Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1983 May to 1994 June

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(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00001) NEC Stops Making 2.5" Hard Disks 06/22/93 TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- NEC was planning to ship 2.5-inch hard disks in March 1994, but has decided to stop shipments due to low market demand. NEC's 2.5-inch hard disks offered a 265-megabyte storage capacity. NEC had been trying to obtain low cost parts from suppliers, but did not succeed, and claims that factor was also a part of its decision not to release the units. Competition in the 2.5-inch drive market is severe because many firms sell similar units. The market has also seen the withdrawal of Japan Victor, which has decided not to market any more 2.5-inch hard disks. In place of 2.5-inch hard disks, NEC is planning to ship 1.8-inch hard disks at the end of this year. These have 125.8MB of storage, are extremely small in size, and weigh only 75g. Also, the retail price will be only 50,000 yen ($450) thanks to lowered costs in NEC's mass production plans. (Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930621/Press Contact: NEC, +81-3- 3451-2974, Fax, +81-3-3457-7249) (NEWS)(APPLE)(DEL)(00002) Mac Sales Slow In India 06/22/93 BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- After all the fanfare that accompanied the launch of locally manufactured Macintosh LC II and other products in Apple Computer's range, Macintosh sales took an unexpected beating in 1992-93 in India. While Digital Equipment India Ltd. (DEIL), the Indian subsidiary of DEC, sold just 90 machines as against the projected 500 units, Raba Contel's (nee RCL Systems Ltd.) sales too fell much below projections. The latter has managed to sell about 400 Macs, while the target was for 1,000. And this was despite the price reductions resulting from local manufacture and lowering of customs duties. The main reason, as Kapil Jain, general manager, marketing, DEIL sees it, is the demand slump in March. But if demand slump alone were the reason, Mac sales should have picked up in April when most companies, including DEIL itself, reported an upsurge in sales. Moreover, most of the 90 Macs sold by Digital were sold to desktop publishing users instead of the graphics and animation segments the company hoped to penetrate. Says Jain, "The familiarity with IBM machines has put users in a mindset. It will be some time before one can get out of it." The penetration of IBM-compatible systems into almost every conceivable application area is a hurdle DEIL has to cross. Support is yet another area. Remarks a competitor, "Support for IBM machines is easily available, even in small towns. Digital's support image is brighter only among the urban users." The kind of ad campaigns and roadshows that accompany desktop launches did not go with Macs. These, some reckon, would have helped DEIL promote Macs as office machines and not just a special purpose system for DTP as it has been perceived all along. Arun Nath, the chief of RCL Systems Ltd., also admits the lack of concentrated marketing effort required to boost Mac sales in India. But he expects the sales to grow considerably in 1993-94. "RCL has already sold about 150 machines since April last and we expect to cross the 650 Mark by March '94," claimed Nath. (C.T. Mahabharat/19930622) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00003) African Computing Topic Of Coming Conference 06/22/93 GRAVELEY, CAMBRIDGESHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Computers & Communications in Africa magazine has announced it is sponsoring "Computers & Communications for Development in Africa," this coming September in London. The two-day event claims to be the premier pan- African information technology (IT) conference of its type. According to Sean Moroney, editor/publisher of Computers & Communications in Africa magazine, the conference has been timed to coincide with Business Computing '93, which takes place from September 21 to 24 at the Earls Court exhibition center. C&C in Africa takes place at the nearby Olympia center on September 22/23. C&C in Africa is aimed at anyone with an interest in IT in the African continent. A number of vendors with a keen interest in Africa will be staging a small private exhibition in parallel with the main conference. The event organizers claim that this exhibition will be an ideal opportunity to meet with these vendors to discuss business opportunities in Africa. The conference event costs UKP 190 for the two days. Accommodation in the nearby Earls Court Park Inn has been arranged at the special rate of UKP 65 per night. Other special deals are available on request. AITEC (African Information Technology Exhibitions & Conferences), the event organizers, have made special arrangements for travel and accommodation requirements for non-UK delegates to the conference. Contact agents are available in Egypt, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe. (Steve Gold/19930622/Press & Public Contact: AITEC - Tel: 0480- 830724; Fax: 0480-831131) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00004) 3Com Slashes UK Pricing by 15% 06/22/93 MAIDENHEAD, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993, JUN 22 (NB) -- Claiming to be signalling a general reduction in the price of networking technology, 3Com has cut its UK pricing by an average of 15 percent. According to Richard Joyce, 3Com's European president, the move is part of an aggressive new marketing strategy for the company in Europe generally. "We believe this move will stimulate growth in the market, which will benefit our channels in addition to end users. It will undoubtedly put pressure on the smaller, niche networking companies, because they do not have the economies of scale to allow such a move," he said. 3Com claims that several contributory factors have allowed the company to cut its prices in Europe. The move is partly due to the company having achieved what its calls critical mass in Europe, which it says has allowed economies of scale to be passed onto the end user. 3Com also claims that the opening of a new manufacturing facility in Ireland last year has been a positive factor in reducing manufacturing costs, as well as import duties. Most of 3Com's business in the UK centers around products such as adapter cards and fixed port hubs, Newsbytes notes. The company claims that it is also working towards servicing its major company customers who also need a high degree of technical support and advice. 3Com officials claim that the price cuts will not affect this element of its services at all. Example pricing on 3Com's products are the popular Etherlink III adapter, which falls in price from UKP 185 to UKP 155. The Linkbuilder FMS Twisted Pair Stackable Hub,, meanwhile, falls from UK 890 to UKP 735. (Steve Gold/19930622/Press & Public Contact: 3Com UK - Tel: 0628- 897000) (NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00005) Enterprise '93 - Integris Upgrades UniKix Software 06/22/93 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Integris, a systems integration unit of Bull that competes against similar ventures from the likes of IBM and DEC, has unveiled a new version of its UniKix applications software. The Bull company claims that this latest revision of its downsizing software for Unix users migrating from an IBM mainframe environment is more powerful, yet easier to use. In an interview with Newsbytes at Enterprise '93, where UniKix R4.0 was introduced last week, Michael C. Kott, marketing director for Downsizing Solutions, said that Integris was formed in 1991 as the North American component of a worldwide plan by Paris-based Groupe Bull to move into the expanding systems integration arena. Now 150 employees strong, Integris is made up of two divisions. One division produces off-the-shelf systems for downsizing IBM mainframe applications, while the other supplies custom systems integration for complex applications that can involve products from virtually any vendor. UniKix, a shrink-wrapped package from Integrix, consists of a transaction monitor and related tools for porting IBM/COBOL/VSAM CICS mainframe applications to Unix operating systems. In addition, applications using IBM's DB2 mainframe relational database management system (RDBMS) can be migrated to Unix-based RDBMSes. UniKix also provides support for existing SNA mainframe networks. In one recent application, Burlington Coat Factory employed UniKix to build a new warehouse and merchandising system. Kott explained that, after completing a multi-year transition away from mainframes, the clothing firm found that applications that would support its needs for centralized merchandise distribution and "just in time (JIT) allocation" were still available for mainframes only. Using UniKix to port these applications to Unix saved the company the expense that would have come from implementing and maintaining a mainframe. According to the marketing director, the Integrix software offers several advantages over CICS/6000, a rival downsizing product from IBM. Although IBM has announced support for HP workstations, CICS/6000 currently works only with IBM RISC 6000 workstations, he said. In contrast, UniKix can be operated with any of the 12 flavors of Unix that support symmetrical multi-processing. In addition, unlike CICS/6000, UniKix gives IBM 3270 "dumb" terminals on existing SNA networks direct access to Unix applications, without preliminary mainframe processing, stated Kott. Integris' XPU4 migration tool allows 3270 clustered devices to connect directly to Unix systems through SDLC and Token Ring links, and thereby access UniKix applications. Another tool from Integris, XPU5, permits a Unix system to act as a mainframe host within an IBM SNA network. Networked 3270 terminals can then address UniKix applications on the Unix system directly. Kott told Newsbytes that R4.0 offers many enhancements over previous releases of UniKix, including the new KixWorld system management tool, new algorithms for faster online transaction processing (OLTP) and batch processing on very large Unix systems, a new Extended Batch Facility option, additional RDBMS support, and new support for the SNA LU6.2 protocol stack. The new KixWorld tool provides a single control point for all system management functions under an X/Motif GUI, including security, accounting, capacity planning, and systems monitoring. KixScan, a previously offered monitor, is being integrated into KixWorld, and upgraded with the ability to monitor multiple UniKix systems on a single screen. The new algorithms in UniKix R4.0 are designed to boost processing speeds on large Unix systems by reducing the number of message and I/O requests, according to Kott. A recent benchmark showed the new release beating an ES/9000-720 mainframe running the same CICS application, in both OLTP response time and elapsed batch processing. The new Extended Batch Facility option for R4.0 includes an automated IBM MVS JCL (Job Control Language) conversion product designed to provide batch capabilities that are similar in job management and control functionality to those available for mainframes. UniKix R4.0 also supports Sybase, in addition to the Unix-based Oracle and Informix RDBSes supported in the past. The new support for the SNA LU6.2 protocol stack is designed to increase the ability to support existing mainframe applications in implementations where only some applications are ported to Unix. The first LU6.2 protocols to be supported are function shipping, which will provide UniKix applications with access to data running on the mainframe, and transaction routing, which will allow users to execute applications on either the mainframe or the UniKix system within a single session. (Jacqueline Emigh/19930621/Press contact: Debbie Tabone, Clarke & Company for Bull, tel 617-536-3003) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00006) AT&T Releases Dominant Carrier Shackles 06/22/93 WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- AT&T has won through the courts what it failed to get politically, the removal of the "dominant carrier" rules which it says hurt it in competition with MCI and others. The US Supreme Court let stand without comment lower court rulings which would force MCI and other long distance carriers to post all their rates publicly, even special deals with large customers. In the past, only AT&T has been required to post its special deals, allowing competitors to come in and undercut its prices. And when competitors made special deals, AT&T did not have the same right to look at the details. The rules were set in place in the 1980s because AT&T was considered the "dominant carrier" in long distance, a potential monopolist. As its market share dropped to between 60-65 percent of the market today, AT&T argued before the FCC and Congress that it was, in fact, no longer dominant. Rebuffed, it argued in court that the rules were unconstitutional. And there it seems to have won. The complex filings were considered a bureaucratic nightmare even by AT&T, and if required of all companies, could drive many of them out of business, so it's likely they'll be changed. That would suit AT&T, which didn't like anyone having to go through the filings. All this is now before the Federal Communications Commission, which in 1989 had dismissed AT&T's original complaint on the matter, but was overturned by the US Court of Appeals. In the final Supreme Court appeal, however, the US Justice Department sided with AT&T, and the FCC reversed its position earlier this spring, demanding that MCI file its special tariffs. AT&T will now go to court and demand that MCI comply with that order. MCI calls the latest AT&T move "without merit." What's most interesting, however, is the position of interim FCC head James Quello, who now says AT&T and MCI compete on an equal basis, and should be subject to identical rules. In other news, the FCC is expected to vote this week on a new round of price caps on AT&T. AT&T won the caps in 1989, under former chairman Al Sikes, as a replacement for rate of return regulation, and regional Bell companies have since been fighting, usually successfully, on a state by state basis for similar rules. AT&T wants the caps lifted so it can set prices on a competitive basis, noting that other companies aren't subject to the caps. Finally, AT&T made its first competitive reply to MCI's 800- COLLECT service, stating that it would offer 30 percent discounts off collect calls from certain airports this summer. MCI has been heavily advertising 25 percent discounts for its 800-COLLECT service, and the ads don't mention the carrier by name. (Dana Blankenhorn/19930622/Press Contact: AT&T, John Mellor, 908/221-5017) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00007) NYNEX Selling BIS 06/22/93 WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- NYNEX said it has reached agreement to sell its BIS Group software unit to ACT Group of the United Kingdom for $140 million. BIS is best known for its Midas banking software. ACT, based in Birmingham, specializes in software for international finance, health care and governments. The deal is due for completion in July, and NYNEX expects a small profit. Included are BIS Banking Systems, BIS Information Systems, Brann Direct Marketing, and the corporate parent, BIS Group Ltd. The company operates primarily in Europe and Asia, and was part of NYNEX' efforts in the 1980s to diversify outside the phone services business. Many of its regional Bell counterparts made similar moves during the decade, and most were losers. NYNEX itself had a computer store chain it lost money on -- many other companies lost money in real estate. In recent years, the Bells have concentrated their attention on such areas as cellular phones and international investments. BIS Strategic Decisions is not part of the current transaction, but NYNEX acknowledged that unit too is on the block. BIS Strategic Decisions is a high-tech consulting firm. (Dana Blankenhorn/19930622/Press Contact: Betsy Ricci, NYNEX, 914-644-7589) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00008) "Hard Copy Consumables" Conference Opens Tomorrow in Boston 06/22/93 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Right after wrapping up the two-day Color Hard Copy Conference, BIS Strategic Decisions will be opening a three-day event, adding up to a full five days industry discussion in Boston this week around hard copy issues. Slated to start tomorrow, the Hard Copy Consumables Conference will deal with topics ranging from PDAs to plain paper fax, and from today's superstore shakeout to the future of the copier marketplace. Activities get underway Wednesday morning with an overview of "Electronic vs. Print Technologies" by C. Thomas Ashley, vice president of Consumables Markets Services for the BIS facility in Norwell, MA. Speaking next, Gary N. Tisley, managing director for BIS Shrapnel Pty, Ltd., North Sydney, Australia, will focus in on "Paper in the Pacific Rim." That afternoon, the forum moves on to the environmental front, with presentations by Chris Denniston of the National Office Paper Recycling Project on "The Office Recycling Challenge" and related talks by representatives of Lexmark International and Jaakko Poyry Consulting. Thursday's agenda features industry-wide tracks, a new addition for the eight-year-old show. In the morning session, attendees will have their choice of "Track 1: Traditional Media" or "Track 2: Copier and Fax Markets." Afternoon selections are "Track 3: Marking Materials" and "Track 4: Electronic Technologies." Each of the four tracks consists of five or six sessions on topics geared to a particular industry segment. Track 2 participants, for example, will hear about such subjects as "State of the Copier Marketplace," "Charting the Course for Plain Paper Fax," and "Reaching the Small Business Customer -- In the US and Abroad." "Office Technology -- A Market in Evolution," "Personal Digital Assistants -- Paper Substitute or Supplement?" and "World of Pen Computing -- It's Not about the `Pen' Anymore" are among the entries in Track 4. On Friday, the final day of the show, the emphasis turns to "Channel Challenges in the 1990s" and "End-users with an Environmental Conscience." Highlights for Friday include presentations on "The Small Business and Home Opportunity" and "Superstore Games -- Survival of the Fittest," plus a pair of industry roundtables. One panel will examine "Competitive Supplies," while the other will consider "Recycling as a Corporate Initiative." (Jacqueline Emigh/19930622/Press contact: Martha Popoloski, BIS Strategic Decisions, tel 617-982-9500; Reader contact: Conference Registrar, BIS Strategic Decisions, tel 617-982-9500) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEL)(00009) India - DoT To Launch Satellite Network 06/22/93 NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), of the Government of India has come out with a proposal to launch a satellite communication network system, to counter a plan for a similar system by Hughes Escorts Communications Ltd., an associate of General Motors. DoT has floated a tender calling suppliers to provide suitable equipment for this project. Sources in the department said that DoT, which initially considered Hughes' plan to launch a satellite-based data communication network for boosting software exports, has decided to come out with its own version, to provide an effective communication network for software exporters. Under the DoT plan, around 200 very small aperture terminals (VSAT) will be set up. These will have direct access to the C-band transponders of Insat-1A for beaming software into other countries. The scheme is expected to be complete by end 1993. The scheme is expected to eliminate many lacunas faced by software exporters currently. Presently, this kind of link-up is only available to firms in designated software technology parks (STP). Though the STP scheme was conceptually sound, software firms were finding it difficult to move to the four designated STPs: Noida, near Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmadabad and Bangalore. (C.T. Mahabharat/19930622) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00010) Northern Telecom To Install Longest Unrepeatered Cable 06/22/93 LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- STC Submarine Systems, a division of Northern Telecom Europe, has been awarded a UKP 80 million contract to supply and install the first European link to use undersea optical amplifiers together with the longest unrepeatered system in the world. The contract has been awarded by a consortium of telecom companies involved in the Rioja project, as the entire project is known. The consortium consists of Telefonica (Spain), DBT (Germany), Belgacom (Belgium), PTT Telecom (Netherlands) and BT plus Mercury in the UK. Terms of the contract call for the project to be completed by the end of 1994. The 1,800km system, which will link Santander in Spain with Porthcurno in the UK, Veurne in Belgium and Alkmaar in the Netherlands, in three separate sections, will operate to the new international synchronous transmission standard (SDH). All the segments on the link will use optically amplified technology, with two of them -- Spain/UK and UK/Belgium -- incorporating optical amplifiers. From the beginning of service on the project, these two segments of the cable will be equipped to operate at 2.6 gigabits/second, offering what Northern Telecom claims is the equivalent to 60,000 voice grade circuits. Plans call for the cable to have the facility to double this capacity. Northern Telecom claims that, because of the length of cable, it had to adopt a novel approach, a "stretched" unrepeatered system. Phil Black, technical director for STC Submarine Systems said that the systems used in the cable is at the leading edge of technology. "Here we are incorporating two technological firsts -- installing a future proof optically amplified system and linking that with the longest unrepeatered span to date," he said. (Steve Gold/19930622/Press & Public Contact: Northern Telecom Europe - Tel: 0628-812483) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00011) Microsoft Education Programs In Hongkong 06/22/93 TAIKOO SHING, HONG KONG, 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Microsoft has set up two complementary programs, Microsoft University and the Microsoft Certified Professional Program. The software giant claims that they will create new standards in the support of Microsoft system and application products in Hong Kong. Microsoft University will provide intensive, classroom-based courses that give application developers, and those involved in systems support, a thorough grounding in various Microsoft products. The Microsoft Certified Professional Program is a qualification system that assesses technical skills and verifies that an individual has the knowledge to support or train others on a specified product. "We have a responsibility to develop and support a substantial pool of knowledgeable IT professionals capable of applying Microsoft solutions to business problems. This is a responsibility that we take very seriously," said Laurie Kan, country manager of Microsoft Hong Kong Ltd. "By introducing Microsoft University to Hong Kong we hope to create a new standard of excellence in professional education. And with the Microsoft Certified Professional Program in place there will now be a rigorous international reference standard that Hong Kong employers can look to when hiring technical personnel," he said. To launch Microsoft University in Hong Kong the company has teamed up with the City Polytechnic of Hong Kong, where the first courses will be offered in July. These will be on Windows NT support and Win32 application development. Another 10 courses are also scheduled during the summer. "This is something of a natural alliance for our institution and we are all very excited about it," said Charles Wong, head of the City Polytechnic's Centre for Continuing Education. "With a pool of more than 100 academic staff to draw from we have Hong Kong's largest team of expertise in computer education. "The Microsoft University will enable us not only to serve the community, but also to forge closer links with industry. It also provides our staff with valuable non-academic exposure to the world's most popular commercial software." The City Polytechnic has fitted out a teaching laboratory to Microsoft specifications, with 16 networked workstations, and will have completed another by the end of August. Microsoft is providing the City Polytechnic with full student kits (including handbooks, course and laboratory materials), delivery guides and train-the-trainer sessions in the United States and Australia. The two organizations have been working since April to mould these courses to match the high pace of learning that is the expected norm in Hong Kong. Courses will typically last between two and five days and will not only help participants to get the most out of their Microsoft software, but in some cases will prepare them for a Microsoft Certified Professional exam. The Microsoft Certified Professional Program has been running in the United States since late 1991. "If your business depends upon people in support, training or consultant positions, then periodic assessment of their technical knowledge is essential to ensure quality service and effective career development," said Kan. "Those holding Microsoft CP qualifications can be guaranteed recognition in the job market worldwide." The program, which will be independently administered in Hong Kong by Drake International, a worldwide training organization, has already attracted attention from some of the territory's leading businesses. A fee of HK$1,000 is payable per exam, each of which lasts about an hour. When a new product version is released, re-certification may be required, depending on the magnitude of changes to the product. In general, re-certification exams test only on these changes. Microsoft Certified Professionals will be notified of the need for additional testing and will have approximately three months to re-certify. Microsoft maintains a global database on Microsoft Certified Professionals, information from which can be accessed through the Microsoft Hong Kong office. (Brett Cameron/19930621/Press Contact: Sasha Skinner (Microsoft): Tel: +852-804 4261;HK time is GMT + 8) (NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00012) EDS, Amdahl Launch Antares Joint Venture 06/22/93 DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Electronic Data Systems Corp. and Amdahl Corp. have announced a joint venture to sell technology they say will help speed up the development of applications software. EDS, a major systems integrator and computer services provider, and Amdahl, a maker of IBM-compatible mainframe computers, have named the new operation Antares Alliance Group. Initially Amdahl will own 80 percent of Antares and EDS will control the other 20 percent. The companies said they are inviting other partners to join. Antares will bring together two key pieces of technology. One is Amdahl's Huron, an applications development platform that allows applications to be written once and then run on a variety of hardware from desktop workstations to mainframe computers. The other is InCASE, a 10-year-old, EDS-developed integrated computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tool. Amdahl will now sell both Huron and InCASE, and EDS is already using both products in providing services to its customers, said John Cavalier, president and chief executive officer of Antares, in a videoconference from the Harvard Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Joe Zemke, president and chief executive of Amdahl, said the backlog of applications waiting to be developed -- a problem in information processing for years -- has "assumed Gordian-knot proportions." He described Antares' software as "the sword that will cut the Gordian knot ... a very bold statement, but we believe it." Zemke said his company invested about $100 million and 10 years of work in Huron before releasing it in 1991. The company then realized that "if Huron was to become a pervasive standard ... that we would have to seek additional partners." More distribution channels were also needed, he added. "We felt we needed to establish a level of independence for Huron from our hardware business," Zemke said. Amdahl began discussing Huron with EDS, which has been an Amdahl customer for many years, about a year ago. Jeff Heller, senior vice-president of EDS, said his company sees "really big" market opportunities in Antares. He added that the joint venture will perform ongoing research that will benefit both Amdahl and EDS. Antares will have its world headquarters in Dallas, with development centers in Dallas and in Toronto, where Amdahl developed Huron. The company will have its own board of directors, and is to start off with about 300 employees. Antares' software will carry an initial license fee plus per-user pricing, Cavalier said. The company's name comes from astronomy: Antares is a red giant star. Cavalier said the name indicates the backers' ambitious plans for the company. It might also be a pun on a nickname occasionally applied to Amdahl, whose IBM-compatible mainframe computers with red panels on their outer casings have sometimes earned it the name "Big Red" in contrast to IBM's "Big Blue." (Grant Buckler/19930622/Press Contact: Larry Fillmer, Antares, 214-383-2993; Bill Stewart, Amdahl, 408-746-6076; Pat Callaway, EDS, 214-392-8056) (NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00013) ****Something For Everyone Is IBM LAN Strategy 06/22/93 TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- IBM is trying to cover all the bases with its local-area network (LAN) strategy, an IBM executive speaking to developers in Toronto indicated. Susan Rubino, systems manager for IBM LAN systems products, was a keynote speaker at the OS/2 and IBM LAN Systems Technical Interchange conference in Toronto. She said IBM sees four parts to the LAN market: small companies, autonomous departments, bottoms-up enterprises, and tops-down enterprises. All have somewhat different needs, Rubino said, and IBM is trying to address them all with a variety of products. IBM maintains that its LAN Server 3.0 software, which runs on top of the OS/2 operating system, is the fastest performing server in the industry today. The company also, not surprisingly, contends that OS/2 is the ideal operating system for client PCs, and that there is an advantage in having one system -- OS/2 -- on both client and server. However, Rubino said, IBM will support whatever users already have on their desktops, including DOS and Microsoft's Windows. And IBM is reselling NetWare, the highly popular LAN operating system from Novell, because many customers want that choice. In the next couple of years, Rubino said, IBM will be focusing on network management and tools to support distributed and object-oriented computing on networks. She said the LAN NetView family of products, which provides network management and related functions, will evolve over the coming year or two. It will include not only IBM products but software from other vendors, including Computer Associates and Microcom, she said. The whole structure will be based on prevailing network management protocols: Common Management Interface Protocol (CMIP) and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). IBM will soon introduce a certification program meant to ensure that products from third-party developers work not only with IBM's LAN products but with each other, Rubino said. IBM also plans software to make it easy for LAN administrators to set up LAN workstations remotely, and to help monitor and manage critical network resources, Rubino said. She added that the Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) specification from the Open Software Foundation (OSF) will be a key to the company's future approach to client/server computing. "We are committed to the interoperability between NetWare and DCE and LAN Server and DCE," Rubino said. (Grant Buckler/19930622) (NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00014) ****IBM Desktop OS Strategy Has Four Pillars -- Soyring 06/22/93 TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- When John Soyring asked a room full of independent software developers and a few reporters how many understood IBM's desktop operating system strategy, only a couple of hands went up. Noting that there must be some IBM employees in the audience, Soyring, the company's director of software development programs, set out to clear up the confusion. Delivering a keynote speech at the OS/2 and IBM LAN Systems Technical Interchange conference here, Soyring said IBM is committed to four desktop operating systems: DOS, OS/2, AIX, and Workplace OS. Despite new 32-bit operating systems that offer greater power and added features, Soyring said, DOS will be around for a long time. He promised that IBM will very soon launch its own new version of DOS, to be dubbed 6.1 because, according to IBM, it offers some improvements over Microsoft's recently launched DOS 6.0, such as a better virus-detection feature. In the future, he said, IBM plans to add Workplace Shell -- the graphical user interface found in recent releases of OS/2 -- to DOS. The company is also planning to license its version of DOS to other hardware vendors, in direct competition with former ally Microsoft. Not surprisingly, OS/2 is next on IBM's list. Soyring said the recently launched OS/2 2.1 has had a very good response -- he claimed, for instance, that reseller Egghead Software ordered 13,000 additional copies. Another indicator that OS/2 has a bright future is strong sales of compilers and development tools that independent software developers need to create OS/2 applications, Soyring said. Third on the list is AIX, IBM's variant of Unix, which is most prominent on the RISC System/6000 workstations but is also available on other hardware. This will evolve into the PowerOpen standard that IBM is developing through a joint venture with Apple Computer, Soyring said, and will "bring the capability of the Unix world together with the Mac world." The fourth piece of IBM's plan is Workplace OS, a yet-to-be-released operating system that will in a sense replace the Portable OS/2 that turned into Windows NT when IBM and Microsoft parted ways. Workplace OS will be built on the Mach III portable microkernel, developed at Carnegie-Mellon University. According to Soyring, IBM considered this and Microsoft's development work as possible bases for its future operating system, and chose Mach III. The microkernel itself is public and freely downloadable from computers at Carnegie-Mellon, he said -- a feature developers like because it ensures openness. Workplace OS will have "multiple personalities." It will be able to run software written for OS/2, DOS, Unix, and the Taligent system that IBM and Apple are working on in another joint venture. The latter will mean much closer ties between IBM and Apple hardware architectures, Soyring said. The graphical user interface on the system will be a new generation of the Workplace Shell, with added multimedia, pen-computing, touch-screen, and speech-recognition support, he said. Talking to reporters later, Soyring said Workplace OS could eventually replace the other operating systems, since it can run their applications. However, he noted that Workplace OS will be a 32-bit system and therefore will not be able to run on older PCs, so it is unlikely to supplant DOS on those machines. "The installed base of 16-bit machines is huge," he said. (Grant Buckler/19930622) (NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00015) BoCoEx Index 06/22/93 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Boston Computer Exchange for the week ending June 18, 1993. Closing Prices from the Boston Computer Exchange June 18, 1993 Machine Main Drive Closing Price Ask Bid Price Change IBM PS1 386SX/25 130 MgB 850 900 750 IBM PS/2 Model 70-A21 120 MgB 875 950 800 IBM PS/2 Model 56SLC/20 120 MgB 1050 1300 900 IBM PS/2 Model 55SX 60 MgB 650 800 700 IBM ThinkPad 300 80 MgB 1400 1500 1325 IBM ThinkPad 700 80 MgB 1850 2400 2000 IBM ThinkPad 700C 120 MgB 3600 3700 3500 IBM V\P 3/25T MOD. 80 80 MgB 1500 1600 1500 IBM PS/2 Model 90-OH9 160 MgB 1700 1700 1600 IBM PS/2 Model 95-OJF 400 MgB 3000 3300 2700 Compaq Prolinea 4/66 340 MgB 2000 2150 2000 Compaq Prolinea 486/50 240 MgB 1450 1500 1200 Compaq Portable 386 100 MgB 650 800 600 Compaq SLT-386 120 MgB 925 950 850 Compaq LTE-286 40MgB 600 700 600 Compaq LTE-LITE 3/25 120MgB 1350 1450 1200 Compaq LTE-LITE 4/25C 120MB 3450 3600 3400 Compaq SysProXL 1.02 Gig 8,100 12,500 6,000 Compaq Syspro 486/50 Mod 1 6700 8500 6500 Compaq Prosigna 486 /33 550 MgB 3500 3800 3350 Compaq Portable 486/66 525 MgB 3650 4000 3500 Compaq DeskP 486DX2/66i 240 MgB 2100 2400 1900 AST Prem Exec 386SX20 40 MgB 675 750 650 NEC UltraLite 25C 80 M0gB 2000 3400 3300 NEC UltraLite Versa 20C 80 MgB 2850 2950 2800 Zenith Mastersprt-386SX 60 MgB 800 900 800 Zenith SuperSport 386SX 40 MgB 650 800 650 Macintosh Classic 40 MgB 600 650 600 Macintosh Classic II 40 MgB 750 800 700 Macintosh SE 40 MgB 575 650 550 Macintosh SE-30 80 MgB 1050 1150 1000 Macintosh LC 40 MgB 1000 1300 800 Macintosh II 40 MgB 1250 1300 1250 Macintosh II SI 80 MgB 1200 1300 1200 Macintosh II CX 80 MgB 1450 1550 1400 Macintosh II CI 80 MgB 2150 2250 2000 Macintosh II FX 80 MgB 2600 2800 2600 Macintosh Quadra 700 160 MgB 3050 3100 3000 Macintosh Quadra 900 160 MgB 3700 4000 3600 Macintosh Powerbk 165C 80 MgB 2400 2500 2400 Macintosh Powerbk 145 40 MgB 1450 1550 1400 Macintosh Powerbk 180 80 MgB 2950 3100 2900 Apple Imagewriter 2 200 ` 225 175 Apple Laserwriter IINT 900 1000 900 HP Laserjet II 675 700 650 HP Laserjet III 1050 1100 1000 Toshiba T-1200 XE 40 MgB 550 600 500 Toshiba T-1600 40 MgB 525 575 500 Toshiba T-2000 SX 40 MgB 700 800 700 Toshiba T-2000 SXE 40 MgB 800 900 750 Toshiba T-2200 SX 80MgB 900 1000 900 Toshiba T-3100 SX 80 MgB 800 1000 800 Toshiba T-3200 40 MgB 550 700 500 Toshiba T-3200 SX 40 MgB 600 750 500 Toshiba T-3200 SXC 120 MgB 1850 2000 1800 Toshiba T-6400DX 200 MgB 2200 2300 2100 Toshiba T-4400SX 120 MgB 1450 1600 1400 Toshiba T-5200 200 MgB 2100 2200 1900 BoCoEx Index data is compiled by Market Analyst, Gary M. Guhman Here are some current retail-oriented Seats on the Exchange, presented in a cyclic basis. Dallas - Ft. Worth, TX - DFW Computer Exchange - M.B. Lee - 817-244-7833 Escondido, Ca. - Affordable Computer Solutions - Dean Jacobus - 619-738- 4980 New Orleans, Louisiana - Audubon Computer Rental - Mike Barry - 504-522- 0348 Detroit, Michigan - CompuCycle - Walt Hogan - 313-887-2600 Computer Exchange\\NorthWest - Dye Hawley - 206-820-1181 Albuquerque, NM, Western Computer Exchange - David Levin - 505-265-1330 Fresno, California - MacSource Computers - Mike Kurtz - 209-438-6227 BoCoEx Index prices are based on complete systems with keyboard, VGA monitor and adapter, less the value of any software or peripherals. Boston Computer Exchange is available at: 617-542-4414, Buyer's HotLine: 1- 800-262-6399, In Alaska and Canada 1-800-437-2470, FAX: 617-542-8849. (BOCOEX/19930622) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00016) AST Boasts of Product Quality 06/22/93 CAUSEWAY BAY, HONG KONG, 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- AST's manufacturing operations in Hong Kong recently gained registration to the ISO 9001 standards following a comprehensive assessment by the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA). "The old preconception that Asian local production is of inferior quality is now totally outdated with the increasing commitment to quality management by Asian manufacturers," said Philip Wong, AST Pacific managing director. "The quality of manufacturing coming out of this part of the world had made great strides. In fact, it's not the geographic factor which dictates a product's quality, but rather, the quality policy within the worldwide operation," he said. With plants in Kwai Chung and Tuen Mun producing more than 160,000 units of computer systems annually, AST's total quality management systems have been recognized by its winning of the 1990 Industry Department Quality Award and the Quality Certificate of Merit in 1991 and 1992. The Hong Kong facilities, which employ over 1,500 workers, manufactures 80 percent of its products for the US and European markets and 20 percent for the Asian markets. "At AST, quality is our first consideration and the ISO 9001 certification represents an important milestone for our quality assurance," said Mr Wong. More than 15 percent of the Hong Kong facilities' workers are engaged in full-time quality control, performing outgoing audits, in-process audits, on-site quality control, and post-installation evaluations. Bill Lui, managing director of AST's Hong Kong Regional Manufacturing Headquarters, attributed the consistent standard to the continual employee education program that stresses the importance of quality. "We put a great deal of emphasis on design and built-in quality, and our quality standards are also compliant with the applicable regulatory requirements on the product," said Mr Lui. "Regular quality audits are carried out internally every quarter and on a corporate level twice a year." "We believe a successful quality management system is a team effort and requires a great deal of employee involvement," said Mr Lui. "So far, we have been very successful in instilling quality consciousness in employees by organizing regular seminars to explain the quality concept and workmanship standard, and by holding regular weekly meetings to review and discuss quality problems and solutions." (Brett Cameron/19930621/Press Contact: Billy Lui, AST Asia Pacific, Tel:+852-410 8888;HK time is GMT + 8) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00017) Pioneer To Open Karaoke Rooms In US 06/22/93 TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUN 21 (NB) -- Hoping to duplicate the success of the karaoke fad in Japan, Pioneer Electric, Tokyo, says it will launch "karaoke" rooms in the U.S. The karaoke room is a rental space equipped with a karaoke laser disk player. Already popular among families and university students in Japan, karaoke rooms are now headed for the US. Pioneer has already tested a karaoke room in Chicago in the US. The room was built in July 1992, and tested for about a year. According to Pioneer, Windy City residents lapped it up as much as their Japanese counterparts, prompting the company to set up karaoke rooms in other cities. To start, Pioneer will create karaoke rooms in Honolulu and Los Angeles in July. They are being located in restaurants and shopping centers. Each facility offers 6 to 7 rooms, and each room can accommodate 6 to 10 people. Pioneer aims to create 500 karaoke rooms by 1998 in the US. Most of them will be franchises. So, the firm will seek joint partners or investors in each area. In Japan, about 350,000 Pioneer Karaoke Laser Disk machines were sold to restaurants, bars and karaoke rooms. Karaoke was first popularized by Japanese businessmen, who wanted to let off steam from work by singing the voice parts to popular Japanese songs. Later it was picked up by families and university students as a way to break the ice socially. Pioneer and other record producers are now producing English language versions of karaoke disks, and some are already available. Also, Pioneer has just developed a family version of the Karaoke Laser Disk player, which is equipped with a game machine. (Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930621/Press Contact: Pioneer Electric, +81-3-3494-1111, Fax, +81-3-779-1475) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEL)(00018) India - Confusion Reigns Over Cellular Tenders 06/22/93 NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Officials of the Department of Telecommunications are not sure how to deal with the issue of granting licences for cellular phones in the four metros: Delhi, Calcutta, Madras and Bombay. This comes almost two months after the Delhi High Court indicted DoT for the manner in which it made its choice of licensees. The Court asked the DoT to accommodate Max-Hutchison among the eight licensees and lift the curbs on Sterling. While the chairman of the Telecom Commission, H.P. Wagle, wanted the court decision to be implemented, other members of the Commission advised against it, saying it was better to increase the number of licensees to three each for the cities of Bombay and Delhi (against the original two each). In a related development, the Ministry of Finance has also started looking for ways to solve the issue. Although, the ministry does not have a locus standi in the affair, sources suggest that its interest in the matter arises out of its perception that a delay will scare away foreign investors, whatever their level of interest, from the telecom sector. This will generally be against the spirit of liberalization. As of now there are at least five options before the telecom officials. Apart from the two mentioned above, a third one is to call for fresh bids or retendering. Also being considered are an appeal to the Supreme Court and an offer to include Hutchison Max in Bombay (as the company came up with the highest bid for Bombay city but was disqualified in the pretender rendering stage itself), and also expand the scope of tender to two additional cities. This would entail moving Bharati Cellular from Bombay to Delhi, Tatas from Delhi to Calcutta, and RPG from Calcutta to Madras. And then, to placate Sterling (one of the litigants), they would have single operator status for a new city, probably Bangalore, and accommodate India Telecomp in another new city. However, this option too is not easy to implement. It is more than clear to the Department that none of the parties are willing to be affected by any of its decisions. The Tatas, for example, have already stated that any attempt to dislodge them from Delhi, will mean their moving the Supreme Court. The Indian companies (with their foreign collaborations) are: BPL (France Telecom); Bharti Cellularr (CGE, UK; Emtel; Mauritius Mobile Systems, UK); Tata Cellular (Bell Canada); India Telecomp (Telecom Malayasia); Sterling Cellular (Cellular Communications International Inc.); Usha Martin (Telecom Malayasia); Skycell (Bell South, USA); Max Hutchison (Hutchison, Hong Kong); Mobile Communications India Pvt. Ltd. (Singapore Telecom); Modi Telecom (Nynex, USA); Adino Telecom (Alcatel, Canada); TCIL Vanguard (Vanguard Cellular, USA). (C.T. Mahabharat/19930622) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00019) ZiffNet Enters Book Distribution 06/22/93 NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Ziff-Davis' ZiffNet unit will try distributing one of its major titles online in order to test the market. The "guinea-book" is PC Magazine DOS 6 Techniques and Utilities by Jeff Prosise, from Ziff-Davis Press, and it will be available beginning June 28 through ZiffNet on CompuServe. The 1,035-page book has been selling well at $39.95, and the printed version has a disk, the service says. Members can download the book, along with search and viewing software, at $12.95 plus connect-time charges. The service said it does not expect online distribution to replace printing presses anytime soon, citing research showing that only 13 percent of US households now have modem-equipped PCs, and 24 percent will have the equipment by 1995. Still, Ziff-Davis is one of the first major publishers to try this distribution method. The file itself is compressed with ZVIEW, a Ziff compression and file viewing technology. When uncompressed and viewed, however, the file looks like text as it would appear on a computer screen. The technology is unrelated to Adobe's new Acrobat or NoHands' Common Ground. "This is not a graphical viewing technology," noted Lisa Landa of ZiffNet. (Dana Blankenhorn/19930622/Press Contact: Janice Brown, for ZiffNet, 617-332-8066; Lisa Landa, ZiffNet, Lisa Landa 617-252- 5211) (NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00020) PsychSoft Offers Survey Software 06/22/93 QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- For those who must gather data through surveys, PsychSoft has released "Make-A-Likert" software, said to let researchers create Likert scale, True/False and other types of scale surveys and conduct them on PCs. Make-A-Likert offers a mouse-driven, windowing type interface throughout, even though it is DOS product, and allows the researcher up to 999 questions in one survey set. Make-A-Likert consists of three modules: a researcher interface module, which allows the researcher to set up surveys in a mouse-driven environment; the survey module, which conducts the survey on the PC by having respondents select choices by mouse; and the statistical analysis module, which allows the researcher to analyze the data collected. Make-A-Likert costs $300, and PsychSoft offers free updates and free tech support for life. The package runs on IBM PCs and compatibles with DOS 3.3 and above and works with, but does not require, a mouse. PsychSoft is at P.O. Box 232, North Quincy, MA 02171. Telephone 617/471-8733 or 800/426-3622. (Marguerite Zientara, Computer Currents/19930622) (NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00021) Intex Develops Graphics Add-In For Latest 1-2-3 Versions 06/22/93 NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Intex Solutions has announced a graphics add-in for users of Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3.x and 1-2-3 for Windows. UltraGraphics is said to be the first true spreadsheet graphics add-in for Windows. In addition to a dozen innovative 2-D and 3-D graph types, UltraGraphics is said to feature automatic range selection, 360-degree rotation, automatic scaling along all three axes, and "live" graphs, which automatically update as spreadsheet values change. The software reportedly offers many graph types not available in any spreadsheet program. One version of UltraGraphics is for 1-2-3 for DOS Release 3.1, 3.1+ or 3.4. The other version is for 1-2-3 for Windows Version 1.1 or higher (Windows 3.1 required). Approximately 2MB RAM is required for either version, in addition to the normal requirements of each spreadsheet. UltraGraphics costs $159.95 plus $5 shipping and is available directly from Intex at 35 Highland Circle, Needham, MA 02194. Telephone 617/449-6222. (Marguerite Zientara, Computer Currents /11930622) (NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00022) RealWorld's First Windows-Based Software 06/22/93 CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- RealWorld Corp., a developer of accounting and business software, has introduced RealWorld Spectrum Accounting, its first Windows-based product. RealWorld Spectrum Accounting was developed for operation in a Windows environment using RealWorld Practical Accounting System, the firm's integrated software for small to medium-sized businesses. RealWorld Spectrum Accounting combines accounts receivable, sales invoicing, inventory management, accounts payable, payroll, check reconciliation and general ledger. The software includes action-oriented menus, which logically sequence accounting tasks, showing the flow of data and how the modules relate to each other. RealWorld Spectrum Accounting also displays up to four reports concurrently, so users can compare information among them. Spectrum Accounting reportedly contains a shutdown procedure that automatically checks all active applications for incomplete work. If any is found, the shutdown procedure ends and the user is positioned at the point of incomplete work and directed to complete the action. Spectrum Accounting costs $495 for the single-user version and $995 for the multi-user version, which accommodates up to four terminals. RealWorld Corp. is at 282 Loudon Road, P.O. Box 2051, Concord, NH 03302. Telephone 603/224-200 or 800/678-6336. (Marguerite Zientara, Computer Currents/19930622) (NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00023) First CD-ROM On Mars 06/22/93 NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- If there are any Martians on Mars, they may be able to read all about the way we have envisioned them throughout the years, thanks to a CD-ROM project being created by a US/Russian research alliance. The Planetary Society, in cooperation with the Russian Space Research Institute (IKI), will create Visions of Mars, a CD-ROM collection of science fiction stories, and have slated it to travel to the red planet aboard Mars 94 when it is launched to Mars next year. The probe is slated to be launched by Russia in mid to late 1994. Visions of Mars will be a collection of science fiction stories, sounds and images on a compact disc that chronicle humanity's fascination with Mars and its imagined Martians from H.G. Wells to the present day. A copy of the disc will be placed inside each of the two small stations that Mars 94 will land on the surface of the red planet in September, 1995, say organizers. The stations will not contain a CD-ROM drive, unfortunately, says Carols Populus, speaking to Newsbytes from the Planetary Society Headquarters in Pasadena, California. "The CD-ROM will have to be built, or saved from the past," he suggested. "It's really a time capsule to ourselves." It is still unclear as to whether the disc will be sold commercially or a limited number of discs will be made for this one event, he added. The flight disc and CD-ROM replicas will be produced by Time Warner Interactive Group (previously Warner New Media) in Burbank, California. The CD-ROM will be designed to play on both Apple and IBM computers. Dr. Carl Sagan, president of the Planetary Society, at the news conference in New York, said: "Before our technology caught up with our dreams, the way to Mars was described by the great writers of modern science fiction. Those who built and operated the first robot explorers of Mars, the Mariners and Vikings, and those who are now designing new missions -- for robots and for humans -- often recall how they were motivated by science fiction. The first adventures of space exploration were some mix of fiction and reality, interacting in the minds of the spaceflight pioneers. "Now, in 1993, we are preparing the first mobile robotic explorers of Mars, and human exploration of Mars is becoming more and more feasible. It seems appropriate to place a collection of these works on Mars -- as a motivation and memento for future explorers there. These will be the first volumes in Visions of Mars." A label on the exterior of each lander will announce in five languages what's inside and how to play it. A microdot on the surface of the disc will contain additional technical information about its operation. At the press conference to announce the disc, the editors issued a special call for additional submissions from non-English speaking countries. All stories will be recorded onto the disc in the language in which they were written. The disc will also include a portion of the Orson Welles radio broadcast of War of the Worlds that panicked thousands of people when it aired on Halloween in 1938; an audio recording made the night that the Viking I lander made the first successful landing on Mars, featuring reactions from Gene Roddenberry, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury and others; and brief messages to the future inhabitants of Mars from key figures such as Arthur C. Clarke. A portfolio of artwork will feature images from classic science fiction stories and films as well as works of astronomical art. Artists include Kelly Freas, Frank R. Paul, Frank Frazetta, Chesley Bonestell, Andrei Sokolov and Robert McCall. (Wendy Woods/19930622/Press Contact: Planetary Society,Susan Lendroth, 818-793-5100) (NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00024) Microsoft's Insurance Office Software 06/22/93 REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation has announced it will join forces with two other companies to develop integrated client-server software for life insurance offices. Microsoft announced this week that it will work with Andersen Consulting and Sterling Wentworth Corporation (SWC) to design a program called Solutions for Life Insurance Enterprise Computing (SLIEC). The program will be based on the Windows family, including Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, and the recently announced Windows NT operating system that hasn't shipped yet. The software giant says the open design program will handle specialized life insurance industry tasks such as contract administration, customer service, underwriting, and investment management. Buyers will be able to pick and choose the components that best meet their needs. Microsoft says it will provide the systems technology and desktop applications, while Andersen Consulting will contribute its expertise in the life insurance process design, insurance systems methodology and technical integration of the suite of products. The deal calls for software vendor SWC to integrate the application with its PATH product, an agent marketing system that runs under Windows 3.1. The announcement says that while life insurance providers are under continuing pressure to find ways to better serve their clients and become more productive, they are frustrated by inefficient workflows and inflexible systems. SLIEC is designed to overcome some of those problems. "Many life insurance companies are looking for innovative solutions for leveraging their investments in legacy systems, improving time to market, and using technology to really improve the bottom line," says Andersen Consulting Managing Partner Thomas Skelly, who sees SLIEC as a viable approach with its incremental, open design. Microsoft says SLIEC will be designed as an open platform, allowing users to access information from any source via the Windows Open Systems Architecture (WOSA), which provides programming interfaces between Windows-based applications. The first version of SLIEC will integrate SWC's PATH technology, Microsoft SQL Server, and the Microsoft Office Professional, which includes word processor Word for Windows, spreadsheet Microsoft Excel, and PowerPoint presentation graphics. Microsoft's database program Access and a workstation license for Microsoft Mail will also be included. PATH is a program for the front office that includes the sales functions of prospecting, client profiling, needs identification, product selection, and cross selling. (Jim Mallory/1993062/Press contact: Anne Kutscher, Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080, 800-426-9400) (NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00025) Windows Program Sales Surpass DOS 06/22/93 SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- The Software Publishers Association (SPA) announced this week that North American sales of programs that run under Microsoft Windows have surpassed sales of applications for MS-DOS for the first time. SPA says sales of applications software that perform specific tasks such as word processing or spreadsheets reached $1.46 billion in the first quarter of 1993. That's an increase in dollar value of 20 percent from the first quarter in 1992, and a 26 percent increase in unit sales, according to the trade association. SPA Executive Director Ken Wasch said Windows applications outsold DOS applications in all four of the largest business-oriented applications categories: word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation graphics. For the first quarter, Windows application sales totaled $669 million, an increase of 114 percent from the prior year period. During the same period sale of DOS-based applications fell 20 percent to $502 million as more and more computer users move to Windows. In just one category, databases, sales jumped 112 percent to $164 million, boosted by the introduction of Microsoft's Access and an update of Borland's Paradox. Sale of both programs were aided by special introductory pricing. SPA says word processing and spreadsheet software remain the biggest sellers, with sales of $203 million and $179 million respectively. Microsoft Windows was fist introduced in the mid-1980s, but didn't attain its current level of popularity until the company introduced version 3.0 in May 1990. Microsoft says currently more than one million copies of Windows are sold each month. The company had about one million orders already on hand for version 3.1 before that product started shipping. (Jim Mallory/19930622/Press contact: Terry Childs, SPA, 202-452-1600) (NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00026) Dell Energy Efficient PC Line 06/22/93 AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Dell Computer has joined the rapidly growing list of personal computer makers that are shipping personal computers that meet the US Environmental Protection Agency's voluntary guidelines for energy efficient machines. Dell says it will begin shipping its energy efficient computers June 23rd. The federal government, as outlined in President Bill Clinton's Earth Day speech, has committed to purchasing computers, monitors and printers that met the EPA's "Energy Star" guidelines for energy efficiency whenever possible. Computer equipment that meets the voluntary standards of using less than 30 watts of power when in the inactive mode can display the Energy Star logo. The government estimates that it can save as much as $40 million per year in reduced electricity costs from computer equipment, as well as reducing air pollution caused by power generation. It may be that the buying public isn't as committed to energy and pollution reduction as is the government unless it comes at little or no cost. Rob Howe, Dell acting senior VP of Dell USA, says while it's ecologically sensible to build products that use less energy, "It is clear that customers do not want to spend significant additional dollars to obtain this class of machine." Dell spokesperson Dean Kline told Newsbytes the company is also exploring incorporation of other energy saving technologies such as flat panels, PCMCIA devices, and some ergonomic issues at reasonable price points as customers ask for them. Dell says an energy efficient 425s/L with floppy drive, 120-megabyte (MB) hard drive, 4MB of system memory, a mouse, DOS and Windows will sell for $1,270. A similarly configured 466/L with a 170Mb hard drive will carry a $2,150 price tag. Kline told Newsbytes the additions to meet Energy Star requirements did not add anything to the cost of these systems. "They were originally designed to be energy efficient and run coolly. With minor changes, they are Energy Star compliant. With the additions we made we didn't to have to add to the (consumer) cost." Dell provides unlimited lifetime toll-free technical support and guaranteed next business day onsite service. (Jim Mallory/19930622/Press contact: Kellie Leonard, Dell Computer Corporation, 512-728-8499; Reader contact: Dell Computer Corporation, 800-289-3355 or 512-728-4400) (NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00027) Computer Network Technology To Acquire Ultra 06/22/93 MAPLE GROVE, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Computer Network Technology Corporation says it has reached an agreement to acquire Ultra Network Technologies. CNTC says it will issue 432,000 newly issued shares of its stock, valued at $2.75 million, to cover the cost of the acquisition, and will assume certain unstated liabilities of Ultra. The deal is still subject to approval by Ultra shareholders but could be completed as soon as early next month. Ultra Network Technologies, located in San Jose, California, produces the Ultranet HUB 1000 with supercomputer and IBM host channel interfaces as well as other networking products. Ultra reported 1992 revenues of $13 million. Ultra President and CEO Mike Paul declined to discuss specifics of the deal, but told Newsbytes acquisition talks were initiated in April. Paul said the 50 Ultra employees have been offered positions with CNTC in Minnesota. The San Jose operations will be moved to Minneapolis over the next 3-4 months, said Paul. Ultra employed about 150 people a year ago, but has experienced a series of layoffs throughout the year, he told Newsbytes. Newsbytes recently reported on Channelspeed, a CNTC software product designed to increase the volume of file transfers between mainframe computers that can be used by banks to speed up electronic data transfer. (Jim Mallory/19930622/Press contact: Doug Anderson, Computer Network Technology Corporation, 612-550-8000) (NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00028) ****Apple Rumor Mill -- AT&T Merger, Layoffs Expected 06/22/93 CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Apple appears to be accelerating into a major change and rumors are flying fast and furious as to what that change will be. Speculation is layoffs are just around the corner and the company may be purchased by telecommunications giant American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T). Talks with AT&T have been reported by industry publication PC Week, which says discussions have run from potential joint ventures involving personal digital assistants (PDAs) to a merger between Apple and AT&T's computer division NCR. NCR makes IBM-compatible personal computers (PC) and other computer products. Apple public relations specialist Kate Paisley said regarding the Apple/AT&T rumor, "We talk to lots of companies all the time. We have no comment on that rumor." However, the notion that the company was for sale became wide spread after several magazines published statements from Apple's chief executive officer, John Sculley, that he suggested IBM buy Apple. Sculley said the suggestion was made to a search committee formed by IBM earlier this year who talked with him as part of their pursuit of a new leader for the failing computer giant. Further, there's the question of what Apple would have to offer AT&T. AT&T and EO have already beat Apple to market with the AT&T/EO Personal Communicator, a hand-held, pen-based, portable PDA device. Newton, Apple's PDA, is behind Apple's estimated delivery date. When asked if Newton could help Apple in its current dilemma, Computer Intelligence analyst Dan Ness quipped, "Newton is a statement of vision." Apple has been looking carefully into telecommunications work and into ways to allow people to "really communicate," according to Ness who mentioned Apple is doing work on voice recognition technology. Last week when John Sculley stepped down to pursue "new business opportunities for Apple," he said in a prepared statement, "My personal interests have long been in defining the opportunities and technologies for Apple in the convergence of computing, communication, and content." Ness noted the words "computing, communication, and content," saying a lot could be read into that statement. "The introduction of Microsoft Windows 3.1 and the PC price wars have put Apple under tremendous pressure and Apple's answer traditionally has been to explore new territory," Ness added. "PC Week" magazine executive editor, John Dodge, who wrote the story, talked with Newsbytes about the report that AT&T may buy Apple. He said he's certain of his sources, although no one on either side of the talks would go on the record. He tells Newsbytes that AT&T would bankroll Apple's expensive visions in PDAs, electronic publishing and enterprise computing, while Apple would give AT&T unique technology. "The story is not the two will merge tomorrow," Dodge warned, "We just describe the nature of the talks going on." Newsbytes asked Dodge for his personal opinion on all this. "The idea is interesting," he said. "I don't greet it the way people greeted NCR. That has turned out fairly well. They've been hands- off on NCR -- they let NCR be NCR and stay in Dayton with few cutbacks. Looking with Apple I think there's a lot to be gained on both sides." He says Apple's big ideas carry risks. "The idea that PDAs are a huge business is a long way from being proven. And just because you're big doesn't assure success." To observers, Apple Computer right now appears to be scrambling around trying to gather its direction before it has to announce its earnings. "The New York Times" reported Apple plans to lay off 10% of its workforce, or nearly 2,000, including the US marketing arm, software development, and European operations. The company announced June 9 investors can expect lower earnings than last year for the first six months of its current fiscal year, which will end on June 30, 1993. Traditionally, Apple's mid-year earnings statement has been released in the middle of July each year. The company's stock has dropped over a third in value since the beginning of this month and the Institutional Brokers Estimate System (I/B/E/S) is reporting the trend among over 2,500 financial analysts at 130 brokerage is to continue to revise Apple's earnings estimates downward. (Linda Rohrbough & Dana Blankenhorn/19930622/Press Contact: Christopher Escher, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-2202, fax 408-967-5651) (NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00029) Adobe To Demo Premiere 3.0 At Digital World 06/22/93 MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Adobe Systems will demonstrate for the first time at Digital World in Beverly Hills, California this week its Adobe Premiere 3.0 product, the latest version of its software for creating digital video movies, videotapes, and multimedia presentations on the Macintosh. The company says enhancements in the new version include faster previewing, 99 stereo audio tracks, 99 superimpose tracks, a video wave monitor, multiple layering, batch digitizing, and an enhanced titler. The improved previewing feature allows the user to preview long edits at full motion and previews can be made from disk at the frame rate supported by the Macintosh on which the software runs. In addition, the software will compile and cache only those sections of a preview that have changed since the last preview and previewing can be processed at a different resolution than viewing. The Print to Video command can be used to export previews to videotape without additional compiling time. Adobe claims users have more creative control with layers and virtual clips. Motion, filters and transparency can be set independently for each of 97 superimpose tracks. Also, a virtual clip feature allows any area on the video timeline to be treated as a clip so that multiple transitions can be applied to any layer. Like style sheets, pre-sets allow the application of options and are especially helpful for new users, Adobe maintains. The company supplies pre-sets in the product that have already selected combinations of frame rate, output options, preview options, compression settings, and timebase. Users are free to also create and save their own pre-sets, the company added. Users can add effects for titles using the title window, such as gradient fills that can be applied to any object, including shadows and alpha channel masks. Drop shadows and soft edges can be applied to any object and can be set to show from any angle or distance. Adobe says the batch digitizing, list information, and sub- pixel motion and field rendering will be of particular interest to professional users, Batch digitizing stores a list of clips to be automatically captured at one time to simplify the process of acquiring video clips. List information can be imported or exported from the Movie Capture window or a dialog box or from a text file. Sub-pixel motion and field rendering make motion flow smooth. A enhanced sequence window improves control of multiple items, such as providing multiple item select and move, and multiple item dragging to the construction window. In addition, the ability to have Print to Video pause for mouse clicks aids in constructing presentations. Scheduled for release in the third quarter of 1993, the retail price of Adobe Premiere 3.0 is $695. However, the company is planning a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) Deluxe Edition of Premiere 3.0 version which is expected to include: Quick/Time tutorials on new features; Quick/Time tips and techniques and demonstrations; electronic versions of portions of the product's documentation; stock Quicktime movie examples, titles, templates, type fonts, still images, sounds, and animation; demo versions of Adobe and third-party products; and the Adobe Type On Call CD-ROM. Retail price for the CD-ROM Deluxe version is $795. Upgrades are $129 for the standard version, and $199 for the Deluxe CD-ROM Edition until November 2, 1993 when the prices will change to $179 and $249, respectively. Those who purchase the current Adobe Premiere for the Macintosh product between June 21, 1993, and the date the new version ships will receive a free upgrade to Adobe Premiere 3.0, the company added. The minimum system requirements for Adobe Premiere 3.0 for Macintosh are: a Macintosh computer with 68020 or greater processor, and 80 megabyte (MB) hard drive and 4 (MB) of random access memory (RAM) available; Apple System Software 6.0.7 or greater. Quicktime is required, but is included with the Adobe Premiere 3.0 program. However, Adobe recommends a little more muscle for running Premiere 3.0. The company encourages users have 6 MB or more of RAM available for the application, a Quicktime capture card, a 200 MB or greater hard drive, and Apple System Software 7.0 or greater. (Linda Rohrbough/19930622/Press Contact: Patricia Pane, Adobe Systems, tel 415-962-3967, fax 415-961-3769; Public Contact, Adobe, 800-833-6687) (NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00030) New CD-ROM Title For Kids, "The Last Dinosaur Egg" 06/22/93 SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUN 22 (NB) -- Dinosaurs are hot and Sanctuary Woods is taking advantage of the fascination with the prehistoric beasts in its new multimedia title for children, "The Last Dinosaur Egg." In the new title, the player is a museum archivist for the 22nd century Museum of Fantastic Phenomena. Guided by field agents, Victor Vector and Yondo, players travel into the past to recover an egg from one of the last surviving and most terrible of dinosaurs, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. The company maintains the title offers the most accurate and up-to-date information on the dinosaurs and their surroundings in the compact disc read- only memory (CD-ROM) adventure. Sanctuary Woods boasts over 100 hand-painted backgrounds and animated characters in the new game as well as video clips, digitized sound effects, and original music. The company's other titles include Sanctuary The Vampire's Coffin and actress Shelley Duvall's "It's a Bird's Life." Electronic Arts is handling distribution of "The Last Dinosaur Egg" in North America and the suggested retail price is $59.95. In addition, the company is scheduled to release "The Last Dinosaur Egg" on the IBM compatible multimedia personal computer (MPC) platform in July, 1993. Founded in 1988, Sanctuary Woods describes itself as a developer of interactive education and entertainment titles on CD-ROM. The company is an affiliated label of Electronic Arts and is a licensed developer for the new 3DO Interactive Multiplayer expected to make its debut to consumers this fall. (Linda Rohrbough/19930622/Press Contact: Joseph F. Flatley, Sanctuary Woods, tel 604-684-8177)