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/nb920309

Text File | 1992-03-09 | 60KB | 1,354 lines

(NEWS)(GOVT)(NYC)(00001)

Converse Tech Gets $20 Million Govt Contract 03/09/92
WOODBURY, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Comverse
Technology Inc., has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary,
Comverse Government Systems Corp., has received an order of
approximately $20 million for enhanced versions of its AudioDisk
digital recording system to be delivered over the next 30 months to a
government agency.

Converse develops, manufactures, and markets computer systems for
commercial, government, and defense communications applications.
These systems include Triloghue, a multimedia message management
system, as well as AudioDisk.

Kobi Alexander, president and chairman of the Board of Comverse,
claimed that this represents the largest contract received by
his company to date. "Comverse was awarded this contract
over its primary competitors in the market, two multi-billion dollar
U.S. companies, after an extensive and thorough evaluation
conducted by the customer. We expect that the activities of
Comverse's Government & Defense Systems Division will continue to
show significant growth domestically and internationally in the
future, and that divisional sales will become an increasingly
important component of the company's overall revenue base."

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/Press Contact: Paul D.
Baker, Comverse Technology Inc., 516=921-0470/19920309)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(NYC)(00002)

Digital Business Conference Tomorrow 03/09/92
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Digital
Equipment Corporation will sponsor a free conference, Digital
World Tour '92, The Open Advantage In Action, on Tuesday, March
10 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Chicago Marriott, 540 North
Michigan Ave.

The conference, in the words of the announcement, is intended to
"show area businesses and institutions new, and more effective ways
to compete by linking their departments, customers, and vendors
electronically." It is part of the seventh annual edition of Digital's
road show. The current tour began in Indianapolis in November and
will cover over 22,000 miles. During the tour, two 65-foot tractor
trailers transport more than 80,000 pounds of computer
equipment from city to city. Digital said that more than 10,000
managers in 30 cities throughout the United States and Canada will
attend this year's tour.

William R. Johnson, Jr., Digital's vice president in charge of the
conference, said, "Digital World Tour '92 will show any organization
how it can improve its means of doing business by linking
heterogeneous computer systems anywhere, anyplace, at anytime."

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/Press Contact: Belinda
Hernandez of Digital Equipment, 214-702-4201/19920309)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(MOW)(00003)

Moscow: New Public Voice Mail System 03/09/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- The Telecos joint venture has
launched a voice mail system for the general public. It is offered for
rubles, is based on pulse dialing only, and is available throughout
the city of Moscow.

The standard user voice mail box has a 30-second outgoing announcement
slot and can store up to two minutes of incoming messages.

The phone number in Moscow is 972-5959, demo mailbox number 1682. The
system does not accept tone dialing. A Telecos spokeswoman told
Newsbytes that approximately six percent of Moscow phone exchanges
cannot access the service because of their outdated equipment.

The service cost 1,000 rubles (approximately US$10) for registration,
and 2300 rubles per month. Each extra minute of voice mail storage,
not including the basic two minutes of storage, costs 1000 rubles
per month. The company offers discounts to those who sign up for more
than six months.

The Telecos spokeswowan told Newsbytes that the American partner
in the venture is a company called Soft Art Spectrum, but she refused
to give additional details.

Commersant weekly says that the Moscow phone network invested an
undisclosed amount in this one-million-ruble enterprise.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19920309/Press & Public Contact: Telecos,
phone [phone] or 209-7861)


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

 ****Taiwanese Chipmaker Prepares 80486-Compatible Chip 03/09/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Taiwan-based semiconductor
maker UMC says it will release an 80486-compatible chip jointly
next year with U.S.-based Meridian.

UMC has reportedly paid a development fee to Meridian, and the
project has started. According to the Nikkan Kogyo newspaper, the
fee was around $12 million. The design of this chip will be completed
by the end of next year, the report says, and commercial production
will be handled by UMC. The chip will be sold under UMC brand name
worldwide.

UMC is a major semiconductor chipmaker in Taiwan. The firm has been
specializes in central processing units, peripheral chips,
application specific ICs, SRAM (static random access memory) and
mask ROM (read only memory). The firm claims to have made $230
million sales in sales for fiscal 1991.

An 80486-compatible microprocessor will also be released by
Advanced Micro Devices, which has established a worldwide market
for customers of Intel-compatible chips. AMD is planning to release
the 80486 version this summer.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920309/Press Contact: UMC Japan, +81-3-
3280-3661)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00005)

IBM, PMSC Team To Help Insurers 03/09/92
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- IBM, its wholly
owned services subsidiary Integrated Systems Solutions, and Policy
Management Systems have announced a new outsourcing offering for
the insurance industry called Inserv. The companies said they will
provide information services to life, health and property, and
casualty insurers.

IBM spokeswoman Karla Feuer told Newsbytes the deal is "part of
IBM's new, more service-oriented strategy."

IBM holds a 16.5-percent interest in PMSC, Feuer said. It first
invested in the company in 1989. The companies have not worked
together on outsourcing before, she said, except to a limited
extent in recent months as a sort of trial run for the present
agreement.

Inserv's system services offerings will include dedicated systems
operations, shared host processing, systems programming, network
management, and help-desk operations, IBM said.

Application offerings include installation and support of PMSC's
licensed software and supporting customers' existing applications.
The firms said they will also develop new applications that use
relational databases and cooperative processing applications to
link host systems and workstations.

The three companies said they will offer outsourcing services under
the Inserv name when all three parties are involved, but each is
free to pursue other opportunities independently.

Customers' needs will determine the personnel dedicated to each
Inserv team, with ISSC and PMSC receiving revenue based on their
contributions to each project.

In a prepared statement, Larry Wilson, chairman and president of
PMSC, called the agreement "a natural extension of the IBM-PMSC
alliance and an outgrowth of our existing service business."

(Grant Buckler/19920309/Press Contact: Karla Feuer, IBM,
914-642-5473; John Hutto, PMSC, 803-735-5348)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00006)

IBM Canada Announces Progress On Restructuring 03/09/92
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- IBM Canada has
announced that 1,500 of its employees have chosen to take early
retirement or voluntary separation packages. That takes the company
three quarters of the way to the goal it announced last November of
reducing its work force by 2,000.

As a result, IBM Canada is now confident it will not have to lay
off employees this year to meet its belt-tightening targets, a
company spokesman told Newsbytes. The company cannot be certain
that layoffs won't occur in the future, the spokesman said. Though
IBM Canada has never laid off employees, he said, "we've never said
never."

IBM Canada expects to complete the trimming of its work force
through normal attrition and continued separation incentives.

In a brief statement late in November, just after its parent
company announced plans to chop 20,000 positions from its worldwide
work force of about 350,000, IBM Canada said it would restrict
hiring, offer incentives for early retirement and career changes,
and launch extensive retraining and reassignment programs.

The company also said more new, independent companies would be
created from existing operations. Splitting off autonomous
manufacturing and development businesses was one of the central
points of the reorganization plan announced by the parent company.

Employees leaving the company to date have been concentrated in the
administrative and support areas, the spokesman said. IBM Canada
targeted these areas in particular for cuts. Workers in
manufacturing and product development were not eligible for all of
the incentives to leave that were offered to those in other areas.
IBM Canada has said its manufacturing and development work will be
largely unaffected by the cuts.

About 175 of the employees who have chosen early retirement will
postpone their departure until replacements are trained, the
company added.

Meeting the goal would bring IBM Canada's work force down to about
10,200 people by the end of 1992.

(Grant Buckler/19920309/Press Contact: Stan Didzbalis, IBM Canada,
416-474-3900, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00007)

 ****Cebit: Amstrad To Launch Three New PCs 03/09/92
HANNOVER, WESTERN GERMANY, 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Amstrad Computers
will unveil three new 80486-based machines when the Cebit
(Hannover) Faire opens for business in Germany this Wednesday.
Two of the machines are being manufactured at Intel's European
facility in Ireland, while the third, a 486SX-based system, is
being made in the Far East.

The two Intel-sourced machines are called the "Amstrad
Professional Series" and carry the "technology by Intel"
trademark. According to Amstrad, the ES486 machines will ship in
Europe from next month onwards.

All three of the new machines are a milestone for Amstrad, as
they are the first 80486-based systems available from the budget
PC manufacturer.

The ES486 Intel-sourced machines have been designed with the
professional user's needs for expandability and flexibility in
mind, according to Amstrad. The machines feature five expansion
slots and four drive bays.

The ES486 systems come with a choice of main processor cards -
25MHz 80486SX or 33MHz 80476DX - and feature Intel's new Overdrive
socket so that the user can upgrade the system performance of the
PC at a later stage.

The third 80486SX-specific machine is being manufactured by
Amstrad's subcontractors in the Far East. According to Amstrad,
the machine will be available in Europe within the next few
weeks.

Alan Sugar, Amstrad's chairman, who will announce the three new
families of machines at Cebit this Wednesday, said that they take
Amstrad firmly into the 80486 marketplace.

"Amstrad is now in a prime position to take advantage as 486
technology becomes more and more accepted by the business market
in volume. These models will be marketed alongside the company's
existing 8086, 286 and 386SX computers, giving Amstrad a product
range with wide appeal to every sector of the market," he said.

(Steve Gold/19920309/Press & Public Contact: Amstrad - Tel: 0277-
228888)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00008)

 ****British Telecom To Shed 25,000 Jobs 03/09/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- British Telecom has announced
that it plans to shave 25,000 staff from the payroll -- around
10 percent of the telecom company's workforce. The cuts are
blamed on the recession.

Surprisingly, BT claims that the bulk of the staff cuts will stem
from natural wastage and retirements rather than redundancies. To
assist in this, BT has souped up its enhanced retirement and
voluntary redundancy programs to encourage staff to leave the
company on a voluntary basis.

The job cuts are on top of the 30,000 staff reductions which have
taken place over the last two years. The full extent of this
latest round of cuts has yet to be assessed and BT seniors say
that have not decided on which divisions will bear the brunt of
the cutbacks.

"In a tough and competitive economic and regulatory environment,
it is imperative to reap the benefits of our huge investment
program by improving efficiency and giving our customers better
value for money," said Michael Hepher, group managing director of
the British Telecom.

BT currently employs 218,000 staff. Plans call for the cuts to be
made over the next year, although a hard and fast date for the
implementation of the cuts has not been set.

(Steve Gold/19920309)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(WAS)(00009)

 ****Michelangelo Damage Assessment 03/09/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Although some
mainstream news media are reporting that the Michelangelo virus
attack was more hype than actual, thousands, perhaps hundreds of
thousands, of computers were affected and the evidence clearly
indicates that the problem would have been much worse if
responsible persons hadn't repeated warnings loudly and often.

The Washington Post reported on Sunday that the one advanced
country where virus attacks were reported as being unusually high
was South Africa, which was also one place where the virus didn't
receive much early publicity. UPI reports that as many as 1,000
computers in South Africa suffered data loss on March 6.

Percentage-wise this is a massively larger number of systems than
were estimated to have been affected here in the U.S. or other
countries where there was widespread publicity. This could
certainly lead to the conclusion that warnings in other countries
prompted individuals and companies to eradicate the virus before
it did any damage.

Supporting this conclusion was the report to Newsbytes on Friday
from RG Software, maker of the Vi-Spy anti-virus software, that
the company had received more than 100 reports of infected
computers being cleaned of the virus by its software - without
any damage to data. Since there is no real reason for people who
find a virus and remove it to report this to anyone, some anti-
virus specialists say these and other companies' reports of virus
incidents, either destructive or non-destructive, are just the
tip of the iceberg.

Certainly the massive run on anti-viral software reported by
publishers and software vendors indicates that an all-out attack
was waged against the Michelangelo virus, and, despite that,
there were many reports of data loss which were due to the virus.
Symantec alone reports giving away about a quarter million free
copies of software which just searches out and destroys the
Michelangelo virus, and other companies such as RG Software
report a large number of calls from people downloading their
similar free anti-Michelangelo utilities from bulletin boards.

John McAfee, a publisher of anti-virus software, estimated that
about 1,000 computers were hit in the U.S. -- a tiny
fraction of the total number of susceptible IBM-compatible
computers (only computers running the MS-DOS operating system can
be affected by this particular virus).

As one software expert said, "Taking steps to prevent data
destruction by computer viruses is like cooking to prevent food
poisoning - you never really know if it was necessary in a
particular case, but you can be certain that in the long run it
is a good idea."

The Washington Post reports that the U.S. House of Representatives, the
Washington area electric utility, Bell Atlantic, and the Central
intelligence Agency were among those DC-area organizations which
admitted having found and cleaned out the virus before damage was
done.

The State Department said that the virus had hit U.S. foreign
missions in Canada, Ethiopia, and Bolivia, but that no damage was
done.

Why was Michelangelo so dangerous? It is a very destructive type
of virus, one which lies in ambush, not making itself known until
it instantly wipes out all hard disk data, and because it was
actually spread through legitimate copies of commercial software
while most viruses are spread via pirated copies or through free
software which is legitimately passed between computer owners and users.

InfoWorld reports that Chips & Technologies accidentally spread
the virus by a handout at the last COMDEX computer show, and it
was found hidden on demo discs given away by Da Vinci Corp. About
500 brand-new Leading Edge computers were also shipped last
December with the virus already loaded onto the hard disks,
without the company's knowledge.

The battle against viruses is a constant one and many companies
are planning carefully to protect themselves and customers. For
example, Intel, the giant chip maker and seller of an anti-virus
software program, inadvertently sent out some infected local area
network software recently.

Reuters is reporting that the Dutch police say Michelangelo was
accidentally spread around the world by a Taiwanese software
duplication company, but Newsbytes has been unable to confirm
this.

Because many people simply avoided the problem by re-setting their
computer clocks or only disinfecting their hard disks -- not their
floppies -- Michelangelo is expected to spread and become a problem
again next year. A company which cleaned out its computers on
Thursday may be reinfected when it uses floppy disks which haven't
been checked for the virus. The virus didn't die on midnight of
March 6; it just went into hiding again.

As an IBM spokesperson said, "Enough people found it [the
Michelangelo virus] this week to confirm the fact that this is
not some sort of hoax."

Michaelangelo is one of about 1,200 virus varieties now in existence.

(John McCormick/19920309/)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(HKG)(00010)

Hong Kong: Unisys Wins Major Govt Contract 03/09/92
WANCHAI, HONG KONG, 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Unisys (Hong Kong) Ltd has
won a $24 million (US$3.1 million) contract to supply mid-range Open
Systems computers to the government of Hong Kong.

The contract is for the supply of Unisys U6000/65 Unix-based
computers over a period of 18 months, extendable to two years.

Tenders for the contract were put out in June 1991, as the first
implementation of recommendations in the so-called "Daisy Report" for
the government's use of computers in the 1990s. Competition was
fierce, Unisys beating more than 20 suppliers.

Dr Colin Greenfield, director of the Information Technology Services
Department, said, "We were looking for a supplier who was committed to
Open Systems and Unix, with a proven track record in Hong Kong, and
who could meet our requirements for supplying a range of systems to
cover the government's diverse needs."

Describing the government as a very important sector for Unisys Open
Systems marketing in Hong Kong, Unisys general manager, Roy Clements,
said, "We are extremely pleased to win such a highly competitive
tender and recognize it as an important milestone in our continued
growth in the Open Systems area in Hong Kong."

Requirements for the tender included compliance with two major Open
Systems operating system standards, ISO 9945-1.90 - the POSIX
standard and the X-Open Portability Guide, Version 3 (XPG3).

Independent industry analyst, Graham Mead, managing director of
Graham Mead Associates, said the contract was very important
for Unisys in Hong Kong.

"The Government's choice of Unisys is not surprising: it is a sound
company and it has targeted Unix as a major market area for its
future. The effect of the order in the commercial sector can be of
major significance, however. The commercial market will obviously
view the Government's endorsement of Unisys very positively," said
Mead.

The systems to be supplied run Unix V Release 4, with extensions for
multiprocessors. They will be shipped network-ready, with
multiprocessor support for TCP/IP and NFS. The operating system is
bundled with Motif Window Manager to support Motif windowing
applications

(Norman Wingrove/19920310/Press contact: R.J. Weston, Tel +852 879
3800; HKtime is GMT + 8)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00011)

State Of The Art Hiring 93 03/09/92
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- The current
recession is not affecting all computer industry companies in the
same way, as State Of The Art Inc. has decided to add 93 new
positions at its Irvine headquarters over the next year.

David S. Samuels, president and chief executive officer, said that
the company has been experiencing "rapid growth" since the Gulf
War ended last year.

"As part of our 1992 operating plan, we will be increasing our head
count in order to continue to meet our strategic growth plans and
serve customer demand from our authorized resellers, software
consultants, and end-users," he said.

The additional employees will increase the company's current
staff of 124 by 75 percent. The company maintains that eight staff
will be added in the general and administrative departments, six
in the marketing department, sixty-five in sales and customer
service, and fourteen in research and development.

"The additional personnel will allow us to add more depth and
experience in our key management areas including marketing,
human resources and research and development," said Samuels.

The company expects that many of the new positions in sales
support and customer service will meet expected end-user demand
created by the implementation of the company's new ClientCare
program, which is an end-user support program for the company's
high-end modular accounting software product line, called
M.A.S 90 Evolution/2.

Founded in 1981, State Of The Art develops and markets
accounting software for microcomputers. The company completed
an initial public offering of 3,450,000 shares of its common stock on
May 31, 1991.

(Ian Stokell/19920309/Press Contact: Geri Schanz, Galusha &
Associates for State of the Art, 714-476-1009)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00012)

Tencor Buys Flexus 03/09/92
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Tencor
Instruments has announced the acquisition of FleXus Inc., a
five-year-old privately held company which manufactures a family
of products for measuring stress in thin films.

The company plans to relocate the entire staff of Flexus to its
headquarters in Mountain View, California. Terms of the agreement
have not been disclosed.

This is the third major business move by Tencor in three weeks.
Tific Instruments recently gave the company exclusive rights to
market a new scanning force microscope, currently under
development, to the worldwide semiconductor industry. Also,
last week, Tencor and Prometrix Corp. jointly announced an
alliance to market a defect data analysis system.

The move is seen as being indicative of the current trend in the
semiconductor equipment industry in which companies are working
together on advanced technology instead of funding duplicate
and costly research and development efforts.

Measurement of film stress is particularly critical in semiconductor
production where it can identify process conditions likely to result
in unreliable and defective integrated circuits. Semiconductor films
are exposed to high temperatures both during processing and in the
environment where the integrated circuit operates. Therefore,
analysis at high temperatures provides an understanding
of the film properties.

Tencor Instruments designs and manufactures wafer defect
inspection and metrology systems for semiconductor
manufacturing and other industries. Sales in 1991 exceeded $53
million.

(Ian Stokell/1992/Press Contact: Roberta Emerson, Tencor
Instruments, 415-969-6767 ext 311)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00013)

 ****Lower-Cost HDTV From Hitachi 03/09/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Hitachi is preparing to release
a television set with a new twist on high definition TV (HDTV).
The ratio of the screen of this set is 9:16, which is horizontally
longer than a normal TV. Hitachi plans to make the price very
reasonable compared to that of current HDTVs.

Hitachi's quasi-high definition TV, which will be released at
the end of this month, offers high definition TV reception but
does not include the Muse decoder. Also, it does not have several
other features inherent in regular HDTVs, but its price makes it
attractive. It is expected to be sold for less than 900,000 yen ($6,900).

Meanwhile, Sharp has also developed a similar quasi-high
definition TV and is preparing to sell it for one million yen
($7,700) next month.

Current high definition TVs costs between three and four million
yen (around $27,000). So, it is practically impossible
for average consumers to purchase them. In order to solve the
cost problem, Hitachi and Sharp have created this quasi-high
definition TV. Other electronics firms including Japan Victor
and Mitsubishi are preparing to follow suit.

Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK), an advocate of high definition
TV, is critical of this kind of quasi-high definition TV, which few
see as the final solution to the cost problem. Electronics firms
are simultaneously developing powerful large scale chips to
integrate features required for the Muse decoder. When the chips are
developed, the price of the Muse decoder and high definition TV
is expected to drop. But it will take at least a few more years.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920309/Press Contact: Hitachi, +81-3-3763-
2411)


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

McCaw, IBM to Partner In Packet Data 03/09/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- In a copyrighted
story in the "Mobile Data Report" newsletter published today,
Washington editor Alan Reiter said McCaw Cellular Communications
and IBM will announce they've become partners in a cellular
packet data network on March 26.

Currently, cellular phone users transmit data over regular
modems, which take up all of a cellular phone channel. The
resulting call costs each end of the transmission about 35 cents
per minute. Reiter estimates only 25,000 of today's 7.8 million
cellular subscribers run data today. Cellular Data Inc., a
California company with venture capital backing, has proposed
building a 2,400 bit/second packet network between cellular
calling channels through a network of affiliates with which it
would share revenues.

Reiter says the McCaw-IBM system, already being tested in
Seattle, uses a new packet radio modem developed by IBM which
runs at speeds of up to 19,200 bits/second. "Speeds that high
would not only provide cellular systems with significant capacity
for data services, they would also alleviate the concern of some
large-city carriers that growing demand for data could create
blocking problems for their bread-and-butter voice customers,"
speculates Reiter.

No comment about the McCaw/IBM project was available from either
party. IBM and McCaw could either form a joint-venture to create
a network, or license the technology to others. The IBM group
which developed the new radio modem also developed the PCradio, a
laptop computer geared toward wireless networking. Reiter
believes a McCaw/IBM network might price its service as low as
$50 per month for unlimited use, against the $75-150 per month
average bills on ARDIS and RAM Mobile Data, the existing radio
data nets.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920309/Press Contact: Alan Reiter, Mobile
Data Report, 202-223-2933)


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

TIA To Study CDMA 03/09/92
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) --- The
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) will establish a
committee to work on a standard for wireless, spread-spectrum
digital technology.

Qualcomm, partly-owned by Pacific Telesis, welcomed the move,
believing its Code Division Multiple Access is the best bet to be
accepted as the "wideband" standard. The TIA is accredited by the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop and adopt
cellular standards.

A number of companies, including SCS Mobilecom, have been working
to find a way for telephone services to share microwave
frequencies with utilities and telephone companies which use
those frequencies to transmit data. A "spread spectrum" solution
would seek to send the data, at low power, over a number of
frequencies at once, in expectation that one channel would be
clear. CDMA can put a number of calls on a single wide-band of
spectrum, as opposed to Time Division Multiple Access, a standard
accepted by the cellular telephone industry, which splits each
channel into a number of narrow channels before transmission.
Thus, Qualcomm argues, CDMA is a "wideband" standard, TDMA a
"narrow band" standard. SCS Mobilecom's studies of spread-
spectrum cellular service on Orlando microwave frequencies used
the CDMA scheme.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920309/Press Contact: Qualcomm, Allen
Salmasi, 619/597-5060)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00016)

Intelsat Reorganizes as Commercial Entity 03/09/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Intelsat, the
international consortium charged with managing satellites
telephone and television service, was reorganized in a more
commercial form at the recommendation of new Director General
Irving Goldstein, who was previously head of Comsat, the
organization's U.S. affiliate.

Intelsat's executive organ will now be called Intelsat
Management, and will consist of four vice presidents with specific
responsibilities, replacing a centralized management structure
under two deputy director generals. Staff officers -- lawyers,
accountants, planners, and human resources types -- will report
directly to Goldstein, who will add the title of chief executive
officer.

Intelsat is an international cooperative of 121 nations that owns
and operates a 17-satellite global system used worldwide by 180
member and non-member countries, territories and dependencies for
their international and, in many instances, domestic
communications.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920309/Press Contact: Intelsat, Tony
Trujillo, 202-944-7500)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00017)

 ****BBS Attorney Attacks US West Right To Set Rates 03/09/92
PORTLAND, OREGON, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- In an Oregon rate
case where US West is requesting the right to redefine all
bulletin systems as businesses, the attorney for sysop Stuart
Wagner has counter-attacked.

In a filing before the Oregon Public Utility Commission, Kevin
M. Myles not only denies that hobbyist BBSs are businesses, but
questions the process by which rating classes are defined.

Newsbytes obtained a copy of Myles' brief from the bulletin board
of Walter Scott in Washington state.

Right now, US West decides whether a line is residential or
business, and it's up to the subscriber to appeal, using their
own attorney. Myles calls this unfair. "In essence, the
Commission has delegated its powers to the industry it should be
regulating, it has imposed on the customer the duty to protect
himself and it has loaded the burden of proof onto the back of
the customer," he writes. "The system is unconstitutional."

On the merits of the case, Myles argues that US West tried to get
business rates for Wagner after he asked for a special TDD --
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf -- at his home. A
representative tried to impose business rates on that line, Myles
says, calling it a data line. "Wagner said he only wanted the TDD
for socializing," Myles writes. "He never actually had the TDD
installed and never used the line for any reason." By trying to
gut his hobby for seeking subsidized service he's entitled to,
Myles argues, US West is guilt of harassment. In fact, he
continues, Wagner's BBS has many of the attributes of a TDD --
giving him an outlet to the world where his deafness is not a
handicap. "He was, in fact, engaging in social conversation."

Myles does not argue in his brief that US West can't go after
laid-off workers seeking to consult from home and reclassify
their phone lines as business lines. In fact, he affirms that
right. "The term "business service" means exchange service
furnished to customers whose actual use of the service is for
conducting a business, trade or profession," he writes, arguing
that since Wagner did not charge for use of his board, it was
analogous to a private party, not a bar. While Wagner might have
gotten up to 168 calls in a single evening on his board, "the current
regulations do not use volume as a criteria for determining
the rate." Besides, " Every hobby in the State of Oregon is
subsidized," he adds. "Every hobbyist who employs the telephone
to advance his activities is subsidized."

Myles concludes that US West "wrongfully frustrated Wagner's
attempt to use TDD." It also wrongfully classified Wagner's BBS
activities, he says. As for the TDD, Wagner, who is hearing
impaired, has a statutory right to use it in his residence.
As for the BBS, Wagner operates it as a hobby, not as a commercial
information service.

"The Commission should direct the defendant to charge the
complainant only the residential rates on all the lines, with
such rate being effective from the date of commencement of
service through the date of termination of those services. The
Commission should also bring its formal complaint system into
compliance with constitutional and statutory law."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920309/Press Contact: Walter Scott, BBS: 206-
364-2139)


(NEWS)(IBM)(NYC)(00018)

Lotus Says Users Favor Freelance Over Harvard 03/09/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Lotus
has announced that a test conducted by an independent firm of
Windows presentation graphics systems showed that users
preferred Lotus' product, Freelance, over its prime
competitor, Harvard Graphics,

Although Lotus sponsored the test, conducted by Texas-based
Usability Sciences Corp., it stated that "The subjects were unaware
that Lotus sponsored the test."

The Lotus announcement stated, "In a competitive usability study of
Windows presentation graphics software, users overwhelmingly
preferred Lotus Freelance Graphics for Windows over chief
competitor Harvard Graphics for Windows, primarily because of
Freelance Graphic's ease-of-use."

It further said that the test showed that "users rated Freelance
Graphics higher than Harvard Graphics on all 27 presentation
graphics criteria evaluated. Freelance Graphics was the clear winner
in ease-of-use, a category that users rated as one of the most
important."

According to the report of the testing procedure, participating users
were asked to create a typical business presentation of seven slides,
print it, and produce a screen show. Half the test group used
Freelance Graphics first, and half used Harvard Graphics first. The
analysis compared specific tasks such as starting a presentation,
choosing a template, using clip art, and printing. The report stated
that "Freelance Graphics required an average of one hour and 50
minutes per presentation, or 36 percent less time, than the two hours
and 30 minutes for Harvard Graphics."

A full report of the study and videotape of test highlights are
available to press and analysts by contacting Robert Jones or Dawn
Buzzelli, Alexander Communications, at 404/876-4882 or MCI Mail
ID: 323-0259.

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/Press Contact: Robert
Snowdon Jones, Alexander Communications, 404-876-4482 (voice),
404/876-4516 (fax) /19920309)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00019)

HP Palmtop Offered With More Memory 03/09/92
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Hewlett-Packard
(HP) is offering a 1 megabyte (MB) random access memory (RAM)
version of its palmtop personal computer, the HP 95LX.

More memory means more flexibility and more ability to operate
more advanced software packages adapted to run on the HP 95LX,
which weighs in at only 11 ounces, HP said.

The 1 MB nearly doubles 512 kilobytes (K) of RAM available on the
original HP 95LX, HP said. The company is also offering a 1 MB
card for the palmtop, expanding its line of memory cards to three
-- 128 K, 512 K, and 1 MB memory cards.

HP maintains independent software and hardware vendors have been
busily readying their products for use with the HP palmtop. The
company points to Contact Software in particular, makers of ACT!,
which is a contact database, calendar, report generator, and
expense tracker. ACT! is available on other platforms including
IBM and compatible personal computers (PCs), Apple Macintosh
computers including the Powerbook laptop, and now the HP 95LX.

HP says software for financial management, language translation,
real estate, pharmaceutical data management, aviation planning,
contact management, math, and programming languages are all
available for its palmtop computer. The company also offers how-
to books and a bimonthly newsletter called "The Palmtop Paper"
to palmtop users.

Seven applications are built into the palmtop, including Lotus 1-
2-3 Release 2.2 running on the MS-DOS 3.22 operating system. One
key allows the user to access the built-in software and users can
task-switch between programs, HP added. Organizer tools and
advanced financial-calculator functions are also built-in.

Wireless communications via a Motorola Newsstream receiver and
the recently announced Ericsson GE Mobidem are also available, HP
maintains. Users can access information on the go with both one-
and two-way wireless, infrared, phone-line, and traditional
serial-wired communication.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920306/Press Contact: Lucy Honig, Hewlett-
Packard, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00020)

Carmen Sandiego Movie Planned 03/09/92
NOVATO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Broderbund says it
has signed an agreement with Batfilm Productions giving the firm
the one year option right to develop and produce a movie based on
Broderbund Software's Carmen Sandiego, a character from computer
software games produced by the company.

Broderbund has experienced phenomenal success with its "Carmen
Sandiego" series of geographical games for personal computers.
The object of the game is the player as a detective has to track
down Carmen Sandiego, the leader of a gang of high-class
international crooks, by following geographical and historical
clues.

The first game in the series, "Where in the world is Carmen
Sandiego?" was a hit and sparked a series of titles. Broderbund
says it has sold over 2.5 million units from the series to homes
and schools nationwide. The jump to a movie is not such a big one
considering the Carmen Sandiego hunt has made it onto public
television in the form of an educational game show for kids who
compete for trips trying to catch the international crime bandit.

Batfilm Productions, based in New York, has experience with
fictional crime characters. The company is headed by producers
Benjamin Melniker and Michael Uslan both of whom executive
produced the hit film "Batman" (1989) and "Batman Returns"
scheduled for release this summer.

Melniker says Carmen Sandiego has all the elements for successful
movie: "... A mysterious female villain, a colorful gang of evil
henchmen, and a story in the tradition of 'To Catch A Thief,'
'Charade,' and 'North By Northwest'..."

Doug Carlston, chairman and chief executive officer of Broderbund
Software, added: "Batfilm Productions has an outstanding track
record in the industry and we look forward to working with them
in order to bring Carmen Sandiego and her notorious gang to the
big screen."

(Linda Rohrbough/19920306/Press Contact: Jessica Switzer,
Broderbund, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Michael
Uslan, Batfilm Productions, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00021)

NSA Approves CD-ROM Encryption 03/09/92
FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- The super-secret
National Security Agency has approved a way to encrypt classified
data on CD-ROM discs. This is important because until now
agencies dealing with top secret or other classified data
couldn't easily publish and distribute files using the
inexpensive CD-ROM publishing system.

Using Rockville, Maryland-based Tracor Ultron Corporation's
Ultron SSP3110, the military and intelligence agencies can now
encrypt master data files and send them to an unsecure
replication facility for inexpensive duplication.

The new device costs about $20,000, according to Government
Computer News, but is only required by the agency department
actually preparing the data for publication. A less expensive
decryption board which would be installed in end-users'
microcomputers would be considerably less expensive.

Not only will inexpensive CD-ROM duplication save money and space
when it comes to storing and distributing classified data within
an agency, the adoption of a standard encryption system for the
CD-ROM storage media will make it very much easier for different
agencies and branches of the military to share data during a
crisis such as the recent Gulf War.

A comprehensive CD-ROM security draft standard, designated CD-
RDx, is being developed by the DCI's (Director of Central
Intelligence) Information Handling Committee.

(John McCormick/19920306)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00022)

FBI Investigates 1987 Micro Buy 03/09/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- The Federal Bureau of
Investigation has, according to a report in Government Computer
News, acknowledged that there is an investigation underway
concerning a 1987 FBI contract awarded to International
Technology Corporation.

Although the FBI wouldn't confirm anything further, the
investigation seems to center on the failure rates of Tempest, or
high security computers based on the Intel 80286 and 386
microprocessors. Tempest systems are specially shielded so it is
impossible to pick up electromagnetic emissions which can in some
cases easily be detected by relatively inexpensive receivers,
compromising any confidential or even classified data being
processed on the computer.

The situation is very confused, because the FBI's initial request
for proposals on the contract reportedly didn't contain any
specification for reliability. The FBI is now treating that
document as evidence and is not disclosing the contents of the
original RFP.

Also, there was apparently an agreement whereby the FBI ordered
and received non-Tempest systems because it needed them in a
hurry and ITC later retrofitted them to Tempest specifications.

(John McCormick/19920306/)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00023)

Cato Settles Software Copyright Dispute 03/09/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- North Carolina-based
Cato Corporation has settled its software copyright dispute with
Lotus, Microsoft, Symantec, and WordPerfect, according to a
report released by the Software Publishers Association. As
part of the agreement, Cato has agreed to pay $50,000 and to take
steps to eliminate future unauthorized copying of software.

A copyright infringement lawsuit was filed against the company
near the end of September 1991 and the SPA says that the company
cooperated fully with the investigation.

The company also agreed to the entry of a permanent injunction
that will prohibit further copying and require it to obtain software
only from authorized suppliers.

Since 1988, the Software Publishers Association has filed over 100
lawsuits on behalf of its members and obtained numerous search and
seizure orders against businesses, computer dealers, bulletin board
services and educational institutions that have violated its
members' copyrights. All the cases to date have been settled out of
court, SPA spokeswoman Terri Childs told Newsbytes.

Childs said cash settlements paid in these cases go into the SPA
Copyright Protection Fund, which was set up in 1988. This fund is
used to pay for programs to educate the public about software
copyright, as well as to finance further litigation.

The fund's education activities include production of free
self-audit materials designed to help major computer users manage
their software practices. Companies can obtain a copy of the SPA
Self-Audit Kit and SPAudit, a software inventory management
program, by writing to SPAudit, Software Publishers Association,
1730 M Street N.W., Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036.

Other materials available from the SPA include a 12-minute video
entitled "It's Just Not Worth The Risk" that preaches the dangers
of software copying and offers tips on how organizations can make
sure their software use is within the law.

The SPA's anti-piracy hotline, at 800-388-7478, accepts calls
reporting software violations.

(Grant Buckler & John McCormick/19920303/Press Contact: Terri Childs
or Ilene Rosenthal, Software Publishers Association, 202-452-1600)


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

IBM Reorganizes U.S. Marketing Group 03/09/92
ARMONK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- IBM has divided its
U.S. marketing group into three divisions. The move is "in keeping
with IBM's overall goal to be more focused in what we do," a
company spokeswoman told Newsbytes.

The marketing group has been divided into a general business
distribution unit, a consulting, software, and services unit, and
a marketing unit.

The general business distribution unit will focus on small business
customers and on working with IBM Business Partners, spokeswoman
Tracy O'Neill said. Possibilities include giving the business
partners exclusive rights to sell IBM products to small businesses
in their territories.

Wirt Cook, formerly assistant general manager of new business
marketing, becomes general manager of the general business
distribution division.

Martin Clague, formerly assistant general manager of marketing for
enterprise systems, becomes general manager of the consulting,
software, and services division.

David Thomas, who was assistant general manager of finance for
enterprise systems, becomes general manager of the marketing
division. Thomas, who is also a vice-president of IBM, has also
worked with the company's distribution channels.

O'Neill also said the newly reorganized group will explore new ways
of distributing IBM products, particularly mass-market channels.

In November, a shuffling of senior executives at IBM made Robert J.
LaBant vice-president and general manager of the United States
marketing group. The former vice-president and general manager of
application business systems replaced George Conrades, who became
senior vice-president of corporate marketing and services, and left
the company in February.

(Grant Buckler/19920306/Press Contact: Tracy O'Neill, IBM,
914-642-5412)


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

Computer Research Closes CAD Reseller Business 03/09/92
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Citing stiff
competition in the computer-aided design market, Computer Research
is closing the value-added reseller (VAR) business of its wholly
owned subsidiary, Computer Applications Division. The company has
sold computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software and
hardware since 1983.

Computer Research President James J. Schultz said in a press
release that the move resulted from a combination of economic
factors.

"The continuing recession has drastically reduced the market for
CAD products," Schultz said. "Even more importantly, the continuing
reduction in the cost of PC computer equipment resulted in lower
revenues and income even if we could have maintained the same
volume of unit sales."

Schultz added that his firm was losing business to high-volume
computer superstores as customers became more knowledgeable and had
less need of after-sales support. "Due to the large volume
commitments these stores can make to suppliers, they can often sell
equipment to end users cheaper than we could buy it from the
suppliers," Schultz said.

For the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 1991, company officials said,
the VAR business produced revenues of $5,550,000, or 49 percent of
CRI's total revenues of $11,416,019.

CRI lost $250,069 in its first fiscal quarter, which ended Nov. 30,
1991. Revenues for the quarter fell to $2,240,256 from $2,930,034
the previous year. The firm said about $500,000 of the $690,000
drop was attributable to the VAR CAD business. Extraordinary costs
for the closing of the CAD business, including severance pay and
write-offs on unsold equipment, will affect results for the third
quarter, which ends May 31.

About 20 employees in CRI's Pittsburgh and Denver offices will lose
their jobs. The company is in the process of notifying its more
than 20 suppliers of CAD systems and equipment and its customers.
Computer Research said it will try to sell off its inventory of CAD
software and hardware. The Computer Applications Division
subsidiary will continue to sell maintenance services and hardware
and software to customers of CRI's brokerage business.

The other segment of the company's business is providing
computerized brokerage accounting services for securities
broker/dealers and banks throughout the United States. Computer
Research said elimination of its CAD business will not affect its
brokerage data-processing centers in Pittsburgh and Denver, where
the company has a total of approximately 50 employees.

(Grant Buckler/19920306/Press Contact: James L. Schultz, Computer
Research, 412-262-4430; Jack Maddigan, Maddigan Communications for
Computer Research, 412-391-9360)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00026)

New For Networks: Freelance Graphics For Windows 03/09/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 6 (NB) -- Lotus
Development Corporation has begun shipments of the network version
of Freelance Graphics for Windows.

Freelance Graphics for Windows is a business presentations package
that runs on Microsoft Windows-based machines and provides for
business presentation needs. Some features of the program include
SmartMasters which are fill-in-the-blanks presentation templates,
SmartIcons for quick access to menu commands, presentation management
outlining, charting, drawing, and editing capabilities.

The network version is sold in two parts. The Network Server is the
part that resides on the network's file server and contains all of
the management features needed. This includes a counter that would
limit the number of concurrent users. The Network Node Edition is
the part that is licensed to allow for one more concurrent user at
a time.

Freelance Graphics for Windows has been tested and operates well
under the following network operating systems: AT&T Stargroup LAN
manager, Banyan Vines, DEC Pathworks, IBM LAN Server, Microsoft
LAN Manager, Novell Netware, and 3Com 3+Share. It will also operate
under, and support, Hewlett-Packard's NewWave desktop manager for
Windows.

The Network Server Edition sells for $795. Each Node Edition sells
for $495. For more information contact Lotus Development at 800-
843-5414

(Naor Wallach/19920306/Press Contact: Robert Jones, Alexander
Communications for Lotus, 404-876-4482)


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

AST Shows Off Multiprocessor Technology At Downsizing Expo 03/09/92
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- AST is showing off
what it calls next generation architecture, a symmetric
multiprocessor, in demonstrations at the Downsizing Expo in
Chicago this week.

The company says the difference between the symmetric
multiprocessor and other multiprocessor systems allows any
central processing unit (CPU) in the system to service any
input/output (I/O) peripheral or software interrupt. Using
multiple processors and dividing tasks between them is not a new
idea, but a fast one. It is used on the world's fastest
computers, like the Touchstone Delta parallel processing
supercomputer housed at Cal Tech in Pasadena.

AST says its system throughput is also enhanced by the
multiprocessor's EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture)
32-bit I/O bus to accommodate EISA peripherals.

AST says the multiprocessor system is engineered as a replacement
for proprietary minicomputers, an open-architecture multi-user
Unix platform, or as a local area network (LAN) server with
redundancy and scalability features. The company says the
multiprocessor will be shown running Santa Cruz Operation (SCO)
UNIX 3.2v4 at the Chicago Expo.

The implication is users of minicomputers could downsize or move
to the AST multiprocessor without losing investments made in
software. Off-the-shelf applications and industry standard Unix
and LAN operating systems such as SCO MPX, Banyan Vines, and
Novell Netware all will run on the AST system, the company
asserts.

In addition, the unit is designed in the bus architecture so the
CPU is separated from EISA, so current and future processors can
be supported including CISC and RISC microprocessors. At first
the system bus will support up to four CPU cards and up to 256
megabytes (MB) of total system memory, AST added. Disk arrays
subsystems based on small computer systems interface (SCSI)
drives are also standard.

Fault tolerance is also available through the addition of 30
gigabytes of redundant storage that can be easily replaced as any
one of the 16 3.5-inch SCSI disk drives can be easily slid out of
specially designed trays, AST maintains.

An AST executive, Vice President of Government Systems Division
Bob Becker was recently honored by Federal Computer Week magazine
in its Federal 100 of 1992 for work done in the federal computer
system industry. The federal government is one of the largest
users of mini and mainframe computer systems. In addition, the
company says it holds the leading market share in desktop, file
server and notebook computers.

AST is headquartered at 16215 Alton Parkway, P.O. Box 19658,
Irvine, California, 92713-9658, telephone [phone].

(Linda Rohrbough/19920309/Press Contact: Gerry Lynne Baker, AST
Research, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00028)

 ****Michelangelo Virus Hits University Early 03/09/92
EAST ST LOUIS, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- The Michelangelo
virus that the entire computer world was waiting for last Friday
apparently struck early at a branch of Southern Illinois University
at Edwardsville, Illinois, according to university officials.

University officials revealed that six computers at the university's
computer center have been attacked during the past two weeks by a
virus that destroys information stored in the computers.

According to Emmet Beetner, assistant to the director at SIUE's East
St Louis Center, problems with the school's computers were apparently
caused by an early attack of the Michelangelo or some other virus.

Beetner said many of the computers at the school lack automatic
clocks, and the date has to be set by the operator when the system
is turned on. He said someone may have accidentally typed in the
date of March 6th, triggering the virus.

Since the Michelangelo virus was first discovered some weeks ago,
computer experts warned that the virus could be widespread and affect
hundreds of thousands of personal computers. The Michelangelo virus
is more destructive than some viruses in the past, which have only
displayed messages such as one advocating the legalization of
marijuana.

Beetner said that all the information stored in six computers at the
school's computer lab for students was lost, and estimated that
repairing the damage cost the university about $600.

A university spokesperson said the school has anti-virus software on
all of its computers, but Beetner said he believed someone used
their own infected disk to boot up a computer, allowing the virus to
circumvent the protection. Beetner said he has restricted use of the
computer lab, and all floppy disks will now have to be scanned for
viruses before being used in the school's computers.

(Jim Mallory/19920309/Press contact: Emmet Beetner, Southern
Illinois University, 618-692-2055)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00029)

Microage Goes To Mexico 03/09/92
TEMPE, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Microage International
has announced a joint venture and licensing agreement with one of
the largest personal computer equipment distributors in Mexico to
form Microage de Mexico.

The deal with Vertex SA de CV will call for Vertex to convert five
of its locations to the Microage name. The outlets, located in
Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterey, Queretaro, and Merida, will
provide sales, service, training and distribution for about 65
independent computer dealers throughout Mexico. The stores will sell
products from Microage headquarters as well as from personal
computer manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard that have subsidiaries
in Mexico.

According to Vertex director of channels, Antonio Majer, the agreement
will form the first network of multivendor value-added microcomputer
dealers in Mexico.

With their entry into Mexico, Microage now operates throughout North
America, already having agreements with organizations in Canada.
Microage also operates in Japan, Scandinavia, France, Hungary, and
the Unified Commonwealth (formerly the USSR).

(Jim Mallory/19920309/Press contact: David Lucas, Microage,
602-968-3168)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00030)

 ****Dell To Sell Through Retailer Price Club 03/09/92
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- In another move to make a
deeper penetration into the small business and home office markets,
Dell Computer Corporation has announced that it has signed a
distribution agreement with Price Club to sell Dell computers through
the warehouse retailer's outlets.

Dell said it will launch a new line of computer systems that will be
available beginning in April through Price Club.

Dell said it has developed the new Precision line specifically for
the small business and home office market. The units will be made in
the US. Dell said the Precision line will offer Price Club members
several choices of system configuration, including pre-loaded
software, service and support.

A Dell spokesperson told Newsbytes that the Precision systems will
be built in the US by a Dell manufacturing partner, but declined to
name the company. Apparently the Precision PCs will be more bare
bones than Dell brand computers. The spokesperson also said that the
Precision systems will not include some of the enhanced features of
Dell PCs, and the on-site service will be within 72 hours, rather than
the shorter response times available for Dell PCs.

Mass merchants such as Price Club have been doing very well selling
personal computers. Such sales outlets are good news for the
consumer, but bad news for already struggling personal computer
retailers. According to a recent Dataquest study, the outlets will
account for 35 percent of business sales and 47 percent of all home
personal computer sales by 1995.

Dell's Jill Shanks told Newsbytes that the actual retail price for
the Precision systems will be established by Price Club. Price Club
outlets operate in the US, Mexico, and Canada.

(Jim Mallory/19920309/Press contact: Jill Shanks, Dell Computer,
512-343-3782)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00031)

Micrografx To Buy All Roykore Stock 03/09/92
RICHARDSON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 MAR 9 (NB) -- Micrografx has
announced that it has entered into a letter of intent with Roykore
Inc., to purchase all of the outstanding Roykore stock in exchange for
430,000 shares of Micrografx common stock.

Roykore, founded in 1980, currently markets two Windows products:
ABC Flowcharter and Instant ORGcharting. Both products are
available in several languages.

The merger, which is subject to the negotiation and execution of a
definitive agreement, is expected to be completed by the end of
April.

Paul Grayson, Micrografx chairman, said the acquisition of Roykore
will give Micrografx two strong products, both closely related to
its other Windows products. Grayson said Micrografx plans to retain
"the very talented design team in San Francisco and keep them moving
ahead on new products and releases." Micrografx said Roykore founder
Roy Kuklinsky will continue to manage the San Francisco operations
after the merger.

ABC Flowcharter is a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) drawing
package specifically designed to create, edit, and print flow charts.
Instant ORGcharting creates, edits and prints organizational charts.
Flowcharter has a suggested retail price of $295, while ORGcharting
sells for $195.

(Jim Mallory/19920309/Press contact: David Henkel, Micrografx,
214-497-6284)