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/nb092393

Text File | 1993-09-23 | 68KB | 1,524 lines

(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00001)

UK - Security Software For VTAM Networks 09/23/93
ILMINSTER, SOMERSET, ENGLAND, 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- C&K Software has
announced the availability of NC-Pass VSSE, a package that it claims
controls all access to applications residing on a VTAM network.

According to the company, the package uses the Session Management
Exit (SME) facility on a VTAM network to define which devices(s) on
the network can have access to which application. Each VTAM session
which could take place is allowed or denied by VTAM itself and,
unless a connection from a terminal to an application is specifically
permitted, no connection can take place.

NC-Pass VSSE comes are part of a complete CKS Single Image System
(SIS) that the company claims directs information technology to the
requirements of the user. As well as providing what the company
describes as a high level of security, an SIS system supplies
the user with a high performance interface and synchronizes
information across the entire network.

As such, C&K claims, products can be implemented individually to
meet a precise need or collectively to form a complete system.

Bill Seymour, C&K's marketing manager, said that, under NC-Passe
VSSE, dial-in devices cannot access data unless allowed to do so
by the parameters set in the SME table. Lines can be closed down
if a connection is requested and refused, preventing what he
describes as hostile intrusion.

"VTAM is proven to be extremely difficult to circumvent. NC-Passe
VSSE is therefore an excellent vehicle to protect access to data
from all devices which need not, or should not, have access," he
explained.

Pricing on the security package depends on site licensing
requirements. C&K Software is a UK company that specializes in
VTAM software. The company, which was formed ten years ago,
claims to have more than 1,000 customers around the world who
use its VTAM software. Newsbytes notes that the company has
specialized in communications applications for the VTAM
environment, with NC-Passe VSSE being its first security
package.

(Steve Gold/19930923/Press & Public Contact: C&K Software
 - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00002)

Wordperfect Corp, SCO Strengthen Alliance 09/23/93
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Wordperfect
Corporation and Santa Cruz Operation (SCO) said this week
they have formed a strategic alliance to support continued
compatibility of their respective products.

The two companies said the alliance broadens their
relationship. SCO provides Unix systems for Intel platforms,
and Wordperfect markets its word processing program
Wordperfect.

Wordperfect 5.1 is already available for the SCO Open Server
and SCO Open Desktop operating systems. Wordperfect says
release 6.0 of its word processing program and Wordperfect
Office Release 4.0 will also be available for the SCO
environments by 1994. Wordperfect is scheduled to release
Wordperfect 6.0 for Windows next month.

Under terms of the alliance the two companies will establish
dedicated account teams to manage the relationship. The
teams will oversee regular management and engineering
product review, along with programs to provide improved
communication and cross training between their respective
support and sales staffs. They will also participate in
joint marketing activities that will include seminars, trade
shows, advertising and public relations.

(Jim Mallory/19930923/Press contact: Nathan Hatch,
Wordperfect Corporation, 801-228-5348; Zee Zaballos, SCO,
408-427-7156)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00003)

Mirus Intros Under-$5000 Film Recorder 09/23/93
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Mirus
Industries Corporation has announced a 4000 line resolution
film recorder for use with Windows-based PCs.

The device will allow users of Windows-based PCs to export
images directly to 35mm slide film. The company says no
modification of software or hardware is needed. The
FilmPrinter connects directly to the parallel port on an
IBM-compatible PC.

Priced at $4,995, FilmPrinter Turbo PC comes with
documentation, cabling, and a Windows support package called
MirusImage Win. Mirus President Bruce MacKay says Mirus
recognizes that the Windows marketplace is one of the
fastest growing areas in the microcomputer market. "We want
to provide Windows users a slidemaking system that can take
advantage of the numerous graphics packages on the market,"
says MacKay.

The company says the Mirus Windows software is compatible
with all popular graphics and presentation software packages
available, such as Freelance for Windows, PowerPoint, and
Harvard Graphics. The software includes 35 scalable fonts.

Mirus says it takes about one minute to create an 67K image.
The resulting slides reportedly have a smooth color
gradations and no banding. Image resolution is available up
to 4,000 lines.

The 16-pound FilmPrinter measures 19.1 inches by 8.5 inches
by 5 inches. It can handle text, graphics, combined
photography and text, or graphics and photography in the
same slide. Mirus says any image that can be created on a PC
monitor can be reproduced by FilmPrinter.

In addition to the programs supported in the basic software,
Mirus can provide support for SuperPrint and for VBS
Postscript Output Manager for $595 and $995 respectively.
FilmPrinter comes with a two-year full warranty.

(Jim Mallory/19930923/Press and reader contact: Mirus
Industries Corporation, 408-944-9770 or 800-942-9770)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00004)

Artisoft, Former CEO Settle Dispute 09/23/93
TUCSON, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Artisoft Inc.,
announced this week that it has settled the arbitration case
with its former chief executive officer C. John Schoof II.

The company said the settlement calls for Artisoft to
purchase nearly 3.5 million shares of Schoof's outstanding
Artisoft common stock, or about 20 percent of the
outstanding stock. That leaves about 14 million shares of
Artisoft common stock outstanding. The company will also
purchase Artisoft stock options held by Schoof. The
purchases cost Artisoft $25.5 million.

The settlement also calls for all previous claims made by
Artisoft and Schoof during arbitration to be dismissed.
Schoof also resigned from Artisoft's board of directors and
withdrew his nominations to the board of directors, as well
as his proposal to expand the board to seven members from
the present six.

(Jim Mallory/19930923/Press contact: David Sentman, Artisoft
Inc, 602-670-7160)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00005)

US Space Efforts In Multimedia 09/23/93
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Americans
are fascinated with space travel. They crowd the beaches and
the fields surrounding the launch and landing areas by the
hundreds of thousands.

Now you can follow the efforts of the American manned space
flight program from the early experimental rockets and the
X-15 program to the latest space shuttle missions while
sitting at your computer with a multimedia software program
introduced recently by Multicom Publishing Inc.

Called Americans in Space, the program, for Mac or PC,
allows the user to sit in their very own Mission Control
and view crew photos, hear audio clips, and watch video or animation
of each milestone in America's space program. Americans in Space has
over sixty minutes of video clips, including the last launch
of the shuttle Challenger, and more than 90 minutes of
narration. There are also nearly 600 images including crew
and mission photos and artists renditions of the space
station Freedom.

According to Multicom President Tamara Attard the software
has more video than any other space-oriented title.
"Americans in Space is fully narrated, making it engaging
and easily used be even the younger members of the family,"
according to Attard.

Multicom Marketing Manager Dan Norton-Middaugh told
Newsbytes the company believes the consumer multimedia
market is just forming, and that many purchasers of CD-ROM
drive-equipped PCs have little choice in software beyond
games and reference materials. "Multicom titles are designed
for these people," says Norton-Middaugh.

Americans in Space has a suggested retail price of $69.95.
It runs on any Apple Computer Macintosh II-level machine
equipped with Hypercard, a CD-ROM drive and a 13-inch or
larger color monitor. Program disks for MPC-compatible
systems are also included. IBM-compatible multimedia systems
require Windows 3.1, a CD-ROM drive, and an SVGA monitor to
run Americans in Space.

(Jim Mallory/19930923/Press contact: Dan Norton-Middaugh,
Multicom, 206-622-5530; Reader contact: Multicom Publishing,
206-622-5530, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00006)

Dealer Electronic Support System 09/23/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Frontline, the UK computer
hardware and software distributor, has announced In Touch, its new
Lotus Notes-based electronic business support system for computer
dealers.

The distributor unveiled the package at the Business Computing Show
in London this week, and as a special offer, was giving the software
away free with each purchase of Lotus Notes Client for Windows
bought at the special show price of UKP 50.

According to Frontline, In Touch Standalone is the first stage in a
project that the distributor is undertaking to provide
additional support needed by resellers to improve business.

The company claims that many simple tasks can be made much more
efficient if computer resellers apply the available technology. It
also claims it is committed to converting its dealers to fully
automated processes over the next few years.

In its simplest form, In Touch lists more than 10,500 products
available from Frontline with information on pricing, part numbers,
suitable platforms and media types involved. Products can be viewed
by market area, manufacturer or application and listings include a
detailed description.

Frontline is offering its resellers fortnightly updates to the
database, as well as upgrade for modem access. The modem access
version, the company claims, allows computer dealers to get
immediate updates as they occur in the distributor's catalog, as
well as information on stock availability for customers.

The modem link also allows resellers to place their orders online
with the distributor. This allows dealers to place their orders with
the company outside of office hours when phone rates are low,
Frontline claims.

The minimum hardware for In Touch is a 386-based PC or better
running Windows 3.0 or later and equipped with 4 megabytes (MB) of
memory and 50MB of hard disk capacity.

John Tonnison, Frontline's management information services (MIS)
manager said that In Touch had been launched as a means of
simplifying the exchange of key business information between itself
and its resellers. The ultimate aim of the project was speed the
passage of orders through, so making for better service for
customers.

"In Touch gives our resellers up-to-the-minute information at their
fingertips, wherever they happen to be," he said, adding that the
service is just another away in which the distributor can
differentiate its facilities for dealers.

"The 20 or so users that have tested the program for us have been
very positive in their support of the initiative," he said.

Frontline is the largest trade-only computer distributor in the UK
and the second largest in the parent Computer 2000 company, which
covers most of Europe. The distributor, which was founded in 1983,
carries more than 10,000 products in its catalog and is divided
into seven operations: Power products, Applications, PCs and
peripherals, Data Storage, Digital, Apple and Technical services.

(Steve Gold/19930922/Press & Public Contact: Frontline - Tel: 0256-
847110)


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

UK - Contact Management For Windows 09/23/93
MARLOW, BUCKS, ENGLAND, 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Softcode UK has unveiled
a Windows version of Tracker, its contact management package.
According to the company, Tracker for Windows offers a comprehensive
set of tools for managing contacts, responses and time, as well as
offers the facility to create electronic mail messages and faxes.

The company claims that the software is designed for use by both
individuals and groups who need to keep in regular contact with
their clients, suppliers, and colleagues.

In use, Tracker for Windows allows users to log developments and
update their databases whenever another contact is made with the
person or company concerned.

"As businesses look to improve their employee productivity, enhance
the way they handle customer care and encourage effective team work,
they are looking for software applications that make their
operations more efficient," explained Julian Hudd, the company's
managing director.

"Tracker for Windows responds to these needs in an easy to use,
network-enabled package," he added.

The package consists of four main modules, each integrated to work
seamlessly with each other, the company claims. The modules are:
Contact manager. Response manager, Communications and Networking,
and Time Management.

Tracker for Windows sells for UKP 395 and is available immediately.
The package needs an 80386-based or better PC running Windows 3.1 or
later. The PC must have at least 5 megabytes (MB) of hard disk space
available.

(Steve Gold/19930923/Press & Public Contact: Softcode - Tel: 0628-
488866; Fax: [phone])


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

UK - Cellnet Offers Gifts For Big Users 09/23/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Cellnet has announced Cellnet
Select, a scheme that claims to reward regular users of the cellular
network with credit toward free subscriptions.

According to Cellnet, the scheme benefits those subscribers who make
calls totalling more than 200 minutes a month on any Cellnet tariff.
Existing subscribers to Cellnet will be invited to join the Select
scheme in October.

12 months after registration, customers who have consistently
accumulated more than 200 minutes a month worth of calls will have
the option of a year's free subscription to any Cellnet tariff, worth
up to UKP 300 for a full year on the Primetime tariff.

As an alternative, subscribers will be offered the option to obtain
a choice of network-related products and services up to the value of
UKP 250.

Stafford Taylor, Cellnet's managing director, said that the Select
scheme is representative of the company's desire to reward its most
talkative customers.

"Customers registering for the scheme will already be committed
users of mobile phones who recognize the benefits of mobile
communications," he said, adding that they need not do anything
other than maintaining their existing level of service to reap the
rewards.

"There is no registration fee and we are not asking them to change
their current habits -- we are simply rewarding their consistent use
of Cellnet," he said.

(Steve Gold/19930922/Press & Public Contact: Cellnet - Tel: 0753-
504507)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00009)

India - Technology Briefs 09/23/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- AT&T extends its calling
card to India, Digital Equipment gets the nod for manufacturing
in Bangalore, 11 Indian banks join Visanet, AirIndia offers
Skyphone service, and Tata Unisys intros new PCs.

AT&T Extends Calling Card Facility to India

AT&T has announced that its calling card for international
travellers will be valid in India. With this the AT&T calling card
facility is now available in 67 countries. The calling card can
also be used to access AT&T's directory assistance service in the
US, AT&T's 800 numbers, messaging service, teleconference services,
AT&T enhanced fax, etc.

DEIL Gets ISO 9002 Certification

Digital Equipment India Ltd. (DEIL), the Indian subsidiary of
Digital Equipment Corp. of the US, has obtained the ISO 9002
certification for its manufacturing facility in Bangalore.
Meanwhile, DEIL has bagged a $7 million contract from Digital
Engineering, a business group of the parent company DEC, to
provide support for the VMS operating system.

Eleven Indian Banks Link To VisaNet

Eleven Visa member Indian banks have been linked to the VisaNet
International financial data communications network. This link
enables faster authorizations for credit card purchases and
settlement processes between the banks in India and international
Visa issuers. Visa has 170,000 card holders and 37,000 Visa-
accepting merchant establishments in the country. The member banks
are: Andhra bank, ANZ Grindlays bank, Bank of America, Bank of
Baroda, Canara Bank, Central bank of India, Citibank NA, Hong Kong
Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Vijaya Bank and Vysya Bank Ltd.

Air India Offers Skyphone Facility

Air India, the government-owned international carrier, has
introduced in-flight skyphone facilities in its latest acquisition
"Konark" Boeing 747-400. The facility will be installed in all
three 747-400s that Air India will acquire in the next few months.
These aircraft will also have voice and data satcoms in near future.
Technical support from Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (VSNL), the firm
that handles overseas telecommunications, Inmarsat and the service
contract between Air India and a skyphone consortium led by British
Telecom, Norwegian Telecom and Singapore Telecom, has helped put
India on the map of airlines with skyphone facilities.

The equipment on a Konark Boeing comprises a Honeywell-Racal MCS-
3000 multi-channel avionics system and Toyocom MkII top-mounted
high-gain antenna subsystem. The facility, through satellite
communications, will enable passengers to make calls to anywhere in
the world. Air India claims that at $8.50 per minute, its skyphone
will be one of the most economical. About 100 international airlines
and business jets already have the skyphone facility through the
Inmarsat.

VSNL will soon upgrade the Arvi Low Earth Station (LES) near Pune so
that calls could be directed through India itself from the skyphone.
Presently, the calls have to be diverted to Singapore to be
transmitted to the global network of the Inmarsat satellites.

Tata Unisys Intros High-end PCs

Bombay-based Tata Unisys Ltd. (TUL) has introduced a range of 386-
and 486-based PCs from Unisys Corp., USA, its partner. Priced
between Rs 20,000 (around $670) to Rs 1.15 lakh (around $3800), the
series comprises the 4334 and 4254 desktop models, the 3333 slimline
PC and the 4666 EISA in a minitower.

The 4666 <LS>EISA<D> has a 486DX2 processor running at 66 MHz, 4 MB
RAM expandable to 128 MB. The 4334, a 486DX 33 MHz model, has a
cache memory of 4 MB expandable to 32 MB. The 4254 has a 486SX 25
MHz chip which is upgradable up to a 486DX2-50 MHz. The 3333 is the
only 386 machine in the series. It has a 386SX chip running at 33
MHz and 2 MB RAM expandable to 16 MB.

(C. T. Mahabharat/19930916)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00010)

 ****Unix Expo - Keynoter Laments Jargon 09/23/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- For computer
technology to realize its potential in the business world,
corporate leaders must take the time to understand technology, and
technologists must act as their interpreters, said Charles Wang,
chairman and CEO of Computer Associates, in a keynote speech at
Unix Expo.

Buzzwords like GUI, SQL, Unix, polymorphism, and client-server
still stand as a foreign language to most CEOs, explained
Wang, one of the headliners at the tenth annual edition of
the Unix show, being presented this week by Bruno Blenheim Inc. in
New York City.

"If you relate these terms in a conventional sense, GUI
is what happens when you put a kid together with a hot fudge
sundae," he said. SQL is "the second time around for a movie."
Unix refers to "the neutered slaves who protect the harems in old
gladiator movies." Polymorphism means a "dreaded disease that
originated on a South Sea Island," and client-server is "the oldest
profession."

To introduce the notion that effective translation is needed, Wang
told the Unix Expo audience about another speech, which he recently
delivered to a group of visiting Chinese technologists. "'I just
wanted to let you know that I'm tickled to death to be here,'" he
addressed the visiting Chinese in English.

But a look of agony appeared on the visitors' faces, and Wang later
found out why. The interpreter had translated Wang's words into
Chinese as, "`This poor man scratches himself until he dies...only
to be with you.'"

Unix Expo attendees don't need a translator to communicate among
themselves, Wang continued in this week's keynote. "But there are
many `significant others' in the business world who really don't
understand our world and what we're doing," he added.

Many business leaders view technology as expensive and confusing,
and technologists as not always keeping the promises they make.
"This is a serious problem, because if we don't focus on making
technology work for our businesses, then we become overhead in the
worst sense," Wang maintained.

Differing objectives are one factor that keeps the business and
technical communities apart. According to Wang, many technologists
are afflicted with FUDGE (Fear Uncertainty Doubt Greed Envy).
Their fear, uncertainty and doubt revolve around the idea that if
they aren't implementing the newest technologies, they'll be left
behind. Their greed and envy stem from "a natural desire to have
the latest and greatest toys."

Additionally, some technologists advocate a "revolutionary"
approach that business people find unworkable, said Wang.
"Revolutionaries stand on one side of a very large chasm, and shout
to the business people, `Come on over here! You'll have open
access to information! You'll have cheaper processing!! You'll
have more flexible development tools!! You'll have high powered
GUIs!!!'"

Business leaders are attracted by the promises, he acknowledged.
"But they're asking themselves how they're going to leap across
this chasm. `Indiana Jones in Search of the Holy Grail' is hardly
a role model for business decisions."

CEOs are also deeply interested in protecting their investments,
and reports of corporate losses from downsizing aren't helping the
overall situation, he suggested. US West, for example, recently
reported that its "downsized computers" cost twice as much to
maintain as mainframes did, he noted.

But on the plus side, business leaders are growing increasingly
computer literate, according to Wang. Computer Associates recently
held a retreat for CEOs that drew enthusiastic participation from
45 corporations around the world, he illustrated. CA is
now planning four more events of this kind.

For their part, technologists must learn to look at and communicate
their own activities in business terms, Wang advised. "We are the
interpreters. We have the responsibility to translate the new
technologies and their benefits."

Technologists also need to forego the "revolutionary" approach in
favor of "intelligent evolution," he recommended. "We must take
what we know works and build upon it," he commented. One example
of this kind of orientation is Computer Associates' CA-Unicenter,
the keynoter said.

By bringing mainframe-calibre management tools to such environments
as Unix, Windows NT, OS/2, and Novell Netware, CA-Unicenter can
help users of legacy systems evolve to newer technologies, stated
the CEO of CA. "It's the builders, not the revolutionaries, who
are going to make commercial Unix a success," he concluded.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930923/Press contacts: Annie Sculley, Bruno
Blenheim Inc., tel [phone], ext 145; Mark Haviland, Bruno
Blenheim, tel [phone], ext 152)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00011)

Spinnaker Power Album Organizes Images 09/23/93
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) --
Spinnaker Software Corp. (Cambridge, Mass.) has released
PFS:PowerAlbum for Windows, a $59.95 program said to offer a
simple way to organize, preview and access disparate clip art,
scans, images and drawings for desktop publishing or other graphical
applications.

As clip art and scanned image collection expands, files are typically
scattered across numerous directories, drive partitions and network
drives. DOS's 8-character name limitation restricts descriptive file
names, making it difficult to determine image contents.

To catalog images, PFS:PowerAlbum for Windows generates a "thumbnail"
representation and stores it in an "album" file, while leaving the
image in its original directory location and file format to maintain
image integrity. The album file can be further organized into
categories.

In addition to the image organizer, PFS:Power Album also includes
1,000 color clip art images that can augment an existing image library
or provide a new user with a ready-made clip art repertoire.

The software is available at computer stores and can also be had
direct from the company by calling 800-826-0706 or 800-851-2917.
Spinnaker Software is at 201 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139.

(Marguerite Zientara/19930923)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00012)

Hard Disk To Go -- K-STOR 09/23/93
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Ever bring a
floppy disk full of files home from work only to discover that the
file you really need is back at the office? You can avoid that
predicament with K-STOR, a new transportable hard disk from
Kalok Corp.

K-STOR is designed to let users easily move their entire software
environment (applications and data) from one computer to
another. The company has just released two models of the
lightweight (under one pound) drives, with whopping capacities
of 250 and 360 megabytes respectively. The K-STOR is a
half-inch-high drive that pops in a standard PC 5 1/4-inch
floppy drive bay once a docking module (included) for the bay is
installed.

Software and a carrying case are included to protect the drive
while in transit between computers. Additional docking modules
(under $100) and K-STOR drives can be purchased as needed.
IBM PC/AT and compatible systems are supported.

"Until this announcement there was no effective, low-cost solution
to the problem of transporting hard drives between computers," said
Lee Peterson, vice-president of sales at Kalok. He noted the
removable K-STOR drives would be especially attractive to users
with more than one computer who run the same programs and work
with the same data on each system. The typical alternative
has been to carry around multiple floppy disks, or to rely on
a remote-access telecommunications system.

Earlier this year, the company entered into an agreement with
well-known drive maker TEAC to manufacture the K-STOR drives.
TEAC also made an equity investment in the firm.

The K-STOR package is now available at $495 for the 250-megabyte
model and $595 for the 360-megabyte model.

For more information or a dealer referral, call Kalok at
408/747-1315.

(David Needle/19930923)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00013)

JetStack For HP LaserJet 4 09/23/93
HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Genesis Technology
has announced the JetStack 1000, a new output stacking device
designed to increase the paper output of Hewlett-Packard
LaserJet 4 and 4M printers. Once connected to either LaserJet model,
the JetStack increases the printer's normal paper capacity some 300
percent, up to 1,000 sheets.

This higher capacity is especially useful in running long
unattended print runs, the company notes. "Just send the 500-page
document at 5 p.m. on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning the JetStack
1000 has your job stacked and ready to go," says Genesis Sales
Manager Neal Greenburg. "It's also perfect for network environments."

The JetStack 1000 has a suggested retail price of $349. It
installs in minutes with no software changes or additional
cabling needed. Genesis Technology is a Hayward, California-based
ten-year-old manufacturer of paper-handling devices for the computer
industry. For more information call 510/782-4800.

(Computer Currents/19930923)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00014)

Text Stripper For Macintosh 09/23/93
MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Ever find yourself
going through a text file to delete carriage returns, or doing a
global change of "--" to "Q," for example? If either of these tasks,
or others like them, are a regular part of your work week, you'll
get hot over a shareware gem created to strip those text files for
you.

Add/Strip performs a number of useful operations on text files full
of extraneous or undesirable characters. It will exchange straight
with curly quotation marks, turn two hyphens into an em dash,
substitute ligatures for fl or fi, strip out leading or trailing
spaces, remove control characters, and add or strip carriage
returns and line feeds.

These additions and replacements can be fine-tuned, for example, to
leave straight quote marks after numbers to indicate feet and
inches. Best of all, all this can be done in one pass.

Some people may find this the answer to some very specific prayers.
The fee is $25 and the author is Jon Wind, 2374 Hillwood
Drive, Maplewood, MN 55119 (CompuServe: 70167,3444). CompuServe
users can find it  by typing Go MACNEW, and can access the file
through Libraries, then the Shareware Emporium menu option.
The title is ADDSTP.SIT/Bin. On Genie, go to M 605 (page 605),
the Macintosh Roundtable Software Library, and request a download
for ADD/STRIP 3.0.3.CPT or item 25755. The author  also offers a
more basic  string-replacement freeware  product  available as
REPONE.CPT.

(Chris Oakes/19930923)


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

FCC Nominee Sails Through 09/23/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Reed Hundt moved
toward easy confirmation as chairman of the Federal
Communications Commission, where he said encouraging competition
will be his watchword. Those words were reassuring to many in the
Senate, who feared that the Clinton Administration might try to
reregulate the industry.

But by the end of the morning-long hearing before the Senate
Commerce Committee, Hundt was drawing jokes from some who
credited him with "discovering" Doonesbury cartoonist Garry
Trudeau while he was at the Yale Daily News. Such bonhomie is
usually a sure sign of easy confirmation. Hunt is extremely well-
connected, having attended St. Albans' School in Washington with
Vice President Gore and having attended Yale Law School with
President and Mrs. Clinton.

On substantive issues, however, Hundt stayed mainly with
platitudes. He praised "universal service," a buzzword being used
by local phone companies demanding subsidies of competitors, but
also agreed that the more the government can encourage
competition, the less it will have to regulate. He also urged
Republican Senator John Danforth of Missouri, who's retiring next
year, and Democratic Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii to press
ahead with their bill to restructure telecommunications
regulation. But he offered little solid advice on what that bill
should contain.

After the hearing Senator Ernest Hollings, a South Carolina
Democrat, said he would seek an expedited vote before the Senate.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930923)


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

MCI Speeds Credit Card Transactions 09/23/93
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- MCI is
combining a toll-free 800 number with its X.25 packet network and
Signaling System 7 technology to speed processing of credit card
transactions.

The new system, called ResponseNet, promises to cut 20-30 percent
off the time it takes to process a credit card. That's just 6
seconds per call, but with 12 billion transactions each year, the
savings can be considerable, MCI spokesman Pam Small told
Newsbytes.

ResponseNet actually combines a number of technologies which have
been around for a while, she added. Many merchant terminals send
calls over toll-free 800 lines, but these are voice lines, not
data lines. Most X.25 data calls take place over local numbers,
meaning they first must go through a local phone company system
that doesn't use Signaling System 7, the technology required for
services like Caller ID. Small said as much as 30 percent of
local phones may still lack SS7. By sending a data call to a
toll-free number and assuring use of SS7 between a merchant's
terminal and a bank's computer, transaction time is speeded up
and money is saved, she continued.

Faster transaction processing also means that the networks can
also be used for taxi rides and fast food, where the bills are
low and customer impatience high. Best of all, Small noted,
using the new network does not require that processors change
any of the programming in their merchant terminals -- they
simply direct calls to a different phone number.

MCI also announced the first two customers for ResponseNet --
Mobil Oil Credit and First Data Resources. FDR is a $1.2 billion
transaction processing company, while Mobil has 8,500 gas
stations.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930923/Press Contact: Pam Small, MCI, 202-
887-3000)


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

British Telecom-MCI Deal Sails Through 09/23/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Approval of the
MCI-British Telecom joint venture seemed assured as AT&T
announced it will not oppose the move. Earlier, European
Commission authorities approved the deal, which must still be
given the go-ahead by US regulators.

While signaling in a filing with the Federal Communications
Commission it won't object to MCI's move, AT&T did make some
important requests. It wants changes in the rules governing US
operations of foreign long distance carriers to assure its access
to foreign markets.

In a separate filing, it again urged that the "dominant carrier"
rules which impede its ability to compete with MCI and Sprint be
removed. Courts have ruled that the rules do discriminate against
AT&T, and have ordered MCI and other carriers to file the same
complex tariffs on special deals which AT&T must file. The rules
date from 1980, when AT&T held nearly all the US long distance
market, but its share is now estimated at 60-65 percent.

AT&T indicated it wants the FCC to order that it be given access
to the UK market within two years as the price for letting BT
operate unfettered here. The company also wants "cross-
subsidization" stopped, in which a foreign competitor funds US
affiliates with captive profits from home.

Some analysts speculate AT&T may be interested in a little quid
pro quo with AT&T. Southwestern Bell and Bell Atlantic are
opposing AT&T's proposed acquisition of McCaw Cellular, and
British Telecom owns 35.8 million shares of McCaw.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930923/Press Contact: FCC Press, 202-632-
5050)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00018)

Lotus Launches Ami Pro For HP-UX 09/23/93
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Another
mainstream personal computer application has found its way to the
Unix operating system with the launch of Ami Pro 3.0 for HP-UX, a
version of Lotus Development's word processor that runs on
Hewlett-Packard's version of the Unix operating system.

Launched at the Unix Expo show in New York this week, Ami Pro for
HP-UX has many of the same features as the existing version for
Microsoft Windows. The main differences, company spokeswoman
Michelle Goguen said, are the absence of the drawing and charting
features, a somewhat different user interface to fit into the
Unix world, and the substitution of Lotus' Link, Embed, and
Launch-to-edit (LEL) technology for Microsoft's Object Linking
and Embedding (OLE).

Goguen said Lotus has seen no user demand for the drawing and
charting capabilities on Unix, and would add the features to the
Unix version of Ami if enough users asked for them.

As for the user interface, it conforms to HP's Visual User
Environment (HP-VUE), which in turn is based on the Open Software
Foundation's Motif standard. According to Lotus, the usual
capabilities of HP-VUE, such as the ability to print a file by
dragging a print icon to the graphical desktop, apply to the new
Ami Pro.

LEL is an object linking technology that Lotus has created for
Unix systems, and Ami Pro and the newly launched Notes Release 3
for Sun Microsystems Inc. SPARC systems are the first
applications to support it. Goguen said other Lotus applications
for Unix, such as the 1-2-3 spreadsheet, do not support LEL yet,
but the goal is that not only Lotus but third-party software will
conform to it in future.

LEL is compatible with OLE, Lotus said, in that if a Windows user
embeds an Ami Pro document into Lotus Notes using OLE, a Notes
user in Unix can then launch the Unix version of Ami Pro from
Notes using LEL just a Windows user might have launched Ami Pro
for Windows using OLE.

Ami Pro for HP-UX will run on HP's 9000 Series computers with
Version 8.07 or later of HP-UX, 16 megabytes of memory, 45
megabytes of disk space, and Motif 1.1 or later. It works with
any Unix-compatible network, Lotus said. It will sell for $495,
and the company is offering its own word processing customers and
users of competing software an upgrade for $129.

(Grant Buckler/19930923/Press Contact: Kim Commerato or Michelle
Goguen, Lotus Development, 404-391-0011; Public Contact: Lotus
Development, 800-831-9679)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00019)

Unix Expo - IBM's DB2 Will Port To Non-IBM HP 9000 09/23/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- At Unix Expo, IBM
and Hewlett-Packard have announced an agreement to make IBM's DB2
relational database management system (RDBMS) available on a non-
IBM platform for the first time ever.

The two companies are targeting a port of DB2 to HP-UX on HP 9000
workstations, said Janet Perna, IBM's director of database
technology, Software Solutions, and Lucia Mikasa, section manager,
CSO Information Management, Hewlett-Packard, in an interview with
Newsbytes.

"The port reflects HP's interest in using more robust database
engines," Mikasa told Newsbytes. Beta testing will probably begin
by the end of the year, she added.

DB2 currently runs on such IBM platforms as MVS and VM mainframes,
AS/400 midrange systems, RS/6000 Unix, and PS/2 personal computers.

At Database World in June, Perna and other IBM officials told
Newsbytes that IBM was working with outside vendors to add support
for DB2. At that time, Perna and David Schwartz, director of Data
Management Solutions for Programming Solutions, each predicted that
the first port to be unveiled would probably be to a Unix platform.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930923/Press contacts: Barbara Cerf, IBM, tel
914-642-4664; Lynne Hanson, Hewlett-Packard, tel [phone];
Christine Bock, The Spindler Organization, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00020)

Unix Expo - New Ten X Optical Drive Works Without Drivers 09/23/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- At Unix Expo, Ten
X has announced a product billed as the first optical drive to work
without the use of a connection kit.

At a press conference, Elizabeth Davis, vice president of sales and
marketing, explained that OptiXchange 1300 uses a unique hardware
interface that allows the optical disk to look and act like a hard
disk to any operating system, eliminating the need for software
drivers.

OptiXchange 1300 also provides full support for both rewritable and
WORM (write once read many) disks, said Davis. In contrast, many
other "multifunction" drives experience SCSI compatibility issues
when working in WORM mode, she added.

Ten X also claims that the 1300 offers the highest storage capacity
and fastest speeds of any product in its category. When tested
under real operating conditions, the subsystem achieved an average
access time of 25 milliseconds, a seek time of under 19
milliseconds, and a sustained data transfer rate of more than 650
kilobytes per second, according to Davis.

Use of a storage format called zone constant angular velocity
(ZCAV) allows each optical disk to store 1.3 GB, she said. The
drive is also backward compatible with 1 GB and 650 MB disks.
Hardware data compression increases capacity from 2:1 to 5:1,
depending on the media and data to be stored, according to Davis.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930923/Press contact: Greg Wise or Elizabeth
Davis, Ten X Technology Inc., tel [phone])


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

Northern Telecom Offers LAN Link To Voice Mail, Fax 09/23/93
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Northern
Telecom Ltd., has set out to tie its Meridian Mail voice messaging
system in with local-area networks (LANs) and facsimile
transmission with a new hardware-software combination called
VISIT Messenger.

VISIT Messenger is the latest in a line of desktop communications
products Northern calls VISIT, which stands for Visual
Interactive Technology. It consists of a server based on Intel
Corp.'s 486 processor, plus server and client software to let
personal computer users on a LAN retrieve voice and fax messages
from their keyboards.

Besides voice messages from the Meridian Mail system, VISIT
Messenger will handle incoming fax messages, which can be
displayed on the recipient's computer screen, printed on a local
printer, or saved on the local hard disk, said company spokesman
Ted Hudak. The server provides typical computer-fax advantages,
like the fact that incoming faxes aren't blocked because of a
machine being out of paper.

Users can also send faxes from the system, which includes the
ability to broadcast a single fax to multiple recipients, delayed
sending to take advantage of off-peak phone rates, and other
fax-machine niceties.

The VISIT Messenger server can also provide fax-on-demand
service, in which callers request that a certain document be
faxed to them and it is done automatically.

VISIT Messenger users can see details of their phone and fax
messages on their computer screens, but use their desktop
telephones to hear their voice messages, Hudak said.

Those who don't need the fax capability will be able to buy VISIT
Messenger with only voice-mail functions. Due to be available
some time in the first quarter of 1994, the system will be priced
from $10,000 to $30,000, depending on the functions included and
the number of users supported -- it can handle from 50 to 400,
Hudak said.

To use it, buyers will need Northern's Meridian Mail Release 7.54
with the Access Enable option. Northern said VISIT Messenger
supports most popular LAN operating systems, including Microsoft
LAN Manager and Novell NetWare, and works with both Ethernet and
Token Ring networks.

(Grant Buckler/19930923/Press Contact: Ted Hudak, Northern
Telecom, 214-684-2758)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00022)

MacBiz Magazine, Supplement Aim At Canada's Mac Market 09/23/93
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Canadian computer
magazines are not as specialized as many of those in the larger
US market, and one example of this is the fact that this
country has no Macintosh-specific publications. But a Toronto
publisher thinks the Canadian Mac market is now big enough to
support its own publication, and plans to launch not one but two
in the next few months.

MacBiz Publishing, a new operation backed by unnamed private
investors, plans to publish a bimonthly glossy magazine and a
supplement to The Globe and Mail, the national newspaper
published in Toronto. Appearing in alternate months, the two
publications will aim at rather different audiences, said Steve
Wexler, executive editor of both new publications.

MacBiz Canada will be a glossy magazine with a circulation of
60,000 Macintosh users, officials said. Initially it will be
distributed mainly by controlled circulation, Wexler said, though
the publishers hope to move toward a paid-subscription basis. The
magazine will be edited for people who use Macintosh computers,
and will try to give them Canadian content they don't get from
US-based publications that circulate in Canada, such as
MacWorld magazine and the newsweekly MacWeek.

"They don't give it a Canadian context," Wexler said, adding that
his company is not aiming to replace those publications for
Canadian readers.

The MacBiz Reporter will be a supplement to The Globe and Mail
published in months when MacBiz Canada does not appear. Wexler
said its focus will be more like that of the daily newspaper:
general business readers rather than experienced computer users.
It will appear either as a stand-alone section of the paper or as
part of the daily Report on Business section, depending on its
size, he said.

MacBiz plans to begin publication of the MacBiz Reporter
supplement with the November 17 issue of The Globe and Mail, and
of MacBiz Canada in February, 1994.

The Cohen Group, a Toronto-area marketing and public relations
firm, said it has been contracted to administer and produce both
publications.

Apple Canada Inc., is not a formal backer of the publications,
Wexler said, though it has expressed its approval.

(Grant Buckler/19930923/Press Contact: Melanie Franner, The Cohen
Group, 416-886-8086; Public Contact: MacBiz Publishing,
905-764-6420, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(SFO)(00023)

SunSoft Intros Solaris 2.3 & Dev't Kits 09/23/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- SunSoft Inc., has
introduced the newest version its popular Solaris 2 version of
Unix. At the same time the company has also introduced the
Software Developer Kit (SDK) and Driver Developer Kit (DDK) for
Solaris.

According to the company, the new version - Solaris 2.3 - includes
"significant performance increases" in such areas as database
transaction, graphics and windows system. It also features the
newest version of Adobe Display PostScript, level 2, as well as
security, networking, system administration and multimedia
capabilities.

The software is based on Unix System V Release 4 (SVR4), and,
according to the company, offers symmetric multiprocessing,
multithreading, built-in networking, a suite of software
development tools, system administration, security, ToolTalk
interapplication software, LIVE! multimedia, and a "user-friendly"
interface.

In addition to Adobe Display PostScript Level 2, the new version also
includes such features as: cache file system that uses a local disk
as cache to eliminate traffic over the network; Asynchronous
Point-to-Point (PPP); an improved XIL imaging library; C2 security:
and networked system administration.

The company says that the new Solaris offers an enhanced binary
compatibility package (BCP) that enables users to run most of their
Solaris 1 applications unmodified on their Solaris 2 systems. The
BCP supports dynamically- and statically-linked applications,
enabling users to run existing applications with "no loss in
performance."

SunSoft says that Solaris 2.3 is "fully localized" for the worldwide
commercial market. In addition to Latin American Spanish, the
product is localized in German, French, Italian, Swedish, Japanese,
Korean and two versions of Chinese - the People's Republic of China
and the Republic of China.

The new Solaris 2.3 software environment includes a single compact
disc (CD), documentation and a coupon for the Wabi Windows
emulation software. It will be generally available in early November.
Solaris Desktop for the client desktop is priced at $795 in single
quantity. Solaris Workgroup Server for the small to mid-range
departmental server is priced at $1,995 in single quantity. Solaris
Enterprise Server for the enterprise server is priced at $5,995 in
single quantity. The localized versions will be available 30 days
after the shipment of the US Solaris 2.3 version.

According to the company, the SDK and DDK allow commercial and
in-house developers to "quickly and efficiently build products"
for the Solaris environment.

The kits come with a number of features including development
tools, sample code, on-line documentation, and training and
support materials. The company has also announced a series of new
developer programs designed to "educate and train" customers on
the Solaris technology.

The Solaris SDK includes: the Developer AnswerBook, which provides
on-line hypertext technical documentation including 20 manuals;
Motif 1.2.2, which allows X-based applications to be built leveraging
the Motif graphical user interface; the OpenWindows Developer's
Guide, which offers a point-and-click GUI builder to design, test, and
build GUIs; sample source code; and technical white papers.

The Solaris SDK for SPARC includes Devguide Motif Utilities, which
assists with migration of Devguide-generated Open Look applications
to Motif C source code or Motif UIL source code.

The Solaris DDK includes: the Device Drivers Writer's Guide, which
features a guide to the Solaris driver writing process; the
DDI/DKI reference manual, which provides the specification of the
Solaris DDI/DKI interface, the standard interface between device
drivers and the Solaris kernel; the STREAMS programmer's guide,
which discusses the kernel-level and user-level interfaces to the
STREAMS I/O (input/output) mechanism; sample and skeleton device
drivers; as well as application packaging and installation guide.

The Solaris DDK for SPARC includes: Solaris VISUAL driver
developer's documentation; and the OpenBoot PROM Command
reference guide.

The Solaris DDK for x86 includes the x86 device driver manual and
device driver templates for SCSI (Small Computer Systems
Interface), Token Ring, PIO and DMA devices.

The SDK for Solaris on SPARC and x86 is priced at $495 for single
quantity and will be available on a CD in 60 days. The Solaris DDK
for SPARC and x86 is priced at $95 and will also be available on a
CD in 60 days.

(Ian Stokell/19930923/Press Contact: Shernaz Daver,
415-336-4360, SunSoft Inc.)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00024)

UK -- Lotus 1-2-3 Release 4.01 For Windows 09/23/93
STAINES, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- A week after the
package was formally announced in the US, Lotus UK has launched 1-2-
3 Release 4.01 in the UK. According to the company, the package
includes enhancements which have been created in response to
customer problems and suggestions, enhanced integration with Lotus
Notes and updated database drivers.

The update kit version of the package, which ships this week in the
UK, is being sent automatically by post to all registered users of
v4.00. It can also be obtained by calling Lotus Customer Services on
0753-532044, as well as via the LotUSA forum on Compuserve. The
update kit preserves all users' data, macros and default settings,
the company claims.

Andrew Wyatt, Lotus UK's brand manager for spreadsheets, said that
market response to 1-2-3 4.01 has been phenomenal. "While most of
our customer calls are suggestions and questions, we closely monitor
these support calls for problems, and we are committed to addressing
customer concerns as quickly as possible," he said.

1-2-3's workgroup capabilities have been enhanced with v4.01 by the
addition of the Application Field Exchange (AFE), a feature that
Lotus claims makes it easier for users to collaborate on projects
and share information. Under AFE, key data in 1-2-3 worksheets can
be automatically organized, distributed and shared via the Notes
network.

John Landry, Lotus' chief technology officer, said that AFE adds a
new dimension to the synergy between 1-2-3 and Notes. "Spreadsheet
users can publish their summarized results via a Notes view. If the
underlying detail is required, a double click takes the user to the
detail by launching 1-2-3 and the associated spreadsheet," he said.

(Steve Gold/19930923/Press & Public Contact: Lotus UK - tel: 0784-
455445)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00025)

 ****PCMCIA III Hard Drives Arrive 09/23/93
FELTHAM, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- PPCP, the portable
peripherals distributor, has announced the availability of an
85-megabyte (MB) removable PCMCIA (personal computer memory card
industry association) type III hard disk.

The drive, which has been imported into the UK from Calluna
Technology, has two 1.8-inch format disks inside, yet
comes in a unit that slips straight into a PCMCIA III card slot.

John Nolan, PPCP's managing director, said that the UKP 499 unit's
average seek time is 18 milliseconds and has a data transfer rate of
up to 4MB a second.

"The drive opens up enormous possibilities for portable PC users. It
has enough capacity to carry all a user's applications as well as
data, from machine to machine," he said. "As with most PCMCIA
devices at the moment, availability to the market is everything and
we have product available now," he added.

The drive incorporates standby and sleep modes for power
conservation. When active, it consumes 425 milliamps (mA) of power
and 250mA when idle.

PPCP is claiming a mean time between failures (MTBF) of more than
150,000 hours. Shock resistance is 300 times the force of gravity
(G) when non-operational and 100G when operational. The unit
measures 85.6 x 54 x 10.5 millimetres and weighs just 65 grams.

(Steve Gold/19930923/Press & Public Contact: PPCP - tel: 081-893-
2277)


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

VARs Choose AST As #1 PC Supplier 09/23/93
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- The notebook
market is one of the fastest growing segments of the computer
industry. Now AST Research Inc., has been awarded the number one
PC/notebook supplier spot by value-added resellers (VARs) at the
fifth annual VARBusiness Report Card Awards Ceremony.

AST vied with such other major PC/notebook manufacturers as IBM,
Apple Computer, Wyse, NCR, Acer, and Unisys in the desktop and
notebook computer classification. The company claims to have
finished first in product, pricing and support categories,
and second in partnership on the way to its overall first place.

In announcing the awards, Richard March, VARBusiness editor,
said: "AST, which was the top-rated PC/notebook vendor in the
survey, received its best grades in supporting VARs. AST
finished first in three of the four support categories. While AST
also received a high score in product categories, it was the
company's favorable support scores that put AST over the top."

According to VARBusiness, the survey asked authorized VARs to
rate the importance of 16 categories they had indicated were the
most critical. Then, within each category, they were asked to rate
satisfaction with their vendors.

Scores for vendors were segmented into three platforms, including
single processor PCs/notebooks, minicomputers/servers, and
workstations.

An independent consulting firm conducted the 1,027 telephone
interviews, according to the company, with all respondents
asked the same questions. For the AST portion of the survey,
VARBusiness interviewed AST VARs who primarily resold AST
PCs/notebooks.

The company says that, within the product category, six factors
were considered, including quality of product, product availability,
interoperability, upgradability, product innovation, and breadth of
line. In the profit category, profit margins, price/performance and
financing were considered. In the support category, quality of
technical support, accuracy/timeliness of pricing information,
quality of lead programs, and quality of co-op programs were
considered. In the partnership category, commitment to VAR
programs, cross-channel conflict, and quality of marketing
associate programs were measured.

Just last week, Newsbytes reported that AST planned to
demonstrate its first handheld, pen-based computer at the
Mobile World Show in San Jose this month.

(Ian Stokell/19930923/Press Contact: Hollie Chriss-Cronin,
714-727-7977, AST Research Inc.)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00027)

Exabyte Intros Exatape Mini Data Cartridge 09/23/93
BOULDER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- Exabyte Corp.,
has introduced the Exatape Mini Data Cartridge. According to the
company, the new-generation, DC2750 minicartridge yields the
highest capacity for quarter-inch minicartridge data recording.

The new cartridge stores from 750 megabytes (MB) - native - to
up to 1.5 gigabytes (GB) - compressed.

According to the company, quarter-inch Exatape's high capacity
is made possible by an advanced, 900 oersted magnetic tape that
produces an efficient level of data packing. In addition, tape is
longer (295 feet) and one-fourth thinner than previous-generation
quarter-inch formulations, which results in higher recording-track
density.

The company claims that certification is earned after the
"successful completion of lot-by-lot quality sampling, evaluation
and monitoring." This includes use in the design, manufacture and
testing of actual Exabyte tape drives. To date, the company says
that over four million Exatape 8mm cartridges have been sold
worldwide, and all come with a limited lifetime warranty.

The company also says that the quarter-inch Exatape is designed
exclusively to maximize the performance of Exabyte's EXB-2501
Quarter-Inch Cartridge Tape Subsystem.

The Exatape Quarter-Inch Data Cartridge is available through
tape drive resellers, distributors and computer supply catalogs,
and can also be purchased directly from Exabyte.

Just this week Newsbytes reported that Exabyte had introduced
a 4 millimeter (mm) data cartridge. The company said the Exatape
4mm Data Cartridge is compatible for data recording use with all
brands of 4mm DDS-1 digital audio tape (DAT) drives. The 60-meter
tape has a suggested retail price of $31.95, while the 90-meter
version will sell for $35.95.

In July Newsbytes reported that Exabyte had announced its second
quarter financial results, with net income reported at $1.61 million,
or $0.08 per share. Net income for the same period last year was
$11.66 million, or $0.54 per share. Revenues for this year's second
quarter were reported at $75.7 million compared to $76.6 million
for the same period last year.

(Ian Stokell/19930923/Press Contact: Susan Merriman,
303-447-7434, Exabyte Corp.)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00028)

Emerald Sys Backup Software To Support NetWare 4.0 09/23/93
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- One of the
most important aspects of any corporate networking environment
is an efficient and reliable data backup operation. Now Emerald
Systems says it will begin shipping backup software this fall that
will support Novell's new high-end NetWare 4.0 network operating
system (NOS).

The products will include XpressSERVE Enterprise, Xpress Librarian
3.0, EmSAVE 4.0, and ARCserve 5.0.

Concerning the products, Dr. Lawrence Rogers, head of Emerald's
Software Systems Division, said: "We have spent much time studying
and working with NetWare 4.0 so that we will have solid backup
products for this powerful enterprise OS. We know that with such
power comes complexity. Anticipating that there will be a steep
learning curve with the NetWare 4.0 system, we have put special
emphasis on our installation software to simplify that task."

The company says that ARCserve 5.0, Cheyenne Software's new
Windows-based NetWare Loadable Module (NLM), is already available
from Emerald in 50-user, 250-user, 500-user and 1,000-user
versions for backup of large multi-server enterprises. The software
backs up NetWare 4.0 servers through, what is called, a "bindery
emulation" mode.

Xpress Librarian 3.0, the company's workstation and Windows-based
data storage management software, will support NetWare 4.0 by
backing up Directory Services, which was an integral part of Novell's
attempt to compete with the high-end Vines NOS for geographically
dispersed corporate internetworks.

Xpress Librarian 3.0 will be introduced in October. It will support
the Adaptec SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) interface
card through the ASPI layer, as well as additional tape drives.

EmSAVE 4.0, a workstation and Windows-based product for basic
backup and restoral operations, will also begin shipping in October
with support for NetWare 4.0 through backup of Directory Services.

According to the company, both Xpress Librarian 3.0 and EmSAVE
4.0 will access NetWare 4.0 via a Windows-based storage
management services (SMS) interface on the workstation which
Emerald Systems codeveloped with Novell.

XpressSERVE Enterprise will be fully SMS-compliant. SMS allows
enterprise-wide backup and restoration of multiple file systems
so that all DOS, Windows, Unix, Macintosh and OS/2 files on the
server may be backed up. It will be available in October in 50-user,
250-user, 500-user and 1,000-user versions, XpressSERVE
Enterprise will have a NetWare-like C-Worthy interface on the
workstation, a server console interface and a DOS command-line
interface.

In March Newsbytes reported that Emerald was offering a 50-page
"Network Data Storage and Management Handbook" free to
administrators of local area networks (LANs).

In February Newsbytes reported that Azlan had announced that it
would be marketing Emerald's automated digital audio tape (DAT)
backup systems for the archiving of Novell Netware systems in
the UK.

(Ian Stokell/19930923/Press Contact: Karen Thomas,
619-673-2161 ext 4106, Emerald Systems)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00029)

New Ergo Keyboard From Ergologic, Key Tronic 09/23/93
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- If you type a
lot and hate the idea of relearning some new keyboard that is
supposed to be good for you ergonomically, Ergologic has a new
idea for you. Ergologic and Key Tronic have come up with a
standard QWERTY-based keyboard for IBM and compatible personal
computers (PCs) that the companies claim is adjustable so each
individual can get their hands in the most natural position.

Since evidence indicates that the debilitating condition
carpal tunnel and Desquervain's Tenosynovitis may be
caused by keyboards, interest in keyboards made more
closely to the design of the human hand and body is
high. Approximately seventeen percent of users who use a
keyboard more than two hours a day suffer from pain, numbness,
and loss of finger control, and repetitive motion disorders
account for more than 50 percent of all workplace injuries.
Several attempts have been made by various keyboard
manufacturers to solve this problem.

The Ergologic keyboard looks like a standard keyboard, but the
company has split the keyboard in half and the sides rotate up
and in so the user can type on a standard keyboard with their
hands at a more natural angle. The angle of the halves is set
with a knob on the left side of the keyboard and it takes only
seven seconds to make the adjustment, according to Lance
Rucker, president of Ergologic. Seven seconds is the magic
number, Rucker said, because if the time to make an adjustment
is longer, even as little as 15 seconds, users will simply give
up and use the keyboard the way it is.

Integrated hand rests have also been designed to support the
forearm weight and increase comfort in the neck, back, and
shoulders during keyboard use. Like the other portions of the
keyboard, the hand rests are also adjustable and do not
interfere with the users normal movement during data input.

The spacebar is a reverse activation spacebar which allows the
thumb to work the same way it does when picking up something,
or it can be used in the standard way. Users may also control
the backspace and return keys with the thumb if they wish.

Rucker, an ergonomics and Performance Logic specialist, has
done extensive research into keyboard design. "It was a spin-
off of design work we were doing for surgical settings. Some of
our people were very concerned about the awkwardness and
contortions of computer input and we decided to do something
about it," Rucker said.

The Ergologic Keyboard will be marketed both by Ergologic and
by Key Tronic, which is the manufacturer. Retail pricing is
expected to be $399 and company officials expect the units to
be available in November of this year. Key Tronic will
demonstrate the keyboards in both of its booths at the computer
trade show Comdex in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 15-19.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930923/Press Contact: Dr. Lance Rucker,
Ergologic, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Public Contact
800-665-9929)


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

 ****FCC Split On Personal Communication Networks 09/23/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 SEP 23 (NB) -- The Federal
Communications Commission approved long-awaited rules on
the auction of microwave frequencies for Personal
Communication Networks, or PCNs, by a split 2-1 vote.

The plan, originally written by Commission staff, would require
auction participants to make up-front payments in order to be
qualified, and would split the available 160 megahertz of
spectrum between 1.8 and 2.2 GHz into two 30 MHz blocks, a single
20 MHz block and four 10 MHz blocks. The spectrum would be used
for voice, fax, data, and even paging services, in competition
with existing cellular and paging operators.

Since the spectrum being offered is at a much higher
frequency than the existing cellular spectrum, "cell sites"
would have to be closer together than in current cellular
systems, but power requirements would be much lower, meaning
smaller hand-sets could be used.

Geographically, the commission designated 51 Metropolitan Trading
Areas and 492 Basic Trading Areas, as defined by Rand McNally,
rejecting a call by MCI for national licensing. The commission
also ruled that existing cellular operators will be eligible for
new PCN licenses, but only outside their existing service areas
or areas where the cellular licensee serves less than 10
percent of the population of the proposed PCN network.

A company is considered a cellular licensee if it owns 20
percent or more of a cellular system -- many systems have
multiple owners.

The regional Bells will be subject to the same ownership rules as
other cellular operators. Companies may acquire up to 40 MHz of
frequency space per service area and there are no geographic
restrictions, so technically national service is possible.

Voting for the plan were interim chairman James Quello, a
Democrat appointed by President Nixon in 1974, and Commissioner
Ervin Duggan, a Democrat appointed by President Bush in 1990.
Voting against the staff plan was Commissioner Andrew Barrett, a
Republican appointed by President Reagan. Barrett issued a long
rebuttal, writing that "In an attempt to make everyone happy, the
majority has created a consensus decision that involves a
complicated labyrinth of a few large allocations and numerous
small market allocations, in varying size spectrum blocks."

Basically, Barrett found the final decision too complicated,
creating high costs for companies in acquiring licenses. "The
decision imposes impractical transaction costs in order to
accomplish complicated spectrum and market aggregation schemes
across over 2,000 small licenses throughout the country," he
concluded.

This is far from the end of the matter. The rules do not have to
be finalized until next March. Between now and then, public
comments are being sought, and interest groups are bound to have
their say. In addition, incoming chairman Reed Hundt, a Clinton
appointee, is expected to be in office soon, and will have a vote
on the final plan. It's also expected that a fifth commissioner,
nominally a Republican, will have been appointed by the President
and confirmed before the commission votes on the final plan. Even
after that vote, there is a chance for reconsideration and
amendment.

The Clinton Administration hopes to earn $8-10 billion for the
Treasury through auctioning off the PCN spectrum. Such auctions
were originally proposed by former commissioner Alfred Sikes, now
an executive with Hearst Corp., during the Bush Administration,
and during that administration, Congressional Democrats opposed
the idea. That opposition vanished after President Clinton
expressed support for the auctions.

Reaction to the decision was immediate. McCaw Cellular issued a
press release with praise for the plan. "The FCC's decision to
issue licenses of varying size to both experienced service
providers and new entrants into the market will ensure a wide
variety of wireless services at competitive prices," the release
stated. "I expect there will be spirited bidding for this
expansion of wireless service," added Chairman Craig McCaw. McCaw
recently agreed to be acquired by AT&T.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930923/Press Contact: FCC Press, Rosemary
Kimball, 202-632-5050; McCaw Cellular, Todd Wolfenbarger,
206/828-1851)