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/1993/NB101293

Text File | 1993-10-12 | 78KB | 1,737 lines

(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00001)

Industry's First "Fault-Tolerant" Portable PCs  10/12/93
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Dolch Computer
Systems has enhanced its PAC Power Portables with a trio of
options aimed at producing the first "fault tolerant" mobile PCs
in the industry.

The ruggedized 386- and 486-based portables are newly armed with
RAID 1-compatible disk mirroring in case of hard drive failure,
powerdown protection in the event of power failure, and highly
tolerant disk drives to protect against shock, officials said in
making the announcement.

All PAC models are able to accommodate any combination of three
kinds of drives, including a floppy drive, a hard drive up to one
GB, and a 5.25-inch drive such as a high performance Bernoulli or
CD-ROM drive.  The PCs also come with five open slots, 275 watts
of power, and a 101-key or European-style 102-key keyboard, in a
package weighing under 20 pounds.  A BackPAC option adds three
more slots and 275 additional watts of power.

The new disk mirroring option for PAC calls for a pair of
redundant mirroring systems to run two hard drives in tandem,
according to the company.  The feature is designed to assure that
all data resides in two different locations.  If the logged drive
fails, the controller switches to the mirror drive and continues
without interruption.  The user can then change the failed drive
whenever it is convenient.

"The RAID 1 compatibility of a PAC power portable gives mobile
users a whole new level of comfort when faced with mission-
critical tasks out on the road," stated Volker Dolch, company
president.  The mirroring option is available for IDE or SCSI
hard drives.

The powerdown protection option supplies rechargable battery
backup to see to it that all system and video RAM is safely
stored on the hard drive if the power fails.  After storing the
data, the computer goes through an orderly shutdown and then
turns off, officials reported.  When power returns to normal
levels, the PC is restarted and returned to the same state it was
in at the moment the power went down.

The new, highly tolerant disk drives for the PAC portables are
available in four capacities:  42, 64, 85 and 120 MBs.  Designed
to protect against up to 200 Gs shock, the drives incorporate
"piezo electric shock censors" that detect the shock condition
and shut down the write current.  In this manner, data is not
disturbed if a severe bump causes the heads to go skating across
the disk surface, according to the vendor.

In the powerdown state, mechanical protection is provided by
oversized motor bearings and a special "static bistable latch"
that locks the heads in a closed position.  Further, unlike
conventional hard disk drives, which are built separately and
then attached to their castings, the "highly tolerant drives" are
built into their castings.

The latest PAC models also offer a strong, rubberized exterior
coating, the company added.  Corner bumpers are optionally
available.  Pricing for complete PAC systems with the new fault-
tolerant features starts at about $4,000.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19931012/Reader contact:  Dolch Computer
Systems, tel [phone];  Press contact:  Steve Fritz, Dolch,
tel [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00002)

GAO Study Says Govt Still Paying Too Much For Computers 10/12/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- After a summer-long,
and in some cases years-long battle between the General Services
Administration and software heavy hitters like Microsoft who
refuse to provide detailed confidential cost and pricing
information, it appears that all the bureaucratic efforts to
ensure that the Feds pay the lowest price may be wasted. The
General Accounting Office's recent report found that in some
cases GSA prices are actually higher than street or state
government prices.

The supposed goal of the GSA's Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) is to
ensure that the government's $5 billion-plus yearly expenditure
on software and PCs gains it the absolute lowest prices despite
the fact that these orders come in piecemeal in quantities as
small as one unit.

But, as anyone who has access to GSA MAS price lists has known
for years, just because an item is "on the schedule" doesn't mean
that it is a bargain. What with the additional special costs
involved in winning a government contract, a process which takes
months and a battery of lawyers, this should come as no surprise.

In an effort to win the lowest price, the GSA has routinely
required vendors, even resellers who don't make products, to
provide extensive  information on the prices charged on
special volume deals between the original software or hardware
maker, and other large customers.

Since there are many companies anxious to gain a share of the
federal government's huge market, many industry and government
observers have long contended that competition alone should be
enough to keep prices low. Now, after a long and fairly expensive
study by the Government Accounting Office, it turns out that MAS
prices on some popular products, such as Novell NetWare,
Microsoft Windows, Lotus 1-2-3, and Borland's Quattro Pro, are
being sold to the government at the same or even higher prices
than they cost large companies, or even small state government
agencies.

Senator John Glenn (D-Ohio), Chairman of the Government Affairs
Committee, and long-time critic of government purchasing
inefficiency, is blaming the GSA for poor contracting practices,
while the GSA's only designated spokesperson on this topic,
Administrator Roger Johnson, has not returned Newsbytes' phone
calls.

One Washington insider told Newsbytes that, "It isn't so much
that GSA doesn't get acceptable prices on the MAS as that they
expend so much effort and money yet do little better than
obtaining street prices."

(John McCormick/19931012/)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(WAS)(00003)

FTC Study May Determine If CDs Are Too Expensive 10/12/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Although the study
began with an antitrust investigation of the music industry
which was supposed to determine whether CD publishers were
punishing stores which sold used CDs by refusing to provide them
with hot new titles, CNN is reporting today that the Federal
Trade Commission has broadened its investigation to include a
look at whether CD publishers are charging too much for those CDs
in the first place.

Everyone involved with CD-ROM publishing knows that it only costs
about $2 per disc to press and package a CD-ROM even in
relatively small quantities of 3,000 or so, and that therefore
the identical CD audio discs must cost the same or even less,
especially since few CD-ROMs enjoy the mass-replication cost
efficiency of even the least popular music CD.

Despite this low cost, and the relatively low per-title royalties
to artists, audio CDs generally cost between $8 (for oldies) and
$14 each for current titles, to as much as $30 for special 24-k
gold plated discs like the Sony Mastersound series. (Prices taken
from the current "Time Warner & Sony Sound Exchange" catalog.)

Although Newsbytes was unable to obtain comments from the FTC
because this is an ongoing investigation, one possible reason for
this investigation may be a recent government study of its own
CD-ROM publication costs which has shown that an agency
publishing its own data may charge less than $50 for a disc,
while a third party publishing similar data may price its titles
as much as 10  or 15 times higher.

Some observers feel that the pressure of the reported FTC
investigation may, just as it did with alleged boycotting of used
CD stores, cause CD music publishers to lower their prices as a
defensive measure to deflect expected criticism.

Because many CD-ROM titles also appear to many industry insiders
to be just as overpriced as some people contend audio CDs are,
there is also a possibility of spill-over into the computer CD-
ROM field.

(John McCormick/19931012/)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00004)

Become A Corporation For $45 On CompuServe 10/12/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- With hundreds of
services available on most commercial bulletin board systems, it
is difficult to keep track of them, let alone notice innovative
new services, but type GO CORP at CompuServe's prompt and you
will be connected to a Wilmington, Delaware company,
appropriately enough called The Company Corporation, which offers
to incorporate individuals and small businesses for as little as
$45.

In a move that may annoy more than one lawyer, the new CompuServe
offering promises incorporation in 24 hours or less, with no
legal fees, and only a $45 charge for the paperwork done by the
company added on to the mandatory state incorporation fees.

TCC, which claims that it has formed more than 95,000 legal
corporations since 1972, can form a Delaware corporation
for as little as $119 and will also form corporations in other
states.

Formation of a corporation can be very useful for small business
owners, providing tax shelters, opening up special pension
plan options, and reducing or even eliminating personal liability.

(John McCormick/19931012/Public Contact: 800-542-2677 x 5019 or
fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00005)

SPA Supports NAFTA 10/12/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- As the battle for the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) heats up, the
Washington-based Software Publishers Association (SPA) has
announced that it, on behalf of its 1,000 plus members, supports
NAFTA. Mexico, according to a statement released by the SPA, is
the third largest market for US exports and is growing at a
rapid rate, making it an important software market for US
publishers.

Ratification of NAFTA by the US Congress, according to SPA
Executive Director Ken Wasch, will significantly increase
software copyright protection in Mexico, expanding the Mexican
market and perhaps even providing a format for other countries
to follow in improving their anti-piracy efforts.

An SPA survey of only 15 companies showed that they had software
sales in Mexico of more than $10 million in just the first
quarter of 1993.

According to the SPA legal staff, NAFTA would continue protection
of computer programs as literary works; protect databases and
other compilations in machine-readable or other form by virtue
of their selection or arrangement; provide businesses with a ]
minimum of 50 years of copyright protection for works made by employees
in the course of their jobs; and give software publishers the exclusive
right to distribute copyrighted software, including the right to
prohibit unauthorized rental and importation.

Mexico has recently improved copyright protection for software
but court protection has been weak. Director Wasch says that NAFTA
would require Mexican courts to grant copyright owners
preliminary injunctions under circumstances similar to those
required by US courts.

Canada, which is the US's largest trading partner, would also
be required to make some changes to that country's copyright laws
which would prevent unauthorized lending of software.

The SPA is a trade association of computer software publishers
which has as one of its primary goals the promotion of copyright
protection for all software both in the US and abroad.

(John McCormick/19931012/Press Contact: Ilene Rosenthal, SPA
General Counsel, 202-452-1600 or fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEL)(00006)

Fiber Optic Plant Built In India 10/12/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- The MP Birla group
along with Ericsson Cables AB of Sweden is setting up a Rs 47.5
crore optical fiber project. To be implemented by the new
company Birla Ericsson Optical Ltd., the project is coming up at
Udyog Vihar, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, for manufacture of
4,000 cable kilometers of optical fibers per annum.

The Swedish company, as well as the Birla companies and their
associates are taking a 30 percent stake each in the Rs 25-crore
equity capital of the new company.

The project is to manufacture fiber optic communication cables of
various designs, tailor-made to the specifications of customers like
the Department of Telecommunications, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam
Ltd., and other firms. Commercial production is expected to
start in December. In order to partially finance the cost of the
project, the company has entered the capital market with a public
issue of equity of about $3 million. The company hopes to garner
sales of about $3.9 million in the first four months of its
operations this year and increase it to $20 million by the third
year, fiscal 1996-97.

(C. T. Mahbharat/19931012)


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

Digital To Fix Products From Taiwan Company 10/12/93
TAI KOO SHING, HONG KONG, 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Digital Equipment
Corporation has formed a strategic alliance with Taiwan computer
manufacturer President Technology Inc., under which Digital
will provide worldwide warranty support for products manufactured
by PTI.

PTI specializes in the design and production of monitors, PC
motherboards, notebook PCs and personal computer products
for export markets worldwide. Through its 1,600 service
centers in 110 countries, Digital will provide service for
PTI products.

"After careful deliberation and management evaluation, we
have decided to appoint Digital Equipment Corporation, one
of the world's most reputable computer companies, to offer
global warranty services for products manufactured by PTI,"
said the company's president, Dr James Liu.

Digital operates a network of service centres in every
country in which it does business.

"Our company's strategy is to deliver the highest quality
services on multivendor products globally," said Philip Liu,
Digital Taiwan's multivendor customer services manager.
"Digital has been servicing other vendors' products for more
than 10 years, giving us an unrivalled breadth of experience.
With the PTI alliance Digital is signalling its readiness to
extend these qualities to companies in Taiwan and other Asian
countries."

(Keith Cameron/19931006/Press Contact: Bonnie Engel, Digital,
852 - 805 3510)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00008)

3DO Snares Japan's Dentsu, Hakuhodo For Game Software 10/12/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Two of Japan's major ad agencies,
Dentsu and Hakuhodo, will enter the software market by
developing games for the machine planned for release this
month by Matsushita and 3DO, the Real brand 3DO Interactive
Multiplayer.

Japan's Dentsu will link with Matsushita and Dynaware,
one of the major software firms in Japan, to develop games
for the 3DO/Matsushita multimedia game device. The three firms
will spend about 100 million yen ($1 million) for the
development of the software, Dentsu and Dynaware will
contribute half the funds and Matsushita will pay the other
half.

Meanwhile, Hakuhodo will also link with Matsushita and another
still-unnamed game software firm to develop software for the
game player. Hakuhodo has already obtained a license
from 3DO concerning software development.

These two firms' commitment to software development is seen as
a boost for 3DO and Matsushita, especially since the latter is
entering the game machine market for the first time.

The new multimedia game machine of Matsushita and 3DO is
arriving in US stores this month and will later hit Japan.
The CD-ROM-based 32-bit game machine has features more
advanced than the games machines available from Sega and
Nintendo.

Matsushita has also received software support from MCA
and Electronics Arts, and about 40 titles are expected to be
released by the end of this year.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19931012/Press Contact: Matsushita
Electric, [phone], Fax, [phone])


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

IBM Japan To Transfer 2,500 Employees 10/12/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- IBM Japan will shift 2,500
employees to other divisions in the second largest
personnel transfer since last year. IBM Japan has already
eliminated 2,500 jobs since last April.

IBM Japan reports that 2,500 employees will be transferred
to its System Integration Service and Software Development
Divisions by January 1994. The qualified employees will be
chosen from the production department at IBM's Fujisawa
and Yasu plants, and the headquarters of IBM Japan, IBM Japan
Information Systems, and IBM Japan Service. The people to go
will be chosen by the end of this month, and will be transferred to
Makuhari and Yamato service centers in November.

These employees will receive the appropriate seminars and job
training for the new divisions, IBM reports.

IBM Japan will provide an alternative to those who do not want to
move to a new division -- early retirement. Under this plan,
the applicable employees under the age of 49 can get a
maximum two-year salary in a retirement allowance. Employees
who are 50 and above can get benefits from IBM Japan's new
Second Carrier Program which provides employees with
assistance in creating a new start-up or spin-off firm.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19931012/Press Contact: IBM Japan, +81-
3-3586-1111, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00010)

Roland To Intro RAP-10, 16-Bit Windows Sound Card 10/12/93
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Known for
its electronic music products used throughout the entertainment
industry, Roland has introduced a new sound card for IBM-
compatible personal computers (PCs). The new Roland Audio
Producer (RAP)-10AT is a 16-bit card that the company describes
as Windows 3.1 and Multimedia PC (MPC) Level 2 compatible.

Roland says the card offers compact disc (CD) quality recording
plus a professional-level music synthesizer using wave table
synthesis. A 28-voice Roland Sound Canvas chip is the same
technology used in the company's pro instruments and generates
the realistic sounds of various musical instruments from the
card. In addition, the RAP-10AT boasts a custom digital signal
processor (DSP) chip for adding studio-quality reverb and
chorus effects to vocals and music.

Audio Toolworks, an audio production and editing package for
Windows 3.1, comes with the card. The software offers visual
editors including automated mixing of musical instrument
digital interface (MIDI), wave levels, and effects. Users can
also accomplish synchronized playback of MIDI and wave audio in
Windows multimedia applications.

Tom White, multimedia product manager, said the RAP-10 is aimed
at the "prosumer" market. "This market includes people who are
looking for professional performance without the complexity or
high price typically associated with professional gear."

The RAP-10AT is retail priced at $599. The company says the
card should be shipping by November 1, 1993.

Roland is planning a COMDEX appearance and said it will
introduce new sound products as well as showing off the RAP-
10AT and its line of Multimedia Gear. Multimedia Gear includes
portable sound modules, music keyboards, and powered speakers.

One of the sound modules, the SC-7, connects to any PC or
Macintosh computer via the serial port and is bundled with the
required cables and the software packages Ballade and Band-in-
a-Box. Roland said it will also demonstrate MIDI keyboards,
such as the PC200MKII and the PC-150, designed to fit on a
desktop and connect with a PC and sound card or module.

(Linda Rohrbough/19931011/Press Contact: Kellie Whitmore,
Roland, tel [phone] ext 317, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00011)

Berkeley Gets Temp Injunction Against Flying Toasters 10/12/93
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- US
District Court Judge Eugene F. Lynch has granted Berkeley a
temporary injunction against Delrina Corporation to prevent the
company from using "Death Toasters" in its Opus n' Bill Screen
Saver.

The Delrina screen saver imitates the angelic-winged,
1950's style toasters that Berkeley introduced in one of its
screen savers, but the Outland comic strip characters Opus the
penguin and Bill the cat are shooting at the flying critters.

US District Court Judge Eugene F. Lynch said: "Having viewed
both (Delrina's) 'Death Toasters' and (Berkeley's) 'Flying
Toasters,' the Court finds for the purpose of the preliminary
injunction that the winged toasters in the 'Bill n' Opus'
screen saver have captured the 'total concept and feel' of the
plantiff's (Berkeley's) winged toasters in 'After Dark.'"

Delrina has been enjoined from using the Flying Toasters in the
Delrina product or on packaging in connection with the
marketing, advertising, distribution or sale of the Opus n'
Bill screen saver.

Berkeley claims it has a valid registered trademark on the
Toaster design and also owns three valid copyright
registrations for published works that display the Toasters.
Delrina has responded by saying there's more than one way to
fly a toaster and if Berkeley has an exclusive right to the
Michelangelo wings, then they'll make toasters with propellers.

Josef Zankowicz, a spokesperson for Delrina pointed out that
flying toasters were originally used on the cover of the
Jefferson Airplane album "30 Seconds Over Winterland," where 7
flying toasters with Michelangelo wings are depicted. In
addition, PC Magazine ran a cartoon in the back of its October,
1993 issue depicting hunters shooting at flying toasters.

"The message the court is sending is parody is alright on
paper, but not OK on a computer screen," Zankowicz said. This
could become an important issue to the computer industry,
especially when multimedia is involved.

But Delrina is not willing to spend all their profits in court
battles. "We're going to do our best to comply with the Court.
It was clear that the issue wasn't making toasters fly, it was
toasters with Michelangelo wings... The only ones who win in
court battles are the lawyers," Zankowicz added.

Delrina is going to make the most of the free publicity this
has generated and Zankowicz said the company is preparing a new
"Censored Toaster Module" featuring the propeller driven
appliances it expects to ship soon.

(Linda Rohrbough/19931012/Press Contact: Michelle Mihalick,
Neale May & Partners for Berkeley Systems, tel [phone],
fax [phone]; Shelly Sofer, Delrina, tel [phone], fax
416-441-0333)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00012)

IBM To Pre-Install Choice Of Software On PCs 10/12/93
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Trying to take
software bundling a step farther, IBM Personal Computer Co., has
introduced Soft Select, a service that lets customers ordering
PCs through the company's PC Direct toll-free number pick the
software they want pre-installed.

Customers ordering PS/ValuePoint or ThinkPad computers can choose
IBM's PC-DOS or OS/2 operating system, or DOS with Microsoft
Corp.'s Windows, and then can pick from 27 applications from
major software manufacturers, including Lotus Development Corp.,
Microsoft, WordPerfect Corp., Borland International Inc., and
Computer Associates International Inc.

Soft Select will be available with purchases of the ThinkPad 350,
500, 720, and 750 notebook computers, and with the ValuePoint
mini-tower, desktop, Spacesaver, and Spacesaver SI systems.

IBM will install the software according to its manufacturer's
instructions and factory-test it, IBM officials said.

In addition to full software manufacturer's support, additional
support packages, including unlimited toll-free calls, can be
purchased from the PC Company for a 90-day or one-year period.
IBM also said its 30-day, no-questions-asked return policy has
been extended to include Soft Select applications.

(Grant Buckler/19931012/Press Contact: Mike DeMeo, IBM,
914-766-1802; Public Contact: IBM PC Direct, 800-426-2968)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00013)

Correction - Interactive CD Player Wars Begin 10/12/93
SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- In a story
of this title which ran on the Newsbytes wire on October 6,
we reported that the Real brand 3DO Interactive Multiplayer,
destined for stores this month, will come with two CDs. We
erroneously reported that one game, "Crash and Burn," was from
Electronic Arts. In fact, it is from a company called Crystal
Dynamics.

(Wendy Woods/19931012/Press Contact: Jennifer at Crystal
Dynamics, 415-858-4941)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00014)

Compuadd Intros POS System 10/12/93
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Just a few days after
emerging from bankruptcy, Compuadd Computer Corporation has
announced its new modular, PC-based point of sale system.

The Compuadd MR6 includes a 25 megahertz 486-powered PC, a
nine-inch monochrome VGA monitor, 101-key keyboard, magnetic stripe
card reader, cash drawer and dot matrix printer. The cash drawer
can sit under the other components or hang under the counter. The
CPU can be up to 12 feet from the other peripherals.

Optional upgrade items include a ten-inch color monitor, check
slot and lock-and-key mechanism, memory expansion to 16
megabytes, a larger hard drive, a fluorescent customer display,
bar code scanner, additional cash drawers, and a network card.
The printer is a 40-column Epson TM-930 which prints 211
characters per second.

Compuadd provides a one-year limited warranty that covers repair
or replacement of defective parts at the factory or an authorized
repair depot. Telephone support is available around the clock for
as long as you own the system, and the company offers an optional
onsite service policy that provides service at your location
within four hours. Compuadd will also provide installation setup
at an extra cost.

Compuadd spokesperson John Pope told Newsbytes the market for the
MR6 is primarily the larger retail operations which would require
multiple POS terminals. Pricing is determined by the quantity
purchased.

(Jim Mallory/19931012/Press contact: John Pope, Compuadd, 512-
250-2000)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00015)

New Compaq Deskpro, Prolinea Models On the Horizon? 10/12/93
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Compaq Computer
Corporation may be planning the introduction of new models in its
Deskpro and Prolinea personal computer lines shortly, but the
company isn't talking.

According to the October 11, 1993 issue of PC Week Compaq will
launch a Deskpro XE line of PCs that will have improved graphics
performance and more accurate voice recognition. The magazine
also reports that Compaq will migrate the all-in-one chassis of
the recently released Presario PC to three new models of the
Prolinea family.

The Deskpro XE will reportedly replace the Deskpro/i line
eventually, and will include models powered by from 25 megahertz
(MHz) 486SX microprocessors to 33/66MHz 486DX2 chips, and also a
Pentium-based model. The XE's will reportedly incorporate
Enhanced Business audio, a voice recognition technology that uses
Microsoft's windows Sound System 2.0. The XE line is also
expected to use Compaq's Q-Vision graphics accelerator system.

The new Prolinea models will reportedly use the same chassis as
the Presario, but will not include such features as the telephone
answering board, game software, or a data/fax modem since the new
models will be targeted at business users. The Deskpro/i and the
Prolinea systems were first introduced in June 1992.

When Contacted by Newsbytes Compaq spokesperson Nora Hahn would
only say "that's speculative information and we don't comment on
speculation."

(Jim Mallory/19931012/Press contact: Nora Hahn, Compaq Computer
Corporation, 713-374-1564)


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

Gates, Kahn PC Expo Keynoters 10/12/93
FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Microsoft
Chairman Bill Gates and Borland President Phillipe Kahn will be
the keynote speakers at the eighth annual PC Expo that opens its
three day run at McCormick Place East in Chicago October 19. It
will be the first time either executive has addressed the Chicago
show.

Expo organizers say Gates will announce and demonstrate a new
version of Microsoft Office, the software suite that includes
Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Powerpoint. Kahn
will speak at 9AM October 19th in the Chicago Room. His talk is
titled "Client Server computing - A Desktop Perspective."

Show manager Peter Brunold says Gates' appearance at the show
underscores the stature of Chicago as the second most important
marketplace for the computer industry. "It also demonstrates the
growth of PC Expo in Chicago and emphasizes that it is a mainstay
event for major new product announcements in the Midwest,"
according to Brunold. Gates' 90-minute address will take place
October 20th at 10:30AM in the Arie Crown Theater.

The show will also feature a network pavilion for Midwest-based
and national companies to exhibit their wares, and a show-wide
Shownet will connect all of the 200 exhibitors, who with the
attendees, will have access to a show directory, seminar and
exhibitor listing, and information about restaurants, night life
and other Chicago-area attractions. Shownet users will able to
send electronic mail via Internet. Shownet is being installed by
Chicago-based Lampe Corporation.

A multimedia test drive center will be available for attendees to
get some hands on experience with various multimedia program
using the available PCs equipped with CD-ROM drives.

Expo spokesperson Mark Haviland told Newsbytes more than 30,000
attendees are expected. Early registration has already closed,
but on-site registration is available. A one-day ticket is $30,
or $60 for all three days. Numerous seminars are also being
offered, and $175 gets you admission to the exhibits and all
three days of seminars. For $100 you can attend any three of the
sessions on any day and the exhibits.

On October 18th expo organizers will present 40 seminars and
tutorials. The cost for that event is $395.

Expo exhibitors include Adobe, Novell, Microsoft, Dell, Borland,
Claris, Wordperfect, Computer Associates, Digital Equipment, IBM,
Lotus, Network General, Sharp, Toshiba, and Zenith Data Systems.
Sixteen user groups are also participating.

(Jim Mallory/19931012/Press contact: Mark Haviland, PC Expo, 201-
346-1400, ext 152)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00017)

Belgian Banks Fall Victim To "Kite Flying" Check Fraud 10/12/93
WEREGEM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Authorities in the
Netherlands are investigating an outbreak of "check kite flying" by
a company manager. The victims of the fraud include the IPPA,
Kredietbank and G-Bank, as well as other Belgian and foreign
companies which are said to have been defrauded of BFr 100m in total.

Kite flying is the trick of paying a small amount of cash into
several bank accounts and running them as normal for six months or
so. Then, when the customer has built up confidence with the bank,
one or more large checks, usually issued on another false account,
are deposited, and before they are cleared, the funds are drawn
out (usually by more checks payable to other banks).

Since banks differ in the time they take to clear checks (i.e.
receive funds), careful manipulation can ensure that a
large amount of money can be constantly kept in circulation
between accounts when, in fact, no money actually exists.

Usually, the "kite flying" of checks is built up until a large
amount of money (typically into six figures) is in circulation
between the accounts. The "money" is then arranged to flow into one
account on one particular day, and cash is then withdrawn. By the
time the checks start bouncing back to their point of origin, the
fraud is complete and the account holder disappears.

Kite flying was outlawed in many countries in the late 1960s and
early 1970s. In addition, many country bank clearing systems have
been modified to clear all checks in the same amount of time. In the
US, for example, bank clearance arrangements were altered a few
years ago to ensure that the majority of checks clear within the
same timeframe, typically four to six days.

To protect the US banks, there are very precise rules on check
clearance for personal and business customers. In the case of
business customers, checks must be cleared before they can be drawn
upon although many companies elect to pay interest on the uncleared
balance in order to smooth out their cashflow. This arrangement is
usually only extended to companies in good standing with their
banks.

The Netherlands fraud appears to have exploited the difference in
clearance times between standard checks and bank transfers, known as
giro payments in Europe. The giro system is heavily computerized,
although Newsbytes notes that the pan-European system can involve
same-day switching of giro payments, drawing on uncleared funds. By
the time the giro clears, the original checks/funds on which the
transaction is based, will have cleared.

If, however, the original checks bounce, then it can take several
days for the banks to play catch up. By that time, of course, if a
fraud is involved, the cash will have long disappeared.

In the Netherlands fraud, Kredietbank on its own is said to have
lost around BF 50 million. The authorities report that the un-named
company manager at the heart of the fraud has left the country,
and is said to be headed for the US.

According to a report in De Financieel Ekonomische Tijd, the Dutch
daily newspaper, the company involved in the scam is expected to be
summoned by the Kortrijk commercial court and, assuming that the
cash cannot be found, which looks extremely likely, will be declared
bankrupt with the loss of 15 jobs.

The paper reports that the company manager wrote out exchange
transactions (international giros) in his own name, but, just before
the date on which they were supposed to clear, he filed a request to
the bank's computer system to complete the transaction in clients'
names, without their permission.

(Sylvia Dennis/19931012)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00018)

Belgian Online Systems Harnessed To Beat Card Fraud 10/12/93
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Citibank Belgium has
announced plans to beat card fraud on its Visa cards by moving to
smartcard technology. The bank has admitted that the move will take
several years to phase in, so, as an interim measure, it is printing
photos of its cardholders on the back of their cards.

The move to smartcard technology comes on the heels of
experimentation with the cards by US Visa card-issuing
affiliates. As with several banks, Citibank Belgium has been
experimenting with laminating photos of cardholders on their cards,
but to date, only one other Visa card issuer in Europe, the
National & Provincial Building Society in the UK, has mandated
their use on its cards.

Citibank Belgium has been test-marketing photos on its Visa cards
since the spring of this year. The bank claims that response from
its cardholders has been very positive.

Although Citibank has been bullish about printing photos on its
cards, ABB/BVB, the Belgian banking federation, has gone on record
as stating that the anti-fraud measure would only work as long as
only a few card issuers used the technology. Once most card issuers
begin printing photos on their cards, the federation claims, shop
staff will become blase about checking the photos, much as is the
case with signatures in many outlets.

Neither does smartcard technology get a thumbs up from the ABB/BVB.
The federation claims that such technology is only a poor
alternative to a card with an online link to the bank's computers.

The federation also claims that there is not such a pressing need
for the introduction of smart card technology on Belgian cards as
there is in France, where smartcard Visa cards (Carte Blue) are now
the norm. The federation claims that the majority of merchants now
make extensive use of EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer at point of
sale) terminals for card authorization.

Citibank officials have replied to the federation's comments with
the claim that smartcard technology is only viewed as one method by
which card fraud can be reduced. The bank notes that voice
recognition technology is also being researched.

(Sylvia Dennis/19931012/Press & Public Contact: Citibank Belgium -
[phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00019)

British Man Defrauds UKP 16,000 In Computer Phone Quiz 10/12/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Authorities claim a
student has managed to defraud British Telecom out of more than
UKP 268,000 to obtain UKP16,000 worth of prizes in a premium rate
phone-based quiz.

The 27-year-old man, Mayo Lawal, is said to have made the
profit by the simple expedient of not paying more than 50 phone
bills for phones set up at various locations in and around London.

According to British Telecom, Lawal won around UKP 16,000 in the
"Wheel of Fortune" telephone quiz, which is accessible on an 0836
premium rate access code within the UK. By setting up more than 50
false telephone accounts at 23 addresses in and around London and
racking up charges on those lines, he was able to "win" the prize
checks, which were then mailed to him at various addresses, BT
reports. Lawal is then alleged to have banked the checks into
bank accounts set up in various names.

Lawal is said to have dialed the premium rate phone number, left his
name and address and then left the phone off the hook for up to 15
hours at a time. Since the game's voice-driven computer
recorded a silence as a "no" answer, this ensured that he got at
least a percentage of the responses "right," so winning him the
prizes.

In court, British Telecom prosecutor Mr Chawla said that, although
Lawal won several thousand pounds, he left unpaid various phone
bills totally UKP 268,793.

Because Lawal picked his names out of the telephone directory, he
was able to remove the need to pay a deposit on the line when it was
installed, authorities contend. By renting various addresses in
and around London between February and September of 1992, he was
able to set up a line and make long calls before BT sent out its
quarterly bill as usual, they say.

Lawal, who comes from Manchester, was arrested after what officials
describe as an extensive joint investigation between BT and the
police. In court, a second defendant, Nicole Warby, 18, unemployed,
also of Manchester, is charged with conspiracy to defraud BT.

The case is continuing through the courts.

(Steve Gold/19931012)


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

Homework Helper To Be Launched On Prodigy In '94 10/12/93
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- The Prodigy
Service said it will offer Infonautics' "Homework Helper"
database when it becomes available next September.

The product is still in the prototype stage, a spokesman told
Newsbytes, but it's designed as an easy-to-use database for
children, combining the work of 35 publishers and over 700 major
literary works, as well as data from CNN, Compton's Encyclopedia,
and the World Almanac. It's structured so that it can be
queried in plain English, with cogent responses to queries
like "Why is the Sky Blue?"

The software also has hooks which allow references to be
given appropriate to a student's age and reading ability.

Infonautics President Marvin Weinberger said he hoped the
agreement with Prodigy will turn American children into
"infonauts" who can go into information space wherever their
dreams may take them.

The agreement is non-exclusive, and Infonautics included in its
press release a note sent by Weinberger to Kevin Knott of
CompuServe asking to "begin direct discussions" on offering
Homework Helper on CompuServe, expressing the hope that the
CompuServe launch could be timed to coincide with that of
Prodigy.

Prodigy, which now calls itself "America's most popular online
service," says it has two million members, but analyst Gary Arlen
told Newsbytes recently he estimates they have 950,000
accounts. That would make it the number two consumer online
service after CompuServe, which has 1.3 million members.

Prodigy has come under increasing pressure to turn a profit
this year, cutting staff and raising prices, and while Arlen
told Newsbytes in a recent interview he expects the company
to show a net profit soon, he expects it will never be able
to repay the huge investment made by its owners, IBM and Sears.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19931012/Press Contact: Joshua Kopelman,
Infonautics, 215-293-4770; Prodigy, Carol Wallace, 914-993-2496)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00021)

Stratus Buys BellSouth Systems Company 10/12/93
MARLBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Stratus
Computer Inc., said it will acquire BellSouth's BellSouth Systems
Integration Inc. subsidiary for about $15 million in cash.

BellSouth had acquired BSSI, then known as Scientific Software
Inc., in January of 1992. The company was founded in 1984. Its
flagship product is Network Express, designed to allow the
integration of information between dissimilar or incompatible
information systems or networks for use in transaction
processing.

Stratus, best known for its fault tolerant computer systems, is
heavily involved in the transaction processing market, where
hardware reliability is a key. The company said BSSI products are
already used by institutions in many of its key markets, like the
financial industry, the travel industry, the telecommunications
industry, retailing, and in health care and insurance. The company
has just 74 employees and over 100 customers in 15 countries.

After a weak second quarter, Stratus announced it would try to
move into the software area so it can add more value to its
systems. This is its second acquisition in the software area
since that announcement. In September, it bought Shared Financial
Systems Inc., of Dallas, Texas, a $20 million company which also
provides software used in online systems. Despite showing good
profits in its third quarter, it announced in October it would
cut up to 160 positions by the end of this year.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19931012/Press Contact: Stratus Computer, Susan
Cashen, 508-490-6264)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00022)

Motorola Sues InterDigital Over TDMA Patents 10/12/93
KING OF PRUSSIA, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) --
InterDigital Communications Inc., now faces legal challenges to
its Time Division Multiple Access patents from both of the
leading makers of cellular equipment. Motorola filed a suit to
invalidate six TDMA patents held by InterDigital, a month after
Ericsson filed similar suits.

TDMA divides a cellular calling channel into a number of slices,
then sends calls as data in each slice. A TDMA standard endorsed
by the US cellular industry in 1991 offers three times the
capacity of analog systems, when operators move to TDMA. McCaw
Cellular and Southwestern Bell have endorsed the system and are
installing dual-standard TDMA-analog equipment in their networks.
A competing standard, called Code Division Multiple Access or
CDMA, sends data throughout a calling channel.

When the Ericsson suits were filed, spokesmen claimed the filings
followed lengthy negotiations concerning royalties for the
patents. Ericsson filed its suit in Texas, InterDigital in
Virginia, where it said a "rocket docket" could offer a decision
early next year. The Motorola suit was filed in a district court
in Delaware.

While InterDigital insists the issues are the same in both suits,
the atmosphere this time is completely different. In September,
InterDigital spokesmen were jaunty and talkative. This time,
they're tight-lipped, refusing to go beyond a press statement
that the company considers Motorola's complaint "without merit."

The company is also engaged in lawsuits over CDMA, with Qualcomm.
Spokesman David Buckingham said in September that the Eastern
District of Pennsylvania, where InterDigital filed its CDMA
suits, has expedited procedures for hearing patent cases similar
to the "rocket docket" of Virginia. InterDigital sued Qualcomm in
June, after acquiring the patent portfolio of SCS Mobilecom,
which had done much of its work on CDMA in conjunction with
military contracts aimed at making battlefield order
transmissions impossible to jam.

A statement by Robert S. Bramson, president of the company's
InterDigital Technology unit, said, "We are now in litigation
against the largest digital wireless infrastructure supplier,
Ericsson, and Motorola, the largest manufacturer of wireless
subscriber equipment. Given the size of the market for TDMA
digital wireless telephone products, and our consistent demand
for a reasonable royalty for licenses under our patents, this
lawsuit comes as no surprise. InterDigital Technology welcomes
the opportunity to demonstrate to the wireless telecommunications
industry that our patents are valid, enforceable and infringed."

In other news involving digital cellular patents, Northern
Telecom exercised an option to extend its CDMA license agreement
with Qualcomm from Canada to the whole world. In the long run,
most analysts believe that CDMA will prove more important than
TDMA, due to its higher capacity and its potential use in
specialized mobile radio networks at 800 MHz and personal
communications networks at 1800-2200 MHz. In the past, Ericsson
has reportedly been strongest in TDMA equipment, Motorola in CDMA
equipment.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19931012/Press Contact: InterDigital
Communications, Dave Buckingham, 215/278-7910; Qualcomm, Thomas
Crawford, 619/658-4820)


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

IBM, Dassault Unveil New Catia Release 10/12/93
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- IBM and
French software developer Dassault Systemes have announced
Version 4 of the Catia computer-aided design, manufacturing, and
engineering (CAD/CAM/CAE) software, which is developed by
Dassault and marketed and supported worldwide by IBM.

The new release has about three times as many features as Version
3, said Francis Bernard, president of Dassault, in a telephone
conference with the press. Enhancements include two new "solution
groups" or tool sets, one for analysis and simulation and one for
equipment and systems engineering.

The modular software is actually 48 separate products, from which
customers can pick and choose according to their needs. Dassault
and IBM have organized these pieces into six standard packages
called "solution groups." These include the two new groups, plus
application architecture, mechanical design, shape design and
styling, and manufacturing.

The application architecture group is intended for customers and
other software developers who want to integrate their own
software with Catia. The other five groups are intended to cover
the product development process from mechanical design through
manufacturing, officials said.

Bernard said Version 4 of Catia is "a major evolution of the
architecture of the system."

The software allows for an approach called concurrent
engineering, in which everyone in a company has access to the
same data, including all updates, so that various different
functions can take place at the same time.

The modular design also lets customers expand their software as
needed by adding pieces.

Like its predecessor, Version 4 of Catia will run on IBM's RISC
System/6000 workstations, including recently launched models
built on the PowerPC technology, and on IBM mainframes running
the VM and MVS operating systems.

IBM and Dassault said versions of Catia for other vendors'
hardware are planned starting in 1994. Officials would not say
what other hardware will be supported first, but Bernard said
Dassault would announce further plans in the first quarter of
1994.

Among the improvements in Version 4 are improved two- and
three-dimensional parametric and variational design capabilities,
a new design approach that lets users describe the features of
product during its design and store the descriptions in a
features catalog for later use, and electronic "sketchers" that
officials said are more intuitive than conventional drafting
techniques.

The companies said they have also added to features that let
users and third-party developers add to the software.

Version 4 is fully compatible with Version 3, Bernard said;
designs created with Version 3 can be brought unchanged into
Version 4, and the two can run together on the same computer.

Prices for the new Catia products vary widely with configuration.
Typical workstation configurations cost from $6,000 to $37,500,
officials said. The software has already been shipped to
customers participating in a limited validation program, but
general availability has yet to be announced.

(Grant Buckler/19931012/Press Contact: Andy Russell, IBM,
203-973-7644)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00024)

BoCoEx Index 10/12/93
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Boston Computer
Exchange for the week ending  October 1,1993

Machine                     Main Drive  Closing      Price     Ask      Bid

                                          Price     Change

IBM PS1 386SX/25               130 MgB      700   down 150     800      700

IBM PS/2 Model 70-A21          120 MgB      700    down 50     750      700

IBM PS/2 Model 56SLC/20        120 MgB     1050               1300      900

IBM PS/2 Model 55SX             60 MgB      650                800      700

IBM ThinkPad 500                80 MgB     2000               2000     2000

IBM ThinkPad 700                80 MgB     1450               1600     1400

IBM ThinkPad 700C              120 MgB     3000               3300     3000

IBM V\P 3/25T MOD. 80           80 MgB     1500               1600     1500

IBM PS/2 Model 90-OH9          160 MgB     1700               1700     1600

IBM PS/2 Model 95-OJF          400 MgB     2700   down 300    3300     2700

Compaq Prolinea 4/66           340 MgB     2000               2150     2000

Compaq Prolinea 486/50         240 MgB     1450               1500     1200

Compaq Portable 386            100 MgB      650                800      600

Compaq SLT-386                 120 MgB      925                950      850

Compaq LTE-286                   40MgB      575                600      550

Compaq LTE-LITE 3/25            120MgB     1450               1450     1200

Compaq LTE-LITE 4/25C            120MB     3250   down 200    3400     3200

Compaq SysProXL               1.02 Gig    8,100             12,500    6,000

Compaq Syspro 486/50             Mod 1     6700               8500     6500

Compaq Prosigna 486 /33        550 MgB     3000   down 500    3300     2950

Compaq Prosigna 486/66            1GiG     4500  down 1500    6000     4000

Compaq DeskP 486DX2/66i        240 MgB     2100               2400     1900

AST Prem Exec 386SX20           40 MgB      675                750      650

NEC UltraLite  25C              80 MgB     1850    down 50    1900     1800

NEC UltraLite Versa  20C        80 MgB     2850               2950     2800

Zenith Mastersprt-386SX         60 MgB      700                800      700

Zenith SuperSport 386SX         40 MgB      650                800      650

Macintosh Classic               40 MgB      575                600      550

Macintosh Classic II            40 MgB      700                750      700

Macintosh SE                    40 MgB      550                600      550

Macintosh SE-30                 80 MgB      850                950      800

Macintosh LC                    40 MgB      900   down 100    1000      800

Macintosh II                    40 MgB      900   down 150    1000      900

Macintosh II SI                 80 MgB     1100   down 100    1200     1100

Macintosh II CX                 80 MgB     1250    down 50    1300     1200

Macintosh II CI                 80 MgB     1800   down 150    2000     1800

Macintosh II FX                 80 MgB     2100   down 200    2250     2100

Macintosh Quadra 800           230 MgB     3550   down 200    3600     3500

Macintosh Quadra 950           230 MgB     3400               3500     3300

Macintosh Powerbk 165C          80 MgB     1900   down 200    2000     1800

Macintosh Powerbk  145          40 MgB     1050               1250     1000

Macintosh Powerbk 180           80 MgB     2300   down 200    2400     2200

Apple Imagewriter 2                         200                225      175

Apple Laserwriter IINT                      875                900      850

HP Laserjet II                              625                700      600

HP Laserjet IIISI                          1900   down 400    2100     1900

Toshiba T-1200                  20 MgB      350                375      350

Toshiba T-1600                  40 MgB      525                575      500

Toshiba T-2000 SX               40 MgB      700                800      700

Toshiba T-2000 SXE              40 MgB      725                800      700

Toshiba T-2200 SX                80MgB     1000               1100     1000

Toshiba T-3100                  20 MgB      375                400      350

Toshiba T-3200                  40 MgB      450                600      400

Toshiba T-3200 SX               40 MgB      575                650      500

Toshiba T-4400 SXC             120 MgB     2250               2500     2200

Toshiba T-4400SX               120 MgB     1600               1800     1600

Toshiba T-4400C                200 MgB     2700               2600     2500

Toshiba T-5200                 100 MgB     1100               1200     1100

BoCoEx Index data is compiled by Market Analyst, Gary M. Guhman

Here are some current retail-oriented Seats on the Exchange, presented in a
cyclic basis.

Dallas - Ft. Worth, TX - DFW Computer Exchange - M.B. Lee - 817-244-7833

Escondido, Ca. - Affordable Computer Solutions - Dean Jacobus - 619-738-
4980

New Orleans, Louisiana - Audubon Computer Rental - Mike Barry - 504-522-
0348

Detroit, Michigan - CompuCycle - Walt Hogan - 313-887-2600

Computer Exchange\\NorthWest - Dye Hawley - 206-820-1181

Albuquerque, NM, Western Computer Exchange - David Levin - 505-265-1330

Fresno, California - MacSource Computers - Mike Kurtz - 209-438-6227

BoCoEx Index prices are based on complete systems with keyboard, VGA
monitor and adapter, less the value of any software or peripherals.

Boston Computer Exchange is available at: 617-542-4414, Buyer's HotLine: 1-
800-262-6399, In Alaska and Canada 1-800-437-2470, FAX: [phone].

(BOCOEX/19931012)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00025)

IBM Announces Completion Of Information Warehouse 10/12/93
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 12 OCT 1993 (NB) -- In a sweeping
series of announcements today, IBM's newly formed Software
Solutions has set forth the remaining contents of Information
Warehouse, IBM's extensive framework for storing and delivering
multivendor data across the enterprise.

"This fills out the framework," Thomas M. Aser, vice president for
sales and marketing at Software Solutions, told Newsbytes at an
advance briefing in Boston yesterday. Software Solutions, a $2.5
billion entity established two weeks ago out of a reorganization at
IBM, replaces IBM's previous Programming Systems division.

As Newsbytes reported in July, the upcoming products will include
locator service and copy management tools for bringing information
to end users and an array of new development tools. Also at that
time, Christopher R. Arnold, director of programming systems for
IBM's Enterprise Systems, told Newsbytes that the RS/6000 version
of IBM's DB/2 relational database management system (RDBMS) would
ship in August.

With today's announcements, though, shipment of DB2/6000 has been
formally set for November 12, and full details have been supplied
on the data delivery and development tools that Arnold outlined
to Newsbytes last summer.

IBM's new locator service tools, collectively called DataGuide, are
designed to give non-technical business users an easy way of
finding and accessing information on multivendor platforms
throughout the enterprise.

The new copy management products -- DataRefresher, DataPropagator
NonRelational Version 2, and DataPropagator Relational -- are aimed
at helping users to replicate data, regardless of its location on
the enterprise network, and transform that data into formats they
can use.

IBM's new software development products include two object-oriented
tools, VisualAge and ReDiscovery, plus a 4GL tool code-named
Highpoint.

IBM has also announced some surprises, including a set of strategic
directions for object-oriented development and a series of access
products for IMS, the company's hierarchical mainframe database.
The IMS access products include IMS Client Server for Windows, a
remote presentation tool for the Microsoft Windows environment, and
Micro Focus Remote Option for IMS, providing remote or local access
to workstation and LAN applications.

At yesterday's briefing, Aser stressed that the time IBM has spent
on developing DB2/6000 has been well worth the effort. "We went
into (client-server RDBMS) a little late, so it was important for
us to come out on top. And we are on top," he stated.

The resulting product reflects the strengths in data integrity and
high performance that IBM has built up over two decades of
producing mission critical database applications for Fortune 1000
customers, Aser asserted.

DB2/6000 lets customers produce huge databases of up to 512 GB, and
high capacity tables of up to 2 GB, added J.R. Hamilton, also of
Software Solutions. The RISC version of DB2 also offers better
overall performance than any other commercial RDBMS on transaction
processing, he maintained.

Benchmark tests show DB2/6000 to be number one in transaction
processing applications that do not involve discrete transactions,
and second only to Oracle 7 in applications that do involve
discrete transactions, according to Hamilton. Relatively few
transactions call for discrete transactions, he told Newsbytes.

Hamilton also noted that DB2/6000 is designed to be highly portable
across platforms. Of the half million lines of code in the
program, only 13,000 lines are system specific, he explained.

Also yesterday, Dr. Willy W. Chiu of Software Solutions described
the new DataGuide and copy management tools. DataGuide/2 will run
on OS/2, and DataGuide MVS provides users with information catalog
functions through the facilities of the mainframe-based Common Data
Facility (CDF)/MVS.

The DataGuide products are designed to let users browse through a
catalog to see what information is available in the enterprise, or
search for data sources using descriptive words or phases, using
easy-to-understand nontechnical business terms.

The copy management tools also aim for simplicity, Chiu told
Newsbytes. Unlike competing replication products, which require
users to write code, IBM's new products let users quickly copy data
by pointing and clicking, he said.

DataRefresher is geared to moving large amounts of data from a
broad range of data sources. The two DataPropagator products are
for smaller copy management applications.

IBM's new VisualAge is a suite of object-oriented development tools
designed to let nonadvanced programmers quickly build GUIs and
custom client-server applications by using existing code. The
product encompasses visual programming facilities, multimedia
support, communication support over multiple protocols, and
relational database support, including DB2/2 and remote databases
via IBM's DRDA, Oracle and Sybase.

ReDiscovery, the second new object-oriented development tool, lets
developers create catalogs of reusable software components.
The catalogs will be equipped with search and retrieve
capabilities.

Also today, IBM announced its intentions to produce C++ language in
OS/2 as well as AIX, along with class libraries for key system
functions and object-oriented database technology for underlying
applications development storage.

The company also plans to extend its object-oriented direction
across 3GL languages, add extensions to relational databases to
support objects, and enable shared objects between languages and
across systems (SOM and DSOM).

In addition, IBM introduced enhancements to several existing
Information Warehouse products. A new edition of DataHub, Version
1.2, adds improved database systems management, according to the
company. DataHub is a primary systems manager for copy management,
and also supports IBM's recently announced Flowmark workflow
management product.

A newly announced upgrade to Personal Application System (PAS)/2
decision support tool, Version 3, adds full integration with the
OS/2 Workplace Shell. The newly announced Query Management
Facility (QMF) for VSE/ESA, Version 3.1.1, has been redesigned for
greater ease of use.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19931012/Press contacts: Christine Bock, GCI for
IBM, tel [phone]; Barbara Cerf, IBM, tel [phone]; Carol
Felton, Technology Solutions for IBM, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00026)

British Magazine Claims Security Problems With Netware 4 10/12/93
SWANSEA, WALES, ENGLAND, 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Virus News
International (VNI), which claims to be the world's leading
specialist security magazine, has revealed a potential security
problem with the login procedure with Novell Netware 4, the
enterprise-based version of Novell's network operating system.

In the October issue of the magazine, which has just started
shipping to readers, details of a security breach, discovered by the
Computer Incident Advisory Capability (CIAC), are revealed.
According to VNI's editor, Paul Robinson, the security problem
"could allow compromises to user accounts."

"It's a problem that only affects Netware 4, but, given that this
new version of Netware is cracked out to be highly secure, it comes
as a surprise," Robinson told Newsbytes.

According to the CIAC, in certain situations, the operation of
LOGIN.EXE, the routine that allows users to log into their system,
can be compromised. Novell, meanwhile, has confirmed the problem
and, in a specially prepared statement on the matter, has said that
a patch to the routine has now been issued.

According to Novell, "a user's name and password may be temporarily
swapped to disk when running in a DOS environment with a small
memory configuration."

The patch for Netware 4 can be found on the Netwire, the virtual
(online) network that Novell provides for its resellers and major
customers, as well as in library 14 of the NOVLIB forum on
Compuserve.

Robinson told Newsbytes that Netware 4 users should not be
complacent over the potential problem. "Users need to move quickly
to protect this sensitive hole. The security enhancement of Novell's
latest operating system does not add up to a fig if the user's name
and password are compromised during the login," he said.

VNI has produced an independent special report on Netware 4, which
is available free of charge to subscribers of the magazine. Other
parties may purchase a copy for UKP 14-95.

VNI is a specialist monthly magazine that covers computer viruses,
security and computer crime. The annual subscription to the magazine
is UKP 195, which includes a fax alert to warn of potential security
breaches.

(Steve Gold/19931012/Press & Public Contact: Paul Robinson, VNI -
Tel: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email on The Internet -
[e-mail])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00027)

Rasterops Accuses Radius, Supermac Of Patent Violations 10/12/93
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Rasterops has
publicly made demands that competitors Radius and Supermac stop
alleged patent infringement activities. Both Radius and
Supermac have reacted, expressing surprise that Rasterops
decided to publicize the matter without waiting for a response
from either company and allege Rasterops is simply trying to
hurt their respective businesses.

David Pine, general counsel for Radius, yesterday said: "Radius
was surprised to receive the demand letter from Rasterops late
last week, and was shocked when Rasterops made these
allegations public before receiving Radius' response." Supermac
acknowledges receipt of the letter from Rasterops, but claims
the letter was dated October 6, 1993.

Rasterops said it was granted US Patent 5,229,852 on July 20,
1993 for "Real Time Video Converter Providing Special Effects,"
a technology to convert various types of video input so it can
be displayed as video-in-a-window. RasterOps and its
subsidiary Truevision both use video-in-a-window in their
products. As a result of the patent, Rasterops claims it sent
both Radius and Supermac each a letter demanding the companies
discontinue making, selling, and using Video Vision, which is
Radius' product, and Digitalfilm, a Supermac product.

However, Radius and Supermac have both individually said that,
first, there is more than one way to convert the video signal
to get video-in-a-window and neither of their products use the
technology outlined in the Rasterops patent. Second, the
companies have hinted that Rasterops knows the patent is
unenforceable. David Pine of Radius told Newsbytes that there
is prior work that pre-dates Rasterops' technology in this area
and Supermac says the patent is likely unenforceable in view of
certain representations by Rasterops' patent counsel to the
Patent Office during prosecution of the patent.

In the release issued by Rasterops yesterday, which it called a
demand, the statement most disturbing to Radius and Supermac is
the one made by Paul Smith, Rasterop's president and chief
executive officer. Smith said: "Since patent infringement is a
violation of the law, I would expect that Supermac's and
Radius's distributors, dealers, and customers would be duly
concerned."

Both companies have taken Smith's comment as a direct threat to
their customers. Radius representatives told Newsbytes they've
sent a letter to their distributors concerning Smith's
statements and a letter to Rasterops demanding a retraction of
the statement. Supermac representatives said the company felt
disappointment in the unfounded and blatant threat to Supermac
customers and will look into all legal remedies to prohibit
"unfair competition and trade defamation." Supermac
representatives said their intellectual property counsel,
Limbach and Limbach, were surprised any company would make the
type of statements Rasterops was making.

Pine said: "Our patent counsel have begun review of the patent.
Preliminary indications are that the allegations of
infringement are completely unfounded and without merit. It is
extremely unfortunate that Rasterops not only made these
charges, but also publicized them, without apparently fully
investigating the facts. We are exploring all appropriate
measures to respond to this damaging situation."

Radius and Supermac stated they each are currently
investigating whether Rasterops' recent public statements may
constitute actionable misuse of the Rasterops patent. In
addition, Radius claims it might be able to turn the tables on
Rasterops, as it holds a number of patents and is now
investigating whether or not Rasterops products can be found
infringing.

As far as Newsbytes has been able to determine, Rasterops has
not approached legal channels to pursue this patent
infringement claim. Both Radius and Supermac confirmed that to
their knowledge, Rasterops has not filed a lawsuit based on its
patent claims. Rasterops representatives were unavailable for
comment.

(Linda Rohrbough/19931012/Press Contact: Kent Robertson,
Rasterops, 408-562-4200; Jim Heisch, Supermac Technology, 408-
541-5270; David Pine, Radius, tel [phone], fax 408-954-
1615)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00028)

IBM Microelectronics Has Signal Processing Device 10/12/93
HOPEWELL JUNCTION, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- IBM
Microelectronics has announced technology it calls Mwave, which
can be used to add functions such as audio and voice processing,
data compression, and facsimile to personal computers.

The IBM unit said a key feature of the Mwave product, which is
designed for third-party hardware makers or original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs), is its reliance on software for adding and
enhancing features. For example, the transmission speed of a data
or facsimile modem can be upgraded by downloading software
upgrades from diskettes onto the Mwave software subsystem on a
user's hard drive.

The package consists of signal processing hardware and a variety
of software options for audio processing, data communications,
facsimile, voice messaging, and data compression.

By combining these features with application software, IBM said,
OEMs can create products for purposes such as multimedia,
integrated desktop communications, compressed personal voice
mail, teaching music, and multiuser telegaming.

IBM said the technology is already used in several of its own
products. For example, it is the basis of a stereo audio
subsystem in the Thinkpad 750 notebook computer, launched in
September, said company spokesman Jim Smith. IBM also uses the
technology in its Windsurfer add-in board and in educational
computer systems from its EduQuest unit.

IBM said it is offering customers a number of options, from
adopting IBM Microelectronics reference designs to jointly
developing a product. Because most Mwave products will be unique
to a particular company, officials said, prices for Mwave-based
products vary depending on configuration.

The format of the hardware will vary according to the customer
application in most cases, Smith said. However, IBM
Microelectronics also announced an Mwave-based offering, the
LS4000, which is a standard expansion card.

IBM said it has set up a suite of support services for Mwave
customers, including application engineering, hardware and
software development assistance, consulting services, and a
toll-free information hot line.

(Grant Buckler/19931012/Press Contact: Jim Smith, IBM
Microelectronics, 914-892-5389)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00029)

Intel Net Income Up 143 Percent 10/12/93
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Intel has
already made more money in the first nine months of 1993 that it
did all year in 1992. The company's third quarter results show
revenue is up 57 percent and net income is up a whopping 143
percent.

The world's largest semiconductor manufacturer, Intel continues
to break its own earnings records. The company said revenue for
the quarter was $2.24 billion compared to $1.43 billion the
year previous and net income was $584 million compared to $241
million in the year-ago quarter.

For the nine month period so far in 1993, the company reported
revenue of $6.39 billion, up 60 percent over last year, and net
income of $1.7 billion.

Andy Grove, Intel's president and chief executive officer
attributed the growth to attractive personal computer (PC)
prices. "Our customers in the personal computer industry are
offering users some very powerful systems at very attractive
prices. As a result, personal computer demand has grown and our
unit volumes have notched up steadily."

"For example, we were particularly pleased with shipments of
our Pentium processor this quarter. We are on track to ship
hundreds of thousands in 1993 and millions next year. We expect
to see about 100 Pentium processor-based systems at next
month's fall COMDEX trade show."

The entry level chip is now the 486SX 33 megahertz (MHz) chip
with the 486DX2 in the mid-range and the Pentium at the high
end, the company said.

Intel also pointed out its recent deal with Unisys to put
Pentium chips in parallel processing configurations for large-
scale computing. Not ignoring the up and coming personal
digital assistant (PDA) market, Intel also announced its
"mobile companion" architecture this quarter aimed at advanced
handheld computers.

One of Intel's competitors, Motorola, is also doing well.
Motorola announced it has doubled its third quarter earnings
compared to last year with earnings of $254 million on sales of
$4.4 billion in the quarter, and earnings for the first nine
months of $682 million on sales of $12 billion. Motorola's
product line is broad, but in its semiconductor sales the
company reported a 31 percent increase to $1.51 billion.
Motorola chips are the brains behind the Apple Computer
Macintosh.

While some industry analysts are saying the demand for personal
computers may slack off in the coming months, others say the
holiday season coupled with the businesses trend to make last
minute end-of-the-year purchase of tax deductible equipment may
keep sales high.

(Linda Rohrbough/19931012/Press Contact: Intel, Pam Pollace,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00030)

 ****Time Warner/HP Team Up On Interactive Home Printing 10/12/93
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- Hewlett-
Packard (HP) is teaming up with Time Warner to offer printing
services to subscribers of Time Warner's Full Service
Interactive television network now under development in
Orlando, Florida. The goal is to allow users to print
information, hopefully in color, pertaining to activities or
information they see on the network, the companies said.

The technology that makes this possible is also in a new
product for video professionals announced for December
availability called HP Vidjet Pro. HP representatives describe
Vidjet Pro a video cassette recorder (VCR)-sized box that
enables users to capture, organize, analyze, and archive video
information from any source on paper. The Vidjet Pro product is
$3,500 and is aimed at professional video studio technicians.

Obviously, allowing interactive cable television subscribers
access to printed images means each home will have to have a
printer. HP believes the printer will be one of its color
printer line, such as the 500C, but no firm details of the
arrangement have been made. The Orlando site where Time Warner
plans to have the Full Service Network up and running in 4,000
homes by April of 1994 is where the first printers will
probably go, compliments of Time Warner, HP representatives
said.

As to whether or not subscribers will need a VCR-sized box to
house the Vidjet technology, HP representatives said probably
not, but the project is still in its infancy and no firm
decisions have been made yet.

One thing is certain, both Time Warner and HP are convinced
users want to be able to print information out and they want
color. Geoffrey Holmes, Time Warner Entertainment senior vice
president of technology, said a typical scenario for a user
interested in buying a car might have a remote-control device,
could to switch to the Shopping Mall section of the Full
Service Network, and could choose a local auto dealer. A menu
could enable subscribers to shop for the car based on specific
priorities, such as model or price. The network would then
display several options from which subscribers would make
their final selection.

With the remote-control device, Holmes envisions subscribers
using the home media printer to print out a full brochure.
Subscribers then could use the network to set up a test drive,
and the dealer would be alerted to come by the subscriber's
home at a convenient time with the exact model of car to try
out.

James Olson, general manager of HP's Video Communications
Division said: "Subscribers will be able to capture the vast
sources of information available to them on the Full Service
Network, and HP will be able to expand its professional video
communications and printing technology into the emerging
consumer video and multimedia markets. We think this will
dramatically change the way people communicate with video."

(Linda Rohrbough/19931012/Press Contact: Andrew Ould, Hewlett-
Packard, tel [phone], fax [phone] Atten John Mink)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00031)

OURS To Unveil Interoperability Findings Today In Boston 10/12/93
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 OCT 12 (NB) -- OURS (Open User
Recommended Solutions) will release its latest task force findings
on software licensing, data security, multivendor education, and
other computer interoperability issues at a presentation in Boston
today for members, guests and the press.

The nonprofit cooperative of corporate users, vendors and service
providers will also announce the formation of a new Network
Management Task Force, aimed at creating a common framework for
multivendor automation strategies in network management, groupware
administration, and internal client/server applications.

Hosted by DEC and Lotus, the event is being held as part of the
two-day OURS Fall Conference.  Now celebrating its second
anniversary, OURS is chaired by Elaine Bond, Chase
fellow/consultant and former CIO for the Chase Manhattan Bank.

As previously reported in Newsbytes, in a press conference at
NetWorld Boston in January, Bond unveiled the working draft of a
proposal by the OURS Software Licensing Task Force.  The proposal
called for a new industry pricing structure that is more in line
with the needs of today's users.

OURS members include American Airlines, American Express, Boston
University, Brigham Young University, BSG, Central Point Software,
Chase Manhattan Bank, Church of Latter Day Saints, Citibank, CMP
Publishing, Compaq, Dallas Semiconductor, Datamedia, Data
Securities International, DEC, EDS, and Enfron/Transwestern
Pipeline.

Additional OURS members are IBM, ICL, Intel, KnowledgeWare, Legent,
Lotus, MIT, Mead Data Central, Mergent, Mexico Ministry of Trade,
Microsoft, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Motorola, Novell, Nynex,
Oracle, Pacific Gas & Electric, Software AG, Standard Microsystems,
Tandem, Texaco, Union Camp, US West, Vitek Systems Distribution,
Washington National Insurance, and Ziff-Davis Publishing.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19931012/Press and public contact:  Open User
Recommended Solutions, tel [phone])