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

Moscow: Telecom Expo Slated For May 25-30 05/01/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Hannover Messe International
announced it will run a second telecommunications exhibition called
Expocomm at the Russian Exhibition Complex (formerly VDNKh) from
May 25 through 30, 1992.

According to Carolla Schwennsen, Expocom manager, Siemens, AT&T,
IBM, and Alcates have reserved exhibition space along with
50 other communications companies from Russia and other countries.
Newsbytes were unable to determine if Motorola, which had the
biggest booth at last year's Expocomm, will also be exhibiting
this time.

(Kirill Tchashchin/199204/Press Contact: Hannover Messe, Carolla
Schwennsen, phone [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(MOW)(00002)

IBM Establishing Info Net In Baltic 05/01/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- IBM announced plans to expand its
information network into Estonia and other Baltic countries
from existing facilities in Finland.

Jorma Piispa, product manager, told Newsbytes the IBM network center
will be established in Tallinn, Estonia in mid-summer, 1992.
The center will be connected via a leased line to Helsinki and offer
local residents X.400 e-mail, EDIFACT document exchange services and
access to 100+ information providers. Up to ten corporate clients could
be connected to the network to the year end, Piispa said.

The service will cost 4500 Finnish markka (US$1000) in advance
yearly with various additional usage-related fees.

IBM has 6 business partners in Estonia now -- Assert, Baltic
ComputerSystems, Data Division, Aktaco, Tartu Infokeskus, Eesti Riigi
Arvutuskeskus -- and is expanding its business presence in the
country.

(Kirill Tchashchin/199204/Press Contact: IBM Info Systems, Jorma Piispa,
phone [phone] )


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00003)

Indo-US Dot Matrix Print-Heads from India's Southern Tip 05/01/92
MADRAS, INDIA, 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- The Dot Shop Inc., of Oregon, US and
Transmatic Systems Ltd., a Trivandrum (Kerala)-based company, are jointly
setting up a unit for making dot matrix print heads. The unit, to be
designated Transdot Electronics Ltd., will be located at the Kerala
government's technology park at Kariavattom, near the state capital
of Trivandrum in the southwestern tip of nature's bounty Kerala
state.

The proposed venture will also re-manufacture print-heads for printers
made by other Indian companies. Dot Shop, which is to hold a 51
percent stake in the new company, will provide the required technology.

Transdot is expected to commence operations within six months and
will produce 25,000 print-heads in the first year. The maximum yearly
capacity of 1,000,000 heads is projected to be attained in the third
year. In the beginning, 25 percent of the total production will
be earmarked for exports, but this share will be increased in time.

Transmatic Systems was the first to launch the fully computerized
PC-based telex link CTC 4000, which is today the largest selling
telex link in the country. It also manufactures computer accessories
and telecom gear.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19910429)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEL)(00004)

Indian Space Agency Develops Mapping Software 05/01/92
HYDERABAD, INDIA, 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- The Hyderabad-based,
export-oriented Era Software Systems Pvt. Ltd., and Indian
Space Research Organization (ISRO) have jointly developed Isrogis,
geographical information system (GIS) software. It can be used
to create and interactively edit spatial databases, background
maps, and can be used as an error reporting and automatic
correction facility and also does map analysis functions,
among other things.

The software has direct interface to indigenous remote sensing
digital data analysis systems like Isrovision and is backed
with a one-year warranty which includes free updates during
this period. The package can be enhanced to support a large
spectrum of peripherals to suit the users' requirements.

Priced at about $7,000, the package has been developed under
ISRO's technology transfer scheme and includes equipment for
integrated manipulation of map data, classified remote sensing,
and tabular data. A runtime version of Integra SQL and a five-day
on-site training on the usage of the package is also given to
customers.

Era intends introducing version 2.0 of the package in the second
quarter of this year. The new version will have added features of
network analysis and 3D modelling and display modules along with a
command language interface facility.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19920429)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00005)

 ****Norton Antivirus Users Encouraged To Call Before Cleanup 05/01/92
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Ana Shannon of
customer support for Symantec, publishers of the Norton Antivirus
product, says users should call support before calling in a
computer consultant or doing clean up work on a virus reported by the
software. Virus products can sometimes generate a false virus report,
including Norton Antivirus, which mistakenly reports the Cinderella
virus and has cost some business owners money for unnecessary virus
cleanup, Newsbytes has discovered.

The Norton Antivirus (NAV) products in both the 1.5 and 2.0 versions
shipped before March of this year have a bug in the virus definition
file (.DEF) that, especially in a network situation, reports the
presence of the Cinderella virus in memory, Symantec customer support
told Newsbytes. The virus definition file was not specific enough
about the Cinderella virus, according to Symantec support
representatives, but it only reports the virus in memory. However
booting from a clean floppy, then running the Norton Antivirus will
produce the result of no virus reported either in memory or on the
hard disk, support representatives added.

Some computer users have told Newsbytes this bug has cost them time
and money. An accountant in Las Vegas, Nevada told Newsbytes she
purchased the software because of suspicious loss of data on her
computer. When the Norton Antivirus 2.0 product told her the
Cinderella virus was present, she hired a computer consultant to do
the elimination work. Another Los Angeles-based plumbing firm had a
similar experience.

Symantec says it has fixed the problem in the virus definition file on
copies of Norton Antivirus that shipped after March. Virus definition
files for versions 1.5 and 2.0 with the fix for the Cinderella virus
are available from the Symantec support BBS at the number listed in
the user's manual, on CompuServe, and from Symantec's fax back
service, Shannon said. With the ever present changes in computer
hardware as well as the proliferation of new viruses, Shannon said
constant updates to Symantec's Antivirus products are necessary to
keep up. In fact, the product is designed so new virus definition
files could be added.

Symantec offers utilities for both the DOS and Macintosh platforms.
Symantec also owns Santa Monica-based Peter Norton Computing, formerly
owned by computer industry guru Peter Norton, who develops the Norton
Utilities and the Norton Antivirus.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920501/Press Contact: Ana Shannon, Symantec, tel
310-449-4140, fax [phone])


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

Pricing Cut For Array's FFT Processing Design Kit 05/01/92
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A.,1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Array
Microsystems says it is now offering a design kit for prototyping
applications which use its high speed FFT (fast Fourier transform)
based processing. Cost of the kit is substantially lower than
pricing of the individual parts in the kit, the company told
Newsbytes.

Purchased separately, the components cost $5,500, while the kit is
priced at $1,495.

In addition to the a664xx memory module family, the kit contains a
high performance DASP/PAC chipset. As an example, Array said that
using a single 40 megahertz (MHz) chipset, a 1024 point FFT requires
only 12 instructions and can execute in only 131 microseconds. The
kit also includes documentation, a software simulator, user's guide
and data sheets.

Array's a66DK1 design kit provides six memory modules which support
the buffered a66 family architecture, supporting high speed
computation with simultaneous real-time input/output.

Also included in the a66DK1 kit is one digital array signal
processor, one programmable array controller, and six 16K SRAM
memory modules operating at 25 MHz. The digital array signal
processor is a complex arithmetic processing chip which operates on
data stored on the memory modules. It executes 16 high-level
instructions, windowing, complex multiplies, and general purpose
arithmetic functions. The programmable array controller manages the
entire system.

FFT technology is used is realtime applications such as radar,
digital radio, solar, medical instrumentation and image
compression, processing and reconstruction.

(Jim Mallory/19920430/Press contact: Kim Bayne, Array Microsystems,
719-540-7944; Public contact: 719-540-7900, FAX [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00007)

 ****Computers Track Delinquent Child Support Debtors 05/01/92
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- A Texas company operates a
computerized network covering nine states that helps locate absent
parents who are delinquent with their child support.

ACS National Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Affiliated Computer
Services, says the system, called Electronic Parent Locator Network
EPLN), speeds the location of delinquent child support payees and
increases collection. According to the company, the system also
saves money for taxpayers in the states where it operates, reducing
welfare payments. ACS spokesperson Leslie Bumpas told Newsbytes
that a cost benefit analysis for fiscal year 1990 found the net
savings to participating states to be from $67,000 to $331,000 for
the year.

EPLN currently operates in Ohio, Kentucky, South Carolina, North
Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

"Participating states have the ability to effectively locate
delinquent, absent parents and collect child support on behalf of
the children of America," said EPLN director, Latta Thomas.

The system makes information from various state agencies available
to caseworkers looking for truant parents. Drivers license, food
stamp, employment, unemployment, and corrections information is fed
to EPLN in order to verify the home address and/or employer of the
parent. The company says that one feature, Soundex, which creates a
numeric representation of how a name sounds, is especially useful in
finding names that are difficult to spell or pronounce.

Running on a mainframe computer, EPLN can accept batch processing of
locator queries. A member state submits a computer tape with social
security numbers and ACS says the results can be returned within one
week.

(Jim Mallory/19920501/Press contact: Leslie Bumpas, ACS,
214-841-6285)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00008)

Gateway 2000 Builds 500,000th Computer 05/01/92
NORTH SIOUX CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) --
IBM compatible maker Gateway 2000 built its 500,000th PC this week,
and the buyer got a free notebook system as a gift.

According to Gateway 2000 marketing manager Mike Schmith, a woman in
Big Stone City, South Dakota purchased the milestone system. The
buyer said she was a teacher, and would use the PC at home for
personal use, according to Gateway spokesperson Glynnis Gibson. The
25 megahertz desktop 386SX PC and the free notebook will be
delivered next Tuesday R.J. Reimer, the salesperson who sold the
system.

"When Mike Hammond and I started Gateway 2000 in 1985, we had no
idea we would ever sell half a million PCs," said Gateway President
Ted Waitt. At the current production rate, Gateway will produce
number 1 million sometime in 1993, according to Waitt. The company
said it assembles about 1,500 units each day.

Gateway 2000, employing more than 1,400 people, was named the
fastest growing private firm in the country by Inc Magazine. The
company sells through the direct market channel, and reported 1991
sales in excess of $626 million, more than double its 1990 $275
million figure.

(Jim Mallory/19920501/Press contact: Mike Schmith, Gateway 2000,
605-232-2189; Public contact: 605-232-2000 or 80-523-2000)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00009)

New For PC: Don't Curse Your Cursor - Get A New One 05/01/92
INCLINE VILLAGE, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- If you have
trouble finding your Windows cursor, North Shore Systems has a
solution for you.

The Nevada company is marketing CursorPower, a utility program that
offers 40 ready-made cursor designs, and also allows you to design
your own and add them to North Shore's library.

Library selections include arrows in various sizes; religious
symbols including crosses and Jewish stars; hearts; a telephone;
pointing fingers; I-beams;clocks; and several cartoon characters.
The library symbols can be modified to your liking, or you can
create your own, with the drawing section that's included with
CursorPower.

North Shore's Richard Stouffer said the favorite with the North
Shore staff a Snoopy-like dog, whose eyes and nose change color as
you drag him across the screen.

Stouffer told Newsbytes that the company offers a money-back
guarantee within 30 days. Right now, North Shore is offering
CursorPower for the introductory price of $49.95; the regular price
is $89.95

While CursorPower is only available directly from the company,
Stouffer said North Shore is presently negotiating for distribution
of the program through retail outlets.

Cursor modification programs are especially popular with laptop
users. To use CursorPower you'll need Windows 3.0 or higher, a
mouse, and an EGA, VGA or better display.

(Jim Mallory/19920501/Press contact: Richard Stouffer, North Shore
Systems, 702-831-1108)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00010)

Electronic Monitoring Of Offenders Claimed To Work 05/01/92
BOULDER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Significantly less
than one percent of criminals attempt to break free of their
electronic monitoring devices. That's what Boulder-based
BI Inc, a company which manufacturers electronic monitoring devices
worn by offenders serving home detention, reports.

BI says a study by the US Department of Justice shows that only one
percent of individuals committed a crime while participating in an
electronically monitored home detention program. That's compared to
32 percent of the individuals on probation in 1986 that committed
another crime, according to a 1992 study just released.

The electronic devices are becoming popular with the courts as an
alternative to putting offenders in jail, especially with the
overcrowding many jails are experiencing today. Some offenders are
also allowed to continue to work while on home detention, lessening
the burden to the welfare system.

BI's monitoring device is fairly typical: a transmitter is attached
to the offender's ankle, and sends coded radio frequency signals to
a device attached to the phone, indicating the offender's presence
or absence, and indicating that the system has not been tampered
with. BI said that the technology they use is so sophisticated that
they can tell if the offender is trying to cut the device or merely
slip it off.

Various methods of monitoring are also possible. BI's system
allows authorities to select violation notification within
minutes, hours, that day or the next day. They can also decide to
be notified of a violation by pager, phone call or fax printout.

The transmitter works through the offender's telephone line, and can
detect line tampering.

The computer that monitors the devices can be operated by a single
jurisdiction, a shared jurisdiction such as the city and the county,
or through one of BI's two monitoring stations. BI operates
monitoring stations at its headquarters in Boulder, Colorado and in
Anderson, Indiana.

Cost of the monitoring is usually born by the offender, who pays a
daily fee for their electronic supervision, which BI's Joanna Manley
told Newsbytes is between $7-$10 per day. Employment is often a
prerequisite in order to participate in the program. "Offenders in
the work force are offenders paying taxes," said BI's president and
CEO, David Hunter.

BI sells its system as a turnkey operation, including the ankle
bracelets, proprietary software, and an NCR tower computer.
Manley declined to talk about system costs, citing the many
variables that go into pricing a system for a client.

BI, which claims about 70 percent of the market, said it has over
25,000 monitors in use in 580 jurisdictions all over the world.

(Jim Mallory/1920501/Press contact: Joanna Manley, BI, Inc,
303-530-2911)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00011)

 ****Speakers Set For Major BBS Convention Aug 13-16 05/01/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- The numbers are
staggering - one BBS has received more than one million calls.
There is money to be made operating a bulletin board system and,
according to Boardwatch Magazine's founder, Jack Rickard,
attending the ONE BBSCON in Denver is one of the best ways to get
started.

Keynoting the convention will be noted computer industry
commentator John C. Dvorak, author of "Dvorak's Guide to PC
Telecommunications." But the main feature of the August 13-16
convention will be the 80-plus educational sessions intended for
everyone from beginning sysops to advanced operators.

Jack estimates that there are nearly 10,000 new modem buyers each
day and that by this August there will be nearly 60,000 public
access BBSs operating, not counting more than 100,000 private
company BBS systems. Boardwatch Magazine sponsors the BBS
industry trade show.

This year there will be a major concentration on teaching hobby
BBS operators how to deal with credit card merchant account
issuers, advertise by direct mail, and otherwise turn their hobby
into a profitable business.

Other conference tracks will include "What is INTERNET," How to
send "Graphics over a Modem," FidoNet, and "RelayNet, INet, et
al."  There will also product demonstrations from all major BBS
software vendors.

Conference registration prior to August 1 will be $175, or $225
at the door, and ONE BBSCON will be held at Denver's Stouffer
Concourse hotel.

(John McCormick/19920501/Press Contact: Jack Rickard, Boardwatch,
303-973-6038, fax [phone], or [e-mail])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00012)

Study Says Fed Purchasing Is Mistake-Ridden 05/01/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Does the procurement
foul-up news out of Washington all start sounding the same after a
while? Well, the General Accounting Office has an answer for why
it seems that way. According to a recent study, managers never
seem to learn and keep making the same system purchase mistakes
over and over.

The GAO Study information was released by Representative John
Conyers Jr., the Michigan Democrat who is sponsoring H.R. 3161 to
reform the General Services Administration's buying practices.
Conyers specifically objects to massive cost overruns sometimes
associated with so-called IDIQ or indefinite-delivery,
indefinite-quantity contracts which, once approved, leave the
total size of the purchase to the contracting officer who just
orders what he or she thinks is needed.

Needless to say, the needs always seem to be greater than
anticipated; witness the way the Internal Revenue Service's tax
return examination review system rose $800 million in cost in
just three years.

H.R. 3161 would require that any IDIQ which goes more than 5
percent over the original contract amount has to be published in
the official Commerce Business Daily. That doesn't sound like a
very big variation to get excited about, but remember that
federal contracts may run into the billions of dollars and 5
percent of even a relatively small $1 billion contract is $50
million.

The GAO's report cites the following as the top federal computer
purchasing pitfalls:

Poor management (some agency heads don't even know what their
departments are spending or what it is spent on).

Insufficient information resources oversight.

Poor security or reliability in final system.

Lack of interoperability.

Major cost overruns.

Delays.

Performance not fitted to user needs.

A dreary and all-too-familiar list of shortcomings and one which,
according to the GAO, resulted in $7 billion in cost overruns in
recent years, not to mention systems or data which sit useless
because they were poorly designed without taking the users' needs
into account.

(John McCormick/19920501)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00013)

ROUNDUP: Stories Carried By Other Media This Week 05/01/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Roundup is a brief
look at some computer stories carried in other publications
received here this past week.

Network World dated April 27 says that IBM will replace
OfficeVision/2 with Lotus Notes and cc:Mail.

April's High-Tech Marketing News says that market researcher
Dataquest's major staff cuts are worrying some customers who rely
on the agency's forecasts.

May's Boardwatch (the magazine of BBS sysops) lists 643 English
bulletin board numbers but puts H. Ross Perot on the cover.

InformationWeek for the week of the 27th looks at the real
chances for open systems.

IEEE Spectrum for May explores the portable computer industry's
move from five-volt systems to a 3.3-volt standard.

May's PC World looks at bargain dual-speed 80486DX2-50 based
computers.

June's Macworld tests 28 accelerators that can soup up older
Macintosh systems.

Lotus magazine for May explores top graphics software for Lotus
1-2-3 users.

Computerworld for the 27th of April says that the Bank of America
is going to sell its payroll processing unit.

May's Data Based Advisor has a load of tips on how professionals
optimize Novell NetWare performance.

Computer Reseller News dated April 27 says that the ACE or
Advanced Computing Environment consortium which once involved
Compaq, Microsoft, The Santa Cruz Operation, MIPS Computer
Systems, and Digital Equipment is not only losing Compaq but may
suffer from a Microsoft decision to port Windows NT to Digital's
Alpha computer.

(John McCormick/19920501)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00014)

The Enabled Computer 05/01/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- The Enabled Computer
is a regular Newsbytes feature covering news and important
product information relating to high technology aids for the
disabled.

This issue continues coverage of interesting and practical
entries in the recent Johns Hopkins National Search for Computing
to Assist Persons With Disabilities.

Mother Becomes Inventor by Necessity:

Carol Sanford has trouble communicating with her teenage
daughter. This is certainly a common problem among parents;
however, in this case it isn't the generation gap that is causing
trouble but the fact that daughter Jill is profoundly deaf.

Fortunately, Carol isn't your run-of-the-mill mother and she set
out to solve the problem, along the way creating ToneTalker, a
hand-held portable device that lets anyone use a touch-tone
telephone to send text messages to a person with the ToneTalker.

The 6-inch by 3-inch by 2-inch battery-powered ToneTalker picks
up the sounds from a telephone handset via a simple suction-cup
magnetic pickup of the sort used to record telephone
conversations. ToneTalker converts these signals into a text and
number display on its built-in LCD screen.

There is no hard wire connection to the telephone so the device
can be used on a home- or pay-phone with equal ease, and because
it does not fit over the speaker the telephone handset is still
completely operable and voice communication is not affected.

To send a message using ToneTalker you enter letters, numbers,
and punctuation using a very simple and easy-to-learn code. For
instance, to send any of the letters on the "2" through "9" keys
you first press that number, then either the "1," "2," or "3" to
indicate whether you intended the first, middle, or last letter
on the key. For example, to send "K" you would press "5" then
"2".

To speed communication among friends, you can set up to 45
programmable macros for common messages such as Jill's "14" which
generates: "Hello, Jill, this is Mom."

Since a deaf person might well have trouble placing a call,
ToneTalker also indicates the presence of a dial tone or when the
telephone is ringing.

I talked with Jill with the help of Carol's signing translation,
and I can guarantee that she is very happy with the invention
that has given her the ability to hold private telephone
conversations which every teenage girl so desperately needs.

For further information contact Carol Sanford, 114 Ridge Road,
Jupiter, FL 33477. Phone, fax, and TDD 407-746-9185.

By the way, Jill and Carol's ToneTalker business card has the
device's number codes for sending all non-custom signals.

(John McCormick/19920501)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00015)

Lotus Acquires The Organizer From Threadz 05/01/92
STAINES, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Lotus Development
has announced plans to acquire The Organizer, a personal
information management (PIM) package for the Microsoft Windows
environment, from Threadz, a UK software house.

The package, which was first released in the fall of last year,
has achieved considerable success in the UK. The Organizer,
which recently won the "gold award" from PC User, a UK
fortnightly computer publication,  combines the "look and feel"
of a traditional physical organizer such as a Filofax, with the
Windows graphical user interface (GUI),

Plans call for Lotus Organizer, as the package will be called, to
become part of Lotus' recently formed Portable Computing Group
(PCG), which includes Agenda, another PIM product from the
company.

Ross Holman, Threadz' managing director, is pleased with the
deal, although he has declined to say how much cash involved in
his contract with Lotus.

"We've achieved tremendous success with The Organizer in the UK
To launch the product in North America and on a worldwide basis,
we sought partner that shared our strategic and technical vision
for PIMs," he said.

(Steve Gold/19920501/Press & Public Contact: Lotus Development
U.K. - Tel: [phone])


(EDITORIAL)(GENERAL)(NYC)(00016)

 ****Editorial: Don't Reward Rip-off Books! 05/01/92
NEW YORK, NY, U.S.A., 1992 APR 28 (NB) -- By Barbara E. McMullen
& John F. McMullen. As past editors of the CPA Network
News and founding members of New York City's "Luncheon Group," the
forerunner of the Computer Press Association (CPA), we are strong
supporters of  the activities of the CPA and think that it provides
valuable services to both writers and the computer industry.

The following, then, is not intended to be an indictment of the CPA
in general; it is rather an attempt to point out an instance
in which elements of the computer industry have let greed come before
customer concerns and the CPA has sanctioned its action by considering
the product of the greed to be possibly worthy of an award.

Specifically, we think that it is shameful that a book with the
title "Peter Norton's Guide To The Norton Utilities 6.0" is even published,
never mind nominated for a Computer Press Association award -- or that
any book from Microsoft Press that tells people how to properly use a
Microsoft software product is likewise considered to be anything more
than an admission that the documentation  supplied with the product
is grossly inadequate.

"How-to" books are generally successful because the documentation supplied
with programs is baffling to a person attempting to master a program for the
first time. Because of problems with documentation, firms like Que and the
Cobb Group have done extremely well. The presence of such books has been to
the benefit of both the computing public and the software firms as they have
often turned confused individuals into satisfied users of the product.
We think that such titles from independent publishing firms are highly
appropriate and that it is equally appropriate for the Computer Press
Association to honor the best of such titles.

What we think is highly, inappropriate, however, is for the software firms
themselves to produce works that do little, if anything, more than explain
to a user how to properly utilize their own software. Books like these
are a tacit admission that the tutorials and reference material supplied
with the software are inadequate -- and this is certainly not a condition
that the software firms should profit from! It is certainly not a
situation that the CPA should bless with nominations for best "how-to"
book.

We are not talking here about books that add value to a product such
as one that explains how the product is of use in a certainly industry
(such as a book about using Microsoft Word or WordPerfect to write
screenplays or one that provides examples of uses of Lotus 1-2-3 or
Microsoft Excel by civil engineers). We are also not talking about books
such as those in the Addison-Wesley/Apple "Inside Macintosh" series that
provide much more technical information than is required by a normal
system user. We are talking solely about those books that provide
how-to-use information. Books of that nature should be written and
published by anyone but the persons responsible for the development and
marketing of the software.

If the software companies persist in using resources in this manner
rather than improving the documentation and tutorials, the CPA should
be at the forefront in criticizing such efforts. If it is reluctant
to take such a bold action, it should at least remain silent. It should
certainly not honor such rip-offs!

EDITOR'S NOTE: The above opinions of those of the writers of this
editorial and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Newsbytes
News Network. The Computer Press Association has no formal position
on this issue and the judging is done by independent journalists.

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19920429)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00017)

 ****LA Residents Asked To Stay Off Phones 05/01/92
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- The last two days
of rioting and fires in Los Angeles after the acquittal of officers
accused of beating Rodney King have caused telecommunications problems
in the Los Angeles area. As a result Pacific Bell is asking residents
restrict their calling during the crisis to emergency use only.

While looting, violence, shooting, and over 1,000 fires set in the
downtown and Los Angeles area have caused other problems, the
telecommunications problems are due to simple congestion of the
telephone network, according to Linda Bonnikson of public relations
for Pacific Bell. "Just like the freeways are not built to accommodate
every person who has a car at the same time, so the telephone lines
are not built to accommodate use by everyone who has a telephone."
Pacific Bell is requesting customers leave the line free for emergency
calls only.

Schools have been closed in Los Angeles, bus and public transportation
services are at a standstill, and city residents are being asked not
to leave their homes unless it is absolutely necessary.

When asked if the dusk-to-8am curfew in the city and the violence
displayed on the streets were contributing factors, Bonnikson said
those were the main factors motivating people to pick up the phone.
Pacific Bell is reporting the heavy call volume is affecting service
to 200,000 Los Angeles residents and causing delays in getting a dial
tone from several seconds to several minutes.

Interestingly enough, similar problems were caused by the last
earthquake in the area and when tickets for a concert by rock group U2
went on sale. In the case of the U2 tickets, Bonnikson said Pacific
Bell was flooded with approximately 2 million calls in a two-minute
period beginning at 6:59, one minute before the 7:00 am ticket sales
began.

Pacific Bell also said it is restricting repair and work activity in
the Los Angeles area, especially in the riot torn areas of South
Central. Only absolute emergency work is being performed in those
areas and the company says its utmost concern is the safety of its
employees. "...That safety will not be compromised," the company said
in a prepared statement.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920501/Press Contact: Linda Bonnikson, Pacific
Bell, tel [phone])


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

UK: Toshiba Shaves Portable PC Pricing 05/01/92
WEYBRIDGE, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Toshiba has
reduced prices across its range of portables, adding three new
models which boost hard disk options for what the company
describes as power users.

Price reductions of up to 22 percent apply to nine products in
the 18-strong Toshiba range of machines. Examples are the
T2200SX/80 notebook, which falls from UKP 3.050 to UKP 2,375, a
reduction of the full 22 percent, and the T3300S:/80 notebook,
which falls 19 percent from UKP 3,475 to UKP 2,799.

The new portable expansion options are on the T3300SL, T4400SXL
and T4400SXP, all of which now have the option of a 120 megabyte
(MB) hard disk. Prices are, respectively, UKP 3,150, UKP 3,599
and UKP 3,799.

Announcing the new prices, Nick Hall, Toshiba's marketing
manager, said that they are due to an increase in economies of
scale, as well as a desire to remain competitive. "These new
prices reflect our continuing success in the UK Increased sales
have enabled us to achieve greater economies which we are now
delighted to pass on to the customer," he said.

(Steve Gold/199200501/Press & Public Contact: Toshiba UK. - Tel:
071-229-4400)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(NYC)(00019)

 ****Bill Gates Blasts NY Post Over "Anti-Semetic" Fonts 05/01/92
NEW YORK, NY, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Bill Gates, speaking to a
special meeting of the New York IBM Users Group, ripped the New York
Post for its April 29th front-page story by Post reporter Don Broderick
linking a Windows 3.1 symbol font, "Windings," to an anti-semitic
phase.

Gates told the audience of over 700, "Before I begin my prepared
remarks, I want to comment on a piece of irresponsible reporting
in yesterday's New York Post." He then, for the people who had not
seen the piece, briefly reviewed the contents of the story and
concluded by saying, "It would be humorous if it were not such an
ugly thing. Anyone who has looked at this and has any good sense can
see that this is a purely random occurrence."

Gates later told Newsbytes that Microsoft has issued a formal statement
and that "We called the article to the attention of the Anti-Defamation
League and, after reviewing the issue, it released a statement agreeing
with our position."

The Post article stated that if the characters "NYC" are typed in
the Windings font, the symbols for a skull, a Star of David, and
a thumbs-up sign are displayed, and quoted a Brian Young who
suggesting that the connection had to be planned. According to the
Post, Young said, "It's mind-blowing. Somebody's responsible for
this. This is very offensive. I found it hard to believe some of
the stories about the resurgence of Nazi sympathizers -- but this
puts things back in perspective."

Additionally, the front page of that day's paper over a very
large "Program Of Hate" caption shows a monitor with a
screen display of "NYC = " followed by the three symbols.
Under the screen is the small caption, "The message - a thumbs-up
to the death of Jews in NYC - is hidden in best-selling computer
programs."

On the same day as Gates' talk, the Post ran a page 6 cartoon
depicting a shirt-sleeved, cigarette-smoking executive screaming at
a conference table full of people, "I want to know which one of you
programmers is injecting this trash into our software. Is it you,
Kawalski?" Among the figures sitting at the conference table is a
cartoon character of Adolph Hitler. A Microsoft spokesperson told
Newsbytes that she did not believe that Bill had been aware of the
cartoon when he made his comments.

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen//19920501)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00020)

IBM Coy About Mail Order Sales -- Except In Canada 05/01/92
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- IBM has little
to say about rumors that it will sell some PS/2 computers by mail
order. What the company will say, though, suggests that there are
plans in the works that company officials are not quite ready to
talk about.

"We will have some product offering for the direct channel," IBM
spokesman Chris Clough told Newsbytes, "and I can tell you it will
be in short order."

But Clough said a report by the Reuters news agency, which quoted
an unnamed IBM spokesman as saying the company would sell its PS/2
models 35 and 40 through a toll-free order number for less than
$1,500, was wrong. Specific plans "have not been confirmed by IBM,"
Clough said.

Clough also had no comment on rumors that IBM is negotiating to buy
Northgate Computer Systems, which sells IBM-compatible personal
computers by mail order.

Curt Rohrman, an analyst with investment firm First Boston, told
Newsbytes he did not know if the Northgate rumor was true or not,
but that buying a company like Northgate would be a sensible way
for IBM to pursue the low-priced PC market.

He noted that IBM is on record as saying it will offer low-priced
PCs under a different name in Europe.

The company wants to set up a two-tier strategy to lure
price-conscious buyers while maintaining the cachet of the IBM
name, Rohrman said. To do that, it needs to sell its low-priced
machines under a different name. If IBM buys Northgate, he said,
"in a perverse kind of way, what they're really buying is nothing
more than a name."

But Rohrman added that the Northgate name might well be worth the
purchase price to IBM. The company needs a name to put on
low-priced PCs, he said, and that name should be a familiar one
rather than an entirely new one coined for the purpose.

IBM's response to the rumors seems to make it clear the company
plans to sell personal computers through direct channels in the
United States very soon. What is not certain is whether these will
be PS/2 machines bearing the IBM name, the products of a company
IBM acquires, or possibly PS/2 machines built by IBM but bearing a
different nameplate. Or, the company may be planning more than one
offering.

In Canada, meanwhile, IBM is already selling PS/1 computers through
a toll-free number. The company began a trial program called IBM
Direct in Kitchener and Waterloo, Ontario in March, said IBM Canada
spokesman Stan Didzbalis. The service was extended to Toronto in
April, and this month it is being rolled out across the country.
Advertisements are appearing in nationally distributed daily
newspapers.

(Grant Buckler/19920501/Press Contact: Chris Clough, IBM,
914-642-5372; Stan Didzbalis, IBM Canada, 416-474-3900)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00021)

Systemhouse, BCE Extend Deadline For Talks 05/01/92
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Systems integrator SHL
Systemhouse, the Montreal-based holding company BCE, and BCE's
phone-company subsidiary Bell Canada, have agreed to give themselves
another 15 days to work out details of their strategic partnership.

The companies are negotiating operating agreements to go with a
memorandum of understanding they signed on February 6. That deal
calls for Systemhouse to take over the operation of Bell Canada's
data center and to provide systems integration and outsourcing
services to Bell Canada customers.

The companies also plan to create a joint venture to sell computer
systems and services to the telecommunications industry worldwide.

Systemhouse is to buy some assets of Bell Canada for cash. BCE is
to pay C$12.75 per share in cash for enough Systemhouse shares to
give it 60-percent ownership of the company. BCE currently has a
25-percent stake in Systemhouse.

The deal also calls for BCE to have a quarter of the seats on an
expanded Systemhouse board of directors. Currently BCE is
represented by two out of 10 directors on the Systemhouse board.

A major impetus for the deal is Systemhouse's keen interest in the
business of outsourcing, in which a services company such as
Systemhouse operates a client's information systems on its behalf,
said company spokesman John Owens. Bell Canada is a major potential
customer for such services. A multi-year outsourcing contract with
Bell could potentially be worth a billion dollars or more, he said.

BCE's involvement with Systemhouse dates back to 1987, when it
loaned money to Kinburn Technology, a holding company that formerly
controlled Systemhouse, to help it buy Computerland Canada, the
Toronto-based firm which operates Computerland retail franchises in
Canada. Kinburn defaulted on the loan in 1990, leaving BCE with its
25-percent share in Systemhouse.

SHL Systemhouse reported revenues of C$700 million in 1991. It has
more than 3,000 employees.

The companies said they have made "considerable progress" on the
details of the agreement, but significant difficulties remain. A
statement from the companies said no assurances could be given that
the deal would go through, but that if the remaining problems are
resolved, board approval should be given by the end of May.
Approval from shareholders and regulators would also be required.

(Grant Buckler/19920501/Press Contact: Harry Schlough, Systemhouse,
416-366-4600)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(WAS)(00022)

SPA Home Computer Use Survey 05/01/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- The Software
Publishers Association, the software industry's major trade
group, has completed a telephone survey of nearly 1,200 home
computer and video game users in the United States. The survey
provides a lot of useful information for software marketers,
including the fact that personal productivity software users own
an average of 3.6 programs, while entertainment users own almost
ten.

Home based business users operate a computer nearly 17 hours each
week, while workers who take the office home with them at night
spend about one hour per night on average working on the bosses
tasks (based on a seven-day week).

Education software comes in for about four hours use each week
but recreation/entertainment programs get almost the same time.

These numbers refer to hours of use in households that
predominantly use a particular software category and don't mean
that homes use education and entertainment programs about equal
amounts, but that education program users run that software about
the same amount of time that game players play their games.

Personal computer usage at home is about double the video game
usage for those with a four-year college degree, while those with
some college use computers more than video games, but the numbers
are much closer.

For those with an education level up to and including high school
graduation, personal computer use is less than one third that of
video games.

PC use is also tied strongly to household income, with 41 percent
of homes with PCs having incomes over $50,000, versus only 23
percent for those with video games.

Nearly 40 percent of entertainment software homes have no
children, while only 22 percent of education software is in
childless homes and personal productivity software comes out
highest in homes with no children, but not far above
entertainment programs.

Forty percent of entertainment software users in the survey,
along with 26 percent of education software users admitted to the
SPA that they copy software from friends, work, or from school.
The SPA did not release any estimate of how much of that copied
software would constitute pirated copies but most software in
schools or businesses would be copyrighted, licensed programs
which can't legally be copied.

Resellers and advertisers will be interested to learn that word-
of-mouth recommendations are the most important software buying
influence, every bit as important as seeing an actual
demonstration, and more influential than advertisements or even
magazine reviews.

The data for the survey was collected during 15-minute long
interviews conducted with 1,190 U.S. households which reported
having video games or PCs and the questions only covered five
software categories: entertainment, education, personal
productivity, business software for home business, and that used
for work brought home.

(John McCormick/19920501/Press Contact: Terri Childs, SPA, 202-
452-1600)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00023)

 ****Giant Joint Ventures Aim At New Markets 05/01/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) --- IBM and Time Warner
will discuss multimedia communications, while Dow Jones and
BellSouth will definitely work on information services, as
America's largest information and technology companies aim to
dominate the markets of the future by working together.

IBM and Time Warner are talking about combining the former's
interactive multimedia technology with the latter's huge library
of film and media resources, as well as its cable television
operation. The two companies are discussing "movies on demand,"
interactive education, and interactive gaming, as well as
business services. As press reports of the potential link grew,
IBM and Time Warner were declining comment, indicating no firm
deal has been struck.

The two companies are also linked through the boardroom, with
former Time chairman Richard Munro on the IBM board, and a former
IBM chairman John Open on the Time Warner board.

The BellSouth-Dow Jones tie-up is more definite. BellSouth will
seek new markets for Dow Jones' videotex and audiotex services,
including copy from its "Wall Street Journal" and "Barron's"
publication and newswire. The two firms are testing an audiotex
service for Los Angeles cellular phone subscribers. Dow Jones
also has agreements with NYNEX and Pacific Telesis, and its
newspapers have editorialized frequently in favor of the Bells'
entry into the information industry, an entry which made possible
these agreements.

BellSouth spokesman Tim Klein downplayed the significance of the
other two Dow Jones agreements, saying this is the first
"strategic alliance" between Dow Jones and a regional Bell
company, the first time a regional Bell is committing
"significant" funds to creating new ventures using Dow Jones
material.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920501/Press Contact: Tim Klein, BellSouth,
404-249-4135; Roger May of Dow Jones, 212-416-2601


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00024)

AT&T Launches World Connect, Connects with NEC 05/01/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- AT&T launched
World Connect, with English-speaking operator assistance for
international calls in 34 countries. AT&T World Connect works
with any international calls placed between any of the 34
countries affected, using a calling card or AT&T's Universal Card
credit card.

Calls are completed by an English-speaking AT&T operator. A similar
service already is available to international callers dialing the
United States. AT&T plans to expand the service worldwide.

To reach World Connect, you dial a special toll-free number,
keyed to the country where the call originates, which connects
with a bilingual operator in the United States. This can require
dialing between three and 10 digits. Then give the operator the
country code, city code and the phone number being called. If
you're at a touch-tone phone, you can enter your calling card
number. Otherwise, give it to the operator. Costs vary depending
on the origin and destination.

Countries covered include Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bolivia,
Bonaire, Columbia, Curacao, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France,
Guam, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Korea,
Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Portugal,
Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Martin, Saipan, Sweden, Suriname,
Taiwan, Turkey, and Britain.

Also, AT&T set up a joint-venture in Japan with NEC to sell its
semiconductors, with AT&T holding 51 percent of the equity. The
operation will open for business in June, concentrating on chips
used in cellular phones and home appliances. The Japanese
government expressed pleasure at the development, hoping to
expand imports and reduce trade friction. Japan hopes to import
20 percent of its semiconductors by December.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920501)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00025)

Cincinnati Bell Online Environmental Service for Business 05/01/92
CINCINNATI, OHIO, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Cincinnati Bell's
CBD unit launched an online service called TEAM-W. The service is
designed to help businesses comply with environmental regulations
to reduce waste generation and maximize profits.

TEAM-W: The Electronic Answer for Managing Waste, is an
electronic marketplace for the exchange of re-usable and
recyclable waste materials that would typically end up in
landfills. Developed in partnership with local consultants,
TEAM-W is based on the concept that a majority of solid waste can
be re-used and recycled. TEAM-W offers instant access to local
buyers and sellers, information about disposal alternatives,
current market prices for materials, regulatory information and
case studies.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920501/Press Contact: Donna Noll, for
Cincinnati Bell, 513/721-5353)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00026)

Sprint Links to Israel, Adds Directory Service 05/01/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A, 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Sprint added Israel
to the countries on the Sprint World discount calling plan. You
can link with that country, and 39 others, at discount rates for
$3 per month.

Calls to Israel cost 73 cents per minute on weekends, nearly half
the regular cost. Sprint said its plan offers 10 more hours of
discount calling than other plans, and users are automatically
registered in its Sprint Plus plan for more savings.

Sprint also announced the Sprint Priority Directory, which is
being sent free to members of its Priority plan. The 5 x 7 inch,
hardbound book is divided into 10 sections, and offers
information on area codes, worldwide time zones, and Sprint's own
calling plans. There are maps, sections for inserting emergency
numbers, and extensive dialing instructions for using the Sprint
network. There's also a $25 gift certificate for use when
Priority customers move.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920501/Press Contact: Robin Pence, Sprint,
202-828-7454)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00027)

Hayes-OmniTel Patent Suit Settled 05/01/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- The case of Hayes'
patent for an escape sequence with guard time, at the heart of
today's PC modems, may be ending. OmniTel, the last defendant in
a suit over the patent Hayes filed years ago, finally settled.

In January, 1991, a San Francisco jury had found the OmniTel,
Everex Systems and Ven-Tel Systems had all violated patent
4,549,302, known as the "Heatherington '302" patent, awarding
Hayes damages totaling $10 million, including treble damages and
attorney fees imposed by Judge Samuel Conti. OmniTel had appealed
the rulings. In the settlement, OmniTel licensed the patent and
agreed to an obligation of $2.5 million, which will be handled
through its current plan of reorganization in Bankruptcy Court.
Earlier, Everex had made a settlement with Hayes, but the case
against Ven-Tel continues.

In addition to winning agreement with OmniTel, Hayes said it has
concluded license agreements with Telebit of Sunnyvale,
California and Askey Computer of Taiwan.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920501/Press Contact: Hayes, Beth Logan, 404-
840-9200)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00028)

New For PC In UK: Wordperfect 5.1 Hebrew Module 05/01/92
ADDLESTONE, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Wordperfect U.K.
has begun shipping a Hebrew language module for Wordperfect 5.1.
According to the company, the UKP 65 module allows bilingual text
entry in columns, tables and text boxes.

"We're pleased to offer this sought-after language module.
Customers have been asking for powerful right to left editing
capabilities for some time now," said Peter Joseph, director of
products with Wordperfect U.K.

What's interesting about the Hebrew module is that the package
allows Wordperfect 5.1 to accept text entry and editing on a
right to left basis as well as the conventional left to right
system. The module also includes screen fonts, keyboard drivers
and soft fonts for the HP Series II & III, Epson 24-pin,
Postscript and compatible printers.

The Hebrew language module is fully compatible with the U.K.
version of Wordperfect 5.1 and requires 400 kilobytes (KB) of
conventional memory, together with the use of a hardware key for
execution protection. MCGA and EGA (256 color minimum), VGA or
Hercules Ramfont display types are also required.

(Steve Gold/19920501)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00029)

New Software Protection Scheme: "Moral Lock" 05/01/92
SIDCUP, KENT, ENGLAND, 1992 MAY 1 (NB) -- Cyco International,
whose software products are distributed through Datech, has
announced it is protecting its software with a "moral lock"
system.

The moral lock system allows the company to release fully working
copies of its software, but locked down to demonstration level.
The first package to get the moral lock treatment is Automanager
Professional, which allows AutoCAD drawing files to be printed,
plotted or redlined.

When the demonstration disk is installed, the user is presented
with a display box stating that the software may be used for
unlimited testing and evaluation provided it is not used in a
productive environment.

Every time the message is displayed, the user must type "yes" at
the prompt to signify that s/he agrees to these terms. The only
other limitation is that the package will "expire" a few months
after it is installed, at which point the customer is asked to
buy a full copy of the software.

Announcing the protection system, Vincent Evans, Cyco
International's president, said that he is confident that users
will use his software correctly.

"Getting software in front of the right potential market is a big
problem. It requires time that most professionals don't have. By
giving them a full, working version of our software, they can
evaluate the product without questioning whether the actual
software will perform as expected," he said.

Simon Weeks, sales and marketing manager of Datech, confirmed
Evans' comments, claiming that Cyco's initiative is "bold and
refreshing,"

"It demonstrates their faith in the product and in the integrity
of users. Very often users do not have sufficient time to try out
a demo program fully and may only have access to a limited number
of features. The moral lock approach overcomes these
disadvantages. I would like to see other software developers
taking a lead from Cyco," he said.

(Steve Gold/19920501/Press & Public Contact: Datech - Tel: 081-
308-1800)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00030)

Scientific-Atlanta Offers Printing Off TV Signal 05/01/92
NORCROSS, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 1 (NB) --- In an enhancement
to its B-MAC television encryption system, Scientific-Atlanta
announced users will now be able to send files for printing by
IBM PC compatible computers and printers.

The Broadcast Printer Interface links to B-MAC decoders, strip
out the data, and pass it to a computer, while TV pictures
are sent elsewhere.

The BPI system with B-MAC has a number of advantages. It allows
the broadcasting of computer files. It also improves security,
since B-MAC is by its nature an encryption mechanism. IDS
Financial Services of Golden Valley, Minnesota said it would
install the B-MAC interface at 20 sites on its corporate network,
and could add the interface to the other 170 sites after an
evaluation period.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920501/Press Contact: Paul McKeon, for
Scientific Atlanta, 404-698-8650)