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/1989/nb890214.294

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(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00001)

NEW MACS SLATED FOR HANOVER FAIRE
CUPERTIN, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Apple will roll out
several new products including a new version of the Macintosh II,
so says MacWeek. The March 7 introduction will reportedly be for
a machine called the Macintosh IIcx, a three-slot, entry-level
color Macintosh II with one floppy drive and one megabyte of random
access memory in its basic configuration.

The paper also reports Apple will introduce a 21-inch monochrome
monitor capable of displaying 16 shades of gray with a controller
card, a 15-inch full-page monochrome monitor, and a 160-megabyte
hard disk drive for the Macintosh II and IIx.

Apple Computer would not comment on the report.

(Wendy Woods/19890210)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00002)

CLARIS DROPS SUPPORT FOR APPLE-LABELED PRODUCTS
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 1 (NB) -- In a further
demonstration of independence from its Apple Computer parent,
Claris Corporation has announced it will no longer provide
end-user support for Apple-labeled versions of its products.
But Claris' Bob Gafford, customer support director, says the
end-users can be taken back into the fold by buying Claris-
labeled upgrades to such products as Filemaker, MacDraw,
MacPaint, MacWrite, MacProject, or AppleWorks. Upgrades that
are not free [some are] range in price from $25 to $169.
For more information, contact the Claris Distribution
Center at 800-544-8554 or 415-9628946.

(Wendy Woods/19890211/Contact: Dan Rampe, Claris, 415-960-2790)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(ATL)(00003)

MACROMIND TO BE MOVED FROM CHICAGO TO SAN FRANCISCO IN MARCH
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- In a story which
illustrates clearly how impossible it is for cities to play
catch-up in high-tech, the multimedia company Macromind will be
out of its offices in Chicago and bundled into new headquarters
South of Market in San Francisco by the end of March. Founder
Marc Canter likes San Francisco, but the handwriting was put on
the wall last month when he hired John Scull from Apple Computer
as president. Scull is now assembling a California management
team with people like John Fruin from Aegis Development, in hopes
of building a big company based on VideoWorks and other
multimedia products. Rather than moving this mountain of people
east, the Mohammed Canter is moving to them.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210/Contact: Brenda Ketter, 312-871-0987)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SYD)(00004)

COMDEX PULLOUT WON'T AFFECT AUSTRALIAN MACWORLD EXPO
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Macworld Expo will continue
in Australia, despite the closure in Australia of organisers the
Interface Group [TIG]. IDG communications, which publishes
Australian Macworld, Computerworld and PC World, has formed a
group to run the Mac show which has run successfully for a number
of years. The show will be held in Sydney in November.

(Paul Zucker/19890209/Contact: Robert Wells, Australian Macworld
[61-2] 4395133 fax [61-2] 4395512)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00005)

CLARIS CAD MAKES CANADIAN DEBUT
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 8 (NB) -- Claris
International has announced its Claris CAD computer-aided
design software is now available in Canada. The suggested retail
price is C$1,099, and registered owners of Claris's MacDraw II
software can buy Claris CAD for C$549. All Claris resellers in
Canada will be carrying the software.

(Grant Buckler/19890210/Contact: Claris Canada, 416-941-9611)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00001)

COMDEX MOVE INTO SANDS CASINO COULD BE DUNE FOR INTERFACE
CARSON CITY, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- Nevada's Gaming
Control Board has given the go-ahead for the Interface Group to
acquire the 57-acre Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Final
approval is still required at a Feb. 27 gaming-commission meeting
and some impediments remain.

Interface, producer of COMDEX and other trade shows, is purchasing
the property for development in a $128 million deal which depends on
Nevada Gaming Commission approval. If escrow closes as planned,
Interface plans to nearly double its investment with the addition of
a tower housing over 1200 rooms, twice the casino area, and - at one
million square feet -- the world's largest convention center.

Interface's fall COMDEX [Computer Dealer Exposition], which annually
draws over 100,000 visitors to Las Vegas, has been expanding beyond
the limit of existing convention facilities in the city. Last year's
trade show virtually exhausted the city's first-class
accommodations and required Interface to locate some exhibits in
outlying facilities north of the city.

Interface Group, with headquarters in Needham, Mass., purchased the
Sands Hotel property last April from financier Kirk Kerkorian. The
close of escrow is contingent upon issuance of the necessary Nevada
licenses.

The gaming board's recommendation was given only after a major
Interface investor, Irwin Chafetz, agreed to end certain business
dealings and associations, including investment in a homosexual bar
and one associate alleged to be a federal fugitive.

There are still some possible hurdles to be overcome. The gaming
board recommended that two of Interface's management choices be
denied. Heinz Lewin, who was questioned about alleged sexual
advances toward a cocktail waitress, was found unsuitable with the
board citing his lack of good character, honesty and integrity.
Suspected past links to illegal bookmaking operations were behind
rejection of Lewin associate Paul Klapper. Sheldon Adelson, who
holds 58 percent of Interface, has indicated that such a rejection
could break the deal and a unanimous vote of the Nevada Gaming
Commission is required to overcome recommendations of the three-
member Gaming Board.

While the board did not recommend barring the license because of it,
the financial involvement of Drexel Burnham Lambert, Inc., was also
questioned and a future review of the company's involvement in
recent Wall Street scandals is likely.

(Wayne Yacco/19890210)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00002)

LEADING EDGE SALE IN SNAFU
CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- The sale of
Leading Edge Hardware Products, of Canton, Mass., to PC Systems
of Riviera Reach, Fla., has apparently run into a snag. Though an
agreement in principal was reached to transfer the name and assets
of the company for $921,000, a former Leading Edge employee has
sued to block the sale.

James B. Royal, who  co-wrote the Leading Edge Word Processor, is
claiming through his lawyer that the company owes him close to $1
million in royalties, and therefore has obtained a temporary
restraining order on the sale. Though calls to Leading Edge by
Newsbytes were not returned, at least some sources close to the sale
say that the legal matters shouldn't prevent the transaction from
being completed.

However, Leading Edge still has plenty of problems. The company
must obtain permission from Daewoo American International, the
South Korean company that manufacturers the Leading Edge
products, and shore up morale among a disgruntled and confused
dealer group. The dealer group is also considering legal action to halt
the sale.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: David Rottenberg, Leading Edge, 617-
828-8150)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00003)

COMPAQ SALES: 2.1 GIGABUCKS, SETS RECORDS
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 1 (NB) -- Compaq Computer
Corporation [NTSE:CPQ] announced record-setting sales and income
figures for the year ended December 31, 1988. Sales of $2.1 billion
produced net income of $255 million, increases of 69 percent and 87 percent,
respectively, over the previous year. The company is the first ever
to exceed $2 billion within six years of its founding according to
president and CEO Rod Canion.

During 1988 the company launched several new computers including the
SLT/286 laptop computer--a machine small enough to fit on airline
tray. The tray proved to be a convenient location for some critics
who subsequently had the unit for lunch.

(Wayne Yacco/19890209)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00004)

NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS FOR TANDY
FORT WORTH, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- Tandy Corporation says
it has not announced plans to close some of its Computer Centers.
According to an official un-announcement, Tandy states just the
opposite that it "has no plans to close any Computer Center." The
company said that the statement was made in response to erroneous
press reports about the future of its Computer Centers. A press
conference has also been called for Tuesday, Feb. 14, to present
Tandy's computer marketing strategy for the next decade.

Some of those "erroneous" reports may originate from Martin Bradley
Winston's Newstips. Winston, a well-known industry figure who
supplies tips to hundreds of journalists with his public-relations
newsletter, reports in his February 10 "Rumors" section, "Tandy
expected to close many computer centers, convert good locations to
Radio Shack stores and shift control of about 60 computer centers to
Grid in restructure of Business Products Division. Managers summoned
for Feb. 14 meeting, dubbed Valentine's Day Massacre. Grid arrived
Wednesday for briefings, hired three regional managers, began
coordinating presscon at Infomart." And in his "Humors" section,
"Famous Last Words: Those injuns are no problem. G.A. Custer & &
We're not closing any computer centers. Tandy Corp. & & Who's
gonna know?"

The two reports may tally on some points if the Tandy announcement
that centers will not be closed is interpreted as meaning: just
converted to Radio Shack stores or Grid-controlled outlets.

(Wayne Yacco/19890210/Contact: 817-390-3730)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00005)

SCIENTIFIC MICRO CLOSES SHUTTERS FOR A WEEK
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Scientific Micro
Systems gave its 280 employees a surprise, one-week vacation without
pay starting February 6, in order to save money. The brief
layoff comes after Scientific Micro, which recently sold its SuperMac
Technology division, reported a $35.7 million loss on $40.6
million in sales for the first nine months of its fiscal year,
ending in September. The company has a third of the employees it
had one year ago before the divestiture of SuperMac and Sigen, its
tape storage device subsidiary. Scientific Micro makes
peripheral devices for computers and custom semiconductors.

(Wendy Woods/19890211)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00006)

DEST FINANCES NOT THE BEST
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- Dest Corporation
says its third quarter revenues are down sharply from this time
last year, amounting to $4.3 million compared to $8.3 million --
a 53 percent decrease. The net loss for the first nine months
of its fiscal year has amounted to $5.3 million compared to a loss
of $1.1 million in fiscal 1988. And the trouble doesn't end there.

Dest is in violation of a loan with two banks but does not believe
the banks will take action against it, and adds that it has reached
an agreement with a committee of unsecured creditors for a
moratorium on payment of past debts. Meanwhile the company is
actively seeking a buy-out.

Dest, maker of image scanners and other graphic-capturing gear,
is giving an additional 25 percent of the staff walking papers,
further reducing expenditures, and reducing prices on its products
in hopes of stimulating demand.

(Wendy Woods/19890211)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00007)

INTERACTIVE, SOFTSEL SIGN
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 JAN 23 (NB) -- Interactive
Systems Corporation has contracted with Softsel Computer Products,
Inc. for national distribution of Interactive's entire line of '386
operating-system software products for the PC AT, PS/2, and
compatibles. Interactive chose Softsel to offer its VARs [value-
added resellers] and dealers the distributor's experience in
training, education, and technical support plus its quick delivery
and price-economies of scale.

Included in the agreement are 386/ix, VP/ix, and 386/ix X11
Windowing System. The new 386/ix Release 2.0 is based on AT&T's most
recent operating system, UNIX System V Release 3.2. VP/ix is a
multiuser, multitasking DOS-under-Unix operating system.

(Wayne Yacco/19890209)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00008)

TOSHIBA DEALERS TO GET STUFFED
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 JAN 1 (NB) -- Statement stuffer are
part of a new turnkey direct-mail package that Toshiba America's
Information Systems Division [ISD] has added to its dealer
marketing- and advertising-support program [ProfitPak '89].
Available late this month, the package will provide direct-mail
pieces and services to resellers of Toshiba printers and personal
computers. Self-mailer and statement-stuffer pieces each describe
different ISD product lines and can be personalized with the
dealer's imprint. Services include custom imprinting, list rentals,
consultation and mailing.

Dealers can obtain ProfitPak programs with ProfitPak dollars which
accrue at the rate of three percent of net ISD purchases. Other
modules provide support for print- and electronic-media advertising,
local trade shows, seminars, workshops, sales incentives,
professional development and training.

(Wayne Yacco/19890210/Contact: 800-622-2556, 714-583-3000)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00009)

IBM OWNS SHARE OF SOFTWARE FIRM
ARMONK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 5 (NB) -- IBM has bought a
40 percent stake in a software firm that manufactures development tools,
according to a published report. The company, InterACT, is part of
Advanced Computer Techniques, and their products could allow IBM
to make computers with more software code on chips instead of
floppy disks.

Terms of the purchase were not disclosed, though Advance Computer
has a market value estimated at over $2 million.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Scott Brooks, IBM, 201-930-5231)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00010)

PRIME COMPUTER TO BUY COMPUTERVISION DEBENTURES
NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- Prime
Computer will purchase the 8 percent subordinated debentures of its
wholly owned subsidiary, Computervision. Company officers said they
are making the move because the purchase is a particularly attractive
investment at current prices. Principal amount of the debentures is
$110 million.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Richard Buckingham, Prime, 508-665-
8000, ext. 5956)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00011)

JAVELIN SOFTWARE SOLD TO IRI
WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Javelin
Software has been sold to Information Resources [IRI]. The
company will sell Javelin Plus an continue support for the installed
base of 60,000 Javelin users.

Javelin received rave reviews when it was first introduced in 1985,
but never achieved the market success to sustain the company.
Originally positioned as a $695 alternative to Lotus 1-2-3, poor sales
forced the company to offer the product for as little as $99 to try and
build up support, and the company and product both languished.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Rob Firmin, Javelin, 617-494-1400)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00012)

NEC'S 9800 STILL A LEADER IN JAPAN
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- This month, NEC will have
reached a milestone -- it will have shipped a whopping two million
PC-9800 series computers. There are a few NEC-compatible machines
in the market -- one of the few challengers is Seiko Epson, which
launched into the market when NEC shipped its one-millionth
PC-9800. A spokesman of Seiko-Epson says it is very
strange that few companies produce NEC compatible machines.

NEC estimates it sold 730 thousand PC-9800s in fiscal '89 and expects
to record three million units sold by the summer of 1990.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890209)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00013)

ONE MEGABIT DRAM PRICE STABILIZING
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- There is some indication that prices
for dynamic random access memory [DRAM] chips are starting to
stabilize for the first time in a year and a half. One megabit DRAMs
are going for 2,000 yen or $15 in quantity, and have recently been
offered with a 10-percent discount by some vendors. Meanwhile,
DRAMS are still going for around 5,000 yen or $38 in the spot market,
such as Akihabara, Tokyo, the famous district for electronics goods.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890209)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00014)

TAIWAN AND KOREA UNITE TO PRODUCE DRAM CHIPS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- The government-supported Taiwan
semiconductor industry has agreed to cooperatively produce
dynamic random access memories [DRAMs] with the Sum Sung group of
Korea, according to Nihon Industrial Newspaper. The joint venture,
with funds from the Taiwan government and Philips, will receive initial
orders from Sum Sung and eventually work out coproduction
procedures.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890209)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00015)

PHILIPS PCS REACHING NEW MARKETS
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- Philips is sometimes known as
the gentle giant in the electronics/information industry and if
it has predicted correctly, it will be one of the giants in
personal computers as well. The Philips range of PCs is being
progressively released around the world, and last week it was
Australia's turn.

The machines are already well-known in Europe, and Australia is
being used as a launch platform for the Pacific rim. The theme of
the launch program was 'Take a Closer Look' -- the message being
that most of us are unaware of the widespread presence and
influence of Philips in technology.

The company was founded in 1891. Today it's a company with
worldwide sales of around $30 billion last year and it's also
the following:

 * the world's largest lighting supplier with a third of the
 market [including the Eastern block];
 * the world's largest supplier of picture tubes, already
 supplying millions of PC monitors annually;
 * the inventor of such standards as the compact disk and tape
 cassette;
 * a major producer of electronic components, including
 integrated circuits;
 * one of the world leaders in telecommunications products
 * a leading supplier of consumer electrical goods

If Philips' plans for Australia are any guide, it really will
become a leader in PCs through its Telecommunications and Data
Services [TDS] division. The company's aim is quite simply to be
one of the big-five suppliers in Australia by the end of '91.
Industry feeling is that this figure is to be achieved worldwide
soon after.

(Paul Zucker/19890209/Contact: George Sprague, Philips press
office [61-2] 925 3333)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00016)

COMPAQ UP 167 PERCENT IN AUSTRALIA
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- While Compaq was announcing
its 1988 sales increase of 69 percent over 1987, Australian
Compaq Marketing Director Graham Freeman was announcing 167
percent. Far from succumbing to market pressures from
increasingly sophisticated Asian machines, Compaq in Australia
has boosted an already creditable sales record. Freeman says,
"While it's early days in '89, sales are strong in a
traditionally quiet period. That's not one particular segment,
but across our entire range."

The supplier has recently sold 172 SLT/286 laptops to a large
insurance company, Colonial Mutual, which has equipped its
1000-strong sales force with laptops over the past two years.
"Having achieved a competitive edge through the use of laptops,
moving to Compaqs has increased this edge for the future," said
Peter Fancke of Colonial Mutual. The laptops are packaged in a
Pilot's case with a lightweight Diconix printer.

(Paul Zucker/19890209)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00017)

LOTUS AUSTRALIA GROWTH 2.5 TIMES GREATER
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Lotus sales in Australia
grew at two and a half times international sales during 1988.
The newly-appointed Australian managing director has announced
that international sales grew 18 percent in 1987 over 1988 while
Australian sales grew 44 percent in the same period. The company's
biggest-selling products in Australia, in order of revenue, were
Lotus 1-2-3, Symphony, Freelance Plus, and Agenda.

(Paul Zucker/19890209)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00018)

DBASE IV WALKS OVER REST OF MARKET
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 8 (NB) -- Ashton-Tate's flagship
dBase IV has suffered all types of criticism lately -- except
from the marketplace. Its market share in Australia in December
was more than 44 percent, making it a clear winner. When combined
with stablemate III+ with 19.6 percent, Ashton-Tate had a
crushing 63.9 percent of the PC database software market,
according to the Micro Store Board report from Compass.

(Paul Zucker/19890209/Contact: Compass Research [61-2] 9571377)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00019)

CONTROL DATA CHOPPING DEVELOPMENT IN CANADA
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 1 (NB) -- Control Data
Canada is cutting its development facilities in Canada,
reducing staff from just over 150 to about 20. The company said
it is consolidating development activities in its Computer
Products Division and will move most development to Minnesota.
Some staff members from Mississauga will be offered jobs there,
while others will be transferred to Control Data's Computing
Devices division in Ottawa. The Mississauga team most recently
developed Control Data's Cyber 930 departmental computer. Those
who remain will do continuation engineering and support for the
Cyber 93X product line, which will continue to be manufactured in
Canada.

(Grant Buckler/19890208/Contact: Marilyn Hood, Control Data
Canada Ltd., 416-821-6240)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00020)

COMPUSERVE NAMED SECOND CANADIAN DISTRIBUTOR FOR SAMSUNG
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Samsung Information
Systems America, of San Jose, Calif., has signed Compuserve, of
Markham, Ontario, to distribute its entire line of microcomputer
and local-area networking hardware products. Terms of the
agreement were not disclosed.

Compuserve has eight distribution locations across Canada and
distributes computer products to retailers such as ComputerLand,
Crowntek Business Centres and MicroAge. Compuserve previously
carried some Samsung products under the Novell name. Canara
Technologies Inc., of Mississauga, Ont., will also remain a
Samsung distributor.

Samsung develops, manufactures and markets personal computers and
local-area network hardware.

(Grant Buckler/19890210/Contact: Laurie Schuler, Samsung
Information Systems America, 408-434-5482; Compuserve, 416-477-
8088)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00021)

MOUNTIES TO GET THEIR SYSTEM FROM SOFTWARE KINETICS
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Software Kinetics
has won a C$2.5-million contract to supply the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police with integrated information and dispatch
systems. Using Unisys personal computers linked to Unisys 5000-
series minicomputers, the system will integrate functions
previously performed by eight separate terminals, including
radio, telephone and data communications functions. The initial
contract involves systems for two sites in Western Canada. As
many as 50 RCMP communications centers might be affected later.
Software Kinetics is an Ottawa-area company specializing in real-
time systems for communications, defence and industrial
applications.

(Grant Buckler/19890208/Contact: Tony Moretto, Software Kinetics
Ltd., 613-831-0888)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00022)

BCE MOBILE TO ISSUE WARRANTS
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- BCE Mobile
Communications will raise more than C$50 million in new
equity by issuing two million special warrants. Each warrant
will allow its own to buy one common share in the company on or
before April 28. BCE Mobile operates cellular telephone and
paging services and is a sister company of Bell Canada and
Northern Telecom Ltd.

(Grant Buckler/19890208/Contact: BCE Mobile Communications Inc.,
416-674-2220)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00023)

TETRA ACQUIRES COMPACT SOFTWARE
MAIDENHEAD, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Tetra, the multiuser
accounting software house, has acquired Compact Software, the
entry-level business software company. Terms of the deal have not
been disclosed.

Compact is best-known for its Moneyware and Compact Professional
series of business packages first-time small and medium-sized
firms. The acquisition effectively gives Tetra the ability to
offer business software across the whole range of users - from
small one-man operations running DOS applications,
right through to major corporations running OS/2, Xenix/Unix,
DEC VMS and OS/400-based computers.

(Steve Gold/19890210/Tetra - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BRU)(00024)

MAXWELL MAKES SCITEX ANOTHER MIRROR GROUP SUBSIDIARY
HERZLIA, ISRAEL, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Newspaper and media magnate
Robert Maxwell has taken a majority shareholding in Scitex. The
27 percent stake in Scitex has cost the Mirror Newspapers group
$39 million, and gained the group a 4.8 million shares in the
computer-technology company.

Maxwell has taken the post of chairman of Scitex - a post vacated
by Efraim Arazi recently. Scitex develops and markets prepress
computers used in the media, advertising and publishing
industries.

(Peter Vekinis/19890210)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00001)

MICROSOFT SAYS CD-ROM CONFERENCE SOLD OUT
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- If you want to
exhibit at the Fourth International Conference on CD-ROM, you're out
of luck. Microsoft cheerily reports that all the exhibit space
at the Anaheim Hilton and Towers in Anaheim, California, is
booked solid for the March 28-30 event. Microsoft says the 120
booths represent an increase of 50 percent over last year and
attendance is up 30 percent. The space requirements are so
critical that the company is also limiting the number of
journalists who want to attend.

Some 50 speakers are on the roster for the event and conference
sessions will cover such topics as intellectual property rights,
standards, visualization of data, and multimedia production
techniques. Registration for the event is $950. Those interested
in attending should contact Sherrie Eastman, conference planner,
at 206-882-8080 for more information.

(Wendy Woods/19890211/Contact: Sherrie Eastman, above number)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00002)

DATA GENERAL EXPANDS OSI OFFERINGS
WESTBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 8 (NB) -- Data
General introduced a new DG/OSI Communications Architecture that
significantly expands the company's Open Systems Interconnection
[OSI] model products.

The offering is significant since it helps customers achieve
"multivendor interoperability" among essentially non-compatible
systems. DG's aim is to let users connect and distribute applications
among computers and peripheral equipment from numerous vendors.
The DG/OSI Communications Architecture also gives a push to the
acceptance of the OSI model.

In a related move, the company announced that it is joining the
OSI/Network Management Forum [OSI/NM], based in Bernardsville,
N.J.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Daniel Williams, DG, 508-898-4083)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00003)

FIRST 3-D MAGAZINE TO BE PUBLISHED IN APRIL
MANHASSET, NEW YORK, U.S.A 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- VarBusiness
Magazine, owned by CMP Publications, will publish the first ever
magazine printed in 3-D. All the advertising, editorial art, type, and
cover will be in 3-D, according to a company spokesman.

In order to view the publication in 3-D, special filtered glasses will
be needed. The issue is part of a special report on 3-D computer
graphics that VarBusiness is running, and will be unveiled at the
Comdex/Spring trade show in Chicago this April.

10,000 bonus copies of the magazine, in addition to the 45,000 regular
subscriptions, will be distributed at the show. The special color
separations for the magazine took six weeks to create, and were done
by Ray Zone, head of The Zone Co., of Los Angeles. Zone is a
pioneer in 3-D technology.

The 3-D cover is designed by New York designer Lou Brooks, but
the cover subject will not be revealed until publication.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Dick Altman, Altman Assoc. PR, 212-
697-2620)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00004)

FREEDOM OF PRESS ADDS POSTSCRIPT-COMPATIBLE COLOR SUPPORT
BILLERICA, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 8 (NB) -- Freedom
of Press, version 2.0, has been introduced by Custom Applications, or
CAI, of Billerica, Mass. A Postscript language-compatible
software product, Freedom of Press allows the printing of PostScript
files on laser printers, dot matrix printers, and ink-jet printers that do
not have the PostScript language embedded in the printer.

Version 2.0 adds color support, allowing users to print PostScript files
in color on a wide range of devices that were previously unable to
do so. Freedom of Press offers full PostScript printing to very
inexpensive printers, and opens up desktop publishing to a wider
market. The products list for $495, including the same 35 type
fonts resident on the Apple LaserWriter Plus, and drivers for laser,
ink-jet, color ink-jet, 24-wire dot matrix, and color dot matrix
printers.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Mark Hastings, CAI, 508-667-8585)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00005)

PANASONIC TO UNVEIL LOW-COST CD-ROM PLAYER
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Panasonic is
expected to introduced the first CD-ROM [compact disk, read-only
memory] drive to be priced under $500 at the Microsoft CD-ROM
conference in March. Most current products range from $900 and up.

The drive will compromise on performance, with a slower access time
than the most currently marketed products. Besides the CD-ROM
capability, the player will have an audio output that will allow it to
play compact discs.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Matt Afflixio, DAY P.R., 212-977-9400)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00006)

WIRELESS LAN MAY BE IN NEAR FUTURE
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- The Hillier
Group, of Princeton, N.J., has prototypes available of a wireless
transceiver that could eventually eliminate cables from local area
networks [LANs].

The firm has a new technology, called Spredex, that sends signals
across a wider band than typical remote controls, and the company
claims its innovation makes the product resistant to interference.

Though it is not yet in production, the plans are to license the
technology for about $10,000, allowing the wireless LAN to become if
not a reality, than at least a possibility.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Al Goss, Hillier Group, 609-452-8888)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00007)

CITICORP PROMISES THE 15-MINUTE MORTGAGE
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 8 (NB) -- Citicorp Mortgage
of St. Louis is promising to reduce mortgage commitment time from
weeks or months down to 15 minutes. The new offering is an
outgrowth of the company's computerized loan origination system,
called MortagePower.

Prototypes of the mortgage commitment offer are being tested in
New York and New Jersey, with plans to expand in the coming
weeks. Within two years, the company hopes to make the product
available in the 37 states that Citicorp currently offers mortgages.

Mortgage applications are sent to Citicorp's mainframe, which runs
the credit checks and other information searches, and then sends the
data back to the broker via computer.

(Jon Pepper/19890210)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00008)

APOLLO DONATES PRODUCT TO STANFORD AND UNIV. OF TULSA
CHELMSFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- Apollo
Computer has donated equipment to both the University of Tulsa
and Stanford University to aid in oil and gas research.

The Univ. of Tulsa has received a $305,000 grant from Apollo, and
Stanford a grant for $155,000. The grants are for workstations,
software, and equipment maintenance.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Lynn Bellavance, Apollo, 508-256-6600)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00009)

PHILIPPE KAHN TO DELIVER KEYNOTE SPEECH AT COMPUTER FAIRE
NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- Philippe
Kahn, founder and president of Borland International, will deliver the
keynote at the West Coast Computer Faire on March 17th.
Kahn will talk on "Mainframe Power on the Desktop: Finally a
Reality" in his speech, which is scheduled for Friday, March 17 at
11a.m.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Cheryl Delgreco, Interface, 617-449-
6600)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00010)

INFORUM PREPARES TO GO HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH INFOMART IN SEPTEMBER
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 3 (NB) -- The Inforum, John
Portman's high-tech trade mart in downtown Atlanta, is preparing
to go head-to-head with Infomart, one-time partner Trammell
Crow's high-tech trade mart in Dallas. The 1.5 million square
foot building has been topped out, and the interiors are now
being finished for an opening in September. Trade shows are being
lined up, including a new show for Trade Associations November 1-
2, during which computer systems for religious, charitable, and
business groups will be shown.

Besides hosting its own trade shows and renting showrooms computer
companies can use for sales or training, Inforum will also try to
create its own market, in conjunction with the nearby Atlanta Market
Center, and could provide convenient overflow space to big
computer shows like Comdex, due to reappear at the Georgia
World Congress Center in the spring of 1990. Inforum's 100,000
square-foot show floor will be linked by skybridge directly to a
90,000 square-foot hall in the Apparel Mart used by past Comdex
shows. Combined with a 360,000 square-foot addition to the Congress
Center due for completion in 1991, Atlanta would have 1.5 million
square feet of exhibit space plus an equivalent space in offices,
theaters, and showrooms.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210/Contact: Meredith McGlon at 404-658-
5617)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00011)

NEC TO ENTER RISC CHIP MARKET
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- A California court's decision
is the incentive NEC has been awaiting in order to make a major push
into the American reduced instruction set computer, or RISC,
chip market.

The Federal District Court of California has made a judgement
favorable to NEC concerning Intel's four-year-old copyright
infringement charge over NEC's V series microprocessors [MPUs].
The court says the microcode of NEC's V series microprocessors
does not infringe on Intel copyright.

No sooner had the court announced its decision than NEC finalized
an agreement with U.S.-based MIPS Computer Systems in which NEC
will manufacture and market MIPS RISC MPUs. NEC will second-source
the MIPS-made RISC chips for worldwide distribution.
NEC will also jointly develop and sell software and development
tools for MIPS chips and further, will sell modified MIPS chips
and software.

(Ken Takahashi/19890209)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00012)

HITACHI UNVEILS MULTIPURPOSE SYSTEM
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- As predicted by Newsbytes last week,
Hitachi has unveiled its so-called "personal work tool," which is
bundled with Just Systems' famous Japanese word processing program
Ichitaro Version 4 and graphics program Hanako Version 2. Called
Proset 30, the new machine runs Just's popular multiwindow
system based on the vendor's Advanced Application Concept [AAC]
architecture, thanks to the built-in 2.5-megabyte main memory
which fits into the expanded memory specification [EMS]. Using
the multiwindow system, a user can install the above two programs
simultaneously and switch between them instantly.

In the compact body, measuring 324 millimeters in width by 372 mm in
depth by 376 mm in height [13 by 14 by 14 inches] are an 8-megahertz
80286, two 1.2-megabyte, 3.5-inch floppy disk drives, a color display,
a printer, an intelligent phone, and a 300/1200 baud modem.
The keyboard and mouse are retractable.

Priced at 593,000 yen or $4,700, the Proset 30 will be delivered
starting March 22.

(Ken Takahashi/19890209/Contact: Hitachi, 03-258-1111)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00013)

TAPE BACKUP SYSTEM CLAIMS 10 MEGABYTES A MINUTE
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Tense Lectronix
Corp. [TLC] says its Legacy 2000 external tape drive can back up
10 megabytes a minute. The device, which can also be used for
archival or data distribution, uses digital audio tape cartridges
that can store as much as 2.3 gigabytes of data each. It is
compatible with IBM, Apple and Digital Equipment computes and
sells for C$8,999.

(Grant Buckler/19890208/Contact: Tense Lectronix Corp., 416-475-
1077)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00014)

AUTHOR TO LECTURE ON TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
WATERLOO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1988 FEB 8 (NB) -- Langdon Winner,
author and political science professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute in Troy, New York, will give two lectures at the
University of Waterloo March 1 and 2. Winner is the author of
Autonomous Technology, and The Whale and the Reactor: A Search
for Limits in an Age of High Technology. The two lectures are
sponsored by the University of Waterloo's Centre for Society,
Technology and Values. At 7:30 p.m. on March 1, Winner will
speak on Democracy and Technology: A Clash of Cultures. At 3:30
p.m. on March 2, he will give a talk entitled Political
Ergonomics: Design and the Public Good.

(Grant Buckler/19890210/Contact: University of Waterloo Centre
for Society, Technology and Values, 519-885-1211)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00015)

BUROCARE LAUNCHES BERNOULLI BOX FOR COMMODORE AMIGA
HARROW, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Burocare Graphics Design has
launched a version of Iomega's Bernoulli Box data storage system
for the Commodore Amiga. The removable disk cartridge system
supports both Amiga-DOS and MS-DOS formats - the latter when the
Amiga is fitted with the XT bridgeboard.

The drive units come in three configurations - single external at
UKP1,295 and dual external at UKP1,895 for all Amigas, and a
single internal unit for the Amiga 2000 series at UKP1,065. All
units takes standard 20Mbyte disk cartridges which cost UKP65 each.

The Bernoulli Box system supplied by Burocare comes with a SCSI
interface with autoconfiguration software for all Amiga-DOS
commands. The system fits the first expansion slot on the Amiga
2000, or onto the Direct Memory Access [DMA] port on the Amiga
500 and 1000 series.

(Steve Gold/1989/Burocare Graphics Design - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BRU)(00016)

STORAGETEK UNVEILS UNISYS-COMPATIBLE HIGH-DENSITY STORAGE SYSTEM
BUC, FRANCE, 1989 JAN 30 (NB) -- StorageTek, the high-density
cartridge data storage systems specialist, has announced it is to
offer Unisys-compatible versions of the System 4400 storage unit.

System 4400 offers a maximum capacity of 1,200 gigabytes of
storage - large enough to store 240,000 paperback books. The
system can connect to the Unisys 1100/2200 system and uses an IBM
9370 as a front-end processor.

(Peter Vekinis/19890210/Contact: Storage Technology France,
41 Rue Fourny, 78530 Buc, France, Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SFO)(00001)

NEC VS. INTEL BATTLE OVER; MICROCODE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- The news was
good and bad for Intel. After nearly five years in court and millions of
dollars in court costs, Intel won its battle to prove microcode
is protected by the same copyright laws which protect software.
Now the bad news. Intel lost its battle to copyright the 8086
and 8088 microprocessors, about which the copyright battle
originated.

The dispute arose when Intel accused NEC of copying the
microcode in its 8086 and 8088 microprocessors. However, the
court determined that NEC's V-series microprocessors did not
infringe on the 8086 and 8088, their microcode, "when considered
as a whole, is not substantially similar to the Intel microcode."
The Judge also determined that Intel forfeited its copyright on
the 8086 and 8088 by allowing second-source producers of the chips
to manufacture them without a copyright notice. However, the
landmark piece of the ruling by U.S. District Court Judge William
Gray is that microcode, the instructions embedded within
microprocessors, is protected by U.S. copyright law.

The ruling means that those who wish to "clone" a microprocessor
may do so as long as they do not make exact copies. For Intel,
it means millions of dollars in potential penalties it might have
won against NEC, the world's largest and richest semiconductor
manufacturer, have gone up in smoke.

(Wendy Woods/19890210)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SFO)(00002)

JAPAN CHARGED WITH FLOPPY DISK DUMPING
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- The Commerce Department
has ruled that Japan has been illegally "dumping" 3.5-inch floppy disks on
the U.S. market below fair market value and that duties might be
imposed on future shipments. The International Trade Commission
must now act on the complaint, which was brought to public
attention by Verbatim Corporation. The Commerce Department says
Sony is the worst offender, selling its diskettes at 51-percent under
fair value; Fuji Photo disks are 50.52 percent under and Hitachi
Maxell's are 27.73 percent underpriced.

(Wendy Woods/19890210)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(ATL)(00003)

IBM CHARGED WITH FREEZING COMPETITORS FROM NAVY BUSINESS
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- IBM is being
investigated by the General Accounting Office for allegedly trying to
freeze competitors out of federal computing contracts. The House
Committee on Government Operations asked for the review,
following complaints last November by six firms which which make clones of
the IBM PC. At issue are Navy requirements limiting
procurements to IBM "code-compatible" systems, which seems to
rule out clones. Subcommittee Chairman Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-
Mich., said IBM has almost 55 percent of the Navy's computer business,
but only 37 percent government-wide. The GAO will also look into
policies at the Army, the National Aeronautics Administration and
the Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development
Departments. Last year the government spent over $17 billion on
computers, making it the industry's largest customer.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00004)

SUPER HACKER BACK IN COURT
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 3 (NB) -- Kevin Mitnick,
25, of Panorama City, has pleaded innocent to a new charge of
carrying unauthorized long distance telephone codes. The indictment
charged him with possessing sixteen unauthorized long-distance codes
belonging to MCI Telecommunications Corporation. Mitnick has
previously been charged with several other computer crimes which
were allegedly facilitated with the codes named in the new
indictment. Trial is set for April 4.

(Wayne Yacco/19890210)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TOR)(00005)

HEARINGS ON INSTINET TRADING SYSTEM SET FOR LATE MARCH
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 8 (NB) -- The Ontario
Securities Commission will open hearings March 29 on an
application by Instinet Corporation of New York to offer electronic
trading in stocks listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Instinet's network already lets subscribers trade more than 8,000
American and several hundred British securities. A number of
Toronto investment dealers are afraid Instinet's service would
cut into their business, and have fought the company's move into
Canada. The Toronto Stock Exchange favors the idea. The Ontario
Securities Commission is the regulatory body with jurisdiction
over the Toronto Stock Exchange, and its decision is likely to
set a precedent affecting computerized trading throughout Canada.

(Grant Buckler/19890208/Contact: Mary Revell, Toronto Stock
Exchange, 416-947-4675)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00006)

MOUNTIES TO GET THEIR SYSTEM FROM SOFTWARE KINETICS
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Software Kinetics
has won a C$2.5-million contract to supply the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police with integrated information and dispatch
systems. Using Unisys personal computers linked to Unisys 5000-
series minicomputers, the system will integrate functions
previously performed by eight separate terminals, including
radio, telephone and data communications functions. The initial
contract involves systems for two sites in Western Canada. As
many as 50 RCMP communications centers might be affected later.
Software Kinetics is an Ottawa-area company specializing in real-
time systems for communications, defence and industrial
applications.

(Grant Buckler/19890208/Contact: Tony Moretto, Software Kinetics
Ltd., 613-831-0888)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TOR)(00007)

CANADIAN INDUSTRY VETERAN TO HEAD INSTITUTE
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Michael
Volker, founder of one of Canada's first computer firms, is the
new executive director of the British Columbia Advanced Systems
Institute. The three-year-old institute, set up by the federal
and provincial governments, promotes research and development in
information technology, computer science, microelectronics,
robotics and artificial intelligence. Volker was a founder of
Volker-Craig Inc., a Waterloo, Ont., manufacturer of computer
terminals, in the early 1970s.

Four professors at Vancouver's Simon Fraser University were
elected fellows of the institute. Dr. Pavol Hell of the School
of Computing Science was elected a senior fellow. Dr. Fred Birch
and Dr. Slawomir Pilarski of the School of Computing Science and
Dr. John Bird of the Engineering Science department were elected
fellows.

(Grant Buckler/19890208/Contact: B.C. d Systems Institute,
604-435-0551)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00001)

IBM BEGINS BIG PUSH FOR OS/2 AND PS/2 LINE
MONTVALE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 5 (NB) --IBM is
attempting to speed up the acceptance process for the PS/2 line of
computers and the OS/2 operating system with a number of recent
market moves.

The company will be offering rebates on the purchase of OS/2
software tied to various hardware purchases. In addition, IBM plans
to release a number of upgrades to OS/2 that are designed to
increase the compatibility of OS/2 Presentation Manager with output
device drivers.

Enhancements to both the MicroChannel architecture [MCA] and new
PS/2 offerings are also planned. IBM is expected to release a PS/2
computer using the as yet unreleased 33Hhz version of the Intel
80386 microprocessor.

The IBM moves come at a propitious time for the company.
Acceptance of the PS/2 line at last seems to be gaining ground and
most major software developers feel the switch to OS/2 is inevitable
among their customers. IBM also seems to be gaining momentum
against the proposed EISA standard. EISA is an alternative devised
by The Gang of Nine, spearheaded by Compaq. Stalled in their
development effort, public opinion seems to be shifting toward the
IBM's MCA as the next generation architecture for corporate users.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Scott Brooks, IBM, 201-930-5231)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00002)

IBM INTRODUCES HIGH-END GRAPHICS SYSTEM
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- IBM
introduced a new top-of-the-line graphics system, the 5086 Graphics
Processor, this Tuesday.

The system is designed for interactive design and analysis, and offers
twice the processing power of its predecessor, the IBM 5085 Model
2A. The $11,900 floor-standing unit has more memory and operates
with less power than the previous version.

Availability is scheduled for late February, according to the company.
More than 50,000 5080 graphics system have been shipped to date.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Scott Brooks, IBM, 201-930-5231)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00003)

SUPERCALC5 SHIPS
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Computer Associates,
the nation's second-largest software producer next to Microsoft,
is shipping SuperCalc5, a spreadsheet which features page and
spreadsheet linking, annual report quality output, "boardroom-
quality" graphics, and Lotus 1-2-3 compatibility. In addition,
the spreadsheet runs the gamut of machines from the lowly 8086-
based PC to the high-powered 80386-based computers, and integrates
with CA-SuperCalc 5.0, the company's mainframe spreadsheet
package. It also integrates with VAX-SuperCalc and can share files
with mainframe databases such as DB2 and SQL/DS. Boasts
Computer Associates' Abraham Poznanski, president of the firm's
Micro Products Division, "That's what makes SuperCalc5 unique
and what will make us successful in tapping this market."

The product retails for $495. Registered owners of previous
versions can upgrade for $100. In the U.S. for information call
1-800-531-5236 extension 60 or 408-432-1727.

(Wendy Woods/19890211/Contact: Tracy Beaufort, CA, 408-922-2356)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00004)

LOW-COST PC SCSI COMING
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 1 (NB) -- Rancho
Technology will ship a low-cost SCSI [small computer system
interface] adapter for the IBM PC and compatible computers next
month. Available in four models, selling for as little as $50 each
in quantity, RT1000 host adapters allow the PC to use standard SCSI
devices such as hard disks, tape backup systems, and WORM drives.
According to an announcement, the devices use two ping-pong buffers
and string I/O [input/output] memory moves to provide very high
data-transfer rates at prices which are as little as one-third of
comparable SCSI adapters.

Adapter configurations include models with and without floppy
controllers. Floppy models can control high- and low-density floppy
drives, in both 3.5" and 5.25" form factors, as well as SCSI
devices, from a single bus slot. Up to nine SCSI devices and four
floppy drives can be supported by a single board. Two models also
include connectors for external devices. Single-unit prices range
from $95 to $140. A floppy-only version of the RT1000 is also
available.

The RT1000 adapters include several additional features. A BIOS ROM
[basic input/output system, read only memory] allows computers to be
started from any SCSI CCS hard disk. Software provides a full-screen
tape backup utility which can be used with a SCSI tape drive and a
source code package for integrating SCSI devices into applications.
A SCSI differential-ended converter option is also available to
provide better noise immunity and longer distance capability.

(Wayne Yacco/19890209/Contact: 714-987-3966)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00005)

COMPAQ PRICE REDUCTION
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Compaq Computer
Corporation has announced a price reduction $200 for computers in
its 386s product line. The DESKPRO 386s Model 1 was reduced from
$3,799 to $3,599 for example. Other models after similar reductions:
Model 20, $4,299; Model 40 $4,999.

All 386s models feature the Intel 80386SX microprocessor, a version
of the 80386 which limits parallel data-transfers to 16 bits,
operating at 16 MHz. The microcomputers, which perform computations
on 32 bits at a time, are designed to outperform inexpensive pure
16-bit 80286-based machines. Compaq terms the line "highly
successful."

Standard 80386 microprocessors provide 32-bit transfers, twice the
rate of the 80386SX, as well as 32-bit computation. Compaq's price
reductions will further differentiate machines based on the two
types of chip making 80386SX-based systems more attractive when
compared to Compaq 80386 models and some IBM models. However, the
systems continue to cost more than some quality systems with full
80386 power [see story: AST INTRODUCES TWO SYSTEMS].

Meanwhile, Compaq Canada has announced price cuts on the
Deskpro 386s PC. The Model 1 has been reduced from C$5,649 to C$5,499.
The Model 20 has been reduced from C$6,699 to C$6,499, and the Model
40 has been marked down from C$7,699 to C$7,499.

(Wayne Yacco & Grant Buckler/19890210/Contact: Debra Glob 713-374-1562,
in Canada, Compaq Canada Inc., 416-733-7876 )


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00006)

XEROX CHOPS PRICES ON KURZWEIL SYSTEMS
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- Xerox Imaging
Systems has lopped a whopping 59 percent off the price of its
text-recognition scanning systems for IBM PC, XT or ATs and
compatibles. The new pricing affects the Kurzweil Discover product
line, consisting of scanner, 68020 co-processor card, software and
documentation. Conversion software for most word processing and
publishing systems is included. The prices range from the high-end
Model 30, previously $13,950 and now $6,995, to the low-end Model
10, now $3,995 or 46 percent cheaper.

Why are they doing it? Xerox believes the market for these products
is exploding and, as Rolando Esteverena, president and chief
executive of Xerox Imaging Systems states, "We are repricing our
systems to allow a full range of users into the market."

Kurzweil character recognition technology uses artificial
intelligence to automatically "learn" or recognize print styles and
document formats. The systems can read thousands of type styles
and sizes, according to the firm.

(Wendy Woods/19890211/Contact: Hal Nunn, Xerox, 415-965-7900)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00007)

AST INTRODUCES TWO SYSTEMS
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- AST has unveiled two
new computers which will round-out its product line. The small-
footprint AST Bravo/286 is an entry-level 8 MHz. 80286-based system
with no wait states which lists for $1,095. AST's 16 MHz. Premium
386/16 fills a niche below the firm's 25 MHz. Premium 386/25 and
Premium/386C systems and features an advanced cache-memory
architecture. Prices for 386/16 systems begin at $3,295.

(Wayne Yacco/19890112)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00008)

EASY-TO-LEARN BUSINESS PLANNING SOFTWARE DEBUTS
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 1 (NB) -- Up Your Cash
Flow is the whimsical name of a new business-planning program the
author of which claims requires no training. Harvey A. Goldstein,
managing partner of Singer, Lewak, Greenbaum & Goldstein -- a local
CPA and management-consulting firm -- wrote the program for
businessmen who don't have the time or willingness to learn
spreadsheet programs such as Lotus 1-2-3.

Designed to provide essential business planning support, the program
produces profit and loss forecast, cash-flow forecast, and
projected balance sheet reports. Several different methods are
available for specifying starting conditions and other assumptions.
The author is so confident of the program's ease of use that no
manual is considered necessary -- or provided.

(Wayne Yacco/19890209/Contact: 213-477-3924)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00009)

OS/2 AVAILABLE FOR '386 LAPTOP COMPUTER
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 JAN 23 (NB) -- Toshiba America now
offers Microsoft OS/2 version 1.0 for its T5100 PC-compatible laptop
computer. The $325 multitasking operating system allows the T5100 to
run more than one application program simultaneously.

The 14.6-pound portable computer in shipped with 2 MB and a copy of
MS DOS 3.3. Practical operation of multiple programs written for the
operating system may require four or more megabytes in typical
applications. OS/2 supports up to sixteen MB [megabytes] of linear
user memory.

(Wayne Yacco/19890209/Contact: 805-495-3451)


(NEWS)(IBM)(ATL)(00010)

CARBON COPY TO BE BUNDLED WITH ANTI-VIRUS PROGRAM
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 2 (NB) -- Fears of viruses and
other computer mischief is causing many companies to delay
connecting people to their computers, and the computers to each
other. Microm's Meridien Technology subsidiary is severely
impacted by this, since it makes Carbon Copy Plus, a
communications program which lets a user "take over" someone
else's computer, using its hard drive and memory as his own. So
Meridien is bundling two protection schemes with its product.

CheckIt, from TouchStone Software, diagnoses problems in PCs, and
can thus tell if hardware has been tampered with. Mace Vaccine,
from Paul Mace Software, warns of attempts made to access system
files and disk space, either by a virus or another user. The
bundle costs $195. Meridien calls it a $395 value.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210/Contact: Mindy Littman at 404-447-
5471)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00011)

FUJITSU ROLLS OUT PERSONAL COMPUTERS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- Japan's computer giant Fujitsu
has released eight new PCs, all bundled with its own version of
Microsoft's OS/2 operating system, OS/2 V1.0L20. The operating
system also includes Workstation Manager for communications with
a host computer and Communication Manager for control of communication
lines. The new machines can also run software written in English
and are MS-DOS-compatible, making them able to run programs such as
Lotus 1-2-3 and MultiPlan.

The high-end model FMR70HX2 is equipped with a 20 megahertz 80386
central processing unit [CPU]. The price for the 75-megabyte hard
disk drive model is 1,090,000 yen or $8,700 and the 40 megabyte
hard disk drive model is 890,000 yen or $7,100. The FMR70HX1
includes a 16 megahertz 80386 CPU and is suitable for novice 32-bit
machine users. The price for this machine is 730,000 yen or $5,800
with a 20-megabyte internal hard drive. These 32-bit machines have
a high-resolution display with 1,120 by 750 pixels. They are based
on Fujitus's original large-scale integrated circuit [LSI] design
called HSGA, which is capable of high-speed graphics processing.

(Ken Takahashi/19890209/Contact: Fujitsu, 03-216-3211)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00012)

PHILIPS 386 HEADS AUSTRALIAN LAUNCH
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 8 (NB) -- Philips has launched its PC
range in Australia. The machines cover the standard DOS range -
P3105 [8088], P3204 [80286] and P3302 [80386]. Recommended retail
prices for typical systems are about US$3100, US$7000 and
US$12,000 respectively, fully-kitted including monitor, hard disk
and DOS/starter kit. The 8088 and 80286 machines have a
multimode [Hercules+CGA+Plantronics] video board as standard,
though EGA and VGA are available.

The launch included Philips' entry into the 386 market, with its
16MHz machine - not in itself a breakthrough, but plans were
announced to release a range of 20 and 25MHz high-end machines
later in the year. Other machines to be released include a
diskless workstation and a stripped-down machine for dealer
customization.

Thursday's high-tech press preview saw an impressive line-up of
applications, including desktop publishing [DTP], PABX [telephone
switchboards with the PC as operator interface], CD-ROM [using
Philips invented compact disks to provide huge data bases] and
networking.

(Paul Zucker/19890209/Contact: Barry Bridge, Philips TDS [61-2]
8054444)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00013)

COMMODORE SLASHES U.K. PC PRICING; INTROS PRINTER/PC BUNDLE
MAIDENHEAD, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Commodore has slashed
its PC-XT and 80386-based PC pricing in the U.K. At the same time,
the company has begun bundling its MPS1230 dot matrix printer
free of charge with the PC-10-III, an IBM XT-compatible, for
UKP599.

The price cuts take Commodore from a middle-to high end 80386 PC
supplier into budget price territory. The PC-60 entry-level
80386-based PC, for example, falls 30 percent from UKP1,799 to
UKP1,249 for a monochrome monitor, single drive PC with 512Kbytes of
system memory. Other price cuts on the rest of the PC-10, 20 and 60
range vary downwards to 10/12 percent.

"These moves demonstrate to our dealers and users that Commodore
is committed to the business marketplace - from small companies
to major corporations," said Dean Barrett, Commodore's U.K. marketing
manager.

Of all the deals, the single drive XT-compatible bundle with
MPS1230 dot matrix printer may be the most appealing. A monochrome
system retails for UKP599, with a colour and enhanced colour
version available at UKP749 and UKP899, respectively. A double
disk drive option is available for the same price, in place of
the bundled printer.

(Steve Gold/19890210/Commodore U.K. - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00014)

FRONTIER SOFTWARE RELEASES ATARI ST SCSI/DMA INTERFACE
HARROGATE, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Frontier Software has
released the Supra SCSI/DMA hard drive interface for the Atari ST
in the U.K. The UKP100 interface allows a variety of hard disks to
be connected to the ST.

Bundled with the interface is Supra's hard disk utilities package
for the ST, including Supra's acclaimed autoboot and formatting
software. The autoboot facility allows ST users to boot their
machines directly from the hard disk, whilst the formatting
utility allows the hard disk to be partitioned into as many as 12
partitions.

In parallel with the interface launch, Frontier has also launched
STache, a UKP19-95 package that sets up a hard disk cache in the
Atari ST's main memory. The package claims to be able to speed up
ST hard disk accesses by as much as 20 percent.

(Steve Gold/19890210/Frontier Software - Tel: [phone]
e-mail on Dialcom 72:MAG40240)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00015)

OLIVETTI ANNOUNCES TWO NEW MCA-COMPATIBLE PCS
IVREA, ITALY, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Olivetti has announced two new
PCs, the P-500 and P-800 series. Both machines are pitched firmly
at the IBM Personal System/2 [PS/2} markets and are MicroChannel
Architecture [MCA] compatible.

The P-500 series centres around the Intel 80386SX chip set running
at 16MHz, and is a desktop unit. The P-800 series is based around
the 80386 microprocessor and is a floor-standing unit. Both PCs
were developed by Olivetti's laboratories in Cupertino,
California, and are designed to compete, respectively, with the
IBM PS/2 Model 50 and 70 series, and the IBM PS/2 Model 80
machines.

Pricing on both machines has yet to be announced, although UK
availability and pricing will be given at the Which Computer?
Show later this month. Newsbytes expects to have full details in two
weeks.

(Steve Gold/19890210)


(EXCLUSIVE)(IBM)(LON)(00016)

HITACHI BEATS THE COMPETITION; RELEASES COLOUR LAPTOP
MUNICH, WEST GERMANY, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Hitachi is expected
to leap-frog ahead of the competition with the release of the HC400,
an 80286 microprocessor-based laptop with a colour liquid crystal display
[LCD] screen.

The new machine, which bears a passing resemblance to the Toshiba
3100, hums along at 12MHz and features a six-inch colour LCD
display with CGA graphics capability. The machine will ship
shortly in West Germany at DM9000 [$5,500], and is expected to be
shown at next month's Hanover Computer Faire.

(Peter Vekinis/19890210)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BRU)(00017)

NOVELL BUNDLES DESQVIEW WITH NETWARE
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Novell has begun
to bundle free copies of the highly-acclaimed Desqview
multitasking package with each copy of its Netware networking
interconnectivity software package sold.

Desqview, which supports multitasking functions similar to
Microsoft Windows, has been digging into Microsoft's turf. James
Bills, Novell's Executive Vice President is keen on the package.
"Desqview is expected to fill the needs of our users. We offer
multiuser environments, whilst DesqView offers multitasking," he
said.

(Peter Vekinis/19890210)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BRU)(00018)

CO-TEXT RELEASES NEW ICON-BASED WORD PROCESSING PACKAGE
MUNICH, WEST GERMANY, 1989 FEB 12 (NB) -- Co-Text, a small West
Germany software house, has released Trixter, an icon-based word
processing package for the IBM PC and close compatibles.
Trixter is claimed to be a new application of object-oriented
techniques for PCs. These techniques use artificial intelligence
methods to process a page. The package runs on an 80386
microprocessor-based PC with 20Mbyte hard disk, 900 by 600 resolution
graphics adapter, Postscript printer, and a mouse. It will be
shown at Hanover Fair in West Germany, which takes place on 8/15
March.

(Peter Vekinis/19890212)


(REVIEW)(IBM)(ATL)(00001)

Review of: SHOWTEXT

Runs on: PC, PC-XT/AT+ with 512k RAM, DOS 2.0/or greater, and dot
matrix printer, laser or plotter

From: Micropro, P.O. Box 7079, San Rafael, CA 94901-9910, 800/227-5609

Price: $89.95 by itself or $125 as a part of the 'Productivity
Package' for owners of WordStar 5.0

PUMA Rating: 3.5 [on a scale of 1 to 4]

Reviewed by: Dana Blankenhorn and TBass

Summary: The SHOWTEXT application allows title pages, signs, word
charts, and other text type presentations for overhead
projectors to be made with ease.

REVIEW
------
With 14 FONTS, 30+ preset chart designs, and the ability to
modify or create your own chart designs SHOWTEXT seems to be a
versatile little program that is a great addition to any one's set
of applications.

SHOWTEXT was easily accessed and with only a little reading and
the on-screen HELP most all areas were usable. Getting first time
success in print was a breeze by using the PREVIEW selection.
Print-out can be horizontal or vertical from within the program,
no 'side' program needed. Also, there are pages of printers to
choose from.

Most all of the operations are menu-driven and conveniently
referenced on screen. Good going TIME WARE CORP!

SHOWTEXT works well as a stand-alone program for your immediate
needs within its area of expertise.

PUMA  Ratings
-------------
PERFORMANCE: 3.8. Though limited in scope and not really
interactive with other programs it is a quick and easy text
presentation design application.

USEFULNESS: 3.7. All of us at some time need to produce a chart
or bulletin for a reminder or teaching aide.

MANUAL: 3.5. The manual was readable and easy to follow. The
alphabetical listing of the of commands and menu options was well
done.

AVAILABILITY: 3. Can be found in word processor add-on catalogs
with 800-#'s. For WORDSTAR 5.0 owners it can be acquired as an
add-on "Productivity Package" along with INSET and COMPARERITE.

(tbass/19890227/Contact: Deb Lovig, MICROPRO)


(REVIEW)(IBM)(WAS)(00002)

Review of: SIDEKICK PLUS

Runs on: IBM-PCs, clones, and PS/2 machines, running DOS 2.0 and
    higher, 384 kilobytes of random access memory, and hard disk
    drive.

From: Borland International, 4585 Scotts Valley Drive, Calif.,
95066.

Price: $199.95 retail, routinely available at around $129.95
mail order

PUMA Rating: 3

Reviewed by: Ken Maize, 1/17/89

Summary: Sidekick Plus is an excellent upgrade of the classic
desktop utility.

REVIEW
-------
Phillipe Kahn's clever programmers at Borland invented RAM-
resident desktop utilities, but let the original Sidekick get a
bit frayed around the edges. Sidekick Plus puts Borland back in
front.

Sidekick Plus offers nine notepads, nine outliners, a
communications program, a time planner, extended DOS file
management tools, four calculators, clipboard, and access to
extended memory.

If I were starting out with a brand new DOS computer with a lot
of memory and a hard disk, this is probably the first piece of
software I would buy. In fact, many users may not need a word
processor with any more "oomph" than Borland provides with Sidekick
Plus.

But there is a downside. Sidekick Plus has to swap programs from
disk to memory, slowing it down compared to the original version.
And the program is useless without a hard disk. Not for laptop
users.

PUMA RATINGS
------------

PERFORMANCE: 3. Sidekick Plus is a very strong program and
exceptionally versatile. But its performance can be sluggish.
Close to a 4, but not quite.

USEFULNESS: 3. This would be an exceptionally useful program if
I had it available two years ago. But by now, I've gotten used
to other programs that do much the same stuff, although not with
the rather seamless integration found here. I continue to use
the original Sidekick 2.0 for note taking.

MANUAL: 4. Typically classy job from Borland, with a very
complete and [for computer documentation] readable manual.
Online support is available on Compuserve, although I must
observe that Borland's documents are so good that I've never
needed any help beyond the books for any Borland product I've
used, including Turbo Pascal, Sidekick, Superkey, Quattro, and
Sprint.

AVAILABILITY: 4. Borland products are available in retail
outlets, through numerous mail order vendors, and directly from
the company.


(REVIEW)(IBM)(ATL)(00002)

Review of:  Ken Skier's LAPTOP CURSOR

Runs on: IBM PC compatible laptop computer

From: SkiSoft, 1644 Massachusetts Ave., Site 79, Lexington, MA 02173,
 617-863-1876

Price: $39.95

PUMA Rating: 4

Reviewed by: Dana Blankenhorn, 1/3/89

SUMMARY:  Ken Squier's Laptop Cursor is a memory-resident utility
for laptop computers.

REVIEW
--------
One of our biggest problem with the Datavue Spark's back-lit LCD
screen is that the cursor seemed to disappear, especially in the
middle of a sentence. A visually-impaired friend has a special
large monitor for his PC, but says he has the same problem.

Ken Skier's No-Squint Laptop Cursor is a solution, a simple
program which increases the visibility of your cursor so you can
see it easily. It loads quickly and it works. Once you have it on
a disk drive or in a reachable sub-directory, just type LCD and
hit return. Blink your cursor faster or slower by typing, at a
DOS prompt, anything from LCD VERY FAST to LCD VERY SLOW.

As with any memory resident program, this may cause you trouble
with certain applications. We had trouble using Procomm Plus --
the screen would reverse after we were logged on, blanking out
our laptop even though normal communication could continue and
remote services could still receive commands from our keyboard.
However, developer Ken Skier personally told us he'd get right on
this problem, and is anxious to hear if you have any trouble.
He'll fix it and give you a copy of the new version if you report
any trouble to him.

PUMA RATING: 4
-----------

PERFORMANCE: 3. It works, but not with everything.

USEFULNESS: 4, If you need it you really need it.

MANUAL:  4. You'll never use it. What better recommendation is
there?

AVAILABILITY: 4.  Order direct from the company, via mail order,
and it's available from some software stores.


(REVIEW)(IBM)(ATL)(00004)

Review of:  SMARTPRINT, an intelligent printer switch

Runs on: IBM PCs, ATs, and compatibles

From: Dresselhaus Computer Products, 8560 Vineyard Avenue, Suite
405, Rancho Cucamonga CA 91730, US: 800-368-7737

Price: $149

PUMA Rating: 4

Reviewed by: Dana Blankenhorn, 1/10/89

SUMMARY:  The Smartprint printer switch lets you connect up to 8
devices to one PC parallel port.

REVIEW
--------
Having two printers can be a big problem. Switching between them
can be a bigger problem. This little box, less than a foot long,
can solve your problem. Plug it in with a cable to its Centronics
interface -- the one on the end -- then plug in up to 8 printers,
modems, or whatever through the 8 female paralle plugs on top.
The program which lets you control these ports, SPMENU.COM, is
another memory-resident program, or you can invoke the
SPSELECT.EXE, using numbers from 1 to 8, instead. You can label
printers on your menu so you'll remember which is which, then use
arrow keys and the ENTER key to change where your output is
headed.

Our biggest problem was with the installation program. It creates
its own subdirectory [fine], copies the program and documentation
into it, [fine], then overwrites your AUTOEXEC.BAT file so it's
the only thing there. [PANIC!] Fortunately, your old program
still exists as AUTOEXEC.BAK, and you can add the SPMENU command
to it manually, but we were scared for a few minutes, there.
President Dan Dresselshaus told Newsbytes that bug will soon be
squashed.

PUMA RATING 3
----------------

PERFORMANCE: 4. Flawless once installed.

USEFULNESS: 4. If you have more than one printer attached to a
PC. Otherwise, 0.

MANUAL: 3. It's a 2.5K file on a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk.

AVAILABILITY: 3. In leading computer stores, or by mail order direct
from the company. Catalog deals are pending, look for it.


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00001)

DELTA, AMERICAN MERGE THEIR ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEMS
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Following the lead of
United's Apollo reservation system and Texas Air's System One,
American Airlines' Sabre system has been spun-out into a joint
venture with a strong partner and hopes of finding more. Papers
were filed with the Justice Department February 6 on a deal under
which Delta Airlines gives American its Datas II reservation
system, plus $650 million, in exchange for half of a joint-
venture with Sabre. The joint-venture, still unnamed, will remain
a major force in online air reservations.

Sabre was the pioneer in offering its system to the masses
through Easy Sabre, but the merger of United's Apollo and
European nets under the Covia name late last year showed American
the limits of its go-it-alone policy in online reservations.

Asian airlines are also building up alliances in online
reservations, and there are are now 11 such networks worldwide.
$650 million will buy a lot of new airplanes for American --
airplanes are still the coin of the realm in the airline
business. Delta could get more than half its money back fast,
because other airlines will get to buy pieces of the new venture
until Delta and American just have 25 percent each themselves.
Negotiations are reportedly underway with Lufthansa and JAL. It's
the sweetest of vindications for Max Hopper, the American
Airlines CIO -- chief information officer -- who pushed Sabre
for years and will head the new company from offices in the
Dallas-Ft. Worth suburbs.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210/Contact: Neil Monroe, 404-765-2600)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00002)

BORLAND-SPONSORED USER GROUP BOARD NOW ONLINE
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- Borland
has announced that the official Association of PC User Groups [APCUG]
board, a forum for exchange of information about user groups, products,
and related activities, is up and running. The board is said to
represent the interest of more than 100,000 PC users in
some 94 user groups worldwide. The electronic bulletin board
has online conferencing, electronic mail, online media releases,
product information, and product demonstrations. More services
are expected in the future. To log on via computer, call 408-439-9367.
Co-sponsors of the board are Dell Computer, Tymnet and Intel.

(Wendy Woods/19890211/Contact: Tami Casey, Borland, 408-439-1619)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00003)

AT&T LINKS WITH PAY PHONE COMPETITORS TO WIN L.A. AIRPORT DEAL
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Two dealers for
Intellicall have won a contract to run pay phones at the Los
Angeles Airport Commission in a joint venture with AT&T. The two
dealers, KELLEE Communications Group of New York, and Own-A-
Phone, Inc. of San Diego, get an order for 450 phones
immediately, plus any additional phones needed over the next five
years. Intellicall will handle operator services on its dealers'
phones.

Here's one result of phone deregulation. Pay-phone companies are
paying the managers of public places to let them put in their
equipment. The property owners get a percentage of the phones'
take and, often, cash up-front. That take can get pretty hefty
since the pay-phone operator gets to pick his own preferred long-
distance company, the one through which callers who just dial "1-plus"
will be connected. These alternative operator companies then pay
off the pay-phone companies for bringing in the customers, lease
lines from the big long-distance outfits, and mark up the bills
to suit themselves. Some companies hide their charges by sending
tapes of transactions for billing on bank credit cards up to 18
months after calls are made. Once you get your bill, it's too
late to complain, although news reports indicate a call made
through an "alternative operator" can cost 2-3 times more. On the
front end, the L.A. airport will get $12 million for 1,350 phones,
and that money will come from somewhere.

One of the dealers pointed out proudly this is the first time a
company like AT&T has signed up with pay-phone and alternative
operator competitors to land a contract. Very likely, AT&T had to
do business to come up with enough cash to pay off the airport.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210/Contact: Intellicall at 214-416-0022)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00004)

AT&T SHOWS NEW LINE OF CALLER-RECOGNITION EQUIPMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- It will be easy and
cheaper for businesses to tell who's calling them following
AT&T's release of a new line of Call Detail Recording Units, or
CDRUs, called the Difinity product line. CDRUs record
the number of a calling party, from which computers can get
names and personal information about the caller. This is a little-
known side effect of deregulation.

Moscom, based in the Northern New York town of Pittsford,
designed the smallest unit in the line, which is a little smaller
than the average IBM PC case. Robert Boxer, secretary and
corporate counsel of Moscom, told Newsbytes the deal fulfills a
$5-10 million design and manufacturing contract his firm signed
with AT&T last May. The CDRU works with AT&T polling devices,
network control computers, and PBXs.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210/Contact: Robert Boxer at 716-385-6440)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00005)

IN TAMPA, AN ONLINE BREAK-IN OF A TV NEWS DEPARTMENT
TAMPA, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- Authorities say Michael Shapiro
of Clearwater, Florida, tried to use his knowledge of computers to
get ahead in the TV business. After leaving WTVT in Tampa, where
he was assignment editor, for its ABC rival WTSP, as assistant
news editor, he apparently used his modem to break into the old
system and find out what his new rivals were doing. WTVT admits
this was pretty easy -- he was one of two people who created the
old system. On February 7 Shapiro was charged with 14 second-
degree felonies, each of which could give him 15 years in prison
and a $10,000 fine. The break-ins were discovered January 12, and
Shapiro himself had been called in right away, but he claimed at
the time to know nothing. Police said Shapiro got into the WTVT
computer at least four times in January alone, either from WTSP or
his home in Clearwater. WTVT's manuals were found next to
Shapiro's own PC during a search February 7.

Security experts contacted by Newsbytes said the Tampa station
should have changed passwords and quizzed Williams as soon as
Shapiro left, to make sure all possibilities for access,
including hidden user names and passwords, had been removed. The
break-in is expected to slow, but not stop, the computerization of TV
newsrooms.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00006)

BBS, PUBLIC DOMAIN SOFTWARE MOVEMENTS HURT FIRST BY VIRUSES
ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- John Williams
follows hacker boards and computer viruses, publishing his
findings as diskette-based special reports under the name
Computer Freaking. The disks contain known viruses, antidotes,
and the latest in hacker mischief, as gleaned by Williams from
hours and hours online.

Continuing reports of computer viruses are destroying both the
BBS and public domain software movements, he says. Corporate PC
managers are going beyond "regular sweeps for viruses, Trojan
horses, and logic bombs" with products like Flu Shot Plus, from
Software Concepts Design of New York City, Williams told
Newsbytes. He said most companies are now forbidding the use of
public domain or shareware on their systems, particularly if it's
downloaded from a BBS. "One BBS reported that 15 percent of the software
uploaded to him was infected or had major bugs," Williams said,
so caution is justified.

"A lot of people don't trust any software from BBSs," Williams
continued. "They've lost a lot of business. People are using the
boards for e-mail now instead of exchanging shareware and public
domain programs." He added darkly, "There's some suspicion some
viruses might be written secretly by major software houses to
discredit the competition. Most of the software that's infected
is public domain and shareware. There's no quicker way to
eliminate the competition than to scare people away from their
products." Hacker boards are being put out of business regularly,
he adds, and of the 30-40 he knew of a year ago, all but 1-2 of
them are now down. "It's a chase game with law enforcement," he
concludes, but, no, "Running a hacker BBS shouldn't be a crime."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210/Contact: John Williams at 505-434-
0234)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00007)

AN ONLINE AMWAY DISCOVERED ON DENVER BULLETIN BOARD
DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- Jim Vorheis runs The
Intermittant Connection, a bulletin board in Denver which mainly
features shareware and political discussions of a conservative
bent. He told Newsbytes he's 100 percent disabled, handling SYSOP
[system operator] duties as a hobby and public service. Generally
it's a thankless task, but his latest offering has him a little frightened
because of the possibility it might make him some money, on which the
governments rewarding his disability might frown.

FreeAccess is a Ripon, California-based service which acts as a
sort of online Amway, offering products on sale at low prices,
and collecting by Visa and Master Card. Vorheis said FreeAccess
asked him recently if he'd like to be the "exclusive" carrier of
the service in the Denver area, and he readily agreed, only to
learn later two other boards in Denver also had a local
exclusive. With any terminal emulation, FreeAccess offers a nice
graphics interface,for a BBS. It's not Prodigy but it's not bad,
and the screens re-paint quickly. The software runs with most
major bulletin board systems, FreeAccess handles all the details,
and SYSOPS draw a royalty if anyone buys through their board. So
far, Vorheis says, there have been no sales through The
Intermittant Connection.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00008)

VIDEO DATA THROUGH INTERNATIONAL VAN
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 8 (NB) -- The Ministry of Posts and Communications
[MPT] wants to expand the current international value-added-network
[VAN] service between the U.S. and Japan and the United Kingdom and
Japan, in order that it can handle video data. The service is
currently limited to electronic mail and data packet switching
services, but MPT also wants it to transmit facsimiles and video
conferences, for instance.

If the project is implemented, the cost of facsimiles transmitted
through the new international VAN service will be an estimated
20-percent cheaper than charges incurred on leased lines or those
from KDD, Japan's major telephone service. Therefore, MPT will be
forced to talk with KDD on this point.

MPT's International VAN Promotion Conference, organized in June, 1988,
has involved various top-level officers from industry, government,
and higher education, as well as the staff of KDD and International
VAN.  The Conference, which has been studying the feasibility of
video data transmission, expects to present its findings as early
as this May to the U.S. and the U.K. governments.  Thirteen members,
including IBM Japan, NEC, Hitachi Information Network, and
International VAN, have been engaged in the international VAN
business.

(Ken Takahashi/19890209)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00009)

THREE PC NETWORKS TO START GATEWAY SERVICES
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 8 (NB) --NIF, one of the leading Japanese
computer communication network service companies, has announced
plans to start gateway services with Cherry-Net of Yamagata, Japan, and
Fujitsu's value-added-network [VAN] FENICS.

With these services, each member of Nifty-Serve, Cherry-Net and
FENICS will be able to access each other's data, exchange mail
and write messages to bulletin board systems without being required
to register on all three.

NIF has already opened a gateway between its computer network
service Nifty-serve and U.S.-based CompuServe.

(Naoyuki Yazaswa/19890209/Contact: NIF, 03-221-0219)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00010)

CANADA REMOTE SYSTEMS MOVING
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Canada Remote
Systems, a bulletin board system that started in a spare bedroom
in 1981, will move in mid-March to new 4,000-square-foot
headquarters with a custom-designed computer room. The new
headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario -- just west of Toronto --
will also include a combination showroom and seminar room and
shipping facilities. Canada Remote now has more than 60
computers and 70 phone lines. Telephone numbers will be
changing, and the BBS will be shut down most of the day on March
17.

(Grant Buckler/19890210/Contact: Canada Remote Systems, 416-231-
2383)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00011)

COMPUSERVE X.25 LINKS IMPROVED; INTERNATIONAL LOOPHOLE CLOSED
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- As of 31 January this year,
links between non-U.S. X.25 networks and the Compuserve network in
the U.S. have improved, with faster response times available from
Europe. The downside of the upgrade is that international
subscribers are now charged at the correct access speed tariffs.

Previously, international subscribers accessing Compuserve using
the Destination Network Identity Code [DNIC] of 3132 were charged
at the default 300 baud rate of $6.00 an hour. Today, subscribers
accessing at 1200 and 2400 baud must now pay the full rate of
$12.50 per hour.

The loophole, although unintended by Compuserve, has always made
the service a primary focus for non-U.S. subscribers, since hard-
wired X.25 link users could access the service at 9600 baud, yet
still pay $6-00 an hour. The unintended discount did not apply to
Telenet and Tymnet-connected data calls.

Newsbytes U.K. notes the passing of the 300/450 baud loophole with
some sadness, since we used to spend $100 a month on the
service. During February, our anticipated bill - for the same
usage - has risen to $200. International users of Compuserve are
strongly advised to check their monthly cumulative bill on the
service [accessible via the GO MONTH command].

(Steve Gold/19890210/Compuserve - Tel: [US] 614-457-8650)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00012)

U.K. TO FRANCE 3 OPTICAL FIBRE LINK NOW INSTALLED
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Mercury Communications has
announced that the first optical fibre cable linking England and
France has been brought ashore at Brighton. Called UK-France 3,
the cable is one of the world's longest multiple-fibre
unrepeatered links in the world, and will enter service later
this year.

The new cable will offer major benefits to Mercury telephone
network subscribers in the U.K., in that it backs up the company's
existing cable routes via Portsmouth and Bracknell. It also links
directly into Mercury's new digital exchange in Brighton, giving
digital-quality call facilities to the continent. Up to 11,000
simultaneous calls can be supported on the cable.

* U.K.-France 3 is the first of Mercury's international cable links
 to come into services during 1989. Other optical cable links
 planned to open this year include the U.K. - Netherlands 12 and
 U.K.-Germany 5 cables. An optical link to Portugal will open
 in 1991.

(Steve Gold/19890210)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00013)

BLENHEIM ONLINE RELEASES EMS '88 HANDBOOK
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Blenheim Online has released
the Electronic Message Systems '88 handbook, a 332-page
publication that covers all aspects of electronic messaging in
the U.K.

The UKP95 book contains details of all existing e-mail networks
in the U.K., as well as details of plans for the implementation of
X.400 message handling system [MHS] interconnection facilities
in the U.K. Electronic data interchange [EDI] topics are also
discussed.

(Steve Gold/19890210/Blenheim Online - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(ATL)(00001)

FAX CARD PRICES FALLING FAST
NORCROSS, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 9 (NB) -- With Quadram
dropping the price of its internal JT Fax card to $295, and
companies in U.S. and the Far East rolling out fax switches at
$150-200, it seems computer users will be able to get full fax
service for $5-600 per PC by the end of the year. The JT-Fax 4800
modem is just as fast as those in dedicated machines selling for
well over $1,000, and with an automatic fax switch, programmed to
turn the computer on when needed, you no longer need to miss a
fax when you're asleep or out. With the internal card, you'll
also have all the software tricks Japanese fax machine makers
force you to pay extra for -- like broadcasting, automatic re-
dial, and the ability to log and preview calls. As junk fax
proliferates this will also keep PC fax users from wasting paper
-- preview the incoming messages and dump the garbage before it
sees the light of day.

Lower prices also mean it's possible to network fax within a
computer network and turn a direct-mail operation into a junk-
fax operation. So Quadram is also shipping a developers' toolkit for
the 9600 baud product. 9600 baud fax cards sell for about $700 range.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890210/Contact: Jane Bator at 404-925-7643)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00002)

INSTANT COLOR PUBLISHING CENTER OPENS
WEST LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 JAN 23 (NB) -- Imageland
opened here billing itself as "the world's first instant color
publishing center." Customers can use the facility's computer
design system to create and print limited edition color calendars,
greeting cards, brochures, textile hangings, tee shirts, ceramics,
and other color reproductions.

The store is operated near UCLA by Color Laser Corporation. Company
President Mitsuru Kataoka is also an associate professor and
director of UCLA's Visual Design Research Group. According to
Kataoka, "high-quality color design and reproduction formerly took
days or weeks and required a team of specialists--including graphic
designers and specialty print shops--and expensive color
separations."

At Imageland, a photograph or other color image can be instantly
turned into a customized printed piece using an Unda 250V Color
Design and Production System. The system provides many of the
functions of the large systems used to print national magazines.
Output is produced on color laser printers. Designing and printing
twenty copies of a typical six-page color piece costs approximately
$400 at the center as compared to $2000 for the same production by
traditional methods.

(Wayne Yacco/19890209/Contact: 213-208-7877)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00003)

MICROCOMPUTERS REPLACE TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING EQUIPMENT
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 1 (NB) -- Information
International, Inc. [triple-I] is enhancing a computer-based
display-advertising production system it sold last fall to the
third-largest daily newspaper in North Carolina. Triple-I's
supplements will expand publishing systems at the Greensboro News &
Record by adding two 3810 Laser Pagesetters, a Postscript server, a
3700 InfoScan Broadsheet Laser Scanner, a multifunction Image
Network Processor [INP], a VideoPRINT Laser Ad Proofer and two Sun
3/50-based classified processors. The new order, slated for third-
quarter implementation, joins 8 Sun 3/60-based Ad Makeup Stations
[AMS/2] which will be installed this spring to replace a twelve-
year-old publishing system.

These enhancements will allow increased ad volume, provide full
graphics, improve display-ad composition, provide quicker page
proofs for clients and save time according to News & Record's
production system manager, Bob Pettit. Triple-I's 3810 printers have
1000-dot-per-inch resolutions and produce continuous plate-ready
broadsheet pages -- of text, line art, layered display ads, and
halftones -- at a rate of one per minute. Greensboro's configuration
includes APS emulation which produces editorial and classified
galleys from front-end data in APS-ICL format. Triple-I's Postscript
server works with the Laser Pagesetters to produce high-speed, high-
resolution recording of Postscript images, within a page, without
reducing the printer's rate of output.

(Wayne Yacco/19890209/Contact: triple-I, 213-390-8611)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00004)

U.S. ELECTRONICS SALES HIT RECORD
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- U.S. electronics
firms enjoyed a record $278.9 million in electronics sales in
1988, an increase of nearly 10 percent over 1987 figures. The
American Electronics Association says computer sales were
particularly high -- increasing 16 percent -- while the
poorest showing came from the consumer electronics segment,
of which the American share declined four percent.

(Wendy Woods/19890210)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00005)

NTT DEVELOPS 600 MEGABYTE OPTICAL DISK
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Researchers at Japan's telecom
giant NTT have successfully developed a new optical disk and
proprietary drive unit. The optical disk, capable of storing
600-megabytes, uses terbium and iron as data storage material,
and measures 130 millimeters wide and 11 millimeters high [5
by 1/2 inches]. The drive unit, which includes a manual disk-
insert feature, also comes in a version which automatically
operates up to 24 disks by means of computer-control. The former
is scheduled to be priced at about 500,000 yen or $4,000 and the
latter is roughly three million yen or $24,000.

The new optical disk and the special drive unit are expected to be
welcome as the international standard without modification at the
International Organization for Standardization [ISO] to be held in
Tokyo this October. To start, NTT will supply the manufacturing
technology to Matsushita Electric Industrial and Matsushita
Communication Industrial, which will commercialize the disk and
drive units under their own brand name by this summer.

(Ken Takahashi/19890209)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00006)

WORLD'S FASTEST WORKSTATION DUE FROM SONY
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 7 (NB) -- Sony has signed an agreement
with U.S.-based MIPS Computer Systems to sell an engineering
workstation [EWS] equipped with the super-fast R3000, the reduced
instruction set computer [RISC] chip made by MIPS. Sony
intends to offer a product with the industry's fastest data
processing ability of 25 million instructions per second [MIPS]
on the EWS. The price has not been disclosed.

Sony evaluated various RISC chips, among them Sun's SPARC and
Motorola's 88000, before making the decision to go with MIPS.

(Ken Takahashi/19890209)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00007)

SONY TO LEAD SRAM BUSINESS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Sony says it has successfully
developed the world's first four-megabit static random access
memory [SRAM] and will exhibit it at the International Solid State
Circuit Conference [ISSCC], scheduled to open on 15 February in New York.

Sony has realized an access speed of 25 nanoseconds with the chip,
which will be exhibited in a 400 mil [1/1000ths of an inch] size,
dual inline package at ISSCC.

Sony has produced bipolar-type integrated circuits for its own
products and currently produces two million memory chips per month
at its Nagasaki plant which was purchased from U.S.-based
Fairchild in 1987. Despite having lost ground in the memory
arena, however, Sony aims to become of the the leaders in the
SRAM business with this new technology.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890209)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00008)

ONE MEGABIT DRAM PRICE STABILIZING
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- There is some indication that prices
for dynamic random access memory [DRAM] chips are starting to
stabilize for the first time in a year and a half. One megabit DRAMs
are going for 2,000 yen or $15 in quantity, and have recently been
offered with a 10-percent discount by some vendors. Meanwhile,
DRAMS are still going for around 5,000 yen or $38 in the spot market,
such as Akihabara, Tokyo, the famous district for electronics goods.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890209)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00009)

TAPE BACKUP SYSTEM CLAIMS 10 MEGABYTES A MINUTE
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- Tense Lectronix
Corp. [TLC] says its Legacy 2000 external tape drive can back up
10 megabytes a minute. The device, which can also be used for
archival or data distribution, uses digital audio tape cartridges
that can store as much as 2.3 gigabytes of data each. It is
compatible with IBM, Apple and Digital Equipment computes and
sells for C$8,999.

(Grant Buckler/19890208/Contact: Tense Lectronix Corp., 416-475-
1077)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BRU)(00010)

ZILOG ANNOUNCES ONE-TIME-PROGRAMMABLE MICROCONTROLLER
CAMPBELL, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Zilog, the
developer of the famous Z-80 chip, has released a new version of
its Z-80 microcontroller which uses a PROM that can be programmed
in the field.

The new chip offers 8Kbytes of read only memory [ROM], 256Kbytes of
random access memory [RAM] and 32 I/O lines. In addition, a full
duplex serial line is also provided.

(Peter Vekinis/19890210)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BRU)(00011)

ZILOG ENTERS DIGITAL TV FRAY WITH SUPER IC
CAMPBELL, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Zilog has
announced the Z86C27, a digital television controller chip
specially designed for consumer TVs.

The chip, which offers facilities similar to a display controller
for PCs, is based on single-chip microprocessor. It includes 8Kbytes
of program read-only memory, 256Kbytes of data storage, parallel
and serial lines, pulse width modulator lines for voice synthesis, picture
control and audio control, as well as a fully integrated screen
controller.

(Peter Vekinis/19890210/Contact: Zilog U.S., Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BRU)(00012)

ZILOG RELEASES FASTEST SERIAL I/O PROCESSOR AVAILABLE
CAMPBELL, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 JAN 31 (NB) -- Zilog has released
the Z16C30, the fastest serial controller available in the market
 with a ten megabits-per-second speed.

The chip offers two serial channels, multiprotocol operation,
ASCII or EBCDIC code support, high data link control [HDLC] or
binary synchronous control [BSC] mode and direct memory access
[DMA] support.

(Peter Vekinis/19890210/Contact: Zilog US, Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(SFO)(00001)

EVEREX SYSTEMS TO INTRODUCE SPEEDY WORKSTATION
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Everex Systems is
expected to unveil a super-fast $10,000 workstation on February
20, according to a published report. The RISC, or reduced
instruction set computer, workstation will process data at 17
million instructions per second, according to the San Francisco
Chronicle. The workstation, made in conjunction with Opus
Systems, which makes RISC component boards, is expected be the
fastest personal computer/workstation on the market as is
to be called the "Personal Mainframe Series 8000."

(Wendy Woods/19890210)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00002)

XEROX JOINS TWO INDUSTRY GROUPS
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 8 (NB) -- Xerox
announced that it will become a member of Unix International and
the Open Software Foundation [OSF]. The two industry groups were
created last year in an effort to promote a unified, compatible Unix
operating environment.

The moves are part of the new plan being unveiled by William C.
Lowe, executive vice president, Xerox Development and
Manufacturing, to try and push the company into the forefront of
Unix computing. Lowe was formerly at IBM.

Lowe believes that supporting these Unix industry standards will
help the company compete effectively against Unix mainstays like
Sun Microsystems and AT&T, and ultimately offer benefits to Xerox
customers.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Terry Dillman, Xerox, 213-333-3487)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00003)

MULTIUSER DOS SERVER OFFERED BY COCONET
CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA, U.S.A 1989 FEB 6 (NB) -- CocoNet has
announced the first true DOS/Unix server that allows true multiuser
and multitasking in a MS-DOS environment.

The product is a plug and play system that is completely transparent
to the DOS user, and is NetBIOS compatible. According to the
company, this is the fist time that DOS users can have true multiuser,
multitasking so that several users can access a single file via a
single application at the same time. The Unix shell that runs the
system provides all data security for the DOS users, the company
explained.

(Jon Pepper/19890210/Contact: Tony Ardolino, CocoNet, 305-447-4608)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TYO)(00004)

UNIX INTERNATIONAL AND X/OPEN TO COOPERATE
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 8 (NB) -- Unix International has won
the support of X/Open in its fight against the Open Software
Foundation to standardize the Unix operating system.

According to Unix International Chairman Donald J. Herman in
Tokyo, Unix International will closely cooperate with X/Open
and has agreed to develop an operating system which is fully-
compatible with both X/Open's Common Application Environment
and AT&T's Unix System Version 4.0.

Herman also announced that Unix International will establish
an Asian-Pacific headquarters in Tokyo by April. Eleven
Japanese companies, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Oki, NEC, Fuji Xerox, Richo,
Omron, Nihon Unisys, Nihon Sun Microsystems, NCR Japan and Prime
Computer Japan, are collaborating to establish the headquarters.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890209/Contact: Unix International 03-457-2104)


(EDITORIAL)(IBM)(LAX)(00001)

W Y S I W Y G -- Wayne Yacco's Gazette

EISA DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A, 1989 JAN 12 (NB) -- Will EISA drive out
MCA as proponents hope? According to one expert, it may not even
survive in the face of a forthcoming onslaught from IBM. And he
should know, Carl Warren is chairperson of a key group investigating
AT-bus architecture standards: the IEEE Industry Study Group on
Extensions to the AT bus. It's a group to which Compaq hasn't even
bothered to respond although an invitation was made according to
Carl. In reply to claims made in the recent announcement by the EISA
group Carl Warren said succinctly "I doubt it."

There are some obvious merits to his argument. For one thing, EISA's
compatibility with the AT is touted by the group as maintaining
continuity for users. But if old cards are ported to EISA machines,
they obviously can not participate in the bus's advanced
capabilities. Won't the machine become just another AT? That means
EISA is really more of a choice between advanced architecture and
compatibility than a combination of both. And, the EISA claims don't
take into account IBM's plans for the MCA. They refer only to the
currently implemented level of support, not what MCA's capable of
doing.

Carl claims that minor changes in the MCA will be able to support
speeds far in excess of the inherent limits of EISA. The next
version will be what the technical and user communities want to see
he says. MCA is the superior technology -- by a long shot. Expect to
see 95 MHz. bus speeds and some other surprises that no one's
expecting he adds--all upwardly compatible with the existing MCA.
Furthermore, Carl even sniffs at the openness of EISA when just a
copy of the specification costs $2500.

The special 4-month IEEE group that Carl chairs is studying 32-bit
extensions to the AT bus as a possible P-996 [nu bus] extension. And
the committee is looking for input from anyone with suggestions. So,
take your two cents and send ideas or questions to him via fax at
714-896-1313. Be sure to include a cover sheet with his name and the
secret password "Mail Stop 21-2." He can also sometimes be reached
at 714-896-3311, ext 0669.

CONFUSION, Part II:

One of the many companies that I visited and asked to place
Newsbytes on its press-release mailing list at MacWorld was X
Corporation [not its real name]. As I mentioned in a previous
column, the response from vendors at MacWorld was disappointing in
comparison with my experiences in the IBM world. However, X deserves
special notice.

One thing I stressed to everyone who took a business card was to be
certain that it didn't go into the pot with all of the other cards
as a sales lead. Sales literature without an announcement isn't very
helpful in preparing the news, wastes the company's resources and is
largely responsible for sending trash collectors in my neighborhood
into early retirement. I thought I had made it clear enough for a
mineral to understand -- I wasn't a potential customer. Apparently
not. X sent only sales literature. It seems silicon permeates more
than the electronics at that company.

COMPUTER ABUSE

If you've had more than your quota of dummies, you may be ready to
release a little tension with a dummy of a different sort. Smack-a-
Mac is a diminutive pillow made in the shape and image of Macintosh.
It is imprinted with cute little computer features including a
screen with a happy face on it -- no doubt to encourage mayhem and
battery in case you're not already sufficiently motivated. At about
ten dollars a throw, it is the least expensive peripheral Mac owners
can buy for their machines. All required software is built-in. For
those without a Mac, it's a reasonable facsimile with only slightly
less functionality than an original Mac trying to run MultiFinder.
And with its solid-state construction, mean time between failure
should be tens of thousands of hours [in the hands of a not-too-
violent user]. I saw Smack-a-Mac at MacWorld but you can get
information on them by calling 619-277-2797.

TEASERS

Coming up are news from Foxbase, the Mirrors review I promised a few
weeks back and a look at the most important program you can have on
your PC besides DOS itself -- I don't think there's any doubt about
it.

(Wayne Yacco/19890210)