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/NB920331

Text File | 1992-03-31 | 69KB | 1,511 lines

(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00001)

Compuadd Names Managers For Two New Divisions 03/31/92
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Compuadd has
appointed managers for its two new autonomous divisions, part of
the company's market segmentation plan announced last month.
A Compuadd spokesperson said that the actual planning
for the two new divisions started as early as last October.

James H. Moore, 53, formerly general manager of Latin American
operations for Texas Instruments, has been named general
manager of Compuadd's Retail/International Division, and will
have responsibility for the chain's 125 retail stores. He will also
oversee international market activity, primarily in Western Europe,
Latin America, South America, the Middle East, and Asia.

John L. Conn, 41, Compuadd's new general manager of Systems
and Technology, comes to Compuadd from Harns Corporation,
where he was vice president of worldwide manufacturing. Conn will
focus on Fortune 1000 corporations, federal and state agencies,
educational institutions, and new market opportunities. The
Compuadd announcement said the new markets Conn would be
looking at would range from PC-based POS (point-of-sale)
terminals to RISC (reduced instruction-set computing) workstations.

Both managers will work at Compuadd's Austin headquarters,
and will report to Compuadd founder and CEO Bill Hayden.

Stressing the autonomous nature of the two new divisions,
Compuadd said they will operate as independent businesses, much
as Compuadd Express and Compuadd Informations systems do.
Compuadd Express isthe consumer mail-order arm of Compuadd,
while the Information Systems business deals with customized
software services.

According to Compuadd spokesperson Wendell Watson,
Information Services is primarily targeting the Fortune 1000 list for
the development of customized software.

"Rather than have a monolithic company, our goal is to build
multiple half-billion dollar enterprises that are nimble, efficient,
and narrowly focused across a broad spectrum of individual
customer needs," said Hayden.

(Jim Mallory/19920331/Press Contact: Wendell Watson,
Compuadd, 512-250-2000)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00002)

Gateway 2000 Reports 128 Percent Revenue Increase For 1991 03/31/92
NORTH SIOUX CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -
PC manufacturer and direct marketer Gateway 2000 has reported
that it ended 1991 with $626.8 million in revenue, a 128 percent
increase over 1990's $275.5 million. The company also said that
it shipped over 250,000 units in 1991.

Gateway also said its pre-tax earnings for the privately held
company were $59.7 million, up 137 percent from its $25.2 million
for 1990.

"We are very pleased with our 1991 results," said president and
CEO Ted Waitt. Waitt said the company exceeded the goals it set
at the beginning of the year, "by a substantial margin." He attributed
the results to supportive customers and the company's efforts to
offer customers the best price/performance values.

In the fourth quarter, Gateway said it shipped more than 92,000
units for gross revenue of $206.5 million, a 19 percent increase in
units shipped over the third quarter, and a 129 percent increase
over what it shipped for the fourth quarter last year.

Gateway 2000 claims that it is currently selling more IBM-compatible
personal computers through the direct market channel in the US than
any other PC manufacturer.

The company has been quick to offer the latest technology,
announcing two 50 megahertz 80486-based systems using Intel's
doubler chip in early March.

Mike Schmith, Gateway 2000 marketing manager, told Newsbytes
that the company expected to enter the international market in the
fourth quarter this year. "It's a red hot market right now," said Schmith.

Schmith said selling into the European Economic Community (EEC)
makes things easier for manufacturers, since the EEC sets
standardized tariffs and duties for goods sold to member countries.

Schmith also attributed Gateway's success in today's highly
competitive market to the company's ability to control costs. He
said that Gateway's home state, South Dakota, does not impose
either a personal nor a corporate income tax, and the company has
little difficulty attracting a labor force. Schmith said that while wages
may not be as high as in other states, the quality of life is better.

(Jim Mallory/19920331/Press Contact: Mike Schmith, Gateway 2000,
605-232-2189)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00003)

Wordperfect Announces Resignation of Peterson 03/31/92
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Wordperfect has
announced that the departure of W.E. "Pete" Peterson will be
part of a reorganization of its board of directors.

Peterson's resignation, while described as amicable by a WP
spokesperson, was attributed to a difference in management style.
Newsbytes also learned that Peterson did not agree with the
marketing direction that senior management wants to pursue.

According to an Associated Press, Peterson said he had been
asked to change his management style, which has been
described as "abrasive." Peterson was quoted as saying: "I'm a
difficult guy to work for. We just didn't see things the same way."

Peterson had been with Wordperfect since 1980, in charge of
day-to-day operations. Peterson will reportedly retain his one
percent ownership of the company. The company said Peterson
would serve as a consultant to the company and would provide
advice or respond to requests for consulting as appropriate.

Asked about Peterson's plans, WP's Jeff Acerson said that while
he did know specifically, he understood that Peterson might be
interested in writing a book.

Newsbytes was unable to learn if Peterson had a non-compete
clause in his contract.

With Peterson's departure, WP said it would add Duff Thompson,
John Lewis, and David Moon to the board. Thompson is VP and
general counsel, Lewis is VP, International, and Moon senior VP for
development. Bruce Bastian remains chairman of the board, and
Alan Ashton remains president of the corporation and a board
member.

The company said it would also create an executive committee to
guide marketing decisions in a time of fast growth, according to
Acerson.

Wordperfect says it was third in revenue among personal computer
software-only companies in 1991 with $533 million in sales. It
estimates that it has about 60 percent of the word processing market
share. The company employs 3,600 people.

(Jim Mallory/19920331/Press Contact: Jeff Acerson, Wordperfect
Corporation, 801-228-5005)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00004)

New For PC: Peachtree Accounting For Windows 03/31/92
NRCROSS, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Peachtree
Software  says it is now shipping a Windows version of its
Peachtree accounting system.

The company has been shipping Crystal accounting, a Windows-
compatible accounting program, for about a year, but says
the new integrated package has many more features.

Peachtree Accounting for Windows, which has a suggested list
price of only $99, comes complete with general ledger, accounts
receivable, accounts payable, invoicing, budgeting, payroll,
inventory, job costing, bank reconciliation, custom forms design,
and a financial report writer.

Like its DOS predecessor, Peachtree Complete, the user only has
to install the modules desired, and other modules can be installed
later as the need arises, without having to start over.

Peachtree program manager Debbie Leonard told Newsbytes that
a number of program enhancements had been made over Crystal.
She said that where appropriate, screens have been redesigned
to closely resemble the forms themselves, such as invoices.

Inventory Control is a new module which Crystal did not have, as
are Job Costing and Bank Reconciliation. Also added is a menu
bar at the top of the screen which allows the user to move directly
to selected functions.

Leonard said the program is compatible with Windows 3.1, which
has its official introduction April 6th, and Peachtree makes use of
OLE (object linking and embedding), another Windows 3.1 feature.

Accountants and bookkeepers who switch to Peachtree for Windows
from another package will be happy to find that Peachtree allows the
user to change the layout of the forms, such as invoices. If you
already have several thousand statement or invoice forms, you will
not have to change them; just tell Peachtree where you want the
information.

Posting in Peachtree for Windows can be done in real-time, or in
batch mode. In real-time mode, the changes are made as you enter
them. In batch processing, the changes are accumulated and all
made at once when you process the batch. Batch processing is
frequently used to allow the entries to be checked for accuracy
before being posted to accounts.

When you buy Peachtree For Windows, the same package will run
as a single-user standalone package or as a multi-user networked
program. It also uses Lotus Smartext hypetext for its context-sensitive
help. Clicking on a "book" button will display a list of words. Click on
the word and the help screens appear. Hypertext help systems get
the user to the appropriate help screens quicker than systems that
require you to scroll through help screens.

Leonard emphatically assured Newsbytes that the company would
continue to market and support the DOS version of its accounting
program, Peachtree Complete. She said the company believes
there is a market for both.

(Jim Mallory/19920331/Press Contact: Debbie Leonard, Peachtree
Software, 404-564-5800)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEN)(00005)

 ****Cyrix Hotly Denies Intel Patent Infringement Claim 03/31/92
RICHARDSON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Cyrix
Corporation has responded to Intel claims of patent infringement,
holy denying that it had copied Intel's microcode.

As reported previously by Newsbytes, Intel claims that Cyrix would
have to have infringed on its patents for Cyrix's newly announced
386-compatible 486 microprocessor to be compatible. Newsbytes
has already reported on the announcement of the new Cyrix chip,
which the company said works like a 486 but is compatible with
present 386 machine designs, and priced lower than Intel
comparable products.

In a strong statement, Cyrix's president and CEO said Intel's
claims "demonstrate their (Intel's) ignorance of the Cx486 design."

The Cyrix statement received by Newsbytes said the company's
strategy also incorporates manufacturing its Cx486SLC
microprocessor by Intel patent cross-licensed semiconductors.
Cyrix told Newsbytes previously that it expected to announce
manufacturing agreements with other companies in the near future.
Cyrix sees this as additional assurance to its potential OEM
(original equipment manufacturer) customers that Cyrix's
products are safe to use in their designs.

Responding to charges by Intel corporate counsel Tom Dunlap,
that the cross patent license manufacturing strategy is "nothing
more than "patent laundering," Rogers said: "Dunlap must have
a short memory of the patent cross license issues, as Intel itself
stipulated in the January 20th SGS-Thomson trial that Cyrix
products manufactured by SGS are indeed licensed products."

Cyrix has already filed a declaratory judgment lawsuit against Intel.
"The Cyrix/SGS-Thomson cross patent license trial is complete
and we are awaiting a ruling," said Rogers. Rogers said the
declaratory judgment was filed in order to minimize additional
harassment litigation by Intel.

After news of the Cx486SLC became known, Intel reportedly said
in a press conference that it did not have one of the chips, and
based their infringement claims on press and analyst reports only.

In the strongly worded statement provided to Newsbytes, Rogers
said: "Groves posture that he regrets expending time in the courts
is either arrogant or not genuine, given the fact that they file
infringement suits without ever laying eyes on the product. Intel's
knee jerk reaction shows the Cyrix 486 has filled a product void in
the marketplace and exposed a raw nerve at Intel. The momentum
created by Cyrix's genuine innovation is more powerful than
worn-out legal action."

(Jim Mallory/19920331/Press Contact: Michelle Moody, Cyrix
Corporation, 214-224-2335)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00006)

Cray Computer Says Cray-3 Problems Still Not Solved 03/31/92
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) --
In a brief public statement, Cray Computer said the problems which
have plagued development of its Cray-3 supercomputer project
"have been significantly reduced but not eliminated."

Founder Seymour Cray said two two-processor systems, one built
in January and the other in February, are now in the test stage. The
completed Cray-3 in its full configuration is designed to be a
sixteen-processor system. The company said that the tests are
continuing, but that "full functionality has not been demonstrated."
Until it is, Cray said no customer orders are expected.

Cray Computer lost its only customer for the Cray-3, the Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory, when it failed to meet a milestone in
the test process last December. Livermore Labs exercised an option
in its contract, and switched its order to a supercomputer from Cray
Research, the company from which Cray Computer spun off.

Cray said the problems, which are chiefly mechanical ones, have
been significantly reduced, but not eliminated.  He said the
company intends to build one two-processor system each month
until full functionality can be demonstrated. "At that time, we shall
begin to build and group the systems into four and eight-processor
sets for potential sale," said Cray.

Cray said the next progress report on the Cray-3 would be at the
company's annual meeting, which is scheduled for May.

When the system failed to meet test schedules in December, Cray
was also notified that a software development project with an
outside agency had also been cancelled. The company said it
would continue development of software in-house. Cray was also
looking for a partner "with complimentary skills to our own," for the
purpose of expanding sales prospects. Apparently no such
alliance was found.

At last estimate, Cray Computer's spending rate to develop the
Cray-3 was about $4.2 million, although that figure may have
changed. The company raised about $55 million through a stock
offering last July.

(Jim Mallory/19920331/Press Contact: Neil Davenport, Cray
Computer, 719-579-6464)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00007)

Texas Instruments Sets Up Hong Kong CASE Marketing Office 03/31/92
WANCHAI, HONG KONG, 1992 MAR 30 (NB) -- Texas Instruments
has expanded its Information Technology Group in Hong Kong with
the setting up of a new Advanced Information Management (AIM)
marketing office to serve the territory's growing CASE (computer-
aided software engineering) market.

The new office provides a full range of services centered around its
integrated CASE product, the Information Engineering Facility (IEF).

The new office will be headed by Marketing Manager Allan Yip,
expanding the TI Information Technology Group to 10 people, out
of a total TI staff of over 100 in Hong Kong. It will be the focus for
education, consultancy, and product support services to IEF
customers in the territory.

"The expansion of this office was necessary to serve TI's IEF
customers' needs and to maintain the company's software market
leadership," said Jim Poage, general manager for TI's AIM division
in Central Asia.

"Many Asian economies such as Hong Kong are at a point in their
growth and development where the need for information technology
is greatest, and they do not have the luxury of an abundant supply of
experienced IT professionals," added Yip. "Effective utilization of
scarce programming talent to address the growing applications
backlog has increased the demand for the IEF in this region.
Expansion of our operations was required to serve our customers'
needs and maintain our market leadership."

The IEF was born out of a similar situation within Texas Instruments.
Applying its strengths in artificial intelligence and information
technology, the company set out to design and develop a set of
integrated tools to improve its own IT productivity and quality.
Recognizing that they were not alone in their need for MIS
productivity tools, the company began marketing the IEF
worldwide in 1987.

The IEF runs on MS-DOS and OS/2, generating applications on
IBM mainframes, with versions also available for developing
applications to run under IBM's AIX, HP UX, DEC's VMS operating
systems, TI's Unix, Fujitsu Unix as well as the Tandem NonStop
computing environment.

TI maintains a substantial presence throughout the Asia-Pacific,
including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines,
Malaysia, Singapore, India, and Australia. TI's Advanced
Information Management division, which has its Central Asian
headquarters in Singapore, offers a variety of software productivity
tools and products, the IEF, software consulting services,
education, and support.

(Norman Wingrove/19920331/Press Contact: Sharon Hampton,
TI Hong Kong, [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LON)(00008)

UK: Apple Develops First "Boat Race" Archive 03/31/92
UXBRIDGE, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- One
of the first signs that Spring has arrived in the UK is the Oxford and
Cambridge Boat Race, an annual tradition dating back to 1829.

Oxford and Cambridge Universities have long been in friendly
rivalry with each other. The Boat Race is regarded as a
traditional event, at which each University rolls out its athletic
finest to beat the other.

Apple Computer has announced that it has developed the first
computer archive on the race, recording each race in detail right
back to 1829. According to Apple, the archive took six weeks to
develop, using Claris' Filemaker Pro. The bulk of the archive was
created from old records, including newspaper reports and diaries,
and can be run on any Apple Macintosh.

Information held in the archive ranges from data on how often each
university has won the Boat Race and by how many lengths and
canvases (measures of the race), to what the combined weight and
ages of the winning team were, in any given year.

This is the second year that Apple has been the official provider
of computers to the Boat Race. The Apple Archive will be
demonstrated at this year's race, which takes place on April 4.

(Steve Gold/19920331/Press & Public Contact: Apple Computer
UK, 081-569-1199)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00009)

Survey Claims Govt Imaging Will Triple In Five Years 03/31/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- A recent survey by
Vienna, Virginia-based Input, Inc., a market research firm which
focuses on the needs of federal users, says that the federal
government will increase its use of imaging software and hardware
by nearly 30 percent each year for the next five years.

The present size of the federal imaging market is about $430
million, but the Input survey says that is going to grow to $1.42
billion per year by 1996.

Those numbers include a lot of items, but the vast bulk of
imaging hardware and software will involve things like optical
storage devices such as WORM (write-once, read-many) drives,
rewritable drives, and CD-ROMs, as well as computers to manage
the data, software to index, search, and retrieve data, and optical
scanners attached to computers. Also included will be high-
resolution monitors and graphics cards, and laser printers.

Swamped with paper, the federal government has striven for years
to come up with viable storage systems which would eliminate both
the bulk, and inefficiency, of paper storage of documents which
range from memos to maps, diagrams, and even collections of
images.

The FBI, IRS, and Postal Service are already making use of
imaging systems and in the near future these agencies will
increase the amount they spend on such systems, but other
agencies will also move to this technology.

Nearly 70 percent of agencies now use either mainframe- or
minicomputer-based image storage and retrieval systems, with
about 20 percent using microcomputers to record and access
images.

A survey last year by Government Computer News revealed that
42 percent of 211 responding federal, state, and local government
agencies interested in imaging technology expect to have a
system in place by 1994.

The most important reason cited for moving from paper to
electronic storage is space savings.

(John McCormick/19920331)


(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00010)

Optical Software Bridges Single Drive-Jukebox Gap 03/31/92
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Plasmon
Data Systems has announced a new product -- ReflectionManager --
which it claims will provide users with completely transparent access
for any optical storage system from a single drive to a massive,
multi-drive jukebox. The new program is intended both for desktop
users using MS-DOS 4.01 or higher, and local area network
managers.

ReflectionManager solves a common problem faced by companies
which begin using single optical storage drives such as WORM
(write-once, read-many) or erasable systems, only to find them so
useful that they want to migrate to multi-drive and autoloader systems
such as those provided by the larger jukebox drives. While either
kinds of drive are relatively easy to install, users will find when
making a switch that the existing files are often incompatible with the
new driver software needed to access the more sophisticated drives.

Plasmon's new software is completely compatible with single-drive
programs such as Plasmon's ReflectionDriver and all Corel-
compatible format systems, but also provides support for jukebox
systems up to 50 gigabytes (GB) capacity.

ReflectionManager pricing starts at $2,595 for the 10 GB version,
and goes up to $6,195 for the largest version. Utilities provided with
the new control software maintain audit trails, menu support, and
on-line help.

(John McCormick/19920331/Press Contact: Brad Lee Brenner,
Marken Communications, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(WAS)(00011)

New For Mac: Rodime Offers Ricoh Rewritable Optical Drives 03/31/92
BOCA RATON, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 30 (NB) -- Rodime
Systems is about to introduce two rewritable optical drives for
Macintosh systems based on Ricoh drives. The new drives will
be compatible with all Macintosh system software from 6.07 up,
including System 7.0.

The Condor 650e is a 650 megabyte (MB)-capacity, 5.25-inch drive
based on the Ricoh HyperSpace drive which turns at 3,600
revolutions-per-minute (rpm) to achieve 37 millisecond (ms) average
access times with a sustained one MB-per-second data transfer rate.
This would compare to CD-ROM drives which have access times
from 350 ms to well over 600 ms.

The second drive is the Condor 130e (128 MB), based on the Ricoh
3.5-inch Transporter Drive which turns at a slower 3,000 rpm rate
and offers a data transfer rate of only 640 kilobytes-per-second
with an average access time of 43 ms.

These are both magneto-optical rewritable drives, but the Condor
130e can also read discs mass produced (published) under the new
3.5-inch O-ROM standard, which is very like a small CD-ROM but
stores only 120 MB of data instead of the 550 MB carried on a
larger CD-ROM disc.

Ricoh builds optical drives but sells them to manufacturers who
integrate them into computer systems or configure them as add-on
systems for existing computers.

(John McCormick/19920331/Press Contact: John Dean, Ricoh,
408-432-8800)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00012)

IDG Intros CD-ROM-Based Enterprise Computing Database 03/31/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 30 (NB) -- International Data
Group, or IDG, has announced that it is producing a new line of
CD-ROM databases for the information technology executive who
needs access to information found in IDG periodicals. The newly
formed Emerging Technology Applications (ETA) operating unit
developed the databases in conjunction with CD-ROM experts at
Dataware Technologies.

Paul Earl of ETA told Newsbytes that  IDG is placing full-text and
useful graphics, "not photographs, but useful charts and data," from
two and a half years of Network World, ComputerWorld, and
Infoworld, on a CD-ROM which will be updated monthly.

Research data from IDC Research Database and Link are also
included on the disc, which has a first year subscription rate of
$695 for 12 issues.

Other publications will be added regularly. For instance, CIO
will be added in July and the company will continue to add other
appropriate IDG publications.

Other databases are also being published which contain research
data from Link and other IDG groups, also with full text, graphs, and
charts for multi-year periods. The first Link issue will be available in
the May-June time frame.

CD-Answer 3.0, Dataware's hyperlink retrieval system, will be
standard for all these IDG database publications, according to
Earl, bringing one important new aspect to the CD-ROM publication
field - the ability to hyperlink between different articles and
publications on a single disc.

Another major new feature which ETA will be offering, according
to Paul Earl, will be custom CD-ROM databases designed for
customers and published with just the sort of data they need.
Such databases, which Earl says will be priced as low as
$10,000, could and probably will include a way for companies to
search out potential customers using various criteria, but the
names and addresses will probably not be on the customer disc.

Instead, Earl told Newsbytes, people will have a way to quickly
send the company their search criteria. The company will then
print up a set of labels that matches the criteria they have already
refined through their own searches.

(John McCormick/19920331/Press Contact: Paul Earl, ETA,
508-879-0006)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(WAS)(00013)

Dataware And Optimage In Joint Marketing Agreement 03/31/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) --
Dataware Technologies and Optimage Interactive Services have
agreed to market each other's technology which involves optical
storage publishing.

Dataware Technologies produces the CD Answer retrieval software
which Optimage will bring to the CD-I (CD-Interactive) market, while
Optimage's CD-I expertise will be made available to the more than
200 Dataware customers.

This porting of CD Answer to the CD-I OS9 platform will be
accomplished by the second quarter of 1992. At that time Dataware's
retrieval platform will be available to those companies which wish
to offer products in the CD-I format. The format places up to nine
hours of audio, or a combination of high-quality images, audio, and
data, on a CD-ROM sized disc which is played in a dedicated CD-I
player, which is a device which attaches to a standard television
rather than a computer.

CD-I is a good candidate as a platform for many publishers
wishing to reach home or business markets with multimedia
presentations rather than computer data.

Optimage Interactive Services was formed by N.V. Philips of the
Netherlands, and Microware Systems of Des Moines, Iowa. Philips
is one of the developers of CD-ROM, and Microware supplys
the real-time OS-9 operating system which is at the heart of all
CD-ROM drives.

Dataware is a major producer of CD-ROMs for various companies
and government agencies.

(John McCormick/19920330/Press Contact: Kathleen Hunter,
Dataware, 617-621-0820; Brad Clark, Optimage, 515-225-7000)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00014)

 ****Cyrix To Announces 486 PC Chip On April 6 03/30/92
RICHARDSON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 30 (NB) -- Cyrix
Corporation says it will formally announce immediate availability of
its Cx486SLC, a 25 megahertz (MHz) 486 microprocessor chip on
April 6 at Spring Comdex in Chicago. That is also the formal
introduction date of Microsoft's Windows 3.1 graphical user interface.

According to Cyrix president Jerry Rogers: "The Cx486SLC is the
first in a series of totally original Cyrix microprocessor products
with advanced features and 486 performance at 386 prices."

Cyrix says the chip is a 486 instruction-set compatible CPU
(central processing unit) with 16-bit external and 32-bit internal data
paths. The company said the chip is compatible with a 386SX bus
and pinout, and can be integrated into existing 386SX designs to
boost performance without raising costs.

Cyrix expects the chip will be popular for use in notebook,
pen-based, and entry-level desktop systems. Rogers
characterized the chip as a "quick and easy upgrade of 386SX
designs to 486-level performance."

Cyrix says the chip is initially available in a 25 MHz version,
but the company said it expects to ship a 33 MHz version in the
third quarter.

Rogers said that initial customer discussions indicate that OEM
(original equipment manufacturer) demand for the chip will be
significant, and the company expects to announce a significant
semiconductor second source agreement shortly.

Cyrix expects to expand its CPU line through 1992. Rogers said
the Cx486SLC is the low end of a whole family of higher
performance Cx486 microprocessors that will be introduced
throughout 1992.

The company says it does not plan to stop with 486 chips. "We're
not stopping at the 486 level. Our plans call for better-than-586
performance processors in 1993," said Rogers.

Cyrix said that the new microprocessor contains power management
features which allow a dramatic reduction in current consumption
when the chip is in "suspend" mode. That will be of special interest
to notebook manufacturers and users, where current battery life is
limited to four hours or less.

California-based Oak Technology says it will offer PC chip sets
which support the new Cyrix microprocessor. Oak says its chip set
includes all the logic necessary to implement a desktop system in
just three chips. It includes a system controller, a peripheral
controller, and a VGA controller. In addition to local bus graphics
support, the VGA controller chip supports up to 16 million colors
for photo quality images, according to the Oak Technologies
announcement.

Cyrix, best known for its math co-processor chips, is a venture-
capital funded firm founded in 1988. The company says it is
now self-sustaining, and was profitable within months after shipping
its first products in 1989. Cyrix has reported profitability for eight
quarters throughout 1990 and 1991.

Cyrix co-founders Jerry Rogers and Tom Brightman both had a
background in the computer industry before forming their company.
Rogers was vice president of Texas Instruments Microprocessor
Division, and Brightman was vice president of engineering, and later
vice president of planning and procurement, for Atari Corporation.
He also worked for Commodore Business Machines and Texas
Instruments in various product management, engineering, and
marketing positions.

Several other companies have also entered the microprocessor
field. Production of the CPU chips, the heart of every personal
computer, was once the undisputed domain of Intel Corporation. As
with any industry, increased competition, while putting pressure on
manufacturer's profit margins, usually benefits the consumer. Even
though OEM's are the buyers of CPU chips, the end user should
benefit. New product suppliers usually mean lower prices, and
those cost savings should be passed on to the end user.

Reacting to the news, Intel Corporation reportedly told analysts
that the Cyrix microprocessor is technologically inferior to the
Intel chips. According to British news service Reuters, an Intel
spokesperson said the Cyrix chip is targeted at what Intel described
as "the slowing 386 chip marketplace." Intel maintains the market is
rapidly shifting to the more powerful 486 chip. Cyrix says its new
chip has all the power of a 486 chip but will sell at 386 prices.

(Jim Mallory/19920331/Press contact: Michelle Moody, Cyrix
Corporation, 214-234-8357 ext 302)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(NYC)(00015)

Grayson To Headline 17th Annual Trenton Computer Festival 03/31/92
TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 -- Paul Grayson,
CEO of Micrografx will be the speaker at the 1992 Trenton Computer
Festival (TCF), to be held at Mercer County Community College on
April 11 and 12. Grayson will speak both as the keynoter
(April 11 - 3:00 PM) and at the Saturday evening banquet.

The Trenton Computer Festival is, according to Hank Kee, long
time Trenton director, the oldest computer fair in the world, preceding
even the legendary West Coast Computer Faire. Jim Warren,
organizer of the West Coast Faire, speaking to Newsbytes,
confirmed Kee's statement, saying: "Hank's right. Trenton was the
first, followed by a small one in Cleveland, and then there was
another one in the summer in Atlantic City. "

TCF'92 will feature over 125 seminars spread over the two days as
well as 171 commercial booths and exhibits from such firms as Aldus,
Adobe, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Lotus, Microsoft, Software Publishing,
Toshiba and WordPerfect. Additionally, it will contain a 17-acre
"flea market" with over 1,000 spots for sale of computers and
components of all ages.

The seminar program features an address by Dr. George Hazelrigg,
of the National Science Foundation on "Nanotechnology & Silicon
Micromachines." It also features a panel on "Computer Crime & First
Amendment Concerns," moderated by Newsbytes' John McMullen
and including EFF legal counsel Mike Godwin, New York State
Police Senior Investigator Donald Delaney, hacker Phiber Optik, and
2600 publisher Emmanuel Goldstein (Sunday, 10:30).

Other seminar topics include "Technical Development to the Former
Soviet Union," "Computer Law for Programmers & Desktop
Publishers," "Why C++ Makes You a Better C Programmer,"
"Medical Image: Capture and Display," "DOS Disassembled,"
"Genealogical Computing," "How To Buy a Computer," "Use of
Computers in Churches," and "Latest Computer Games."

TCF is sponsored by the Amateur Computer Club of New Jersey
(ACNJ), the New York Amateur Computer Club (NYACC), Trenton
State College, and Mercer Community College.

(Barbara E. McMullen/19920331/Press Contact: TCF 92,'
609-655-4999)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00016)

Shiva Unveils Macintosh Dial-in Server 03/31/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTES, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) --
Shiva Corp. has an answer to the problem network managers are
discovering lurks within their Appletalk networks running under
System 7. Apple's latest release of the operating system unveiled
a host of new features that were designed to make computing in
groups work a lot easier.

With the introduction of the Powerbook laptop computers, that
process took another step forward. With Appletalk Remote Access
it is possible for users to set up their desktop Macintosh so that
a Powerbook user could dial in and use the files on the desktop
machine.

One of the better demonstrations of this feature allows a Powerbook
user to set up his portable in such a way that the whole process is
automatic. The user simply double-clicks on a file and the computer
already knows the number to dial. The computers connect, and then
the file and application are opened on the Powerbook.

To make such activities possible, it is necessary to set up the
desktop Macintosh in such a way that it will allow access to the
remote user. Then, the machine has to have a modem attached,
and it must be left on. All of this poses problems for network
administrators. The problems are twofold: first, network security
may be totally compromised as external links proliferate; and
secondly, the headaches that are generated by all of the naming
and different access restrictions can get totally out of control.

To the rescue comes Shiva Corp's new LanRover/L product.
LanRover/L is an Appletalk Remote Access Server. It looks just
like a Shiva NetModem and what it does is allow for centralized,
controlled access to the Appletalk network from a modem. The
network administrator can control the device from his console
directly from his Shiva NetManager program. He can set up
access levels, passwords, access lists, dialbacks, and other
such important parameters. The Powerbook user can then still
use the network in much the same way as before. The only
difference being that the process is much more controlled.

Shiva officials have told Newsbytes that they have tested the
LanRover/L in many installations and have shown that it is
completely compatible with Apple's software. The Shiva
LanRover/L will begin shipment in early May. It sells for
a price of $699.

The L in LanRover/L stands for Localtalk. Shiva would not say if
this meant that an Ethernet version is in the works, but did say
that they believe this to be the first product in a family of similar
devices. An Ethernet version, as well as versions that support
more than one modem, are logical extensions of this line.

(Naor Wallach/19920331/Press Contact: Carol McGarry,
Criswell Communications for Shiva, 617-876-1188)


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

Olivetti UK Intros First Networked Fault-Tolerant Superservers 03/31/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Olivetti UK has
announced it is expanding its range of Netframe Superservers
with two new advanced, fault-tolerant (FT) machines and a new
entry-level system.

According to Olivetti, the Netframe range of machines is designed
specifically for users of advanced local area networks (LANs) and
provides a cost-effective combination of power, control, and
security.

In use, the new machines have the power to run networks of up to
1,000 users, as well as the ability to control complex networks.
In addition, they have the security needed for business-critical
applications, Olivetti claims.

The Netframe series of machines were designed and manufactured
by Netframe Systems in the US, a company which Olivetti holds a
11.4 percent stake in.

The Olivetti Netframe machines run either standard Novell Netware
of Microsoft's LAN Manager. The machines are said to be
particularly suitable for use as a server on large LANs, as well as
for client-server computing and for multimedia plus object-oriented
applications.

So what is fault tolerant (FT)? As the name implies, the technology
means that the hardware is tolerant of faults. Typically, when a
hardware fault is encountered, a backup system cuts in. Fault
tolerance used to be an expensive option, particularly on hard
disks, which are rated as most likely to fail. The falling price
of hardware has meant that FT machines are now available to
users with budgets not reaching into the tens of thousands.

Because of the falling cost of hardware, the Netframe systems are
what Olivetti calls advanced FT technology-based. Features such
as "Livedrive" and "Multispan" -- hard disk and LAN backup
technologies -- have been included as standard on the Netframe
250FT and 450FT series. Both machines are based around Intel's
50 megahertz (MHz) 80486 microprocessor.

Announcing the machines, which will ship towards the end of this
month, Carl Amdahl, Netframe Systems' chairman and chief
technical officer, said: "The ONF 450FT and 250FT embody our
commitment to the next wave of network computing. Our server
architecture has been designed for true fault tolerance, high
performance, managability, and maintenance control. These
are crucial to enterprise-wide computing today."

Newsbytes notes that the Livedrive and Multispan technologies
are state-of-the-art. The Livedrive system is the first nonstop disk
drive subsystem that enables customers to physically replace,
add and remove industry-standard disk drives without interrupting
the network server's operation.

Multispan, meanwhile, is claimed to be another industry first.
The package is billed as the industry's first LAN software that
supports multiple redundant connections between a network
server and LANs based on Ethernet and Token-Ring standards.

Pricing on all the new machines, which represent a change of
direction for Olivetti, will be announced closer to their shipment
date later this month.

(Steve Gold/19920331/Press & Public Contact: Olivetti UK,
081-785-6666)


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

UK: Samsung Intros 17-Inch Multiscan Color Monitor 03/31/92
SURBITON, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Continuing
its steady release of high-specification color monitors, Samsung has
unveiled the CCB7577 Syncmaster. The product is a 17-inch high-
resolution FST color multiscan monitor with a dot pitch of 0.26
millimeters that supports very high definition images.

According to a Samsung representative, the monitor is aimed at
the advanced Windows user who wants a screen capable of running
applications such as desktop publishing (DTP), computer-aided
design (CAD) or high-end business graphics.

Unlike many monitors, the Syncmaster includes a digital control
system that accepts multiple frequencies and adjusts for the
horizontal and vertical picture adjustments required. The monitor
even remembers each different signal that is input so that, when
the signal is encountered again, it quickly adjusts to the
optimum horizontal and vertical scan voltages required.

The Syncmaster supports a screen refresh rate of up to 76Hz, with
a non-interlace screen resolution of 1,280 by 1,024 pixels. This,
Samsung claims, minimizes eye-strain by producing an extremely
stable, flicker-free image.

Pricing on the CCB7577 Syncmaster has yet to be announced, but
is expected to be competitive, according to a company
representative. The monitor, which is available immediately, is
billed as compatible with all PC graphics standards from VGA up
to 1,280 by 1,024 pixels non-interlaced, and all Apple Mac II
systems.

(Steve Gold/19920331/Press & Public Contact: Samsung
Electronics, 081-391-0168)


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

UK: Charterhouse Unveils Entry-Level Legal Software 03/31/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- NMW Charterhouse
has unveiled a new entry-level product in its Trial range of
management software for the legal sector.

The package, which runs on a PC, is targeted at medium and
smaller-sized firms who not need the power of NMW's Trial/400
package for the IBM AS/400 computers. It is also available for
the IBM RS/6000 reduced instruction-set computing (RISC) family
of workstations, where it is known as Trial 6000.

Unlike packages which are available for such different platforms,
Trial is claimed to be completely compatible between versions.

Gordon Crawford, NMW Charterhouse's managing director, said
that the trend towards mergers and acquisitions in the legal business
market has meant that companies have had to upgrade their legal
software. Trial, he claims, enables legal firms to upgrade their
computer systems very easily.

"It is for firms such as these that we have announced these new
products, which have much lower costs of installation, yet will
meet functional demands in either the IBM AS/400 or Unix
environments," he said.

So what does the Trial family of software do? According to NMW,
the package was developed to address all of the management
information and marketing requirements of the legal office.
Client matter registers and databases, as well as time recording,
financial control and case management facilities have been
designed to improve the efficiency of practice administration, the
company claims.

One interesting feature of the software is that each package can
be customized to meet the individual requirements of legal
practices and departments, and can also assist in the effective
targeting of marketing, the company claims.

NMW Charterhouse is an IBM Business Partner (a high-end IBM
reseller) that specializes in providing high quality systems to
the legal, insurance, and debt recovery marketplaces. The
company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NMW Computers, a
computer services company.

(Steve Gold/19920331/Press & Public Contact: NMW
Charterhouse, 071-403-1333)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00020)

UK: Pre-Installation Software Scheme From Apricot Computers 03/31/92
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Apricot Computers
has extended its current software pre-installation service to include
Novell Netware, Microsoft LAN Manager, and SCO Unix or Xenix.
The software installation program appears to be the first in the UK
on the networking front and mirrors similar developments at Dell
in the US.

Announcing the scheme, Chris Buckham, Apricot's marketing
director, said that any self-respecting hardware manufacturer who
looks beyond merely shifting boxes should provide a pre-
installation service of this type.

"With our pre-installation service, Apricot takes away a great
deal of worry, time, and cost. The user is assured that Apricot
hardware is not only quality tested for use in the operating
environment of their choice, but has this software already
installed," he said.

Buckham added that, if a vendor offers a pre-installation service
and claims to be an open systems manufacturers, then the user
can expect o have a choice of operating environments as well
as hardware components. "It's here that a number of vendors
fall down. Apricot has now addressed this problem," he added.

Apricot's pre-installation service is available on the company's
range of computers and supports all versions of Novell Netware
from 2.2 upwards for up to 250 users, Lan Manager 2.1, SCO Unix,
SCO Xenix, and MS-DOS.

(Steve Gold/19920331/Press & Public Contact: Apricot
Computers, 021-717-7171)


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

Alias Research Expects Loss, Stock Price Slides 03/31/92
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- The share
price of Alias Research has slipped on the NASDAQ over-the-
counter trading system in the United States after the company
revealed it expects a loss in the fiscal year ended January 31.
Alias shares closed at US$11 on March 30, down from US$13.50
at the end of the previous week.

Alias develops graphics software used to create realistic images
on computer workstations.

Company spokeswoman Susan Spencer confirmed the company
expects to report a loss for the year, but said no specifics are
available. "Nobody is prepared to sign off on any numbers yet,"
she said. The company will report its year-end figures no later than
April 28, she said, and hopes to have results much sooner than that.

Last fall, Alias reported a revised third quarter loss of US$8.7
million and a loss for the first nine months of the year of US$7.3
million. In the third quarter, Alias set aside a reserve for
receivables of $5.047 million. The company also took a
restructuring charge of $850,000 in the quarter.

When it became evident the company would lose money in the
third quarter, Spencer said, Alias decided it would be a good time
to "clean things up" by going over receivables carefully and
making provisions for bad receivables and restructuring costs.

The cost of restructuring was a major factor in the company's
losses over the past few months, Spencer told Newsbytes.

During the third quarter, Alias named Robert Burgess president and
Norman Wright as executive vice-president. Founder and former
President Stephen Bingham kept the post of chairman. Spencer said
management realized it needed people with more of the skills to
manage the company's day-to-day operations. Alias' Chief Financial
Officer, William McClintock, stepped down on December 2, the same
day the third-quarter loss was announced. In mid-November, Alias
laid off 35 employees, citing a need to become more efficient and
to focus on its most profitable activities.

(Grant Buckler/19920331/Press Contact: Susan Spencer, Alias
Research, tel [phone] ext 398, fax [phone])


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

New For PC: CA-UpToDate Is Group Scheduler For Windows 03/31/92
ISLANDIA, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Continuing its
push into the Microsoft Windows environment, Computer Associates
has announced shipment of CA-UpToDate, a group scheduler that
is its ninth retail software product for Windows, a company
spokeswoman said.

Designed mainly for groups connected by local area networks, but
also usable by individuals with stand-alone personal computers,
CA-UpToDate tracks appointments, helps schedule group activities,
and keeps track of to-do lists, the company said.

The software allows the user to tailor the daily timetable to his
or her needs, selecting the hours to be covered and the size of
time slots to be used, said company spokeswoman Kim Commerato.

When CA-UpToDate is used as a group scheduler, users can group
individuals together and use the software to find times when all
members of a group are free. This feature is meant to make it easy
to schedule group activities such as meetings. Resources such as
meeting groups and slide projectors can also be scheduled this way.
Groups can be permanent or temporary, and individuals can belong
to multiple groups.

CA-UpToDate uses color coding (or gray scales on monochrome
monitors) to differentiate types of activities. The software also
lets users attach priorities and deadlines to a day's agenda,
company officials said. Password protection and built-in modem
support with auto-dialing are also included.

The suggested retail price for CA-UpToDate is $149. The software
requires a personal computer with an Intel 80286, 386, 486, or
compatible processor, at least one megabyte of memory, DOS 3.1
or later, Windows 3.0 or later, and a hard disk.

(Grant Buckler/19920331/Press Contact: Kim Commerato,
Computer Associates, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00023)

New For PC: Intersolv Enhances Excelerator Analysis Tool 03/31/92
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 30 (NB) --  Intersolv
has announced a new client-server version of Excelerator, the
applications analysis and design tool that was the flagship product
of Index Technology, which merged with Sage Software a year ago
to form Intersolv. Excelerator II OS/2 is a complete re-implementation
of Excelerator for OS/2-based local area networks, Intersolv said.

According to Intersolv officials, the trend toward client server
applications has created new design challenges best addressed
by software developers working in teams, with shared access to
common design components and a variety of flexible
methodologies. So, Excelerator II OS/2 is built around an active
LAN-based repository that spans the entire development cycle,
from business planning through logical design to physical
implementation.

The Intersolv LAN Repository is the central storage and
administrative point for all Excelerator components, the company
said. Teams of designers can access the repository
simultaneously in read-only and update mode, with full integrity
assured. The repository can operate by itself or connected to
host-based repositories such as IBM's Repository/MVS.

Excelerator II OS/2 can import files created with the previous
version of Excelerator using a conversion utility. However, "it's
a totally different architecture," said Carla Schneiderman,
Intersolv's director of marketing.

The product supports a library of traditional and new
methodologies that can be used off-the-shelf, or tailored to
local requirements using an expert system capability.

Excelerator-OS/2 allows the user to choose from a library of
popular development methodologies that support data-driven,
process-driven, and event-driven design approaches. It also offers
an optional, add-on capability that allows centrally authorized
users to access and modify graphical objects and rules defined in
the Intersolv LAN Repository. This expert system capability allows
users to tailor methodologies to their own requirements and reflect
local design standards in the product's rule checking, the vendor
said.

The new release marries Index Technology's Excelerator product
with Sage's expertise in object-oriented design and local area
networking, Schneiderman said. She added that a version of
Excelerator for Microsoft Windows will be released shortly.

Excelerator II OS/2 runs on personal computers with 386 and 486
processors running OS/2 1.3 or 2.0. Intersolv recommends machines
with a minimum of 12 megabytes (MB) of memory and 30 MB of hard
disk space, Schneiderman said. The Intersolv LAN Repository
operates on top of IBM LAN Server, Microsoft LAN Manager, Novell
NetWare, Banyan VINES, and other standard LAN operating
systems. Excelerator-OS/2 is priced at $9,500 per user and is
available now.

(Grant Buckler/19920331/Press Contact: Carla Schneiderman,
Intersolv, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00024)

New For PC: Lotus Ships SmartPics Clip Art 03/31/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) --
Lotus Development has announced SmartPics for Windows, a
clip art library with a "browser" for Windows applications. SmartPics
includes more than 2,000 pieces of artwork, the company said.

A key feature of the software is its "browser," which makes it easy
to scroll through the clip art library and search for images, said
a spokesman. The browser is the same technology used in
Lotus' Freelance graphics software, he said.

SmartPics for Windows supports object linking and embedding
(OLE), allowing it to appear as part of another application if that
package also supports OLE. For Lotus' own Windows applications,
1-2-3 for Windows, and Ami Pro, the company also supplies
SmartIcons and macros for push-button access to images from
within a spreadsheet or word processing document. When used
with another Lotus application, SmartPics "appears to be part of
the application itself," the spokesman said.

The clip art library includes images in categories such as
business, medical, sports, education, and thematic cartoons. It
also offers page backgrounds, arrows, graphical elements, and
polygon typefaces. Along with stylized drawings and caricatures,
the clip art includes more realistic images such as typical office
situations.

SmartPics can be used as a stand-alone program or shared among
users over a network. It requires a personal computer with an Intel
80286, 386, or 486 or compatible processor, a Windows-compatible
display, at least two megabytes of random access memory, a hard
disk, DOS 3.0 or later, and Windows 3.0 or later. SmartPics
supports all major Windows-supported networks, Lotus said.

SmartPics for Windows sells for a suggested retail price of $195,
for a version that can serve a single user or run on a network
server. Network node licenses have a suggested retail price of
$49. The software is to be available in the first week of April.

(Grant Buckler/19920331/Press Contact: Robert Snowdon Jones
or Dawn Buzzelli, Alexander Communications for Lotus,
404-876-4482)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00025)

 ****MicroSlate To Intro Cyrix 486-Based Pen Computer 03/31/92
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Aiming at
users who need to carry large amounts of data with them in the
field, MicroSlate is about to introduce the Datellite 400. The
keyboardless portable computer uses pen input and is among
the first to be built around the Cyrix Cx486SLC processor, a chip
compatible with the Intel 80486.

MicroSlate is to show the new machine at the Comdex/Spring show
in Chicago April 6-9. A spokesman said it is meant for applications
that involve large amounts of data, a heavy graphics orientation,
and a need to carry the computer around. An example, he said,
would be the factory floor at a large aircraft manufacturer, where
a user might want to carry around many intricate schematic
drawings in electronic form.

"We're really talking about people who need to bring massive
amounts of data into the field," the spokesman told Newsbytes.

The Datellite 400 comes with an internal hard disk and 3.5-inch
diskette drive, a 2,400 bits-per-second modem, serial and parallel
ports, a VGA display connection, and a SCSI (Small Computer
Systems Interface) port. It uses Microslate's Veriflo simulated ink
digitizer to capture pen input on the screen, and the company's
OmniSuspend power management system.

The Datellite 400 will run on batteries for about three and a half
hours of continuous use, the company spokesman said, and is
expected to last through a standard eight-hour day in normal
off-and-on use.

The price of the machine is not yet available. Availability in the
United States depends on Federal Communications Commission
approval. In Canada, the Datellite 400 will be available in May.

As reported by newsbytes, Cyrix is involved in a legal battle with
Intel over its chips that are compatible with Intel models. Intel
alleges patent infringement, while Cyrix and other chipmakers
have accused Intel of unfair trade practices.

(Grant Buckler/19920331/Press Contact: Bob Rinklin or Jonathan
Poretz, HWH Public Relations for MicroSlate, tel [phone],
fax [phone]; MicroSlate, tel [phone], fax [phone])
(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00026)

 ****IBM Ships OS/2 2.0, Barely Meets Deadline 03/31/92
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- IBM has
begun shipping the long-awaited release 2.0 of its OS/2 operating
system, just managing to keep its promise to ship the software by
the end of March. Earlier promised by the end of 1991, the new
release was delayed three months last fall to incorporate added
capabilities asked for by users.

A key feature of OS/2 2.0 is its ability to run multiple application
programs written for DOS, Microsoft Windows, or OS/2 simultaneously.
According to IBM, this gives OS/2 2.0 users access to more than
17,000 DOS, 4,900 Windows, and 2,500 OS/2 applications. Existing
OS/2 applications are written for 16-bit processor technology, but the
new release will allow future applications to take advantage of the
full power of 32-bit processors, IBM said.

The software also introduces the Workplace Shell, a new graphical
user interface. OS/2 2.0 ships with more than 25 mini-applications
or "applets," including calendar, notepad, and calculator utilities.

OS/2 2.0 requires a personal computer with an Intel 386 or 486 or
compatible processor and at least four megabytes (MB) of RAM.
IBM recommends a hard disk with at least 60 MB capacity. OS/2
2.0 itself will occupy from 15 to 30 MB of disk space depending on
the options installed, said Douglas Spencer of IBM Canada's
personal systems software group. The installation program offers
users various options and shows them how much disk space
will be taken up by options such as on-line documentation and
games.

Company spokesman Scott Brooks told Newsbytes that IBM
expects to sell "millions of copies this year." IBM is going all out to
promote the software. In addition to extensive advertising and
other promotional activities, the company is offering all of its
employees incentives to promote the new operating system.

Initially backed by both IBM and Microsoft, OS/2 was expected to
supplant DOS as the major PC operating system by the early 1990s.
It failed to pick up the expected momentum, however, and Microsoft
has moved away from the operating system it helped develop,
promoting instead its Windows graphical operating environment in
combination with DOS. With nearly twice as many applications
available for Windows as for OS/2 today, the new OS/2 faces
formidable competition. In addition, a new release of Windows,
release 3.1, is scheduled to be available on April 6.

IBM has set an introductory retail price of $139 for OS/2 2.0.
Current DOS users can upgrade for $99, and current Windows
users can do so for $49. These introductory prices apply until
July 31.

IBM Canada also announced pricing for the new release. In
Canada, the permanent list price is C$199. DOS users can
upgrade for C$159, and until July 31, Windows users can
upgrade for C$79.

(Grant Buckler/19920331/Press Contact: Keith Lindenburg, IBM,
914-642-5363; Martha Terdik, IBM Canada, 800-563-2139)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00027)

Apple To Offer A/UX 3.0 Secure Unix OS For Government 03/31/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Apple Computer
says it has enhanced its A/UX Unix operating system to include
security features that meet the C2 level published in the Trusted
Computer System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) published by the
US Department of Defense. Apple calls the new Unix operating
system A/UX 3.0 Secure.

Apple says A/UX 3.0 Secure offers password protection and audit
security features. Discretionary access control mechanisms apply
an Identification and Authentication (A&I) subsystem that is enforced
when a user logs into the Macintosh and an audit subsystem of
subject/object processes and security relevant events that is
transparent to the user.

Apple says the C2 level security was not developed internally,
but purchased from Secureware of Atlanta, Georgia. The C2
enhancements are designed to be portable across a variety of
Unix platforms and Secureware is an approved vendor of security
technology for the Open Software Foundation's OSF/1 operating
system, Apple added.

A/UX 3.0 Secure is built on the AT&T Unix System V and complies
with open system standards such as IEEE POSIX, FIPS-151, SVVS,
SVID, NFS, and X Window System used in both industry and
government, Apple added.

Apple says users running A/UX can simultaneously run multiple
Macintosh applications, Unix applications, X Window System
applications, OSF/Motif (from Integrated Computer Solutions), and
MS-DOS applications (using Softpc from Insignia Solutions) on a
single desktop.

Apple mentioned Poweropen, the Unix operating system it is
developing in conjunction with IBM and Motorola. In a prepared
statement Apple said the "best features" of Apple A/UX, IBM's AIX
Unix implementation and the Open Software Foundation's OSF/1
operating system will be incorporated into Poweropen.

A/UX 3.0 Secure will be released as a compact disc read-only
memory (CD-ROM) product and Apple says it will offer a full year of
phone support and documentation. The company recommends
eight megabytes (MB) of RAM for running the new operating system.
However, the product is not expected to be available until the fourth
quarter of this year and pricing information is not available as of
yet, Apple added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920331/Press Contact: Rick Myllenbeck,
Apple, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00028)

 ****Arabian Split Occurs Over Direct Telecom Links To Israel 03/31/92
ABU DHABI, UAE, 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Israel has opened direct
telephone links with ten Arab states for the first time since
1948. Almost immediately, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and
Saudi Arabia have announced that they no longer want direct
connections with Israel.

The situation could make a lot of money for major international
telecommunications companies such as AT&T and British
Telecom, as their international exchanges are used as routing
points in such disputes. BT London, for example, has been used
as a switching center for many calls between Israel and Syria
since hostilities first broke out.

Announcing plans to cut direct links with Israel, Mohammed
Saeed Al-Mullah, the UAE's telecommunications minister, cited
the example of someone entering a house without the owner's
permission. This is analogous, he said, to the telecomunications
situation with Israel.

Israel has gone on record as saying that, while it has heard of
Al-Mullah's comments, there has been no formal application to
cease direct telecoms service between Israel and the UAE or, for
that matter, Saudi Arabia.

According to Middle East press reports, it will be tricky for the
UAE and Saudi Arabia to block direct calls for only their own
country, as most calls are switched via satellite and then via
circuitous land routes, making it almost impossible for the UAE's
or Saudi Arabian telephone network to spot calls coming in
directly from Israel.

What is more likely, Newsbytes notes, is that calls from Israel
will be allowed through, but that outbound calls from the UAE and
Saudi Arabia will be blocked from direct access, so depriving the
Israeli telecoms authority of direct revenue from the countries
concerned.

Israel's direct telephone links with the ten arab states -- Saudi
Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab
Emirates, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Yemen - began late last
week. The direct-dial links were opened without publicity, in a
bid to defuse any potential problems.

According to the Associated Press, Israel has been technically in
a state of war with Arab states since the late 1940s, although
a peace treaty with Egypt was signed in the late 1970s. The
telephone traffic between Israel and the arab states previously
had to go through a private telecoms agency, with calls routed by
BT London and a number of other roundabout international routes.

(Steve Gold/19920331)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00029)

AT&T Faces CWA-IBEW Coalition In Labor Talks 03/31/92
WASHINGTON DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- AT&T has entered
into negotiations with two unions, the CWA (Communications
Workers of America) and the IBEW (International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers) in talks which are expected to focus much more
on job security than on wage and benefit packages.

Between them, the two unions represent 86 percent of the total
non-management AT&T workers. Observers contend that it is easy
to understand the union worker's concerns over job security when
they point out that since the 1984 court-ordered break up of the Bell
Telephone System monopoly, there have been more union jobs
lost in the industry than still exist.

AT&T on the other hand, is quick to point out that with competition
from companies like US Sprint and MCI Communications, the
company is no longer the massive "Ma Bell" which could dictate
prices and provide a shelter for all workers.

CWA, representing about 100,000 AT&T employees is leading the
way, but is coordinating with the IBEW. Although a settlement
with AT&T will not automatically cover the many employees of the
so-called "Baby Bells" or RBOCs (regional Bell operating
companies), it will certainly set a mark that the same unions will
strive to meet in those later negotiations.

IBEW and CWA contracts with AT&T both expire on May 30, 1992.

A short strike would not greatly affect business and home
telephone users, but the last CWA strike, back in the mid-80's
lasted nearly a month.

AT&T owns the NCR computer company and it would not be
unusual trade union strategy for any strike at AT&T to spill over
into pickets at NCR stores whether or not there are any union
employees at a particular location - this is especially true
since the unions have accused AT&T of blocking attempts to
unionize NCR.

(John McCormick/19920331)


(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(0000 )

Quarterdeck Ships Desqview/X-Windows 03/31/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 31 (NB) -- Quarterdeck Office
Systems chose FOSE (Federal Office Systems Expo) as the site to
unveil the much anticipated third version of that company's
powerful multitasking operating environment, Desqview/X.

"Vanilla" Desqview runs on eight- and 16-bit computers such as
the IBM PC, XT, and AT models. The company claims that
Desqview brings even more capabilities to the 32-bit 386 and
486 computer system.

Desqview/X, a full client-server X Window implementation, runs on
a 386 or faster computer using MS-DOS 3 and higher or DR-DOS 6
or higher, having EGA or better graphics, and a minimum of four
megabytes of RAM. Desqview/X will run DOS, Windows,
and X applications on stand alone PCs or across networks.

This is the very first full MS-DOS client/server implementation
of the international standard X-Window System. Included in the
$275 list price is the QEMM-386 memory manager and the driver
needed to run the environment on a Novell network. TCP/IP or
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol network
drivers are an additional $200.

The environment can be configured to have three different
interfaces, the X Window environment which is included, an
OSF-Motif interface for $250 more, or an Open Look interface
for $200 more.

Quarterdeck's President Therese E. Myers feels that
Desqview/X is a significant step toward bringing DOS into
enterprise computing. "This creates an open door for DOS users
and gives them the ability to take advantage of the advances in
X-related workstation trends regardless of platform," she said.

In addition to the X Window icon, menu, and three-dimensional
look, Desqview/X provides the important ability to cut-and-paste
information between applications running in different windows,
without regard to their internal file formats. This can even be done
across a network, but the company claims that the new
environment is a major advance for stand-alone PC users also.