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/nb930211

Text File | 1993-02-11 | 56KB | 1,276 lines

(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00001)

Japan: PC-VAN Links With JALNET 02/11/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Japan's two major
telecommunications networks - NEC's PC-VAN and Japan
Airlines' JALNET - have been interconnected.

The interconnection will reportedly benefit users of both
networks. PC-VAN users will be able to gain up-to-date airline
information. Meanwhile, JALNET users will be able to take
advantage of hundreds of access nodes of PC-VAN throughout
Japan.

NEC's PC-VAN and Japan Airlines' JALNET have interconnected
their networks in a slightly different manner. For PC-VAN users,
they will be able to access JALNET's huge information database,
which covers about 100 countries in the world. The database
includes airline schedule of 760 airline firms, tourist
information, hotel information, and a bulletin board system
(BBS). This will be good news for business users of PC-VAN.

With this interconnection, JALNET users will be able to access
the JALNET network through 213 nodes, which are scattered all
over Japan. It will therefore be easier to get economical access
to the network.

Meanwhile, NEC has added a new service on its PC-VAN. It is
NHK's (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) worldwide news
information, which is broadcasted on television. The news is
updated every three days, and 2,400 kinds of news topics can be
read on the service. Users will be able to get the news according
to different categories such as politics and economics. About ten
yen ($0.08) per minute will be charged.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930211/Press Contact: NEC
PC-VAN, [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00002)

Novell Upgrades Communications Management Tool 02/11/93
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Novell has
released version 1.1 of its Netware Communication Services
Manager (NCSM) software package. This new release is primarily
driven by the recent release of Netware for SAA version 1.3, but
it also incorporates other improvements as well.

Some of the improved features include better centralized
management functions and improved event and failure notification
from multiple remote servers. Additionally, the new version has
added a bunch of new configuration displays to the package.

NCSM 1.1 now includes: the adapter type, block identification,
destination SAP, host destination address, link station role,
logical adapter name, protocol stack name, PU ID, SDLC
(synchronous data link control) encoding, the source SAP of the
SNA (Systems Network Architecture) host link, additional
reporting on the LLC (logical link control) protocols, and 802.0
custom and QLLC (qualified logical link control) link station
attributes.

Newsbytes has learned that the biggest improvement in NCSM is
the ability to load and unload NLMs (NetWare Loadable Modules)
and communications services remotely. Another important aspect
of this new ability is to be able to reset individual host sessions,
and force workstation users to quit host-based applications.

"Our customers tell us that managing their networks is becoming
increasingly complex as they decentralize operations to remote
offices while maintaining connectivity with centrally-based IBM
hosts," said Gerry Machi, vice president and general manager of
Novell's Netware Systems Group. "The Netware Communication
Services Manager is a unique application designed to help
customers monitor and secure access to network resources while
at the same time, providing the configuration information needed
to keep the network up through proactive management."

NCSM version 1.1 is available now. Current users can upgrade from
version 1.0 at no charge. Retail price of NCSM 1.1 remains at
$3,495. As a special promotion, Novell is giving each end-user
who purchases NCSM between now and April 30, 1993, a free copy
of Site Lock, which is a software metering and virus protection
program from Brightwork development.

(Naor Wallach/19930209/Press Contact: Bill Jeppesen, Novell,
408-747-4236)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00003)

Ergonomic Computer/Office Accessories 02/11/93
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Ergodyne
Corporation has introduced WorkSmart, a line of ergonomic
computer and office accessories.

According to the company, all of the products are developed by
industrial designers and practicing occupational health and
safety professionals. The company also claims that all
WorkSmart products are designed to help maintain an
"ergonomically correct and comfortable working position to
maximize safety in the computerized office environment."

The WorkSmart line features a number of products. WorkSmart
Warm-Up and Stretch Software promotes comfort and safety by
leading end-users through a series of exercises that focus on
stretching major muscle groups commonly affected by prolonged
computer use. The program features a combination of text and
graphics and can be easily customized to allow users to focus on
those stretches most useful to them. WorkSmart Warm-Up and
Stretch Software is a memory resident, PC-based program that
can operate in both DOS and Windows environments. Suggested
retail price is $79.95.

WorkSmart Wrist Rests neutralize wrist posture for keyboard
operators and come in three models: adjustable height, fixed
height and mouse/10-key size. According to the company, all
feature a patented curvilinear design and cushioned surface to
minimize pressure on stress points. Suggested retail prices
range from $19.95 to $34.95.

WorkSmart Foot Rests help maintain a comfortable working
position which promotes proper sitting posture and good
circulation to the legs, says the company. The WorkSmart Foot
Rest is fully adjustable and features a foot lever that allows
the user to adjust and lock the foot rest into the optimum
position. Suggested retail price is $59.95.

The company claims that WorkSmart Back Rests and Lumbo Rolls
can make almost any office chair more comfortable and
ergonomically correct. Back  rests are available in 14-inch or
18-inch sizes. Suggested retail prices range from $21.95 to
$54.95.

(Computer Currents/19930211/Public Contact: 800-225-8238.)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00004)

Windows Fax Software Adds LAN Users 02/11/93
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- SofNet is shipping
FaxWorks Plus, a Windows fax software product that incorporates
ExperVision's TypeWriter OCR (optical character recognition)
technology and a new driver software that allows you to add
network users for $39 per  workstation without having to buy
modems for file servers.

A new dormant driver technology called RFaxAwayS adds people
to the network through a call to SofNet, which does an algorithm
that gives new users a serial number. This allows FaxWorks Plus
to be network ready and upgradable to a local area network
(LAN)-based fax management system by using the same hardware.

According to the company, there is no need to purchase additional
modems or servers. By incorporating ExperVision's TypeReader
engine, FaxWorks Plus provides a fully edible document Q not
merely a bit-mapped image Q like those offered by most standard
fax applications, claims the company. In addition, RActive
SchedulingS lets users view fax status real time.

The company says that FaxWorks Plus is installed like a printer.
Using standard printer commands within most word processors
or other applications, users send a fax just like they would print
a document, retaining fonts, characters and graphics as if they
were printed on a laser printer. With FaxWorks Plus, received
faxes can be saved as DCX, PCX, or Group III image files.
Suggested retail for FaxWorks Plus is $99.

(Computer Currents/19930211/Public Contact: 404-984-8088)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(MOW)(00005)

Russia: Merisel-CAT Starts Comms Equipment Road Show 02/11/93
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Merisel-Computer Aided
Technologies, a large computer equipment reseller in Russia,
has started a 10-day road show in Siberia and Kazakhstan.

A chartered flight will bring business people and a small
exhibition representing Hewlett-Packard, Seiko Epson, Seagate,
Intel, and American Power Conversion products to Novosibirsk,
Novokuznetsk (both in Russia), and in Alma-Ata, the capital of
the Kazakh republic.

The Merisel chief expert Alexander Krylow was quoted as saying
that the Siberian and Central Asian locations the tour intends to
visit are of high interest for Western technologies companies.

What were mostly defence-oriented high-tech companies
located in the countries are starting to buy the expensive
communications equipment, according to Merisel representative.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19930211/Press Contact: Merisel-CAT,
phone [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(MOW)(00006)

Russia: Gonets Satellite System Launched 02/11/93
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- The SmallSat company
has announced the availability of the pilot stage of the "Gonets"
(Messenger) communication system. Two low orbiting satellites
are already working in orbit providing an electronic mail service.

The project is the result of cooperation between formerly
secret enterprises engaged in military satellite production --
the "Precise Mechanics" company in Krasnoyarsk, the Moscow-
based Applied Mechanics company, and RosMedInform, the health
ministry subsidiary. The project is funded by the agriculture
ministry's bank.

SmallSat will reportedly offer the ground terminal station for
less than US$1,000, and the service fee is reported to be very low.
The advanced equipment will provide the 64 kbps (kilobits per
second) satellite link speed, through the same satellite.

The completion of the system is scheduled to the end of 1996.
However, the first satellites are already in orbit and serving
clients.

No further information about standards, frequencies, and
equipment used was available at press time.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19930211)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00007)

Sprint Giving Bellcore A Try 02/11/93
LIVINGSTON, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- On behalf of
its local phone operations, Sprint is joining the Bellcore research
consortium which was put together by the seven regional
Bell companies.

Although Sprint is best-known for its long distance network, and
the company sold much of its local network to GTE in gaining
control of that network, Sprint is a long-time participant in the
local phone market, where it first operated as United Telephone.
Once its merger with Centel is final, Sprint will serve 5.7
million phone lines in 19 states.

Over the next two years, Sprint will evaluate what benefits it
could derive from becoming an associate member of Bellcore,
and make a decision after that. Under the current deal, Sprint's
local phone units. are granted only certain rights beyond the
licensing of products from Bellcore, meaning access to research
reports. Local operating units of Cincinnati Bell, and the
Southern New England Telecommunications, and other small
local telephone companies, also have that kind of access to
Bellcore research.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930211/Press Contact: Sprint, Vince
Hovanec, 202-457-3942)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(ATL)(00008)

 ****AT&T Sues Rival Carriers Over Tariff Filings 02/11/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 FEB 14 (NB) -- Following-up on its
victory over the FCC on the issue of special tariff filings which
the company made but competing carriers did not, AT&T has sued
those rivals for damages.

Newsbytes discussed the issue with AT&T spokesman Jim McGann.
"It's all part of something that started in 1989, when we filed a
complaint at the FCC. After two years the commission didn't act.
So we went to court to force a decision, the FCC indicated they'd
start a proceeding. In early 1992 the FCC came out with an order
that we were wrong. We took it to court and the court sided with
us. The FCC act spells it out, common carriers must file tariffs,
and the FCC can't waive it. We feel we were harmed."

McGann acknowledged that the companies AT&T is suing did act in
compliance with orders from US regulators. "They were doing
what the commission said. Our position is that they were in
violation of the 1934 Communications Act. They might argue they
were doing what the commission said, but we were damaged. The
point is if it's good public policy to file rates publicly, then
it's good for everyone."

The suits against MCI, Sprint, and Williams Telecommunications,
also known as WilTel, are based on a US Circuit Court of Appeals
decision last November, which was upheld recently, holding that
under the 1934 Communications Act, all long distance
companies providing interstate service must file information
about those contracts with the FCC. On the policy question, the
FCC finally ruled that only AT&T, as a "dominant carrier" in the
$30 billion market, had to file reports on its special deals with
big business customers, and small rivals did not. In response to
the November ruling, the FCC put in a requirement that smaller
carriers file "plain English" tariffs on their special deals, but
AT&T is still forced to file longer forms.

AT&T now claims it has only a 60 percent market share among
the large customers covered by the special tariffs. The reason, it
says, is because the small companies learn what it is offering
big customers and underbid it, while AT&T cannot learn what
those small companies were bidding for the same business. AT&T
puts the value of the lost business at $1 billion since 1991. In
addition to monetary damages, it wants its competitors to file
their special business rates just as it is required to do.

MCI, which has recently won big contracts with the Federal
Aviation Administration and Citicorp, all of which might be
subject to this AT&T challenge, reacted predictably. "AT&T
obviously has been stung by a continuing string of losses to MCI
among its largest customers and is desperate to find some way
to stem the flow," said Gary M. Parsons, MCI's senior vice
president for corporate and public policy in a press statement.
"But no amount of competitive disparagement or harassing
lawsuits by AT&T can stop the force of the marketplace."

Sprint's statement, released by its Washington public relations
unit, noted that the move comes just as toll-free 800 numbers
become portable, when AT&T is expected to lose a lot of business
because its prices for carrying such calls are higher than those
of rivals. "We are not intimidated and we do not believe our
customers will be." It called the court order, "only a technical
paperwork requirement." WilTel called the suit "frivolous,"
accusing AT&T of continuing to act as a monopoly.

While the suit was filed only against three competitors, it could
affect more than 5,000 companies, every firm which does long
distance business. But AT&T is particularly miffed at MCI and has
asked the FCC to order MCI to "cease and desist" from providing
services at rates which aren't part of public filings. Before the
lawsuit, AT&T had argued that it should be exempt from the
requirement to file special business rates. Failing that, it
wants to put the requirement on everyone else in order to force
the FCC to release it from its obligation, according to analysts.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930211/Press Contact: Jim McGann, AT&T,
202-457-3942; Sprint, Steve Dykes, 202-828-7435; MCI,
800-289-0073)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00009)

 ****DEC Outlines "Unified Unix" Strategy 02/11/93
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Digital
Equipment Corp., which in March plans to deliver its new DEC
OSF/1 version of Unix, has dubbed the new release its "unified
Unix" and given it a place in a troika of operating systems that
the company said will be equally important in its future strategy.

In a videoconference transmitted from DEC's headquarters to
reporters across North America and Europe, Digital officials
pushed the message that DEC is now serious about Unix, an
operating system company founder and former President Ken
Olsen once referred to as "snake oil."

Bill Strecker, DEC's vice-president of engineering, said Digital
plans to pursue a three-pronged operating systems strategy. The
three key systems are its DEC-OSF/1 Unix, Microsoft's Windows
NT, and an evolution of its traditional proprietary system called
"Open VMS."

Strecker and other officials firmly refused to identify any of
these three systems as a first among equals. DEC needs all
three to meet a variety of customer needs, they said. However,
Strecker described Unix as "perhaps the major growth
opportunity for Digital at this time."

Acknowledging that DEC's efforts in the Unix market have been
lackluster in the past, company officials promised a new
approach aimed at leadership in the Unix market. "We know we
have to do many things differently," said Bill Johnson, vice-
president of corporate marketing.

Part of DEC's strategy is the new DEC OSF/1 release. Based on the
Open Software Foundation's Unix development work, it is a full
64-bit implementation of Unix, a fact that Strecker claimed
would give DEC an advantage in the market. "Other vendors still
have to make that shift."

Bill Demmer, vice-president of DEC's computer systems group,
also said DEC OSF/1 is designed to adapt to expected changes in
technology up to, and beyond, the end of the decade. And he said
the combination of OSF/1 and DEC's high-powered Alpha AXP
hardware will put the company in a strong position in the
market. Demmer also promised that DEC OSF/1 would provide
compatibility with more Unix applications than other versions
of Unix.

However, the company also acknowledged it has work to do.
Admitting that DEC has been criticized in the past for not giving
its sales staff enough Unix training, Johnson said the company
has been tackling that problem with a series of "Unix boot camps."

Johnson added that sales staff are also getting training in
"competitive selling." Translation: taking customers away from
the competition. Not content with snatching customers from the
competition, DEC is going after its rivals' resellers as well.
Johnson said the company recently lured a top British reseller
away from a competitor, and is actively going after others.

Johnson said the company is also working with third-party
software developers to promote the creation of new applications
for DEC OSF/1.

The officials also said Digital plans to put renewed focus on the
scientific and technical computing market, an area where its once
considerable strength has waned in the past few years. This will
be a key target market for DEC OSF/1 in its early months. Johnson
said, "We know that we can win business here immediately."

(Grant Buckler/19930211/Press Contact: Dave Paolini, Digital
Equipment of Canada, 416-597-3529; Jeffry Gibson, DEC,
508-493-6865)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00010)

CA To Bundle 20/20 With Unicenter 02/11/93
ISLANDIA, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Computer
Associates International has announced that it will bundle copies
of its 20/20 spreadsheet software for Unix with CA-Unicenter,
its systems management software for Unix systems.

The bundle will give CA-Unicenter users an easy way to manipulate
resource-accounting data produced by the software, Al Novissimo,
vice-president of research and development at CA, told Newsbytes.
He said clients have been asking the company for a way to perform
ad-hoc analysis on resource usage data produced by Unicenter, and
rather than build the capability into the software, CA chose to
make use of the familiar spreadsheet tool.

The plan has the added advantage of helping to introduce 20/20
to more customers, Novissimo said.

The 20/20 package included with Unicenter is the full standard
package, Novissimo said, but does not include options that
provide data exchange with database software from other
vendors and allow worksheets to be updated from data in other
applications in real-time.

Because of Computer Associates' CA-90s product design strategy,
which provides the hooks for data exchange among the company's
various products, 20/20 did not have to be modified to be able to
extract data easily from Unicenter, Novissimo said.

CA also offers Unicenter for OS/2 and the Novell NetWare
local area network operating system. Novissimo said there are
no immediate plans to bundle a spreadsheet package with either
of those versions, although he would not rule the option out. In
the personal computer market, he said, more users already have
spreadsheet software.

(Grant Buckler/19930211/Press Contact: Bob Gordon, Computer
Associates, 516-342-2391)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00011)

Lotus Plans Notes Clients For SCO Open Desktop 02/11/93
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Lotus
Development plans to release a version of its Lotus Notes
workgroup applications development software for Santa Cruz
Operation's SCO Open Desktop version of Unix later this year.

The release, for which Lotus would not give a more specific
date, will be the first Notes support for a Unix system running
on Intel-based PCs. Lotus has also said it plans to release
Notes for Unix workstations from Hewlett-Packard and Sun
Microsystems noted company spokesman Bryan Simmons.

At present, Lotus offers Notes client software for Microsoft
Windows and a server for IBM's OS/2 operating system. Client
software for the Apple Macintosh and OS/2 are under
development but not yet shipping.

Users will be able to mix Notes clients running on all supported
platforms and exchange information among them, Simmons said.

Notes is intended for developing client/server computing
applications based on document management, electronic mail,
and remote access.  On the market since 1989, it was initially
sold only in very large installations but has begun filtering
down to smaller users.

Company officials said Lotus and SCO engineers are working
together to enable the new version of Notes to take full
advantage of the graphical user interface and networking
services of SCO Open Desktop.

(Grant Buckler/19930211/Press Contact: Bryan Simmons,
Lotus, 617-693-1697, fax [phone]; Zee Zaballos, SCO,
408-427-7156, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00012)

New Comms Controller From Data General 02/11/93
WANCHAI, HONG KONG, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Data General has
released the VME LAN Controller intelligent (VLCI) as part of its
continuing emphasis on high-speed communications controllers.

The VLCI is a single line, IEEE 802.3 Ethernet LAN (local area
network) adapter for AVIION open servers. It supports all Data
General LAN protocols, including TCP/IP (Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol), ISO TP/IP, Novell IPX/SPX
(Internetworking Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange),
DECnet, and Appletalk (Open MAC).

The VLCI runs the physical layer interface (IEEE 802.3) on the
card. Link, network, and transport layer software for protocol
stacks run in the host. All Data General network protocols
supporting IEEE 802.3 Ethernet can run simultaneously on the
host and in most cases can share the LAN.

According to the company, the VLCI and associated driver have
been specifically designed to support high throughput in both
single and multi-LAN configurations. Up to eight LANS can be
configured in high-end AViiONs with minimal CPU (central
processing unit) overhead.

The VLCI itself is capable of sustaining speeds equal to the
Ethernet standards of 10Mbps (megabits-per-second), claims
the company. The VLCI Direct Memory Access (DMA) operation
allows AViiON servers to sustain high throughputs in multiple
LAN environments through efficient use of the system bus
bandwidth, which is said to result in lower CPU overhead.

VME Synchronous/3 lines intelligent (VSC/3i) provides high
performance and throughput over 56 kilobits-per-second (kbps)
and 64kbps telecommunications lines in various synchronous
environments.

The VSC/3i supports multiple line interfaces which can be
individually configured for each of the three ports. It can run all
three of its lines at high speed and allows the AViiON to support
 multiple VSCs with minimal CPU overhead. Up to six VSC/3is
are supported on high end AViiON systems.

One feature of the VSC/3i is its ability to support both SDLC
(synchronous data link control) and X.25 software simultaneously.
This is of particular value in low-end systems where VME slots
are limited and both X.25 and SDLC are required.

The VSC/3i is shipped with all three ports set to RS232
operation and is supplied with instructions for configuring it
to support other interfaces. Both VLCi and VSC/3i require
DGF/UX 5.4.2.

(Brett Cameron/19930212/Press Contact: Daniel Ng, Data
General Asia North Tel: [phone]; HK time is GMT + 8)


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

Stingray Trackball Designed Around Your Hand 02/11/93
GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- CoStar has
introduced the Stingray Ergonomic Trackball, a new input device
that the company says is a combination of a low-profile mouse
with a high-precision trackball.

The Stingray trackball is designed to fit your hand as comfortably
as a mouse, the company claims. It stands only five millimeters
taller than an Apple mouse.

The slim design is intended to prevent excess strain on the
muscles in the hand, wrist, and forearm. Other key design elements
are the extra large buttons and the small, lightweight ball. The
buttons make up 70 percent of the Stingray's case for easy access,
and the lightweight ball is easy to roll, claims the company.
The trackball is also smaller than some other trackballs,
measuring five by 3.5-inches.

The Stingray Trackball is available at a suggested retail price
of $129.

(Computer Currents/19930211/Public Contact: 203/661-9700)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00014)

Receive Plain-Paper Faxes Through Your Laser Printer 02/11/93
SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Teledisk
Systems is shipping FaxPak, a desktop facsimile controller with
interfaces to your printer and your PC. The device receives faxes
and prints them from your laser printer for plain-paper output.

FaxPak shares your printer with a PC, network server or printer-
sharing device, and prints faxes between other printing jobs. It
stores up to 40 pages of faxes in memory while the printer is
busy, turned off, or out of paper, and prints them when the
printer becomes available.

In addition, it continues to receive faxes when your PC is off,
the company says. It can receive faxes at 2,400 to 9,600
bits-per-second.

FaxPak can share a phone line so users can talk on the telephone
or send  faxes with a standard thermal fax machine. Teledisk
says the device installs easily since it is not a fax card. The
computer does not need to be opened. The company says the user
just plugs FaxPak into their printer and PC with standard printer
cables, serial or parallel. A parallel printer cable is included.

FaxPak sells for $299 and is available directly from Teledisk
Systems.

(Computer Currents/19930211/Public Contact: 800/669-3700)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00015)

3Com Claims First With Netware 4.0 Drivers 02/11/93
MAIDENHEAD, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- 3Com, the
networking company, claims to be the first to market with its set
of Novell Netware 4.0 drivers. Netware 4.0 is the soon to be
unveiled successor to existing versions of Novell Netware, the
market-leading network operating system.

The drivers are being offered free of charge to the first five
million users of 3Com's Etherlink range of network adapters sold
around the world. According to the company, new DOS ODI (open
distributed interface) client drivers - which will also be included
in Novell's Netware 4.0 "Red Box" package - will give Etherlink
customers compatibility with Netware 4.0, as well as access to
promiscuous mode capabilities and faster data transfers over the
network.

Announcing the availability of the drivers, Nigel Oakley, 3Com's
product marketing manager, said that the call for manageability
of local area networks (LANs) is driving demand for analysis
tools at the physical level of networking. "Many of our customers
are keen to use tools such as LANalyzer. Promiscuous-mode
support on the Etherlink range makes that possible," he said.

When operating in promiscuous mode, LAN controllers allow the
computer system to see all LAN data packets, rather than only
packets addressed to that node. This allows hardware/software
systems such as LANalyzer to perform packet level analysis on
what is happening at a node.

Novell is keen on the idea of getting Netware 4.0 drivers to
market ahead of the actual shipment of Netware 4.0 itself. Bob
Young, director of Novell's Netware products division, said that
the fact that the drivers are available now and at no cost will
allow customers to move quickly to Netware 4.0 when it
becomes available within the next few months.

(Steve Gold/19930211/Press & Public Contact: 3Com UK -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00016)

UK: Softklone Unveils Windows Help Development Kit 02/11/93
HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKS, ENGLAND, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Softklone
has begun shipping a Help Development Kit (HDK) for Microsoft
Windows. The communications software specialist claims that
the UKP 195 package allows non-programmers to develop
Windows "Help" format files quickly and easily.

Microsoft Windows, although easy to use, places carefully defined
limits on program developers. One of these limitations is the
particular format that a set of Help files for a given applications
must adhere to, to be "callable" from within Windows. Softklone's
HDK claims to assist in the semi-automatic creation of these
Help files from standard text files.

"HDK empowers non-technical users with the ability to create
Windows Help format files and then use these, of required, as the
basis for paper-based manuals with no duplication of effort,"
explained Graham Harris, Softklone's technical director.

According to Harris, the company already has substantial
experience of "help" tools, having incorporated a similar
facility into Mirror III, Softklone's terminal emulation package.
"HDK makes it much easier to embed such features as indexed
search terms, hypertext jumps, and graphics for the Windows
users," he said.

Softklone claims that HDK is compatible with other development
applications and interfaces neatly with Microsoft's Word for
Windows. In use, the package takes a standard text file, created
by Word for Windows, and adds search keys, browse names and
build-tags automatically, without any need for the user to know
about how Windows functions.

Once created, the help file can then be interfaced into a Windows
application using either a pop-up definition format, a full jump,
or keyed to a macro within Windows.

Harris reckons the HDK will be a good seller to program
developers, as well as anyone involved in working with Windows
software. "With the continuing pressure for companies to reduce
costs, I believe that the HDK also has a major role to play in
replacing many paper-based documents." he said.

(Steve Gold/19930211/Press & Public Contact: Softklone UK -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00017)

UK: Azlan To Market Netware Modular Storage System 02/11/93
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Azlan, the
computer networking distributor, has announced it is handling
Storage Dimensions' Lanstor Lan 6 modular storage system for
Novell Netware in the UK.

Lanstor Lan 6 is a six-drive bay system that is based on Storage
Dimensions' Lanstor "intelligent" software, which was co-
developed with Novell, and is designed to give greater system
reliance against faults. The version being marketed by Azlan in
the UK is compatible with the Extended Industry Standard
Architecture (EISA), as well as Micro Channel and ISA (Industry
Standard Architecture) PC servers.

Announcing the availability of the system to the UK's resellers,
Steve Lockie, Azlan's product sales manager, said that it has
been designed specifically for the large number of users "who
currently don't need the hardware-based fault-tolerance of a
Lanstor disk array, but who require extremely high system
reliability."

As supplied, Lan 6 comes with duplexed "hot pluggable" power
supplies and duplex cabling for use with dual host adapters.
Azlan claims that this dual supply and cabling approach is
unique in the marketplace for Netware storage.

According to Azlan, the system incorporates Fast SCSI-2 (Small
Computer Systems Interface type 2) disk drive and controller
technologies that support data burst speeds as high as 10
megabytes (MB) a second to all types of file servers.

The system is modular and can be installed for up to 6,300
MB systems in blocks of 240, 525, 850 and 1,050MB units. Basic
systems start from UKP 6,000 upwards.

(Steve Gold/19930211/Press & Public Contact: Azlan -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00018)

Claris Signs Computer 2000 To Distribute In Europe 02/11/93
MUNICH, GERMANY, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Claris has signed up
Computer 2000, the European computer distributor, to handle
its products in the Benelux countries -- Belgium, Germany,
Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

According to Claris, the deal, which takes effect immediately,
builds upon the success that the company has had with Frontline
(Computer 2000's subsidiary) in the UK. Plans call for Computer
2000 to expand distribution to Austria in the near future.

Announcing the distribution contract, Dirk Rohrmann, Claris'
managing director, said that main aim of the distribution deal
is to enhance the company's position in the European Windows
software marketplace.

"We chose Computer 2000 as our business partner because of its
dominance and leadership position in the European market. We are
confident that Computer 2000's extensive market coverage and its
reputation as a full-service market maker will be a tremendous
force in helping us to achieve our European marketing and sales
objectives," he said.

Claris has enjoyed a healthy sales position in the European
software marketplace this last few years, even after the "stop-
go" situation of two years ago when the company was first spun
off from Apple then brought back in under its wing.

In the UK, Claris has more than a two-thirds market share in some
sections of the Mac software market. Filemaker Pro for Windows,
which is due to start shipping to European resellers soon, is
expected to sell well on the back of Claris' name in the Mac arena.

Although Computer 2000 is thought of as a German company by
many European computer industry watchers, it is a pan-European
operation, with subsidiary companies in 17 countries. Officially
rated as the largest European distributor of its type, the
company was founded 10 years ago and has its headquarters in
Munich, Germany.

(Steve Gold/19930211)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00019)

 ****IBM May Cut Up To 40,000 Jobs 02/11/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- IBM may cut as
many as 40,000 jobs worldwide this year, instead of the 25,000
positions the struggling computer giant has already said will
disappear. So says a Merrill Lynch & Co. investment analyst,
according to a report in The New York Times.

The Times reported that Daniel Mandresh of Merrill Lynch, in an
advisory to clients, predicted that IBM will shortly announce
extra cuts bringing the total staff reduction in 1993 to about
40,000. The cuts could mean a further $1 billion charge against
IBM's earnings to cover retirement incentives, severance pay
and other costs associated with the move.

In December, IBM announced it would cut 25,000 jobs during
1993. In 1992, the company did away with about 40,000
positions - roughly double the 20,000 it had said would be cut.
The greater-than-planned cuts were a result of more employees
than expected taking advantage of incentives to leave, an IBM
spokesman told Newsbytes at the time.

IBM could not be contacted in time for Newsbytes' deadline.

In January, IBM reported a $6.865 billion loss for 1992,
including restructuring charges. The company also reported its
first-ever quarterly operating loss - a $45-million deficit on
operations in the fourth quarter.

Since then, IBM has announced that Chairman John Akers and
President Jack Kuehler will step down. A committee of the IBM
board of directors is searching for a replacement for Akers, and
many IBM-watchers believe that for the first time in its history
IBM may hire a chairman from outside the company. Recently Paul
Stern, who resigned as chairman of Northern Telecom just after
Akers announced his departure from IBM, has been reported to
be a leading candidate for the IBM job.

(Grant Buckler/19930211/Press Contact: Jim Ruderman, IBM,
914-765-6631)


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

 ****IBM To Cut ValuePoint, ThinkPad Prices 02/11/93
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- IBM Personal
Computer Company is to announce price cuts of up to 14 percent
on certain ThinkPad and PS/ValuePoint personal computers.

Although full details had not been released at Newsbytes'
deadline, a company spokeswoman said the company is cutting
prices on both models of the ThinkPad 300 - those with
80 megabyte (MB) and 120MB hard disk drives - by 14 percent.

The company is also cutting prices on several PS/ValuePoint
models by 14 percent or less, the spokeswoman said.

(Grant Buckler/19930211/Press Contact: Liz Arends, IBM,
914-642-5459)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00021)

 ****Next Out Of Hardware Business 02/11/93
REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- It's
official -- Next has announced it is dropping out of the
hardware game and will only market Nextstep, its graphical,
object-oriented software environment. What is new is that
founder Steve Jobs claims the company is racing Taligent, the
joint venture of Apple and IBM, and Microsoft for dominance of
the next generation graphical user interface market.

Next says it will release an Intel processor version of the
Nextstep operating system on May 25, 1993. Microsoft's next
generation graphical user interface, or Windows 4.0 as some
call it, is code named "Cairo" and is expected within a year.

Taligent, which is developing a graphical user interface of the
same name, has announced it will double its work force by this
summer and is on a tight production schedule with product
expected "in the mid 1990's."

Jobs, who originally co-founded Apple Computer, said neither
Taligent or Cairo will ship until the end of 1994 and Next can
beat both companies to the punch.

In dropping the workstation hardware line introduced in 1988,
Next is reorganizing and is laying off 280 employees, leaving a
work force of 200. Canon, who owns 17.9 percent of Next, has
reportedly invested $165 million and will take over manufacture
of the Nextstep hardware. Next said it will fill the orders it
has until release of the Intel version of the Nextstep
operating system.

Next says it has a 50,000 user lead over Taligent who has yet
to release any product, but Microsoft Windows has literally
millions of users. The Intel version of the Nextstep operating
system will be released in conjunction with Nextworld Expo,
which is set for May 25-27 in San Francisco. The new product
will run on Intel 486- and Pentium-based personal computers
(PCs). Intel has not yet released its next generation Pentium
chip, but is expected to do so this year.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930211/Press Contact: Allison Thomas,
Allison Thomas Associates for Next, tel [phone], fax
818-981-4230)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00022)

Intel Sells PLV Video Compression Business To HTI 02/11/93
CHANDLER, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Intel says it
has sold its Digital Compression Facilities (DCF) business to
systems integrator and software developer Horizons Technology
Incorporated (HTI). Under the agreement, HTI will sell and
service the equipment used to provide Production Level Video
(PLV) compression.

Intel says computer users can play PLV clips on personal
computers equipped with the Intel i750 video processor.
However, PLV does not currently work with Microsoft's newly
released Video for Windows, but Intel says it plans to make PLV
compressed video playable under the Windows operating
environment. Intel's compression scheme Indeo is the one used
currently in Video for Windows.

Intel says the PLV algorithm provides high quality compression
for video publishing applications such as multimedia reference
materials, training programs, and promotional video.

HTI was a beta site for Intel PLV video compression services
under a licensing agreement announced November 1992, Intel
said. According to Intel, there are three other PLV compression
service providers in the United States, Japan, and Europe.
However, HTI will handle all additional licensees of PLV
compression.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930211)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00023)

Study Offers Companies The Real Costs Of Windows 02/11/93
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Want to find
out what it really costs to go to Windows or any graphical user
interface? A study conducted by the Microcomputer Manager
Association of 400 corporate management information system
(MIS) managers has resulted in creation of a program into which
users can plug in their numbers and get the "real" transition
costs.

The program will be distributed on a disk to attendees of the
Windows Summit '93 conference scheduled for March. The MMA
says the disk helps break down real versus perceived costs in five
main categories: hardware, software, training, service/support,
and networking.

Transition to any graphical user interface (GUI) costs more
than most users have been lead to believe. However, the savings
are in decreases in training costs over time, the MMA said.

Priscilla Tate of Technology Forum, a speaker at the Summit,
said, "In general people feel that the handwriting is on the
wall, and they must switch to a Windows environment to remain
competitive. This survey will provide them with the statistical
and financial data needed to justify the decision for their
company."

The conference is sponsored by CMP Publications and cosponsored
by Wordperfect, Claris, Asymetrix, Wall Data, and Polaris. It is
produced by the Columbia Resource Group of Seattle and hosted
by the Windows Watcher Newsletter.

The conference is to be held March 8 -10 in Carlsbad, California.
Registration is $1,295 for the conference, materials, and meals.
The "Real Costs Of Windows" disk will be available after the
conference for $50.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930211/Press Contact: Brock Mansfield,
Windows Watcher, tel [phone], fax [phone];
Public Contact 800-598-7868)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00024)

 ****Canon To Acquire Next's Production & Dev't Units 02/11/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Canon says the firm has
reached a basic agreement with California-based Next concerning
the acquisition of some of Next's departments. Under the
agreement, Canon will acquire Next's production and
development departments.

The actual agreement is expected to be signed by the end of
March. Canon is been the stockholder of Next, and has also been
the exclusive dealer of Next's computers in the South East Asian
regions.

The agreement calls for Canon to acquire Next's production and
development departments for free of charge. Instead, Canon will
waive its bonds and investment money which is estimated
to be around $30 million to $40 million. Under the agreement,
Canon will also gain the exclusive sales and licensing rights of
Next's system software - NextStep - in the Asian regions.

Canon will also take over 50 hardware engineers from Next.
Also, 280 employees out of a total of 530 at Next will be laid
off. The remaining 200 employees will be retained by Next.

Both Canon and Next are currently developing the Japanese
language version of NextStep, which is expected to be released
by the end of this year. Canon is planning to license NextStep to
other firms's 80486-based workstations in the near future.

Canon is also planning to create a hardware firm to develop and
manufacture a new-type of computer using Next's engineers.
Next Computer was created by a former Apple Computer founder
Steven Jobs in 1985. $120 million out of total $720 million was
paid by Canon - which is 16.7 percent of Next's total
capitalization. Canon will reportedly retain this equity in Next.

It is reported that only 50,000 units of Next's original
workstation have been sold since it was released in 1989.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930211/Press Contact: Canon,
[phone], Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00025)

Two Conferences Showcase Microsoft 02/11/93
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Two
conferences in the next three weeks will provide more
information about Microsoft products for hardware engineers
and software developers.

On February 23 Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates will present the
keynote address at the Software Development 93 Conference
which runs at the Santa Clara, California, Convention Center
from February 21-26.

Microsoft spokesperson Beverley Flowers told Newsbytes that
Gates will be speaking on his vision of the future, called
"Information At Your Fingertips." In addition to Gates, the
company says key Microsoft software designers and developers
will address what Microsoft described as "new, exciting
technologies and innovative Windows-based applications."

Billed by Microsoft as the leading conference and exhibition for
professional desktop systems developers, the conference will also
cover OLE 2.0 implementation, Microsoft Foundation Class library
details, visual programming techniques, and Windows NT operating
system architecture.

The Foundation Class library, a Microsoft spokesperson told
Newsbytes, is a C++ applications framework for Windows. As
reported previously by Newsbytes, Microsoft has recently started
shipping OLE 2.0 beta kits to software developers.

A Microsoft spokesperson told Newsbytes the production version
of OLE should start shipping before the summer. Flowers said the
cost of the conference ranges from $895 for the conference only,
to $1,195 for the breakout sessions and seminars.

March 1-3 Microsoft will co-sponsor the second annual Microsoft
Windows Hardware Engineering Conference at the San Jose
Convention Center in San Jose, California. Co-sponsors are
publishing giant Ziff-Davis and National Semiconductor. Ziff-Davis
is currently listening to proposals from at least two cities west
of the Mississippi that want to entice the publishing giant to
move from New York.

Microsoft says the conference and its companion technical
exhibits will bring together hardware engineers from leading
personal computer and component companies. A few of the
companies participating are Cirrus Logic, NCR, Phillips, Hewlett-
Packard, and Advanced Micro Devices, in addition to Adaptec,
American Megatrends, and National Semiconductor.

The goal, says Microsoft, is to exchange information that will
help the engineers built better Windows-optimized and DOS-
based personal computers. Sample designs and working
prototypes are expected to be on display.

Conference sessions include specific technical recommendations
to advance existing standards for system bus, input/output, and
display architecture. A total of 60 breakout sessions are
scheduled. Attendees will pay $645 each to attend the session.

(Jim Mallory/19930211/Press contact: Beverly Flower, Microsoft,
206-882-8080; Reader contact: 800-426-9400; conference
registration: 415-543-5847 or 800-421-6338


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00026)

Multimedia Showcase Opens At InfoMart, Texas 02/11/93
DALLAS, TEXAS,U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- A showcase for
multimedia products will shortly take up residence in the
InfoMart in Dallas, Texas. It will include product demonstration
areas, a literature distribution center, and a comprehensive
products and services database specifically for multimedia
products.

Multimedia is one of the hot new technologies for personal
computer users, mixing text, graphics, video and sound. "True
multimedia crosses different mediums, such as when video is
incorporated within a computer demonstration or voice annotation
is used within a text document. The Multimedia Place will focus
on corporate users of multimedia," says Business Development
Manager Kami Price.

A number of PC makers already label their systems as
"multimedia ready." Price says The Multimedia Place is a place
for buyers to go for information.

Price says vendors can expand their presence within the center by
participating in "The Multimedia Festival", an event which will
include seminars, conferences and exhibits specifically devoted to
multimedia products. Speaking opportunities and promotion through
a newsletter and the InfoMart magazine are included in festival
vendor participation.

Price told Newsbytes that the official opening of The Multimedia
Place is March 1, but the real grand opening will take place May 11
when the festivities will include an educational conference with
exhibits, vendor displays, and speakers.

InfoMart, which opened eight years ago, brings together more than
100 participating companies including Apple, Compaq, EDS, GTE,
IBM, NCR, Novell, Texas Instruments, and Xerox. Information and
working exhibits are available so potential buyers can see the
products in action.

(Jim Mallory/19930211/Press contact: Kami Price,
214-746-3514)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00027)

Storagetek System May Have Your Name On It 02/11/93
LOUISVILLE, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- The 5,000th
Storage Technology (Storagetek) Nearline 4400 automated
cartridge system (ACS) may have your name on it.

That is if you have a phone and live or work in the Pacific Bell
service area. That's who bought the 5,000th ACS system. Pac
Bell's Chief Financial Officer Lynn Brady says automation of
the company's information processing capabilities is a key
business strategy for the company's directory service.

The single 4400 ACS at Pac Bell is configured as a junior library,
using 2,000 of a possible 6,000 half-inch tape cartridges to
store more than 20 million phone listings. The automated
cartridge system stores and retrieves data from a network of
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) VAX processors that provide
constantly updated information for the Pacific Bell Directory
Yellow Pages advertising sales force. DEC is one of the 15
environments Storagetek libraries can operate in.

Storagetek Chairman Ryal Poppa said the junior library is an
economical choice. "The cost is lower than a fully populated
library, and they can upgrade their capacity as their information
storage needs increase."

(Jim Mallory/19930211/Press contact: David Reid, Storagetek,
303-673-4815


(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00028)

Iomega 150MB Internal Drive For Mac Centris 02/11/93
ROY, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Iomega has announced a
150 megabyte (MB) internal Bernoulli drive for Apple Computer's
newly announced Macintosh Centris 650 personal computer.

Iomega says the MacInsider IIvx MultiDisk 150 will also fit in
Apple's Performa 600 and the Macintosh IIvx, two systems
announced  by Apple last fall. An Insider model is already
available for the Mac Quadra 900 and 950 models.

Iomega says the drive is user-installable in the computer's
available half-height storage drive bay, shipping with the drive,
mounting rails, bezel, Iomega driver software and one 150MB
shareware removable data disk. Access time is reported to be 18
milliseconds, and the sustained transfer rate is 15.33
megabits-per-second.

Mike Joseph, Iomega marketing VP, says the removable mass
storage device provides the capacity of magneto-optical drives
but with hard drive performance, and the unique benefits of
Bernoulli technology.

The system can also read and write disks of 35, 65, and 105MB
capacity, and will read, write and format Bernoulli 90MB disks
and can also read the company's 44MB disks.

The street price, or the price users can expect to pay, will
probably be in the neighborhood of $775, while the disks will sell
for about $99. The unit is immediately available.

Iomega announced a similar 150MB capacity drive for IBM-
compatible systems in mid-January. The company also markets
Floptical drives, which store 21MB of data on special floppy
disk.

(Jim Mallory/19930211/Press contact: Cara O'Sullivan, Iomega
Corp, 801-778-3712; Reader contact: 800-777-6179)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00029)

UK: BT Offers Business Databases To GNS Subscribers 02/11/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- British Telecom has
announced it is offering access to a range of business databases
directly to subscribers to its Global Network Services (GNS)
packet data network (PDN) service.

Normally, to access the business databases, modem and direct
link PDN users must subscribe to an intermediate on-line service
such as Telecom Gold, BT's electronic mail (e-mail) service. The
GNS service, which is analogous to the Sprintnet and Tymnet
PDNs in the US, normally acts as a carrier rather than a service
provider.

More than ten business databases are being offered to GNS
subscribers, including Infocheck, Kompass, and other credit
checking services, as well as the FT Profile on-line publication
service.

There are hidden charges for this "free" facility, Newsbytes
notes. Subscribers to GNS must open a Business Information
Services (BIS) account, which costs UKP 100, although BT does
offer free hands-on training within this price. Minimum monthly
billing is UKP 10 and there is a connection charge to the BIS
database gateway of eight pence a minute.

Richard Fryer, BT's GNS marketing manager, said that BT is
constantly looking at ways to add value to the GNS network.
"Over 34,000 customers will be able to access BIS, which was
formerly only available over the Prestel and BT Messaging
(Telecom Gold) services," he said.

Newsbytes notes that charges for the BIS portfolio of services
are in line with those payable by Prestel and Telecom Gold
subscribers. The UKP 100 "buy-in" to BIS is higher than that
for the two on-line services.

(Steve Gold/19930211/Press & Public Contact: BT BIS -
toll-free in UK 0800-200-700; International callers - Jenny
Bailey Associates - 081-394-2515)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00030)

Legent Beta Tests "Mainframe On A PC" Software 02/11/93
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 FEB 11 (NB) -- Legent has
announced it is beta testing Optimodel version 1.3, the latest
version of a package that it claims lets system managers
simulate and fine-tune mainframe operations on a desktop PC.

Version 1.3 of the software, the first update to the package,
should be released towards the middle of the year.

In use, Optimodel evaluates the impact of changes to host
computer environments and working practices in isolation from
the live system. The company claims that, by assessing such
moves before implementation or financial commitment, IT
(information technology) staff can plan future capacity needs,
can stave off problems and can even avoid performance
bottlenecks.

"We've been listening closely to what our users in the UK and
Europe have been saying about Optimodel and, in particular, how
they like to see it enhanced in a number of areas," explained
Ian Rowlands, Legent's international business area manager.

Rowlands went on to say that customers are not going to be
disappointed. "Our development team includes some of the
world's leading authorities in modelling theory. Their collective
expertise has gone into making version 1.3 an altogether more
powerful and flexible offering," he said.

So how does Optimodel work? In use, the package runs on the
mainframe and takes a snapshot of how the mainframe software
is performing. That data is then ported to the desktop PC
environment, from where it can be manipulated and projected
using the database software. The off-line model then performs
a series of "what if" scenarios and allows the human operator
to assess the results.

(Steve Gold/19930211)