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(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00001)

Tecmar Intros Proserve 4.0 Automated Backup Software 02/19/92
SOLON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Tecmar has announced
Proserve 4.0, the latest version of its unattended backup and
restore software for Novell Netware.

Proserve 4.0 includes Auto Pilot Tape Management, a feature
Tecmar describes as an invisible network administrator. "Auto pilot"
features include: "tape rotation," to maintain daily, weekly, monthly
and yearly tapes with a complete system backup history; and "disk
grooming," which allows the system to automatically remove
unaccessed disk files after a user-specified period. Disk grooming
also automatically generates permanent storage copies of the
removed files.

The "quick recover" feature provides rebuilding of part or all of a
network's data, going back to any point in time, by reading a stored
database from a backup tape.

Proserve 4.0 also automates tape creation and labeling, and
supports hierarchical data storage.

According to Gene Della Torre, Tecmar's VP of marketing, the new
enhancements are in direct response to the needs of its customers.
"We're giving our users just what they've asked for, along with
improved automation which will save them considerable
headaches, time, and money," said Torre.

Proserve 4.0 for Netware 3.11 carries a suggested retail price of
$1,695, while the Netware 2.2 version sells for $1,195. Upgrades
for present Proserve users start at $125, depending on the version
required.

For more information about Tecmmar products, contact them at
216-349-0600 or 800-624-8560.

(Jim Mallory/19920219/Press Contact: Kathleen Botz, Tecmar,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00002)

Computers Now Giving Medical Advice 02/19/92
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Can computers
do a better job of giving medical advice than human doctors?
That's the question a panel of experts at an American Association
for the Advancement of Science considered at a recent meeting in
Chicago.

"It's been called automatic medicine," said Kenneth Goodman of the
University of Miami medical school. But doctors don't all think its
such a great idea. "Some doctors are aghast," said Goodman.
"The idea of an artificial doctor is appalling to many who went to
medical school," he said.

An experienced doctor can call on his experience in thousands of
cases to make a diagnosis. But a computer can scan its stored
memory of millions of cases and make an even more accurate
diagnosis, according to Goodman.

According to Ward Bynum at Southern Connecticut State University,
an experimental computer at Georgetown University in Washington
is better able to predict which patients in intensive care will survive
than can human doctors.

Another experimental machine can diagnose the precise cardiac
state of heart patients and identify those most likely to have a heart
attack.

Bynum also said that Harvard University is experimenting with a
computer that dispenses medical advice by telephone. The patient
calls the computer, which ask questions about symptoms and
medical history, then prescribes a home remedy, like gargling with
salt water, or switch to a nurse or doctor, or give the patient an
appointment at a clinic, said Bynum.

NASA and the Department of Defense are reportedly working
on a smart battlefield stretcher, which would have diagnostic
capabilites and could also dispense drugs or even jolt the
heart back into a normal rhythm.

But automatic medicine poses ethical problems and questions of
responsibility, according to Goodman. If machines eventually
surpass humans in some medical tasks, doctors might ethically be
obligated to use machines to assure patients receive the best
possible care. But if the computer makes a mistake, who is
responsible?

"If a computer is able to give more accurate diagnosis, then this
could change the standard of care. If a doctor fails to meet that
standard - by not using the machine - he possibly could be held
accountable in malpractice suits. A test case could come along
on this at any minute now," said Goodman.

Will machines replace doctors? Probably no-one knows the
answer to that question. Futuristic fiction like Star Trek still shows
the medical practitioner evaluating the results of the high tech
machines and making treatment decisions. In the meantime, most
of us will be resigned to waiting in our doctor's waiting room to get
treatment.

(Jim Mallory/19920219)


(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00003)

New For PC: TDD Card For Deaf Users 02/19/92
GLENN DALE, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Microflip
has announced the MIC300i, the first ISA, or industry standard
architecture (PC/XT/AT), compatible communications card which
brings TDD (telecommunication device for the deaf) compatibility
to the standard PC. The new device could prove especially
important for companies, such as hotels, needing to meet the
equal access provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

TDD uses a different transmission protocol than ASCII or other
standard computer modem standards, operating at a very slow
50 bits-per-second rate. Nevertheless, it is the world standard for
deaf users who communicate over regular telephone systems and
the ability to integrate the TDD with standard computers is
important both for businesses and for home users.

The MIC300i's associated software can be set up as a TSR
(terminate-and-stay-resident) program which can switch
automatically between deaf communication standards (Baudot) at
speeds of 45.5 baud, 50 baud, and computer data communication
at standard 300 baud ASCII (Bell 103A or CCITT v.21).

The TDD card can also be used as an answering machine for
unlimited numbers of TDD calls or can be configured in a bulletin
board style with menu selections. The list price for the eight-bit
MIC300i is $349.

For further information contact Microflip, 11211 Petworth Lane
Glenn Dale, MD 20769, or telephone [phone] for voice
and TDD, or fax [phone].

(John McCormick/19920219/Press Contact: Dr. Gunam Emmanuel,
Microflip, 301-262-3020 (voice & TDD), or fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00004)

Artemis I/CSCS Cost Mgmt Pkge Upgraded, Unix Version Added 02/19/92
FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Lucas Management
Systems has introduced upgraded versions of its Artemis I/CSCS
project cost management software for DOS-based personal
computers and Digital Equipment minicomputers. The company has
also added the first Unix version of Artemis I/CSCS.

I/CSCS (Integrated Cost Schedule Control System) is meant to help
control costs in any business or project, the vendor said. It helps
managers estimate, organize, plan, and analyze project performance
from proposal through delivery. The software complies with the DODI
5000.2 management reporting system standard specified in some
federal contracts, the company added.

Lucas touts I/CSCS as an ideal executive information system (EIS)
allowing managers to analyze single or multiple projects on the
computer screen.

In addition to the PC and Vax versions and the newly announced
Unix version, I/CSCS is also available for mainframe computers,
the company said.

The new personal computer version of the software works with
Microsoft Windows 3.0, taking advantage of Windows' graphical user
interface, extended memory, cut-and-paste among applications, and
the ability to query databases from within an application using the
SQL (structured query language) standard. I/CSCS PC 2.0 also
includes Artemis Presents!, a Postscript graphics tool designed to
help users combine charts and reports.

Artemis I/CSCS Mini 2.6 is now available on Unix platforms,
including the Hewlett-Packard HP9000 and Sun SPARCstation. It
works with Ethernet networks and distributed databases, Lucas said,
The new version also offers a choice of support for the Oracle or
Ingres database software.

The different versions are similar in function, said Sheila
Holzberger, U.S. marketing manager at Lucas, although versions
for larger systems offer more power than the PC software "because
of the limitations of the platform."

The single-user price for I/CSCS PC 2.0 is $8,750, with discounts
available for volume purchases. Users of I/CSCS PC 1.0 can
upgrade for $250. Lucas said it will unveil a multi-user local area
network version of I/CSCS PC in March.

I/CSCS Mini 2.6 costs from $25,000 to $170,000, depending on the
number of users licensed.

(Grant Buckler/19920219/Press Contact: Sheila Holzberger,
Lucas Management Systems, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00005)

First $10,000 Winner Announced In Symantec's Sweepstakes 02/19/92
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Symantec
says it is giving away $10,000 to Paul Weiss of Washington, D.C.,
as the first grand prize winner in its Symantec Game Pack
Sweepstakes.

The contest involved a random selection of winners from a group
who correctly answered questions about the Symantec Game Pack,
a collection of games for Microsoft Windows. The game pack
includes Jacks, Hangman, Smart Dots, Pick Up Sticks, Memory
Blocks, and Code Breaker, Symantec said.

While grand prize winner Paul Weiss gets the $10,000, the ten
runners up will receive their choice of any of Symantec's 31
software products, the company said.

The contest is to be held quarterly, and was first announced
upon the introduction of the game pack in October of last year.
The next drawing is scheduled for April 15, 1992.

To enter the contest, contestants must choose the Pop-up Quiz
option from the Help menu in each of the six games, answer the
questions correctly, and return them on the official entry form
included in the box with the game pack. The contest is only
available to residents of the U.S. and customers can call
800-441-7234 for more information.

Retail price of the Symantec Game Pack is $39.00.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920219/Press Contact: Terri Sammonds,
Symantec, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(OSL)(00006)

IXI Gets Large X.Desktop Order From Norwegian Telecom 02/19/92
CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND, 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- IXI Limited has
announced a UKP 0.5 million deal with Televerket, the Norwegian
telecommunications company. Forming part of the largest Unix
deal in Norway to date, X.desktop 3.0 will be running on all
Televerket's chosen workstations from IBM, Digital, and Sun.

X.desktop is already bundled on IBM workstations as part of
the AIXWindow GUI (graphical user interface) on the RS/6000.
Televerket will supply the software on the Sun and DEC
workstations, together with an identical configuration and run time
environment on the already bundled X.desktop on IBM.

One of Norway's largest employers, the state-owned PIT has a
workforce of 15,000. "This order is initially for 7,000 users but with
the possibility of expanding to 10,000 in 1996," said Ray Anderson,
managing director of IXI Limited. "The workstations will be used for
office automation at all central, regional and local offices, and
X.desktop provides that all important 'friendly' face to the system."

IXI's X.desktop is a mouse-driven, graphical interface that
shields non-technical users from the complexities of the Unix
operating system. The installation of X.desktop ensures there is
a consistent interface across all platforms so operators do not
have to learn a different system if they change from a Digital
workstation to a Sun.

X.desktop was selected following detailed evaluation. With so
many operators, Norwegian Telecom recognized the importance
of providing an easy-to-learn interface that brought users up to
speed quickly. A further important factor in the choice was the
complete translation and "localization" of X.desktop software
and manuals into Norwegian. This work was coordinated by Arena
Data AS, IXI's distributor in Norway who will supply and support
X.desktop.

"Compared to alternative products, X.desktop is a long way ahead
both technically and functionally," said Bjoernulf Vik, president of
Arena Data AS. "Running on Motif now established as the standard
'look and feel' for Unix X.desktop provides complete platform
independence. X.desktop has been configured to suit Televerket
requirements. It is so easy to learn, that there will not be a lot of
'dead' time while employees pick up the system," added Vik.

X.desktop is an icon-based graphical user environment that
provides an intuitive way of running programs, managing files
and accessing printers and other peripherals using mouse-driven
operations. X.desktop allows users to organize their working
environment quickly and efficiently.

(Jan-Frode Nordli/19920219/Press Contact: IXI Limited, Sarah
Keefe, Marketing Manager, [phone]; Peter Rennison
PR, Peter Rennison, [phone])


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

250 Megabyte 2.5-inch Hard Disk Developed By NEC 02/19/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- NEC says it has developed a
250 megabyte (MB) 2.5-inch hard disk. The firm claims it has the
largest memory capacity for 2.5-inch hard disks at present.

NEC has already decided to manufacture the product in quantity
by mid-1993. NEC's 250 MB 2.5-inch hard disk is still a prototype,
but the firm is confident enough to enter mass production of the
product next year.

NEC is planning to ship this product for its laptop engineering
workstations by the end of 1992. By the summer of 1993, NEC
hopes to produce 10,000 units per month.

The 250 MB 2.5-inch hard disk is equipped with two to three units
of aluminum disks. It has 150 to 160 megabit memory per inch.

Apparently, the industry is heading towards a 2.5-inch hard disk
standard. Other major Japanese personal computer firms such as
Toshiba have developed a 130 MB 2.5-inch hard disk, and they
are reported to be trying to develop 2.5-inch hard disks with more
memory.

Meanwhile, NEC is also developing different type of hard disks
with more memory. The firm has already shipped a beta version
of a 1.6 gigabyte 5.25-inch disk, which will be used for general
purpose computers and engineering workstations. NEC has
another new hard disk -- a 3.5-inch two gigabyte hard disk. The
sample product will be released by the end of this year.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920219/Press Contact: NEC,
[phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00008)

Personal Computer Sales Record Low In Japan 02/19/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- The Japan Electronics
Industry Promotion Association has recently released a report on
the sales of personal computers for 1991 in Japan.

According to the report, PC sales recorded a negative sales growth
over the previous year. Such a slump is the first time since 1983.

Total amount of personal computers shipped in Japan for 1991
was 651.3 billion yen ($5.2 billion), which was 3.5 percent down
over the previous year. During the year, a total of 2,387,000 units
of personal computers were shipped. This was 8.3 percent lower
than the previous year.

The worst term was between October and December, when the
period was 17 percent lower in sales (176.8 billion yen /$1.4 billion)
than the previous year. Only 353,000 units were shipped during the
period, which was 30 percent lower than the previous term.

According to the survey, shipments to the domestic market were
576.8 billion yen ($4.6 billion), which was 2.9 percent up. However,
shipments to overseas markets were 34.7 percent down over the
previous year.

Meanwhile, consumers are buying more powerful machines.
Shipments of 32-bit personal computers was up by 67.2 percent
over the previous year. However, shipments of 16-bit as well
as eight-bit machines were down sharply.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920219)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00009)

Powerful Scanner For Japanese IBM PC Debuts 02/19/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- A Japanese office equipment
maker Lioness Systems has developed a powerful scanner for
the IBM PS/55, which is a Japanese version of the IBM PS/2. It is
said the document can be scanned very clearly due to the
technology recently developed by the firm.

The new scanner is the RI-80 series, and it can read up to an
A3-size document. It looks just like a copying machine. With a
400-dot resolution various gradation level, the scanner can print
out the document clearly. The scanning speed is also faster than
existing scanners. It can read in about 20 pages per minutes.

The RI-80 is designed to last for a long time. According to the
testing conducted by Lioness Systems, the scanner can be
continuously used for over one million times or for five years.

Documents can be read through application programs with the
supporting of the API Image Plus program. It also supports SCSI
(Small Computer Systems Interface) connections.

The retail list price of this scanner is 820,000 yen ($6,560).
Lioness Systems is the joint venture firm which was created by
IBM Japan and Ricoh.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920219/Press Contact: Lioness Systems,
[phone])


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

 ****TCI Buy Of Teleport Raises New Questions 02/19/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) --
TeleCommunications Inc., the nation's largest cable TV operator,
is buying half of Teleport Communications, one of the nation's
largest "bypass" companies, just as the  U.S. Congress examines
moves to reregulate both the cable and telephone industries.

Merrill Lynch is selling the company to concentrate on its
brokerage operations, which have begun doing well in the new
bull market, but are themselves threatened by "discount
brokerage" competition. In December the company sold 12.5
percent of Teleport to Cox Enterprises, a broadcaster and
publisher which also owns cable television systems. Cox has an
option to buy another 37.5 percent of Teleport, which would give it
50.1 percent control. If the option isn't exercised, however, TCI will
buy the stake.

The TCI deal is sure to spark talk on Capitol Hill for two
reasons. Firstly, the Senate passed a cable reregulation bill last
month, and the House is considering a similar measure. In
addition to owning cable systems, TCI also owns big pieces of
many cable programmers, including Turner Broadcasting. This
"vertical monopoly integration" has been heavily criticized.

Secondly, the move by TCI into the "bypass" business has
implications for another bill, which would prevent the seven regional
Bell companies from moving wholesale into information industries,
including cable television. The move of cable operators to buy
firms which could compete for local phone revenues, like
Teleport, is sure to buttress that argument, and could slow
momentum for bills by Rep. Jim Cooper and Sen. Daniel Inouye
aimed at the Bells.

FCC chairman Al Sikes has long advocated that cable companies
compete with phone companies, and vice versa, to create price
discipline without regulation. That, however, will take more
legislation, since cable television operators are presently barred
from providing switched local phone service, in other words, from
competing directly with the Bells in their core business.

Teleport operates systems in 25 cities that essentially allow
large businesses customers to connect their office phone systems
directly to long-distance carriers such as AT&T or MCI, bypassing
local phone companies, and provides direct links between major
sites within cities using fiber optic "rings" around major cities.

TCI is also in the process of buying a similar "bypass" outfit,
Penn Access, in Pittsburgh, which could make a nice fit with
Teleport. The company is also combining its cable TV franchise in
Britain with the local phone operations of U S West there, and
has been working closely with CableLabs, an industry research
consortium, on a study of PCN, microwave-based cellular phone
networks which could also pass the landline portion of calls
through cable systems.

The political struggle over the next few months may feature
Republicans calling for all-out cable-phone competition, which
might heat-up competition for Centel, a phone company which
put itself up for sale recently. Democrats will argue that such
competition will take years to develop and reregulation is
required in the meantime to prevent both phone and cable
companies from gouging consumers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920219)


(NEWS)(IBM)(ATL)(00011)

IBM Offers CallPath System On AS/400 02/19/92
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Looking
for new avenues in which to sell its AS/400 minicomputer line, IBM
has introduced CallPath A/400, a system allowing AS/400s to link
with a number of telephone private branch exchange systems,
including those from AT&T and NEC, as well as those from ROLM,
Siemens, Northern Telecom, and Teleos.

CallPath is a software system which links computer databases
directly with telephone services for such things as order entry,
claims inquiry, market research, or telephone sales. The result
is that the computer and telephone switch work as a single,
integrated system, said IBM. The computer can put pertinent
information about a caller on an operator's screen as the phone
rings, so there is no lag-time as the operator searches for
needed information. The benefits are further increased if a call
is transferred within the company -- the data follows the call.

IBM has issued a new version of the AS/400 recently, featuring a
new 16 million bit memory chip that is unique in the computer
industry. The AS/400 was originally an upgrade from its System 36
and System 38 minicomputer lines, and IBM has also been
pushing it as a file server. The new CallPath/400 version 2 release 2
will be available on December 18, at prices ranging from $2,080
to $51,300.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920219/Press Contact: IBM, Clifton Scott,
914-642-5474)


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

MCI Introduces Calling Plan For Latin America 02/19/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- MCI has
announced a new calling plan for many countries in Latin America,
including Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama Peru,
Uruguay, and Venezuela. As an introductory offer, all new customers
who enroll in MCI's Call South & Central America will receive a $20
certificate which may be applied to any monthly long distance
phone bill.

Call South & Central America is available to all MCI customers
for low flat per-minute rates during calling plan hours and a
monthly subscription fee of $3. Calls will cost 54 cents per
minute on night and weekends to Venezuela, 65 cents to Brazil,
Columbia, Peru and Uruguay. The same calls to Central American
destinations will cost 62 cents per minute.

All those prices are well below prices to Mexico under previous long
distance calling plans. And the plan's rates are subject to normal
"MCI Friends and Family" calling discounts of 20 percent. This
means that if a Latin friend is part of your "calling circle," rates are
even lower.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920219/Press Contact: MCI, Debra Shriver,
703-415-6904)


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

 ****Pacific Bell Unveils New Information Services 02/19/92
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Pacific
Bell will expand its Message Center voice mail service to deliver
news, financial quotes, and sports reports to subscriber mailboxes
on a daily basis. The add-on is made possible by federal court
orders lifting the information service ban from the seven regional
Bell companies.

Market tests of the new offer will start in April in Los Angeles, with
San Francisco trials in October adding entertainment features. The
service could be available to four million Californians by mid-1993,
the company said.

The company's new Expanded Directory Assistance service will
make it possible for operators to give callers phone numbers
of businesses even if they only know part of a name, as well as
such information as its hours of operation, address, cross streets,
and nine-digit zip code. State regulatory approval may be
necessary before the company can offer this information, but
that is not expected to be a problem.

Finally, Pacific Bell wants to offer the Knowledge Network
Gateway, an on-line service for schools linking their PCs to the
Internet, National Science Foundation network, and university
library databases. The gateway will also include access to
regular computer bulletin boards, electronic mail, and textbook
publishers. The company plans to test the system with selected
schools this year and to make it widely available late next year.

Earlier, Pacific Bell offered information add-ons to its cellular
and paging offerings in San Diego. While analysts see profit
potential in the voice mail and directory assistance offerings,
which enhance parts of the business where the company enjoys
a near-monopoly, the on-line offering was considered a public
relations tool, a loss-leader aimed at gaining political support
in its battles to keep Congress from reimposing restrictions on
its activities.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920219/Press Contact: Pacific Bell,
Sandy Hale, 510/823-3571)


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

Bellcore Defends New Area Code Plan 02/19/92
LIVINGSTON, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) --
Bellcore has unveiled a plan to add new area codes with digits
other than 1 and 0 in their center, as part of a move to assure there
are enough phone numbers to reach every American who wants a
new number by the middle of the next century.

Bellcore has had to respond to criticism from many sectors, some
of its leveled at January's ComNet trade show, that the regional
Bells -- which want to be free to compete in other areas of
business -- should not have the power to control the numbering
schemes where they still enjoy a near-monopoly. Bellcore is the
research consortium of the seven regional Bell companies. They
note that critics have failed to come up with their own concrete
proposals.

Bellcore's North American Numbering Plan Administration now
offers the long range "Proposal on the Future of Numbering in
World Zone 1" which has been distributed to more than 3,000
telephone companies, manufacturers, governments, and other
interested parties in the telecommunications industry throughout
the United States, Canada and 16 Caribbean countries. World
Zone 1 includes the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. Bellcore is
requesting comments on the proposal by April 30.

The two-part plan includes a short-term proposed allocation of
640 new interchangeable numbering plan area codes and a series
of long-term goals and predictions. The plan covers a 30-year
timeframe, beginning in January 1995, that coincides with the
introduction of interchangeable area codes.

A statement from the group noted: "With only two of the original 144
available codes remaining, the United States will need a new pool
of numbers to choose from by 1995. By allowing the numbers '2'
through '9' as the middle digit, interchangeable area codes will
create an additional 640 available codes." But the new area codes
will look like today's three-digit telephone exchanges, for example,
"385" or "740." They will require reprogramming of telephone
switches nationwide, but less programming than other proposals
might, such as adding an eighth digit to home phone numbers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920219/Press Contact: Bellcore, Barbara
Kaufman, 201-740-4324)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEN)(00015)

 ****Miniscribe $568M Judgement Set Aside; Parties Settle 02/19/92
GALVESTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Just a week after
a jury awarded a $568 million judgment against a New York-based
accounting firm, a judge has set aside the jury award, saying it was
"contrary to the great weight and proponderance of the evidence."
Moments later the defendants announced they had settled the case
for an undisclosed amount.

State District Judge Roy Engelke granted a motion by Coopers &
Lybrand to set aside the verdict after the jury found in favor of
plaintiffs Kempner Management Company, US National Bank, and
Harris L. Kempner Jr.

The plaintiffs had sued Coopers & Lybrand as well as San
Francisco-based investment bank Hambrecht and Quist, alleging
the firms engaged in fraud and negligence, juggling now defunct
disk drive manufacturer Miniscribe's revenue and inventory figures
and knowingly signing off on a prospectus that contained fraudulent
financial statements. Charges included that Miniscribe allegedly
packaged bricks and shipped them as computer parts, and that
obsolete parts were valued as current inventory.

After a three month trial, the jury awarded $20 million in actual
damages and $530 million to investors who had bought about $18
million worth of Miniscribe bonds in 1987. The jury also assessed
$250 million in punitive damages against Miniscribe's former
chairman, who also served as a director of Hambrecht and Quist
until 1989.

Coopers & Lybrand said the decision to dismiss the verdict
validated that it was the victim of fraud by Miniscribe, and that
any failures on its part were based on information deliberately
misstated by Miniscribe. "The entire matter has proved the strength
of our firm and underscored our ability to function decisively and
intelligently under the most adverse conditions," said Eugene
Freedman, chairman of Coopers & Lybrand.

Miniscribe, founded in 1980, filed for bankruptcy protection two
years ago. Its assets were purchased last summer by
california-based disk drive manufacturer Maxtor Corporation.

(Jim Mallory/19920219)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00016)

Illinois Motorists Upset With Computerized Speed Robocop 02/19/92
BATAVIA, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Batavia, Illinois
thought they had come up with a high tech way to enforce speed laws.
They erected signs saying "Speed enforced by Photocop - violators
will be ticketed by mail."

But some citizens think the electronic speed monitoring system
is an invasion of privacy. "I look at it from the standpoint of this is
what they're using for today. What tomorrow?" said Yvonne
Dinwiddie, a member of a citizens group. Dinwiddie, noting that
Kane County officials are considering using electronic monitoring
bracelets so prisoners can be confined at home to relieve jail
crowding, said "you can be prisoners in your home and then you
can be prisoners on the road."

The group feels so strongly about the issue that they have started
a petition drive to put the use of the device to the voters in a
non-binding referendum March 17.

The electronic speed monitoring system consists of the signs, a
marked van, two 70 millimeter cameras, a video camera, a computer,
and a display unit allowing motorists to see how fast they are going.

Police Chief Robert Warner said the system will be used in addition
to regular patrols. "It's designed to protect citizens. That's what we're
all about here," said Warner. He says he doesn't see any cause for
fear, and that all the town is trying to do is make the roads safer for
motorists.

Warner said the system would be used for training purposes only
until after mid-March, when it will be used to monitor Kirk Road,
known as "Killer Kirk" by local media.

(Jim Mallory/19920219)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00017)

GIS Software Takes Guesswork Out of Land Development 02/19/92
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- A computer
software program developed by a University of Florida researcher
and his wife is intended to help users make better real estate
decisions and take the guessing game out of land development.

University of Florida professor Grant Thrall and his wife, who holds
a doctorate in GIS (geographic information systems) technology,
say they recently helped several private firms in St. Lucie County
become the first in the US to access the new GIS software.

Thrall said the companies use the GIS to forecast economic trends
and predict the success of construction and development in the
area.

Government agencies may be the biggest users for GIS systems,
buying an estimated 70 percent of all GIS software made. Florida's
Alachua County reportedly spent about $8.5 million on GIS
development. Thrall believes that is ridiculous. "Now we can
develop GIS for any county in the state. The technology can be
installed by small firms in most counties for less than $20,000," said
Thrall.

Thrall said he has spent more than 20 years studying ways to make
more accurate predictions about land development. He believes
that eventually realtors will use GIS to answer buyers' questions and
help individuals consumers make better real estate purchases,
cutting the number of houses buyers need to look at before buying.

"GIS can help retail developers decide which stores in their chain
should close, and where they should relocate to increase profits
and maximize revenue," he said. They also can call up maps
showing areas which have an appropriate labor pool for hiring, or
population for patronage."

(Jim Mallory/19920219)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00018)

Radio Shack Intros Low Cost 486 With Windows, Works 02/19/92
FORT WORTH, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Radio Shack
has added another candle to its 15th birthday cake, announcing a
low-cost 486-based system which comes with DOS 5.0, Windows,
and Microsoft Works already installed.

Powered by Intel's 25 megahertz (MHz) i486SX chip, Radio Shack
says the 4825 SX is one of the first personal computers to support
Intel's future OverDrive Processors.

Intel's Overdrive Processor, not yet available, is a single chip
performance booster which will allow users to increase the
performance of their system by as much as 70 percent.

Intel spokesperson Elizabeth Kemper told Newsbytes that the chip
is expected to be available by the end of the year, and is expected
to sell for about $500.

Kemper said that nearly all 486SX-based systems now being
produced will support the Overdrive Processor. According to Kemper,
the Overdrive chip plugs into the math coprocessor socket, if the
system is so equipped. Kemper said the chip is user-installable.

Radio Shack said the 4825 gets a CPU (central processor unit) rating
of 54 using the Norton Utilities "SI" test. The system has a footprint of
15.5-inches wide by 15-inches deep, and is 4.5-inches high.

The system will come with four megabytes (MB) of memory (which
can be expanded up to 32 MB on the mother board), a 15-millisecond
120MB Smartdrive IDE hard disk with cache, one 3.5-inch high density
floppy drive, and Super VGA (video graphics array) graphics. The
4825 also has one available 5.25-inch drive bay.

Fran McGehee at Radio Shack told Newsbytes that the 4825 will
also support 2.88 MB floppy drives, which will use 3.5-inch disks
when the super-high density disks become generally available.
McGehee said a special controller chip which is included in the
4825 is required for the super-high density drive.

The 4825's standard 512 kilobytes (KB) of video memory can be
expanded to 1MB, to support 1024 by 768 resolution in 256 colors.
The system has three 16-bit ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)
expansion slots, a 100-watt power supply, two serial ports, one
parallel port, and one mouse port.

Radio Shack will pre-install DOS 5.0, Microsoft Windows, and
Microsoft Works for Windows on each system equipped with a hard
drive. In addition, any new version of Windows released before
June 30th will be provided to 4825 owners at no charge.

The 4825SX will sell for $1,999 at Radio Shack stores and dealers.
McGehee said the company will also produce a floppy drive only
version, which will sell for $1,699, and a multimedia version with
built-in CD-ROM drive, advanced sound capabilities and
multimedia software for $2,799.

McGehee also told Newsbytes that Radio Shack's new product
strategy will include new products, including Grid products, and it
plans to react more quickly to changes in the marketplace, such
as new microprocessors. According to McGehee, the company
also plans to have more competitive pricing.

(Jim Mallory/19920219/Press contact: Fran McGehee, Radio

(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00019)

 ****Fujitsu Develops World's First Supercomputer LSI Chip 02/19/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1991 FEB 19 (NB) -- Fujitsu has announced that
the firm has developed a large scale integrated chip (LSI chip) with
the feature of a supercomputer.

Fujitsu's LSI chip can process all kinds of calculations including
addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division simultaneously.
Consequently, the processing speed is extremely faster, and is
reported to be just like a supercomputer. The size of the LSI chip
is only 1.5 square centimeters.

The actual processing speed of this LSI chip is 289 FLOPS (floating
point operations per second). However, it becomes 42 FLOPS,
which is much slower, when it is placed in the computer system.
But it is fast enough and is almost comparable with the entry level
supercomputers.

When the multiple number of this LSI chip are used for a single
computer, it can produce enormous power. For example, 4,000
units of this LSI chip can process calculation at one terra (trillion)
FLOPS, which is even faster than existing top level supercomputers.

With this LSI, a "super-personal computer" can be produced in the
future. It is expected that this LSI chip will be applied to a, so-called,
multimedia computer in the near future.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19910219/Press Contact: Fujitsu,
[phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00020)

Novell Announces New Maintenance Program 02/19/92
PROVO, UTAH, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Novell has
collaborated with General Electric Information Services (providers
of GEnie) to offer a new way of delivering customer support and
product fixes and upgrades.

Called Netware Express, the new program will begin in March 1992.
People who wish to take advantage of this program can contact their
normal Novell resellers or Novell itself. In exchange for an annual
fee of $4,995, they will receive an account on Netware Express.

Netware Express use also carries per hour connection charges of
$20 in the U.S. and $40 outside of the U.S. Once connected to
Netware Express, the users can download the later fixes. Novell
also intends to make their buyer's guides, price lists, press releases,
and technical bulletins available there.

(Naor Wallach/19920219/Press Contact: Michael Adams, Novell,
801-429-5809)


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

NCR, Teradata Reveal More Post-Merger Plans 02/19/92
DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) --  NCR and Teradata,
which agreed to a merger in December, have revealed plans to
integrate the operating units of Teradata into NCR. The changes
will be effective with formal completion of the proposed merger.

The companies plan to keep the Teradata brand name on the
merged firm's relational database software.

Earlier, the two firms announced that they would continue
supporting and enhancing both Teradata's DBC/1012 and NCR's
System 3600 parallel processing systems. They also said their
product plans would let customers evolve, at their own pace, to
NCR's top-of-the-line, enterprise-wide massively parallel computer,
the NCR System 3700.

The two companies already had a close relationship since they
had worked together on joint development projects for about two
years before the merger agreement, noted NCR spokesman
Robert Farkas.

William J. Eisenman, vice-president of NCR's Large Computer
Products Division, will take charge of Teradata's development and
manufacturing operations. These include: a product development
group in El Segundo, California; development centers in Seattle
and Munich; Teradata Decision Enabling Technologies, a software
development organization in San Francisco; Sharebase, a wholly
owned subsidiary in San Jose, California, which manufactures
midrange database servers; and manufacturing operations in El
Segundo, California, and Dublin.

Teradata's domestic large systems marketing operations will be
folded into  a new Large Computer Systems Division along with
NCR's existing large systems marketing activities. This division
will fit within NCR's United States Marketing Group.

The Systems Services Division of the U.S. Marketing Group has
formed a Professional Services organization to provide consulting
services focused on parallel processing and relational database
systems.

Frank Triolo, vice president of Teradata's worldwide marketing, has
been named vice president of the new Large Computer Systems
Division. The division will be based in Los Angeles and will report
to John R. Poole, vice-president and group executive for the United
States Marketing Group.

Teradata, based in El Segundo, California, sells high-performance
systems and related products and services for relational database
management.  The company has about 1,600 employees in 14
countries. Revenues for fiscal 1991, ended June 30, were $257.8
million.

NCR, wholly owned by AT&T, has about 54,000 employees in 120
countries. Its 1990 revenues were $6.3 billion.

(Grant Buckler/19920219/Press Contact: Robert Farkas, NCR,
513-445-2078; Robin Tanchum, Teradata, 310-524-6162)


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

Softkey Announces Added Retail Agreements 02/19/92
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Forging
ahead with a plan to sell low-priced personal computer software
through a mixture of traditional and non-traditional outlets, Softkey
Software Products has announced a handful of new distribution
agreements.

Softkey's publishing division offers a line of 24 productivity
software titles, including desktop publishing, computer-aided
design, forms design, and drawing software. The packages are
priced between $39.95 and $79.95 and are displayed together in
a rack in a variety of retail outlets, explained Tony Borden,
vice-president of sales.

The company said it recently received a commitment from Meijers,
a Grand Rapids, Michigan, superstore chain, to display the full
Softkey product line in all 65 of its locations. Office America,
based in Richmond, Virginia, recently committed to full Softkey
racks in all 18 of its locations. ABC Warehouses, of Pontiac,
Michigan, will offer Softkey products in all 24 of its stores.

Office Warehouse, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. has agreed to test
Softkey's rack in five of its 40 stores, and Montgomery Ward of
Chicago will test Softkey products in 10 stores beginning April 1.

In Canada, Willsons Stationers of Mississauga recently added
Softkey racks to an additional 40 stores, for a total of 104. Finally,
Hastings Book & Music said several Softkey products were
among its top-selling items.

Softkey has three divisions: the publishing division acquires
application software packages from developers and distributes
them under its private label; the systems division offers consulting,
installation, training and systems support to its clients; and the tax
division provides personal, corporate, and trust taxation software
to accounting professionals and corporations.

(Grant Buckler/19920219/Press Contact: John Stafford Suske,
Softkey Software Products, 416-602-5500)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00023)

X.400 API Association Announces Specifications 02/19/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- The X.400
Application Program Interface Association (XAPIA) has announced
application program interface (API) specifications for mail-enabled
applications and electronic data interchange (EDI). XAPIA also
announced a tutorial for programmers writing X.400 applications.

X.400 is an international standard for exchanging electronic mail
messages. XAPIA is a group of 16 computer and communications
vendors.

One new specification, the API to Message Store, tells programs
how to receive messages sent over an X.400 network. In the X.400
standard, Message Store is a sort of buffer for messages between
programs. The new specification provides a single set of
commands that will work with Message Store facilities from
different vendors, XAPIA officials said.

The second new specification is the Object Set for EDI. It allows
a program receiving an EDI document over an X.400 network to
extract fields of data for further processing. EDI messages have a
highly structured format to allow for automatic processing of
orders, invoices, and other standard business documents. XAPIA
said X.400 networks are being used more and more for EDI
because the standard is widely accepted and because X.400
networks provide high data integrity.

XAPIA also announced availability of a tutorial for programmers
using previously delivered XAPIA interfaces. Developed in
collaboration with the X/Open organization, the tutorial covers the
API to Electronic Mail (X.400), the API to Directory Services
(XDS), and the OSI-Abstract Data Manipulation API (XOM).

The new XAPIA specifications have been submitted to international
standards organizations for approval. A spokeswoman for XAPIA
said past experience suggests the approval process will take 18
months to two years. In the meantime, she said, some XAPIA
members are already offering products that use the new
specifications, and others have plans to do so.

The members of XAPIA are AT&T, Banyan Systems, British
Telecom, Bull HN, the cc:Mail division of Lotus Development, Ctron,
Data Connection, Enable Software, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft,
Novell, OSIWare, Retix, Soft-Switch, and Tandem Computers.

(Grant Buckler/19920219/Press Contact: Leslie Schroeder, Leslie
Schroeder Public Relations & Marketing for XAPIA, 408-446-9158;
Ed Owens, X.400 API Association, 415-961-8800 ext. 346)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00024)

DEC To Manufacture PCs In Taiwan 02/19/92
TAIPEI, TAIWAN, 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Digital Equipment has
announced that it is increasing its capacity to deliver personal
computers by building them at its own plant in Taiwan.

Digital will use its manufacturing capability in Taiwan for the design
and manufacture of the PCs. Volume production is scheduled for
the end of 1992.

Details of the models to be built in Taiwan, and their pricing, will
be announced later, according to Alan McMillan, regional PC
marketing manager at Digital Equipment Asia.

"The PC market is very important to us," McMillan said. "Digital Asia
recently set up a desktop business group to further penetrate Asia's
fast-growing market for desktop computers. The new, competitively
priced PCs from Taiwan will enable us to become a strong player in
this key market sector. By expanding our third-party supply base with
internal resources, we can assure customers of a steady stream of
products in high volume, an advantage that a single-source supplier
does not have. Building our own PCs is part of our overall business
strategy for the desktop and represents another step to continue
moving aggressively into the PC market," he said.

The Taiwan operation is an MRPII Class A plant with a record of
high volume, high quality manufacturing. Existing assets and the
1,000 strong workforce will handle the new product line, with no
substantial increase in capital outlay. The plant already builds
Digital's VT terminal family and the application DEC 433MP
computer system, which is aimed at the small- and medium-sized
business sector.

(Norman Wingrove/19920219/Press Contact: Walter Cheung,
Digital, [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00025)

Seybold Seminars: Microsoft To Implement TrueType Embedding 02/19/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Microsoft has
announced that Windows 3.1 and Windows NT will implement
TrueType font embedding, a technology aimed at extending
WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) across platforms.

"The user will be able to send (a document) to another
machine, and there will be no surprises," said George Scott,
associate program manager, breaking the news during a
conference session at the end of the first day of the Seybold
Seminars in Boston.

Under Windows 3.0 and previous versions, the author of Windows
documents had no way of knowing what recipients might see,
because the fonts installed on the author's system might be
different from those on the other end, Scott explained.  TrueType
font embedding is designed to overcome this problem by storing
fonts inside the Windows documents.

The embedding will take place in two ways.  Agfa-Compugraphic,
Bitstream, and Monotype will embed read-only fonts into their
applications, he commented.  Meanwhile, Microsoft will embed
read-write fonts into the Windows 3.1 base system.  In addition,
Bigelow & Holmes, Inc. will make available 22 Lucinda fonts capable
of read-write embedding.  Aldus Corporation, Corel, and other
vendors also plan to support embedding, he said.

Under the Microsoft plan, when read-only fonts are being employed,
any application written for Windows 3.1 or Windows NT will be able
to access the TrueType fonts used in a document and bundle the
fonts in their native file format.

If the document is being run on a computer that lacks the fonts
for proper viewing, the read-only fonts will be installed temporarily.
The user will be able to look at the document on screen, or print it
on any printer, but will not be permitted to modify the document.

The read-write fonts will be capable of permanent installation. Users
will be able to access the TrueType fonts from any Windows 3.1 or
Windows NT application, and send the fonts along to another
destination.

One of Scott's fellow speakers in the conference session criticized
the plan, however. "George said there'd be no surprises, but I think
there will be some," stated Brian Lawley of Apple. Users will be
perplexed by the read-only fonts, and stymied over how to keep
track of which fonts are read-only and which are read-write, he
predicted.

But Kevin Wandryk, typographic business manager at Adobe, said
he welcomes the plan, even though it comes from a competitor in the
type marketplace.  According to Wandryk, the visibility surrounding
TrueType has boosted sales for Adobe, by building awareness of
type among users.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920219)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00026)

Seybold Seminars: IBM/Adobe Compare Elec Doc System Notes 02/19/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, 1992 FEB 19 (NB) At the Seybold
Seminars in Boston, John Warnock, chairman of Adobe Systems,
and Jay Unger of IBM compared notes on electronic document
systems, concurring that computer-generated publications ought
to behave more like books.

The two officials diverged, however, over whether electronic
documents should be printed on paper.

Both Warnock and Unger emphasized that electronic documents
ought to be items that humans will read.  Currently, people who
work in offices spend 40 percent of their time reading published
material, stated Unger. Yet the users are on the computer only ten
percent of the time - typically, when they are creating documents,
noted Warnock.  "If we're going to change the way computers are
being used, then we've got to change that balance," he remarked.

Adobe and IBM are each approaching the release of new, point-
and-click, hypertext electronic document systems, Adobe with the
Carousel package, and IBM with Soft Copy.  But, while Carousel
will be able to print out in hard copy, the IBM software will not.

Users prefer to work on screen when searching through
documents, but generally, they prefer the option of a printout,
suggested Warnock.

Unger, on the other hand, pointed to the day when electronic
documents will be as portable as books. "Through devices like
laptops, (the documents) will reach out to us in every day life,"
he said.  Further into the future, the consumer electronics
industry will develop personal reading devices, he added.

With concerns like this in mind, IBM is trying to emulate the
appearance of a book, he stated.  "One of the most disturbing
things to us is that almost all material on computer screen is
presented in landscape, or horizontal, architecture, and almost
all printed materials are presented, for unknown reasons, in
portrait, or vertical, architecture," he elaborated.

But electronic documents should depart from a booklike
appearance when this measure enables capabilities that books
lack, said Unger. Soft Copy, for example, will allow figures and
diagrams to be floated and independent.

"In print text, you usually try to figure an image so it's near the
point of first reference, yet at the same time it accurately covers
the scope of the entire reference. This is often difficult to do,
because the material referenced can stretch on for pages. I'm sure
you've all seen people sitting there, reading the text, flipping back
and forth from page to page while they try to look at the text and a
diagram at the same time," he illustrated.

In Soft Copy, on the other hand, images will be able to appear
automatically at the first reference to them, remain on screen
throughout the scope of the reference, and disappear when the
reference is over with, he explained. Soft Copy will probably be
available as off-the-shelf software as well as custom applications,
he added.

Carousel, a device independent off-the-shelf package, will be
available in versions for IBM-compatible PCs and Macintoshes,
according to Warnock.  "We're shooting for release by the end of
the year," he noted.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920219)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00027)

Hypercomix -- Paul Mace's Electronic Multimedia Comic Books 02/19/92
ASHLAND, OREGON, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Paul Mace, best
known for Paul Mace software, has announced that he has formed a
new company, PC Comix, to develop electronic comic books called
Hypercomix. The first in the series, Hypercomix Lance Stone,
has been announced for shipment on March 1 of this year.

PC Comix says it has added sound, animation, and the capability
for branching plot lines to the traditional comic book approach.
Paul Mace said: "These electronic comics are the next
generational step in the evolution of comic book art and
literature. We've been careful not to alter the basics of this
all-American form of art and young people's literature."

Targeted at the personal computer (PC) literate boy between the
ages of 12 and 45, the company estimates a potential market of
20 to 30 million. PC Comix is projecting sales of $100 million in the
next three years.

Company representatives told Newsbytes that, with the advent of
color laptop computers, one of the targeted distributors of PC
Comix is airport gift shops.

Newsbytes has seen the first issue, and despite some bugs in
the screen displays at points, it is a typical comic book. Running
on a 286-based system at 16 megahertz (MHz) it was a little slow,
but on a 386 at 25 MHz there was not much waiting. The colors
and art are definitely comic book style, and screen displays
were like turning pages, wiping from one side to the other.

The hero Lance Stone is a cross between the television
character McGyver and Sylvester Stalone, with Stalone's modesty
and physical appearance and McGyver's trendy style and self-
effacing intellectual "lost boy" appeal.

The company recommends a sound card. The exaggerated
muscle, the bar, fights, and the witticisms of comic book style were
all displayed. Set in the future in a high tech urban environment,
part of the interest of the plot is seeing cars that fly, electronic hair
setters, and floating seating in "discos" with stools that only float
while the person's blood alcohol level is within acceptable limits.

Newsbytes discovered branching plot lines are there, but only
at predefined points. Two opportunities were available in this
first issue to follow another character, and the branch always
folds back into the regular story line at a later point. Mouse
control allows the user to move from frame to frame, branch
off, jump back to the last branch or jump forward to the next
branch. The control buttons are in a bar at the bottom of the
screen. However, the keyboard can be used as well, the
company said.

PC Comix says it is starting with the Lance Stone series, and
the software will be smart enough to recognize previous issues
on the hard disk and link to form ongoing books. Each issue is
estimated to take up two megabytes (MB) of disk space.

Hypercomix require an IBM PC or compatible, 640 kilobytes (KB)
of RAM, and a video graphics array (VGA) display in either color
or gray scale, the company added.

Estimated retail price of the first issue is $20 for the first 90-days.
When asked if this was high for the 20 to 30 minutes of
entertainment provided, PC Comix representative Charles
McHenry said the price has been set compared to games. "Even
the most primitive, unsophisticated computer game retails for
$49.95," McHenry said.

Those who have Compuserve access can download a sample from
the Lance Stone series to see for themselves in the comics forum
(GO COMICS). More information about Hypercomix is available
from PC Comix at 800-944-0181. The company is located at 400
Williamson Way, Ashland, Oregon, 97520.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920219/Press Contact: Charles McHenry,
McHenry and Associates for PC Comix, tel [phone], fax 503-
776-6909)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00028)

 ****Free Michelangelo Virus Clean-up From Symantec, McAfee 02/19/92
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- On the
eve of the expected strike of the Michelangelo computer virus,
Symantec is offering a special version of the Norton AntiVirus
2.0 for a $9 shipping and handling charge to all PC users. McAfee
and Associates is also offering Scan, its virus prevention program,
to users at no charge.

The Michelangelo virus is programmed to overwrite all data on
an affected hard disk on March 6, the date of the birthday of
the artist. The virus was discovered in December as having been
inadvertently shipped on the hard disks of a number of computers
manufactured and distributed by Leading Edge, and the
New Jersey-based mail order company, Computer Sales
Professional. The virus is known to have consequently affected
limited copies of Distant Suns, a commercial software program
from Virtual Reality Labs.

While the companies involved have attempted to warn users and
some have provided users copies of Scan anti-virus software
from the Santa Clara-based McAfee and Associates, Symantec
says its concerned about users who might not know whether or
not the virus is on their personal computer (PC).

Rod Turner, executive vice president of Symantec's Peter Norton
Group said: "We want computer users to know that there are
complete programs available to detect and destroy viruses
before they activate. The Michelangelo Edition is being offered
to eliminate any anxieties users might have about this particular
virus infecting their PC."

McAfee has distributed Scan as a shareware product for years
and offers users a five-day complimentary use of the product to
detect and eliminate computer viruses. McAfee virus products
are available to users via by modem download from the McAfee
computer bulletin board at 408-988-4004, on Compuserve (GO
MCAFEE or GO VIRUSFORUM) or from shareware software
vendors.

The McAfee software product Scan, now in version 86B, will look
for and eliminate 1199 viruses, according to Aryeh Goretsky of
McAfee technical support. However, any version of Scan above
80 will handle the Michelangelo virus, Goretsky said.

While the Norton Antivirus retail version will look for, and
eliminate, viruses, the Norton version looks for virus-like
activity rather than for individual viruses like the McAfee
product.

The special version offered for only the shipping and handling
charges by Symantec is advertised as targeted toward the
Michelangelo virus. The Norton Antivirus Michelangelo Edition
can be ordered at 800-343-4717, ext 707 for a $9 shipping and
handling fee, or downloaded from free of charge from the
Symantec bulletin board (408-973-9598 for 2400 baud, or
408-973-9834 for 9,600 baud) and from Compuserve.

Some participating retailers are also carrying the Norton
AntiVirus Michelangelo Edition for a nominal handling fee,
Symantec added. The company is also offering the full Norton
Antivirus product from now through March 31, 1992 for $99,
reduced from $129, by calling 800-441-7234.

Symantec says it also provides virus information via a 24-hour
Virus Newsline at 310-828-2906 or through the Michelangelo
Virus Faxline at 310-575-5018.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920219/Press Contact: Ana Shannon,
Symantec, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Aryeh Goretsky,
McAfee and Associates, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00029)

 ****Microsoft To Prosecute LA DOS 5.0 Counterfeiters 02/19/92
BREA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Microsoft says
for the first time, it plans to prosecute the two men allegedly
responsible for the counter operation at Entech Computer
Incorporated in Los Angeles, where authorities recently recovered
3,000 counterfeit copies of Microsoft's DOS 5.0 operating system
software product.

The two men, Entech president Chi Ming Robert Liu and sales
manager Karl Richard Schlicht are the first two that Microsoft
has invoked criminal laws to arrest and prosecute in the
U.S. The street value of the software confiscated was
estimated at $200,000.

Microsoft says the operation was exposed when undercover
police and Microsoft investigators posing as buyers were
offered the counterfeit goods by Entech, a computer
distributor belonging to the Ming Yu Group. Investigators
say they expect business records and information from Entech
employees to disclose sources and customers of Entech as
well as additional illegal copies believed to be in storage.

Entech was selling imitations of BEC-manufactured MS-DOS.
However, there is a legitimate BEC Computer GMBH, a German
company with manufacturing operations in Taiwan that sells
MS-DOS as a Microsoft licensee under the BEC logo with its
computer systems, Microsoft added.

Microsoft suggests anyone suspecting they might have
purchased counterfeit goods should call its hotline at 800-
NO COPYN (800-662-6796). Those who call will receive help
from Microsoft in identifying if they indeed have a legal copy
and can help Microsoft identify the source if the copy they
have is illegal.

Microsoft representative Katy Ehrlich said however, 800
number callers with illegal copies will not be pursued in
any way by Microsoft as the company is looking for the
sources of those illegal copies. Those users, however,
cannot expect support nor can Microsoft guarantee the
accuracy of those illegal copies, Ehrlich added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920219/Press Contact: Katy Ehrlich,
Microsoft, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00030)

Seybold Seminars: Optronics Extends Color Imagesetting 02/19/91
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- With a product
introduction and a joint development agreement, Optronics, a
division of Intergraph, is extending color imagesetting in a couple
of new directions.

At the Seybold Seminars in Boston, Optronics has announced
DeskSetter, a desktop imagesetter for office use, and also laid
down plans to develop, together with the Swedish firm Misomex AB,
a high-end, PostScript-compatible laser-to-plate imagesetter for
professional print shops.

DeskSetter is aimed at providing high quality color separation
at a price ordinarily applicable to black-and-white imagesetters.
The high-end imagesetter, on the other hand, will eliminate the
need to produce color-separated film prior to making offset
printing plates, letting users image directly on to the plates.

According to Bruce Harrison, general manager of Optronics, the
black-and-white imagesetters that populate office environments
are unsuitable for color separations. "Because black-and-white
imagesetters don't require the registration of multiple films, they
don't provide the accuracy and repeatability required for color
separations," he explained.

Twenty-four inches by 14-inches, and 14 inches deep, the
DeskSetter is designed to sit astride a desktop publishing
system, enabling on-site production of plate-ready films for ads,
brochures, and catalogs.

The device accepts Postscript-generated pages from any
Macintosh, IBM-compatible PC, or Unix workstation. Film is imaged
on a high precision internal drum, with overall repeatability of (plus
or minus) .001 inch.

The high-end system now in the works will use a special plate
autoloader developed by Misomex to convey offset plates into the
system for exposure, and then unload and transport them to a plate
processor. To bypass the film imaging step, the product will use a
new generation of printing plate that is more sensitive to light than
previous plates.

Harrison expects the large imagesetter to boost speed to the
point where PostScript printing will enjoy an economic advantage
over color electronic prepress systems (CEPS).

Ultimately, color printing will emerge into a ubiquitous service, in
which consumers will be willing to pay a premium for fast turnaround,
he suggested.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920219)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00031)

UK: Wordstar Previews Version 7.0 Of Wordstar WP Software 02/19/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 FEB 19 (NB) -- Wordstar has previewed
Wordstar for Windows 7.0 at the Windows show here in London this
week. Shipment is expected in a matter of months, company officials
told Newsbytes.

Newsbytes can report that, from a first hands-on with the package,
it looks good.

According to Wordstar, the objective with Wordstar 7.0 was to
create a package that is sufficiently flexible and intuitive that
it allows users to improve their written communications. Wordstar
7.0 achieves these aims.

Keystroke compatibility is provide for Wordstar 6.0, Wordstar
2000, and Wordstar's Laptop collection. The package will retail
for UKP 399.

Features available on Wordstar 7.0 include a much-improved
"Advanced Page Preview" facility. This now shows all print features
on-screen on a WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) basis.
Other features include an improved cursor bar system and a
tighter set of program code.

Alongside Wordstar 7.0, Wordstar was showing the Writing Tools
Group of packages. These include Correct Grammar and Lexica.
Correct Grammar is a grammar checking package, which retails for
UKP 89. The package includes a 135,000 British dictionary. Lexica
is a multi-lingual translating thesaurus and dictionary for DOS
that retails for UKP 199.

Existing users of all versions of Wordstar are being encouraged
to upgrade. Until the end of March, users can upgrade to Wordstar
6.0 for Windows for UKP 99. Users of competing packages are also
able to upgrade for the same price.

Wordstar 6.0 for Windows includes Bitstream Facelift and Correct
Correct Grammar for Windows as part of a special bundling deal at
no extra charge.

(Steve Gold/19920219/Press & Public Contact: Wordstar UK,