Redmond, Wash. - Microsoft Corp. this week is expected to announce Version 4.0 of Excel, a program that continues to dominate the Mac spreadsheet market.
Excel 4.0 will give beginners easier ways to take advantage of the program's more complex features, in addition to providing a number of new capabilities.
"I get a lot of software in the mail every day," said Patrick Kervran, technical editor for Online Press, a computer book publisher in Bellevue, Wash., and an Excel 4.0 beta tester. "Seeing another full version of Excel coming less than a year since the last release made me wonder, but it did turn out to be a big deal, a step up to another level. This is really a big jump for Excel."
The new Excel is now expected to ship by mid-May. As reported previously (see MacWEEK, Feb. 10), it will sport an improved interface and several new power-user features, including an intelligent automatic-fill command and customizable Toolbars. A new Scenario Manager lets users automatically apply multivariable "what-ifs" to spreadsheets.
Some users said they are most excited about the new ability to create and customize multiple floating bars, known as Toolbars, with icons that execute menu commands, macros and other program functions.
"Everything that I've ever wanted to do I can stick on a Toolbar," said Mark Goldschmidt, account manager for MTV Networks Inc. in New York. "It's gotten to the point where I almost don't have to use the menus at all. Going to [another application] like Word, I feel like I'm going to bearskins and knives."
The new version will support Workbooks, double-clickable icons that represent a set of related spreadsheets. Saved work spaces in 3.0 are automatically converted into the more- powerful 4.0 Workbooks.
Like Excel 3.0, which was introduced last spring, the new version will support System 7 with balloon help; publish and subscribe; and required and Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) Apple events. Version 4.0 will add QuickTime support and a new form of help called Wizards, which assist users in performing common tasks such as creating charts.
Like Microsoft Word 5.0, which shipped last December, the program will support drag-and-drop editing and add-in modules.
Some users questioned whether all the new features are truly necessary. "Some features like the slide-show feature, are over the edge," Kervran said. "Microsoft is trying to make Excel a presentation package, which it's not. It's a nice feature, but I don't think I'll be using it."
Excel's price will remain at $495; registered 3.0 users can upgrade for $99 until Sept. 30, or for free if they purchased it after Feb. 15.
Excel follows in the footsteps of its Windows sibling, which was introduced this year and includes a similar feature set.
Microsoft declined to comment on the product.
Microsoft Corp. is at 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, Wash. 98052- 6399. Phone (206) 883-8080; fax (206) 883-8101.
MacWEEK 03/23/92
News Page 1
(MacWEEK, March 23, 1992) (c) Copyright 1992 Coastal Associates, L.P. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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Faster '040 chip to bring Quadra up to 33 MHz
By Carolyn Said
Cupertino, Calif. - Apple this spring will kick up the clock speed at the top of its line with a new Macintosh Quadra based on a 33-MHz 68040 processor, sources said.
The 33-MHz chip will give the new machine an across-the- board 30 percent speed boost over the Quadra 900, which uses a 25-MHz '040.
The new machine, tentatively called the Quadra 950, is due in May, sources said. Pricing has not been set, but reportedly will be close to that of the Quadra 900, which starts at $7,199.
The 950's built-in video, when supported by a full complement of video RAM, will support up to 16-bit color on Apple's 21- inch monitor. The current Quadra 900's on-board video is limited to eight-bit color on 21-inch displays.
The new machine is expected to run on System 7.0.1. Unlike the current Quadra, it will incorporate a SCSI controller that is SCSI-2-capable, according to sources. Users, however, won't be able to take advantage of the new controller's added capabilities until Apple releases new SCSI Manager software, which is not expected before the end of the year.
Apple, sources said, will offer Quadra 900 users an "aggressively priced" logic-board upgrade, which should be available a few months after the 950 ships.
The new Quadra, slated to ship only about eight months after its siblings, reflects Apple's commitment to keep nudging product lines upward and to achieve fast time to market. "If we have the opportunity to do midlife kickers, we will," a source at Apple said.
The company declined to comment.
Andrew Gore contributed to this report.
MacWEEK 03/23/92
News Page 1
(MacWEEK, March 23, 1992) (c) Copyright 1992 Coastal Associates, L.P. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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Beyond the spreadsheet
SpreadBase sits on relational database
By Andrew Gore
Palo Alto, Calif. - Even as Microsoft Corp. puts the finishing touches on Excel 4.0, a start-up company is nearing completion of a new application that combines the number-crunching functions of a traditional spreadsheet with the data- manipulation features of a relational database.
SpreadBase, expected to ship this summer for about $695 from Objective Software Inc., based here, offers some totally new approaches to analyzing and manipulating numbers, said sources familiar with the product.
>Multiple views.
Like Occam Research Inc.'s Muse and Lotus Development Corp.'s Improv, SpreadBase can lay out data in three dimensions, allowing users to integrate a diverse collection of worksheets into a single model.
Unlike a conventional spreadsheet in which a cell is simply a coordinate such as B:42, each SpreadBase cell is a complete record, with a series of fields (called Categories) that help define the data it contains. For instance, SpreadBase would understand that the figure 15,000 in cell D:14 represents the salary budget for January.
This structure allows users to instantly change their view of data without having to design a new worksheet. The program relates Categories to cells using a hierarchical outline format. Once users define the relationships between data and Categories, they can create a new view by changing the Category hierarchy in the outline.
>Import and export.
Because SpreadBase can recognize field names, imported data becomes records that are instantly added to the existing SpreadBase model and formatted as part of the data views. Like most spreadsheets, SpreadBase can import data, either from local machines or a host, and lay it out in the familiar row-and-column format.
Data can be exported easily to other database programs. The program also can import and export tab-delimited text, DBF and SYLK files. It also should be able to handle Excel files by the time it ships, sources said.
>Consolidated data.
Because SpreadBase data is "location independent," users simply select Categories to be added to generate a summary worksheet, rather than having to link data.
>Reports.
The idea of "intelligent modeling" also has some benefits for charting and reporting, sources said.
SpreadBase's graphing model doesn't require users to select a range of cells to generate charts. Instead, they select area, bar, column, line, pie, scatter or scientific chart styles from a pull-down menu and then select the Category for each axis.
Charts, spreadsheets and text can be dropped onto SpreadBase reports in the page-layout module. Objects in the layout are hot-linked to the SpreadBase model so that when data in the model changes, it also changes in the report.
SpreadBase will come with a HyperScript-like macro language, a full spreadsheet module for creating standard worksheets, and more than 200 spreadsheet functions.
It will support Apple's Data Access Language (DAL) through Fairfield Software Inc.'s ClearAccess. A future release will expand SpreadBase's ModelTalk database language with an interface that will let users create relational links in the program's data tables and will allow third parties to create add-on modules.
MacWEEK 03/23/92
News Page 1
(MacWEEK, March 23, 1992) (c) Copyright 1992 Coastal Associates, L.P. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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Apple readies VITAL road map for corporate data managers
System extensions to ease integration
By Louise Fickel
San Francisco - Apple this week will begin disclosing details of a blueprint designed to help corporate IS managers plan the processing and distribution of data across large-scale companywide networks.
Called VITAL (Virtually Integrated Technical Architecture Lifecycle), the long-awaited plan is an architecture rather than a product, Apple said. It plans to release the first in a series of documents that lay out the model at this week's DB/Expo '92 here.
Originally developed for internal use at Apple, VITAL covers such issues as network configuration and deployment, distribution and control of data, and software engineering.
"We want to give users access to static information that is used a lot by their applications," said Lani Spund, Apple chief systems architect. "VITAL will tell users how to distribute data and use it effectively. It's product- and platform- independent so it can also work with somebody else's desktop."
VITAL has benefits for both information systems managers and end users, according to Brian Comnes, director of Mac IS at DHL Airways Inc. in Redwood City, Calif. "Every corporation has its own way of setting up networks, and [VITAL helps provide a method to that madness," he said. "What makes VITAL distinctive is that it works from the end user to the backside rather than the other way around."
The VITAL model determines delivery of data based on the economics of a network. Data should be either centralized, distributed or replicated, depending on how volatile it is and how much it needs to be used, Spund said.
Besides reference data such as personnel records, VITAL calls for distribution of meta data such as file format, directory and dictionary services information. But the model includes more than guidelines on data distribution. "It [also] deals with the desktop, how you engineer software and how you make all of the pieces work together," Spund said.
To this end, VITAL will encompass a series of integration services that can be invoked from the desktop and will allow users to access enterprise data more easily, Spund said. These services will manage database access, authentication, security and version control.
The services, which will be implemented in System 7 extensions, will be developed by both Apple and third parties, Spund said. The services will eliminate the need for application code to access the distributed data, he said.
Applications will then be able to focus on issuing high-level commands to management software that will integrate the desktop services, Spund said. Apple will add the management software as a system extension later, he said.
The model will help IS managers preserve their hardware and software investments as more sophisticated technologies, such as object-oriented environments, appear, according to Spund. System 7, A/UX and the Pink operating system will be compatible with VITAL, and the Open Collaboration Environment (OCE) will provide VITAL with directory, authentication and authorization services, he said.
VITAL represents another step in Apple's ongoing efforts to develop an enterprisewide strategy, but it falls short of guaranteeing a place for the Mac in large corporations, according to one analyst who has been briefed on the architecture. "It loses a lot of its strength in heterogeneous environments," she said. "This is fine for Mac-only shops, but most organizations have only 10 percent Macs at the most."
A slew of developers is expected at Apple's unveiling to announce support for the architecture, sources said.
Apple also will provide users and developers with documentation on VITAL this week, followed over the next year with more in-depth documents and training sessions.
MacWEEK 03/23/92
News Page 1
(MacWEEK, March 23, 1992) (c) Copyright 1992 Coastal Associates, L.P. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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Apple plans Enterprise Toolbox in '93
Will let any service run on any network
By Louise Fickel
Cupertino, Calif. - Apple is developing networking software, called the Enterprise Toolbox, that will let "any service, such as file sharing and mail, run on top of protocols such as TCP/IP or DECnet [in addition to AppleTalk]," said Dan Torres, networking product manager at Apple.
The company is developing the new toolbox in conjunction with its Open Collaboration Environment (OCE), he said. While OCE will operate at a high level, allowing applications to work collaboratively across the network, Torres said, the Enterprise Toolbox will provide low-level connectivity so services operate across multiple protocols. The result should be a more flexible environment that lets managers choose services and servers regardless of client interface or network protocol.
While the Mac currently can run non-AppleTalk protocols through system extensions, such as Apple's MacTCP, the Enterprise Toolbox will increase the Mac operating system's ability to run multiple protocol stacks simultaneously.
The toolbox will provide an application programming interface for developers and some functions that will be available directly to users. Torres would not specify what those end- user services might be. The Enterprise Toolbox will ship after OCE, which is expected at year-end.
Earlier this month, Apple announced plans for making new system extensions, such as OCE, available for Windows (see MacWEEK, March 9), but Torres wouldn't say whether the company plans to port the Enterprise Toolbox to Microsoft Corp.'s graphical interface.
MacWEEK 03/23/92
Gateways Page 14
(MacWEEK, March 23, 1992) (c) Copyright 1992 Coastal Associates, L.P. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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VideoFusion to jazz up QuickTime
Editor lets users work in channels
By Neil McManus
Maumee, Ohio - Movies composited onto moving elements of other movies is just one of the effects promised in VideoFusion 1.0, an upcoming QuickTime movie-editing program.
VideoLake Ltd. will release the $795 program in May. The company hopes to set VideoFusion apart from Adobe Premiere and DiVA Corp.'s VideoShop with a host of innovative features.
>Compositing.
Users will be able to extract and work in channels such as RGB (red, green, blue) and HSB (hue, saturation, brightness). This opens the door for special color effects and composites.
"In a scene of a guy wearing sunglasses sitting near a window, you can replace everything that's blue with another movie. That way, you could put floating clouds in the sunglasses and the window," said David Howell, a beta tester and software engineer at New Video Corp. in Venice, Calif.
>Transition effects.
VideoFusion will offer a variety of zooms, wipes, barn doors and customizable matte transitions.
>Tweening.
Users will be able to control effects and transitions over time. For example, a scene could slowly fade out into an emboss-filter effect.
>3-D perspective transforms.
Movies will be able to fly and flip around in 3-D space on screen.
>Editing views.
Users will have the choice of working in player, time-line or storyboard mode. The later view arranges an icon of each clip in a spreadsheet for a bird's-eye view of a project. These spreadsheets can be collapsed and added to the storyboards of other movies.
>Importing.
The program can import PICT, PICS, QuickTime and snd resources, and Audio Interchange File Format audio files. It can export QuickTime and PICS.
"A lot of people will probably use more than one editing program. They might use Premiere to add Photoshop filters and VideoFusion to change the color of somebody's eyeballs," Howell said.
VideoLake Ltd. is at 1722 Indian Wood Circle, Suite H, Maumee, Ohio. Phone (419) 891-1090 or (800) 638-5253; fax (419) 891-9673.
MacWEEK 03/23/92
Graphics Applications Page 20
(MacWEEK, March 23, 1992) (c) Copyright 1992 Coastal Associates, L.P. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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Editorial - System crashes: Apple should find a fix
Macs crash too much, and it's high time Apple did something about it.
`Bombs, freezes, "bad f-line instructions," "errors of Type 1" - they may not be quite as central to the Mac experience as icons and menus, but they are frustratingly familiar. Most of us count ourselves lucky to get through a week without encountering a sign of a system out of control.
We're not talking about those power users who tempt fate by loading in every new extension. We mean average business users running standard system software and applications, with perhaps an electronic-mail package and a handful of commercial system extensions.
The costs of crashing are measured in more than frustration. In the best of circumstances, a system error wipes out unsaved work and wastes the time required for rebooting and reconstructing lost data; in the worst cases, files are corrupted or hard disks left unbootable.
Apple has responded to the discovery of the disappearing- folders bug by setting up a task force to find a fix (see MacWEEK, March 9). But we venture to guess that all the data ever devoured by this bug doesn't add up to what disappears every day when cursors freeze and programs unexpectedly quit.
Apple officials plead powerlessness. Most of the problems, they say, stem from poorly written third-party programs. No doubt that's largely true, but it's no excuse for inaction on Apple's part. What can the company do? Here are a few suggestions:
>Low-memory monitor.
Since crashes are more likely when applications and the system are starved for memory, how about a warning when it's running low?
>More-informative error messages.
Mac error messages convey as little information as anything DOS has to offer.
>Clean up the INIT mess.
The system-extension mechanism has made the Mac wonderfully customizable but has opened a Pandora's box of conflicts. Perhaps stronger guidelines from Apple or some built-in arbitration scheme might help restore order.
Among all the system-software improvements Apple has recently promised, the word "reliability" has scarcely been mentioned. We think it belongs at the top of the list.
MacWEEK 03/23/92
Opinion Page 40
Editorial
(MacWEEK, March 23, 1992) (c) Copyright 1992 Coastal Associates, L.P. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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Review - MicroPhone II continues telecom dominance
By Shelly Brisbin
Software Ventures Corp.'s upgrade to the popular MicroPhone II telecommunications package has been anticipated for more than a year. The company's early announcement of a new version last year kindled impatience among those waiting for System 7 compatibility and improvements in performance. Software Ventures has finally delivered on its promise with Version 4.0 of MicroPhone II.
MicroPhone II 4.0 behaves a lot like its predecessor, but it adds a wide array of slick interface enhancements and sophisticated System 7 support, as well as increased terminal-emulation features.
>Not just for hackers.
The world of telecommunications has advanced considerably beyond the simple macros and terminal emulation provided by early Mac programs. No longer is it enough for software to generate a menu choice that dials and logs on to your favorite bulletin board system. MicroPhone II is one of a few packages that includes its own scripting language and sophisticated development tools for creating custom environments. These features were available in the previous version but have been enhanced and honed for greater ease of use in the current release.
If you have used previous iterations of MicroPhone, chances are that the territory will look familiar. Some menu commands have been moved, apparently as a result of user complaints and a desire on the part of Software Ventures to make its menus appear more logically organized. But most menu commands generate dialog boxes with the same functions as those in MicroPhone II 3.0.
The program's dialog boxes have been enhanced with plenty of pop-up menus, replacing radio buttons and some entire menu choices. Software Ventures has implemented something called application modality, whereby dialog boxes can be moved and updated dynamically while they are in use. Most of MicroPhone's dialogs are modal, which eases work with multiple script, terminal and editor windows.
The appearance of those dialog boxes is much improved, with the addition of pop-up menus. The Send and Receive file transfer dialogs are a good example. Choosing Send from the Transfer menu displays a dialog box with a pop-up menu containing the list of supported protocols. When you return to the dialog from subsequent send or receive operations, the previously used protocol remains selected. Previous versions required a two- or three-step process to change protocols, and this simple enhancement makes MicroPhone II 4.0 easier to use.
MicroPhone's script-editing window is little-changed, but it now includes a panel of icons at the bottom that allow you to copy, delete, modify and perform other actions on a selected script.
>System 7 support.
MicroPhone II now supports Apple events and can publish information but not subscribe to editions created by System 7-savvy applications. MicroPhone II adds three events to the Apple required events: Do Script, Get Data and Set Data.
With these commands, you can download stock-quote information and dump it into your spreadsheet. You also can use MicroPhone to gather data from remote sites and automatically route it to a database.
Aliases are another System 7 feature implemented in MicroPhone. An alias can be incorporated into a script, allowing you, for example, to specify a folder alias to receive a downloaded file. The alias may reside on a local volume while the actual folder is located on a server.
In addition to its own balloon help, MicroPhone provides a method for script writers to create their own balloon help for dialogs, scripts or other functions.
>What else is new?
MicroPhone's new version supports, but does not require, the Communications Manager of Apple's Macintosh Communications Toolbox. MicroPhone includes its own tool for non-Comm Toolbox uses.
Terminal emulation has been enhanced with the addition of a stream-capturing feature. It is possible to capture data directly from the serial port, rather tha n limiting captures to text that has been filtered and sent to the terminal window.
New (or enhanced) terminals supported include VT220; VT320; IBM PC-ANSI; and Show Controls, a line-based terminal that displays a symbol for each control character received. VT102 emulation now supports the full command set.
The Kermit file transfer protocol now supports packets up to 4 Kbytes in size.
Script developers will benefit from an increase in the maximum number of variables from 100 to 200. To the previous versions' support for HyperCard 1.0 external functions and commands (XFCNs and XCMDs), Version 4.0 adds support for HyperCard 2.0 XCMDs. The company noted that a few XCMDs and XFCNs have been removed from the MicroPhone II package, principally because they were buggy. Alternative functions are present, however.
This appears to be the only incompatibility hitch for those who wish to use existing MicroPhone II scripts with the current version.
Otherwise, scripts are converted to 4.0 format simply by opening a Version 3.0 settings document.
>Scripting.
A major strength of MicroPhone has been its flexible and friendly scripting interface. The scripting language is easy to use and understand, with facilities for XCMDs and XFCNs that add to MicroPhone's own capabilities.
Creating and editing scripts is also a breeze with the program's Script Editor, which sports a simple point-and-click interface that makes the arcane world of programming much more accessible. The MicroEditor text processor, included as a desk accessory in previous MicroPhone versions, is still available for script creation and is now part of the main application.
Just as it has with previous releases, Software Ventures has included a number of very useful scripts for connecting to popular on-line services. They include log-on routines, mail retrieval, and other bells and whistles.
Worthy of the most attention is the Long Range Navigator, or Loran. This is a highly graphical MicroPhone settings document that eases connection with both Software Ventures' BBS and CompuServe.
It includes a Mac-like mail interface that, when combined with scripts you write, lets you use Loran to access your favorite electronic-mail service or corporate mainframe mail system.
Software Ventures said plans call for a fuller implementation at a later date, including links to MCI Mail and GEnie.
Loran is an example of how MicroPhone can be used to create a full telecommunications environment. At present, it doesn't do very much beyond its basic two-service tasks, but it will certainly spark the imaginations of developers. Unused buttons tantalize the user with the possibility of full-blown message retrieval and access to stock quotes and custom services.
>Trouble spots.
Despite a long gap between announcement and ship dates, some pieces of MicroPhone II Version 4.0 did not make it out the door in time.
Unix users will note that the new version does not yet contain a Telnet connection driver. Another source of discomfort for those planning to develop their own MicroPhone applications and scripts is the absence of the long-awaited MPDialogerPro, a HyperCard stack for creating dialog boxes for use in MicroPhone. While the XCMDs associated with MPDialogerPro are available within MicroPhone, the stack is still under development.
Software Ventures suggests that developers use ResEdit to make their dialogs in the meantime, although there are no real instructions for doing so in the MicroPhone documentation.
While the number of users who created dialog box scripts in the past was probably small, the lack of a tool in the package for custom development is a disappointment.
When MPDialogerPro is finished, Software Ventures will ship it to any registered owner who requests it.
>Documentation and support.
Documentation for MicroPhone is little-changed. The three books previously shipped have been combined into two, of which the Reference Manual is far more informative. A companion guide provides ample support for users whose needs are simple and who are not planning to create their own scripts.
While functions and XCMDs are well-documented, the material could benefit from inclusion of scripting examples. The creation and modification of a commonly used script would serve to educate the novice developer.
Software Ventures has a BBS of its own and a presence on several on-line services. The BBS is well-used, and many questions are answered promptly. Others, unfortunately, receive no answers or the promise of a fix to a given trouble spot.
Despite the recent release of a major upgrade, no new scripts are available in the file library. In fairness, the package does ship with numerous demonstration scripts, and Version 3.0 settings documents can be converted to 4.0 with little trouble.
>Conclusions.
MicroPhone II 4.0 is a robust telecommunications product, with plenty of features and an interface that just keeps getting better. It is as simple or complex as your needs demand, and it comes at a reasonable price.
But despite the long period of anticipation leading up to its release, the product might have shipped a few months too early. A few key drivers and the MPDialogerPro stack are not ready, but for most users these will be minor inconveniences.
Users who purchased MicroPhone II 3.0 after Feb. 5, 1991, are eligible for a free upgrade. The upgrade is $65 for other users.
Score Card: MicroPhone II 4.0
Overall value Very good
Performance Very good
Features Very good
Ease of use Very good
Documentation/support Average
List price $295*
*Upgrades $65; free if Version 3.0 was purchased after Feb. 5, 1991.
On Balance
The long-awaited upgrade to this fine telecommunications program beefs up the interface and makes very good use of System 7 features, including custom Apple events and publish support. The Long Range Navigator, or Loran, is a good entry to the application-development functionality of MicroPhone II, but the lack of a dialog-box utility is a drawback, although savvy users can use Apple's ResEdit in its place until Software Ventures ships MPDialogerPro.
System 7 Compatibility
Balloon help Yes
TrueType Yes
Publish and subscribe* Yes
Apple event Yes
32-bit addressing** Yes
*Publish only.
**According to vendor.
Software Ventures Corp. is at 2907 Claremont Ave., Berkeley, Calif. 94705. Phone (510) 644-3232; fax (510) 848-0885.
MacWEEK 03/23/92
Reviews Page 43
(MacWEEK, March 23, 1992) (c) Copyright 1992 Coastal Associates, L.P. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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Apple makes a splash at CeBIT '92 as Mac sales take off in Germany
By Andrew Gore
Hannover, Germany - If computer trade shows were sporting events, then CeBIT '92, held here this month, would be the Olympics, both in size and in diversity of attendees.
More than 5,000 exhibitors from 46 countries, including 518 from Pacific Rim countries, showed their wares at this international computer bazaar.
The show's 24 halls, the smallest of which could easily double as an Olympic figure skating arena, proved barely large enough to accommodate the estimated 650,000 people who attended CeBIT over eight days.
Apple's booth was 1,460 square meters, by far the largest trade show booth the company has ever had. That paled in comparison to CeBIT's total 430,000 square meters of display area. And display area was only part of the total CeBIT show campus, which includes its own shopping mall, post office and train station.
An entourage of 150 Mac developers helped wow the crowds with their products. Several new Mac products made their world debuts at the show, including Motorola Inc.'s RPM415 9,600-bps wireless modem for the PowerBook 140 and 170; and a "sneak preview" of Symantec Q&A for the Macintosh, a flat-file database with an integrated word processor (see MacWEEK, March 16).
Both products are expected to boost Apple's presence in the coveted German market, which claims more than 200,000 Macs of an estimated 6.5 million Macs worldwide. Apple said its installed base in Germany could double in the next year, making the country one of Apple's fastest growing markets.
In fact, several European market research companies estimate that by 1994 Germany's installed base of Macs may exceed that of France's, currently Apple's largest European community of users.
According to analysts, the recent surge in Mac sales in Germany can be tied to two factors: Germany's typically high- end computer buying habits and the continued stability of the German economy amid a European fiscal malaise.
"With the introduction of the Quadra and PowerBook 170, Apple's products have become more attractive to the typically high-end German buyer," said Pieter Hartsook, editor of The Hartsook Letter, a Mac market newsletter published in Alameda, Calif. Hartsook is currently working on a European Macintosh market report.
The stylish design of Apple's mobile Macs has also helped boost German sales, Hartsook said. "A lot of German buyers are yuppies," he said. "And the PowerBooks, especially the 170, are real yuppie machines."
MacWEEK 03/23/92
Business Watch Page 28
(MacWEEK, March 23, 1992) (c) Copyright 1992 Coastal Associates, L.P. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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Knife - CPU week in Knifetown
At the rate things have been going lately, anyone wishing to drop out of the presidential race is going to have to take a number. That being the case, the Knife is inclined to dispense with further speculation about the results of primaries yet to be and concentrate instead on the Mac affairs at hand.
And as it turns out, there are a few rather newsworthy items in the hopper this week, starting with an eight-bit color Classic. Sure, you've been promised a color compact Mac almost since the advent of the Mac II, but this time it looks as if it will really happen, probably some time early next year. As for specs, think of it as a Mac LC II in a compact box. In fact, that's exactly the way Apple engineers think of it. Sources tell the Knife that it will have the same motherboard specifications as the LC II.
A lot of idle observers have been saying for a long time that Apple should make a color compact Mac. The relative success of this eight-bit color Classic will mark the wisdom of their advice.
One of the few remaining decisions to be finalized is minimum RAM configuration. Given all the flak Apple is getting from quarters in which people have attempted to run real-world applications under System 7 on 2-Mbyte Macs, there's more than a good chance that the new color machine will hit the streets with a 4-Mbyte minimum.
>Docks of the bars.
At last report the on-again, off-again dockable portable project was way down on Apple's new CPU priority list. But like a lot of things at Apple lately, that decision was changed. Now Apple call for an October intro.
The specs shown to the Knife were fairly impressive. First, at a mere 4.25 pounds for the main unit, this will be the smallest and lightest Mac ever, even though it will be powered by a 25-MHz 68030, have 4 Mbytes of RAM (soldered), a 16-level gray-scale supertwist display, either a 40-Mbyte or 80-Mbyte disk and a 2,400-bps data/9,600-bps fax modem. The modem, by the way, will both send and receive faxes, unlike the current PowerBook modem, which for fax is send-only.
There will be two docking ports or bars in dockable PowerBook lingo. The DeskBar will include color video-out and two NuBus slots. The TravelBar will include the floppy drive and a second ADB port. The apparent intention is to leave the DeskBar on your desk and to take the TravelBar with you when you, er, travel.
>Window on Claris.
Claris, known in some circles as the giant software subsidiary that couldn't finish the Write project, may soon be known as the company that could do cross-platform development. The Knife has learned that the Windows version of FileMaker is ready to begin the beta-testing process. Not only that, but an upgrade to FileMaker Pro also is moving right along. Distinguishing characteristics of the new Mac FileMaker will be feature set and file compatibility with the Windows version.
The Claris decision to reduce the price of MacWrite II in an attempt to retain market share while MacWrite Pro is being developed might be successful. The new $129 list price means less than $100 in the real world of street pricing. Now the Knife reports that WordPerfect Corp., in an unprecedented pre-introduction sale, has slashed the price of LetterPerfect, the Microsoft Write version of WordPerfect 2.1, from $249 to a mere $149, which also will ensure a street price of less than $100. WordPerfect is aiming for a June ship date.
>Oops.
This week the Knife was forced by facts to swallow hard and face up to his own humanity. Last week's 2.88-Mbyte floppy report should have said that Apple has two versions of the drive on the lab bench: one that reads 800-Kbyte floppies and one that doesn't. Although the one that can read the 800- Kbyte drives costs more, the plans are to use it in the upcoming RISC machines and some of the more powerful 68040 Macs. Of course, the bean counters could step in and mess things up, but that's unlikely now that the whole Mac world is watching.
The Knife is proud to announce that for the first time, all South Africans are eligible to play in the MacWEEK mug sweepstakes, where the odds are in your favor if you've got the insider info. The Knife is taking tips at (415) 243-3500, fax (415) 243-3650, MCI (MactheKnife), AppleLink (MacWEEK) and CompuServe/ZiffNet/Mac.
MacWEEK 03/23/92
Opinion Page 102
Mac the Knife
(MacWEEK, March 23, 1992) (c) Copyright 1992 Coastal Associates, L.P. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
