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/1992/NB920327

Text File | 1992-03-27 | 78KB | 1,704 lines

(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(MOW)(00001)

Moscow: HP's New Office, Svc Center, Price Cuts 03/27/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Hewlett-Packard announced a
new office location, new personnel, new product availability,
and discounted prices at a news conference in Moscow.

The company's new office is located in the business center
of the Russian Exhibition Complex (formerly VDNKh) and is five
times larger than the premises in downtown Moscow.

"Our main goal is to stay on in this market and grow. Grow with
our clients, for our clients," said Baldur Durrwang of HP Germany.
"The new office with modern equipment, demonstration halls,
teaching classes, and conferencing equipment will help us to
achieve our goal."

The service center, to be located in the same building, will be
designed to provide fast, efficient service for existing HP
customers, said Alexander Pavlov, the center's director. It
has equipment, a communications system, and 30 young and
ambitious engineers to minimize service time to four hours in
Moscow.

"We have two categories of customers -- one needs to repair equipment
at a reasonable price (those are mostly Russian companies), while
others -- Westerners -- need quality. We hope to have as many quality-
interested customers as possible and hope the market will be moving in
this direction," Pavlov said when introducing the service center.

Company also announced immediate availability of the HP Vectra 386s/20
workstation, scanner ScanJet IIp, and a LaserJet IIp Plus printer. But it
looked as if the computer and printer had some problems entering Russia --
reporters were shown a plain old LaserJet IIp and no computer at all.

A Vectra workstation will cost $2175 to $3245 depending on the hard drive
capacity. The printer will be about $1507 and scanner $1511.

Justin Lifflander, HP's Russian marketing manager, told the audience that
the company is willing to expand sales in C.I.S. and is offering
most of its products at a 20% discount this month.

(Kirill Tchashchin & Igor Viazanichev/19920327/Press Contact: HP Moscow,
phone [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00002)

New For PC: New TrueType Fonts For Windows 03/27/92
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Microsoft
Corporation has announced a collection of 44 additional TrueType
fonts for Windows. The new fonts supplement the 14 that ship with
each copy of Windows.

Called the TrueType Font Pack for Windows, the additional fonts work
with any application, display, or printer that is supported by
Windows. Truetype uses the same font for printing and for display,
providing a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) output.

According to the Microsoft announcement, the Font Pack setup program
automatically installs the fonts and makes them available to all
Windows-based applications.

Microsoft said that the 44 additional fonts are from Monotype
Typography and Bigelow & Holmes. The anouncement said that Monotype
provided the core set of Truetype system fonts for Windows version
3.1, which is already in the distribution system, and will be
officially available April 6th.

Bigelow & Holmes reportedly provided an exclusive collection of 22
Lucida fonts, a typeface which offers the user a wide variety of
font text styles as well as specific-use fonts such as those for
clear fax transmittals and for mathematical use.

The $99 font pack is expected to be released concurrently with
Windows 3.1.

(Jim Mallory/19920327/Press contact: Collins Hemingway, Microsoft,
206-882-8080)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00003)

Compuadd Express Says 325NXL Notebook Supply Problems Solved 03/27/92
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Compuadd Express, the
direct mail arm of Compuadd, says it has resolved the component
supply problem for is 325NXL notebook unit, and expects to start
shipping to fill back orders today or Monday.

Compuadd Express spokesperson Rick Krousy told Newsbytes that the
shipping problems for the unit stemmed from a problem with a
component supplier. Krousy said the company had a "huge" backlog of
orders for the unit, and he has been pressing the supplier to
increase production capacity.

Buyers who had ordered the machine said they had been told the
machine would ship by the end of February, then the first week in
March. Later the shipping date was reported to be mid-March.
Buyers said they were told that they would be informed when the
system became available, but expressed skepticism.

One buyer complained in a bulletin board message that Compuadd
Express sales people claimed management had not told them what was
causing the delay.

The 325NXL is configured with a 60MB (megabyte) hard drive, a VGA
display, a built-in track ball, and a built-in data/fax modem which
can transfer data at 2400 bps and fax at 9600 bps. The unit has a
list price of $2,095.

(Jim Mallory/19920327/Press contact: Neil Bremner, Compuadd Express,
512-219-1800)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00004)

Dell Opens Switzerland Subsidiary 03/27/92
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Clone manufacturer Dell
Computer Corporation has announced that it has opened a wholly
owned operating subsidiary in Geneva, Switzerland.

"The opening of Dell Switzerland is a key component of our plan to
continue to build on our strong forward momentum in Europe and
increase our multinational business," said Dell senior VP Andrew
Harris.

Including the Swiss facility, Dell operates wholly owned
subsidiaries in 13 countries, and has reseller agreements in over 60
companies in eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa.

The Dell announcement said its international business has grown from
four percent of total sales in fiscal year 1988 to over 36 percent
for FY 92. Dell said that for the same period, total corporate
revenue has risen from $159 million to $889.9 million.

Dell said Peter Sykes will join Dell Switzerland as general manager.
Prior to accepting his new position, Sykes was manager of Swiss PC
distribution for Baggenstos & Co SA.

(Jim Mallory/19920437/Press contact: Jill Shanks, Dell Computer,
512-338-8499)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00005)

 ****Another Company To Compete With Intel In Chips 03/27/92
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Richardson,
Texas-based Cyrix Corporation will enter the microprocessor field,
competing with industry leader Intel Corporation.

Cyrix is best known for its math coprocessor chips, which it won the
temporary right to continue marketing when a US District Court in
Texas denied an Intel injunction to block Cyrix from selling its
math chips. The decision did not end the 18-month old battle
between the two firms, which is expected to continue in the courts
for the next one to two years at least.

Math coprocessor chips are used in personal computers to increase
the computation speed of applications which rely heavily on math
calculations, such as spreadsheets and computer-aided design (CAD)
programs.

Intel stock was down $2 after the word of Cyrix entering the market
broke.

According to some industry watchers, Cyrix is expected to introduce
a 486sx chip which would fit into the socket used by Intel's 386 --
reportedly Intel's best-selling product.

One New York analyst reportedly told the Associated Press that the
cost of the Cyrix chip would be less than half of the Intel 486
chip. If true, that would put considerable pressure on Intel and
other chip manufacturers. With the PC market under considerable
price pressure and competition heavy in the current economy, PC
manufacturers, once satisfied with the reliability of the Cyrix
product, might switch to a product which could help hold PC costs
down.

(Jim Mallory/19920327/Press contact: Michelle Moody, Cyrix,
214-234-8388)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(NYC)(00006)

 ****Women's Online Network Established 03/27/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Stacy Horn, sysop of
New York's ECHO commercial bulletin board and conferencing system,
appearing on WBAI's "Personal Computer Show," defined the new
"Women's Online Network" (WON) as a computer network that
provides information "that women need to make decisions, work
freely and play with abandon." Horn said that the new network,
launched in January, has already had a large growth.

She later told Newsbytes, "We only announced the system last month
and, already, we have had a tremendous response. There are a lot of
women on-line and they just needed a catalyst to join together and
discuss issues of common interest."

On the Personal Computer Show, Horn and WON's co-founder,
Carmela Federico, answered questions concerning WON posed by the
show's co-hosts, Joe King, Hank Kee & Dave Burstein. Many of the
questions dealt with the fact that WON, in the titles of conference
topics, appear to take specific points of view as policy. Hank Kee,
who is also the sysop of the New York Amateur Computer Club's
(NYACC) bulletin board system (BBS), suggested that the use of titles
such as "Dump D'Amato," by advocating a certain position, are
exclusionary and would limit attendance. He suggested that a topic
entitled "Should D'Amato Be Dumped" would open the door for more
discussion by making people of all views on the subject feel more
welcome.

Horn responded that WON could certainly have a viewpoint on such
issues but she didn't feel that the viewpoint inhibited those who
don't agree with the viewpoint from joining in and voicing their
disagreement. She told Newsbytes that she could also have
mentioned that "Dump D'Amato" is actually the name of a group that
has joined the conference as an entity to bring its issue to others.
She added, "We will provide space to groups with an interest in
expanding the discussion on WON."

King told Newsbytes, "WON is a special purpose system set up to
provide a discussion forum for people sensitive to or enlightened
about so-called women's issues. It is not radical; it is not subversive;
it's just a good thing to have around."

Discussing with Newsbytes her appearance on the "Personal
Computer Show," Horn said, "It was wonderful to be able to talk
about WON on the radio; it's a new medium for me. The time is right
for WON; there are a large number of Senate seats up for election as
well as the entire House of Representatives. WON is already
providing space to a group trying to coordinate efforts to prevent the
re-election of Congresspeople who voted to confirm Judge Thomas. I
expect that WON will be used for many other similar activities as the
election draws near."

WON is a private conference on the ECHO system and access for up to
30 hours per month is available at a monthly cost of $6.95. Access to
the full ECHO system is available at a monthly cost of $18.95 (student
rate - $12.95). Other conferences on ECHO include Books, Culture,
Jewish, Lambda, Music, Crime, Politics, Sex, Parenting, Love, and
Media.

(John F. McMullen/Press Contact: Stacy Horn, Echo Communications,
Inc., 212 255-3839 (voice); 212-989-8411 - modem;
[e-mail]/19920325)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SFO)(00007)

 ****CFP-2: International Privacy Law A Mixed Bag 03/27/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- The U.S. lags behind
the rest of the world in privacy protection laws, says
David Flaherty, privacy advocate and expert from the University of
Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada.

Flaherty is the author of "Protecting Privacy in Surveillance
Societies" (U. of N. Carolina Press). He spoke on the international
privacy situation at the second conference on Computers, Freedom
and Privacy held recently in Washington, DC.

Little has been done in the USA since the privacy act of 1974,
according to Flaherty. The USA has laws, such as the Fair Credit
Reporting Act, but has no watchdog agency to enforce these laws.
A new bill before the U.S. House of Representatives (HR 685) calls
for the establishment of a Data Protection Board which would
perform such a role.

Flaherty lauded the laws in Canada and Germany, though he said no
country has it exactly right. European countries have taken an active
role in the question of privacy protection. A strong push has been
made in Europe for unified data protection laws that work across
the EEC. Current laws in Europe place restrictions on whether one
can trade data with foreign countries, requiring that those
countries have "adequate" data protection laws. Advocates are now
pushing that this be changed to a requirement for "equivalent" laws.

He was critical, however of the laws in France, and particularly the
U.K. In the U.K., a recent law requires that all databases of
information about people be registered with the data protection
agency. Currently nothing more than registration is required, but
even now, simply handling the registration applications requires
a large staff that is already behind in its work. Opponents of data
protection laws point to this as an example of the sort of "database
police" bureaucracies that may be created by poorly thought-out
data protection legislation.

The battle lines between those who seek legislative solutions to
the privacy issue and those who prefer technological solutions over
what they perceive as excessive regulation became more pronounced
at a panel session on HR 685 and the regulation of private
databases. Many say that data watchdog agencies should concentrate
primarily or exclusively on privacy abuse by government agencies.
Most agree that government agencies are the best place to start,
as there is no question concerning their rights and freedoms to
invade the privacy of citizens. Flaherty also sees this
as the best first direction.

However, when it comes down to it, according to Flaherty, the best
protection comes from both stopping the collection of data and
requiring its destruction after it has been used. Data that is never
collected, or which is reliably destroyed is unlikely to be used
to invade privacy down the road. Data that is kept secret only by
legislation is far less secure.

With differences in each country's laws, individuals concerned about
their privacy in an international information marketplace may be
unable to get true legislative solutions because they can't affect
the laws of other nations.

(Brad Templeton/19920327)


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

Excel To Upgrade CASE Tools 03/27/92
MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Newsbytes has
learned that Excel software is readying an upgrade to its
computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools. This upgrade will
incorporate enhancements to the current version as well as a major
new emphasis on object-oriented analyses and design tools.

Newsbytes has previously reviewed versions of Excel's MacAnalyst
tool. The new upgrade is slated to be given the v3.2 moniker. In
addition to its previously implemented analysis methodologies like
Yourdon/DeMarco and Gane/Sarson and others. MacAnalyst 3.2 will add
support of object oriented Analysis methodologies that have been
described by Shlaer/Mellor, Coad/Yourdon, Booch, Rambaugh, and
Emberly/Kurtz/Woodfield. MacAnalyst will be the first CASE tool that
will incorporate all of those methodologies.

MacDesigner has also undergone extensive enhancement. It is getting
a whole suite of object-oriented design (OOD) diagram types. An
object diagram will describe internal operations and display
messages between the objects. To help in the transition from
functional to object-oriented design, Excel has incorporated
the ability to show both objects and standard modules
in the same diagram. Standard or embedded functions and procedures
can also be shown.

The entity relationship diagramming tools present in the software
have also been enhanced by allowing direct echoing from the data
dictionary. New reports have been added to describe entity
specifications and relation specifications.

The new releases of MacAnalyst and MacDesigner are expected to
become available late in April. Purchase of the products now will
entitle the customer to a free upgrade when the new releases become
available. Excel is also planning to offer universities and other
educational institutions a special version of these tools that will
be limited in their capabilities but available at about a 50%
discount.

(Naor Wallach/19920326/Press Contact: Harold Halbleib, Excel Software,
515-752-5359)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00009)

3Com Announces Strategy For Integration Of SNA 03/27/92
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- 3Com has
formulated a three-part strategy under which it hopes to show how
IBM SNA users can integrate their networks into a multi-protocol
internetwork.

This three-part strategy got underway with the introduction of the
NetBuilder Token Ring Source Routing Transparent (SRT) Bridge and
is expected to be fully in place by the end of 1993. Across the
two-year timeframe spanned by this strategy, 3Com is expecting to
make a series of product announcements.

Eric Benhamou, president and CEO of 3Com, was asked to explain the
reasons for this strategy. He said, "Customers continually told us
their installed IBM equipment is used to run mission critical
applications. They don't want to obsolete equipment early, or make
changes that put those applications at risk. As IBM mainframe users
ourselves, we understand the importance of maintaining control over
migration costs as well as timetables, and following a path
consistent with IBM's stated internetworking direction."

Stage One of the strategy calls for 3Com to provide a family of Token
Ring Bridges and Routers. This step will materialize over the course
of 1992. NetBuilder Token Ring (SRT) Bridge is the initial and
most important part of the components that will shape the equipment
introduced over this step.

In stage two, 3Com will address the issue of concentrating the array
of SDLC devices. This step is slated for the first half of 1993. A
research group claims that there are more than a half-million SDLC
devices strewn in IBM remote user sites. Most companies cannot afford
to throw away these devices which run the gamut from older System
36's to the IBM 3174. 3Com's strategy intends to allow the continued
use of these devices. SDLC devices will be supported by 3Com hubs
and translated into Logical Link Control 2 (LLC2). Then the LLC2
packets will be bridged or tunnelled to TCP (Transmission Control
Protocol) on bridge/routers. This will allow those devices to
connect to any other device on the internetwork, including WANs.

Stage Three calls for complete SNA routing including support for
IBM's Advanced Peer to Peer Networking (APPN). This stage will
conclude at the end of 1993. To assist 3Com in implementing this
stage, the company has announced separately that it will be
licensing the APPN network node source code from IBM and will be
integrating that code into future products.

(Naor Wallach/19920326/Press Contact: Donna Stein, 3Com,
408-764-5960)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00010)

New For Networks: Concords Tool For Network Monitoring 03/27/92
MARLBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Concord
Communications Inc., is introducing a new tool that will become a
part of its Trakker network monitoring station. This tool, called
Who Tool, is useful for debugging certain classes of network
problems that are somewhat difficult to track down today.

Trakker is based on the Sunnet Manager platform. It is a set of
software tools that allow better management, control, and
debugging of network problems. In addition to the software, Concord
sells a line of RISC-based network taps that reside on different
network segments and communicate with the base station via a greatly
enhanced and expanded Management Information Base (MIB) over SNMP
(Simple Network Management Protocol).

Trakker can only be used on Ethernet-based networks. However, it does
support many of the more popular protocols above that level. Using
Trakker, it is possible to perform real-time analysis of TCP/IP, NFS,
DECnet, and LAT protocols. It will provide for link layer level
monitoring of Xerox's XNS, Novell Netware, Appletalk, and IBM's
PC-Net. When put into "trace" mode, it will filter and decode TCP/IP,
DECnet, Novell, SNA, NetBIOS, Appletalk, Vines, XNS, and OSI.

Who Tool will be added to the capabilities of Trakker. In short, it
allows a network administrator to pinpoint the exact nodes that are
experiencing problems and analyze what the problems are and what
caused them. A typical screen shot of Who Tool would show a listing
of node names with information such as a count over a defined time
of user defined significant events, the percentage of the total
number of events represented by each of these stations, a count of
all network traffic generated by that node, and the percentage of
network traffic that the node was responsible for. Network
administrators can see at a glance which node is having problems.

Who Tool is available now and is a part of Trakker shipments
effective immediately. Previous purchaser of Trakker will be getting
Who Tool as a free upgrade. For more information contact Concord
Communications at 508-460-4646.

(Naor Wallach/19920326/Press Contact: Christine LeCompte, Beaupre &
Co. for Concord, 603-436-6690)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00011)

New For Unix: Oracle Document Imaging Integrated With RDBMS 03/27/92
BETHESDA, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Oracle Federal plans
to market a document-imaging system developed by Excalibur
Technologies Corporation and aimed at Federal Government purchasers.

Oracle says it has a foothold in the Federal Government market. The
company claims it is the dominant supplier to the Federal Government
of Unix-based relational database management system (RDBMS) software.

The integration of the document imaging ability and a relational
database for handling the mountains of paper government agencies must
manage is not a new concept, but seems to be gaining popularity.
Called document image processing (DIP) the use of computer-based
faxing with fax/modem cards, networks, and laser printers all have
facilitated the move toward electronic document handling.

Oracle has competition, however. Image Tech installed a DIP system
which links 360 PCs in seven locations for the US Marine Corps. The
company claimed at the time of the installation in January of this
year that the Marine Corps had the largest personal computer (PC)-
based DIP system in the world, handling millions of records. Before
the DIP system was implemented for the Marines, file cabinets were
bulging, finding one document took an hour, documents could only be
viewed by one person at a time, and personnel would have to wait
several days to get needed information, Image Tech said.

Other DIP companies include Hackettestown, New Jersey-based Alacrity,
which says it is introducing a complete DIP system for Microsoft Windows
that will also incorporate optical character recognition. Norick
Paperless Office, an Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-based company also
markets DIP software products.

Oracle's distinction in the market is its products are available on
PCs, minicomputers and mainframes. Also Oracle says its RDBMS is the
first and only open relational database to run in massively parallel
supercomputers. Oracle Federal is a division of Oracle Corporation
headquartered at 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920326/Press Contact: Susan Lynch, Oracle, tel 301-
657-7809, fax [phone]; Jim Folts, Alacrity, 908-813-2400, fax
908-813-2490; John Karagozain, Image Tech, tel [phone], fax 313-
353-8444)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00012)

New For Unix: Autodesk Autocad 11 For HP Apollo 03/27/92
SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Autodesk
says it is shipping Autocad Release 11 for the Hewlett-
Packard (HP) Apollo 9000 Series 700 lines of workstations.

The Apollo version of Autocad Release 11 is an X-Windows
implementation, but includes support for Motif Windowing
Manager and retains Autocad's "look and feel" with pull-down
menus and dialogue boxes. Autodesk says it supports the HP-
UX 8.05 or higher operating systems and is fully compatible
with the Unix operating system, on which it is based.

Autodesk says the new release for the Apollo supports both
the 710 and 720 models of the four-model HP 700 series, all
of which are based on HP's Precision Architecture-Reduced-
Instruction-Set-Computing (PA-RISC) processor.

A "pre-authorized" number of users can also access and run
Autocad and its Advanced Modeling Extensions (AME) on a
network or client/server configuration and share drawing
files, Autodesk said. AME is optional with Autocad and is a
solid modeling package for creation of solid objects from
basic shapes. AME allows editing of the objects, calculation
of the mass, as well as performing Boolean operations, such
as union and intersection, Autodesk said.

This version of Autocad for the Apollo has the Autocad
Development System, the company added. The Development
System is a C-language programming environment that supports
the development and integration of programs that link with
Autocad or interface Autocad to other software applications.
Multiple-view plotting, a feature designers use to lay out,
organize, annotate, and plot multiple-view Autocad drawings,
is also incorporated. Dimensioning enhancements, file-
locking, external references, and null display capabilities
are also included.

Autodesk says independent third party developers are gearing
up to offer their complementary products for the Apollo as
well. The developers to date were listed by Autodesk as ASG,
CADISYS, CADSI, Image Systems, NC Microproducts, Point
Control Company, Rasna, and SRAC (Structural Research and
Analysis Corporation).

Also earlier this month Autodesk announced a transitional
version of Autocad for Windows users on the IBM and
compatible personal computer platform. Called the Autocad
Release 11 Extensions for Windows, the product allows
Autocad users to work in both the Windows and DOS
environments. Autodesk says this is a first step toward a
Windows version of Autocad.

More information on Autodesk products is available from the
company directly at telephone [phone] or on CompuServe
by typing GO ADESK.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920326/Press Contact: Andrew Zarrillo,
Autodesk, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00013)

Grid Pen Computers In Retail Outlets, But Will They Fly? 03/27/92
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Grid Systems said it
will offer its Gridpadhd pen computer for the first time in the mass
merchandise computer market through Computer City Superstores, but
some analysts are saying pen-based computers won't fly in the mass
market.

Pen computers look very much like a notebook with one side that is
just about all monitor. A special pen and a special operating system
that allows users to write on the monitor and the computer interprets
the handwriting into ASCII characters as though they were typed from
the keyboard. Also, gestures much like proofreading marks are
interpreted into actions by the computer. A word the user draws a line
through would be deleted, for example.

The company says the pen computers are available in Computer City
stores in Seattle; Los Angeles; Austin, Texas; Detroit; Minneapolis;
Buffalo, N.Y.; and Houston.

Introduced in June of 1991, the Gridpadhd is an MS-DOS compatible
computer with a 20 megabyte (MB) hard disk and a transflective backlit
display. Grid says the computer comes with Penright! software and 2 MB
of random access memory.

However, some skepticism exists as to whether or not the pen computer
will gain wide acceptance. Arthur Patterson, a general partner at the
San Francisco-based venture capital firm Accel Partners, told investors
at a Merrill Lynch and Sentry Market Research seminar this week that
handwriting recognition and pen-based software is a niche market and
is likely to be a disappointing investment.

When Newsbytes asked Grid what exactly could people do with the
Gridpadhd computer, considering it represents the low end of the
pen-based computers Grid offers, the answer was custom applications.
Bill Lempesis, who is editor and publisher of the PenVision newsletter,
said the Gridpadhd is still geared toward the vertical market. "The
placement of the Gridpadhd in retail outlets just means the smaller
business which only needs one or two for custom applications can get
them. Grid is used to dealing with orders for 300 at a time."

Lempesis said users of the Gridpadhd will be very much like users who
first bought the IBM PC. "They'll either have to get some package like
Concentric Software's Datanow and write their own application or have
someone do it for them. But the Gridpadhd is perfect for the guy who
does, for example, building inspection and has a lot of standard,
repetitive things to track. He can mark off the items on site, then
transfer the data to his PC at the office," Lempesis offered.

Lempesis said the Gridpadhd is disappointing for intensive handwriting
recognition, like taking notes in a college class. Successful
applications would be short notes, drawings, and form filling,
Lempesis added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920326/Press Contact: Mike McGuire, Grid Systems,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; Bill Lempesis, PenVision, tel 510-
484-0397, fax [phone]; Arthur Patterson, Accel, 415-989-5656)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00014)

Macronix Signs MIPS Architecture License Agreement 03/27/92
TAIPEI, TAIWAN, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- MIPS, manufacturer of
reduced instruction set chips (RISC) and the company Silicon Graphics
announced it was merging with last week, says it just signed a deal
with Macronix International of Taipei, Taiwan for an architecture
license for its R3000 technology.

The deal is a significant one in light of the speculation among
industry analysts as to whether or not Silicon Graphics would be able
to manage MIPS as a technology-independent product. The questions
arise as workstation manufacturer Silicon Graphics is dependent on
MIPS for the technology behind its products. Market research firm
Dataquest said Silicon Graphics "had" to buy the company because MIPS
may not have survived without the merger.

However Dataquest speculated Silicon Graphics might lose anyway if it
cannot keep the economies of scale in hardware and software to make
the technology viable. That might happen if other manufacturers move
away from MIPS, Dataquest maintains.

Even though the merger is far from final, other vendors could begin to
move off. MIPS is saying however, that Macronix is the latest of
nearly 30 companies seeking to obtain its architecture license.

MIPS says its architecture license program allows companies to
implement specialized or enhanced components or systems based on the
MIPS architecture by licensing the design, manufacturing, and
marketing rights to its RISC microprocessors. Licensees also have
access to the R3000 technical descriptions and functional model, as
well as MIPS' internal design and verification tools. MIPS added that
support tools to licensees are available from third-party vendors as
well.

Under terms of the license with Macronix, MIPS said the company will
receive register transfer logic (RTL)-level descriptions of the R3000
to modify the design, with the right to manufacture enhanced
components and sell them on the world market.

Macronix International, headquartered in Hsinchu Science Industrial
Park in Taipei, Taiwan says it specializes in the design and
manufacture of non-volatile memory and logic components for the
personal computer and telecommunications markets. Macronix, which
primarily uses mixed signal technology, manufactures components that
are used in fax machines, modems, display devices, and network
controllers.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920327/Press Contact: Joanne Hasegawa, MIPS, tel
408-524-7164, fax [phone]; Mary Hand, Dataquest, tel 408-437-
8000, fax [phone]; Miin Wu, Macronix, 886-35-783-333)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00015)

 ****Presidential Candidate Brown To Chat On GEnie 03/27/92
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- For the first
time, U.S. Presidential politics will go online at 9 PM on
Sunday, March 29 as former California Governor Jerry Brown
appears live on GEnie's Public Forum.

Brown is due to be in Vermont on that day, according to Tom
Sherman of Philadelphia, who runs the Nonprofit Connection
service for GEnie and will moderate the forum. "He'll either get
online there or have the messages relayed to him by phone. But I
understand he travels with a laptop," Sherman told Newsbytes.

GEnie's public forum, reached from any prompt by typing PF, has
had a discussion of the presidential candidates for months.
Former Irvine, California mayor Larry Agran and Brown are both
officially represented there, and have posted policy information
in long files in the public forum library. Russ Singer, the Brown
operative, arranged his appearance, Sherman says.

GEnie has about 320,000 members, but only a little over 200 will
be able to squeeze into the "virtual room" for the conference.
All other members will be able to see a transcript after the
event, Sherman said, which will be posted in the forum.

If you don't now have a GEnie account, the easiest way for US readers
to get one is to call the company's customer service department at
800-638-9636. To go around that process, set your computer's
communication software for half duplex, 7 bit words, even parity,
at speeds up to 2,400 baud, and dial 1-800-638-8369, or 1-800-
387-8330 in Canada. After you're connected enter three Hs, like
this -- HHH. After you see a prompt that looks like U#=, enter
xtx99379,genie. Then have a major credit card ready. Once you're
online, the quickest way to get to the public forum is to type
m545;2. That means move to page 545 and select item 2 on the
menu. The more standard way is to type PF, and when you get to
the Public Forum menu type 2.

"The first thing we're doing is asking people to submit questions
in advance, so we can have them queued up, and the Governor will
have the opportunity to answer as many questions as time permits.
Towards the end of the hour, assuming there's some time, we'll
invite people to raise their hands and ask questions. All of the
commands in the conference room begin with a /, so type /rai
to be called on. If Sherman calls on you, you'll be prompted. "My
understanding is the Governor's campaign manager and other
people from the campaign will stay online after the governor has
to leave, to continue to answer questions," Sherman adds.

GEnie's public forum is a virtual space within the system where
thousands of people every day exchange ideas and information on
public and non-profit issues of all kinds. It ranges on all sorts
of political subjects, from abortion to gun control, from the
budget to social issues. The public forum is itself provided by
Public Interest Media, a non-profit organization based in
Philadelphia.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920327/Press Contact: Press Contact: Tom
Sherman, Nonprofit Connection, 215-328-9773, Tom Pier, Brown
Campaign, 310-449-1992)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(WAS)(00016)

 ****US Software Sales Up 24.6 Percent In 1991 03/27/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- The Software
Publishers Association has released its quarterly software sales
statistics for the last quarter of 1991 and provided summaries
for the entire year, a year which was remarkably kind to U.S.
software companies despite the recession. Retail sales were up to
$5.7 billion for last year, with U.S. exports growing by 34.6
percent over the previous year.

Overall fourth quarter sales were a record $1.77 billion, more
than a one-third increase compared to the same period in 1990.
Windows applications software led the pack, with sales up 228
percent in the fourth quarter, but the SPA did not supply details
of which product categories were tops in Windows sales.

MS-DOS applications showed only a 5.9 percent increase for 1991,
but this remains the largest segment of the desktop software
market and with MS-DOS and Windows applications bundled together
(Windows runs under MS-DOS) combined sales reached $4.57 billion
in 1991, for a combined increase of nearly 26 percent.

Macintosh sales were up even more percentage-wise for the year,
jumping 37 percent, but this amounts to only $840.8 million or
81.6 percent less than combined MS-DOS and Windows sales.

Education applications were the fastest growers for Macintosh
platforms with a 150 percent increase to $30 million, but
spreadsheets showed the biggest dollar value gain, jumping from
$57 million to $136 million for a 138.6 percent increase.

Surprisingly, Macintosh, which started the desktop publishing
market, showed its only decrease in that area, with applications
software sales plunging nearly 30 percent to only $45 million.
This may be somewhat misleading since it doesn't include the
separate "graphics" category which led Macintosh software sales
with a total of nearly $210 million, a 22.6 percent increase over
the 1990 numbers.

For "other" computers, major desktop systems not using Apple or
MS-DOS operating systems, sales dropped in every category except
for graphics and word processors.

Entertainment software sales grew by slightly less than 20
percent for MS-DOS systems but jumped double that amount for
Macintosh programs. Again, these numbers don't give a complete
picture, because actual dollar-value sales for MS-DOS games and
other entertainment software totaled nearly $310 million, while
the much smaller Macintosh market only accounted for $25 million
in sales.

Word processors were a big ticket item for MS-DOS systems, with
sales almost reaching the magic $1 billion level, coming in at
more than $975 million, excluding those which are separately
designated as desktop publishing applications which accounted for
another $103.6 million all by themselves.

Following close behind, with sales reaching nearly $775 million,
were MS-DOS spreadsheets. Graphics programs came in third with
sales of almost $500 million, while the biggest percentage gainer
for MS-DOS was in the education field, which grew by 37 percent
to $117.5 million.

Graphics applications, with sales of nearly $210 million for
1991, were the biggest item for Macintosh systems, with
spreadsheet sales at $136 million just surpassing word processors
at $124.3 million.

(John McCormick/19920327/Press Contact: Terri Childs, SPA, 202-
452-1600)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00017)

ROUNDUP: Stories Carried By Other Media This Week 03/27/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Roundup is a brief
look at some computer stories carried in other publications
received here this past week.

March's Computer Monthly carries the results of the 1991 Reader's
Choice Award survey which chooses the best direct-sales vendors.

The March 24 Computer Currents has a feature on buying color
monitors.

Computerworld for the 23 of March reports that Windows 3.1 is
ready to roll, but that some big users have now gotten Windows
3.0 running right and may not be interested in making the change
right away.

Computer Reseller News for the week of the 23rd says that Lotus has
vowed to support IBM's OS/2 version 2.0 with a complete suite of
software and that it will disclose this at COMDEX/Spring.

InformationWeek dated the 23rd looks at the multimillion-dollar
suits and countersuits between Computer Associates and EDS over
software licenses.

CommunicationsWeek for March 23 says the FCC is about to make a
decision on AT&T Tariff 12 "800" contracts.

The April 14 PC Magazine has a buyer's guide to notebook
computers.

Software Magazine has a March Special edition that looks at
Sybase co-founder Dr. Robert Epstein.

April's Workstation News says that Cray Research is sharing
hardware and software technology with Sun Microsystems to develop
a seamless work environment using SPARC and Crays.

(John McCormick/19920327)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00018)

The Enabled Computer 03/27/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- The Enabled Computer
by John McCormick. This is the third column listing the regional
winners of the National Search for Computing Applications to Assist
Persons with Disabilities.

Region 5 Awards

1. Gerald Wasserman, Sensory Coding Laboratory, Department of
Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
47907-1364; Entry Class: Professional Organization; Category: Hearing
and Language related; Type: Device. The Purdue artificial receptor uses
a portable, digital-signal-processor to recreate normal sounds for
cochlear implant patients.

2. Jeffrey Szmanda, Health Care Keyboard Company, Inc., N61 W
15150 Wigwam Drive, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051. Phone 414-252-
3282; Entry Class: Private Professional; Category: Movement;
Type: Device. A computer keyboard divided into three sections which
adjust independently into an infinite number of positions accommodating
individuals with particular requirements for each hand, head
wand, or mouth stick control. The commercial product is called the
Health Care keyboard and will be on the market this summer.

3. Kathleen Ahlers, Special Education, Illinois State University,
Normal, IL 61761. Phone [phone]; Entry Class: Professional
Organization; Category: Hearing and Language related; Type: Software.
Read-My-Lips teaches speech-reading to hearing-impaired using
three multimedia instructional modules; 1) Read and see, 2)
Babel, and 3) Fingerspelling.

4. Eric Bohlman, OMS Development, 1921 Highland Ave., Wilmette,
IL 60091; Entry Class: Private Professional; Category: Vision;
Type: Software. TinyTalk is a memory resident screen reader program
for blind users of IBM-compatible computers with speech synthesizers.
It supports software display methods such as pop-up windows.
This is a high-quality shareware program which sells for only a
$75 registration fee and is available on many bulletin board
systems for free downloading and trial.

5. Gregg Vanderheiden; Entry Class: Professional Organization;
Category: Vision; Type: Device. Systems-3 provides access to graphic
computer environments like Windows and the Mac for the visually
impaired. By moving an oversized mouse-like device over a tablet, the
system interprets the screen image into a 100-pin output, while
icons and text are spoken and screen location is indicated both
by physical movement of the device and audio feedback. This is a
prototype system.

Region 6 Awards

1. Frank A. McKiel (Contact: Roger A. Chang, IBM, 5 West Kirkwood
Blvd., Roanoke, TX 76299-0001. phone [phone] or fax 817-962-
3963.) Entry Class: Professional Organization; Category: Vision;
Type: Software. An audible feedback scheme that allows a blind
computer user to comprehend and utilize a windowed graphical user
interface. As the pointer passes over windows, controls, and other
graphical features, stereo sounds are generated by special software
to convey the identity of the features. The sounds, which may
combine musical tones, filtered noise, recorded sound effects,
and synthesized speech, serve as a replacement for tactile
sensation. Not yet available.

4. Judith Hochberg, C-3 Applied Research, Mail Stop B-265, Los
Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545. Entry Class:
Professional Organization; Category: Hearing and Language related.
Type: Software. A computer-based device uses a speaker's acoustics
to infer tongue and lip motions during speech and displays them on a
computer monitor. This is used as a lip-reading aid or as a
therapeutic tool for speech disorders.

5. James Kennedy; Entry Class: Private Professional; Category:
Movement; Type: Device. A ratiometric blowpipe with LCD display for
data entry. A pressure transducer will be used to characterize the force
and frequency of the input pressure. A microcontroller will read the
pressure transducer, drive a two-line LCD display, and interface
to the PC.

Region 7 Awards

1. Robin Japins; Entry Class: Professional Organization; Category:
Hearing and Language related; Type: Software. This software allows
a TDD user to access alphanumeric pagers leaving messages on the
pagers. This software bridges the communication barrier of baudot
and ASCII, making traditionally incompatible devices accessible to
each other. This program is used by the paging company.

2. Michael Socha, East Wind Community, Tecumseh, MO 65760.
Entry Class: Amateur; Category: Movement; Type: Device.
Versatile and inexpensive computer keyboard for one-hand touch
typing. Michael sells kits and custom builds keyboards for disabled
individuals. These can be tailored to fit most user's needs,
including provision for programmed function keys that provide
easy access to specified programs.

These keyboards look quite rough, that is deceptive and they are
well made. The unfinished appearance is due to a mechanism that
allows individual keys or rows of keys to be angled separately,
as opposed to "broken" or split keyboards which consist of
several flat sections, each of which is moveable, but where the
keys are not individually moveable.

3. David Altman, 1311 Claremont Street, Lincoln, NE 68508.
Entry Class: Amateur; Category: Movement; Type: Device.
MARLA ARM is mechanical auto rotary linear arm which will allow a
person with a physical disability to adjust a computer monitor to
a proper height and rotary angle by the use of a switch. No indication
if this is a commercial product in development or just a prototype.

4. Robert Gunn (no address supplied); Entry Class: Amateur;
Category: Mental Retardation; Type: Device. The use of a single-action
switch with the necessary BASIC subroutine that allows physically
limited, mentally retarded adults to access to computer and computer
programs designed specifically for each individual. For use with the
Commodore 64 computer system. Not a commercially available product.

5. Greg Harvey, c/o Express-Way Software, Inc., P.O. Box 10290,
Columbia, MO 65205-4005; Entry Class: Private Professional;
Category: Vision; Type: Paper. The goal is to provide reference,
educational, and leisure reading materials to the blind and visually
impaired on CD-ROM disks. Proposal only, no product.

(John McCormick/19920327)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00019)

Fox To Use Vyvx For Newsfeeds 03/27/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) --- Fox Television
will use the Vyvx network from WilTel to gather its news and send
its feeds to selected cities, the companies announced.

Vyvx uses WilTel's 11,000 mile fiber cable network to transport
television signals. In the past it has been used by such networks
as CNN and CBS to move feeds between major bureaus, and by cable
networks like Prime to send sports events from sites to studios.
This is the first time, however, that it will be used as the
backbone network for a news operation, or to deliver shows to TV
stations.

Vyvx President Del Bothof told Newsbytes the deal shows off Vyvx's
ability to bring signals from multiple points to a number of
points, and its ability to take feeds on short notice. "The
quality and security of the fiber signal makes up for weak points
in satellite distribution," he added. Besides selling use of the
network to TV networks, Vyvx also rents it for corporate
videoconferences and events.

Fox senior vice president, Andrew Setos, told Newsbytes that his
people in Washington, headed by Paul Amos, will be able to bring
in news feeds faster and with less hassle using Vyvx, and for
about the same cost as satellite time. "We now have an
alternative to satellites, and it's quite compelling." While
satellite trucks will still be used to move feeds from remote
news sites to Washington, anything which can be brought into a
studio will be quickly moved via the Vyvx network.

Fox will use a variety of means to get signals from its own
offices to the Vyvx' "points of presence" in various cities. In
some places, microwave relays will be used. In Chicago, an
alternate fiber carrier is handling the chore. In Washington, the
local phone company is doing the work. "Whenever there's choice
it's exciting. Pricing is variable, and some people can provide
it for less."

Once the Fox newsfeed is completed, it will be sent via Vyvx's
network to Los Angeles for satellite distribution to 250
affiliates. However, along the way, it will be "dropped off" in
Houston, New York and Chicago via the Vyvx network, Setos said.
"We found it was less expensive to do that, and drop off to NY,
Chicago and Houston, so they don't have to pick up via satellite
at all."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920327/Press Contact: Kevin Inda, Vyvx, 713-
547-1000)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00020)

International Phone Update 03/27/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Telephones continue
to reach out and touch people in ways never before seen, a review
of recent news shows.

China's Xinhua news agency reports that one-way direct dial
phone lines have opened between Israel and 10 Arab countries, at
about $3.30 per minute. Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, the
United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Yemen had
protested the links, saying they couldn't be forced to talk to
Israel, but direct-dialing in one direction doesn't violate
international law. Until now, Israelis who wanted to call these
countries had to go through a service in Britain, which can now
be bypassed.

In China itself, the rural phone nets on the nation's coast are
being upgraded with digital switches, fiber cable and digital
microwave relays. The regime's goal is to have a nationwide long-
distance automatic telephone network by the year 1995. According
to the communications ministry, there will be one phone for every
100 people in the country by the turn of the century, up from
about one for every 400 at present.

Venezuelan officials have denied plans to take CANTV public. The
nation's phone network was privatized earlier this year, with GTE
taking the largest share, although the state still holds a 49
percent stake, and workers control 11 percent. CANTV is committed
to a $500 million capital spending program, funded through bonds
and commercial paper.

Finally, the Solidarity union of Poland appointed Tower
International of Maine, in the U.S., as North American
distributor for the Polish Industry Directory, which lists 10,000
businesses with 60,000 products for sale.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920327/Press Contact: Michael L. Lyons, Tower
International, 207-642-5400)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00021)

New For PC: Phar Lap DOS Extender Bundled With Compilers 03/27/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Phar Lap
Software has announced two agreements to bundle its
386|DOS-Extender software with programming-language compilers from
Lahey Computer Systems and MetaWare.

Phar Lap will sell a bundle consisting of 386|DOS-Extender and
MetaWare's High C 32-bit C-language compiler for $995. Maria
Vetrano, a spokeswoman for Phar Lap, said the two products are
often used together, particularly in the computer-aided design
software market. They were used, for instance, to build the popular
CAD software package AutoCAD. The combination previously cost more
than $1,300, she said.

Lahey Computer Systems plans to incorporate Phar Lap's DOS extender
technology right into its 32-bit F77L-EM/32 FORTRAN compiler. A new
release incorporating the DOS extender and some other enhancements
will be released in April, Vetrano told Newsbytes.

The integration of the DOS extender technology into Lahey's
compiler means software developers will be able to use the
technology in their applications without paying run-time fees,
Vetrano said.

Version 5.0 of the F77L-EM/32 compiler will have a price tag of
$1,195.

(Grant Buckler/19920327/Press Contact: Maria Vetrano, Phar Lap
Software, 617-661-1510, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00022)

IBM Canada Increasing Stake In Outsourcing Firm 03/27/92
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- IBM Canada has
announced it will exercise an option to increase its stake in ISM
Information Systems Management, Canada's largest outsourcing firm,
to 51 percent. IBM Canada previously held about 32 percent of ISM.

An option agreed to in June, 1991, allowed IBM to increase its
stake in the company by buying additional shares from Saskatchewan
Telecommunications, another of the three original majority
shareholders in ISM. Ray Lancashire, an ISM spokesman, said this
transaction will leave SaskTel with a small stake -- two to three
percent of ISM.

ISM was formerly STM Systems, a subsidiary of International
Semi-Tech Microelectronics of Markham. Saskatchewan
Telecommunications, a provincial telephone company, acquired a
majority holding in STM last year, merged it with its own computer
services subsidiary Westbridge, and sold a 27-percent stake to IBM,
leaving International Semi-Tech with 27 percent. At that time,
SaskTel also held 27 percent of the company and the balance was
widely held.

Under the original agreement, International Semi-Tech is to divest
its stake in the company within two years, Lancashire said. That
will leave the company majority-owned by IBM Canada, with SaskTel
holding a small stake and the balance widely held.

This transaction will not affect the makeup of ISM's board of
directors, Lancashire said. He added that some changes to the board
are to be voted on at the company's annual shareholders meeting,
set for late in the day on March 27, but that those changes were
not related to the IBM move.

(Grant Buckler/19920327/Press Contact: Ray Lancashire, ISM,
416-499-1012; Stan Didzbalis, IBM Canada, 416-474-3900)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00023)

 ****Apple Offers New System, Hypercard For IIGS 03/27/92
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Proving it has
not abandoned the lowest end of its line, Apple Computer is
offering new system software and an upgraded version of Hypercard for
the Apple IIGS that includes some interoperability with other
systems.

Apple says the System 6 software for the IIGS offers an enhanced user
interface, greater speed and performance, and data exchange
capabilities. The new version of Hypercard IIGS, version 1.1, offers a
Media Control stack for the operation of compact disc read-only memory
(CD-ROM) drives as well as videodisk players, and new Hypertalk
scripting capabilities.

The Apple IIGS is one of the Apple Computer products schools can
"earn" in grocery store promotions involving collection of cash
register tapes. Schools collecting enough in "tape totals" can trade
the receipts for computers in the "Apples for the Students"
promotional programs held around the U.S.

Apple is saying it has not abandoned the IIGS, and in fact is
offering IIGS users many of the features and functionality available
in System 7 on the Macintosh with the new System 6 and Hypercard IIGS.
John Santoro, Apple II product manager, said: "Apple IIGS System 6
encompasses the most robust and feature-rich system software offered
since the introduction of the Apple IIGS in 1986, bringing Apple II
customers much of the same ease-of-use and functionality now available
on the System 7 Finder for the Macintosh. The extensive development of
System 6 and HyperCard IIGS version 1.1 underline Apple's continuing
support of the Apple II line."

System 6 also offers interoperability with new File System Translators
that offer users access to Macintosh disks, Pascal disks, Apple II,
and IBM and compatible DOS 3.3 disks, Apple maintains. A new "look and
feel" is available on the IIGS with the System 6 control panel and
desk accessory. The control panels can be opened directly from the
desktop and Find File and Calculator desk accessories have also been
added, Apple added.

Apple has also incorporated Finder Help in a pop-up menu so it can be
kept on screen while the user steps through the procedures. Moving
between multiple windows on screen is easier as well with enhanced
window handling and improved appearance of the windows, Apple offered.

New applications in System 6 for the IIGS include Teach and Archiver.
Teach is a text processor for the desktop for tasks like jotting down
notes, reading disk files, and creating formatted for unformatted text
documents. Teach can also import text from ASCII, Appleworks version
3.0, Appleworks GS, Macwrite version 5.0 formats and
Applewriterarchiver, Apple said.

Archiver allows the user to back up the hard disk, with options in
restoration for either restoring everything or only certain files.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920327/Press Contact: Bill Keegan, Apple, tel 408-
974-5460, fax [phone]; PK, Sun Computers, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00024)

 ****Apple/Sharp To Jointly Develop Hand-held Computers 03/27/92
OSAKA, JAPAN, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Despite early reports that
Apple was planning to do business with Sony to develop the personal
digital assistants (PDAs), the products announced by Apple President
John Sculley at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show, Sharp says it is
the first licensee to partner with Apple on the planned PDA devices.

A PDA is a device described by Sculley as a small, portable
information device that uses digital technology for communication,
information storage, and information retrieval -- something that would
bridge the gap between current personal computers and consumer
electronics products.

While Sony has a relationship with Apple -- it is manufacturing one of
the versions of the Powerbook Apple notebook computer -- Apple said in
January it was not at that time releasing details about the PDA
devices or its alliances in developing PDAs.

Sharp says both companies have formed project teams and have begun
aggressive product development efforts. Targeted product delivery date
for the PDA is 1993, Sharp added. However, Apple and Sharp are not the
only ones with this idea.

Newsbytes talked with Bill Lempesis who is editor and publisher of the
PenVision newsletter who said other companies planning products along
the same lines. In the context of the present and future applications
of pen computers and Grid's introduction of the Gridpadhd into mass
market retail outlets, Lempesis said the future holds pen handwriting
recognition systems for portable e-mail and constant contact for the
consumer to give and send information.

In the next two to three years devices under $500 will be available to
consumers that will incorporate the communication abilities offered by
the cellular phone with the functionality of the computer, Lempesis
said.

So it appears consumers can expect the incorporation of computer,
communication, and electronics into devices from more than just Apple.
The question now seems to be who will get there first?

As a side note, Apple and another division of Sharp, Sharp Systems
Products, announced an agreement which allows Sharp Systems to
distribute Macintosh personal computers in Japan, beginning next
month.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920327/Press Contact: Brooke Cohan, Apple, tel 408-
974-3019, fax [phone]; Daniel Infanti, Sharp, 201-529-8967; Bill
Lempesis, PenVision, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00025)

New For Networks: Ethernet Media Converter Supports IEEE Specs 03/27/92
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Allied
Telesis has announced the AT-MR112T, the first media converter that
allows both network segments of an Ethernet network converted
between a thin coax (10Base-2) medium and an unshielded twisted-pair
(10Base-T) medium to meet full IEEE specifications for both length
and number of nodes.

Also, the new media converter features full 802.3 repeater
capabilities, full network status LED indicators, and protection
from malfunction for both sides of a converted network.

"By allowing both segments of the network to meet IEEE specs,
network managers can now work in a simple 'plug-and-play' environment
without having to worry about a variety of conflicting
specifications caused by older methods of media conversion," said
Anders Swahn, Allied Telesis product marketing director.

Added features include ten network status LED indicators. Aside from
a power LED for the unit and link status indicator for the 10Base-T
side of the conversion, the unit offers online, collision, receive,
and transmit LED indicators for each side of the LAN segment.

Also, to protect the network, the unit supports auto-partitioning
and reconnection that will turn off a network segment with
excessive collisions, and jabber lock-up protection which turns off
network nodes transmitting packets that are longer than the specified
IEEE Ethernet standard.

The AT-MR112T converter has a small form factor (5.5 x 4.4 x 1.2
inches) that the company says allows the unit to be easily wall
mounted with an optional bracket, and it is powered by an external
universal input power supply which is shipped with the unit.

The AT-MR112T has an introductory price of $375. Call 415/964-2771
for more information.

(Computer Currents/19920327)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00026)

Tartan Ada To Support TI's Digital Signal Processor 03/27/92
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Tartan, a
developer of Ada language tools and compilers, has announced that
the company is now developing an Ada development system to
support the new 32-bit Texas Instruments TMS320C31 digital signal
processor.

Ada is the present "standard" software developed by NATO and the
U.S. Department of Defense for all military-related programs. The
language was especially developed to provide real-time software
for military and industrial hardware applications and to be
highly portable and reusable, two big items for a government
which is swamped with billions of lines of old program code.

Tartan has already marketed a programming tool for the TI 320C30,
the first Ada development system produced for any DSP.

Tartan Ada for the C31 will be available in Europe and the U.S.
sometime in the fall of 1992.

For further information contact: Tartan, Inc., 300 Oxford Drive,
Monroeville, PA 15146. 412-856-3600 or fax [phone].

(John McCormick/19920327/Press Contact: Susan Englert, Tartan,
412-856-3600)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(MOW)(00027)

 ****PC Magazine - Russian Edition Scandal 03/27/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 MAR 92 (NB) -- Newsbytes has learned that
there were only 3,000 copies of each issue of PC Magazine - Russian
edition, although the magazine had announced a circulation of 100,000.

According to information from two sources at the PC Magazine - Russian
edition editorial office, 500 copies were printed on the manually
controlled press on high quality paper at the Kaliningrad typesetting
plant. These issues were distributed to advertisers who paid a high
price for their full-color ads. The remaining 2500 copies were
printed on the lower grade paper and then sold at limited
locations in Moscow and St Petersbourg.

Vadim Chvirtko, the manager of the paper, is said to have
reported to the publisher that about 40,000 copies were printed
on western-supplied paper. However, no trace of these magazines is
said to have been found.

Vadim Chvirtko was fired on Monday, along with his wife Luda, who
was the chief financial officer of PC Magazine USSR. Vadim Chvirtko
was ordered to quit immediately while Luda Chvirtko awaits an audit
trail to be completed.

Alexander Kann, PC Magazine USSR publisher, confirmed to Newsbytes the
fact that Mr Chvirtko is no longer a staff member and refused further
comments. He also refused to confirm or deny Chvirtko's financial
wrongdoings.

Newsbytes was unable to collect information on the possibility of
a court trial.

Mr Chvirtko's previous employment was at the ComputerPress monthly, a
Moscow-based magazine. He ended it after some financial mismanagement
was detected by higher level management, according to Igor
Viazanichev, ComputerPress editor.

A spokeswoman for Ziff-Davis Publishing says the company is
investigating but is unable to confirm the situation at this time.
She says Ziff-Davis had not known of the situation prior to the
Newsbytes report. Susan Marceau says that Ziff-Davis, which publishes
PC Magazine in the US, has licensed the right to use the name,
logo, and editorial materials to publishers of the PC Magazine -
Russian edition, but that Ziff-Davis does not publish the
magazine itself.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19920327/Press Contact: PC Magazine USSR, Alexander
Kann, phone [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00028)

ACIS Joins Accolade In Fight Against Sega 03/27/92
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 27 (NB) -- Accolade is
turning the tables on Sega, which has tried to stop it from marketing
compatible software, and the American Committee for Interoperable
Systems (ACIS) has joined the fight.

The whole thing started when Sega filed a complaint in federal
district court in San Francisco in November of last year alleging that
Accolade had infringed Sega's trademark. Essentially, Accolade says
Sega changed its hardware so the message "Produced By or Under License
From Sega Enterprises Ltd" comes up when any cartridge is inserted,
then blamed Accolade saying Accolade was trying to mislead Sega
customers.

As to why Sega pursued the legal action, Alan Miller, president and
chief executive officer of Accolade, said: "...Sega (is attempting)
to force Accolade into agreeing to what amounts to a nonnegotiable,
third-party licensing arrangement." In other words, Sega is trying to
stop anyone from marketing compatible software without paying
licensing fees to do so.

Sega lost the first round earlier this month when the court hearing
the case said Sega's claims were too vague. Accolade announced the
court is requiring Sega amend its complaint to specify the works which
are the subject of the copyright claims, the acts constituting the
alleged copyright infringement, and the dates when the alleged
infringement occurred.

Since Sega filed its suit, Accolade is fighting back with a counter-
suit for restraint of trade, trademark infringement, and unfair
business practices. The counter-suit also seeks recovery from Sega for
allegedly misleading consumers into believing that Accolade's
compatible video game cartridges are either produced by or licensed
from Sega, Accolade maintains.

Miller said Accolade has for well over a year developed, marketed and
sold products for the Sega Genesis which run on the system without
compromise and without the prompt of such initial display screen. The
initial display screen emerges only on systems sold since September of
this year. Miller cited the fact that Accolade's games run on both the
old and new versions of the Sega system.

Now the ACIS says it has filed an amicus brief supporting the legality
of the reverse-engineering process at issue in Accolade's litigation
with Sega. The ACIS is saying this is a larger issue than just a fight
over the licensing of kids computer games. Peter Choy, chairman of
ACIS and deputy general counsel of Sun Microsystems, said: "The life
blood of the computer industry is the ability of any competitor to
make and distribute interoperable software and hardware."

The ACIS is an organization of companies in the computer industry that
includes: Amdahl, Bull HN Information Systems, Chips and Technologies,
Clearpoint Research, Comdisco, Emulex, Forecross, Informix Software,
Johnson-Laird, Kapor Enterprises, Landmark Systems, NCR, Phoenix
Technologies, Seagate Technology, Software Association of Oregon,
Storage Technology, Sun Microsystems, Systems Center, 3Com, Unisys,
and Zenith Data Systems.

Accolade, with headquarters in San Jose, California describes itself
as a developer and marketer of entertainment software for IBM
compatible, Macintosh, and Amiga personal computers as well as a
licensed developer and marketer of video game software for Nintendo
and NEC video game systems. It says it is the only independent
developer and marketer, and the third largest developer and marketer,
of video games for the Sega Genesis system.

Sega produces the Sega Genesis System, in hand held, portable versions
and in versions that connect to a television set for the display of
the video games.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920327/Press Contact: Hilary Hanson,
Ketchum Public Relations for Sega, 415-984-6385; Melinda
Mongelluzzo, Accolade, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(REVIEW)(IBM)(ATL)(00029)

Review of: On The Gofax, PC Fax Software 03/27/92

Runs on: 100% IBM compatible laptop, notebook, or desktop with
512K RAM using PC/MS-DOS 3.0 or higher, and a VGA, EGA, CGA, or
Hercules compatible monochrome monitor. A Hayes-compatible 1200
or 2400 baud modem is necessary. A recognized credit card is
necessary.

From: Ibis Software Inc., 625 Second Street, Suite 308,
San Francisco  CA 94107, Voice 415-546-1917, fax [phone].

Price: $69.95

PUMA Rating:  0.25 (on a scale of 1=lowest to 4=highest)

Reviewed for Newsbytes by: tbass  HNDYPRSN, MCI:379-5378

Summary: On The Gofax is supposed to work; it didn't work in the
904 area code. It didn't work for me!

======

REVIEW

======

On The Gofax is suppose to have a toll-free number which allows
a modem transmission to be picked up and faxed forward to a
requested number for a per-page fixed rate. After some trouble, I
found out their AT&T Easy Link service number,1-800-986-6000, can
not be reached from Florida's 904 area code.

When I began to install this program, I had no way of knowing I
was in an area code region that couldn't access its advertised
preprogrammed nationwide number. When I had problems installing
the program, I kept hearing a telephone intercept message when I
dialed the number. The technical support person for the product
stated that no problems with the number had been reported so
far.

I contacted a technical person with the switching company,
Western Union. This was where I first found out that the number
was not accessible from 904 area code and that the national 800
number for EasyLink was a different number.

I contacted the Gofax technical person again and he concurred
that he now had the same information. Not only was it unreachable
from Florida's 904 area, but the same was true for Wisconsin's
715 area code region. The tech assistant gave me a second
number, 1-800-325-4112, to try that was a 1200 bps only number.

In order to use new number, a script/program file needed to
be modified. While this was not difficult it would seem the
description of 'hassle free' would have to be scratched at this
time. Then the new number didn't work either. Who knows why.

If I had reviewed this from the Atlanta area, 404, I might not
have had the problems mentioned, but people in at least Wisconsin
and Florida would have. This problem is a serious flaw for a
program that advertises toll free access, stressing on the
back of the package, "No charge to user for sending the files
to the service bureau."

Because of the above problems with the telephone numbers, the
program would not install itself, so I was unable to verify the
other features of the program.

Here are a few other notes on the program. The rates which are
advertised on the package are an important factor. Gofax
advertises what it calls really low rates for the fax:
$3.00 for the first  page and $2.00 for additional pages per
destination. There are additional expenses for fax to
international destinations. Of course, this is after having
paid between  $39.00 and $69.00 for a program which can only
be use for this  specific type of communication with this
specific service.

Compare this with MCI-Mail which has a $35.00 yearly fee and
for fax the cost is $.50 for first half page and $.30 for each
additional half  page per destination. It, too, has additional
expenses for fax to international destinations. In addition
there is an e-mail box for receiving e-mail. E-mail, telex,
and EMS communications can be sent for small fees from the
same 800-number. You do have to have a communication package;
ProComm PLUS has a  $65.00 street price. The communication
package can then be used for other telecommunication activities
when you become interested. In other words, the program is not
MCI-specific.

MCI's 800 number works from all area codes, and is claimed to
be toll free from distant locations, but not from international
locations. MCI does have a regular long distance number which
can be reached from an international phone. Gofax doesn't.

The problems with the telephone numbers didn't get me off to
a pleasant start with On the Gofax. I liked all of the
people/assistants that I had communicated with over the voice
line and hope that the company can get the problems resolved. I'd
like to see the program work. I think On The Gofax could fill a
niche for business people on the road who don't want to learn to
telecommunicate.

============
PUMA RATING

============

PERFORMANCE:  (0) It didn't. It would not install because the
number provided didn't function from this area code. Its main
selling point just didn't work.

USEFULNESS: (1) It sounds like a good idea, but you couldn't
prove it by me. The program by design is very limited in scope.
However, I could see how it would be useful for laptops and
notebooks on the road, if it worked. I think MCI-Mail is a better
deal all around.

MANUAL: (0) The manual seemed understandable, but again I could
not really evaluate it. There was just no way for me to try out
the features it described.

AVAILABILITY: (0) What good is availability if the product does
not work? It can be obtained through mail order from Globe
1-800-845-6225  part #A000014 @ $59.95, MicroWarehouse
1-800-367-7080  @ $39.00, Tiger 1-800-888-4437 @ $69.95 includes
fed ex shipping and $10 off any other product, PowerUp
1-800-851-2917 @ $69.95, and EggHead Software 1-800-344-4323
@ $69.95.

(tbass HNDYPRSN/19911024/Press Contact: Connie Ringstrom,
415-546-1917)


(REVIEW)(IBM)(SYD)(00030)

Review of: P4PS, Printing Utility For PostScript Printers, 03/27/92

Runs on: Industry standard PCs

From: ECONO-SOFT, P.O. Box 181030, Austin, TX 78718-1030,
512-832-1675, 800-367-7590

Price: Shareware $49.95 (includes printed manual); Postage $10 on
international orders (free in US). Texas residents add 8% sales
tax. MasterCard and Visa accepted, include expiration date.

PUMA Rating: 3.25 (on a scale of 1=lowest to 4=highest)

Reviewed for Newsbytes by: Paul Zucker 03/27/92

Summary: P4PS is a utility that lets you do some fancy things on
your PostScript printer, using plain ASCII text files, like
printing double-sided booklets with four pages per sheet.

======

REVIEW

======

One of the annoying features of a PostScript printer is that it
needs to have even the simplest ASCII text file wrapped up in a
lump of PostScript before it can print the text. That's OK if
you're using your favorite word processor, but quite often you're
just working at the DOS prompt, and simply want to print a copy of
your Autoexec.bat file or similar.

At its simplest, P4PS can be used for this, but it really shines
by converting longer text files to some fancy PostScript commands
that produce multiple pages per sheet of paper, arrange pages so
you can put the paper back to do the other side, and so on. To
quote the documentation:

-Prints multiple pure ASCII or PostScript files to a PostScript
printer with an attractive (optional) drop shadow.

-Automatic Booklet Generation! 2-up (side-by-side),
properly collated, 1 or 2 sided output ready to
staple/bind into booklets.

-Prints anywhere from one to 64 virtual pages per
physical sheet of paper in Landscape or Portrait
orientation.

-Handles up to 255 columns per line - great for
spreadsheets.

-Control physical and virtual page headers using macros
to determine exactly what information is printed;
determine the exact format of date displays.

-Output to any DOS device or file specification.

-Print multiple copies of each file.

-Select a range of pages instead of the entire document.

-Select continuous or manual, one or two pass printing.

-Layout virtual pages across or down the physical page;
fill pages or start new physical pages for each file.

-Specify physical page margins and the spread between
virtual pages.

-Specify what to do when a file is interlocked on a
network - including waiting for it to become
available.

-With ASCII files, you can truncate instead of wrap long
lines, print optional line numbers to the left of each
line, select tab sizes, and select which font to use.

-Self-cloning -- allows you to write default options
directly into P4PS.EXE -- creating any number of
customized versions.

I haven't tried every option, but those I have work as claimed.
The hardest part is working out which way to rotate the paper
before you put it back into the printer for double-siding. It's
available from Genie, and many bulletin boards and it's worth a
look.

===========

PUMA RATING

===========

PERFORMANCE: 3.5 It works well, and in an uncomplicated way
providing you can work from the command line and don't need a
foolproof menu system.

USEFULNESS: 4 If you need it, it's indispensable. It doesn't take
up much room on the disk but it sure saves a lot of word processor
use.

MANUAL: 3 The best part of the manual is that it's a text file, so
you get to try the program out by printing the manual as a
booklet.

AVAILABILITY: 2.5 By mail (above) or from bulletin boards and
similar.

(Paul Zucker/920120)