier, thus breaking the Intelsat monopoly.


Organisers:    Frost & Sullivan - 01-730-3438

Event:         Data Communications
Dates:         27/29 June 1988
Location:      London
Organisers:    Frost & Sullivan - 01-730-3438

Event:         IBM's Systems Network Architecture
Dates:         30 June - 1 July 1988
Location:      London
Organisers:    Frost & Sullivan - 01-730-3438

Event:         CODEX 88 (Mobile Communications)
Dates:         13/14 September 1988
Location:      Esher, Surrey
Organisers:    Frametrack Limited