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/NB930427

Text File | 1993-04-27 | 61KB | 1,350 lines

(NEWS)(UNIX)(SFO)(00001)

FDDI LAN Solaris Drivers 04/27/93
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Network
Peripherals has announced shipment of new FDDI (fiber
distributed data interface) driver software for its line of
SBus adapters to support SunSoft's increasingly popular
Unix-based Solaris 2.x operating system.

The new software comes with Network Peripherals' driver
software for SunOS.

According to the company, its SBus adapter line supports
the Sun Microsystems multiprocessor SPARCcenter 2000 along
all other single- and multi-processor systems running Solaris
release 2.1 or 2.2.

In announcing the drivers, Gordon Stitt, vice president of
marketing for Network Peripherals, said: "We recognize that
the best way to serve our customers with high-performance
computing applications is to support all the computing
options available to them with FDDI client-server networks,
and to provide a smooth migration path across platforms.
By supporting both the Solaris and SunOS operating systems
in the same SBus package, we're easing our customers'
system administration functions when they choose to
upgrade to Solaris. As Solaris upgrades are planned, the FDDI
network piece of the solution will already be resolved."

Pricing of the adapters remains at $1,995 for a single-attach
adapter and $2,995 for a dual-attach adapter.

(Ian Stokell/19930426/Press Contact: Mitch Strobin,
408-321-7307, Network Peripherals Inc.)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(SFO)(00002)

HP 9000's RISC System To Support Banyan Vines 04/27/93
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) --
Hewlett-Packard and Banyan Systems claim that the HP 9000
Series 800 will be the first RISC-based computer system to
support the Banyan Vines network operating system.

An agreement between the two companies also calls for
collaborative sales and distribution, as well as technical
support.

The companies claim that they will initially port Banyan
Vines to the Series 800 business servers in order to allow
customers to integrate Unix system-based PA-RISC servers
into their Banyan Vines NOS environments.

Banyan has also been designated an HP Premier Solutions
Partner, and will therefore receive HP support and
cooperation for joint marketing of future products.

In announcing the deal, James D'Arezzo, vice president of
marketing for Banyan Systems, said: "This is great news for
customers looking for enterprise servers that can integrate
smoothly into their Banyan Vines network and, in addition,
run their desired commercial Unix applications."

Banyan Vines for the HP 9000 Series 800 system is set for
availability by the end of 1993.

(Ian Stokell/19930426/Press Contact: Kelly Emo,
408-447-5334, Hewlett Packard Co.)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00003)

HP Offers Multimedia To Workgroup Users 04/27/93
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Hewlett-
Packard (HP) says it is offering users shared access to
multimedia on a network with Mpower, its multimedia workgroup
communications software.

Available for the Apollo 9000 Series 700 workstations and the
HP 700/RX X stations, HP says Mpower offers point-and-click
access to multimedia types such as audio, image, graphics,
video, and text. The company says the product integrates
multimedia capabilities into the HP Visual User Environment
(VUE). Mpower users also have access to multimedia mail,
faxing, printing, image scanning and are offered the ability to
share applications and edit images across the network, HP
added.

While the list price of the software is $495, HP says it will
offer Mpower at a $99 introductory price until September 30,
1993. A $1,495 price has been set for the server software and
depending on the client-server configuration, one server can
support from 10 to 30 clients, HP added.

A version of Mpower for the HP 9000 Series 800 family of
business servers will be available in the third quarter of
1993, company officials said.

HP is the third-largest computer supplier in the United States,
and reported computer revenue in excess of $12 billion in its
1992 fiscal year. The company has been offering reduced
instruction set computing (RISC)-based workstation computers
with its own proprietary PA-RISC architecture since 1986.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930426/Press Contact: Jim Barbagallo,
Hewlett-Packard, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00004)

Microsoft Redesigns Mouse 04/27/93
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Microsoft has
unveiled a newly designed computer mouse that it says is
equally comfortable for both right and left-handed users.

After two years and $10 million in research and development costs,
what Microsoft is introducing is a reshaped mouse that has an
indentation or curve on the right hand that gives it a shape
resembling the letter "J."

"It's a rest for your thumb if you are a right-handed user.
For the left hand user it's a guide for your little and ring
finger," a Microsoft spokesperson told Newsbytes. "It's a lot
curvier than the original Microsoft mouse," the spokesperson
told Newsbytes. The new mouse is about an inch longer
than the older model, and is specially weighted and shaped to make
the screen pointer more accurate, and has a more flexible cable to
reduce accidental cursor movement. In its belly is a new
opto-mechanical encoder to help the little creature more accurately
gauge its location. The rise at the top of the two-button mouse is
also higher, in order to provide more support for the user's palm.

The button functions are reversible to accommodate right and
left-handed users, and the buttons are larger. "They can be activated
from anywhere on the button," the spokesperson said.

Microsoft says that while the new mouse includes some technological
improvements, as much if not more emphasis has been put on its
design. "It's surprising how much more sophisticated people are now
about ergonomics," Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said in the press
release.

The new mouse will have a suggested list price of $109 for the
stand-alone serial/PS2 model, and the bus model will sell for $125 at
SRP. That will probably put street prices in the $69 to $89 range.
The company is also offering a combo pack that combines the
serial-PS/2 model with Microsoft Windows software for $225 SRP. A
five-mouse pack, without Windows, is available for $499. Microsoft
says it expects it will sell 750,000 of the new devices in the first
30 days.

According to Microsoft, it and California-based Logitech have about
85 percent of the mouse market. The pointing device first appeared
with Apple Computer's Macintosh. Logitech says it will introduce a
new version of its MouseMan Cordless, which uses radio signals
instead of a cable to send movement commands to the screen cursor.

The mouse, its cousin the Ballpoint Mouse, and a sound card are the
only hardware products currently marketed by Microsoft, but together
they reportedly accounted for $254 million of Microsoft's $2.8
billion in sales. Logitech says pointing device sales account for
about half of its $250 million in sales.

(Jim Mallory/19930426/Press contact: Microsoft Corporation,
206-882-8080, Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation, 800-426-9400 or
206-882-8080)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00005)

Wordperfect Outsources Michigan Support Center 04/27/93
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Wordperfect Corporation
says it has contracted with National TechTeam Inc., to establish a
customer service center in Dearborn, Michigan.

Wordperfect customer service Vice President Kim Cooper says the
TechTeam deal will extend the company's service capability. "We
awarded TechTeam the contract because we are convinced they can
duplicate our service operation and increase our responsiveness to
customers calling our toll-free lines," says Cooper.

The company says the agreement calls for National TechTeam to
replicate the environment, training, tools, and telecommunications
used by Wordperfect at its headquarters in Orem, Utah. The new
facility will be transparent to callers, but beginning on June 1 a
portion of the support calls received for Wordperfect 4.2, 5.0, and
5.1 will be routed to TechTeam technicians.

William Coyro Jr., National TechTeam chairman, says his company has
been approached by other software vendors, but "we wanted to be
associated with Wordperfect because of its outstanding reputation in
customer services and its potential for growth." Coyro's remarks are
apparently based on a December 1992 survey published by
California-based market research firm Computer Intelligence. That
survey reported that 66 percent of almost 1,200 businesses surveyed
that plan to buy word processing software before the end of this year
say they will buy Wordperfect. A similar survey published by
trade publication Computerworld showed that 71 percent of businesses
surveyed which plan to acquire a word processor would buy
Wordperfect.

(Jim Mallory/19930426/Press contact: Linda Linfield, Wordperfect
Corporation, 801-228-5039, William Coyro Jr, National TechTeam,
313-277-2277; Reader contact: Wordperfect Corporation, 801-225-5000,
fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00006)

Asynchronous Transfer Mode Catching On 04/27/93
IRVING, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- In the wake of the
telephone industry's Supercomm trade show, telephone companies
are continuing moves to put fast data services under emerging
Asynchronous Transfer Mode, or ATM standards into their networks.

GTE Telephone Operations announced two trials of ATM services in
the Dallas/Forth Worth area. Beginning in May, the company will
begin evaluating NEC America's NEAX 61E ATM systems at a
laboratory in Lewisville and a central office in Coppell,
offering frame relay, Switched Multimegabit Data Services and
ATM data streams together. Early next year it will begin a trial
of AT&T's GCNS-2000 ATM Switch. GTE explained that ATM allows
all types of information, from slow data and voice to interactive
video, to be transmitted in fixed length packets, or cells, of 53
bytes each. Packets are combined into digital data streams as
fast as 2.4 billion bits per second.

Separately, GTE announced a contract to market InterVoice's
RobotOperator voice response system to its large business customers.

Also in the ATM arena, Tellabs Operations signed a cooperation
agreement with TRW's High Performance Network Products unit. The
two companies will pursue development of integrated hardware
based on ATM standards and the sale of that hardware to local
phone companies. The two companies will consider various methods
of coupling TRW's Broadband Access Switch 2010C ATM switch with
Tellabs' SONET-based TITAN 5500 digital cross-connect system. The
idea is that local phone companies will be able to move, in
increments, toward a system combining their fiber cables under
SONET with ATM switching systems, without having to spend a lot
of money buying new switches. The two companies are also
considering an agreement under which Tellabs would market and
manufacture TRW's BAS 2010C ATM switching product.

Finally, Newbridge Networks said it will supply networking
products for Southwestern Bell's Transport Resource Management,
or TRM, designed to give large businesses the capability to
monitor, reroute, and integrate their voice and data networks.
The TRM service will be based on Newbridge' MainStreet bandwidth
line and workstations, which will be installed in Southwestern
Bell switching offices.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930426/Press Contact: Jim Marshall, Newbridge
Networks Corporation, 613-591-3600; TRW, A. Brooks McKinney,
310/813-9389; Tellabs Operations, Tom Scottino, 708/512-7504;
fax, 708/852-7346; Dorothy Botnick, InterVoice, 214-497-8771;
GTE, Barbara L. Walker, 214/718-6917)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEL)(00007)

United Nations Gives India Money For Telecom 04/27/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- The United Nations
Development Program (UNDP) will provide grant assistance of
$695,000 (around Rs 2.085 crore) over a period of three years
to boost quality assurance expertise in telecommunication
materials, products, and components in India. An agreement to this
effect was signed by the Department of Economic Affairs, the
Department of Telecommunications and the UNDP in New Delhi recently,
according to a UNDP press release.

The UNDP assistance will fund the services of experts in the fields of
optical fiber, material technology, new device and component
technology, subscriber premises equipment, digital transmission, ISDN
elements, and software required for evaluation of quality assurance in
telecom technologies. The assistance will also fund training abroad of
the staff of the Telecom Quality Circle of DOT. The project will
assist DOT in building quality assurance expertise in the Telecom
Components Approval Centre (CACT), Bangalore, an in-house lab
to approve the quality of products of prospective suppliers of
equipment and components to DOT. Under the project, laboratories of
CACT will be equipped with modern testing facilities.

The telecom sector in India is experiencing structural and
technological changes. The entry of the private sector as a supplier
of equipment, introduction of many new technologies, and provision of
value-added services like cellular phones, videotext, and voice mail,
have resulted in an urgent need to introduce stringent quality
standards and assurance to provide satisfactory service to customers.

CACT is, at present, not fully equipped to test modern equipment being
introduced in the sector or to cope with the demand for suppliers.

It is expected that at the end of the UNDP-assisted project, CACT will
have laboratories equipped with testing facilities for evaluation and
reliability studies of optical fiber cables and components; material
testing and analysis for semiconductors and other new technology
devices; advanced component evaluation, measurements and failure
analysis of SMDs, HMCs, BLSIs and PCBs producing different
technologies; and evaluation and quality assurance of subscriber
premises equipment.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930422)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEL)(00008)

Mauritius Expands Telecom Services 04/27/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- The Mauritian government
has awarded Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd. (TCIL)
a Rs 40-crore ($13 million) repeat order for the execution of
an external telecom plant network in four of its cities.

The assignment follows close on the heels of the Rs 28 crore ($9
million) pilot project for ten cities that TCIL will be completing
later this month. The public sector company won the onus of doing the
civil engineering work (laying cables, ducting, routing and joining)
to link subscribers to the telecom exchanges against stiff
competition from European stalwarts like Ericsson of Sweden and Cable
De Lyon, France.

TCIL, that has raked in a Rs 15-crore ($5 million) profit for 1992-93
(turnover estimated at Rs 200 crore, or $65 million), gets 70 percent
of its business through contracts abroad in areas such as
Saudi Arabia, Oman, and various other Far East and African
countries.

"TCIL's high points are its quality services offered at
internationally competitive rates and rendered well within the
stipulated time," claims its group general manager, S.K. Bansal.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930422)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEL)(00009)

Robot In Competition 04/27/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- An electro-mechanical
robot developed by a tenth class student in Lucknow, India,
is taking part in the International Robot Olympics that
opened in Canada last week. The robot, designed and fabricated by
Mohammed Tahseen Ahmed of the City Montessori School, Lucknow, can
walk forward and backward, rotate, count files, and has moving arms
that can carry objects.

Canada's Ontario Science Centre invited Ahmed and his robot to
participate in the second beam robot Olympics and micromouse
competition that began on April 22. In the show, robots will run
races, climb ropes, and perform high jumps, among other feats.

Ahmed's robot is the second from this school to be invited to an
international robot competition. In 1990, a robot built by Ashish
Panwar from the same school won a bronze medal at the robot Olympiad
held at Glasgow University.

The electromechanical robot of Ahmed has a body made of plastic and
wood and works on 220 volts power supply. Inside, there is a network
of transistors, resistors and electromagnetic motors.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930422)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00010)

IBM Japan's Upgraded Japanese PCs 04/27/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- IBM Japan has announced three
new Japanese personal computers including one devoted to multimedia.
IBM is also planning to release a powerful color LCD-based
PC in the near future.

IBM Japan's latest Japanese language personal computers are
in the firm's PS/55 family, which is based on the PS/2. These
new PCs include the PS/55 Model 5530VX, the V2, the 5550N, the
5550Y and the Ultimedia DV-M57-486SLC2.

The Model 5530VX is equipped with a 32-bit processor -- the
40-megahertz 486SLC2. IBM Japan claims this PC can process
data 4 times faster than that of its predecessor. It has a
1,024 x 768-pixel-based XGA-2 adaptor, which supports DOS/V and
Windows. It also has a Japanese language display adaptor and
supports Japanese DOS application programs.

The 5550N is an entry server equipped with a powerful
66-megahertz 486DX3 processor. It has a super-fast bus data
transmission speed thanks to a feature called Micro Channel
Streaming Data Transmission.

The other model is the multimedia computer -- an upgraded
version of the PS/55 Ultimedia DV.

The prices of these new PCs vary between 481,000 yen ($4,370) and
1,026,000 yen ($9,300) depending on features. The release of
these new PCs also triggered a corresponding lowering of prices
on current models.

IBM Japan is also planning to release a personal computer
equipped with a 12-inch color LCD capable of displaying
1,024 x 768 pixels, and which will be able to run OS/2.
It has a 486 processor, a maximum 32-megabyte memory, and
a maximum 320-megabyte hard disk. It could be a notebook-type
PC. IBM Japan says it will be released next year.

In other news, IBM Japan extended the guarantee period for
its PCs from the current 1 year to 3 years. Apparently,
it is following similar moves by Compaq and Acer Japan. These two
firms are now offering 3 years of free service on
their hardware.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930426/Press Contact: IBM Japan, +81-
3-5563-4297, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00011)

NEC PC-VAN Links With Korea's Major PC Network 04/27/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Major personal computer-
based telecom network PC-VAN and a similar network in Korea
have linked up to provide Japanese users with a source of
Korea's latest news and information, and vice versa.

NEC's PC-VAN has interconnected with Korea's Chollian network,
which has about 80,000 registered users. The network is
operated by DACO. Chollian offers news, databases, games and
electronic mail. PC-VAN users will be able to access
Chollian with the use of proprietary telecom software which
supports the Korean language. This software is called "Welcome
JK" and costs 58,000 yen ($530). It is distributed by Kodensha.
Access fees for Chollian are 40 yen (36 cents) per minute.

PC-VAN has been interconnecting with its rivals fast and furious. It
recently hooked up with Fujitsu's Nifty-Serve for the
exchange of electronic mail. PC-VAN has also connected with
Japan Airlines' JAL Network.

PC-VAN currently has 500,000 registered users and is the largest
personal computer-based telecommunication network in Japan.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930426/Press Contact: NEC, PC-VAN,
[phone], Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TYO)(00012)

More PCs For Japanese Public Schools 04/27/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- The Japanese Ministry of
Education, in an effort to beef up not only computer education
but the country's economy, is planning to install more personal
computers at public schools including elementary schools and
high schools.

According to a recent Ministry report, a five-year installment
plan will speed up to involve the installation of all the
computers next year. The original plan also called for the
installation of only 3 new PCs at each elementary school,
22 units at each junior high school, and 23 units at each
senior high school. However, the latest revision
calls for 22 units per elementary school, and 42 units at junior
and senior high schools respectively.

These figures are encouraging personal computer makers. According
to a computer industry source, an additional 335,000 units will be
needed for public schools due to the new Ministry plan.
This translates to an expenditure of 200 billion yen ($1.8
billion). Japan also has stated that its public schools are
behind in personal computer education compared with schools in the
US and Europe.

Under the revised plan, Japanese personal computer makers as well
as foreign personal computer makers can received contracts to
supply the computers to schools. Many schools use NEC's PC-9801, but
Fujitsu's FM-Towns, and Apple's Macintosh are also becoming popular.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930426)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00013)

Acer Links With Mitsui Bussan 04/27/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Taiwan-based major personal
computer maker Acer has signed an exclusive sales agreement with
Japan's major conglomerate Mitsui Bussan which calls for
Mitsui Bussan to sell Acer's products in Japan.

The agreement between Mitsui Bussan and Acer covers a variety of
Acer's electronics products including IBM-compatible
personal computers, semiconductor products, and PC
peripherals.

To start, Mitsui Bussan will market semiconductor products such
as I/O (input/output) controllers and pictorial data processor
chips. These products were developed by Acer Laboratories, a
subsidiary of Acer. The products will be imported to Japan, and
will be sold through ASCII-Mitsui Bussan Semiconductor,
a joint venture of ASCII and Mitsui Bussan.

Acer Laboratories' I/O processor chips and the pictorial data
processor are expected to sell well in Japan due to the popularity
of multimedia personal computers.

Acer is already selling personal computers in Japan, and is
aiming to achieve a 10 percent share of the worldwide market
in the near future. Mitsui Bussan has a large sales network
throughout Japan which should help Acer's plan.

Acer Japan is also doing well selling IBM-compatible
personal computers. Although it is involved in the personal
computers "price war" in Japan, it recently decided to
compete by providing a three-year personal computer warranty
to buyers of its personal computers.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930426/Press Contact: Mitsui Bussan,
 [phone], Fax, [phone], Acer Japan, +81-3-3463-
3222)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(MOW)(00014)

Russia To Certify Imported Hardware 04/27/93
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Speaking at the Comtek
'93 show in Moscow, the head of the Main Directorate of the State
Standard Committee (Gosstandard) of Russia, Vyacheslav Gubenko,
described the new plan authorities have to certify electronic
and electrical devices which are sold in Russia.

These changes have come about mainly due to the Law on
Protection of the Customer's Rights, which went into effect
this year. All electrical and electronic equipment is divided
now into 22 categories which were set by Gosstandard
together with the Customs Committee.

According to new rules, all devices which involve
electromagnetic radiation, emissions, or can be otherwise
hazardous, must be certified or they will not pass customs
control. This measure applies to the equipment which is
imported in all contracts signed after January 1, 1993. For all
contracts signed before this date, new restrictions will
take an effect July 1, 1993.

The certifying procedure costs about US$50-70, said Gubenko.
Strangely enough, medical appliances are not be included on
the list of equipment which must be certified. Also all
computers that feature technical characteristics above
typical (that is, more powerful than 80386-based PCs) do not
fall under the certification requirements and may be
imported freely.

Gosstandard understands that there is a lot of confusion and
disorder with the certificates right now but it hopes to
straighten things out by the end of the year. According to
Gubenko, in 1994 the certification will be total and
comprehensive.

(Eugene Peskin & Kirill Tchashchin/19930426/Press Contact: Gosstandard,
Vyacheslav Gubenko, [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00015)

DEC Launches Windows NT Developers' Program 04/27/93
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- With the
arrival of Microsoft's much-awaited Windows NT operating
system drawing nearer, Digital Equipment has formally
unveiled its Windows NT Software Developers' Program.

The program is aimed at both commercial software developers and
user organizations that are doing serious in-house development,
said Bob Schneider of DEC's Windows NT marketing group. "We'll
want to become involved with all the major developers --
independent software developers -- in the Windows area," he
added.

Digital's Alpha AXP architecture, the basis for the company's
next generation of minicomputers, workstations, and personal
computers, is to run NT as well as the OSF 1 version of Unix and
DEC's own Open VMS operating system.

Software developers that take part in the program will get access
to DEC's 33 Alpha AXP technical centers around the world, which
will help them port their applications to the Alpha platform.
They will also have the chance to join in intensive two-week
sessions called Port-a-thons, aimed at giving developers access
to specially equipped laboratories and Digital engineers so they
can convert their products quickly.

Support services and access to technical information, and a
training curriculum, are also included in the program. DEC will
be offering participants the chance to buy a specially configured
Alpha PC for development purposes, officials added.

Participants will be eligible for joint marketing programs and
special promotions.

(Grant Buckler/19930427/Press Contact: Bob Schneider, Digital,
603-884-1197; Public Contact: DEC Windows NT Developers' Program,
800-332-4403)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00016)

Print Servers For Novell, Unix 04/27/93
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1993 APR 27 (NB) --
Microplex Systems Ltd. is about to launch what it said are the
first completely open print servers for networks supporting
IPX/SPX and TCP/IP protocols.

Due to debut at a Dallas trade show in early May, Version 4.0 of
Microplex's M200 and M201 print servers now work on networks
running any version of Novell's NetWare local-area network
operating system without adding a TCP/IP protocol stack, said
Steve Balaban of Microplex. The new servers also support Simple
Network Management Protocol II (SNMP II) or Simple Management
Protocol (SMP) for network management, according to the vendor.

According to Microplex, either print server replaces a dedicated
PC personal computer, workstation, Novell server, or host port
to support printers on a network. Each server has a parallel port
with throughput of better than 100,000 characters per second,
plus two 38,000-bit-per-second serial ports. Neither server
requires any software on the host, Microplex said, so the servers
can be located anywhere on the network.

The M200 server handles thick- and thin-wire Ethernet
connections, while the M201 can attach to thick-wire or
unshielded twisted-pair Ethernet.

The company said it has also simplified the servers' installation
procedure with a menu that walks customers through the setup for
90 percent of the network situations they will encounter. Source
code is included for systems integrators who need to customize
the servers.

The servers are due to ship in the first week of July at US$995.

Microplex sells its products in North America, Europe, and Asia,
Balaban said, with about half its volume in North America and a
large percentage in Europe.

(Grant Buckler/19930427/Press Contact: Steve Balaban, Microplex
Systems, 800-665-7798, fax [phone]; Public Contact:
Microplex, 800-665-7798)


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

AppleLink Ready For Commercial Release 04/27/93
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- As part of
its effort to make AppleLink a commercial service along the
lines of Prodigy, CompuServe, America OnLine and GEnie, Apple
announced new enhancements. Apple said it now has 54,000
subscribers.

Among the new information providers are Reuters, RR Donnelley
GeoSystems, Dow Jones, Ziff Desktop Information, USA Today,
Grolier Electronic Publishing and Tribune Media Services. Apple
itself is adding a new "mobile computing" area. AppleLink is
operated by the company's Personal Interactive Electronics
division, the same group which is behind the coming Newton
Personal Digital Assistant. Along with the expansion, Apple
announced the services will be included with future Macintosh
Powerbooks, Newtons and other products, as they're released.

ZiffNet spokesman Pamela Cay said that a version of that service
is part of the package. ZiffNet Selections for AppleLink, a
subset of ZiffNet/Mac, is a read-only service offered the Friday
before its magazines are published, along with product reviews,
articles and award listings, buying advice, and downloadable
software. Sources of the information include the company's
MacWEEK, MacUser and PC Week magazines. Newsbytes, which is part
of ZiffNet on CompuServe, is not part of this announcement, Cay
said. Newsbytes, however, has been and continues to be
available on AppleLink separately in its news section.

Potential subscribers to Applelink can sign up by calling
408-974-3309.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930427/Press Contact: Pam Cay, ZiffNet, 617-
252-5211; Frank O'Mahony, Apple Computer, 408-974-5420)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00018)

McCaw Sets Wireless Plans 04/27/93
KIRKLAND, WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- McCaw
Cellular Communications formally created a Wireless Data Division
which will create a wireless packet network for the company's
customers.

McCaw, which does business as Cellular One and is partly owned by
AT&T, will use the Cellular Digital Packet Data, or CDPD plan
pioneered by IBM and a consortium of regional Bell-owned wireless
companies, along with McCaw. The new division will also
concentrate on the development of new technologies based on that
network for wide-area networking.

CDPD offers speeds of 19,200 bits/second by sending data through
unused cellular calling channels. When first announced a year
ago, estimates were it would add five percent to the capital
costs of a typical calling cell or system. McCaw operates in over
105 markets, and will roll-out the product starting in Las Vegas
this August. Plans are to have the system completely built by
the second quarter of 1994.

McCaw said that the CDPD radio transceivers, called Mobile Data
Base Stations, will be supplied by Steinbrecher Inc., Pacific
Communications Sciences Inc., and Cellular Data Inc. The last
company has pioneered its own packet cellular network, running at
2,400 bits/second on the tiny frequency bands between calling
channels, and it has said its packet system is compatible with
CDPD, so operators can offer both if they want.

McCaw said Retix, a maker of routers, will supply the packet
routing and control functions, while inter-network passing of
messages under X.400 and emerging X.500 standards will also be
supplied by Retix, running on Tandem computers.

Inet will supply accounting, authentication, and control
software, while administrative systems will be based on Microsoft's
Windows NT running on servers from Sequent Computer Systems.
Backbone frame relay and asynchronous transfer mode switches
will be supplied by Cascade Communications Corp. AT&T Network
Wireless Systems will work on creating the total system.

McCaw claims that, based on market research, the wireless office
market could reach $2.9 billion by 1997, with cellular companies
realizing close to one-third of their revenue from data calls.
Booz, Allen and Hamilton has estimated there are over 33 million
mobile workers in the US, 13 million of which will need this
kind of service by the year 2000.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930427/Press Contact: McCaw Cellular
Communications, Todd Wolfenbarger, 206/828-1851)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00019)

Equifax Sets Outsourcing Deal with IBM Unit 04/27/93
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Equifax, one of
the major suppliers of US credit reports, signed a deal with
Integrated Systems Solutions Corp., a unit of IBM, to manage its
major computer operations around its Georgia headquarters.

Included in the deal are maintenance, operation, and support
functions for its Alpharetta data processing center, its Midtown
Atlanta headquarters and its operator center in Marietta. Only
hardware and operating systems are covered by the 10-year, $650
million agreement, said Equifax spokesman David Mooney.

Applications are still owned, managed, and maintained by Equifax.
So is the data. Equifax, like its competitors TRW and Trans-
Union, maintains reports on most Americans, which are used by
banks and others in granting or restricting credit.

Included in the deal are data center management; network and LAN
management, operation, maintenance and support through the
Advantis networking company, business recovery services and
improved technology for the Equifax data center. Chairman C.B.
Rogers said in a press statement that Equifax made the move after
successfully working with IBM at its United Kingdom operations.
Advantis, unlike ISSC, is a joint venture between IBM and Sears.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930427/Press Contact: Equifax David Mooney,
404/885-8117)


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

America Online Sets Deal with Sprint 04/27/93
VIENNA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- America Online,
which just went over the 250,000-member mark, set a deal with
Sprint to keep calling costs low for its members.

As part of the deal, Sprint becomes a "strategic partner" of
America Online, with warrants to buy 450,000 shares at $31.25
each. The Tribune Company, which operates a special version of
America Online called Chicago Online and is working on similar
deals with its other papers, owns about 10 percent of the
company, while Apple Computer has warrants for 500,000 shares.
The company currently has about 5.8 million shares outstanding.

The investor causing the most interest, however, is former
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, now head of Asymetrix. In the
last few weeks, he has been sending a steady stream of filings to
the Securities and Exchange Commission, as he has increased his
share of the company's common. One news service report had his
holdings up to 25.2 percent of America Online common, which would
trigger a "shareholder rights" plan announced just last week, but
AOL spokesman Jean Villanueva said that report was incorrect.

"There has been communication between us and him," she said.
Allen has no desire to buy-out the company and has bought the
stake strictly as an investment, she said. Even if that is the
case, however, Allen's holdings would play a key part in allowing
or preventing a takeover on the part of the company's other major
equity investors, or any other companies which might be
interested.

While AOL will still offer access via Tymnet, the SprintNet
access will cost less under its deal with Sprint, and the two
companies will do some joint marketing. SprintNet carries the
vast majority of AOL traffic, Villnueva said.

AOL has been under pressure to reduce costs in the wake
of its announcement that users can now get 5 hours of time on
it, per month, for under $10. That is expected to lure many
people to AOL from Prodigy, which announced that it will have
to add time-surcharges to some of its more popular services, on
top of regular charges of $14.95 per month.

Adding to the pressure on Prodigy is the fact that AOL is making
a money while Prodigy is not, even at its higher price. America
OnLine announced it earned $1.1 million for the quarter ending in
March, with revenues rising 50 percent to $10.5 million from the
same level a year ago. Sign-ups to the service are available at
800-827-6364, and Newsbytes is among the regular offerings of
the service.

Also, America Online announced some major executive appointments,
giving President Steve Case the additional title of chief
executive officer. He succeeds chairman James Kimsey in the post.
Villanueva, whose new title is vice president of corporate
communications, said the Case promotion had been in the works for
some time, and was voted on at the company's regular board
meeting. "There's been a lot of activity in the company the last
month. Earlier this month we passed 250,000 subscribers. Steve
has directly contributed to those successes, and we felt the time
was right."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930427/Press Contact: Jean Villanueva,
America Online, 703-448-8700)


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

Honeywell Delivers Phone Service To Corporate Jets 04/27/93
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Any airplane can
now have telephone service thanks to a satellite system called
Satcom developed by a joint venture of Honeywell and Racal
Avionics.

The Satcom system uses the Inmarsat network of satellites, which
were created for marine calls. Calls from the ground go to an
earth station and on to an Inmarsat satellite over the region
where the aircraft is located. While Inmarsat handles the air
portion of all calls, planes can use any Earth station they want
for billing.

The system consists of two calling channels for the cabin or
cockpit of the plane plus a single packet-mode channel for data.
The two companies said they plan to upgrade the system for
handling faxes and PC modem data, and add Automatic Dependence
Surveillance, a system which includes automated position
reporting to aircraft control personnel, as well as increased
weather and flight planning capabilities.

Without a satellite calling system, executive jets have had their
broadcasts limited to specific areas, and were unable to receive
ground-to-air calls or transmit calls over the ocean. Existing
hardware also uses VHF frequencies which can generate static, and
lack security measures against others' listening-in. The Satcom
system uses Inmarsat digital frequencies.

Scheduled airliners have had calling facilities for years,
provided by companies like GTE Airfone, Inflight Phone, and
Clearcom. This is the first such system designed for corporate
jets and other business aircraft, or general aviation.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930427/Press Contact: Kevin Whalen,
Honeywell, 612-951-0070)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00022)

Ramtron's FRAM Goes To Japan 04/27/93
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Ramtron
International Corporation announced this week that it has signed a
multi-phase alliance with a Japanese firm to manufacture and market
current and future FRAM (ferroelectric random access memory)
products in Japan.

FRAM chips are already in use in a number of applications that
require information be retained in memory, such as cellular phones,
and have potential as personal computer memory as higher-capacity
chips are developed. Unlike present PC memory chips, information
stored in a FRAM chip is not lost when the power is turned off.

Under terms of the agreement the Japanese partner, ROHM Company
Limited, based in Kyoto Japan, will supply CMOS underlayers to
Ramtron for use in manufacturing current FRAM products, with ROHM
distributing FRAM products in Japan under both Ramtron and ROHM
labels. The two companies will also work together on development of
new FRAM-based products such as microcontrollers and custom
products.

The second phase of the agreement calls for joint manufacturing
arrangements and development of advanced FRAM products such as
application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and application
specific standard products. Says ROHM Director Jurich Hildta,
"Ramtron's advanced FRAM products are superior to conventional
nonvolatile memories because of higher endurance, low voltage, low
current operations, and high read/write speed."

Ramtron International manufactures and markets semiconductor
memories, including specialty DRAMs (dynamic random access memory)
and its proprietary FRAM products. The company is also working with
Hitachi Limited on a joint program to integrate Ramtron's
ferroelectric technology with Hitachi's manufacturing process to
produce high-density FRAM products.

ROHM manufactures and sells monolithic ICs (integrated circuits),
hybrid ICs, transistors, diodes, LEDs (light emitting diodes),
sensors, laser diodes, printheads, resistors and capacitors.

(Jim Mallory/19930427/Press contact: Jill Goebel, Origin Systems for
Ramtron International, 719-630-3384; Reader contact: Ramtron
International, 800-545-3726 or 719-481-7000, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00023)

Dell's New Sales Execs, Higher 93 Revenues Seen 04/27/93
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Dell Computer
Corporation announced this week the promotion of three sales
executives in the company's US organization and predicted 1993
revenues would be up more than 50 percent over 1992.

The company named Dennis Jolly group vice president of indirect
sales, with responsibility for overseeing consumer distribution,
value-added resellers, multisegment teaming partners, and new
relationships, targeting small office and home office users. Jolly
has been VP and general manager of the government, education, and
medical division at Dell.

Bob Howe was promoted to group vice president of direct sales and
will have responsibility for all of the company's direct marketing
business in the US, including large corporate and governmental
accounts, as well as sales to individuals and smaller businesses. He
will also oversee DellWare, the company's software and peripherals
distribution business.

The company has also promoted AnnMarie Randle to the position of
vice president, government, education and medical (GEM) sales.
Randle will be responsible for maintaining and cultivating Dell's
one-on-one relationships with US-based customers in federal state
and local governments and in the education and medical fields.
Randle was previously director of the federal systems division.

Joel Kocher, Dell USA president, says the promotions reflect the
company's commitment to reach small office and home office buyers of
PCs. The company has also created a consolidated bid, sales support
and systems integration project management group which will be led
by Kenneth Beck, director of Dell USA sales.

The company said it expects 1993 revenues to be in the $3.5 - $3.7
billion range. If results meet expectations, that will be an
increase of more than 50 percent over the $2.2 billion the company
reported last year. The prediction was made by Dell Chairman Michael
Dell at a meeting of the International Society for Strategic
Management and Planning in Chicago this week. Dell, like several
other PC makers, has recently entered the Japanese market, but
Chairman Dell said he doesn't expect that subsidiary to contribute
significantly to 1993 revenues. "It's a very new operation," Dell told
reporters.

(Jim Mallory/19930427/Press contact: Roger Rydell, Dell Computer
Corporation, 512-794-4100; Reader contact: Dell Computer
Corporation, 512-338-4400 or 800-289-3355, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00024)

 ****Motorola Intros Pentium Competitor 04/27/93
SCHAUMBURG, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Motorola
Corporation yesterday unveiled its entry in the high-speed
microprocessor wars, and if the chip is accepted by software
companies, the PowerPC could further weaken Intel's grip on
the microprocessor industry. In July 1992, Newsbytes reported that
Microsoft had expressed support for a PowerPC-based Macintosh
computer.

Motorola announced PowerPC yesterday, pricing the basic 50-megahertz
PowerPC chip at $280, and said it would also make a more powerful 66
megahertz version that would sell for $374. However, PC users
shouldn't plan to order one for a do-it-yourself PC kit just yet;
the pricing applies to orders of 20,000 or more.

Intel Corporation, which has long held a tight grip on the market
for the chips, has faced a number of challenges this year. AMD
and Cyrix won court battles against Intel that allow them to
market competitive products to Intel's 486 chip. Intel's
Pentium (known by many industry insiders as the 586) is now
in competition with Motorola's PowerPC. Intel hasn't
formally announced pricing for the Pentium, but industry watchers
are predicting it will carry a $800 to $900 price tag in bulk lots.

Motorola said it expects the first computers using its new MPC601
chip to come to market late this year or early in 1994 at prices
below $2,500. That's well below the $5,000 that Pentium-based
systems are expected to cost, and in the same general range as
present 486-based systems. Pentium-based PCs could ship as early as
this summer.

PowerPC was developed in conjunction with two of the industry's
biggest players, IBM and Apple Computer. But Motorola will still
need the cooperation of software makers like Microsoft. "The real
drawback is getting software developers to port over their software
so that software that runs on the Intel (based) PC can also run on
the PowerPC processor," according to Jim Feldhan at In-Stat, a
market research firm in Scottsdale, Arizona. "That relates back to
market acceptance, and its a little too early at this point to
forecast how the market's going to accept this product."

Intel shares dropped $5.25 to $87.375 after Motorola's announcement
on 10 million shares. Motorola shares dropped $1.50 to $69.125.

Motorola says it is targeting the PowerPC family at not only
personal computers, but also for more powerful desktop workstations,
file servers, and even mainframe computers and supercomputers that
would be powered by chains of microprocessors. The company also
announced several software packages for the new chips, including a C
and Fortran compiler package, an Architectural Simulator, and a
bundled toolkit that includes the simulator, debugging tools, and
library documents.

Both IBM and Apple are expected to announced PowerPC-based personal
computers later this year. Sun Microsystems has also said it will
develop a version of its Solaris software that will run on PowerPC
chips. But the biggest potential problem is PowerPC's inability to
run Windows NT, Microsoft's new operating system that is expected
to ship in the next two to three months.

(Jim Mallory/19930427/Press contact: Dean Mosley, Motorola,
512-891-2839)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00025)

Acer America Signs With Wal-Mart 04/27/93
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- Wal-Mart is
getting into computer retailing in a big way, having announced
this week that Dell Computer, and now Acer America, will sell
its machines through its massive consumer retail chain.

Under terms of the agreement, Wal-Mart will offer Acers
ACROS desktop PC in its 1,400 stores nationwide.

In announcing the deal, Peter Janssen, vice president of
marketing for Acer America, said: "This is a key strategic
win for Acer. When we entered the retail marketplace in 1991,
a primary objective was to secure representation in each of
the retail markets, including office superstores, consumer
electronics stores, computer superstores, traditional
department stores, catalog and the mass merchandising
retail market Wal-Mart represents."

The PCs on offer include: the Acer ACROS 486SX/25 Model
4125, which comes with an Intel 486SX/25 processor, four
megabytes (MB) of RAM expandable to 48MB, 3.5-inch and
5.25-inch floppy drives, 106MB hard drive, internal fax/data
modem, 14-inch color monitor and bundled software; and
the ACROS 486DX/33 Model 4335, with an Intel 486DX/33
processor, 4MB RAM expandable to 48MB, 3.5-inch and
5.25-inch floppy drives, 120MB hard drive, internal fax/data
modem, 14-inch color monitor and bundled software.

Dell, meanwhile, has also targeted other mass-market outlets
to sell its PCs, announcing on April 20 that Price Club and Sam's
would also be selling them.

(Ian Stokell/19930427/Press Contact: Rebecca Hurst or
Michelle Fitts, 408-432-6200, Acer America Corp.)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00026)

Symantec Loses $11.5 Million For 1993 04/27/93
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- In the midst
of new products and the inclusion of parts of the company's
products in Microsoft's latest release of DOS, Symantec is
struggling under red ink. While the company said revenues
showed a slight gain in the quarter, overall revenues are down,
the legal fight started by Borland is sapping company
resources, and company's losses are at over $11 million for its
fiscal 1993 year.

Symantec reported revenues of $51.3 million, an increase of 5
percent or $2.7 million compared to the revenues reported in
the December 1992 quarter, but a decrease of 19 percent or
$11.8 million compared to the March 1992 quarter. Symantec said
it also has recorded an additional charge of $1.0 million in
the March quarter for estimated legal fees associated with its
trade secret dispute with Borland International.

With its nonrecurring charges, Symantec said the loss for the
quarter was $1.4 million compared to a $5.5 million increase
in the same quarter last year, and a total of $11.5 million
in losses for the year compared to $17.6 million gain last year.

The pending trial against company executives, President and
Chief Executive Officer Gordon Eubanks, and former Borland
employee now Symantec Executive Vice President Gene Wang, is
also a drain on company resources. The Santa Cruz District
Attorney's office is pursuing the case which has become a
criminal proceeding. The executives will stand trial, meaning
the case is not just a legal battle between Borland and Symantec.
The case is expected to be a precedent-setting one and a landmark
decision in the area of defining what constitutes trade secrets
under California law. The incriminating evidence against the
Symantec executives is in the form of alleged electronic mail
messages left on Wang's computer while he was in Borland's
employ, which were sent to Eubanks at Symantec on Borland's MCI
Mail account.

Symantec is getting a piece of the DOS 6.0 pie, with the
inclusion of portions of The Norton Backup version 2.2 in DOS
6.0. Microsoft says DOS 6.0 sales have been extremely good with
over two million copies sold in the first two weeks after its
launch at the end of March. That two million doesn't include
the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) versions vendors pre-
installed on the hard disk drives of new computers, according to
Microsoft.

In addition, Symantec is losing money despite its release of
several new products. Eubanks said in a prepared statement the
release of the new products position Symantec for future
growth, implying the products haven't been on the market long
enough for Symantec to realize a gain from sales. However,
Symantec officials were unavailable for comment by deadline.

The new products include The Norton Utilities version 7.0,
designed to handle the disk compression used by DOS 6.0 and
still facilitate data recovery. The company said it also
announced its Windows version of its product to remotely
control personal computers (PCs), Pcanywhere 1.0 for Windows;
The Norton Speedcache+ 4.0 software cache for hard disk drives,
compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) drives, and removable
media drives in both DOS and Windows; The Norton Desktop 2.2
for Windows; The Norton Desktop for Windows Network Menuing
Admin Pack version 2.2; The Norton Backup 2.2 for DOS; and
project management products Guide Line and Guide Line Maker.

For the Macintosh platform, Symantec announced the online
reference tool for Macintosh programmers Think Reference
version 2.0. Also, in anticipation of the upcoming release of
Windows NT the next generation of Windows from Microsoft, the
company also announced the availability of the Zortech C++
compiler for writing Microsoft Windows NT applications.

Symantec also acquired several new companies in its 1993 fiscal
year including The Whitewater Group, Multiscope, and Certus
International Corporation.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930427/Press Contact: Brian Fawkes,
Symantec, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00027)

Intel To Ship 35 New Versions Of 486 04/27/93
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) --
Intel plans to ship a number of new versions of the best-selling
486 processor in 1993.

Nancy Pressel, spokesperson for the company, told
Newsbytes that, "We'll have about 35 new versions of the
486 microprocessor this year. That can vary anywhere from
486es with new features, new packages, new speeds, or
new voltages."

The new products will be tailored for specific markets.
Said Pressel, "They will be tailored for both the desktop
and the mobile market." They will also include a number
of power-saving features, geared specifically for portable
computing.

The company's new Pentium processor will increase in
shipment volumes as the year progresses. Said Pressel,
"We will ship about 10,000 Pentium processors this
quarter, which is pretty low volume for us. This year
we'll ship hundreds of thousands of Pentium processors.
Next year we'll pass the million mark."

As reported previously by Newsbytes, Intel expects to ship
more than 30 million 486-equivalent products in 1993.

(Ian Stokell/19930427)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00028)

Banyan Systems 1st Qtr Income Up 72% 04/27/93
WESTBORO, MASACHUSSETS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 (NB) -- The
combination of networking and low-overhead software
publishing has proved to be a winner again. This time
networking vendor Banyan Systems has reported that net income
for its first quarter ended March 31, 1993, was $2,778,000, a
72 percent increase over the prior year's first period net income
of $1,614,000.

According to the company, net income per share was 15 cents
in the 1993 first quarter, compared to 11 cents per share in
1992's first quarter. Revenues for the first quarter were $30.3
million compared with $27.1 million in the first quarter of 1992.
Software revenues grew 34 percent to $22.7 million, up from
1992's $17 million.

The company markets its VINES networking operating system
(NOS). It is one of the top NOS products on the market but
trails behind Novell's NetWare NOS that commands between
65 and 70 percent of the market. Many observers contend that
VINES is geared more towards internetworking large company
networks, which is one of the capabilities included in Novell's
new NetWare 4.0, designed to compete more effectively with
VINES at the high-end.

According to the company, its business in North America
continued to be strong, with revenues of $24.7 million against
$21.3 million in last year's first quarter. North American
software revenues increased 45 percent to $18.3 million in
the first quarter, compared with $12.6 million in 1992.
International revenues were $5.6 million for the first quarter,
against $5.8 million last year.

In announcing the results, David C. Mahoney, chairman and
chief executive officer, said: "During the first quarter of 1993,
we continued to invest and build our worldwide sales and
distribution capability. In March, we realigned our field sales
operations into three major areas: the Americas, Europe/Africa,
and Asia Pacific. We believe that this increased geographic
focus will enable us to better serve our expanding customer base."

Speaking of the company's product line, Mahoney said, "We are
encouraged by the market's response to our new products: VINES
5.50, StreetTalk III, VINES for Unix, and ENS for NetWare. These
products broaden the range and strength of our enterprise
network services."

(Ian Stokell/19930427/Press Contact: Gary Wolfe,
508-898-1000, Banyan Systems)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00029)

Santa Cruz Operation To Make Initial Public Offering 04/27/93
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 2 (NB) -- The Santa
Cruz Operation (SCO) has announced its intention to sell six
million shares of common stock in an initial public offering.

The company proposes to sell 4.8 million shares in the United
States and 1.2 million shares in a concurrent international
offering. Of the six million shares being offered, 3.6 million
are being offered by SCO and 2.4 million are being offered by
current shareholders of SCO. The company currently estimates
that the initial public offering price per share will be
between $12 to $14.

According to SCO, it plans to grant the underwriters an option
to sell an additional 900,000 to cover over-allotments, if any.
The company currently estimates that the initial public
offering will take place in mid-May 1993.

A registration statement has been filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, but has not yet become effective.
The offering will be managed by Goldman, Sachs & Co. and
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corp.

A company spokesperson told Newsbytes that employees
feature among the stockholders selling shares. No more
details were available by Newsbytes' deadline.

The company has also announced that Grover Righter, formerly
director of product management, has been promoted to the new
position of vice president, product management. The company
says that, in this new position, Righter will continue to develop
SCO's open systems product strategy and relationships with
key third-party technology customers.

(Ian Stokell/19930427/Press Contact: Zee Zaballos, tel
408-427-7156, fax [phone], Santa Cruz Operation Inc.)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00030)

ABCD Rolls Out Certification Program For Technicians 04/27/93
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 27 -- ABCD: The
Microcomputer Industry Association today officially rolled
out its A+ Certification Program, a vendor independent
certification program aimed at establishing an
industry-wide competency standard for service technicians.

Phase One of the program, the beta test of a certification
exam codeveloped with Drake Training & Technologies, has been
completed, and the more than 40 companies participating in the A+
are set to move forward with implementation, officials
said in a telephone press conference.

"We're ready and open for business," stated John Venator, ABCD's
executive vice president and CEO. The new program will save member
companies time and money on personnel training, and ultimately
benefit consumers as well, he stated. "Ultimately, consumers will
be better served, because they'll now be able to choose their
service provider on the basis of who is A+ certified," he
explained.

Some 30 hardware and software vendors, VARs, and other companies
have already raised $507,000 in support of A+, and about 10 others
have contributed manpower.

Representatives of several member companies took part in the
teleconference, outlining their companies' implementations of A+
and the benefits they expect to see. "Although tough, the
test is fair. Apple is proud to be participating," said Dan Byrne,
vice president of Apple Computer's Customer Services Division.

"A+ will raise the confidence level of our customers should they
need service," noted John Illavac, director of service and support
for Packard Bell. Packard Bell will require all new service
employees to become certified within 90 days of employment, and
will also stipulate that all existing service personnel take the
test, he said. "We won't grandfather anybody," he commented.

"Service is essential to the industry. The industry cannot survive
without satisfied customers," said Tom Kuhlman, vice president of
services and support for Toshiba America. The industry gains from
satisfied customers through increased referrals, as well as post-
purchase sales of add-ins and other products and services, he
pointed out.

"We're in an industry that deals with highly complex products,"
said Nathan Morton, president of CompUSA. CompuUSA will implement
the program on a company-wide basis starting July 1, he added.

Top-notch technical support is especially essential now that the
industry is moving from the consumer electronics phase into
client/server, networked environments, emphasized Rick Inatome,
chairman of Inacom.

In addition to its work with ABCD, Drake conducts testing for about
15 individual companies in the industry, including Novell, said
Alan Hupp, vice president of marketing for Drake Training and
Technologies.

Subsequent phases of the A+ Certification Program will be targeted
at certifying other jobs the ABCD regards as essential to the
industry.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930427/Press contacts: Mel Webster or Amelie
Gardella, Copithorne & Bellows for ABCD, tel [phone])