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/nb890228.296

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

THREE SLOT MAC DUE MARCH 7
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 25 (NB) -- Apple Computer
is expected to unveil the Macintosh IIcx, a computer with three
expansion slots, at a seven-city roll-out for customers and
resellers on March 7. According to published reports, the IIcx,
at $4,500, will have a Motorola 68030 microprocessor, will
have the NuBus architecture, and will support a variety of monitors,
both black and white and color.

(Wendy Woods/19890224)


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

APPLE PROTESTS BEATLES SUIT
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Apple Computer
has denied wrong-doing in a suit brought by Apple Corps Ltd., the
company which managed the Beatles. The suit, filed in London,
charges the computer company with infringing a previously secret
agreement regarding use of the Apple name and logo. Apple spokeswoman
Carleen LeVasseur calls the suit "without merit."

Apple Corps signed an agreement with Apple founders Steve Jobs and
Steve Wozniak in 1981 which allowed them to use the name Apple as
long as the computer company did not get involved in the music
business. Now that Apple computers are being used as interfaces
between electronic instruments, as well as to compose music, the
terms of that agreement, says Apple Corps, have been violated.

The suit seeks an injunction against sales of all products Apple
makes that violate the agreement, as well as payment of past-due
royalties plus 15 percent interest on sales of all Apple computers
capable of creating music. Such a demand, if upheld by the court,
would amount to up to $200 million dollars, according to Apple
Corps attorney Wayne Cooper.

(Wendy Woods/19890225)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00003)

WINGZ SELLS AS FAST AS IT SHIPS
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 15 (NB) -- The long-awaited
new-generation Macintosh spreadsheet Wingz has finally been shipped
by Informix and is being enthusiastically snapped up by dealers and
customers alike, much to the relief of company officers. Informix,
which spent an estimated hundreds of thousands to promote the product,
calls Wingz "the first graphic spreadsheet for the Macintosh and the
largest, fastest, and most versatile spreadsheet for any microcomputer."
Wingz has not only the familiar rows and columns, but offers
advanced charts and graphs, control over fonts, style, and color
of text and cells, has text fields with basic word processing
capabilities, and HyperScript application development language to
customize any aspect of the program.

Informix Director of Wingz Marketing Doug Edwards told Newsbytes
the product, which was in the making for over two years, has been found
"bug free" and is going out by the palette-load. The program
retails for $399, and is "selling out on both coasts as soon as the
product gets there," he adds. He characterized the first week of
shipments as "brisk and promising," and says the staff barely had
time to drink a bit of champagne before it was time to get back
to work.

Wingz is being distributed by Egghead Discount Stores, Businessland,
ComputerCraft stores, and the Bonzu and Micro-D networks. In Canada
the product is being shipped by Compuserve. Within the next month
Informix plans to announce distribution in Europe and Australia. A
French version is scheduled for release in the first half of 1989.
Swedish, German, Danish, Norwegian, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese
versions of Wingz are also scheduled for release in 1989.

Authorized dealers are giving away free copies of Test Flight, a demo
of Wingz.

(Wendy Woods/19890225/Contact: Corrine Smith, Informix, 913-492-3800)


(CORRECTION)(APPLE)(TOR)(00004)

SORRY, WRONG NUMBER
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 15 (NB) -- The number to call
for information on Informix Software's cross-Canada series of
software seminars is 800-387-7872. An earlier edition of
Newsbytes [and Informix's press release] gave an incorrect
number.

(Grant Buckler/19890215/Contact: Informix Software, 800-387-7872)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00005)

APPLEFAX MODEM BACK ON MARKET
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Apple's external
fax device, AppleFax Modem, is back on the market after a four-month
absence due to firmware problems. The $699 modem, which
allows Macintosh computers to send and receive faxes from standard
Group 3 facsimile machines, can also be used to exchange data files
between Macintoshes equipped with AppleFax Modems.

Apple says the modem must be used with System 6.0.3 software. Firmware
revision 1.2 allows the modem to operate in various phone system
environments such as PBX systems, and provides added reliability and
performance. The product is available in the U.S. and Canada.

(Wendy Woods/19890225/Contact: Cynthia Macon, Apple, 408-974-5448)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00006)

APPLE SHOPS AT NEXT FOR NEW EXECUTIVE
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Apple Computer
has retrieved Burt Cummings, who left Apple to be sales manager
for NeXT, Inc., to head up its higher education marketing division.
Cummings, 35, was reportedly "escorted out of the building" shortly
after announcing his defection to Apple Computer on Thursday.
Cummings, generally known as a fine manager with an easy-going
personality, says he's looking forward to his return. Previously
at Apple for seven years prior to joining NeXT in 1987, Cummings
says he's attracted to the broad marketing responsibilities he'll
have at Apple.

Cumming's departure is considered significant because it's the first
time an Apple executive lured to NeXt by Apple co-founder and
NeXT founder Steve Jobs has returned to the Cupertino, California
computer company.

Apple has also announced the appointment of Michael Carter, Stanford
University director of systems development, as its new director
of education research.

(Wendy Woods/19890225)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TYO)(00007)

APPLE JAPAN GOES HEADHUNTING
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 17 (NB) -- Apple Computer Japan, in an
effort to win more of the Japanese computer market, has raided several
Japanese firms for top executive talent.

Yoshimaru Maruno, who has been leading the development of Sony's
best seller workstation NEWS, has been drafted for head of product
development in Apple Japan's subsidiary, Apple Operations and
Technology, Inc. Former vice president of Digital Research Japan,
Yousuke Ishiuchi, has been given the job of technical support manager,
and Yasunori Sekine of Nihon NCR has been invited to be manager of
Apple's Service & Support Division.

Apple Computer Japan expects to produce more Japanese software
titles for the Macintosh, and will reorganize its sales division.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890223/Contact: Apple Japan, 03-224-7000)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00008)

SUN SHOPS AT APPLE FOR NEW EXECUTIVE
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Former Apple Vice
President for Systems Integration Charles Berger has been stolen away
by Sun Microsystems to become vice president of product marketing.
Berger, a seven year Apple veteran, is an expert in connectivity
and therefore seen as a prime catch for Sun Microsystems, which is
expected to face off against Apple in the 68030-powered workstation
market by mid-year.

(Wendy Woods/19890225)


(EXCLUSIVE)(APPLE)(LAX)(00009)

LIST ADDED TO MAC PRESS ROSTER AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Publicist Ron
Gold has announced a version of his Personal Computer Publicity Book
on double-sided media [diskette] for the Macintosh. The $125 directory
contains 5,000 press contacts and 50 pages of tips and joins the
author's version for the PC. Updates are available every six months
for $75.

Also mentioned in the announcement were a medical list and an
"International Tech Set" of 1,000 editors from 50 countries which
will be available in a Macintosh format this spring. They are
already available for the PC user. In addition, Gold said he had
"just finished [his] list of 2500 entertainment contacts 30 minutes
ago" well in advance of the spring date slated for that list in the
same announcement.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224/Contact: 213-399-7938)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TYO)(00010)

ADA FOR PCS AND MACS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 14 (NB) -- Tokyo-based imported electronics
goods marketing firm Rikei has signed a marketing agreement with
Meridian Software of the U.S. Rikei has released Meridian's development
language Ada in a package called Ada Vantage for use on IBM PC/AT and
Apple Macintosh computers. The price range starts at 263,000 yen or
$2,100.

Ada was adopted by the U.S. Department of Defense as the standard
development language for all software used by the Pentagon and National
Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA].

(Ken Takahashi/19890223/Contact: Rikei, 03-345-1411)


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

COMPAQ WITHDRAWS BUSINESS, SHOCKS LAND
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 21 (NB) -- Saying that it
had become apparent that continuing its relationship with
Businessland was no longer "in the best interest of Compaq or [the
company's] customers" and citing "differences in strategic
direction" as the reason, Compaq served notice that it would
terminate its relationship with the reseller as of April 21, 1989.
The bad news came at a meeting held at Businessland headquarters in
San Jose, California on February 20.

A shocked Businessland responded to the sixty-day notice by saying
that the loss of Compaq sales "is likely to adversely affect
Businessland's revenue trends in the short term" and that it would
require the addition of new vendors and continuing sales of the
products of its current vendors to restore its levels of revenue
growth.

For the eighteen months ended December 31, 1988, Compaq products
accounted for approximately 15 percent of the company's net sales.
Representatives claimed that Businessland, the world's largest
company-owned computer reseller, is in full compliance with the
Compaq dealer agreement and that the blow was completely unexpected.

Compaq meanwhile said that its customers would turn to the more than
3000 other Authorized Compaq Computer Dealers who operate in more
than 52 countries worldwide. For 1988, Businessland represented
approximately seven percent of Compaq Computer Corporation's
revenue.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00002)

BUSINESSLAND UK RETAINS LINKS WITH COMPAQ
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- In the wake of Compaq's
decision to terminate its US distribution deal with Businessland,
the UK arm of Businessland has confirmed it will still be
handling Compaq kit for sale into the UK and Europe.

"Following detailed discussions between our two companies, I can
confirm that the UK trading agreement between Businessland UK
Limited and Compaq Computer Limited remain unchanged," said Derek
Bytheway, Businessland UK's managing direct last week in a
prepared press statement.

Bytheway's statement appears to have been prompted by industry
speculation that the UK company might have stopped trading In
Compaq kit, following Compaq's US moves.

(Steve Gold/19890224/Businessland UK - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00003)

COMPAQ PUSHES FOR EUROPEAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN MARKETS
MUNICH, WEST GERMANY, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Compaq Computer
Corporation is pushing hard into Europe and South America. The
company, which has just axed Businessland in the US as a
distributor, seems keen to diversify into international markets,
following in IBM's footsteps.

Eckhard Pfeiffer, Compaq's senior vice president of international
operations, announced last week that the company has grown by
almost one and a half times during 1988. Europe, he said, had
contributed more than 90 percent of Compaq's international sales
of $809 million in 1988, up from $325 million in the preceding
year.

To celebrate the international sales momentum, as well as keep
it going, Pfeiffer announced that Compaq will set up subsidiary
companies in Denmark, Norway and New Zealand later this year. In
addition, authorised dealerships are in progress in Chile,
Columbia and Venezuela.

(Steve Gold/19890224)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00004)

HEWLETT PACKARD BUYS FIVE PERCENT OF 3COM
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Hewlett-Packard
has purchased up to five percent of 3Com Corporation's outstanding
stock in a deal valued at some $36.1 million. The two companies
also announced plans to work together on networking software and
hardware, including 3Com's 3+Open LAN Manager, HP LAN Manager/X,
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, network management
under OpenView, electronic mail, and HP NewWave. The first products
born of this marriage are due in the second half of 1989.

Analysts suggest that the alliance seeks to create a method by
which computers using two incompatible operating systems -- Unix
and OS/2 -- will be able to exchange information. The alliance is
expected to enhance both companies in the eyes of investors.

(Wendy Woods/19890225)


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

HEWLETT PACKARD REPORTS 21 PERCENT JUMP IN REVENUES
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 21 (NB) -- Hewlett-Packard
says net revenues jumped 21 percent and net earnings leaped eight
percent in its most recent quarter compared to a year ago. Net
revenue totaled $2.657 billion, compared with $2.192 billion
last year. Net earnings were $193 million, compared to $179
million in 1988. Orders were $3.013 billion compared with $2.440
billion in orders for the first quarter last year.

In November, Hewlett Packard became the first Silicon Valley
computer company to exceed $10 billion in annual sales.

Says HP President John Young, "Orders for workstations continued
to be very strong. Peripherals and PCs also did well, and we
experienced accelerated growth in orders for our multiuser HP
Precision Architecture computer systems." With the stabilization
of memory chip prices, Young said HP expects it has supply
to meet demand. He projects another year of solid growth for
Hewlett-Packard.

(Wendy Woods/19890225/Contact: Nancy Colvert, HP, 415-857-2387)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00006)

PRIME AND WILD LEITZ GROUP ENTER INTO JOINT SYSTEM 9 VENTURE
NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A.. 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Prime
Computer has bought an interest in the Wild Leitz Group's System 9
division, an advanced geographic information system, or GIS. A GIS
collects, stores, analyzes, and displays various geographic information.

System 9 currently uses Sun Microsystems' standard operating system
and Sun-3 workstations, including the Prime WS3600. Prime sees
System 9 as a complement to their engineering-mapping solutions.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Carla Roudabush, Prime, 508-655-8000)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00007)

MICROAMERICA SHOWS 61 PERCENT INCREASE IN NET INCOME
MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 21 (NB) --
Microamerica, a major distributor of computer products, reported a
61 percent increase in net income for the year ended Dec. 31, 1988.
The company, a value-added distributor, made several acquisitions
during the year, including Bonsu Inc., a California-based company
that distributes Apple Macintosh-compatible software and hardware
products.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Robert Muccini, Microamerica, 508-
480-0780)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00008)

UNISYS ANNOUNCES STOCK DIVIDENDS
BLUE BELL, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Unisys
announced a quarterly dividend of 25 cents per common share, and
93.75 cents on the Series A preferred stock. The announcement was
made Thursday by the Unisys board of directors.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Charlotte J. LeGates, Unisys, 215-542-
4213)


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

UNISYS MOVES TO EARLY RETIREMENT PLAN FOR WORKERS
BLUE BELL, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Unisys
announced it has started both an early retirement plan and voluntary
layoff plan as cost cutting measures.

Plans are to reduce the 93,000 person work force by about 3 percent this
year, the company announced. Workers who are 58 years old or
older and have worked for at least 15 years with the company can
retire with two years added to their age and service records for
calculating their pensions.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Charlotte LeGates, Unisys, 215-542-
4213)


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

APOLLO NAMES NEW EXECUTIVES
CHELMSFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 22 (NB) --
Apollo Computer has named Robert Gable, former president and CEO
of Computervision and Raymond Pettit, CFO of the Rockefeller
Gruiop, to its board of directors.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Jim Barbagallo, Apollo, 508-256-6600)


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

PRIME DELAYS ISSUING RIGHTS CERTIFICATES
NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Prime is
delaying until March 8 the date on which separate certificates that
evidence the common stock purchase rights of the company will
become issuable.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Joe Gavaghan, Prime, 508-655-8000)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00012)

LECHMERE GETS GOOD'S GOODS
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Good Software has arranged
with East Coast mass merchandiser Lechmere for distribution of
Amortizer III and Celebrity Write through the chain. Lechmere sells
products for the home and home/office user. Good's line includes
real estate, financial and personal productivity software. The
products are carried by over 3,300 dealers and VARs [value-added
resellers] with distribution through Ingram Computer, Kenfil
Distribution, Micro D, and Tandy Corporation.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00013)

ZENITH ANNOUNCES AN ANNUAL PROFIT AND CLAIMS PROSPECTS BRIGHT
GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB. 21 (NB) -- Zenith
Electronics reported its first full-year profit since 1984
and predicted continued improvement for 1989 despite an expected
drop in government computer purchases. Zenith Chairman Jerry K.
Pearlman called the company's 1988 performance "pretty solid."
The company earned $11.7 million, or 45 cents a share, on sales
of $2.7 billion, compared with a loss of $19.1 million in 1987
on sales of $2.4 billion. All of the gain came during the fourth
quarter, which saw net income of $20.4 million.

During the year Zenith fought off an attempt to sell off its
consumer electronics division from Brookhurst Partners of New
York. Pearlman, in his statement, said Zenith has been exploring
actively the sale of its consumer electronics division but has
come to the conclusion that "running the business is the best
option we have found." Pearlman predicted Zenith will earn $15-
$30 million in consumer electronics this year. The only problem
right now, he said, is the continuing memory chip shortage,
which is holding down production.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223)


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

SECURITIES FIRMS ADOPT SUPERCOMPUTER
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Hitachi and NEC have received
an order for supercomputers from securities firms. The supercomputers
will be used for development and analysis of financial data.

Yamaichi Securities will install Hitachi's supercomputer, a
replacement for a Digital Equipment VAX minicomputer, this May, with
operation planned for October. Daiwa Securities has chosen
NEC's supercomputer but has not decided exactly when and where
to use it.

Japan's securities firms have to date used only general-purpose large
computers and minicomputers. Supercomputer makers, therefore,
are suddenly being invited to participate in this new market.

(Ken Takahashi/19890223)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00015)

OKI TO ASSEMBLE MEMORY CHIPS IN THE U.S.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Oki Electronics Industry is
expected to assemble DRAM or dynamic random access memory chips
in the U.S. by the end of the first quarter in 1990. If this takes
place as expected, the only Japanese DRAM producer without a
U.S. production line will be Matsushita.

Oki says it is studying several sites for a new U.S.-based production
facility for 256 kilobit DRAMS but has not decided on a specific site.
The silicon wafers are to be supplied by Miyazaki Oki Electronics as
soon as construction of the U.S. plant is completed.

Meanwhile, Oki's new plant at Miyagi, Japan was finished last November,
and is expected to start production in May. Oki plans to expand
production of one megabit DRAMs and four megabit DRAMs, as well
as other kinds of memory, such as static RAM and application-specific
integrated circuits or ASIC.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890223)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00016)

NKK DIVERSIFIES INTO INTEGRATED CIRCUIT BUSINESS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- One of the five largest steel
producers in the world, Nippon Kokan or NKK, has announced plans to
import and sell U.S.-made integrated circuits [ICs] starting in April.

The company has already established its IC Design center
and expects to complete a technical center for quality control
in April. NKK plans to enter the business of custom ICs for
industrial use and to cumulate its own technology for the development
of ICs within three or four years.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890223)


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

AMSTRAD THRUST INTO CORPORATE MARKET IN ANTIPODES
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- UK PC giant Amstrad is set
to make a further thrust into Australia with the release of its
80286 and 80386 machines. Already known for high value,
entry-level PCs, Alan Sugar's company has set its sights on the
Australian business and corporate market [which is estimated to
be about 8 percent of the US market]. National Sales Manager for
Amstrad Australia Bordan Tkachick told Newsbytes that he was
selecting 70 dealers from his existing base of 700. "We're
looking for dealers who can do more than just shift boxes. We
don't want our customers to just walk in, buy and walk away. The
idea is to sell an on-going solution," he said, using phrases 46
and 107 from the book of PC sales manager's cliches.

(Paul Zucker/19890224)


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

MAJOR DISTRIBUTOR FEARS LOSS OF PRODUCTS
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 21 (NB) -- Imagineering, still
smarting from the loss of distribution of products such as AST
was more than a little surprised this week to see its key
supplier, Ashton Tate, advertising for what looked like a
complete distribution and tech support department. Imagineering
has traditionally distributed the largest range of the major
software products in Australia, including Lotus and Ashton Tate.
Every year the rumors resurface, saying that the companies will
at last distribute and support their own products.

The A-T ads have been explained as being "for specialized SQL and
system products, and not anything to do with Imagineering's
distribution," according to A-T spokespeople. Sue Stanbridge of
Imagineering told Newsbytes that her company had just signed a
further 12 month contract with A-T and "our relationship has
never been better." Some staff in Ashton Tate have been heard to
mumble other opinions.

(Paul Zucker/19890224/Contact: Ashton Tate, Australia
61-2-8683600)


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

TECH DATA AND COMPUTER BROKERS CALL OFF MERGER
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 21 (NB) -- Tech Data Corp. of
Clearwater, Fla., U.S.A. will not buy Computer Brokers of Canada.
The deal which was announced earlier has been called off,
apparently because the two companies could not agree on
operational issues. Nir Shafrir, president of Computer Brokers,
and Steve Raymund, president of Tech Data, seem to have disagreed
on how much the Canadian company's operating procedures would
change to match those of its U.S. suitor. Tech Data, the only
sizeable United States distributor without a Canadian subsidiary,
is still shopping for an acquisition here. Computer Brokers, on
the other hand, has rediscovered the joys of Canadian ownership.
The company ran a full-page advertisement in this week's issue of
Canadian Computer Dealer News proclaiming "CBC -- Not For Sale"
and concluding "it's great to be back home."

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Nir Shafrir, Computer Brokers of
Canada, 416-660-1616)


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

CANADIAN INSURANCE FIRMS CHOOSE GRID
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Four sizeable
insurance firms have named Grid Systems Canada their vendor
of choice for laptop computers. Aetna Life Insurance of
Canada, Canada Life Assurance, Empire Financial Group and the
Prudential Assurance Co. will equip their agents with Grid
machines. Empire, Aetna and Prudential will use customized
versions of Sales Partner, a software package from Quadrom
Software in Quebec, to perform needs analysis for clients.
Canada Life is also evaluating Sales Partner.

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Les Parsneau, Grid Systems
Canada Inc., 416-446-1555)


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

DEVELCON QUITS NASDAQ, CONSOLIDATES, SETTLES LAWSUIT
SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA, 1989 FEB 21 (NB) -- Develcon
Electronics Ltd. is being delisted from NASDAQ, the U.S. over-
the-counter stock trading system. The troubled communications
equipment maker has filed a Certificate and Notice of Termination
of Registration under the Securities Exchange Act. This will
relieve Develcon of the Exchange Act's reporting requirements,
and the stock will be taken off NASDAQ as soon as possible. The
shares will still be quoted in the National Association of
Securities Dealer's daily "pink sheets," the company said.

Develcon also said its U.S. sales organization will report
directly to Richard MacPherson, president and chief executive.
John Olsen, vice-president of U.S. sales, will leave at the end
of April.

Develcon also settled out of court with Heede Insudstries, Inc.,
an American company which sued alleging Develcon failed to
promote products of Omnitec Data Ltd. as required by an agreement
with Heede. Develcon paid Heede $75,000 without acknowledging
liability.

Develcon has also announced the VCX family of networking
statistical multiplexers. The line includes three models, able
to handle from four to 304 ports per VCX node.

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Heinz Jacob, Develcon
Electronics Ltd., 416-495-8666)


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

MEMOTEC PROFIT DOWN
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1989 FEB 18 (NB) -- Memotec Data Inc.
made a profit of C$33.5 million on revenues of C$368.8 million in
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1988. That represents a
profit decrease from C$48 million a year earlier, on revenues of
C$346.1 million. Memotec manufactures data communications
products, and is the parent company of Teleglobe Canada Inc., the
national satellite communications carrier.

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Memotec Data Inc., 514-738-4781)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00023)

MICRO TEMPUS POSTS LOSS
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Micro Tempus Inc.,
maker of Tempus Link software for PC-to-mainframe communications,
lost C$3.894 million in the year ended September 30, 1988. That
compares with profit of C$899,000 the year before. Revenue fell
in fiscal 1988 from C$5.3 million to C$3.8 million.

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Micro Tempus, 514-397-9512)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00024)

ATI HAS NEW MARKETING DIRECTOR
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Video-card maker
ATI Technologies Inc. has named Henry Quan its new marketing
director. Quan, formerly marketing manager for Panasonic brand
computer peripherals at Matsushita Electric of Canada, replaces
Robert Arthur. ATI makes the EGAWonder and VGAWonder video
adapters and the 2400etc modem.

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Henry Quan, ATI Technologies,
416-756-0718)


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

AUTODESK TO PUT PIXAR'S RENDERMAN ON '386 MACHINES
SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- Autodesk has
struck a deal to market Pixar's Renderman photorealistic imaging
software technology and hopes to make it available on PCs
powered by Intel's hot 80386 microprocessor. Autodesk is the first
firm to license the innovative Renderman technology, and will offer
it as a complement to AutoCAD and AutoShade. Future developments may
include a photorealistic connection to the company's high-end solid
modeler, AutoSolid.

Autodesk expects to make Renderman available on '386 machines
sometime in the third quarter of 1989.

(Wendy Woods/19890225)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00002)

JACK TRAMIEL TO OPEN AUSTRALIAN PC SHOW TWO WEEKS
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Australia's leading PC
show will be opened this year by Atari Corp.'s Jack Tramiel. Making his
first trip down under, Tramiel will open the four-day, 140 exhibitor
show in March 14. New releases and first showings are expected to
include Epson's 48-pin printers, Olivetti's MCA PCs, Toshiba's
lightweight portable printer and twinax laser printer and the
usual swag of ever-faster 386s, laser printers and modems. Also
expected -- 386 MCA machines from ALR in the US and PlanPerfect
v5.0 spreadsheet from Wordperfect.

(Paul Zucker/19890224)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00003)

ATARI LAUNCHES ITS POCKET PC
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Atari has finally
unveiled its Pocket PC, developed for the company by Distributed
Information processing [DIP]. The unit weighs less than a pound
and comes in a clamshell-style case with a 40 character liquid
crystal display and a 63-key QWERTY keyboard. Power is supplied by 3 AA-
sized batteries which run the machine for six to eight weeks.

"It's not the world's smallest laptop, it's a new breed of
machine," said David Frodsham, DIP's managing director, whilst
launching the Pocket PC at last week's Which Computer? Show.

DIP has licensed Atari to manufacture and market the Pocket PC on
a worldwide basis. The UKP 199 machine will begin shipping from
the end of April, and comes with 128KB of onboard random access
memory, or RAM. This can be supplemented with 32, 64 or 128KB slim
RAM or read-only memory, ROM, cards. The RAM cards act as disks
which carry information. The ROM cards carry third-party software
that DIP and Atari are hoping software houses will exploit.

As supplied, the Pocket PC comes with several programs in
firmware - an address book, diary, calculator, text processor,
communications software and a Lotus 1-2-3-compatible spreadsheet
with 127 columns and 255 rows.

One unique feature of the Pocket PC's address book is its ability
to 'dial' phone numbers using its loudspeaker to generate the
DTMF tones used on modern exchanges.

The 80c88 microprocessor-based Pocket PC also comes with its own
operating system which is DOS-compatible. This enables its RAM
disks to be plugged into a suitable RAM disk unit which will ship
for desktop PCs later this year. Pricing on the ROM and RAM disks
has yet to be decided, but will be under UKP 100 for a 128KB unit.

(Steve Gold/19890224/DIP Limited - Tel: [phone])


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

EASTMAN KODAK TO MANUFACTURE PRINTER ENGINE FOR UNISYS
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Eastman
Kodak today announced it has signed an agreement with
Unisys to provide that company with high speed, light-emitting
diode or LED-type printer engines.

The LED imaging system is similar to the engine in Kodak's
Ektaprint 1392 series printer. The Unisys model will be rated at a
speed of 92 single sided pages per minute, and is designed for high-
end, on-demand printing environments. A Kodak spokesperson said
the rated volume will be upwards of two million images per month.
Neither company would announce a timetable for release of the new
printer.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Paul Allen, Kodak, 716-724-5802)


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

INTERNATIONAL DATA TO HOST 24TH ANNUAL COMPUTER INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS
FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 23 (NB) --
International Data Corp. [IDC] will be hosting computer industry
briefing sessions in Washington and New York, on March 1st and
March 2nd respectively.

The briefings will address issues critical to the future of the industry,
according a company spokesperson.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Shelley Bakst, IDC, 508-872-8200)


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

DATA GENERAL TO DEVELOP INTELLIGENT INFORMATION NETWORK
WESTBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Data
General will be developing a new intelligent information network
that is designed to provide value-added services to systems such as
X.400 exchange, the company announced.

The company said that the new network will be the first national
public office automation network, with wide-ranging services beyond
the scope of other private sector telecommunications networks.

A beta test is expected to be implemented at 1000 sites in 1989.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Michael Klatman, DG, 508-870-7726)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00007)

WORDPERFECT INTRODUCES SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTIONS
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 17 (NB) -- WordPerfect Corporation has
introduced a subscription program for users who need all interim
releases, software upgrades, and updated documentation for its
products. The service is available for products for the Amiga,
Apple, Atari, Macintosh and IBM PC.

The service, the cost of which varies with the frequency and scope
of modifications, is "not for everyone," according to company Vice
President Andre Peterson. It is "ideal for people such as MIS
directors and data processing managers who are responsible for
multiple copies of WPCorp products and want to receive updated
software on a regular basis," he concluded.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224/Contact: Software Subscription Service, 801-
222-1400)


(EXCLUSIVE)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00008)

PRINT OUT TO ADHESIVE TAPE
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 20(NB) -- Kroy Inc. has
introduced a printer with accompanying software which provides
output on adhesive strips. The $2195 360PC printer is available in
two models: a PC version with LetterCrafter host software and cable
or a stand-alone model with its own keyboard. Both models have two
slots which accept font or RAM [random-access memory] cartridges
that allow the unit to be expanded. The printers are based on
thermal transfer technology that produces 300-by-300 dots per inch
output on adhesive-backed tape.

A selection of 15 typefaces and 3-of-9 alphanumeric bar codes are
available in sizes from 6 to 60 points by 1 point increments. One
Helvetica-style font is included and others are available both in
cartridges and as softfonts on disk. Fonts are defined by outline
vectors which allow them to be rotated, reversed, expanded,
condensed, mirrored, stretched, bent or filled for additional
variations. Drop shadow, italic, bold, superscript and subscript
can also be created. Printing speed is rated at 26-characters per
second at 300 dpi [dots per inch]. Toner and other consumables are
replaced by a simple black printer ribbon.

A second design with higher resolution is now being sold in Japan
and is scheduled for U. S. distribution on March 15. The 460 model
prints on tape in a 400-by-600 resolution. According to company
officials, the product is being sold by OEM [original equipment
manufacturer] customer Asahi Life Sciences based in Tokyo.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00009)

NETWARE SUPPORT SPREADS
PROVO, UTAH, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Novell [NASDAQ/NMS:NOVL]
Wednesday announced alliances with four large service organizations
to enhance its support to major end users. Hewlett-Packard Co.,
Xerox Corp., BancTec Inc. and Federal Technology Corp. will work
with Novell to provide national, and subsequently international,
support to NetWare users. These companies will provide major
NetWare users with additional sources of Novell-approved networking
service.

As part of this agreement, each of the four companies will qualify
a certain number of their technicians as Certified NetWare
Engineers. The addition of these service organizations will enhance
Novell dealers' ability to provide the support needed by large
NetWare users with installations in different locations.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224)


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

FACTS ON FILE TESTS MID-RANGE CD-ROM PRICE POINT OF $700
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 16 (NB) -- Facts on File, a
$525 book found in many high schools, which buy it for just $315,
is charging $695 for a CD-ROM version of the same material from
1980-1987. Facts on File has been published since 1941. The
higher price includes 500 new maps and the search software, which
lets you do more than the old thumb ever could, Rachel Ginsburg
of Facts on File told Newsbytes. And if you have the printed
version already, you can get the CD-ROM discounted to $595. The
company is presently sending its old customers a floppy-disk
demo, in MS-DOS and Macintosh versions. The CD comes in both
flavors, too.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Rachel Ginsburg, Facts on
File, 212-683-2244)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00011)

LINUS TERMINAL COULD FINALLY AUTOMATE POLICE AND SOCIAL WORK
RESTON, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Linus Technologies
has released a database program, Forms-Write/Arrow, for its
Write-Top, a pad which accepts handwritten input. Based on a
word processor, not a database language, the program lets you
quickly define a database, create it, design an entry form, and
link the form with the database. Start with your existing forms
and you have a way to do away with them without changing
procedures. The cop can write you out a ticket and still have it
processed by computer from his car. A social worker can visit the
homeless and get them back into the government computers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Tim Buchholz, Linus
Technologies, 703-476-1500)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00012)

STUDY OF CHAOS LEADS TO NEW COMPRESSION ALGORITHMS
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB. 23 (NB) -- Dr. Michael
Barnsley is on leave from Georgia Tech where he was professor of
mathematics, to sell his discoveries as Iterated Systems, a
software company whose first product is called VRIFS [Virtual
Recurrent Iterated Function System] for the Sun workstations.

VRIFS uses a fractal library to compress images, look at
pieces of an image for designs which match its equations, then
transmit just the equations and locators. It's inexact, but
yields a tremendous reduction in the number of bytes needed to
describe a picture. A 2-3 megabyte picture can become a 4-600
byte picture, he claimed at a recent conference. Combining these
new techniques with new chips which process graphics thousands of
times more quickly than previously possible, and you get a
revolution in graphics computing which might make true multimedia
possible.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Michael Barnsley, Iterative
Systems, 404-840-0310)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00013)

IBM WINS PRAISE FOR DISABLED CENTER FROM DISABLED POLITICIAN
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 16 (NB) -- IBM held a week-
long program of seminars starting February 20 at its National
Support Center for Persons with Disabilities, which acts as a
clearinghouse for technologies to help the disabled, and won an
endorsement from Georgia Secretary of State Max Cleland. Cleland,
a triple-amputee from wounds suffered in Vietnam, said,
"Independence is just about the most important thing in the world
to a disabled person. These new products and training systems may
allow thousands of disabled persons to hold productive jobs and
lead more enriched personal lives." There was everything from
vocal scanners that take voice commands to laser scanners with
which you can turn your head. There are keyboards for one-handed
individuals, and voice synthesizers for the blind, said Bill
Crane of the secretary's office.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Bill Crane, Georgia Secretary
of State, 404-656-2881)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00014)

PIRATES PAY THEIR RESPECT$
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- High profile secretarial
training college the Receptionist Centre has finally agreed to
settle with Ashton Tate and Lotus over charges of software
piracy. The trainer has admitted to posession of illegal copies
of Multimate, Lotus 123 and dBase III+ software and documentation
without owning even one legal package.

The settlement is believed to involve tens of thousands of
dollars in damages and costs. The benefit to the software
companies is not the money but rather that other pirate PC
users may take heed of this costly example. 351 copies of
programs [300 from the Philippines] are to be handed over to the
software companies. Permanent injunctions have been placed on the
Receptionist Centre to prevent it from repeating the offence.

(Paul Zucker/19890224)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00015)

APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY BRIDGES GAP
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 21 (NB) -- Sydney's famous Harbour
Bridge has a problem - and it may be solved with bar codes. Since
the commencement of work on a parallel under-harbour tunnel,
which is being partially financed by bridge revenue, tolls have
risen rapidly from 20 cents to one dollar and now to $1.50.
Difficulties in collecting the toll on an already slow,
overloaded trafficway have led to innovative suggestion for toll
collection. The latest suggestion would have cars issued with
pre-paid barcode stickers to be placed on the window, and long
distance scanners on the toll gates. Cars attempting to pass
without the requisite sticker would presumably be shot down with
surface to surface missiles [or photographed and fined as they
are already when avoiding the toll.]

(Paul Zucker/19890224)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00016)

NEWS SHORTS FROM AUSTRALIA THIS WEEK
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) --

-Federal legislation is expected soon, to bring penalties of up
 to 10 years jail and $50,000 fines for computer Hacking.
 Legislation to date has not adequately covered the offences
 which had to be dealt with using out-dated or inappropriate
 laws.

-Epson has announced the AX portable - a 12MHz laptop 286 PC with
 paper-white screen. However, the company's 386 boxes are well
 overdue considering the marketplace competition with
 distributors such as NEC.

-Australian tabloid PC Week now has a news hotline. Dialing
 00555-0055 in Australia gets a run-down on the week's PC news,
 read by the editor, Ian Robinson.

-The new Olivetti MCA PCs are due in Australia within two months,
 according to Olivetti sources. The machines include the 386SX
 based P500 and the full 80386 P800. Both are claimed to be fully
 PS/2 compatible and are for 'selling into closed IBM shops!'.

-Digital Research has changed distributors. MicroAustralia has
 been replaced by Adelaide-based Quercus. Meanwhile,
 MicroAustralia has been bought by US distributor Softsel and an
 announcement about new distribution plans is expected soon.

-Enrollment expectations for the first private university in
 Australia have been far from satisfied. Bond University wanted
 1000 students in its first year of operation but little more
 than 100 have signed up. As a result the expected order for one
 IBM PS/2 PC per student has diminished accordingly.

(Paul Zucker/19890224)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00017)

COMPUTER GIVEAWAY GETS CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 21 (NB) -- It's all right for
Squibb Canada to give free computers to doctors who prescribe the
company's drugs. That is the decision of the College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, which was concerned that the
free computers represented a conflict of interest. The College
has asked Squibb, which is providing the computer so doctors
could participate in drug surveillance studies and other company
programs, to require recipients to sign a letter forbidding
personal use of the computers.

(Grant Buckler/19890223)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00018)

COMMODORE UNVEILS THE AMIGA A590
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Commodore surprised the
crowds last week when it unveiled the Amiga A590, an Amiga 500
with an integral 20MB hard disk plus 2MB of extra RAM. The
machine will ship during the second quarter of '89, and comes in
an A500-style casing.

Tucked away inside the A590's casing is a battery-backed clock-
calendar card. This will, said a Commodore spokesman on the
stand, save users entering the date and time when they boot their
Amiga up from Kickstart disk.

Despite a lot of interest from the press, none on the Commodore
stand was able to give an indication of the A590's pricing.
Sources close to the company suggest that a price tag of between
UKP 700 and 900 is likely, given the cost of the extra RAM and
the hard disk.

* Commodore West Germany has released provisional details of
 Kickstart 1.4, a new version of the Amiga's boot disk system.
 The new version will move a number of the Amiga's boot-up
 features from ROM and onto disk, so as to allow software
 updates of the operating system.

(Steve Gold/19890224)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00019)

DATABASE SCHEDULES NEW COMPUTER AND VIDEO GRAPHICS SHOW
MACCLESFIELD, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Database Exhibitions
has announced plans to host Presentations '89, a new computer and
video graphics show. The show will be held at the London Arena
from 4/6 October, 1989.

The Presentations '89 show will run in parallel with the 1989
International Desktop and Professional Publishing Show which will
also take place at the London Arena exhibition centre.

(Steve Gold/19890224/Database Exhibitions - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TYO)(00001)

JAPANESE COMPANIES EAGER TO PROTECT PATENTS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 21 (NB) -- Hitachi has filed a suit in Tokyo
against the Japanese arm of Motorola of the United States for allegedly
violating Hitachi's U.S. and Japanese patents. In this suit, filed with
Tokyo District Court, Hitachi demands an injunction to suspend
production, import and marketing of certain microprocessors by the U.S.
chipmaker.

This patent suit originated with the mid-January lawsuit filed
by Motorola over Hitachi's 8-bit microprocessor H8, claiming it
infringed on Motorola's patents. Hitachi filed a countersuit in the
U.S. in late January over alleged infringement of its U.S. patents by
Motorola's 68HC11 microprocessor series. Furthermore, Motorola
filed a counteraction over Hitachi's 16-bit mircroprocessor H16.

Last August, Hitachi became the first major Japanese electronics
firm to establish an intellectual property rights division. IBM Japan
followed last November, announcing employment of 15 in-company
lawyers.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Electric has just established a division
for intellectual property rights. The company expects
to manage all technical, contractual, and licencing activities in the
division, in an effort to protect its strategic investments.

(Ken Takahashi/19890223)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TYO)(00002)

JAPANESE MAKERS AGREED TO SET FLOOR PRICES WITH EC
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- The Japanese semiconductor
industry and European Community have agreed to set a minimum export
price for semiconductors export from Japan to EC countries.
The floor price is likely to be based on fair market value
which was agreed between Japan and the U.S. Administration in
1986. The agreement between Japan-EC, however, is different from the
1986 pact because it will introduce a flat rate for all Japanese
companies. The EC Commission is willing to enforce the pact in talks
this spring with Japanese chipmakers.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890223)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TOR)(00003)

COMMODORE FINED FOR COMPETITION ACT VIOLATIONS
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Commodore Business
Machines has been fined C$95,000 for violating the Canadian
Competition Act. Canadian Computer Dealer News reports that the
Toronto District Court fined Commodore for preferential treatment
of certain dealers. In particular, the court found the company
gave volume rebates to Sears Canada Inc. and Zellers Inc., both
department store chains, that were not given to competitors T.
Eaton Co. Canada Ltd. and Hudson's Bay Co. Also, Commodore
provided Atlantique Video and Sound Ltd., a consumer electronics
chain, with additional co-operative advertising allowances which
were denied to Eaton and F.W. Woolworth & Co. Ltd.

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Stan Pagonis, Commodore Business
Machines Ltd., 416-499-4292)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LON)(00004)

SIEMENS/AEG JOINT COMPANY GETS GREEN LIGHT FROM WEST GERMAN GOVT.
BERLIN, WEST GERMANY, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- The West German
government has given its approval to a Siemens/AEG joint
initiative on semiconductor production. Both companies had
applied to the government for permission to pool their resources
in the face of stiff Japanese competition.

The West German market for semiconductors is worth around $200
million a year. Siemens and AEG currently hold five percent of the
market, according to the West German Cartel Office.

(Steve Gold/19890224)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(BOS)(00005)

SAMSUNG IN SUIT WITH STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS
HAUPPAUGE, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Standard
Microsystems received a temporary injunction against Samsung
Electric of South Korea, preventing that company from selling certain
types of memory chips.

Standard claimed that Samsung had violated one of its patents for
256 kilobit dynamic random access memory, or DRAM chips.

(Jon Pepper/19890223)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(ATL)(00006)

FANNIE MAE SHUTTING DOWN ITS ATLANTA SOFTWARE OPERATION
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 FEB. 22 (NB) -- Fannie Mae, a
publicly-traded, quasi-governmental agency which resells home
mortgages, announced it will phase out the operation of Software
Systems of Norcross, Georgia over the next 18 months. Software
Systems, which employed 140, sold a line of mortgage software to
small lenders under the names, LSAMS, MORTRACS, MPC, and The
Secondary Marketer. Maintenance on those products will end
September 1, 1990. Fannie Mae acquired Software Systems four
years ago. The loss, $10 million, will be absorbed in this quarter, a
Fannie Mae spokesman said.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Gene Eisman, 404-365-6000) .



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

LOTUS INITIATES 1-2-3 RELEASE 3 BETA TESTING
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- After
countless delays, Lotus Development finally made the official
announcement of the beginning of beta testing for 1-2-3 Release 3, the
new version of their best-selling PC spreadsheet.

The company is inviting a group from 70 initial beta sites to their
Cambridge offices for workshops to teach the finer points of the new
product. Eventually Lotus plans to have 5,000 individual beta testers
working worldwide in an effort to catch program bugs prior to
release.

The first shipments of the new product are expected sometime next
quarter.

(Jon Pepper/19890222/Contact: Sue Earabino, Lotus, 617-225-1281)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00002)

DIGITAL SHIPS NEW CONCURRENT DOS, DR DOS
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 28 (NB) -- Digital Research
is shipping Concurrent DOS 386 release 3.0, an enhanced version of
its multitasking operating system for PCs. The new version offers
improved performance, provides applications with more memory in
which to execute -- such as Lotus 1-2-3, AutoCAD, Agenda, and
Ventura Publisher, and includes new utilities that enhance the
product's connectivity.

Digital also is shipping Release 3.4 of DR DOS, a DOS 3.4-compatible
operating system for Intel microprocessors. Digital says over
24 original equipment manufacturers have contracts to offer
DR DOS with their systems. This represents licensing agreements
for over two million copies of the product.

(Wendy Woods/19890225/Contact: Gale Steiner, Digital, 408-646-6005)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00003)

TOSHIBA SHIPS T1600 LAPTOP
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 21 (NB) -- Toshiba America's
dealer network is receiving its first shipments of the T1600 laptop
portable. Toshiba claims that the $4,999 unit is the lightest
80C286-based machine available for the U. S. market. It is also the
most powerful battery-powered laptop in Toshiba's PC-compatible
line.

Features on the 11.6-pound portable include a 12-MHz. microprocessor
speed, 1 MB [megabyte] RAM [random-access memory] which can be
expanded to 5, a 27-millisecond-access, 20-MB hard disk, and a 1.44-
MB floppy disk. The computer's backlit supertwist EGA LCD [liquid
crystal display] is detachable and an external monitor can be
connected via an EGA port. Other ports provide for attaching a
numeric keypad, an external drive, one parallel and two serial
devices. Four card slots in the machine accept up to two two-MB
memory modules, a proprietary Toshiba 2400-bps [bits per second]
modem, and a single third-party option.

MS DOS 3.3 and PC-Kwik Power Pak disk-cache utility software are
included along with full documentation and an online hypertext
reference system for DOS and user information. A parts-and-labor
warranty covers the system for one year.

The T1600 includes one battery pack which can be removed when AC-
line power is available. An optional second pack [$129] doubles
battery-powered operation and adds 15 ounces.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224/Contact: 800-457-7777, 714-583-3000)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00004)

BOOST COMPAQ FROM 8086 TO 386 WITH ADD-IN MOTHERBOARD
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Owners of Compaq
8086 machines are invited to upgrade to a speedy 80386-based
model with the swap of a motherboard from Seattle Telecom & Data.
The new STD-386CP is "footprinted" to fit exactly into the
Compaq 8086 Deskpro housing and works with MS-DOS, OS/2, Unix, Xenix,
PC/MOS and Concurrent DOS. The motherboard has eight expansion
slots, operates at 16 MHz, comes with one megabyte of standard
memory, and a price tag of $1,695. The 20 MHz version sells for
$2,195. To aid with installation, the company offers a complete
$30 upgrade kit, or will install the motherboard at their plant
for $95 plus shipping. The product comes with a one-year warranty.
For more information call them at 206-883-8440)

(Wendy Woods/19890225/Contact: Joe DeCaro)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00005)

IBM EXPANDS AS/400 FAMILY WITH NEW MODELS
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 21 (NB) -- IBM has
expanded their AS/400 (Application System/400) series of mid-range
computers with new models. The entry level AS/400 Models B10 and
B20 and the high-end Model B70 have been added, the company
announced.

The new models are designed to address user complaints that the
AS/400 family isn't significantly faster than the older System 36
products that they supplanted.

IBM also introduced three new line-matrix printers and reduced
memory prices for the AS/400 systems by 40 percent.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: J. Timothy Ohsann, IBM, 914-642-5359)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00006)

WORDPERECT FILTERS DEVELOPED FOR PAGEMAKER
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 17 (NB) -- WordPerfect Corporation and
Aldus Corporation have jointly developed a filter for Aldus
PageMaker. The filter allows PageMaker users to import files from
WordPerfect while keeping most of the wordprocessor's formatting
intact. Registered PageMaker users can obtain the filter
immediately for $15 directly from Aldus or it can be downloaded from
several online services including The Source, GEnie, and CompuServe.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224/Contact: Aldus Customer Relations, 206-628-
2320)


(EXCLUSIVE)(IBM)(LAX)(00007)

NANTUCKET WORKING ON NEW COMPILER
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Nantucket
Corporation is working on "several different projects, some of which
will result in products," including a new version of its Clipper
dBASE compiler according to Lew Krumm, Nantucket director of
marketing. Krumm declined to speculate on a release date, which has
been rumored to be late this year, but did cite several enhancements
which are likely to surface. The company is working on SQL, object-
oriented programming, and versions which run across many operating
and hardware platforms. In addition, foreign-language versions are
becoming available which include a kanji edition for Japan.

One feature which isn't expected is full dBASE IV compatibility.
Nantucket intends to move the product's market position from its
current slot as a dBASE clone to an independent development system
with a database engine. Krumm said this new emphasis would
strengthen the product for both the developers which are the
product's primary users and for the end users of applications
developed in Clipper.

Tom Rettig, principle of Tom Rettig Associates, said that the change
should not hurt the product. "Nobody's going to have full dBASE IV
compatibility. Otherwise, you would cripple the compiler," said
Rettig. Rettig, explained that any compiler based on an
interpreter, such as that in dBASE IV, would be severely limited by
the inherent characteristics of an interpreter. He said that,
ideally, the new product should be designed to use the strengths of
a compiler to enhance its performance.

"Not all the features in dBASE IV are needed," Rettig added saying
that Ashton-Tate's database offered several ways to accomplish many
tasks where one alone might be adequate. Tom Rettig Associates
publishes Tom Rettig's HELP--an online help system available for
dBASE, Clipper, Foxbase and QuickSilver--which is partially
developed using Clipper.

Clipper was recently voted best in several categories in an annual
reader survey from Data Based Advisor. The program was rated first
as a development language, a dBASE compiler, a LAN/multiuser
database and as the most improved product for 1988, according to a
company announcement. Nantucket also recently shipped McMAX 2.0,
the latest version of its dBASE-compatible database for the
Macintosh.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224)


(EXCLUSIVE)(IBM)(LAX)(00008)

VQ 1.2 READIED
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Golden Bow
Systems has completed development on Vq 1.2 and will begin shipping
the new version within days. Vq information retrieval software
seeks free-form data on the PC without reformatting of indexing
files. The program includes an editor with support for sixteen
windows, macros and "hot links." Hot links allow certain
applications to be linked to documents and activated with a single
keystroke. WordPerfect, Ventura Publisher, and Lotus links are
included and users can define others.

Among other modifications, the new version enhances display
formatting for, and allows text to be pasted into, WordPerfect and
WordStar files; allows full editing of ASCII, Ventura, and
Volkswriter files; and allows text to be cut from dBASE, Excel, 1-2-
3, Q & A Write, and Word files.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224)


(NEWS)(IBM)(ATL)(00009)

QUADRAM BUNDLING SAMNA WORD PROCESSOR WITH GRAPHICS CARD
NORCROSS, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 16 (NB) -- Between March 1 and
May 31, Quadram will bundle the new Samna graphical word
processor, Ami, with its QuadVGA Spectra monitor at a special
price of $549. Ami, normally priced at $199, is based on
Microsoft Windows and offers full WYSIWIG screen display and
"style sheet" formatting, especially valuable with laser printer
output.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00010)

LOW PRICED PC/AT-COMPATIBLE FROM AST RESEARCH JAPAN
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- AST Japan, a Japanese subsidiary
of leading personal computer maker AST Research in the U.S., has
started marketing low priced IBM PC/AT-compatible machines. The
company will both sell these machines with its brand name and supply
them on an original equipment manufacturing or OEM basis for the
makers of Japanese versions of PC/AT compatible machines, called
architecture extended or AX personal computers.

The low priced PC/AT-compatible 16-bit machine, AST Bravo/286, is
priced at 228,000 yen or $1,755 with an 80286 central processing unit
and a floppy disk drive. Without the floppy drive, the machine is
198,000 yen or $1520. The machine's 512 kilobyte internal memory is
expandable to four-megabytes.

The company has also released a 32-bit personal computer, Premium
386/16, with an 80386 microprocessor. The price is 598,000 yen or
$4,600 for floppy disk model and 798,000 yen or $6,140 for 40
megabyte hard disk model.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19880223/Contact: AST Research Japan, 03-818-0710)


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

VIDEO GAME SOFTWARE TO BE EXPORTED TO THE U.S.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Yokohama-based software venture
Koei has announced that it will ship English language, MS-DOS versions
of its popular Japanese games, including Nobunaga's Ambition, to the U.S.
starting in June. Koei projects sales of 50,000 units this year in the
U.S. and has priced the product at $60. A second title, Romance of the
Three Kingdoms, is priced at $70.

(Ken Takahashi/19890222/Contact: Koei, 044-61-6888)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00012)

VANCOUVER FIRM LAUNCHING TWO HELP PRODUCTS
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Pacific
Firmware Marketing is lining up distributors and dealers
for two new products aimed at DOS programmers and users. Doug
Sauerbier, vice-president of marketing, said the company is ready
to market DOS Help, an online reference manual for the operating
system, and Help/Build, a utility to aid programmers in
developing help facilities. Both are subsets of a larger
software utility which Pacific Firmware plans to launch at the
Fall Comdex show in Las Vegas, Nevada, this November.

Pacific Firmware has been in existence for about 18 months,
Sauerbier said, and these are the first products the company has
brought to market. DOS Help will sell for $24.95 in the United
States and C$29.95 in Canada. Help/Build will cost $249.95 in
the U.S., C$299.99 in Canada.

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Doug Sauerbier, Pacific Firmware
Marketing Corp., 604-732-1260)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00013)

DEVELOPMENT TOOL DESIGNED FOR PROTOTYPING INTERFACES
SURREY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- A hardware
design board made for prototyping computer interfaces to
industrial equipment and scientific instruments will appeal to
hobbyists as well, its designer says. Donald Tutt, founder of
Westcoast Technical and Hobby, said the Analogica-T board, his
company's first product, works with IBM PC, XT and AT computers
and compatibles. An interface card fits in the computer and
provides 24 lines of programmable input/output to the design
board. About 70 percent of the design-board circuitry is wire-
wrapped, Tutt said, so "you can play all you want."

The design board incorporates four SK-10 solderless breadboards
which receive buffered system signals through adjacent terminal
strips. Tutt said he plans to provide 6,000 to 10,000 lines of
8088 processor assembly-language code with the board. The
briefcase-sized board also provides "a lot of spare real estate
to put your own chips on," he said.

The board is priced at about $820 U.S. and comes as a kit with
full documentation. It is sold by mail order and can be ordered
from Westcoast Technical and Hobby, 20-8266 King George Hwy.,
Surrey, B.C., Canada V3W 5C2, or Box F110-415, Blaine, Wash.,
U.S.A. 98230. Tutt plans to offer a fully assembled version
later. Also in the future, Tutt plans to introduce a similar
product compatible with Apple Computer Inc.'s Macintosh, and
possibly a version for IBM's Micro Channel Architecture machines.

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Donald Tutt, Westcoast Technical
and Hobby, 604-591-1624)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00014)

COMPATIBLE VENDOR CREDITS RAM REDUCTIONS FOR PRICE CUTS
BRAMPTON, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- Greff Computer
has cut prices on all of its personal computers by up to 15
percent. The maker of IBM-compatible computers said reductions
in the cost of random-access memory [RAM] chips made the price
cuts possible. Greff's 12-megahertz 80286 PC now sells for
C$1,599 with 640K bytes of RAM, while its top-of-the-line 25-
megahertz 386 with one megabyte of RAM goes for C$5,999.

The company also announced free, insured delivery of its products
across Canada, and inaugurated a Corporate Computer Hotline to
provide technical support between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time
on weekdays.

(Grant Buckler/19890224/Contact: Greff Computer Corp., 416-458-
1651)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00015)

COMPANION PRODUCTS ADAPT ACCPAC PLUS TO FRENCH
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Solutions Progipac
has announced a series of companion products to convert
Computer Associates' Accpac Plus accounting software for
use in French. Le Traducteur de Grand livre et etats financier,
Le Traducteur des comptes clients and Le Traducteur des comptes
fournisseurs allow Accpac Plus to operate entirely in French, or
bilingually in French and English. Each package also comes with
a complete French translation of corresponding Accpac Plus
documentation. Modules for order entry, inventory control and
Canadian payroll, as well as companions to Accpac's Windowing
System Manager and LanPak, are to ship by this summer.

The three core modules, available now, have a suggested retail
price of C$295 each. They are available through major software
dealers and distributors in Quebec.

Computer Associates also announced it has begun shipping Accpac
Easy Comptabilite Generale, the French-language version of its
entry-level accounting software for MS-DOS.

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Michel Jean, Solutions Progipac,
514-630-6918; John Schoutsen, Computer Associates Canada Ltd.,
604-737-3322)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00016)

WALTERS UNVEILS TWO NEW LAPTOPS; EIGHT-PORT SERIAL CARD
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Walters International,
the cut-price PC specialist, unveiled two new laptops and an UKP
899 intelligent eight-port serial card [bundled with Concurrent
DOS] at the Which Computer? Show.

The flagship of Walters' range is now a 286-based Cold Cathode
Fluorescent Tube [CCFT] battery/mains-powered laptop with an
integral 20MB hard disk. The seven kilo unit looks similar to the
Toshiba 3100 series, but with a high-contrast, low-power screen
and a budget price - UKP 2,125.

The second laptop in Walters' new range is a mains-powered 80386-
based machine with a standard LCD screen. The unit hums along at
20MHz and comes with one megabyte of system memory and a single 1.2MB
floppy disk as standard. CGA and Hercules graphics output ports
are fitted as standard on the UKP 2,125 machine.

How can Walters produce machines at these prices? "Simple, we buy
direct from the Far East and keep our overhead down," Ron Brand,
Walters' managing director, told Newsbytes.

(Steve Gold/19890224/Walters International - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00017)

HM SYSTEMS: TINY FOOTPRINT 386SX WORKSTATION UNVEILED
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- HM Systems, the London-
based computer company, unveiled an Intel 80386SX-based version
of its popular 80286-based Minstrel workstation at the Which
Computer? show last week. Both machines have a rated 20MHz speed.

The Minstrel 80386SX system comes in four configurations, ranging
from a diskless workstation at UKP 1983, through a single floppy
drive at UKP 2,157; 42MB hard disk and single floppy at UKP
2,487; to an ICDC-equipped machine with 42MB hard disk at UKP
2,788.

All the Minstrel 80386SX-based systems come with one MB of RAM, VGA
graphics support and a VGA-compatible colour monitor as standard.
A mouse and DOS 3.3 are supplied with the disk-based machines.

The key to the Minstrel's success is its size - it's tiny, with a
footprint of less than a foot wide, and a height of under four
inches. Inside the amazingly small case [a carry case is
supplied] is room for two full-length expansion cards.

Tony Harris, HM Systems' managing director, is pitching the
Minstrel into the workstation and desktop publishing markets. "In the space
that a normal monitor pedestal takes up, you can put a Minstrel unit.
That avoids the need for bulk under-desk or floor-standing tower
boxes,' he told Newsbytes.

(Steve Gold/19890224/HM Systems - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00018)

WYSE TECHNOLOGY UNVEILS POWER 25MHZ 386 AND 20MHZ 286 PCS
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Wyse Technology unveiled
two new PC series at the Which Computer? Show last week. The
machines - the 386-based Model 3225 and the 286-based Model 2116
- will be unveiled at Uniforum in the U.S. this week.

The Model 3225 zips along at a fast pace, courtesy of its 25MHz
80386 microprocessor and an Intel 82385-compatible RAM-caching
system. This pushes system performance close to that of a 33MHz
80386 PC - very useful for processor-intensive applications such
as CAD/CAM. Six expansion slots are available in the PC's large-
footprint casing.

Internally, the Model 3225 has 4MB of Single In-line Memory
Module [SIMM] RAM, expandable to 16MB onboard. The system will
simultaneously support 25MHz Intel 80387 and 25Mhz Weitek 3167
coprocessors, adding to its number-crunching powers. Up to 25
users can be supported on the Model 3225.

The Model 3116, meanwhile, is pitched at the individual
workstation and entry-level multiuser system market-place. The
machine comes with a 16MHz microprocessor with one-wait-state
memory for maximum system performance.

Unlike the Model 3225, the Model 3116 comes with a small
footprint casing, but still has four 16-bit and one 8-bit
expansion slot tucked inside. Single and parallel ports are
fitted as standard. The Model 3116 is capable of supporting up to
8 users.

The Model 3225 is available in three configurations - UKP 5,365
for a single 1.2MB floppy drive-equipped Model WY-3225-01; UKP
7,545 for a 150MB fast access hard disk and 150MB tape streamer-
equipped Model WY-3225-150T; and UKP 8,545 for the Model 3225-
300T with a 300MB hard disk and 150MB tape streamer.

The Model 3116 also comes in three configurations: the WY-2116-01
with 1MB RAM and 1.2MB floppy drive at UKP 1,815; the WY-2116-02
with 2MB of RAM and single drive at UKP 2,125; and the WY-2116-40
with 1MB of RAM and a 40MB hard disk at UKP 2,315.

(Steve Gold/19890224/Wyse Technology - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00001)

THE SOURCE SLASHES STAFF BY A THIRD
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- About 30 of The
Source's 100 employees were unexpectedly let go on February 14,
leading some to call the cut a "St. Valentine's Day Massacre."
Said Tim McClain, former manager of documentation for The Source,
"There had been rumors, but we had no advance notice. It was
clear out your desk by the end of the day."

Source Chief Executive Officer Mike Sears told Newsbytes that
the major cuts came in the Source's newsroom where several
features, including "Bizdate," were eliminated from the online
service. Also cut was Source sports news. "We didn't get enough
customer loyalty to those products," he said.

Speculation has it that The Source is leaving the consumer-oriented
online business and is being shopped to, among others, Data America
of Vienna, Virginia, a packet switch start-up with a number of
ex-Source people on its 70-plus man staff. But Sears has no comment,
saying only that The Source is reducing its payroll to make the company
economically sound, and to "position ourselves for new strategic efforts
that will be different from what we've done in the past. It's safe to say
that we intend to build future information products aimed at relatively
narrowly scoped vertical markets."

Sears would not elaborate on the future information products
except to say that the firm is testing links between the Sourcemail
system, telex and fax.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Mike Sears, The Source, 703-
734-7500)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00002)

FUJITSU & LUCASFILM TO DEVELOP A GAME FOR PC NETWORK
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 10 (NB) -- Game players online have often
been saddled with poor graphics, if any, when engaged in joint
electronic combat or strategy. But a new alliance between Fujitsu
and U.S.-based Lucasfilm hopes to bring some of the dazzling effects
of the movies to the business of online games. The two firms have agreed
to jointly develop game software for personal computer networks.

Fujitsu will develop a Japanese version of the game software Habitat
which is currently being tested on some U.S. computer networks.
Fujitsu is planning to make the Japanese version of Habitat available
to the public this fall through Nifty-Serve, the computer network of
NIF, a joint venture of Fujitsu and Nissho Iwai, one of the sixth largest
trading companies in Japan.

Meanwhile Fujitsu is not playing around when it comes to taking a
bite out of giant NEC's domination of the market for computer games.
Fujitsu is expected to unveil a 32-bit game machine at the end of the
month. Newsbytes has learned the machine will be named FM-TOWNS and
will come with two floppy disk drives and an optical disk read-only-
memory or CD-ROM drive. The sound and graphics are expected
to exceed anything currently available, according to Newsbytes
sources.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890223)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SGP)(00003)

SINGAPORE DEREGULATES TELECOM MARKET
RAFFLES CITY, SINGAPORE, 1989 FEB 27 (NB) -- Starting July 1, foreign
vendors of telecommunications equipment will get a better shot at
penetrating the Singapore communications market, thanks to more
deregulation announced by Singapore's Minister of Communications and
Information Dr. Yeo Ning Hong. The announcement, made at the opening
of the week-long Asia Telecom '89 Conference and Exhibition, means
private vendors will be able to peddle their phones, teleprinters, mobile
pagers, and fax machines as part of an ongoing policy which
is deregulating the telecommunications market.

Customer equipment and services, such as modems, extensions telephones,
fax machines, key telephone and PABX systems, are already freely
traded, and the new move is aimed at not only increasing the efficiency
of the local market, but also to make Singapore a major centre for the
worldwide sourcing of the very latest in sophisticated electronics
equipment.

This year's Exhibition highlights the new equipment necessary to
help meet the new international standards endorsed by 113 member countries last

year which come into force on July 1st 1989.
A major feature was the wide range of equipment designed to meet
the new ISDN services, which are already being offered in some 10
countries on a trial basis, and which will be available throughout
Singapore by the end of 1989.

In other news, Fujitsu's President T. Yamamoto disclosed that the
company's new software development centre being established in
Singapore is being held back by a shortage of computer systems
engineers, with staff having to be brought in from neighbouring
countries such as Malaysia. Fujitsu, which first set up operations in
Singapore in 1973, has now invested some US$40 million here, and
manufactures semiconductors and telephone switching equipment
locally, as well as operating an international purchasing office.

Yamamoto also announced that it is likely that production of the newly-
announced 4-megabyte DRAM will be transferred to Singapore next year.
The local plant currently handles the assembly, testing and packaging of
one megabit DRAM, among other products.

(Michael Worsley/19890223)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00004)

NEW FAX DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR LOCAL AREA NETWORKS
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 25 (NB) -- Offices that do
a lot of faxing may wish to look at a new system developed by cc:Mail Inc.
which enables only one PC on a dedicated line to serve hundreds
of different people's fax needs. cc:Mail FAXlink allows PC and
Macintosh cc:Mail users to send, receive, and view both text and
graphics-oriented messages electronically through a single workstation
on the local area network equipped with an Intel Connection CoProcessor
board. Unlike fax modems that are typically installed in each
personal computer, each requiring its own telephone line, cc:Mail FAXlink
requires only one Intel Connection CoProcessor FAX board and one phone
line for an entire local area network.

Most importantly, cc:Mail FAXlink allows its users to preview fax
transmissions before deciding to print them out, thereby saving paper
and time. This alone is an innovative feature designed to stem
the waste of "junk fax" mail.

The software costs $995 per local area network and delivery is
scheduled for June, 1989.

(Wendy Woods/19890225/Contact: Monty Swiryn, cc:Mail, 415-321-0430)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00005)

JUNK FAX BILL IN CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Increasingly,
states are considering steps to stem the flow of unwanted "junk"
fax mail that wastes paper and ties up fax machines, and California
is the latest to join the fray. The California bill, which
would outlaw the transmission of unsolicited fax documents, has been
introduced in the California State Senate by State Senator Quentin
Kopp. Says Kopp, "Over two million fax machines have been sold
nationwide in only the past few years...This new technology is
revolutionizing business communications, but these machines are
particularly susceptible to exploitation by unsolicited advertisers."

Oregon, Washington, and Connecticut are considering similar
bills.

(Wendy Woods/19890225)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(BOS)(00006)

U.S. PHONE SYSTEMS AS VULNERABLE AS COMPUTER NETWORKS?
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Al Burgess,
managing partner with Andersen Consulting, says that U.S. phone
systems are as vulnerable as their computer networks.

Burgess, who was speaking at "Telestrategies 89" in Washington on
Thursday, said that security risks are on the rise because of advances
in open telecommunications networks. He advocated devising security
plans to protect business phone systems from penetration.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Mary Schneider, Andersen Consulting,
404-658-1780)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00007)

CMS INFO ONLINE
TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- CMS Enhancements
[NASDAQ:ACMS], a producer of mass data storage devices and
accessories for personal and portable computers opened a 24-hour,
seven-day-a-week financial hotline on Monday to provide investors
with corporate information.

Interested parties can access a recorded message providing company
data by calling 714/259-4321. The hotline recording is updated
several times daily and contains current stock price, earnings,
contracts, stock offerings, options, meetings and similar data.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00008)

FIDO BBS OPERATORS LEAVING PC PURSUIT FOR FASTER MODEMS
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- Operators of
Fido bulletin boards move megabytes of mail through major nodes
weekly. It's an automated process, notes Courtney Harris of
Beverly Hills, Calif., a board member of the International
Fidonet Association. On February 19, fourteen board members of the
international association met in St. Louis and discussed the
problem. Last year, many had begun moving the mail with PC
Pursuit, but since that Telenet service raised its prices and set
a maximum monthly usage of 30 hours/month starting in February,
they've stopped doing that. Some will reduce their flow of
Echomail, Harris says, and others are hoping a satellite-based
system for passing mail between major nodes will solve the
problem. Harris, who is Echomail coordinator for Southern
California, says his solution is a 9,600 baud modem. "With a
9,600 baud modem I don't need PC Pursuit," he said, which has a
speed limit of 2,400 baud.

Harris also wrote a guide to using BBS systems and had it
published by his employer, DAK Industries, a mail-order house.
The guide, which is being packed with fulfilled orders, is a
teaser for a list of 5,000 Fido BBS systems DAK is selling for
$3, with the bulk of the money going to the American Cancer
Society. Ken Kaplan of Fidonet says the DAK offer has brought in
60-100 letters per week, and has been the second most-effective
method the organization has found for spreading the list, next to
a mention in the pages of "Lotus" Magazine.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Courtney Harris, Beverly
Hills Clubhouse BBS, 213-271-4681)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00009)

TAYLOR WALSH ENDS UP A WASHINGTON SYSTEM MANAGER
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Taylor Walsh, a
longtime friend of the online business and a former Source
manager, has started his own system management firm, called
Washington Information Services Corp., to put organizations in
the D.C. area online through an 80386-based host running Xenix and
Caucus conferencing software. The one PC is "all we need now," he
says. "We can run 32 lines in here. The emergence of the 386 is
potentially the most important development in the online
business" in years.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Taylor Walsh, Washington
Information Services Corp., 202-466-0522)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00010)

JAPANESE PLANNING AN ONLINE WOODSTOCK IN SENDAI THIS APRIL
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- Spurred by the optimism of a
people new to online tools, Izumi Aizu and Joichi Ito of the
Institute for Networking Design in Tokyo have won government aid
to sponsor a major conference on online systems April 26-29.
Called Networking Forum '89, the session in Sendai will bring at
least 50 Americans and a few dozen Europeans to meet with
thousands of Japanese. The IND have gotten funds from, among
others, the City of Sendai, MITI, and the Ministry of Posts.
Metasystems Design Group, which sells licenses for Caucus
conferencing software and sponsors the Meta Network online
system, is handling arrangements from here. They have a $1,500
package which includes round-trip airfare and accommodations in
Tokyo and Sendai. X-On Software of the U.K. and Double Helice of
France are handling European groups.

In terms of online networking, Japan is about at the level the
U.S. was five years ago, analyst Hiro Nakamura told Newsbytes. Early
adopters have taken to online systems, and hope it can be an
instrument of change. But growth has leveled off, and
explanations will be sought in Sendai.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00011)

JAPANESE VERSION OF CAUCUS NOW AVAILABLE
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Frank Burns of
Metasystems Design Group calls the story "really sweet." On
January 25 a Japanese version of the Caucus conferencing system,
called JCaucus, was put online through TWICS, a Tokyo-based
online system. X-On Software of London, England headed one end
of the design team, and the product will be sold by the
Institute for Social Engineering and MDG Japan in Tokyo.

To Japanese users, the program's attraction is it adjusts to the
kind of written Japanese you're using automatically, whether
kanji, hiragana and katakana. "It's being ported to everything we
have here," Burns said, including Unix workstations. "The other
angle is that Caucus itself was a tool for developing the
Japanese Caucus. Joichi Ito and the TWICS folk would bang on it
all day long, writing up bugs. They'd load it up in our computer
in Virginia, and at the same time the London people would wake
up, log on, beat those bugs down, then at the end of their day
load it up here again" for the Japanese.

Caucus also boasts a proprietary "dictionary" feature which
allows each system operator to customize the user interface and
run up to 999 different interfaces on the same system.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Metasystems Design, Lisa
Carlson, 703-243-6622)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00012)

USA TODAY HAS LINC OF GREENSBORO HANDLING THEIR NETWORKING
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Autumn
Miller of Linc Networks in Greensboro, North Carolina says the
phones have been ringing like mad since the Leisure Linc,
formerly a computer games service, became the USA Today Sports
Center on February 13. "Response has been tremendous" to the new
offering, which includes scores, stories from the newspapers, and
Rotisserie Baseball, a game in which people pretend to be team
owners, "draft" major league stars, and estimate standings based
on how the players do for their real-life clubs.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Autumn Miller, Linc
Networks, 800-722-2846. )


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00013)

METASYSTEMS LAUNCHES ITS ONLINE CITY PROJECT IN SANTA MONICA
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Citizens of
Santa Monica can now fire off a complaint to City Hall, look for
a job or check to see if the latest best seller is at the library
by tapping into the Public Electronic Network, a city service
started with help from the Metasystems Design Group.

Santa Monica will now allow any citizen dial-up access to City
Hall records. Any city administrator can be reached directly, and
answers are promised. Other services include data on where to get
parking permits and dog licenses, what events are scheduled at
the pier and the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, which city
agencies are hiring, and whether or not the books they want to
pick up at the local library have already been checked out.
Eventually, the city hopes to process license and permit
applications directly with the system.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Metasystems Design, Lisa
Carlson, 703-243-6622)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00014)

GENIE ADDS OAG ELECTRONIC LISTINGS, FOR A SURCHARGE
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, U.S.A. 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- On February 20
GEnie added the Official Airline Guide [OAG] Electronic Edition
Travel Service to its list of surcharged offerings. The OAG, long
a favorite feature with other consumer online services, lets you
view schedules for over 600 airlines, updated weekly; millions of
fares, updated daily; and information about 37,500 hotels in
North America, Europe, and the Pacific. Other travel-related
services on GEnie include American Airlines EAASY SABRE,
Adventure Atlas, and the Traveler's Information Services
RoundTable.

The OAG Electronic Edition Travel Service will carry a surcharge
on GEnie of 17 cents/minute during evening hours, 47 cents/minute
during the day. Those surcharges will be waived March 9-23 as a
promotion. The basic rate for GEnie in the United States is
$5/hour for night-time access, with a premium for 2400 baud
service.

In other GE news, the company's Information Services division,
which handles Electronic Data Interchange -- EDI -- products,
announced an alliance with International TechneGroup Inc. to
provide its customers with a broad range of CAD/CAM, Data
Translation and Implementation services.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Steve Haracznak, GE
Information Services, 301-340-4494)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00015)

MODEM TALKS HIGH, TALKS LOW, TOLERATES GARBAGE
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Modem specialist NetComm
has announced two new models with wide compatibility and high
speed. The M4 and M5 SmartModems will transmit and receive data
at 9600/4800 bits per second [V32 standard] and the M5 will also
operate at the lower speeds of 300, 1200 1200/75 and 2400 bits
per second.

The machines conform to both Bell and CCITT standards and
incorporate the Microcom Networking Protocol [MNP] for
error-corrected and noise-immune data transfer. The modems have
already passed quality and acceptability inspections in Japan and
the US. UK acceptance is expected soon. The totally Australian
designed and built modems will ship in April, bundled with the
NetComm Program communications package.

(Paul Zucker/19890224/Contact: Mark Ostryn, Australia
61-2-8885533)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00016)

MIRACOM LAUNCHES NEW MODEMS; PC COMMS SOFTWARE; CUTS PRICING
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Miracom, the Ipswich-
based communications specialist, unveiled two new high-speed
modems and a PC communications package at the Which Computer?
Show last week. The company has also cut pricing on its Courier
2400e by UKP 100.

The new modems are the Courier Dual Standard and the Courier
V.32. The Courier Dual Standard retails for UKP 1,345 and
supports 300/300, 1200/1200 and 2400/2400 baud. as well as
asymmetric 9600/300 and 9600 bits per second full duplex speeds.

The Courier V.32 has all the facilities of the Dual Standard, but
minus the proprietary 9600/300bps system seen on the original
Courier HST, a badged US Robotics modem. It retails for UKP 1,985

Elsewhere in its product range, Miracom has shaved UKP 100 off
the price of its Courier 2400e, bring the MNP CLass 5-equipped
modem down to UKP 595.

In parallel with the modem shuffles, Miracom has unveiled
Laserlink, a PC communications package with MNP Class 5 error-
correction built into software. The package will be bundled with
several of the company's modems, with MNP available as an
optional extra.

(Steve Gold/19890224/Miracom - Tel: [phone]
         Email: Dialcom 79:KEY001)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00017)

MALTA SIGNS WITH RACAL FOR CELLPHONE NETWORK
VALLETTA, MALTA, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Telemalta, Malta's telecoms
authority, has signed a UKP 4.5 million deal with Racal Telecom,
the UK radio and telecommunications company. Terms of the deal
call for Racal and Telemalta to set up a new company to establish
and maintain a cellular telephone network to service Malta.

The Maltese network will initially consist of one exchange and
nine base stations to serve the islands of Malta, Comnio and
Gozo, as well as the thousands of yachts, pleasure boats and
ferries that sail in the surrounding waters.

UK cellular network users will be pleased to note that the
Maltese cellular network - scheduled to go live in 1990 - is
compatible with the ETACS 900 system already in use in the UK.
This opens up the possibility of UK/Maltese users roaming to each
other's networks.

(Steve Gold/19890224)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00018)

TRANSPAC ATLAS LINKS WITH US AND JAPAN
PARIS, FRANCE, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Transpac Atlas has opened an
X.400 link with AT&T's Telemail system in the US and KDD's
Messavia system in Japan. As of last week, subscribers on all
three systems can exchange electronic mail with each other.

The key to the link-up is AT&T's Gateway-400 service, which
already links AT&T Telemail subscribers with Envoy 100, Telecom
Canada's E-mail system and the Dialcom US network.

AT&T has also announced plans to link up other international E-
mail networks in the coming months. This is good news for AT&T
Telemail subscribers, but unless the linking system has X.400
Message Handling System [MHS] facilities, a reciprocal service
with AT&T-linked systems is not possible - an incentive for e-
mail networks to install MHS/X.400 systems perhaps?

(Steve Gold/19890224)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00001)

NEW SOFTWARE DELIVERY SYSTEM AT COMPUTERLAND
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 25 (NB) -- A new CD-ROM-
based software delivery system promises to revolutionize the business
of selling software and eliminate the confines of too little "shelf
space" for product. On Demand Systems, a well-funded start-up, is
supplying CD-ROM disks biweekly to some 11 ComputerLand stores and
claims 185 others have signed up to take the service. The store
sets up a CD-ROM information and manufacturing station using a
PC and a Macintosh, Randy Rand, chief executive officer of On
Demand told Newsbytes. Then the store will receive biweekly shipments
of new CD-ROM disks which are packed with some 800 different
programs. A store need only stock extra copies of manuals from
various manufacturers, he said. "There is no discernible difference
to the end user," he said.

So far no prominent software firms have agreed to allow their
products to be sold via On Demand, but smaller participants include
Central Point Software and Cricket. Rand says, however, that the
big players will most likely participate when they fully comprehend
the security features built into the system. There is a "foolproof"
royalty tracking system which strictly accounts for all copies made
from the CD-ROM disk.  Every night the stores transmit the information
on sales via their PC over phone lines to the firm's San Francisco
headquarters.

On Demand believes it will succeed where others failed. Previous
attempts at alternative software delivery have included online transmission,
which was too time-consuming and unreliable, and expensive dedicated
software "vending machines." But this CD-ROM configuration, composed
only of a PC or Macintosh and a compact disk read-only memory drive,
says Rand, "is an excellent storage medium," and the economics of
his system, he says, will revolutionize software sales.

(Wendy Woods/19890225/Contact: Randy Rand, On Demand, 415-434-2122)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00002)

PC SOFTWARE SALES ROSE A WHOPPING 40 PERCENT LAST YEAR
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 FEB 22 (NB) -- Domestic retail sales
of software for personal computers rose 40.4 percent to an
estimated $2.87 billion in 1988, according to a survey
from the Software Publishers Association. The study was based on
sales from 135 publishers reported to the Arthur Andersen
accounting firm. Desktop publishing sales were up 102 per cent,
graphics up 53 per cent, and word processing up 47 percent.

Foreign sales of $815 million brought the total to $3.65
billion.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: Jody Pollack, Software
Publishers Association 202-452-1600)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(ATL)(00003)

NEURAL NETWORKING NOW POSSIBLE ON STANDARD COMPUTERS
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- Hecht-Nielsen
Neurocomputers has introduced a software product, ExploreNet,
which lets companies implement HNC's 17 neural net paradigms on a
standard Sun workstation running the 4.X version of the Sun
Operating System. Previously, it took special add-in boards to
run the simulations. Neural networking is an outgrowth of
artificial intelligence research in which groups of logic gates
are defined as "neurons" linked logically to one another through
connections defined as "synapses." Using HNC simulations, these
neural networks can then learn by being fed repeated examples of
a process, rather than by being given rules as in an expert
system. HNC founder Robert Hecht-Nielsen previously had run TRW's
artificial intelligence laboratory, where many of the principles
of neural networks were discovered.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890223/Contact: David Shlager, Hecht-Nielsen
Neurocomputers, 619-546-8877)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00004)

16M DRAM RACE IN FULL SWING
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 17 (NB) -- NEC, Toshiba, and Mitsubishi
Electric have each announced the development of 16 megabit dynamic
random access memory [DRAM] chips. Toshiba says it has used the
"trench" method in the design of its chips, while NEC and Mitsubishi
have adopted the so-called stack method. Toshiba claims its 16
megabit DRAM has the world's fastest access time of 45 nanoseconds
and is 35 percent smaller in size than a similar chip the company
released last year.

Though NTT developed its 16 megabit DRAM in 1987 and Hitachi,
Toshiba, and Matsushita developed theirs in 1988, there are several
technological problems to overcome before volume production can
begin. Therefore samples are expected to be shipped sometime in 1992.

(Ken Takahashi/19890222)


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

FUJITSU DEVELOPS GENERAL-PURPOSE NEURO CHIP
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 16 (NB) -- Fujitsu has developed the
world's first general-purpose operation chip for a neurocomputer.
The integrated neuro chips would facilitate the development of various
products which could "learn" new rules and procedures by themselves.
For instance, a robot, installed with the integrated circuits, might
becomes more clever as it studies harder, or an intelligent sensor could
be designed to learn by the sense of touch, the company claims.

Fujitsu plans to commercialize a general-purpose board with some
200 units of the neuro chip this summer. Fujitsu says board could be
connected easily to personal computers and workstations.

(Ken Takahashi/19890222)


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

NEC ANNOUNCES FASTEST PROCESSOR
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 17 (NB) -- NEC has developed what it claims
is the world's fastest digital signal processor. The 16-bit
processor can be applied for use in temporary image-moving
television [TV] phones or TV conferences. A company spokesman said
the processor performs an instruction in only 25 nanoseconds.

(Ken Takahashi/19890222)


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

HITACHI CLAIMS FASTEST 32-BIT MPU
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 16 (NB) -- Hitachi has developed the world's
fastest 32-bit complex instruction set computer [CISC]
microprocessor [MPU]. The breakthrough MPU enables calculations to
be carried out at maximum 70 million instructions per second
[MIPS], or roughly the same processing speed as a large computer.
No other company in the world has ever developed a 32-bit MPU at
over 33 MIPS. Hitachi claims that the MPU, as a RISC or reduced
instruction set computer chip, will operate at 100 MIPS.

(Ken Takahashi/19890222)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00008)

BATTERY-POWERED DRAM
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 17 (NB) -- Hitachi claims to have successfully
developed the technology to produce a dynamic random access memory
cell which consumes very little power, and could even be powered by
batteries. The battery-powered DRAM would greatly impact several
industries, industry analysts claim.

(Ken Takahashi/19890222)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SYD)(00009)

"SOFTWARE LOADED WITH FRIVOLOUS, NON-PRODUCTIVE CODE"
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- Users of well known PC
application software are becoming increasingly annoyed at 'cute'
programming techniques which waste valuable space, according to
PC consultant Matt Whelan. In the February issue of PC Database
Analyst Whelan lists a number of hidden features in dBase IV
which only appear when the 'secret' keys are pushed or settings
made..

Setting the system date to the original commencement date of the
product and issuing the command WHO at the dot prompt reveals a
list of the developers. This undocumented command has been known
to cause problems to developers who attempt to use WHO as a
variable name, only to have dBase throw it back as illegal.
Likewise, hitting the help [F1] key 15 times in a row throws up
another screen showing everyone connected with developing the
help system. According to Whelan, today's software is top heavy
already without adding totally useless code.

(Paul Zucker/19890224/Contact: PC Database Analyst, Australia
61-2-2296973)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SYD)(00010)

MULTIUSER MACHINES NEED MULTIPLE SOFTWARE COPIES
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Software distributors in
Australia have warned users of the necessity to purchase multiple
copies of software for use multiterminal PCs, even though they
only have one central processor. Multiuser operating systems such as
PC-MOS/386 and Concurrent DOS are being sold as an inexpensive
way to get multiple users working with the one application.

Lotus has said it feels the use is illegal, Ashton Tate is
'investigating' and Microsoft says it counts the concurrent users
not the central processors. PC Extras says its products, such as
RBase, must be bought as multiuser packages for such applications.
Sourceware says, "It's simply illegal."

(Paul Zucker/19890224)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00001)

THE UNIX IN THE DELL
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 21(NB) -- Dell Computer Corp.
[NASDAQ:DELL] is preparing to introduce two complete Unix systems
that combine 386-based computers with an optimized version of AT&T's
UNIX operating system. The Dell Unix systems will be announced at
the UniForum Conference in San Francisco on Feb. 28. The systems
are built around Dell Unix System V/386 Release 3.2 -- the first
third-party version of the operating system marketed under AT&T's
Unix trademark -- and the company's System 310 and System 325
computers.

Unix System V/386 Release 3.2 is an optimized version of Unix System
V Release 3.2 based on INTERACTIVE Systems Corp.'s 386/ix. Upward
compatible with previous versions of Unix System V, and compliant
with AT&T's System V Interface Definition (SVID), Dell's Unix also
provides full binary and source code compatibility with Microsoft
XENIX System V/386 and XENIX System V/286. XENIX applications
comprise the largest PC installed base of Unix systems.

Dell has added extensions to the Unix operating system including
bundled software to simultaneously access MS-DOS applications. The
VP/ix DOS extension was developed by INTERACTIVE Systems and
Phoenix Technologies. Both operating systems can run
concurrently on the same computer.

The system also includes support for the X Windows System, a
proposed standard for graphical interfaces in the Unix environment.
INTERACTIVE's X11.3 Window System provides a graphics windowing
environment for the system console, allowing multiple Unix and DOS
applications to be viewed concurrently. [See story on Looking
Glass.]

Networking communications options available directly from Dell
include the TCP/IP communications software, the Network File System
from Sun Microsystems and PC Interface from Locus Computing
Corp.

Dell's 20-megahertz System 310 supports up to 16 users and is priced
from $6,599 to $11,950, while the 25-Mhz System 325 accommodates as
many as 32 users with prices ranging from $8,199 to $13,550.

The Unix operating system will account for as much as 20 percent of
all 80386/80486-based computer sales in the next five years,
according to the Gartner Group. The small-scale Unix systems
product category -- typically 16 users -- is the fastest growing
segment of the overall Unix marketplace, according to Dataquest.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TYO)(00002)

RISC CHIPS TO DIVIDE JAPANESE WORKSTATION MARKET
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 14 (NB) -- Two U.S. workstation makers, Sun
Microsystems and MIPS, seem to have divided up the Japanese workstation
market. Sun supplies its reduced instruction set computer
or RISC architecture on an original equipment manufacturing or
OEM basis and licenses it to seven Japanese companies.  Meanwhile
MIPS, which got into the Japanese market some time after Sun did,
has already found two Japanese partners -- NEC and Sony.

Sun President Scott McNealy recently visited Japan to announce a
new venture with Fuji Xerox. The new company, Unisol Corporation, has
been established with 490 million yen or $3.77 million equally shared
between Sun and Fuji. Mr. Kimio Tsuzuki has been appointed
as chairman and president of the new company; he is charged with
the development and marketing of Unix-based software starting
March 21.

Meanwhile, the president, chairman and chief executive officer of MIPS,
Robert C. Miller, has also inked a similar deal with NEC. The two firms
have established a Japanese subsidiary, Synthesis Software Solutions,
to promote the development of applications based on MIPS RISC chips in
Japan.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890223)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TYO)(00003)

MATSUSHITA AND SOLBORNE MAKE SUN-COMPATIBLE WORKSTATIONS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 FEB 18 (NB) -- Solborne Computer has sold some
20 "clones" of Sun Microsystems' Sun-4WS Series 4/600 workstations
since the end of December, according to the firm's President Douglas
MacGregor.

The workstation is currently produced in Matsushita-Japan and Solborne
sells it with its brand name in the U.S. The machine is an aggressive
competitor to the Sun offerings since it processes data some 70
percent faster -- 17 million instructions per second. The machine
is also priced 17 percent lower than Sun's.

MacGregor says Solborne will develop Series 5 within this year and also
will produce Series 6 next year with the support of Matsushita.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890223)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00004)

PHOENIX ENTERS INTO LICENSING AGREEMENT WITH AT&T FOR UNIX V.3
NORWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 23 (NB) -- Phoenix
Technologies has entered into a licensing agreement with AT&T that
will enable Phoenix to help standardize Unix V.3 over multiple
hardware platforms.

Phoenix, which has made its market providing IBM compatible ROM
BIOS products, is looking to create an equivalent type of BIOS for
Unix that could help the groundswell for that operating system.
Details of the agreement were not disclosed, but sources indicated
that the forthcoming Phoenix product could let Unix applications run
on different hardware platforms without modification.

(Jon Pepper/19890223/Contact: Bruce Crane, Phoenix, 617-551-4130)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00005)

LOOKING GLASS BUNDLED WITH 386/IX X11.3
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 FEB 14 (NB) -- INTERACTIVE
Systems Corporation and Visix Software, Inc. have announced an
agreement to integrate Visix's Looking Glass desktop manager with
Interactive's 386/ix X11.3. As part of the agreement, INTERACTIVE
will also market a $495 enhanced version of the product, Looking
Glass Advantage. The products will ship in the third quarter of
1989.

Looking Glass is a graphical interface which enables users to
execute Unix tasks using icons analogous to those found in the Apple
Macintosh interface. Users can navigate through the Unix file
system, perform file directory management, launch and manage
applications and perform system and network administration. The
386/ix X11 windowing system is INTERACTIVE's proprietary
implementation of the X Window System from MIT. The products work
together to give Unix users a system interface similar to
Presentation Manager.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00006)

SUN LAUNCHES UNIX DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN CANADA
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1989 FEB 20 (NB) -- Sun Microsystems of
Canada of Markham, Ontario, has set up a development center
here to support and promote Unix. The center will support third-
party software developers in Canada, and will work on adding
French-language capabilities to Unix. Harry Porteous, director
of marketing for Sun Canada, said the Canadian subsidiary is also
negotiating with its parent company in Mountain View, Calif., to
take on one or more development projects for the worldwide
organization.

Incentives offered by the Quebec provincial government influenced
the decision to locate in Montreal. Porteous conceded there is
more Unix development activity in Toronto, home of a number of
Unix software firms. But he said that could mean Sun's new
center can have more influence by locating in Montreal. Porteous
added that Sun has had plenty of applications for jobs at the new
center.

The new center will temporarily be located at Sun's district
office in Montreal.

(Grant Buckler/19890223/Contact: Janice Murray or Harry Porteous,
Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc., 416-477-6745)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LON)(00007)

SCO TEAMS UP WITH ZENITH FOR UK MARKETING DEAL
WATFORD, ENGLAND, 1989 FEB 24 (NB) -- The Santa Cruz Operation
[SCO] has signed an OEM deal with Zenith Data Systems. Terms of
the agreement call for Zenith to market the SCO Xenix/Unix
product line available on its new 25MHz Z-386/25 PC series.

Clive Taylor, Zenith Data Systems' vice president of Western
Europe, is enthusiastic about the deal, since it will enhance the
appeal of the flagship Zenith machine to end users.

"The Z-386/25 is ideal as a multiuser host, rather than just a
very powerful stand-alone PC. Zenith will be offering the machine
ready for multiuser operation with SCO Xenix, the market leading
multiuser operating system," he said.

The Zenith deal could prove to be highly useful to SCO as well.
Zenith Data Systems has an major established dealer network
throughout the UK and Europe. Europe is an area that SCO has been
seeking to break into this past few months. The Zenith deal
satisfies this need.

(Steve Gold/19890224)


(EDITORIAL)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00001)

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

RESPECT FOR THE DINOSAUR
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A, 1989 FEB 12 (NB) -- There's been a
swirling flurry of ink lately about compatibility: bus compatibility,
operating system compatibility, BIOS compatibility, interface
compatibility, etc.  Writers who are mesmerized by it write about
compatibility like it is holy writ. It's gotten so much attention
that it has almost taken on substance: something like vaporware,
conceptual gas perhaps.  But while it is almost always an important
consideration, it's not the exclusive answer.

Place too much emphasis on compatibility and you could lose sight of
the true importance of computers.  It's not future compatibility,
resale value, upgrades, or any of those things.  It's productivity.
What users need is simply the ability to do a specific job or jobs.
The other issues aren't unimportant, but they're secondary.  So, a
machine doesn't need to be compatible with some universal standard
or ideal if it will do a job well and efficiently.  If you don't
quite agree with the principle involved yet, think of paper drinking
cups.  They aren't going to last beyond the very first use but
they're so inexpensive that we're as likely to call them disposable
cups as paper cups.  Nobody cares that they don't match the pattern
of their china.

Ok.  But I'm not just talking about price.  The Cambridge Z88 has
been primarily bashed for the lack of blessed PC compatibility.  Its
price is low enough to make it an efficient solution despite that
lack.  It also has connectivity and can transfer data to PCs and
Macs.  Unfortunately, the machine has inadequate software.  Word
processing in particular, which is done within its spreadsheet, is
poor.  Think of the Cambridge as a cup with a small leak in it.  You
can use it but you won't be really comfortable.  Still, nothing's
more portable and if that's the most significant criterion for an
application, then it may still be the best solution.

It might be argued that there's plenty of software for compatible
machines.  So, one might be misled to believe that compatibility is
the issue.  It's not.  Useful word processing software wouldn't be a
problem for a compatible machine but it could also be solved for an
incompatible computer if better applications are designed.  Given
appropriate software, the Z88 could be a solution for many jobs
needing very light weight and large memory.

The deciding factor for me, though, was getting my work done on a
machine that costs a scant $100.  Yes, there are some advantages for
those of us who can still see the production forest amid the
compatible trees.  I've recently acquired an excellent CPM machine
for word processing.  It doesn't have hard a disk and, even if it
did, its limited memory capacity would make it unsuitable for many
applications.  But it's fine for small tasks.  I transfer its files
to my PCs with Media Master.  Then, I finish my documents with
Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, Xywrite, or even WordStar.

My Osborne is in perfect condition with full documentation and
original software, including far better applications than the
Cambridge has, and it cost me nearly nothing because of its lack of
PC compatibility.  It even came with a 12-inch external monitor and
a printer cable that matches its IEEE-488 pinouts to a standard
Centronics connector.

It's limited by CP/M but, at least when I'm running an old version of
Wordstar, I've got a superb editor.  Not that it's limited to an old
version either.  Micropro will upgrade the CP/M version to 4.0--not
the very latest but absolutely respectable.  This machine is even
portable, though not nearly as portable as the Cambridge.  And it's
so cheap that I can leave it in any of several places I want to
work.  If it's stolen, I loose little but there isn't much incentive
for anyone to take it.  I think of it as my disposable computer.
I'm planning to buy a CP/M laptop too if I can get it for about the
same price.  I just missed one last week.

How do I get these systems so inexpensively?  Their users are
upgrading every day.  Whenever possible, I trade for obsolete PC
software.  My old "compatible" programs are held in more esteem than
these complete systems.  So, I'll use Osbornes and CP/M laptops and
save enough money to get copies of Excel, Ventura Publisher, and the
like.  When I do use the PC, it's with the latest and most
productive software available.  That's what I need for finishing my
work.  But I don't need it for data entry or the rough drafts.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not suggesting that only the most recent
software upgrade will do on the PC.  That's the same mentality we've
been talking about but translated from hardware to software.  First
you've got to ask yourself, do you really need left-handed white-
space kerning.  I'm solely interested in upgrades when I need a new
feature not merely for the sake of having the latest and greatest.
What you should look for are innovations and you can probably afford
to wait until they come out.  That gives you a little extra time to
decide whether that new high-speed Windows washer or menu
compression with CRC is the superior technology.  Can either really
shave a few microseconds off the time an application beeps in anger
when you press the wrong key?

I'll stick with my Osborne until a program or machine comes out that
makes text entry and simple word processing obsolete.  When I do
finally move up, it will probably be to a microcasette recorder with
embedded voice-recognition that outputs ASCII directly into a PC for
formatting.  The Osborne will be written off the books completely by
then--even if its a couple of weeks from now.

Media Master, which makes the whole thing work smoothly, was written
by Mark Graybill and is still sold and supported by Intersecting
concepts.  It will read scores of CP/M formats in a standard PC drive
and copy the files to a DOS-formatted diskette or hard disk.  At
$50, it's not the most expensive part of the system and it only
takes one copy to translate from hundreds of different CP/M machines.
There's a second version, Media Master Plus, that will also run CP/M
programs on the PC for $70.  If you take my advice, you can reach
Intersecting Concepts at 805-373-3900.

There is one damn drawback to these machines.  They're really
embarrassing as hell.  I'm working to fix that too though.  I've got
a new logo on order that reads "Osborne 486."  They're getting to be
so old, I might get away with it.

(Wayne Yacco/19890224)