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/nb890321.299

Text File | 1991-10-02 | 111KB | 2,538 lines

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

APPLE WINS ROUND ONE IN COPYRIGHT FIGHT WITH MICROSOFT
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- A federal
District Court judge has decided that Microsoft's Windows 2.03
exceeded the limits of an agreement Microsoft signed with Apple
Computer in 1985, allowing it to develop the first version of Windows.
The ruling by District Court Judge William Schwarzer in San
Francisco, the first in a battle between Apple and Microsoft over the
"look and feel" of Macintosh software, gives Apple the first victory.
"The bottom line is that Windows 2.03 is not licensed under the
agreement," the judge told the courtroom.

The second part of the lawsuit, expected to be heard starting April
14, will involve Apple's charge that Windows 2.03 and Hewlett-Packard's
New Wave interface, both for the rival PC, violate Apple's copyright on
the audio-video interface of the Macintosh.

"I am pleased by today's ruling as it validates Apple's on-going contention
that Windows 2.03 exceeds our original agreement," stated Apple
executive Al Eisenstadt following the ruling. There was no comment
at deadline from Microsoft.

Observers say the hardest part of the case lies ahead, but when
the issue is determined, it may affect other icon and window-based
products which give the Macintosh icons and windows to PC software,
including Presentation Manager which Microsoft developed for IBM.

(Wendy Woods/19890318)


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

MACINTOSH CLONES DUE AT MACDEX
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 18 (NB) -- If its legal department
can stay one step ahead of Apple Computer, Powder Blue may bring the
first grey-market Macintosh II clones to market. The firm is selling the
BlueMAQ, a machine which looks like a PC but contains a Macintosh Plus
logic board and Apple Macintosh 128K ROMs or read-only-memory chips.
The various configurations range from $3,695 to $5,995. The machines come
with a 65 megabyte hard drive and a 12-inch amber Samsung monitor.

Meanwhile, Akkord Technology in Taipei, Taiwan will sell its Macintosh
Plus clone only in Europe, avoiding the U.S. due to the uncertainty over
the legal reception to its alternative BIOS [basic input-output system] chips.
The firm showed its 68000-based clone, called Jonathan, at the
CeBIT computer show, otherwise known as Hanover Fair. Similar to
the Power Blue Computer offering, this one also requires Macintosh
128K ROM chips to operate. The prices in Europe are slated to be
some 30 percent cheaper than Apple's. Akkord does plan, however, to
offer a Macintosh-compatible laptop kit in the U.S. market and will
exhibit the product at MacDex in Chicago on April 10.

An Apple spokeswoman told Newsbytes that the units are being
investigated by Apple's legal department. "Apple does not authorize
distribution of its ROMS for use in non-Apple hardware. Apple resellers
are not authorized to sell or service parts for any other use than for
repair of Apple products."

(Wendy Woods/19890318/Contact: Ted Woods, Powder Blue Computer,
801-273-3993)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00003)

CANADIAN DISTRIBUTOR SUING INFORMIX OVER WINGZ
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Informix will
contest a lawsuit filed by McKenzie Brown Canada, a software
distributor which claims to have been promised exclusive
marketing rights in Canada for the Wingz spreadsheet. McKenzie
Brown invested considerable work in promoting Wingz on the
understanding that it would be given the distributorship,
software product manager Celso Maiolo told Newsbytes. The job
then went to Compuserve, another Toronto-based distributor.
McKenzie Brown is asking for C$750,000 in damages and C$250,000
for services performed. No court date has been set.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Celso Maiolo, McKenzie Brown
Canada, 416-593-6880)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00004)

NOBODY LAUGHED AT MACWORLD APRIL 1 JOKE
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- In case you
haven't heard, nobody's laughing at Macworld where columnist Steven Levy
cooked up an April Fool's Day story about an IBM Macintosh clone.
The engaging tale, in which Levy reports being clandestinely allowed to
peek at a color, 68030-based, under-$1,000 Macintosh clone, by none other
than Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman, himself, and a roomfull of dark-clad
lawyers and security guards, appears in the April, 1989 edition of
Macworld.

The Macworld offices were deluged by phone calls from readers,
demanding to know more and where they could buy. The hundreds of
calls prompted a statement from Macworld corporate offices, "The
iconoclast column by Steve Levy...is an April Fool's joke. Microsoft
and IBM have NOT collaborated on a $1,000 color Macintosh clone.
Macworld regrets any confusion that resulted from the satire."

Deborah Branscum, Macworld editor, told one reporter that she
incorrectly assumed readers would realize the product was too good to
be true. "We learned our lesson," she added.

(Wendy Woods/19890317)


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

NEW THUNDER FROM ELECTRONIC ARTS
SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 16 (NB) -- Electronic Arts
has released an update of its popular spelling checker for the Macintosh.
Thunder II is the only spell checker that works as a Control Panel Device
[CPDV], making it accessible from within any application, including
spreadsheets, databases and electronic mail. Thunder II, as opposed
to its predecessor, offers five types of error recognition, two
dictionaries, compatibility modules, and the unique CDEV feature.
The product appears automatically on the menu bar of the host
application, rather than as a desk accessory.

Upgrades for current Thunder owners are available for $30 plus the
original disk.

(Wendy Woods/19890317/Contact: Nicole Noland, EA, 415-571-7171 x590)


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

APPLE UPGRADES IMAGEWRITER
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 10 (NB) -- Apple Computer
has introduced the Imagewriter LQ printer, a 27-pin, dot-matrix printer
which produces letter-quality text and graphics, has a wide, 15-inch
carriage, color support, and networking capabilities. The enhanced
Imagewriter LQ is also quieter and has set-up instructions in a
HyperCard stack. The cost is $1,399 and the printers are available
immediately.

(Wendy Woods/19890317/Contact: Cynthia Macon, Apple, 408-974-5448)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00007)

MACDRAW UPDATE SHIPS
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 18 (NB) -- Claris
Corporation is shipping MacDraw II Version 1.1, an update to the best-
selling Macintosh drawing tool. MacDraw II 1.1. offers such new features
as Slide Manager, spelling checker, and "notes" feature. The product
is designed to meet the object-oriented drawing needs of graphic artists,
business professionals, desktop publishers, architects, and engineers.
The product is $395. Registered owners of previous versions can upgrade
at a lower cost.

(Wendy Woods/19890318/Contact: Dan Rampe, Claris, 415-960-2790)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TYO)(00008)

APPLE DATABASE SOFTWARE FROM JAPAN ASHTON-TATE
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 MAR 10 (NB) -- Japan Ashton-Tate will release
a database software package for all the Macintosh personal computers
distributed by Apple Computer Japan. You can easily retrieve data
from the database software, while choosing icons on the display
with a mouse. Japan Ashton-Tate will ship the Apple database
software this March 20th, at the price of 99,000 yen or $760.

(Ken Takahashi/19890315/Contact: Japan Ashton-Tate, 03-473-8911)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(BRU)(00009)

LASER MAGNETIC STORAGE INTRODUCES WORLD'S FIRST HALF-HEIGHT CD DRIVE
COLORADO SPRINGS, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- Laser Magnetic Storage
has unveiled the first half-height CD-ROM drive with an embedded
SCSI interface, ready for connection to the Apple Macintosh and Mac
II computers.

Features of the new drive include a mean-time between failure
[MTBF] of 36,000 hours, an access time of 400 milliseconds and a
64K data buffer with caching capabilities. The price of the CM212
has been set at $875 for OEM, or original equipment manufacturer,
quantities.

(Peter Vekinis/19890317)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00001)

TURNING POINT FOR CHIP PRODUCTION
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Seiko Epson has revealed a plan to
establish a semiconductor design center in West Germany. The
company has not decided the location yet, but the most likely
place is Munich, where current high-tech partnerships between West
German firms and Japanese companies are taking place.

Also, the company will prepare for the integration of the
European Community in 1992 with establishment of design centers
in London and Paris.

In other news, Seiko Epson has decided to produce one-megabit static
random access memory or SRAM chips instead of one-megabit dynamic
RAM. Hitachi and Toshiba are already in the SRAM market, however,
the market demand for the chip is currently increasing. The
company is aiming to ship samples of one-megabit SRAM chips by
this summer and start mass production by this fall.

Meanwhile, Sharp Corp. has announced plans to postpone expansion of
one-megabit DRAM production. Sharp will switch the production line
to read-only-memory or ROM, SRAM, 256 kilobit DRAM chips, and
especially mask ROM, of which the company is currently creating
seven millions units per month. The mask ROM market is heating up
due to demands from game hardware producers, who need the ROM
chips for game players and cartridges.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890316)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00002)

BUSINESSLAND'S COMPAQ CUSTOMERS STILL WILL GET SERVED
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- Businessland says it
has worked out a deal whereby it will service Compaq warranties and
support those who have purchased Compaq systems from Businessland
stores through April 21, 1990. Compaq dropped Businessland as a retailer
for its products in February.

(Wendy Woods/19890317/Contact: Beverly Bird, Businessland, 408-437-4366)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00003)

DAEWOO NOT ALLOWED TO SELL LEADING EDGE COMPUTERS
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- The
continuing saga of Leading Edge took another turn as a bankruptcy court
judge prevented Daewoo from selling Leading Edge PCs under the
Daewoo brand name. Daewoo manufactures the Leading Edge systems.
Leading Edge, which is under Chapter 11 proceedings, is looking for
additional financing in an effort to continue operating. A proposed
sale of the company to PC Systems, of Riviera Beach, Florida, fell
through.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: David Rottenberg, Leading Edge, 617-
828-8150)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00004)

INFODATA REALIGNS TOP MANAGEMENT
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Infodata Systems has
realigned top management as part of a major reorganization. All operations
relating to the company's proprietary line of software, INQUIRE/Text, and
related services have been integrated into a newly formed INQUIRE Group
based in Falls Church, Virginia. Harry Kaplowitz has been named president
and COO, and will report to Ronald Furman, chairman and CEO of
Infodata Systems.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Ronald Furman, Infodata Systems,
716-381-7430)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00005)

BLOC DEVELOPMENT ACQUIRES RIGHTS TO PREVIEW
CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- BLOC
Publishing Corporation has acquired exclusive distribution rights to a PC
software product called PreView. PreView allows a user to see on their
monitor how a finished document will appear when printed. The product
is designed to complement BLOC's existing line of products, including
Formtool, Form Filler, PopDrop, Diskette Manager 3, Personal Lawyer,
and Fast-Pak Mail.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Barry Goldin, Trinity Capital, 212-586-
9191)


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

UNITED PARCEL SERVICE TO CONSTRUCT NEW COMPUTER CENTER
GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB)-- United
Parcel Service has announced plans to build a new $80 million
computer and telecommunications center based in Mahwah, N.J.
Approximately 1,500 U.P.S. employees will work in the new 400,000
square foot facility.

UPS expects the facility to be fully operational by 1991. It is part of a
UPS global network being expanded under a five-year, $1.4 billion
plan, according to Frank Ebrick, UPS vice president in charge of
Information Services.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Al Winnik, UPS, 203-862-6121)


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

POP GOES TO NAVARRE
EVERGREEN, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 9 (NB) -- POP Computer Products
has signed a distribution agreement with Navarre Corporation of
Minneapolis, MN. "We're very excited about this agreement," popped
POP President Robert Lewis describing Navarre's reach into the
market as broad. Navarre is a large distributor of LPs, compact
discs, prerecorded cassettes, and computer software and
accessories. POP publishes low-priced titles such as Labels! and
Menu!

(Wayne Yacco/19890316/Contact: 303-674-0200)


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

SOFTSEL SPECIAL CELEBRATES SIGNING WITH ALDUS
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 6 (NB) -- PageMaker,
FreeHand, SnapShot and Persuasion will be distributed throughout the
U. S. by Softsel Computer Products, according to a new
agreement it has entered into with publisher Aldus. Until April 29,
the computer-products distributor is offering discounts of up to 62 percent
in an effort to recruit new authorized Aldus resellers. Prices
throughout the promotion are: PageMaker 3.0, $300 for the PC and
$200 for the Macintosh; FreeHand 2.0, Persuasion 1.0 and SnapShot
for $160 each.

(Wayne Yacco/19890316)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00009)

REVENUE RECORDS SET BY ASHTON-TATE
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 7 (NB) -- Ashton-Tate
Corporation [NASDAQ:TATE] has reported its seventh consecutive year
of record revenues and net income. For the year ended January 31,
1989, A-T reported net income of $47.7 million [$1.83 per share] and
revenues of 307.3 million. The figures represent increases of 10.7 percent
and 15.0 percent respectively over the previous year.

The company has also announced plans to change its financial
reporting year-end from January 31 to coincide with the December 31
ending of its tax year.

(Wayne Yacco/19890316)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00010)

TAESUNG USES KOREAN SUPPLIERS FOR LOWER-COST UPS EQUIPMENT
ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 8 (NB) -- Taesung Industries
has concluded production agreements with Daewoo and Samsung of
Korea which let it introduce a 300-watt uninterruptible power
supply, or UPS, priced at $350 retail. Two larger models, rated
at 750 and 1200 watts, are outfitted with RJ-11 telephone and
Novell interfaces for use in protecting networks against power
loss. Taesung National Marketing Director Mike Hooper said his
new line of UPS equipment also recharges in just three to five hours,
against an industry average of eight to twelve. Viruses may be the most-
feared threat to power, he noted, but power failure is still far
more common.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/Contact: Stan Hayes, The Ad Works,
404-448-3688)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00011)

WORKSTATION PRODUCER IDT HAS AN OFFER FROM EATON
CLEVELAND, OHIO, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- Eaton Corp. has made
an offer to buy majority-control of Industrial Data Technologies [IDT] of
Westerville, Ohio, a manufacturer of real-time industrial workstations,
and run it as an Eaton subsidiary within its Eaton Controls Group. IDT
stock is closely held by management and employees.

Walter Doyle, IDT's founder and president, welcomed the offer.
"The addition of Eaton's investment, expertise and established
worldwide distribution channels, will allow both companies to
extend their product base. Eaton has expressed a strong interest
in helping our business grow through the development of
additional products." IDT's products process production data and
visually display it in a format easily recognizable by operators,
supervisors and managers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/Contact: Renald Romain,Eaton, 216-523-
4736)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00012)

DIGITAL RESEARCH BATTLES MICROSOFT IN OPERATING SYSTEM WARS
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- Digital Research is
engaged in a battle with Microsoft for the supply of DOS for
hundreds of thousands of PCs in Australia. Microsoft may have won
the first battle -- it headed off a large deal which would have
seen Brisbane-based Deltagold supplying Digital's DR DOS with its
machines. But software distribution firm Quercus, based in Adelaide,
and the distributor of Digital Research's DR DOS, claims that Microsoft is
almost giving its MS DOS away rather than let Quercus get a contract.

Microsoft Director Daniel Petre said that his company is not interested
in price cutting but Quercus claims to have proof that it is.
Conversely, since Digital Research began using Australia as a
retail test market for the product in November, the price has
been reduced by a total of 34 percent. Brian Swift of Quercus
claims that DOS has always been a cash-cow for Microsoft. "We
will continue to drop our price till we get the foothold our
product deserves!" he said.

(Paul Zucker/19890317)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00013)

TRAFFIC JAM MAY HAVE COST $60 MILLION FOR HP AND AUSTRALIAN TELECOM
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- An embarrassing error
has cost Australian Telecom and Hewlett-Packard the chance to
contest a $60 million tender. Representatives of both
organizations [who have been working on the joint bid for some
months now] arrived to hand in their bid for the Queensland
Hospitals tender only to be told that they were four minutes late --
their bid was handed back unopened.

"It was the oldest excuse in the book but in this case it was
true. We were caught in a traffic jam!" said one of the parties.
There have been no repercussions reported though there may still
be a few red faces as the bid was reported to have cost at least
$500,000 to produce. Hot favorites now include IBM, DEC and
Unisys.

(Paul Zucker/19890317)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00014)

BETTER BETTING BOTHERED BY BUGS
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- The Totalizator board of
Queensland, the agency which oversees betting, isn't taking any bets on
whether its conversion from Unisys to DEC will ever be successful. The
$10 million conversion is well behind target and there are serious doubts
about the project continuing. The target speed, which the new system
is expected to process, is 2000 betting transactions per second. But
according to observers, part of the difficulty lies with the decision to
write the major part of the code for the DEC mainframes in the Ada
language, a programming language developed by the U.S. military.
This would have made the betting agency the first major commercial Ada
user in Australia. Unisys has reportedly offered an $8 million rescue
solution using its A-series mainframes.

(Paul Zucker/19890317)


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

QANTAS MAY BUY $30 MILLION IN COMPUTERS FROM COMPAQ
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- Australian national
airline Qantas is said to be on the verge of buying $30 million
of Compaq PCs for its reservation system. A test site of 30
machines will be installed in April, to run the Qantas
Intelligent Keyboard Reservation System [QIKRES]. If the test is
successful, all of Qantas' dumb terminals worldwide will be
replaced by Deskpro 286 machines. The user-friendly terminals
will be equipped with large color screens and will feature
graphics for greater user information and involvement.

(Paul Zucker/19890317)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SGP)(00016)

SINGAPORE FIRM WINS AUSTRALIAN SOFTWARE CONTRACT
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Unidata Pte Ltd of Singapore
has won a contract worth $2.3 million [US$1.2 million] to supply software to
Plumbers Suppliers Cooperative of Sydney, Australia in what it claims
is its largest software support contract in the Australian market.

A new minicomputer system is to be installed by September to handle
the accounting, payroll and inventory operations of the Cooperative,
as well as its shares and assets, and will be linked initially to seven
branches in Sydney and Melbourne. The contract will involve the
initial supply of some 300 packages for installation in various
cooperative members over the next two years, and there is a possibility
that it could be extended to include the rest of their 2,000 members
at a later date.

Established in 1979, Unidata set up its Australian office in Sydney in
1986, and expect their total sales to reach S$5 million [US$2.6 million]
this year, of which at least half will come from the Australian
operations. Prior to this latest contract, Unidata had won smaller
contracts in Australia worth between A$30,000 and A$150,000 [US$24,000
to US$125,000]. A substantial part of the software will be developed in
Singapore.

(Michael Worsley/19890316)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00017)

BANK TO PUT LANPAR IN RECEIVERSHIP
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- The Royal Bank of
Canada will appoint a receiver for Lanpar Technologies, a major
Canadian terminal manufacturer, computer distributor and third-
party service organization. Lanpar announced March 15 that the
bank, its largest creditor, is no longer willing to extend credit
to the troubled company. Coopers and Lybrand has been appointed
receiver. Receivership in Canada is comparable to a filing under
Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Act in the United States; it may or
may not imply the company will cease operations. Fred Billings,
a bank spokesman, said the bank will await an evaluation by
Coopers and Lybrand. Lanpar said all of its officers and
directors have resigned following the bank's decision. Trading
in Lanpar stock on the Toronto Stock Exchange was halted March
15.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Walter Stapleton, Lanpar
Technologies, 416-475-9123; Fred Billings, Royal Bank, 416-974-
2805)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00018)

PLUS DEVELOPMENT PLANNING CANADIAN BRANCH OFFICE
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Cindy Payne, Plus
Development's international area manager for Asia, Australia and
the Americas, was in Toronto this week interviewing potential
Canadian sales managers. The maker of hard disk cards and
portable hard disks plans to open a branch office in the Toronto
area in the next few months, Payne told Newsbytes. Toronto-based
Compuserve became Plus's Canadian distributor in 1985, and
ComputerLand Canada has been a direct reseller since 1986, but
Plus has decided it needs its own office here to make real
headway in this market. "What we're looking for," Payne said,
"is an opportunity to really expand our presence in Canada."

Canadian distributors, like those in the United States, tend to
work on slimmer margins than those in the rest of the world,
Payne said. For that reason, it is more important for the vendor
to have its own presence in the country. Canada will be the
first country outside the U.S. to have a Plus branch office,
although there are two area managers in Europe and distributors
around the world.

While in Toronto, Payne also took part in a press conference to
introduce to the Canadian market Plus's new Impulse hard disk
subsystem for local area networks.

(Grant Buckler/19890316/Contact: Cindy Payne, Plus Development,
408-434-6900)


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

SEMI-TECH, SINGER HAVE AGREEMENT
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- International Semi-
Tech Microelectronics has reached an agreement to buy the Singer
trademark.  Through its Far East subsidiary, Semi-Tech will buy
the Singer name, which is currently licensed to Singer subsidiary
SSMC, provided its buyout of SSMC goes through.  The deal also
provides that STM, should it obtain control of SSMC, will sell
Singer Furniture for $40-million.  The two companies also agreed not to
enter any dea1s with any third parties  regarding the Singer trademark
until Semi-Tech drops its offer or until a third party makes a better offer.

Semi-Tech's offer for SSMC was extended to midnight on March 17
from the previous deadline of March 14.  A week earlier, Semi-
Tech had topped a $33-a-share offer for SSMC from Inter-Pacific
Acquisition Corp. of Malaysia, by offering $34 a share.  On March
15, the Toronto-based Financial Post reported a rumor Inter-
Pacific might in turn raise its bid, but at Newsbytes' deadline
no further developments had occurred.

(Grant Buckler/19890316/Contact: Michael List, International
Semi-Tech Microelectronics, 416-475-2670)


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

DEALER DUMPED TO PRESERVE CHANNEL INTEGRITY -- MICROSOFT CANADA
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- Microsoft
Canada ended its agreement with one of its largest key dealers
because the company was selling software to other dealers, the
software vendor said. Writing in the company's customer
newsletter this month, Malcolm MacTaggart, general manager of
Microsoft Canada, said Business World of Toronto sold not only to
end users but to other dealers, thus undercutting Microsoft
distributors and creating "an unfair competitive situation."
Business World's contract with Microsoft expired December 31,
1988, and was not renewed. The dealer, one of 14 Microsoft key
dealers in Canada, had projected C$2 million in sales of
Microsoft products this year.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Malcolm MacTaggart, Microsoft
Canada, 416-673-9811)


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

RESERVATION SYSTEM CHANGES PARTNERS
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 16 (NB) -- Gemini Group, the
reservation system jointly owned by Canada's two largest airline
operators, has jilted one American partner for another. Plans
for a merger of Gemini with PARS, the system operated by TWA and
Northwest Airlines, have been called off. Instead, Gemini will
become part of Covia's international network. Chicago-based
Covia, controlled by United Airlines, USAir, Alitalia, British
Airways, KLM and Swissair, will become one-third owner of Gemini.
Gemini will get exclusive rights to Covia's Apollo CRS software
for use in Canada.

Gemini is a joint venture of Air Canada and PWA Corporation. PWA
controls both Canadian Airlines International and Wardair, the
second- and third-largest airlines in Canada after Air Canada.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Richard Wertheim, Burson-
Marsteller, 416-964-8300; Chris Allen, Covia, 312-518-4188)


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

MICROSOFT CANADA GROWING
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- The major
problem at Microsoft Canada is coping with growth, according to
Malcolm MacTaggart, general manager. MacTaggart says the
Canadian operation will have 90 employees by the end of
September, more than 25 of them in product support. Microsoft
will open an office in Winnipeg, Manitoba in July, its sixth in
Canada. Quebec City and Halifax, Nova Scotia are also being
considered for future offices, MacTaggart said. And the company
will probably break ground for a new Canadian headquarters
building here later this year. The new facility will be about
60,000 square feet, MacTaggart said. Microsoft has about 170,000
registered users in Canada, he said, and "just trying to cope
with those numbers across five and a half time zones is a big
challenge."

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Malcolm MacTaggart, Microsoft
Canada, 416-673-9811)


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

INTEGRA GETS C$1.5 MILLION IN PILOT CONTRACTS
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1989 MAR 6 (NB) -- Integra
Systems has been awarded C$1.5 million worth of pilot project
contracts. These could lead to as much as C$15 million in sales
over the next two years, the maker of transaction processing
terminals said. Integra has signed a purchase order with the
Bank of Montreal to develop banking and payment applications on
its new SofTerm 4 terminal. It has also started pilot projects
with PVS Video Services of Vancouver and Movie Track of Dallas,
Texas, for terminal installations in convenience stores
throughout North America.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Ralph Scobie, Integra Systems,
604-733-1322)


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

BEDFORD NAMES MORTON SENIOR VP
BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- Former
Borland International vice-president Alex L. Morton has been
named senior vice-president of Bedford Software. Morton joined
the accounting software vendor as vice-president of marketing in
October.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Kristin Keyes, Bedford Software,
604-294-2394)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00025)

STM ACQUIRES RIGHTS TO STS PROFESSIONAL TRADING
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- STM Systems,
Canada's largest computer service bureau, has acquired worldwide
marketing rights to the STS Professional Trading System. The
software for the securities industry, developed by STS of Chicago
processes transactions in the money market, options, fixed
income, bonds and equity trading. STM plans to offer the
software to the financial services industry immediately for
professional trading, and to develop a back-office version for
retail brokers.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Ray Lancashire, STM Systems,
416-979-3900)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00026)

DIGITAL CANADA JOINS HUGHES TEAM FOR AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL BID
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 10 (NB) -- Digital Equipment
of Canada has joined a team led by Hughes Aircraft of Fullerton,
California, which is bidding on a contract to improve Canada's
air traffic control system. Digital is to provide computers,
peripherals and software if the Hughes group wins the contract,
which is expected to be awarded in the second half of this year.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Dan Reeder or Scott Rayburn,
Hughes Aircraft, 714-732-4631)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00027)

SYMANTEC MOVES TO THE U.K.
MAIDENHEAD, ENGLAND, 1989 MAR 18 (NB) -- Symantec, the U.S.
software house, has opened a U.K. office in Maidenhead, just west
of London. The new offices will handle distribution and support
for Symantec's software, which includes GrandView, an
information database, and Q&A, a word processor.

The U.K. offices are being funded as a join venture by Symantec in
the U.S. and Hambro International's venture capital fund. The
company has already appointed four major distributors in the U.K.
to look after software distribution to end-user and dealer
levels, and is now looking to advertise its presence in the
European market.

(Steve Gold/19890318/Symantec U.K. - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BRU)(00028)

1200 JOBS TO BE CREATED IN FRENCH COMPUTER MARKET
PARIS, FRANCE, 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- CAP SESA, the company that was
created by the merger of CAP SOGETI and SESA, is to create an
additional 1,200 jobs over the next few months as part of an expected
overwhelming demand for its products.

CAP SOGETI is France's largest consulting company and SESA
offers data processing services to the French market. Of the
5,000 jobs currently filled, 80 percent are engineering jobs with the
remaining 20 percent management. CAP SESA had revenues of FFr 2,600
million for 1988 and is composed of 17 different companies.

(Peter Vekinis/19890317)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00001)

CAP INTERNATIONAL APPLAUDS ADOBE FONT PARTNERS
NORWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- Research firm
CAP International has issued a statement on the new key font partners
added by Adobe [see Newsbytes Trends report] and announced at the
Seybold publishing conference. According to the firm, the new partners,
Compugraphic, Monotype, and Varityper, will offer PostScript
customers an incredibly broad range of new typefaces to choose from.

A key part of the agreement, according to CAP, is that the PostScript
clones will have a much harder time achieving market share. CAP
spokesman Rob Auster said that no clone has the comprehensive
program to address the technical font issues, or Adobe's strong
marketing and support programs.

Auster said that this move helps cement Adobe's position as the
industry standard in page description languages.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Martha Johnson, CAP, 617-982-9500)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SGP)(00002)

SINGAPORE FIRM DEVELOPS FIRST AUTOMATIC AIDS DETECTION SYSTEM
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 MAR 16 (NB) -- Yesterday saw the unveiling of
the first automatic AIDS testing system by a new Singapore start-up
company Life Technologies Pte. Ltd.

With the help of the Economic Development Board and the Singapore
Institute of Standards and Industrial Research, this small firm of
just four people developed a robot analysis system known as Robot TL-1
to handle the automatic analysis of biological samples to test for the
presence of the AIDS virus, reducing the danger of contamination by
the laboratory staff, improving the consistency of results, and
speeding up the testing process.

(Michael Worsley/19890316)


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

AT&T INTRODUCES NEW MID-RANGE COMPUTER
BASKING RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- AT&T
has introduced a major new addition to its line of mid-range,
departmental computers. The new computer, called the 3B2/1000, is
aimed at providing "breakthrough" price/performance, and was
announced at a symposium in Orlando, Fla., held by AT&T.

The 3B2/1000 will deliver more flexibility and efficiency to
commercial and government computers users, according to the
company. Numerous configurations are available for the new
computer, which runs thousands of applications under the Unix
operating system.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Dick Muldoon, AT&T, 201-221-2694)


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

NIXDORF AND ON TECHNOLOGY LICENSE APOLLO NETWORK SYSTEM
CHELMSFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- Nixdorf
Computer and ON Technology have both licensed Apollo's Network
Computing System [NCS], an industry standard for multivendor
computer networks. Both companies are said to be evaluating the
use of NCS for inclusion into their future product offerings.

Introduced in 1987 by Apollo, NCS has gained widespread acceptance
as an industry standard for network computing, with support for
every platform from personal computers to supercomputers.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Mark Lederhos, Apollo, 508-256-6600)


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

SUNGARD TO OFFER DISASTER RECOVERY SERVICES IN CANADA
WAYNE, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 16 (NB) -- SunGard Recovery
Services and STM Systems of Toronto will work together to provide
IBM disaster recovery services in Canada through an new STM
Systems unit.

The new unit, to be named STM-SunGard Recovery Services, will
establish a complete recovery facility in Toronto, with hot-site,
cold-site, office, and terminal space.

Subscribers to the service will have immediate access to a fully
equipped and operational IBM data center and use of ready-
conditioned space for the installation of replacement or additional
equipment.

The companies will be offering a team of recovery specialists, systems
support and network engineers to assist subscribers in the event of
any disaster.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Susan Hetzel, SunGard, 215-341-8819)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00006)

NEW OPERATING SYSTEM FOR HARRIS RTX 2000
MANHATTAN BEACH, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 10 (NB) -- pF/x, a
multitasking, multiuser operating system, has been introduced for
the Harris RTX 2000 microcontroller by FORTH, Inc. The system is
optimized for real-time control applications in areas such as
process control, data communications, robotics and instrumentation.

The pF/x operating system can operate coresident with MS-DOS on the
IBM PC and on the RTX 2000 for implementing multiprocessor
applications. Interprocessor communication is implemented
automatically by pF/x through the use of "mailboxes" which allow the
RTX 200 to be dedicated to tasks such as data collection while the
PC is used for data analysis.

pF/x is part of the polyFORTH program development environment. An
integrated editor, interpreter, compiler and debugger comprise the
remainder of the system. The $3,350 pF/x module will be available
in March for the Silicon Composers FOX board and in April for the
Harris Demonstration Board. Complete source code, documentation,
and one year of extended support will be included.

(Wayne Yacco/19890317)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00007)

MILTON BRADLEY PUTS CANDYLAND, CHUTES AND LADDERS, ON DISK
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- If parents get
fed up with their kids' obsession with death and destruction, the standard
fare of video games, they can steer them toward more placid forms
of competition -- the video game versions of Chutes and Ladders, and
Candyland. The venerable board games are now on disk, $14.95, for
Apple II computers, Commodore 64 and 128 machines, and IBM PCs and
compatibles. Both games were designed to make perfect first computer
games for children, ages three to 10. The games, designed by GameTek,
require only use of the space bar and a single entry key, and are for
kids without computer experience nor reading ability. To find out
where these games are sold, in the U.S. call 1-800-328-4827, extension
#1765.

(Wendy Woods/19890317/Contact: Abbe Gordon, Mona Meyer and
McGrath [public relations], 612-831-8241)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00008)

CPM BYTES DOS
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989, MAR 17 (NB) -- The IBM Computer
Club -- Valley Computer Club will host a pair of local computer
consultants as speakers for its next meeting on Wednesday April 5,
1989. The meeting will be held at the Burbank Board of Realtors
building, 2006 W. Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank, California.

The evening will commence at 7:00 p.m. with the first talk presented
by Wayne A. Yacco on using and interfacing low-cost CPM computers as
an efficient adjunct for the IBM PC. Following the first speaker,
Barry Cole will explain how simple hardware modifications can
convert Kaypro CPM computers into 8 MHz. machines. A comparison
between a modified Kaypro and an 80386 running similar applications
will demonstrate an unexpected increase in CPM processing power.

(Wayne Yacco/19890317/Contact: Wes Arnold 213-221-4433)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00009)

SOFTWARE RENTAL TO DISCONTINUE
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- Japan Micro Computer Software
Rental Association, engaged in rental activities of software
packages for personal computers and game machines, has announced
that it will end its rental business this month.

Over the years, the association battled with the Software Legal
Protection Observation Organization in the Japan Personal Computer
Software Association over the legality of software rental.
However, the war of words became a battle in the courts when a
rental company, located at Toyama Prefecture, Japan, was accused of
software copyright violation this January. The incident was a big
blow to the rental association, which has come to a conclusion that it
will no longer go on with the lending service.

Japan's market surveys have disclosed that rented software
packages have been copied in several companies and between
users and that the duplication has been reducing revenues of
software houses.

(Ken Takahashi/19890315)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00010)

REDUNDANT DATA PROCESSING SITES HELP KEEP CARS ON ROAD
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- The National Roads and
Motorists Association of Australia [NRMA] has completed
installation of its 'hot-site' addition to the world-renowned
automobile service despatch system, well ahead of schedule. The
system is currently being adopted by motorists' service
organizations throughout the world, including the U.K.-based Royal
Auto Club.

Before bringing the Sydney hot-site online, the system was
vulnerable because of the reliability on one central site. Now,
the second site provides security and disaster protection. Data
is carried between the two sites by microwave and broadband
land line links. In addition, all 380 service vehicles carry
radio-linked mobile data terminals. The addition of the new
hot-site has taken system response time to below one second
during the heaviest usage periods, such as freak storms and
floods.

(Paul Zucker/19890317)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00011)

LASER SHOW RALLIES NEW CALEDONIANS FOR ELECTION SPEECHES
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- A Sydney-based laser
display company recently assisted the French government in New
Caledonia by advertising an important rally -- on the bottom of
the clouds. Laservision controls its display laser systems with
Toshiba 3200 laptops so it wasn't that difficult to pack up the
system and fly to New Caledonia and put on the show, all in less
than 24 hours from the request.

The system can hold up to 15,000 images on its 70 megabyte hard
disk. Its gas plasma screen is essential because the system is
often used in the dark, so a conventional liquid crystal screen
would not suffice. Typical laser images consist of around 350
discrete points which the laser must scan between rapidly.
Laservision's software can correct for the non-linearity due to
sloping of curved surfaces carrying the projected image. Although
the lasers are relatively low-powered, the bright image is due to
persistence in the human eye. The company charges around AUS$6000
for a typical show, and has already handled product launches for
Compaq and IBM. At present the system can control four lasers
though the next version will control up to 260, either hard-wired
or connected by modem.

(Paul Zucker/19890317)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00012)

ATARI LAUNCHES MEDIA BLITZ, OFFERS LOW PRICES, HANDHELD COMPUTER
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- Atari Corporation
is launching a TV and print assault with a six-week saturation campaign
supporting dealers in 20 markets, according to publicist Marty
Winston. The advertising campaign will feature the 520 ST, 1040 ST,
Mega 2 and Mega 4 systems. As a campaign special, Atari is lowering
the price of its 1040 ST to $799.95. Its PostScript-compatible laser
printer, now shipping, is being priced at $1,495 during a special
promotion. The printer, called the SLM-804PCV, works with Atari
Mega 2 and Mega 4 systems, outputs eight pages per minute of copy with a
resolution of 300 dots-per-inch, and comes with 17 fonts.

At Comdex, Atari will show a handheld computer, called Folio,
which it says will ship this summer. The 128K $299 computer with
built-in MS-DOS 2.11, has a 16 character by eight line liquid
crystal display, and a 128 kilobytes of random access memory. It
also has a 63-key keyboard. The unit, unveiled in England in late
February at the Which? Computer Show, uses credit card-sizes
program cards and comes with a spreadsheet, text editor, scheduler,
and clipboard. It can link with PCs and offers some compatibility
with popular PC applications, according to publicist Marty Winston.
Its batteries have the potential of lasting six to eight weeks,
he says. The Folio is scheduled to ship in the second half of this
year.

Meanwhile the expected sale of its Federated Group of electronics
stores, and an important distribution channel, hasn't daunted the
Atari sales staff. Atari claims it will have another 200 to 300
business computer centers as distributors by year's end and that
its dealer recruitment campaign has achieved a 150-percent growth
in distributors since November.

(Wendy Woods/19890318)


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

INTEL APPEAL STOPS HYUNDAI EPROMS FROM ENTERING COUNTRY
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- The International
Trade Commission [ITC] has blocked the importation of Korean firm
Hyundai's EPROM, or erasable programmable read-only-memory
chips, following its determination that the chips violate Intel's patents.
The ITC also claims that General Instrument, and several other companies
also have EPROM products which infringe on several Intel chip patents.
The commission's "cease and desist" order bans all these EPROMs
from the United States. Still needing to be clarified, however, is whether
Hyundai's or other maker's products which contain these EPROMS
can be allowed in the country.

(Wendy Woods/19890318)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(BOS)(00002)

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE LOOKED INTO FOREIGN COMPUTERS
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- According to
reports published in Time magazine, various U.S. spy agencies have
entered the computers of the Soviet Union and other nations to look
for military and government secrets.

The reports claims the National Security Agency and the CIA have
looked into introducing computer viruses into those systems, but are
concerned about the possibility of retaliation.

(Jon Pepper/19890317)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(BOS)(00003)

GTE RECEIVES $946 MILLION CONTRACT FOR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- GTE has
announced the receipt of a $946 million Army contract for continued
work on a tactical communications system.

The system, known as Mobile Subscriber Equipment [MSE], is in its
fourth production year, and is a secure, digital system that is similar
in concept to cellular mobile phones. In total, GTE will provide more
than 1,400 switching centers, 8,000 mobile radios, and 25,000
telephones.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Jennifer Stapleton, GTE, 508-880-1604)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(BOS)(00004)

COMPUTER SCIENCES RECEIVES $16 MILLION CONTRACT
WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Computer
Sciences Corp. has received a $16 million contract from the
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority [MWRA] for computer
systems integration services.

MWRA will receive an information system that will enable it to
monitor and control the progress of the large capital projects it is
implementing over the next several years in more than 60
communities. Computer Sciences will provide the information system,
consisting of subsystems for financial management, management of capital
programs, maintenance, operations, demand and capacity,
procurement and materials and human resources. There will also be
modules for CAD and geographical data.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: James Saviano, Computer Sciences,
617-647-0116)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(ATL)(00005)

NEWS DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT BOTH TAKE FALL IN TAMPA TV HACK CASE
TAMPA, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- The news director at
WTSP-TV, Terry Cole, was fired along with alleged computer
cracker Michael Shapiro in the wake of a scandal over Shapiro's
reported attempts to break into the computers at rival WTVT-TV and learn
of its plans for covering news events. Cole had hired Shapiro
as assistant news director after Shapiro helped set up the
Digital Equipment VAX-based office automation system at WTVT
last September.

The firings were announced just prior to the 11 p.m. newscast March
15 and reported as the lead story on that newscast. WTSP
officials would not comment, however, on Cole's role in the
computer cracking incident. Instead viewers were told Cole, 32,
and Shapiro, 33, were fired "in an alleged computer crime case,"
and that the dismissals were necessary to enable the station to
"move on with our news operation." Shapiro has been charged with
14 counts of computer related crimes, each carrying a maximum
penalty of 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SFO)(00006)

APPLE WINS ROUND ONE IN COPYRIGHT FIGHT WITH MICROSOFT
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- A federal
District Court judge has decided that Microsoft's Windows 2.03
exceeded the limits of an agreement Microsoft signed with Apple
Computer in 1985, allowing it to develop the first version of Windows.
The ruling by District Court Judge William Schwarzer in San
Francisco, the first in a battle between Apple and Microsoft over the
"look and feel" of Macintosh software, gives Apple the first victory.
"The bottom line is that Windows 2.03 is not licensed under the
agreement," the judge told the courtroom.

The second part of the lawsuit, expected to be heard starting April
14, will involve Apple's charge that Windows 2.03 and Hewlett-Packard's
New Wave interface, both for the rival PC, violate Apple's copyright on
the audio-video interface of the Macintosh.

"I am pleased by today's ruling as it validates Apple's on-going contention
that Windows 2.03 exceeds our original agreement," stated Apple
executive Al Eisenstadt following the ruling. There was no comment
at deadline from Microsoft.

Observers say the hardest part of the case lies ahead, but when
the issue is determined, it may affect other icon and window-based
products which give the Macintosh icons and windows to PC software,
including Presentation Manager which Microsoft developed for IBM.

(Wendy Woods/19890318)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SGP)(00007)

SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT EXPLAIN GUIDELINES FOR SME SUPPORT
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 MAR 16 (NB) -- The Singapore government has
identified the minimum size for a company to be able to most profitably
make use of its support, as those small to medium-sized firms [SMEs] with
more than 10 staff. A SME is defined as a company or firm having less
than 50 employees. However, this 'rule-of-thumb' is not rigidly
applied, particularly when it comes to innovative high technology
developments, as was borne out when a recent success story involved a
firm with only four employees.

"In our view," said Mr. Philip Yeo, chairman of the Economic
Development Board, "these 8,700 SME's and innovative start-ups possess
the capacity and capability to upgrade and innovate." He went on to
explain how the over 60,000 smaller concerns in Singapore were not
usually able to take advantage of the extra support available.

Since 1976, over 38,000 SME projects were approved for tax incentives,
loans, and grants totalling S$1.4 billion [US$0.7 billion]. The grants
cover areas such as product development, automation and computerization,
export market development, and management consultancy support, as
well as the long-established training grants from the Skills Devlopment
Fund Scheme.

Whilst for many schemes there is a requirement of at least partial
local ownership, the government has the underlying requirement that
Singapore as a nation should benefit from the developments arising out
of the grants or tax benefits, and consequently, many foreign
companies have been attracted to Singapore as a result, bringing with
them much desirable new technology, innovative ideas, and helping
Singapore to become one of the leading 'little tigers' in recent years.

(Michael Worsley/19890316)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TOR)(00008)

GANDALF WINS PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACT
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Gandalf Data has won
a C$380,000 contract to install voice and data communications
lines in Public Works Canada's Sir Charles Tupper building in
Ottawa. The federal department's headquarters houses some 1,200
people, and the communications system will provide both voice and
data communications on every desktop.

(Grant Buckler/19890316/Contact: Janice Drummond, Gandalf Data,
613-564-0183)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LON)(00009)

TWO FINNISH BUSINESSMAN JAILED FOR ILLEGAL COMPUTER EXPORTS
HELSINKI, FINLAND, 1989 MAR 18 (NB) -- Two Finnish businessman
have been jailed for high treason, following a lengthy court case
involving illegal exports of computer hardware to the Soviet
Union. The men, who have not been named, have been jailed for a
total of 34 months.

Announcing its sentence last week, the Helsinki Appeals Court
said that the men's actions has endangered Finland's relations
with the countries where the computers where the computers were
made. The 19 computers and their associated hardware, all of
which are forbidden under Cocom rules to be exported or
re-exported to the Soviet Union, were manufactured primarily in the
U.K., West Germany and the U.S.

(Steve Gold/19890318)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LON)(00010)

PRESSURE GROWS FOR ANTI-HACKING LEGISLATION
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 MAR 18 (NB) -- Pressure is growing in the
U.K. for specific anti-hacking legislation, following outbreaks
of computer virus programs and recent well-publicised hacks on
computer systems throughout Europe. Five members of the British
parliament, including Geoffrey Pattie, the former U.K. Information
Technology minister, are calling for changes in legislation.

To date in the U.K., little has been done on the subject of
computer hacking. Both the Scottish and English Law Commissions
have issued draft documents on the matter, with the English Law
Commission inviting comments prior to issuing its finds on the
subject.

One of the MPs, Emma Nicholson, a former ICL programming
technician, plans to submit a private members bill for
consideration as law by the U.K. parliament. If successful, she
and her colleagues will have preempted the Law Commissions in
their studies. She wants the government to move quickly, however,
to prevent a major hacking catastrophe.

Despite the speed with which Nicholson and her colleagues have
moved towards getting a private member's bill going, the bill
with have to wait for its turn in the parliamentary queue.
According to Nicholson, that could be as long as five or six
months. This will still be faster than the English and Scottish
Law Commission's studies on the matter, which have been almost
two years in the making to date.

(Steve Gold/19890318)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00001)

IBM HIKES US PRICES FIVE PERCENT; EUROPE TO FOLLOW SUIT?
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 MAR 18 (NB) -- IBM U.S. has announced that
it will increase its product and service pricing immediately and
as Newsbytes went to press, sources suggested that smaller increases
will be selectively applied to IBM's product range in Europe, as well.

According to the McGraw-Hill news wire in the U.S., the five percent
price hike will apply to all IBM products and services supplied
in the U.S. Hardware pricing is increased with immediate effect,
although users with rental, leasing and service agreements get a
breathing space until 1 July, allowing them time to renegotiate
and put off an increase until next year's renewal date.

IBM United Kingdom was unavailable for comment on the U.S. rises,
and nothing is known as to how they would affect U.K. and European pricing.
Newsbytes' U.K. computer dealer sources suggest, however, that a three
percent hardware price rise is in the pipeline for U.K. dealers,
with a similar rise for IBM's European dealerships expected.

(Steve Gold/19890318)


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

IBM DEALERS SEEING SHORTAGES OF PS/2 PRODUCTS
ARMONK, NEW YORK, US.A. 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- IBM resellers
have been experiencing product shortages on popular models of the
company's PS/2 line of personal computers. IBM reported that Model
50, Model 70, and Model 80 computers are in short supply, with demand far
outstripping the production estimates the company had made.

No word was issued on when the product shortages might ease up,
particularly for the PS/2 products based on the 386-processor.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Scott Brooks, 201-930-5231)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SGP)(00003)

COMPAQ SAYS FIRST EISA SYSTEM TO BE LAUNCHED IN JULY
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- Speaking at a seminar here on
MCA [IBM's Micro Channel Architecture] versus EISA, a proposed competing
system based on MS-DOS, company officers revealed that Compaq plans to
launch its first EISA system in July, just six months after the proposed,
detailed
"standard" was agreed by the industry at the meeting in Boston in January
of this year.

Showing for the first time in public in this region an example of the
new connector, which will allow current ISA standard 8-bit and 16-bit
add-in cards to be used in the new EISA sockets, as well as the new 32-
bit cards, Compaq officials confirmed the firm is working with a number of
unnamed companies to launch what they say will be the first complete
system with both hardware and software designed around the new
standard by the end of July 1989.

They admitted that other firms may launch individual products prior to
then, but without both hardware [system and peripherals] and
software designed for the new standard, the major benefits promised
will not realized by the user.

(Michael Worsley/19890318)


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

GRID INTRODUCES MICRO CHANNEL CLONE, NEW LAPTOP
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Grid Systems
Corporation, the well-known maker of rugged laptop computers,
has introduced its first desktop models, including a clone of IBM's
Micro Channel Architecture [MCA] machines. But don't expect to
see the models in the stores alongside IBM's offerings -- these go
door to door only with Grid's massive direct sales force.

The Grid-Desk 386mc, made by Tandy, Grid's parent company in
Fort Worth, Texas, is based on IBM's Micro Channel bus. Along with
the Grid-Desk 386mc, there's the Grid-Desk 286is, which is not a
Micro Channel clone but is an IBM AT-compatible; both machines are
available in three models. Standard features include VGA graphics
support, a 3.5-inch 1.44 megabyte floppy drive, and serial, parallel,
printer, and mouse ports. A 40 megabyte SCSI [small computer
systems interface] is standard on Model 40, an 80 megabyte hard
disk is standard on Model 80. The 386mc comes with two megabytes
of basic RAM and the 286is with one megabyte. Prices range from
$5,295 for the MCA clone's Model 1 configuration to $7,195 for the
model 80. The Grid-Desk 286is runs from $2,695 to $4,395.
Shipments are scheduled to begin in April.

Grid also unveiled an entry-level laptop, the Grid 140 XT, an 8088,
NEC V-20-based laptop that's IBM PC-compatible and comes standard
with a 20 megabyte hard drive and a 3.5-inch 720 kilobyte floppy drive.
First shipments are slated for April. The machine, weighing 11 pounds,
is priced at $2,595.

Meanwhile, Grid has announced it will sell 3Com, Banyan, and
Novell networks through its 520-member direct sales force, which
service Fortune 1,000 companies and the government. In addition,
the company will convert 60 Radio Shack stores into Grid Systems
Business Centers where products will be demonstrated and
purchasing plans will be available for large corporate clients. The
conversion is expected to cost between $4 and $5 million. "We
need somewhere to take people other than a sales office," said
Bruce Walter, Grid Systems vice president of sales and marketing.

(Wendy Woods/19890318/Contact: Jim Detar, Grid, 415-656-4700)


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

LOTUS TO INTRODUCE SECOND 1-2-3 UPGRADE
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- Published
reports and sources close to the company all indicate that
Lotus is ready to announce a second, less complex upgrade to its
best-selling spreadsheet product, 1-2-3. According to reports, the new
upgrade, to be called Release 2.2, will be designed to co-exist with the still-
unreleased and long-delayed Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3.

Version 2.2 will run comfortably on 512K of memory, something that
Release 3 will not be able to do. This makes Release 2.2 a logical
upgrade for those Lotus users who aren't ready to move up into the
new generation of more powerful hardware and high memory
standards.

Analysts are mixed over whether the expected move by Lotus will
help or hurt the company, which has seen its once iron-clad grip
on the PC spreadsheet market loosen over the last twelve months.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Bryan Simmons, Lotus, 617-225-1696)


(EXCLUSIVE)(IBM)(LAX)(00006)

XEROX CUTS VENTURA PRICES BY HUNDREDS
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Xerox has revealed a
thus-far unannounced program which reduces the cost of Xerox Ventura
Publisher by hundreds of dollars. The program has been in effect
since March 1, 1989 and runs through the end of July this year.
Xerox's offer allows buyers of Ventura Publisher to also purchase
either Xerox Ventura Publisher: 2.0 Professional Extension or Xerox
Graph for $99 if they attend a free seminar provided by Xerox and
offered through its dealers.

Customers can purchase Ventura Publisher through the participating
dealer of their choice but must buy the $99 bonus directly from
Xerox. Any number of purchases can qualify under the plan.

The program is in effect and scheduled for formal announcement in
the near future. An announcement may be being withheld until Xerox
Graph is closer to its May shipment date.

(Wayne Yacco/19890316)


(EXCLUSIVE)(IBM)(BOS)(00007)

XEROX DEMONSTRATES NEW FORMS PROCESSING SOFTWARE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- Xerox
Corporation demonstrated its new forms processing software,
FormBase, to a Newsbytes representative here Wednesday.
The new product, which is expected to sell for $495 when it is
released in June, is a new category of forms processing and database
software. Unlike other products currently on the market, FormBase
allows users to create a database at the same time they are painting
their form on screen. No knowledge of programming is necessary.

Changes to the form are reflected in the database structure
automatically, making the product extremely flexible for managers
and other non-programmers.

"We expect forms processing to be the next generation of software,
with Xerox FormBase as the perceived leader," said Art Coles, vice
president and general manager of the Xerox Desktop Software
Business Unit. "We feel we have the opportunity to define an
entirely new field of software with FormBase," Coles added.

FormBase was developed by Columbia Software of Northridge, Calif.,
and will be marketed by Xerox under an exclusive worldwide
marketing agreement.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Christian de Quincey, Hill &
Knowlton, 408-496-6511)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00008)

PC GLOBE+ GOES AROUND THE WORLD FOR $70
TEMPE, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 10 (NB) -- Comwell Systems has
announced the release of PC-Globe +, a geography software program
designed "to stem the tide of geographic illiteracy," according to the
company. The program is an update to PC-Globe, and features
maps, a comprehensive database for 177 countries, and the
ability to generate "geographic-graphics" for slide presentations or
desktop publishing. The new version retails for $70, but upgrades
are available for $20 to registered owners. The program has
pull-down menus, full color maps displaying elevations, cities,
rivers, lakes, mountains, and other geographical features. The
database has information on each country's population, age
distribution, literacy, languages, ethnic groups, religions, health
statistics, economic data, politics, commodities, exports, tourist
attractions, telex, telephone and radio codes. Special utilities
also convert foreign currency, calculate exchange rates, and figure
out point-to-point distances.

(Wendy Woods/19890317/Contact: Rob Kay, Pac-Tech
Communications, 415-777-2760)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00009)

IBM LICENSES UNRELEASED GRAPHICS PACKAGE
MONTVALE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- IBM has
licensed an unreleased graphics package that is being developed by a
start-up company based in Boston.

The program, which is currently called Hollywood, is being
developed by Publishing Solutions, Inc. of Boston, and is an object-
oriented graphics engine that can assist in desktop publishing
software.

Capable of working under either Windows or Presentation Manager,
the new product is intended to help IBM gain a better foothold
in the competitive, graphics-oriented desktop publishing market.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Scott Brooks, IBM, 201-930-5231)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00010)

CAD RETURNS MONEY
TEMPE, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 1 (NB)--Evolution Computing is
offering a 30-day, money-back guarantee on its full line of CAD
software. The unconditional warrantee applies to FastCAD, EasyCAD,
and the Mechanical Design Environment [MDE] by Lord Technologies.
According to Benton Peugh, Evolution's administrative director, the
company is able to offer the program because its software has "very
few support problems."

(Wayne Yacco/19890316/Contact: 602-967-8633)


(EXCLUSIVE)(IBM)(LAX)(00011)

OPEN ACCESS ACCESS OPEN
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989, MAR 1 (NB) -- Palindromes aside,
Software Products International has begun shipping a compiler for
its Open Access II modular database system. The royalty-free
compiler allows applications written in Open Access II to be
distributed without incurring additional costs. Applications
written with the system can run up to 20 times faster than before.
A $100 discount is being offered on the $895 product through March
31, 1989.

Database compilers were first popularized by products such as
Nantucket's Clipper. It and several others for the dBASE language
have recently been joined by similar products for other databases
such as Microrim's R:Base compiler. The R:Base compiler and the one
just announced for Open Access differ from most earlier products in
that they are being marketed directly by the database vendors rather
than by third parties such as Nantucket or Wordtech. Ashton-Tate
has also announced plans to ship its own dBase compiler.

Open Access's entry differs from similar compilers in a second way
because the underlying language is part of an integrated product --
which emphasizes the strength of its database -- not a stand-alone
application. Other software integrated into the Open Access package
includes a spreadsheet and word processor. All modules work with
the new network-ready compiler which provides support for SQL
[structured query language]. A complement of desktop accessories,
including a calendar, business card file, calculator, note pad and
stop watch is also provided.

According to Director of Operations James DeBello, language-specific
versions of the product are offered in German, Spanish, Italian,
French, Dutch, Norwegian and Finnish. However, the discount program
does not apply to the company's separate European distribution
agreements.

(Wayne Yacco/19890316/Contact: 800-937-4774, 619-450-1526)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00012)

A/P ADDED TO SMALL-BUSINESS ACCOUNTING PACKAGE
NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 1 (NB) -- MiccaSoft has
introduced an accounts-payable module for its Small Business
Accounting Series software. Reports include a check register,
vendor aging, cash requirements, discounts taken or lost, pending
orders, vendor activity, monthly vendor purchases, labels, Rolodex
cards, and others. Multiple payments to a vendor can be combined on
a single draft or made with several instruments. Manual checks are
also supported. The menu-driven module lists for $125 with a 50 percent
discount is available to registered owners of other modules.

(Wayne Yacco/19890316/Contact: 512-629-4341)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00013)

RADIO SHACK EMULATES PROPRINTER
FORT WORTH, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 1 (NB)--Radio Shack has announced
a 300-dot-per-inch dot matrix printer with emulation for the IBM
Proprinter X24. The 24-wire, 270-characters-per-second DMP 300
prints both text and graphics.

The $299 printer will become available in June of this year. A
built-in push tractor, a 12,000-byte print buffer and a 32,000-byte
font buffer, for downloaded fonts, are included in the price.

Fonts for the DMP 300 include 10, 12, and 17.1 pitch proportional,
elongated, boldface and italic with subscript, superscript, double
height, and microfont capability. An IBM Alternate Graphics Mode
gives the unit greater compatibility with graphics-based software.

(Wayne Yacco/19890316)


(NEWS)(IBM)(ATL)(00014)

HNC INTRODUCES EXPLORENET NEURAL NET FOR IBM PCS
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- Hecht-Nielsen
Neurocomputers has introduced ExploreNet, a neural networking
package for IBM PCs and compatibles, which lets users download
trained and customized neural nets written on HNC's own Anza and
Anza-plus coprocessors and run them on the PC. ExploreNet can
execute all 17 of HNC's neural network paradigms and is fully
compatible with its Neurosoft software used in the Anza coprocessors.
The product costs $995, with the purchase of an Anza hardware
board, and there are site licenses available. The Axon neural network
description language, a customizing package for Anza neural nets,
is also now available at $995.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/Contact: Julie Hotz, HNC, 619-546-
8877)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00015)

PC/AT-COMPATIBLE LAPTOPS DUE FROM IBM-COMPATIBLE BOARD VENDOR
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 MAR 8 (NB) -- Tokyo-based IBM-compatible board
vendor Nippon Board Computer has developed PC/AT-compatible laptop
computers equipped with large-capacity hard disks. The firm will
release a 16-bit NBCC286 laptop by the end of this month and a
32-bit NBCC386 laptop for overseas markets next month. Also, the
company will release the NBC386AX laptop, which is a Japanese version
of an IBM-compatible 32-bit machine, for the Japanese market next
month.

The NBCC286 will come with a 16 megahertz 80C286 central processing
unit and a two megabyte main memory expandable to five megabytes, and
a 16-gradation, backlit liquid crystal display with 640 by 480 dots.
The built-in hard disk drives are optional from 20 megabytes to 400
megabytes. The new machine is powered by batteries for two hours.
Nippon Board Computer has concentrated on making the new machine
small, thus it measures 12.6 inches wide by 13.6 inches deep by
3.6 inches in height and weighs in at 12.1 pounds.

The price has not been decided since decisions still have to be
made regarding marketing. Nippon Board Computer will first
export the new laptops to Europe, Canada, and Southeast Asian
countries. The president of the firm claims, "The United States will
be the last one, because there is a tariff wall in the country."
And he expects to produce the IBM-compatible laptops for the U.S.
market in the U.S. The firm estimates that 10,000 to 20,000 units
will be sold in the initial year.

(Ken Takahashi/19890315/Contact: Nippon Board Computer, 03-837-5866)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00016)

PLAY FUZZY LOGIC ON YOUR PC
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 MAR 9 (NB) -- Fuji Denki has developed computer-
assisted instruction or CAI materials with which so-called "fuzzy
logic" can be learned on a personal computer. Fuji Denki has compiled
the software in collaboration with the NTT Central Electronic
Communication Academy and Professor Kaoru Hirota of Hosei University.
According to Fuji Denki, even general users and university students can
learn to program with fuzzy logic with this kit. The package comes
with a manual and floppy disk for either NEC's PC9800 series or Fujitsu's
FM series. Fuji Denki will release the learning materials through NTT
Learning Systems at the price of 58,000 yen or $450.

Fuzzy logic is a new programming set which deals with vague concepts
that conventional digital computers cannot process.

(Ken Takahashi/19890315)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00017)

AT SONY THE NEWS IS PCS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Sony has announced eight new
32-bit personal computers, the QuarterL series, designed to build
local area networks or LANs with its best-seller workstation NEWS.
All models of the new QuarterL PCX-300 series are AX machines,
which are 32-bit Japanese IBM-compatibles. The one megabyte main
memory will be expandable to eight megabytes.

The price range of the models are from 278,000 yen or $2,140
for the F11 and up to 698,000 yen or $5,370 for model C41 which comes
with a built-in compact disk read-only-memory or CD-ROM. An
even more powerful model, the X11, is due out this summer for
750,000 yen or $5,770. The model E42, priced at 648,000 yen or $4,985,
has a built-in Ethernet interface, designed in accordance with ISO
8802/3, and capable of being a file server for the LAN.

All in the new line-up have incorporated MS-DOS 3.21, MS-Windows 2.1,
Control 386, and Sony's Japanese front-end processor, JJ-AX.
Additionally, communication software TCP/IP will be provided for
the model E42 and E21, and MS-CDEX, the abbreviation of MS-DOS,
CD-ROM Extensions, will be applied for the C41, C11 and X11.

Sony expects 35,000 units of the new models to be sold in the
initial year on the office market which is far different from
Fujitsu, which has released FM-TOWNS armed with CD-ROM for home
use.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890316)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00018)

SHARP RELEASES NEW AX PERSONAL COMPUTERS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- Sharp will release three 32-bit
desktop IBM-compatible personal computers with Japanese language
features. Called AX386 series, the new PCs will have an 80386 central
processing unit, a two-megabyte main memory expandable to 14
megabytes, and will come standard with MS-DOS 3.2.

The display has resolution of 640 x 480 dots. The price range is
from 590,000 yen or $4,540 to 960,000 yen or $7,400, depending on
the variations of floppy disk and hard disk drives.

(Ken Takahashi/19890315)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00019)

IBM AND ADOBE ANNOUNCE NEW POSTSCRIPT LASER PRINTER
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1989 MAR 18 (NB) -- IBM and Adobe
Systems have jointly announced the Personal Page Printer II, a
desktop PostScript laser printer for European distribution, two months
after its unveiling in the United States. The new printer will work with
IBM PCs, PS/2, RT and compatible computers.

"We're very pleased with IBM's new addition to the Postscript
family of products," said John Warnock, president of Adobe
Systems. "Since the Postscript interpreter is resident within
the printer and has 43 type-styles, it's sure to appeal to dealers
and users alike," he added.

The Personal Page Printer II is available immediately through
IBM's European dealer and VAR [value added reseller] network.
Pricing on the 300 dots-per-inch printer depends on country of
sale and system configuration.

(Steve Gold/19891803/Adobe Systems - Tel: [phone])


(NEW)(IBM)(BRU)(00020)

ADAPTER MAKES A PC ACT AS A 3174 IBM CONTROLLER
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- A new PC adapter offered
by Recognition allows an IBM PC or close compatible to emulate a
IBM 3174 communications controller and thus connect up to four 3270
displays.

The new card offers file transfer facilities with CICS, TSO and
CMS-compatible systems and also supports hard-copy facilities. In
addition, system multitasking of MS-DOS applications and host
communications is also supported.

(Peter Vekinis/19890317/Contact: Recognition, Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00001)

NORTHERN TELECOM, DIGITAL ANNOUNCE ISDN-COMPUTER LINK
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Northern Telecom
and Digital Equipment are linking telephones to computers through
ISDN. Digital's new CIT [Computer Integrated Telephony] server
and VMS CIT Applications Interface software, with Northern's
Integrated Serices Digital Network Applications Protocol
[ISDN/AP] software, integrates computer applications with the
telecommunications services of Northern's Meridian SL-1 private
branch exchange. The tie-in means software can be written for
DEC computers to use Northern's PBX in applications such as
message desks, autodialing from the computer screen,
telemarketing, telephone support centers and service dispatch.

Northern's ISDN/AP software is available now. Digital's new CIT
products will be available in April. The VMS CIT Server software
will cost C$3,643. The VMS CIT Applications Interface software
will cost from C$546 to C$20,000, depending on the hardware used.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Helen Sawick, Northern Telecom,
416-238-7140; Dave Paolini, Digital Equipment of Canada, 416-597-
3529)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(BRU)(00002)

STRONG DEMAND FOR DIGITAL CORDLESS PHONES IN EUROPE
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1989 MAR 16 (NB) -- A study recently carried
out by the European Commission [EC] on the next generation of
cordless phones promises a bright future for the devices, which are
currently outlawed in many European countries because they
interfere with radio frequencies used by emergency services.

The EC study concerns pan-European phones following the Digital
European Cordless Telephone system which will allow these phones
to be used at home, at work or at 'telepoints' in public places
throughout the European Community.

The DECT standard allows for the use of a common identification
procedure for billing purposes across the EC's DECT-compatible
networks. The system, known as the Common Air Interface [CAI], is
scheduled to be unveiled by several prospective DECT service
networks by the summer of 1990.

The DECT system will offer both business and private users
communications ranging from telephone calls to computer links,
which enable people to work outside the office. The home digital
cordless phone market is expected to reach ECU 1000-1500 [about
$1300 to $1800 million] by 1995.

The benefits of the DECT system are derived from its ability to
cater to the three main categories of use -- at home, at work and
through telepoints -- leading to better commercial prospects than
if separate systems are developed. In addition, the call costs are
much lower than existing analogue cellular phones.

(Peter Vekinis/19890316)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00003)

MINITEL-LIKE NETWORK STARTS IN NEW YORK
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- New York Networks --
the first American Minitel consumer service -- has been launched in
the Big Apple. Subscribers can access the system via PCs or
Macintoshes running software with a "Minitel mode," found on such
software packages as Mirror II and MacTell. For a limited time,
Baseline, the parent company of New York Networks, is offering an
introductory three months free subscription to Networks for purchasers of
Mirror II or MacTell software.

No details on exact services on the system were available at
press time, but Baseline President James Monaco emphasized the system's
focus will be "entertainment and communications."

The Minitel, an online system used by millions in France, provides
banking, shopping, electronic mail, and other services.

(Wendy Woods/19890317/Contact: Judy Sweeney, G.S.Schwartz [public
relations], 213-696-4744)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(BOS)(00004)

BELLCORE FIRST TO INTEGRATE LIVE VIDEO ON NETWORK
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- Bellcore
researchers have gotten good results from their first experimental prototype
network that combines text, graphics, images, audio, and live video under the
control of the X Windowing System. The prototype is to help determine
how to interconnect various media over public networks.

Referred to as IMAL, or Integrated Media Architecture Laboratory,
the prototype has proven that advanced telecommunication services
and computer applications can be supported with a relatively simple
extension to the X Window System, a publicly available windowing
system developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Potential applications for the multimedia communications are
manifold, according to the company. For example, two co-authors of
a book in different parts of the country would see each other, access
the same database, edit text simultaneously, and jointly design
artwork for the book -- all from their computer keyboards.

Bellcore provides research and technical support to the telephone
companies Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, BellSouth, NYNEX, Pacific
Telesis, Southwestern Bell Corp., and U.S. West. These regional phone
companies are exploring how multimedia communications might best
be used to transmit a host of personal interactive services over future
broadband integrated services digital networks.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Mike Nelson, Bellcore, 201-740-6181)


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

AT&T PRICE CAP PLAN APPROVED BY FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 MAR 16 (NB) -- The Federal
Communications Commission, as expected, freed AT&T from profit
limits in its long-distance business and imposed a price cap plan
instead. The plan takes effect July 1. Previously AT&T was
limited to a 12 percent return on investment from long distance, and had
to get rate changes approved by the commission. Now it can drop
rates below the ceilings unilaterally. FCC Chairman Dennis
Patrick said current regulation gives AT&T an incentive to pad
expenses. After July 1, AT&T long distance rates can only go up
three percent less than the rate of inflation; a five percent
inflation rate would allow a two percent increase in long
distance prices.

Prices, however, have generally been headed down, and consumer
advocates did not applaud the decision. The FCC also put in a
price floor to prevent AT&T from predatory attacks against the
market share of competitors like MCI and Sprint. An AT&T
spokesman claimed to be "mystified" by that action.

While the decision could legally be overturned by Congress, that
seems highly unlikely. Two noted opponents of the price cap, Rep.
John Dingell of Michigan, chairman of the House Energy and
Commerce Committee and Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts,
chairman of the telecommunications and finance subcommittee, said
they would introduce a bill calling for the General Accounting
Office to monitor the consumer effect of the FCC action, but no
bills are being introduced to overturn the FCC's decision.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317)


(EXCLUSIVE)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00006)

FIDONET TAKES CENTER STAGE AS NABBSO CALLS IT QUITS
MELVILLE, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- The International
Fidonet Association will remain the only organized voice of
bulletin board system operators, or sysops, after attempts to
organize sysops nationwide under the logo of the National
Association of Bulletin Board System Operators were halted for
lack of interest. Bill Griffin of Roswell, Georgia, sysop of the
JOBBS board, called Newsbytes March 14 to announce he was
abandoning plans to offer insurance and other services to sysops
because so few expressed interest in his plan.

Don Daniels, president of the International Fidonet Association,
acknowledged that, by their nature, sysops don't want to be
organized. "Our people are very concerned about freedom. Freedom
of exchange of information, and freedom to do things their own
way. It also goes toward selfishness at times -- sometimes
they're not willing to work together and reduce costs jointly."

Daniels also estimates 80 percent of Fido BBS Sysops are using U.S.
Robotics Courier 9600 HST modems which do not obey the V.32
protocol in their high-speed ranges. Many overseas Fido boards,
however, are using Telebit Trailblazer modems, which Daniels says
work better than Couriers over dirty lines. Of 4,500 Fidonet
systems, 1,500 are overseas, with 1,100 systems in Europe and at
least one in Botswana. Node lists are available on most Fido
boards.

Daniels also addressed the problem of relations between sysops
and phone companies. "I'm sure that on both sides there are
radicals. We think we do a great deal for the telephone
companies, and if they encouraged us they could make more money."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/Contact: FidoNet Opus bulletin board,
516-367-3758)


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

COMPUSERVE SUBSCRIBER LIST PASSES THE 500,000 MARK
COLUMBUS, OHIO, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- CompuServe reported
March 14 it has 500,000 subscribers, and is the world's largest
online service. The lead was won through consistency and
persistence over ten years, according to President Charles W.
McCall. "Over the years, we've seen companies enter this industry
with a big bang, then find they're unable to offer a service of
real value to personal computer users. We've never lost sight of
the value of information, and we stayed the course of providing
an online service that has as its cornerstone a very basic
concept: people using their personal computers as windows on the
world to share ideas, exchange information and apply it to their
own personal and professional lives."

McCall attributes the company's consistent growth to several
key points: CompuServe's early understanding of the power and
value of the personal computer, the value of providing high
quality and timely information, developing innovative products
and services, and staying in touch with its members.

"During our early years, other companies built services focusing
on pictures and graphic images accessible only through expensive
custom terminals. In contrast, CompuServe's early strategy was to
create a service that was designed to be accessible by owners of
early personal computer models," McCall said. "By being able to
accommodate the 32-character screens of that era, and then
evolving our service to adapt to the expanded capabilities of
later PC models, we attracted a broad audience to our wide range
of value-added information services."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/Contact: Kitty Thomas, CompuServe,
614-457-8600)


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

MCI ANNOUNCES TELEPHONE SERVICE FOR ALL SHIPS AT SEA
RYE BROOK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- MCI is now
offering voice, data and facsimile service to all ships at sea
using its International Maritime Satellite system, or Immersat.
MCI calls it the first worldwide, low-cost alternative to AT&T's
services with the world's shipping.

To get these services, however, you'll need an Immarsat earth
station terminal, like the one MCI has sold since 1982 for telex
services. Those without antennas will still be able to get RCA
telegram and telex services from coast stations located in
Chatham, Mass. and Point Reyes, Calif. The ability to complete
such calls automatically, now available only from Chatham, will
be extended to the West Coast in June.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/Contact: Jane Levene, MCI, 914-930-
6480)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00009)

TELEBIT TELECOMMUNICATIONS TRAINING FOR SOFTSEL DEALERS
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 6 (NB) -- As part of an
alliance with Softsel Computer Products for the distribution
of its line of high-speed modems, Telebit Corporation will also
participate in Connections '89. The Connections series of one day
technical-training forums on connectivity products is sponsored by
Softsel. Open to dealers attending Softeach, the telecommunications
forums are being held the following Monday in each of these cities:
San Francisco, March 20; Chicago, April 3; London, May 8; and Paris
May 19. Advance registration for Softsel dealers is $35.

Softsel will feature Telebit modems ranging from the T1000, a 9,600
bps [bits per second] asynchronous model, to the T2000, a 19,200 bps
model with SNA SDLC synchronous and asynchronous capabilities.
Softsel will also carry the TrailBlazer Plus and TB+ rack-mount
Telebit models.

(Wayne Yacco/19890316)


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

THE SOFTWARE LINK ANNOUNCES ISDN SOFTWARE PRODUCTS
ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 12 (NB) -- The Software Link
announced its PC-MOS operating system, as well as its LANLink and
PC EmuLink products, are all compatible with ISDN [integrated services
digital network] standards. To prove the point, AT&T showed all three
running under ISDN at a Scottsdale, Arizona trade show, Net Power '89.

PC-MOS is a multiuser, multitasking operating system compatible
with MS-DOS. LANLink 5X is a software-driven local area network
which lets computers share data through serial or parallel
cables at up to 500,000 bits per second. PC EmuLink is a terminal
emulator for PCs that offers PC-MOS' file-sharing capabilities
with PC users able to move back into DOS by typing a hot-key
combination such as alt-F10. PC-MOS tested the products which
resulted in this announcement with Southern Bell, which
implemented ISDN at its Atlanta offices in February, 1988.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/Contact: Terrie O'Hanlon, The Software
Link 404-448-5465)


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

METROMEDIA SIGNS TO BECOME FIFTH LARGEST LONG DISTANCE FIRM
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- Metromedia
Company, parent of Metromedia Long Distance, signed a letter of
intent with ITT Corporation to purchase its long distance telephone division,
ITT Communications Services, Inc., and its call accounting equipment
and services unit, ITT Chernow Communications, for an undisclosed price.
The acquisition will make Metromedia Long Distance one of the five
largest long distance carriers in the United States.

Most ITT accounts are in the Northeast, Southeast, and Far West
regions. Metromedia accounts are mainly in Texas, Florida, and
the New York/New Jersey area. Both companies offer international
service. The transaction is subject to approvals by state and
federal regulators, and is expected to be completed sometime this
fall.

Metromedia Company once owned a chain of TV stations and a
cellular phone company, and still holds a majority interest in Orion
Pictures, but otherwise owns companies in telecommunications,
robotic painting, computer software, along with businesses in the
hospitality industry.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/Contact: Carole Smargon of Metromedia
Long Distance Company, 201-348-3244)


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

TYMNET WINS MAJOR BUSINESS FROM FORD
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Ford Motor Co. has
signed an exclusive contract worth $8.5 million with Tymnet, the
packet switch subsidiary of McDonnell-Douglas. All 5,000 Ford
dealerships in the U.S. will use Tymnet to connect with a number
of online company services. Tymnet won out over WATS, 800
number, and leased-line transmission alternatives, partly
because of Tymnet's network-resident protocol conversion. Ford's
dealerships have terminals ranging from TI-707s to TI minicomputers,
TI-945s and DEC Rainbows.

The online services Ford offers its dealers include an automotive
service information system, called OASIS, which provides
technical service information and tracks automobile recall
campaigns, as well as a direct parts order entry system called
DOES II. A Vehicle Locator System also lets dealers search for a
specific Ford automobile at other dealerships. Log-ins are
automatic through Tymnet's MenuServer service.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/Contact: Don Parkman, McDonnell
Douglas, 408-922-7583)


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

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SHOULD BE FREE, SAYS DAVE HUGHES
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- Dave
Hughes, who runs the Chariot bulletin board system in Colorado
Springs and helped install the ham radio-based Big Sky network
in Montana, says the present trend toward charging for government
information should be rejected by consumers. Reacting to an
editorial comment in Newsbytes, Hughes wrote, "I would like to
challenge you on your statement that 'Charging nothing for
information isn't necessarily right, because it does take money
to collect and reproduce it.' Of course it does. But so does it
cost government to buy land, or build and maintain roads for
'free' public use. How are they paid for? Taxes. And the
fundamental theory of taxes is the collection from everyone to
benefit everyone.

"In information the 'user fee' concept has led to the idea that
simply because Xerox charges, say $.01 per page, and the post
office $.25 per letter, the requester should/must pay for public
records. I do not accept that premise.

"We must arrive at a policy that gives everybody -- up to a point --
free access to government information. Every Post Office in the
nation should be equipped with public terminals, where any
citizen may -- at government expense -- call up any local, county,
state, or federal document. The only question -- how much
information per session free? 10K would do just fine thank you --
5 pages."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00014)

STM SYSTEMS UNVEILS WISDOM NETWORK
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- STM Systems' Wisdom
network will provide online access to an assortment of database
services. STM Systems, Canada's largest computer service bureau
and a subsidiary of International Semi-Tech Microelectronics,
announced the network results from a marketing agreement with
Canada Law Book, The Financial Post and Canadian Tax Online. It
will provide access to Canadian Law Book's CAN/LAW database,
Canadian Tax Online, and the online edition of the daily
newspaper The Financial Post.

All of these databases run on STM's hardware and use STM's Wisdom
information retrieval software. STM also operates a database
service of it own, called Insight. The agreement will allow
subscribers to any one of these services to use the others as
well. Users will pay for connect time at each information
provider's own rate, but won't have to pay sign-up fees for all
the services, explained Bob Thornley, an STM technical
supervisor. Those who want users' manuals for services to which
they have not subscribed individually can get them for a fee
somewhat lower than the subscription fee.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: Ray Lancashire, STM Systems,
416-979-3900)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00015)

UNIVERSITY PUTTING DISTANCE EDUCATION ON VIDEOTEX
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1989 MAR 16 (NB) -- Videotex terminals
here will soon provide access to distance education courses
offered by the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario.
Through ALEX, the videotex system now undergoing a trial in
Montreal, University of Waterloo distance education students will
be able to register for courses, talk to professors and
communicate with other students. Waterloo's distance education
services will be added to the Bell Canada system's more than 150
services by the end of March, the university said.

(Grant Buckler/19890317/Contact: University of Waterloo, 519-885-
1211)


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

RACAL JOINS BMW/VEBA CONSORTIUM FOR GERMAN CELLULAR PHONE SYSTEM
NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE, 1989 MAR 18 (NB) -- Racal Telecom, the
developer of the Racal Vodafone network in the U.K., has joined
with the BMW/Veba-led consortium in bidding to install the
proposed West German cellular telephone network.

Five companies are participating in the international consortium:
BMW, the car manufacturer; Veba, the West Germany industrial
company; Bell South, the US regional phone company; Cofira, the
French cellular network operator; and Racal Telecom.

(Steve Gold/19890318)


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

ADOBE SCORES TWO MAJOR WINS IN FONT WARS
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- Adobe Systems
is opening the door a bit wider to its coveted PostScript
interpreter and font technology, countering attacks from critics
and pressure from clone makers.

Adobe has licensed its font technology to three major type suppliers,
AGFA Compugraphic, The Monotype Corporation plc, and Varityper Inc.,
thereby expanding both its customer base and the variety of fonts
available for PostScript printers.

In addition, Adobe has dished out licenses for its PostScript
Interpreter to three major players in the laser and electronic
publishing fields. Canon, the world's largest maker of laser
printers and engines, has licensed rights to Adobe's PostScript
Interpreter for an unnamed series of products. [Adobe has
previously licensed the interpreter to AGFA, Apollo, Apple, AST
Research, General Computer, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Qume,
NEC, NeXT, QMS, Quadram, Richoh, Texas Instruments and Wang.]
Adobe has also just sealed a deal with Scitex, which will use
PostScript as an option in Visionary, its PC-based design and
layout system, and with Volt Information Sciences, the parent
of Autologic, which will use the Interpreter in its PostScript
Page Image Processor.

The actions come within a week of Sun Microsystem's announcement
that it was licensing its font technology to five type houses.
Critics have charged Adobe is being too tight-fisted with its
fonts and PostScript technology and Sun's answer has been to
remove all veils from its font technology in hopes of making it
a new "standard." However, Adobe's aggressive counterattack has
restored some faith.

"For Adobe it's an offensive position that broadens the base
of its technology and protects its economic interests," said
Ajit Kapoor, senior vice president at market research firm CAP
International in Norwell, Massachusetts.

"Adobe is raising the ante for clone makers, who will have to worry
about lots of other vendors making type libraries only for Adobe,"
remarked Jonathan Seybold, sponsor of an industry seminar on
electronic publishing systems held this week in San Francisco.

(Wendy Woods/19890317/Contact: Brenda Hansen, Adobe, 415-961-4400)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00002)

LIDDLE BELITTLES LEADERS AT SEYBOLD SEMINAR
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 13 (NB) -- The software
industry "does not make a great partner," David Liddle, chairman of
Metaphor Computer Systems, told the first day's crowd at the
Seybold Seminars' five-day electronic publishing conference. In a
speech which lambasted the software industry for "paving the
cowpath," or failing to come up with new ideas and new ways of
doing old jobs, Liddle pointed to the advent of desktop publishing,
saying it has done little for the quality of the printed word.
"We have spell checkers and grammar checkers, but we have no
taste checkers," he said, gesturing to a slide showing a cartoon
document of mixed type styles. We have a situation where "most
memos now look like ransom notes!"

Liddle, one of the pantheon which developed the first icon and
windowing user interfaces at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center,
implored the industry to try to create new users. "With the
exception of desktop publishing, the economics of the computer
industry rest heavily on upgrading old users. We have to escape
this plateau."

He says the public has three unfulfilled software needs: access
to data wherever it is, tools that can be used by everyone,
and end-user application development.

Liddle's firm Metaphor is the leading supplier of data interpretation
systems.

(Wendy Woods/19890317/Contact: Metaphor, 415-961-3600)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00003)

IBM'S UNIT SHARE SLIPS WHILE APPLE'S SOARS
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- Market research
firm InfoCorp reports that IBM began 1988 with a 17 percent share of
all microcomputer units sold and a 21 percent share of the dollars
micro sales generated, but by year's end the unit share had slipped to 12
percent, and the dollar share was just 14 percent. That's a nearly 20
percent drop in both dollars and units in one year.

Meanwhile, Apple picked up more pie as its unit share went from 17
percent in January 1988 to 28 percent in December, a 64 percent increase.

(Wendy Woods/19890317/Contact: InfoCorp, 408-980-4300)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(BOS)(00004)

IBM EXPLORING NEW COMPUTER INTERFACE
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- IBM announced
that its researchers are looking into a new interface for computers that
would allow people to write on a flat surface -- much like a pen and paper.

This new "Paperlike Interface" would be more convenient and natural
for users than a keyboard or a mouse, the company said. In its
experimental display system, the writing appears on a special monitor
as what the company called electronic ink.

Handwriting-recognition software translates the writing and other
marks, including numbers, musical notes, or proofreaders' marks,
into computer commands.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Gerald Present, IBM, 914-945-3884)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(BOS)(00005)

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ANNOUNCES NEW INTERACTIVE GAME NETWORK
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 16 (NB) -- Major League
Baseball Properties and Interactive Game Network have announced a
new agreement that will enable baseball fans to participate in home
contests as games are broadcast live via television and radio.

The new technology includes a patented, wireless system to be
available in the fall of 1989. The system will use data generated by
the Major League Baseball-IBM Baseball Information System.

Data broadcast will be synchronized to the particular game being
televised, and home viewers will compete in contests based on their
knowledge of baseball strategies. At the end of the game, viewers
will plug into the IGN device for their performances and be scored
and ranked. Results will be rebroadcast wirelessly back to the home
device in minutes.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Richard Levin, Major League Baseball,
212-371-7800)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(BOS)(00006)

HIGH-TECH TALKING VACUUM CLEANS UP ON COMPETITION
NORTH CANTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Computer
technology has finally made its way into the most dreaded of
household chores -- vacuuming. The Hoover Co. has introduced a
talking vacuum that uses computer technology to speak to its owner.

The appliance can let the use know when it needs attention for any
of its functions, speaking in a female voice in either French, German,
Italian, or British English.

Currently, the Sensotronic Audio cleaner can give any one of four
messages. Suggested price for the product, which is currently
available only in Europe, is about $431 U.S. dollars.

(Jon Pepper/19890317/Contact: Lynne Dragomier, Hoover, 216-499-
9200)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(ATL)(00007)

U.S. SOFTWARE SALES GREW BRISKLY IN 1988, PUBLISHERS SAY
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 MAR 16 (NB) -- The Software
Publishers Association [SPA] said sales at the 40 software companies it
tracks rose 26 percent in 1988 over 1987 figures, to $465 million. The
figures, compiled annually for the SPA by the accounting firm of
Arthur Andersen & Co. since 1984, showed recreation software
comprising 57 percent of total consumer software sales, despite huge
gains in market share by Nintendo's dedicated game machines.

For the second year in a row, the SPA said, the leading format
for recreation software was MS-DOS, which supplanted the
Commodore 64 line. About 44 percent of total consumer software sales
went to MS-DOS, 26 percent to the Apple II, 16 percent to Commodore
64/128, seven percent to Macintosh and six percent to other computer
formats including the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST. "The consumer
software market is clearly on an upward path, and we fully expect that trend
to continue," concluded SPA Executive Director Ken Wasch.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/Contact: Jodi Pollock, Software
Publishers Association, 202-452-1600)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(ATL)(00008)

DUN & BRADSTREET CREDIT REPORT BUSINESS SLOWED
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 19899 MAR 12 (NB) -- Dun & Bradstreet
reported that its own credit services division is showing slower
sales growth recently, partly as a result of a controversy begun
by The Wall Street Journal, which revealed that many customers
have accused D&B of misleading clients into buying more credit
reports than needed. D&B sold about $800 million in credit reports last
year, using an online computer system.

Analysts gave other possible theories for the slowdown, however.
A recession might be coming on, and businesses are battening-down
the hatches. That theory gained some credence March 17, when it
was revealed produce prices rose one percent in February, for the second
month in a row, and stock prices fell dramatically. Or, businesses could
be retaliating for D&B's attempts to restrict access to its credit-risk
database, as reported last year by Newsbytes. It could also be businesses
resent public access to credit reports.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00009)

NEC CLAIMS CREATION OF UNIVERSAL VOICE TRANSLATOR
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 MAR 15 (NB) -- NEC has successfully developed
a technology, based on the learning features of neural networks,
which is said to be able to understand and display words spoken by
anyone, including those who have not preprogrammed the computer
for their particular voice pattern.  The system is able to convert
a new user's voice pattern to a standard human speaking voice.
An NEC spokesman said that the company has achieved 99 percent
rate of accurate word recognition, enough so that the company is
confident this breakthrough will be applicable to voice recognition
word processors in the future.

(Ken Takahashi/19890316)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00010)

NEURAL NETWORK DRUMMER DISPLAYED
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 MAR 9 (NB) -- Japan's computer giant Fujitsu has
created a system called "Neuro Drummer," which responds to the
rhythm played by a human drummer. The trial system includes a neuro-
simulator which attempts to duplicate the way nerve cells connect
with each other in a human body, as applied to electronics. The
performance of the experimental system was exhibited as part of a drum
contest. The unit was pitted against a professional human drummer
at the three-day event "Denno Yuenchi presented by Fujitsu at the
Tokyo Dome.

(Ken Takahashi/19890315)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00011)

UNIVERSAL DATABASE SOFTWARE SOUGHT
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 MAR 9 (NB) -- In order to create a standard
operating method for the myriad types of Japanese database programs,
the Japan Standard Association has proposed a Japanese standard
version of the database control language SQL, based on the expected
next-generation database language SQL2.

The association seeks to make its draft SQL system a standard
for both the Japan Industrial Standard, and the international standard
organization, or ISO. A standard is necessary, say Japanese
authorities, if the Japanese people are to increase their access
to information stored in databases.

(Ken Takahashi/19890315)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00012)

ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER DOESN'T IMPRESS WORKERS
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Despite having one of the
world's most sophisticated national Electronic Funds Transfer
[EFT] systems, many Australians still prefer to collect their
wages in cash. According to Sharyn Cedarman of the Advance Bank,
40 percent of Australians are still being payed manually. She
said, "Where computers are concerned you should remember the rule
of thumb -- it always costs twice as much and takes twice as long
to happen as you predict, and that's what's happening with EFT.
Many customers are still being frightened off by the banks' use
of jargon."

(Paul Zucker/19890317)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(ATL)(00001)

CRAY INTRODUCES Y-MP LINE OF SUPERCOMPUTERS
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1989 MAR 14 (NB) -- Cray Research
introduced a full line of modular and upgradable Cray Y-MP
computer systems. There are 19 models with one, two, four, or
eight processors available at prices ranging from $5 million to
$23.7 million.

The new computers feature a modular design and 21 by 11-inch
processor boards, which can be upgraded by simply adding central
processing modules, up to the maximum accommodated by the frame.
In concept, it's identical to the old S-100 bus used in PCs during the late
1970s. The new Cray Y-MP series expands upon the first Cray Y-MP
model introduced in February 1988. That initial model, the Cray
Y-MP/832, combined eight processors with 32 million words of memory.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890317/John Swenson, Cray Research, 612-334-
6451)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LON)(00002)

PHILIPS AND SOFTLAB UNVEIL OSI CASE SOFTWARE
APELDOOM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1989 MAR 18 (NB) -- Philips
Telecommunications of The Netherlands and Softlab of West Germany
have released Maestro II, a Unix-based computer-aided software
engineering [CASE] package.

Like its predecessor Maestro IPSE, the package is the result of
joint development between the two companies. Maestro already has
in excess of 20,000 users in Europe, with major customers
including British Airways, BMW, HJ Heinz and Hoeschst.

According to Dr. Gert Bindels, Philips' senior marketing director,
Maestro II is up to 90 percent faster than its predecessors.
The CASE tools package is also more flexible to accommodate more
applications environments, he said.

Pricing on the package, which is available immediately through
Philips' and Softlab's European distribution networks, depends on
system configurations and choice of systems support.

(Steve Gold/19890318/Philips Telecom - Tel: [phone])


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

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

EVOLUTION OF THE DINOSAUR
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A, 1989 MAR 17 (NB) -- I recently described
how I'm using CPM computers to do tasks like word processing and
then transferring files to a PC for finishing. It's a good idea as
long as the price of CPM machines is in the $100 basement. The
transportables are especially good bargains at that price.

A Compaq will cost from $400 to $1000 depending on who's selling and
who's buying. That's for a 256KB machine that can do more than a
Kaypro. But if you just need to do word processing, you probably
don't need the extra horsepower. With WordStar 4.0 running under
CPM, there isn't even much need for finishing on a PC, frankly,
unless you need to import graphics or use stylesheets. Even laser
printers are supported.

What's more, there are old CPM machines around that can compete with
80386 DOS machines for just a few dollars more. I know. I've
worked with one that can eat an 8 MHz. AT for a light snack. I've
seen the display on an old Kaypro that's completely unreadable when
a directory scrolls up it; it's too fast. [See GENERAL story.]

The phenomenal performance of these old Kaypro computers is due to
the tinkering of a Los Angeles consultant named Barry Cole. Cole
has re-engineered the earlier Kaypro models to run at 8 MHz. And,
because of the simplicity of CPM and the Z80, they are blazingly
fast at that speed. The revisions cost less than $100 plus very
minor effort to change some chips and solder a couple of wires.
Cole is writing an article that will explain the whole process for
an upcoming issue of Micro Cornucopia.

Furthermore, Cole sells a variety of BIOS ROMs that he's written for
CPM machines that add features you still can't find in PC firmware.
Floppy drives seem to run almost as fast as a slow hard disk. [Cole
installs hard disks too, though, if a fast floppy doesn't do it to
your satisfaction.] The system boots without a floppy diskette or
hard disk--from ROM. Any Kaypro model can use double-sided, double-
density drives [a pair of DSDD drives provide nearly 800 KB] or
support a hard disk. And utilities are included in ROM for file
management which is similar to DOS 4.0.

I'm using a Cole BIOS on a Kaypro that cost me under $100 not
counting a couple of DSDD drives that were just laying around
gathering rust. It's a lot more convenient than former CPM users
will remember the machines. You don't need to know PIP from your
elbow. CPM even recognizes disk changes automatically, just like
under DOS.

It's interesting how I discovered Barry Cole. I called Kaypro for
information about their CPM computers and was referred to a local
dealer. Naturally, the dealer didn't have a clue. But someone
there did have Barry's number. He can be reached for his BIOS,
repairs and modifications, or Z80 programming services at 213-390-
3851.

Even with modifications, a Kaypro II isn't a Model 80, OS/2 and
Presentation Manager rolled into one. But it's more than
respectable, more than an PC [with the exception of memory
limitations] and cheaper than a Korean floppy disk. Just ask
yourself before you buy that spare PC if you're really going to need
all of its memory. For simple tasks, the answer may save you some
money.

(Wayne Yacco/19890318)