*********************************************************** Microsoft(R) WinNews Electronic Newsletter Vol. 3, #11, April 1, 1996 *********************************************************** There's a lot of important information in this issue, including the introduction of Microsoft Exchange Server, the announcement of the Simply Interactive PC, and lots of other key announcements from the current WinHEC 96 conference. One note to our readers, this will be my last issue as editor of WinNews. I have moved to our new Internet Platforms and Tools Division, and the new WinNews editor will be Mason Flint from the Windows 95 team. I've really enjoyed my time with WinNews, especially the letters and correspondence I've had with many of the readers. The enthusiasm and support you showed with the Windows 95 launch last year, and your continued use and support of the product was fantastic. Thanks for letting me into your e-mailboxes to help us spread the word. Jay Goldstein WinNews Editor This issue contains: A. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION B. NEWS & EVENTS B1. Microsoft Unveils Simply Interactive PC Framework Microsoft, Hardware Companies to Extend the PC to the Family Room; SIPC Components, Technologies, Prototypes Shown at WinHEC 96 B2. Bill Gates Discusses Internet, Microsoft Exchange And The Future Of Business Communications At Networld+Interop '96 B3. Microsoft And Hardware Community Announce OnNow Initiative For Instantly Available PCs OnNow is key component of Microsoft's Simply Interactive PC vision; Builds on ACPI standard also announced at WinHEC 96 B4. Intel, Microsoft And Toshiba Propose Advanced Configuration And Power Interface (ACPI) For Easy, Flexible Power Management Draft Specification Now Available; Industry to Collaborate on Final Definition B5. Microsoft And Dolby To Bring High-Quality Audio To PCs; Demonstrate New Technology At WinHEC 96 Dolby supports Microsoft's Simply Interactive PC vision as a home entertainment device B6. International Extensions for Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 You can view Web pages written in different languages versions of Windows 95 B7. Microsoft Press Announces Charles Petzold's Programming Windows 95 Best-Known, Most Widely Used How-To Programming Book Now Covers Windows 95 B8. WUGNET announces CD Sampler for Windows 95 Version 1.1 Test drive the hottest Windows 95 applications C. WINDOWS 95 SUPPORT & INFORMATION C1. WINDOWS 95 HINTS AND TIPS Be sure to check out the scrolling Tip of the Day on the Windows Home Page at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows C2. TOP INTERNET EXPLORER 2.0 SITES This list is also on the "What's Hot" area of the Windows web page at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows C3. NEWLY LOGOED "DESIGNED FOR WINDOWS 95" PRODUCTS For the complete list, check out the 3rd party product area on the Windows website at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty.htm C4. ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS You can access all types of Product Support information from the Microsoft Product Support website at: http://www.microsoft.com/support C5. MICROSOFT TV For all MSTV information check out: http://www.microsoft.com/mstv/ Jay Goldstein WinNews Editor ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If you know someone who might be interested in WinNews, please instruct them to: 1. Send Internet e-mail to: ENEWS99@MICROSOFT.NWNET.COM 2. Send the message from the account that you wish to subscribe (some people use more than one e-mail account). 3. Subject line should be blank. 4. Body of message should ONLY have in the text: SUBSCRIBE WINNEWS If you wish to stop receiving WinNews, send mail to enews@microsoft.nwnet.com with a blank subject line and the body of the message should only save in the text: UNSUBSCRIBE WINNEWS. WinNews is published twice a month, on the first and third Monday of each month. Special editions of WinNews may also be sent out occasionally. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ B. NEWS & EVENTS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ B1. Microsoft Unveils Simply Interactive PC Framework SAN JOSE, Calif., April 1 - Bill Gates today unveiled the Simply Interactive PC (SIPC) framework of hardware technologies for Microsoft Windows operating system-based PCs. According to Gates, the technologies of SIPC will make the PC platform the center of entertainment, communications and productivity in both home and office, providing the ease of use and convenience of a consumer appliance. Gates described and demonstrated key technologies and prototypes for SIPC to more than 3,000 PC hardware engineers and executives gathered here for the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference 96 (WinHEC 96). The demonstrations included enhanced audio, processed and driven from the PC through a consumer stereo system; unparalleled high-performance 3-D graphics; connectivity between the PC and consumer electronics devices via Universal Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1394; DVD playback of digitally perfect audio and video; and sealed-case concept PCs that never need to be opened for users to connect and add new devices. Leading hardware companies, including Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Intel Corp. and Toshiba America Information Systems Inc., endorsed the SIPC framework and its associated technologies. Gates invited the PC hardware industry to join with Microsoft and begin making SIPC a reality immediately. For the complete text of this announcement, including details on consumer benefits, new communications capabilities, the Win32 driver model for the SIPC, the SIPC Technology Summary and white papers on the SIPC, please go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/hardware Live transcripts of Bill Gates' keynote will be made available via a hot link from the WinHEC World Wide Web site at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/events/winhec.htm *********************************************************** B2. Bill Gates Discusses Internet, Microsoft Exchange And The Future Of Business Communications At Networld+Interop '96 REDMOND, Wash., March 25 - Microsoft Chairman and CEO Bill Gates will discuss Microsoft's vision of business communications and computing over the Internet during his keynote address to the NetWorld+Interop '96 trade show and conference on Tuesday, April 2 at 9 a.m., at the Las Vegas Hilton Convention Center in the Baron Room. Gates will discuss how the Internet and Microsoft Exchange Server play a part in Microsoft's vision of "Information At Your Fingertips" and in the new types of solutions made possible by the integration of messaging and database applications by client-server computing systems. Gates will also discuss how the industry can help customers take advantage of this revolutionary platform while leveraging their investments in existing data and systems. The keynote address will be downloaded via the NetWorld+ Interop Internet Web site, http://www.interop.com. The keynote address will be downloaded live; links will also be provided from the Networld+Interop page on Microsoft's Web site, http://www.microsoft.com/backoffice/n+i.htm/. *********************************************************** B3. Microsoft And Hardware Community Announce OnNow Initiative For Instantly Available PCs SAN JOSE, Calif., April 1 - Microsoft and key computer hardware companies today announced support for OnNow, a broad industry initiative to create PCs and peripherals that are instantly ready to operate at all times. OnNow PCs will turn on instantly like VCRs or TVs, without rebooting, and will respond automatically to incoming faxes, voice mail and e-mail even when they appear to be turned off. OnNow will be supported in future releases of the Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems. OnNow improves upon current PC power management systems by enabling the operating system to play a central role. Software applications and every hardware device can participate in power management, and OnNow delivers a standard way to implement power management across all PC platforms. Because current power management is designed primarily for notebook PCs, applications developers have been slow to use their features in mainstream applications. With OnNow, developers can write one application for both notebooks and desktop PCs and exploit the power management features provided. Consumers will also benefit by having a common application feature set for both notebook and desktop PCs. Additional information about the OnNow Design Initiative is available on the Microsoft Web site at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/hardware/ *********************************************************** B4. Intel, Microsoft And Toshiba Propose Advanced Configuration And Power Interface (ACPI) For Easy, Flexible Power Management SAN JOSE, Calif., April 1 - Intel Corp. Microsoft Corp. and Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. today announced the first draft of an open industry specification to enable easy implementation of power management on notebook, desktop and server PCs, thereby providing an architecture for device control of system power state. The Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) will allow system manufacturers to deliver operating system-directed power management such as the OnNow industry initiative for instantly available PCs. The ACPI specification is a cross-platform interface, designed to support the Microsoft Windows 95, Windows NT(R), and other operating systems. Intel, Microsoft and Toshiba are actively soliciting broad industry participation in shaping the final ACPI specification, which is scheduled for release in August. ACPI-based PCs are expected to be available in the second half of 1997. ACPI defines a flexible and abstract hardware interface that allows designers a standard way to integrate power- management features throughout a PC system, including hardware, operating system and application software. This enables the PC to automatically turn on and off peripherals such as CD-ROMs, network cards, hard disk drives and printers, as well as consumer devices connected to the PC such as VCRs, TVs, phones and stereos. With the ACPI technology, peripherals will also be able to activate the PC. For example, inserting a tape into a VCR could turn on the PC, which then would activate a large-screen TV and stereo system. Additional information on ACPI, including the draft specification, will be available on the ACPI World Wide Web site at http://www.teleport.com/acpi/ *********************************************************** B5. Microsoft And Dolby To Bring High-Quality Audio To PCs; Demonstrate New Technology At WinHEC 96 SAN JOSE, Calif., April 1 - Microsoft and Dolby Laboratories Inc. said today they intend to bring high-quality Dolby(R) Surround Sound audio to personal computers, giving developers and consumers an exciting new dimension to interactive PC software. This alliance is another step toward Microsoft's Simply Interactive PC vision to make the PC platform a center of entertainment, providing the ease of use and convenience of a consumer appliance. Microsoft and Dolby signed a letter of intent to jointly develop technologies and specifications to support the use of Dolby's industry- leading theater-quality sound systems, including Dolby digital AC-3(R) technology to decode multichannel audio for use by six-speaker Surround Sound stereo systems. Additional information about the Simply Interactive PC is available on the Microsoft World Wide Web site at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/hardware/ *********************************************************** B6. International Extensions for Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 The International Extensions for Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 enable you to view Web pages written in different languages while using any language version of Microsoft Windows 95. The currently supported language groups are Greek, Cyrillic, Eastern European, Japanese, Korean, Western European, and English. For complete information, visit the Internet Explorer website at: http://www.microsoft.com/ie/addon/ie20i.htm *********************************************************** B7. Microsoft Press Announces Charles Petzold's Programming Windows 95 SAN FRANCISCO, March 26 - Microsoft Press announced today the availability of PROGRAMMING WINDOWS 95, the long awaited revision of Charles Petzold's classic guide to writing applications for the Microsoft Windows operating system. This new edition has been updated for the 32-bit world. It's written with the same wit and clarity that have won Petzold critical acclaim. It's packed with the author's insights and tried-and-true programming techniques, augmented by key contributions from programming expert Paul Yao. The book covers 32-bit programming for Windows 95 with topics such as: * Multithreading * GDI and OLE fundamentals * Preemptive multitasking * Printing and memory * The new Windows 95 user interface The 1120-page PROGRAMMING WINDOWS 95 (ISBN 1-55615-676-6) is available in book and software stores and directly from Microsoft Press (in the U.S.) at 1-800-MSPRESS (800-677-7377). In Canada, 1-800-667-1115. The suggested retail price is $49.95 (Can$67.95 in Canada). For more information and news on Microsoft Press product please visit the MS Press website at: http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/ *********************************************************** B7. WUGNET announces CD Sampler for Windows 95 Version 1.1 The WUGNET CD Sampler for Windows 95 allows users to explore the power and fun of using software designed for Windows 95 and quickly make intelligent decisions about buying them. Trial software included on the CD are CorelDRAW! 6.0, Adobe PageMaker 6.0, WitchDesk, Remotely Possible/32, and ThunderBYTE Anti-Virus for Windows 95. The CD provides an enhanced hypertext navigational utility. Complete product and company background information is also included per application. The two CD-ROM set is priced at US$29.95 plus shipping (US/Canada shipping - $4, $7 elsewhere). As an added bonus, the CD contains over 70 of the top shareware applications designed for Windows 95. Software categories found on the CD Sampler include: Internet, productivity, training, remote control and file transfer, general communications, virus scanning, performance and system utilities, tape backup, games, and graphics and page layout. You can order the CD by calling - in the US - (800) 946-8737 (800 WIN-USER). Overseas call the to the US at (610) 565-1861 or fax: (610) 565-7106 Or online go to: http://www.wugnet.com/cd-sampler/order.html or via CompuServe's GO WIN95 support center. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ C. WINDOWS 95 SUPPORT & INFORMATION ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ C1. WINDOWS 95 HINTS AND TIPS The following are a few useful hints and tips that will result in a more productive work environment. We hope these are tips you can pass on to the users you support. A. You can use Paint in the Accessories folder to draw pictures and to view bitmap files. B. To see how much disk space is free, right-click the icon for the drive, and then click Properties. *********************************************************** C2. TOP INTERNET EXPLORER 2.0 SITES Here are a list of some fun pages that look great running under Internet Explorer 2.0. Check out this frequently updated list at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/show1.htm. * The NUKE InterNetwork - http://www.nuke.com/ One of the first sites on the web to use VB Script, one of the hot new features of Internet Explorer 3.0. * Green Iguana Graphics - http://web.idirect.com/~gig/ Exceptional 3D images gallery and lighting effects * Goodness - http://www.goodness.com/ Homepage of the band Goodness with audio clips, tour dates and more. * 1 World Design http://www2.clever.net/1world/homegrown/home.html A professional website design firm, we a great avi of a plane circling the globe. * NTN Communications - http://www.ntn.com/ A corporate site full of marquees, video and watermarks. *********************************************************** C3. NEWLY LOGOED "DESIGNED FOR WINDOWS 95" PRODUCTS For a complete list of all software and hardware products that have received the "Designed for Windows 95" logo, check out the following address on the Windows website: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty.htm Now on this page you can search for either software or hardware by category or by company name! *********************************************************** C4. ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS For complete details on support from Microsoft, check out Microsoft Support Online at: http://www.microsoft.com/support/ Question: When you upgrade an existing Win 3.x or WFW 3.x workstation to Windows 95, are there any special considerations for maintaining existing version 3.x Mail for PC Networks mail configurations? Answer: With the exception of the loss of WFW At Work Fax capabilities, no. This assumes that no Microsoft Exchange components are selected for installation during setup. The network administrators should consider how the path to the postoffice is currently established (login script drive mapping, batch file mapping, persistent connection, etc.), and confirm that the current method is valid under Windows 95 networking. Otherwise, the version 3.x of Microsoft Mail for PC Networks client may report that it cannot find the postoffice when you run it. If any Exchange component is installed, then these component(s) may need to be removed by using the Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Setup. The previous Microsoft Mail for PC Networks client software may also require reinstallation. For information on options for "scripting" and controlling Windows 95 installation options, refer to the "Deployment Planning Guide Installation" and "Appendix - MSBATCH.INF parameters" sections of the Windows 95 Resource Kit help file. This help file can be found on the Windows 95 CD at \ADMIN\RESKIT\HELPFILE\WIN95RK.HLP *********************************************************** C5. MICROSOFT TV Microsoft TV programming is broadcast via satellite every Tuesday at 12:00 noon Eastern. To receive these broadcasts, you need a satellite dish capable of receiving KU-Band (either Analog or DigiCipher) or C-Band signals and a television. If you do not have access to satellite equipment, Microsoft has arranged special pricing on a commercial-quality system through a national vendor. Call (800) 597-3200 or (612) 550-6390 between 6:30 AM and 5:30 PM Pacific Standard Time for details. Microsoft TV Satellite Coordinates: Ku Analog: Galaxy 4, Transponder 12, (11.9300 Ghz), Polarity H. Ku DigiCipher: Galaxy 4, Polarity H, Channel 900 (or 526) C-Band: (day time) Galaxy 7, (3920 Mhz), Polarity H, Channel 11. (night time) Galaxy 5, Channel 21, feed from Mind Extension University. Please use Cable times listed below to view broadcasts via these C-Band Coordinates. Cable/Broadcast Television (PCTV) Microsoft TV shows are aired as a co-production with PCTV, with the Microsoft shows airing as part of the "Business Computing" Series, which can be seen on Mind Extension University (MEU) and the Jones Computer Network (JCN) on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, at 9:00 PM Eastern (6:00 PM PST) and again at 11:00 PM Eastern (8:00 PM PST). Consult your local cable system or call the Microsoft TV information line at (800) 597-3200 or (612) 550-6390 between 6:30 AM and 5:30 PM PST for a referral to a Mind Extension University Jones Computer Network carrier in your area. For more information on MSTV, visit the MSTV webpage at: http://www.microsoft.com/mstv/ *********************************************************** You may feel free to forward this document, provided you forward it in its entirety, as per the copyright notice below. This document is provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to change in market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM INFRINGEMENT. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. 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