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(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEL)(00001)

Indian Telecom Opens Up; AT&T, Tatas In Joint Venture 06/19/92
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1992 JUN 18 (NB) -- The recent liberalization move
of the Indian government seems to be paying dividends. This is
especially true of the telecommunications field, which is already
buzzing with big global players which are forming joined ventures
with Indian companies.

The bid for cellular telephone operating services saw more than
thirty such consortia being formed, while the decision to open up
digital switching to multinational companies resulted in eight
joint ventures. And now, AT&T International Inc., joins hands with
Tata Telecom Ltd. -- the market leader in electronic private
automatic branch exchanges (EPABXs) and private voice networking in
India -- to produce advanced transmission systems.

The two companies will be equal partners in the new venture to be
called Trans-India Network Systems Pvt. Ltd. For the Rs 30-crore
project, the company has an equity base of Rs 15 crore, equally
shared by AT&T and Tata Telecom.

The new company will manufacture digital network access systems
such as, SLC R 120 Network Access System with its associated modules,
Optimux optical multiplexers, 2 MB/second line systems and MAR-30
Multiple Access Radio systems.

"The optical multiplexers would come out in the first quarter
of 1993, followed by the radio systems," said K. Balasubramaniam,
managing director, Tata Telecom Ltd. "The network access systems
are expected to hit the market only around mid-1993," he added.

Tata Telecom will contribute in manufacturing, marketing, and sales
capabilities for the venture, while AT&T's principal role, according
to Richard Brandt, AT&T regional marketing vice-president for Asia,
"will be to provide global networking experience and the technical
know-how for producing the equipment." The joint venture would be
headquartered at Gandhinagar and the manufacturing will be done at
the existing Tata Telecom facility.

"The main reason behind choosing Tata Telecom as partner was,
of course, its status in the market, its expertise and being
well-known internationally," explained Brandt, "But equally
impressive was its flexible manufacturing facility, that would
require almost no revamping to manufacture our products." As for
the non-appearance of the name of either company in the venture,
it seems that the companies could not decide over whose name will
go first.

"The transmission equipment produced by Trans-India will mainly
be bought by the Department of Electronics," emphasized H.N.
Sethna, chairman of Tata Telecom, while talking about prospective
clients. "But we have enquiries also from the Railways, Mahanagar
Telephone Nigam Ltd. and Oil and Natural Gas commission," he added.

As the slated systems are of advanced nature, like the SLC 120,
which can provide 120 channels over a 8-pair cable and is ideally
suited for cities where fresh cables cannot be laid, or MAR-30,
which can extend the switching network to remote areas of the
country, the need for these systems would be large, feels Sethna.

Tata Telecom is the leading manufacturer of EPABX and telephone
instruments in India, with a turnover exceeding Rs 31 crore,
and having to its credit the installation of the largest EPABXs
in the country -- 3,600 lines each at a couple of the largest steel
plants in the country. Tata Telecom has also provided voice and data
networks for several multinationals operating out of India, just as
it did for a telecom network along a 1,500-km oil pipeline.

(C. T. Mahabharat/19920618)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00002)

Canon, Thai University In Multimedia Venture 06/19/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Canon has announced that it has
signed an agreement with Cheralenkon University in Thailand in
which the two entities will jointly research multimedia technology.

In this agreement, Canon will support the university both with
money and technology and will set up an audiovisual technology
research center at the university. Canon will also help create a
master's degree course in audio-visual technology.

Canon will dispatch its engineers to the university and will host
its students in Japan.

Although the primary purpose is to research audiovisual technology,
another purpose of this project is to develop word processors
for the Thai language. Canon has its own word processing technology
and has been selling the "Canoword" series.

Canon reports that it aims to contribute to the region to encourage
the advancement of the technology. That support will take the
form of a 30 million yen ($230,000) "Canon Audio-visual Technology
Fund," which will supply funding for the research until 1996.
Canon will also supply the university with the necessary equipment
such as computers and printers. A total of 200 million yen
($1.5 million) is expected to be spent on this project, says
Canon.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920619/Press Contact: Canon, [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00003)

Neurocomputer System Developed By Ricoh 06/19/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Ricoh has developed a
neurocomputer system which it claims is faster than existing
supercomputers. It consists of 32 units of Ricoh's neuro-LSI.

Ricoh's latest neurocomputer system simulates the learning
experience of the human brain. It does not require a CPU (central
processing unit) because all the systems are contained in Ricoh's
original neuro-LSI. According to a Ricoh spokesman, the system has
achieved extremely fast processing speed -- almost four times
faster than a supercomputer. When it is compared with a
workstation, it is about 500 times faster, claims Ricoh.

The system is said to be able to recognize handwritten letters and
the human voice better and faster as it "learns." Also, the actual
system can be much smaller in size than a supercomputer because much of it
is contained in small LSI chips.

Ricoh is planning to aim this system at industrial use, and is
seeking application development with other firms. Actual application
of this system can be in a variety of fields, but Ricoh
seeks to apply it to industry robots or machinery to start. These
systems are expected to debut within a year, according to a Ricoh
spokesman.

Meanwhile, Ricoh has been developing a high-end version of this
neuro-LSI; work is expected to be completed by the end of this
year. The new LSI will be used in an even more powerful neurocomputer
system.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920619/Press Contact: Ricoh, [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00004)

NECC: Apple Talks to Teachers, Unveils Educa. Products 06/19/92
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- At the National
Education Computing Conference (NECC) this week, specialists from
Apple briefed teachers, administrators, and computer coordinators on
Apple's educational offerings, including new products and programs
unveiled at the show.

The new educational items include two online curriculum aids -- one
on CD-ROM disk, and the other involving CD-ROM, floppies, and laser
disks -- plus a partnership program. According to Sue Collins,
Apple's senior manager for Strategic Initiatives, the program lets
schools and businesses join together in buying bundles of
educational hardware, software and print materials. The bundles
will cover such subjects as language arts, math, science, and
student productivity -- and each will be geared to a particular
grade level, from kindergarten through higher education.

On Monday at NECC, Collins delivered the aptly entitled talk
"What's New at Apple." Dr. Thomas Burnett, educational
consultant to Apple, took this theme even further, with "Vision,
Change and Chaos," a keynote speech on how Apple's technology is
being used to facilitate educational reform.

Apple is stressing that third-party vendors will participate in the
reform by including their products in bundles marketed through the
partnership program. The array of educational vendors encompasses
Aldus, Broderbund, Claris, The Learning Company, and TechByte
International, to name just a few.

Schools and businesses subscribing to the program will receive
printed guides on "Becoming Partners" and "Building Effective
Partnerships," plus two floppies for the Mac. The "Development
Tools" disk contains a HyperCard-based application for creating
partnership proposals, in addition to examples of partnership
charters and planning documents. The "Program Information" disk
serves as a computer-based information resource, complete with
bundle specifications, order forms, and price lists.

Apple's new online curriculum planning aids -- also introduced at
NECC -- include the "Apple Math & Science Curriculum Integration
Guide" and the more generic "Teaching, Learning & Technology - A
Planning Guide." Running on CD-ROM, the math and science guide
features more than 60 QuickTime demonstrations, each enabling the
teacher to get hands-on experience with a software application.
Incorporated, too, are QuickTime vignettes of educators commenting
on how the math and science software can be implemented in the
classroom.

"Teaching, Learning & Technology," a guide that can be used by
school districts or individual educators, is available in three
versions. The "Basic Kit" provides a step-by-step curriculum
workbook, templates for organizing curriculum plans, and workbook
duplication masters for planning team members -- along with a video
presenting dramatizations of possible classroom scenarios.

The "Interactive Kit/Videodisc" comes with all the elements of the
"Basic Kit," in addition to a CD-ROM disk packed with two hours of
audio interviews on curriculum planning, a video disk containing 60
minutes of planning tips from schools nationwide, and a "Quick
Start" tutorial on how to organize the computer equipment.

"Interactive Kit/QuickTime" is similar to "Interactive
Kit/Videodisc," except that the audio interviews and video clips
are in QuickTime on a CD-ROM disk, and an interactive "notepad"
helps users collect multimedia materials for their plans.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920618)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00005)

Australia: AT&T, Hutchison Bid For 3rd Mobile Licence 06/19/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- American telecommunications
giant AT&T is to be Hutchison Telecommunications Australia's (HTA's)
strategic partner in HT's bid for Australia's third mobile telephone
licence. The existing two licences are held by AOTC (Australian and
Overseas Telecommunications Corporation) and Australia's second
carrier, Optus.

The bid will be totally self-funded by HTA's parent company,
Hutchison Whampoa of Hong Kong. As a requirement of the bid,
however, the bidding company must have a relationship with at least
three of the world's top handset suppliers. AT&T's part in the
contract is to supply the equipment side of the network. HTA's
managing director said at the announcement, "We will never be a
supplier of equipment. What we do is come into a market as an
experienced service provider - as deregulation allows." The
conditions of bidding will also see local hardware and software used
in the network.

HTA's parent company. Hutchison Whampoa, claims half of Hong Kong
cellular and paging markets, and the local subsidiary operates
Australia's largest paging service. HTA bid last year for the second
licence last year, and has now transferred its attention to the
third licence, which is limited to mobile services (the second
licence was for all services). Although, if it wins, HTA's
consortium will be unable to install its own country services
initially, by reselling part of AOTC's capacity, it hopes to redress
that inadequacy.

(Sean McNamara/19920619)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00006)

Australian-built Vietnamese Exchange Opened 06/19/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- As a major part of its goal
to increase its foothold the regional telecommunications market,
AOTC (Australian and Overseas Telecommunications Corporation) has
announced the opening of an Australian-built international gateway
exchange in Hanoi.

The building of the exchange was negotiated by OTC, which recently
merged with Telecom to become AOTC, and is aimed at taking advantage
of Vietnam's burgeoning international services usage.

The opening was attended by almost 50 executives from major
telecommunications companies from around the world, including AT&T
and Sprint from the US, Hong Kong Telecom International, and
Teleglobe of Canada. The exchange brings Vietnam's international
telecommunications services up to par with many countries in the
region, and should spur large growth in the local telecommunications
market - especially since George Bush's decision to re-open
international communications links (it is estimated there are
approximately 1,000,000 expatriate Vietnamese now living in the US).

Despite the potential, there are several hurdles yet to be overcome.
Firstly, the US has not lifted its trade embargo with Vietnam - any
money owed to the Vietnamese Government is frozen in the US as part
of this embargo. Secondly, the Vietnamese Government has forbidden
direct links to the US, so all calls will have to be routed through
Sydney, Hong Kong, or Singapore.

(Sean McNamara/19920619)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00007)

Frame Business Units for PC/Mac and Unix 06/19/92
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Frame Technology,
a document management systems vendor growing at the rapid clip of
60% a year, has announced its second public stock offering this
year, along with the formation of new business units dedicated to
particular hardware platforms.

A public relations spokesperson told Newsbytes that the new
business units -- one for IBM-compatible PCs and Macs, and the
other for Unix -- are aimed at increasing Frame's responsiveness to
the two main segments within its ever expanding customer base.
"The two user groups have different needs," she remarked.

The pair of stock offerings this year are the first in the
company's six-year history, she said. Both offerings, she added,
have been intended to raise working capital for Frame, producers of
three sophisticated document management products: the FrameMaker
document creation tool, and FrameViewer and FrameReader software
for document distribution, viewing, and printing.

Frame initially "went public" in February, with a company offering
of 2,000,000 shares at $14 per share. In this week's second public
offering, another 2,100,000 shares are up for grabs, this time at
$15.75 per share. In the second offering, 713,544 of the shares --
or about one third -- are being offered by the company, and the
rest by existing shareholders.

Frame Technology got its start with a Unix version of FrameMaker.
Subsequently, the vendor introduced a Mac version of FrameMaker, as
well as FrameReader for Macintosh and FrameViewer for Unix. In
January of this year, Frame announced Windows versions of
FrameMaker and FrameReader, along with intentions to port both
products to Windows NT in the future.

In announcing the new business units this week, Frame said that the
Desktop Products Division will concentrate on increasing the
presence of Macintosh and PC products in the retail channel. The
Unix Systems Division will be charged with maintaining a leadership
role in Frame's current Unix market segment, and also with further
developing the product to meet a perceived demand for customized
publishing systems.

"The creation of the business units will allow us to take advantage
of new market opportunities, while focusing on our number one
priority - customer satisfaction," commented Paul Robichaux,
chairman and CEO. Each of the new units will function as a separate
cost center, with profit and loss responsibilities, the company
reported.

Joe Scheider, formerly SGML support manager, has been named to the
new position of vice president/general manager of the Unix Systems
Division. Savia Kumar, previously director of product marketing,
has gotten the nod as vice president of the Desktop Products
Division.

According to recently released financial figures, Frame's revenues
were $16 million for fiscal year 1989, $25.4 million for fiscal
year 1990, $41.7 million for fiscal year 1991, and $13.3 million
for the most recent quarter, ending March 31, 1992.

The Frame spokesperson stated that the company has grown 60% or
more each year since its founding, attributing this achievement in
large part to the high quality and unique features of the product.
Unlike many other document management systems, the Frame system
incorporates word processing with highly advanced page layout
features, she said.

Documents can be created, edited and distributed over multivendor
networks, with users receiving WYSIWYG (what you see is what you
get) viewing regardless of software version, she added. Further,
the system can integrate documents -- in some cases equipped with
sound and still video -- from more than 300 different third-party
applications.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920617; Press Contact: Jolana Leinson, Frame,
tel [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00008)

Windows Speed-Up Chip Offered In Speedstar 24-bit Card 06/19/92
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Hardware to speed up
Windows is what the new Speedstar 24X graphics board is offering
users. Western Digital says it is shipping a new Windows accelerator
chip for inclusion in Diamond Computer Systems Speedstar 24X 24-bit
dynamic random access memory (DRAM) graphics board.

The WD90C31 chip from Western Digital is especially designed to speed
up Windows performance and has already been used in computers
designed by AST Research and Gateway 2000, Western Digital said. The
company said it has also offered its own DRAM-based Paradise
Accelerator Card for Windows that also includes the WD90C31 chip and
is targeted toward end users.

Both Western Digital and Diamond Computer Systems are maintaining the
SpeedStar 24X is more affordable as it uses DRAM which is cheaper
than, and outperforms, video random access memory (VRAM). Western
Digital describes the chip as a 32-bit controller designed for
applications that require video graphics array (VGA) compatibility
with analog, TTL, or multi-frequency monitors. The chip supports
extended VGA graphics up to 1024 x 768 x 256 in non-interlaced mode
with a 72 hertz (Hz) vertical refresh rate and is compliant with the
standards of the NEC founded Video Electronics Standards Association
(VESA).

The chip performs functions such as hardware cursor, bit blt (bit
block) transfers, and linear addressing -- all functions that used to
be done by software, Western Digital said. However, hardware based
performance of any function is always faster. This is part of the
movement toward the type of hardware based graphics similar that
which is done on a Macintosh, Letty Ledbetter of Western Digital told
Newsbytes.

Western Digital vice president, Robert Dickinson, said Diamond Computer
plans to target systems integrators and large corporate end users
with its SpeedStar card.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920618/Press Contact: Letty Ledbetter, Western
Digital, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00009)

New For Networks: LANtastic for NetWare Version 4.1 06/19/92
TUCSON, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Artisoft has begun
shipping LANtastic for NetWare v.4.1. This product, which provides
Novell NetWare users with LANtastic 4.1's peer-to-peer
networking features, now offers increased performance as
well as additional feature enhancements to System Manager
and printing capabilities.

"The LANtastic for NetWare software provides a low-cost, easy-to-use
solution for Novell users wanting the features, peripheral-sharing
and flexibility of a peer-to-peer network," said Jack Schoof,
Artisoft President and CEO.

Three important features will improve the speed and efficiency of
the LANtastic local area network: resource caching, random access
caching and delayed record-locking. Other new features include new
System Manager features, immediate despooling, enhanced printer
queue display, new NET PRINT switches, new print parameters, automatic
login to servers, login to multiple servers with one command, hot
keys to menu items, and enhanced NET HELP display.

LANtastic for NetWare 4.1 is available at a suggested retail price
of $499 per network and supports up to 300 users. Registered LANtastic
for NetWare 4.0 users can
upgrade to v.4.1 through Artisoft or any Authorized Artisoft Five
Star Dealer for free upon proof of registration.

(Computer Currents/19920618/Public Contact: 800-846-9726)


(REVIEW)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00010)

Review of: Help! The Art of Computer Technical Support, 06/19/92

From: Peachpit Press, 1085 Keith Ave., Berkeley, CA 94708, 800-283
9444, 415-527-8555.

Price: $19.95

PUMA Rating:3.67 (on a scale of 1=lowest to 4=highest)

Reviewed for Newsbytes by: Naor Wallach 06/19/92

Summary: This is a book that talks about all facets of the technical
support picture: how to set it up, keep it running, and get the most
out of it when you have to use it. Highly recommended for those
needing to operate a technical support organization. Not so
important for those who will simply use tech support.

======

REVIEW

======

If there is one subject that most computer users can agree on, it is
the universal irritation, and dislike of, having to use the
technical support offered by software companies. It seems like a no
win situation - you call a number and this disembodied voice seems
to either mock your ignorance or cannot help with your problem and
sends you to other companies, phone numbers, and just plain outer
space. This is all assuming that you get to the voice in the first
place. Ask any computer user and you will be regaled with tales of
hours spent on hold, endless sessions with voice mail systems, and
the worse sin of all -- having someone answer the phone (finally)
only to take your name and number and promise to have someone call
you back. Right.

The interesting thing is that most companies are aware of that
dreadful image and are really trying to work on it -- at least those
companies that wish to remain in the computer business do. Ralph
Wilson's book is actually intended for those people who are setting
up or running a tech support group, but I found it instructive
reading nonetheless.

The book's 227 pages are divided into seven chapters that altogether
demystify what is going on at the other side of that phone line.
Wilson talks about what it takes to motivate tech support people.
He gives examples of what works and what does not. He issues
recommendations on what to do and how to train your tech support
people so that you get the most from them. And all of this advice
is backed up by the fact that Wilson runs his own company that is
purely dedicated to providing tech support services to companies
that do not wish to enter that field.

The seven chapters are titled: Manufacturer Support, Internal
Support, Communication Skills, Handling Support Calls, Information
Techniques and Tools, Alternative Methods of Support, and A User's
Guide to Technical Support. As you can see, the author covers the
field pretty well.

He initially breaks the support task down to two main activities:
internal and external. External is that tech support line that we
are all familiar with. Internal is the tech support that some of
the bigger companies can offer by having some of their personnel
dedicated to supporting users within the organization on programs
that the company has purchased from outside. Wilson draws on the
similarities of the two types of support in the first two chapters.
He also compares them in their differences. It is interesting to
read of how similar, yet different, the two functions can be.

The next three chapters are a basic manual of how to run a tech
support operation. Wilson gives us his opinions on what to look
for in people that you are considering hiring for tech support
positions, what you can expect from them in terms of productivity,
and what you should be prepared to do and provide to them to allow
them to perform at peak efficiency. These three chapters are
probably not of much interest to the casual reader, however, if
you are involved with your tech support group, they are worth the
book's weight in gold. The tips that Wilson provides are numerous
and can be easily seen to have been acquired after much time in
the field.

The sixth chapter talks about some interesting ways in which the
tech support function can be more effective while using some means
other than the traditional "sitting on the phone line." This is
the chapter where Wilson discusses using user's groups, belonging
to national bulletin board services, as well as other,
potentially less conventional means of providing tech support.

In the final chapter Wilson tells all of us how best to deal with
tech support as the user who has the problem. This chapter is
a tutorial of what to do, what to have ready, and how to talk to
the tech support person so that we get the most benefit of the
conversation, i.e. we solve our problem in the least amount of time.

After reading this book, I feel that I know a whole lot more about
what it takes to do a good job at tech support. I also know that the
next time I need to call tech support, I will be better equipped
to handle the call and I will understand the other person's concerns
better. If you are involved with setting up or running a tech
organization, then this book should be a must on your reading list.
If you are a plain user like me, then you may want to borrow a copy
and read the last chapter. The rest of the book would be merely
interesting, not essential.

===========

PUMA RATING

===========

USEFULNESS: 3 This depends on where you stand in relation to tech
support. If you are a provider, buy this book immediately! If a
user, then you can learn some interesting things.

MANUAL: 4 I detected no typos. The book layout is clear and effective
and I was not distracted by too many graphical elements on the
page.

AVAILABILITY: 4 I saw copies of this book at my two favorite book
store chains and was able to order it with no problems from a third.
In addition, Peachpit Press maintains a toll free number for
ordering or more information.

(Naor Wallach/19920617/Suzanne Ludlum, Peachpit Press)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00011)

ROUNDUP: Stories Carried By Other Media This Week 06/19/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Roundup is a brief
look at some computer stories carried in other publications
received here this past week.

Computer Reseller News dated June 15 says that former Compaq head
Rod Canion told a CRN reporter that he started the move to a low-
cost line more than a year ago, six months before he was booted
out of the company he founded.

The June 8 issue of Federal Computer Week says that the USDA is
upgrading its computer systems before deciding which offices will
be closed and that the Senate Agriculture Committee says this
"defies logic."

Computerworld for June 15 says that the 10-year, $100- to $200-
million outsourcing contract between EDS and Signet Banking is
off to a rocky start as the first year of the contract draws to
an end. Apparently the bank is balking at the idea of moving all
operations to the Herndon, Virginia EDS offices.

The June 8 issue of Government Computer News has a special
supplement on buying PCs from the GSA microcomputer schedule. The
section includes discussions by vendors, buyers, and a GSA
contract negotiator.

June 15's Informationweek asks the question "Has Oracle Grown
Up?" and takes a stab an answering its own question in an
interview with Oracle CEO Larry Ellison who, unsurprisingly, says
that quality problems will end with the introduction of Oracle
Version 7.

Systems & Network Integration for the week of the 15th says that
IBM is repositioning the AS/400 as an integration platform.

(John McCormick/19920619)


(EDITORIAL)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00012)

Editorial: Keep the Bells Out of PCN 06/19/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- By Dana Blankenhorn.
The seven regional Bell companies have a problem. Wall Street
doesn't respect them. Their attempts to raise stock prices
through unregulated adventures have failed, mainly because the
weight of their capital tilts toward plain old telephone service.
POTS, as it's called, is a widows-and-orphans business. The
profits are reliable, but they're low. This doesn't sit well with
the Bells' self-image.

The main thing the Bells have done to counter this image is to
take over the cellular telephone market. Originally, there were
to be two licensees in each city: one Bell, one non-Bell. But the
US government later allowed Bells to buy "non-Bell" licensees
outside their regions. And they did. Now you usually have a
"choice" for cellular service between two Bell companies. That's
no choice. Prices remain high, true competition nil.

The FCC has a problem with this. Chairman Alfred Sikes claims
competition will solve all problems. But there is no competition
in the cellular business. Prices and levels of service are nearly
identical in every region. His solution is to quickly license
microwave-based cellular networks, called Personal Communications
Networks or PCN. PCN uses shorter wavelengths than regular
cellular systems, so antennae must be closer together, but lower-
power phones can be used which fit easily in your pocket.

To solve their problem, the Bells want to permanently prevent the
FCC from solving its problem. Bell Alantic, the Bell for the mid-
Atlantic states, has unveiled its "wireless vision" to financial
analysts, a "strategic mandate" to invest $400 million in tiny
microcells and dominate this new market before it gets started by
tying the new demand to its existing cellular network.

Ameritech, the Bell company for the Midwest, is conducting the
first market test of PCN phones and services in downtown
Chicago. US West, the Bell company for the mountain states,
wants a "pioneer preference" (it wants to be first in line for a
license) on PCN because its UK cable operations already handle
the wired link in PCN networks there.

If Al Sikes is to ever solve his problem, he needs to put a stop
to all this right now. As Bell Atlantic makes clear, the Bells
already have everything they need to compete in the PCN market,
maybe even to dominate it, using smaller cells on their existing
frequencies. If competitors are to emerge, the Bells must be
prevented from taking any PCN licenses, either inside or outside
their markets, now and forever. They must also be prevented from
using discriminatory pricing to limit the new PCN carriers'
access to the wired networks, which will handle most of the
calling distance in any event.

If Sikes doesn't do this, all his talk about competition will
come to nothing. The Bells will dominate all future wireless
markets, just as they dominate the wired world. There will be no
competition for consumers, only monopoly profits for the Bells.
And ironically, the Bells' stock prices still won't be helped,
because the capital needs of their slow-growing wired business
will always dominate their balance sheets.

What's ironic is there is a way for the Bells to solve their
stock-price problems. They should consider what Pacific Telesis
is considering, do what AT&T did under Charles Brown a decade
ago. Split-up. Separate in two, into local phone companies under
strict regulation, and unregulated businesses with wireless,
international, and information service arms. Stop trying to have
it both ways, a guaranteed pool of profit on one hand which can
be used to dominate new markets on the other. Stop this
schizophrenic double-game of being competitive businessmen when
it suits you and monopolists when it suits you. Be one or the
other. Wall Street will love you for it.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920619)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00013)

Scanfone Enters Memphis, with Piggly Wiggly 06/19/92
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- ScanFone, the
interactive service using a special phone with a screen, is
entering the Memphis, Tennessee market.

ScanFone features a 16-character LED display panel, a magnetic
stripe credit card reader and a light pen used to scan bar codes.
US Order, which developed the system, is rolling it out
nationwide as partners are found for it. Scanfone entered the San
Francisco market early this year with help from Safeway and
BankAmerica. In Memphis, the partners are Piggly Wiggly and
Shoppers Express. BankAmerica will also have a roll, however,
processing credit card transactions made through the system.

When ordering through ScanFone, customers enter a personal
password to access the system, and select the items and
quantities to be purchased by scanning their respective bar
codes. After each selection, verification of the item ordered is
displayed on the ScanFone screen. When the order is complete,
customers receive an estimate of the total cost of their order
and can then review their selections and make any necessary
changes. After this review, they can select to pick- up their
order or indicate the day and time of home delivery -- same day
or within the next week. Payments can be made by check upon
delivery or by swiping a credit card through ScanFone's magnetic
stripe reader.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920619/Press Contact: Elizabeth England, for
U.S. Order, 212-715-1578)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00014)

FCC Quietly Helps Home Automation 06/19/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- On the same day
when it issued an historic order allowing television networks to
own cable television operations, and hinted that regulation of
AT&T may soon be lifted further, the Federal Communications
Commission also cleared the way for home automation systems to
get better access to the electromagnetic spectrum.

The FCC order adjusted radio signal regulations to allow security
control, energy levels, lighting and appliances to get clear
space on the frequency spectrum. In the past, such systems often
interfered with radio signals, limiting their effectiveness and
annoying the neighbors, not to mention the radio stations which
had to handle the resulting complaints.

The radio spectrum is terribly crowded with services, and some
slices of spectrum are used by multiple types of companies. One
major goal of FCC Chairman Alfred Sikes is to release spectrum
held by the government so more services can be accommodated. That
work is going slowly, however, as is the move to get other
licensed users to change the frequencies they use so new services
like microwave-based PCN phones can be introduced.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920619)


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

AT&T Adjusts Rates, Looks to New Freedom 06/19/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- AT&T praised the
Federal Communications Commission and gave consumers a hint of
what will follow its actions to let it change rates quickly.

Vic Pelson, president of AT&T's Communications Services Division,
said the company was "greatly encouraged" by action which could
take place next year which will let AT&T offer special deals to
big customers and change rates more quickly. He said the result
of the action will be "full and fair competition." He also
praised the FCC's ruling that price caps have been a successful
replacement for rate regulation, calling them less burdensome to
the company. Other studies have indicated, however, that the
entire reduction in long-distance rates since the Bell break-up
in 1984 resulted from cuts in access charges paid local phone
companies by long distance firms, not competition and not new
technology.

Meanwhile, AT&T adjusted its rates slightly, something that will
become much simpler as regulations on it as the "dominant
carrier" of long distance services are lifted. Collect, third-
party, and person-to-person rates were cut about 4 percent, which
the company said will save consumers $60 million. But the company
eliminated some of its more esoteric calling plans, like the AT&T
Corporate Card 10 Percent Savings Plan and the AT&T Universal
Card Talk It Up Plan.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920619/Press Contact: AT&T, Herb Linnen,
202/457-3933)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(MOW)(00016)

WordPerfect Sells Russian Version, Describes Perspectives 06/19/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- WordPerfect is trying to grab a
share of the Russian market where its products are almost unknown.
The company sees its major advantage in the numerous multilingual
capacities the word processor has to offer.

Ronny Juhansen, director of development, WordPerfect International
Division, said that it is too early to say something about WordPerfect's
advances in the Russian market, as the product was launched only three
months ago. "The initial [sales] results during those couple of months
were positive," Juhansen told the audience.

The Russian version of WordPerfect 5.1 is immediately available through
Merisel and a few affiliated companies for 19200 rubles (approximately
US$200). The Russian version has a spellchecker and no thesaurus. To have
the English language tools you must buy the English supplement which is
not immediately available. The product has been initially sold with
copy protection, which was removed shortly after sales began. "We
feel quite well about the level of protection under the law of Russia.
We try to teach our users that in order to continue developing of new
products and supporting the old ones we need them to buy software, not to
steal it."

WordPerfect is promoting in its products the multibyte character set --
a way of storing characters of various languages in several bytes
instead of the single one currently used by most software on the
market. Juhansen said that Wordperfect will further promote the Unicode
international character set standard in its products.

In describing WordPerfect communications capabilities and
multiplatform compatibility, Juhansen gave no details on whether
localized versions of those products -- namely WordPerfect Office and WP
releases other than DOS -- will be released on the Russian market.

Asked about service and support for product buyers, Juhansen said
that the current major distributor -- Merisel -- is offering that service
mainly through its dealers.

WordPerfect is expected to soon offer the "Doorway," an interface which
allows external programs to be incorporated into the WP environment.

Natalia Artemova of Informatic Company, the leading provider of Russian
language spellcheckers and thesauruses, complained that WordPerfect at the
time of developing the Russian version of their flagship product,
refused to enter a suitable agreement to incorporate the Orpho spellchecker
into it. WordPerfect has developed its own Russian speller instead and
work on further projects has slowed, which may include a Ukrainian
spellchecker and a Russian thesaurus.

The Third international computer forum has been organized by the Moscow-
based International computer club.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19920618)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(MOW)(00017)

 ****Russia: Computers Are Bellwether Of Free Market Economy 06/19/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- A Russian standard 286 computer
with VGA monitor, wide carriage printer, one megabyte (MB) of memory,
a 40 MB hard disk drive, mouse, and coprocessor, today costs 170,000
rubles and the price is expected to fluctuate and fall, according
to the Moscow Commodities Exchange's executives, speaking at a Russian
computer market briefing.

Oleg Pavlenko, manager of the Moscow Commodities Exchange's computer
division, presented his view on the computer market as one of the
early seeds of the free market economy.

Major CIS computer markets now are the Ukraine and Byelorussia,
in addition to the traditionally active Moscow, St Petersbourg,
Caucasus and Baltic regions. Two of those republics are very active
in buying computers now as they feel an undersupply of the equipment
and worries about possible political turmoil, Pavlenko said.

Still, most buyers are companies and the amount of PCs in the hands of
individuals is still very small.

Sergey Worobiev, also of the Moscow Commodities Exchange's computer
division, noted that the ruble-to-dollar exchange rate fluctuation
has become more and more important in the computer business as
the number of ruble computer sales is rapidly increasing. But the
market is very slow to react to those changes with a typical time
lag between rate drops and imported computer price drops as long
as 3-4 weeks.

Major computer resellers, which include Steepler, Demos, and a few
others, are now pushing the market prices down with massive
advertising campaigns in the press, but the trend will not lasts forever
in the view of the likely ruble value drop.

Pavlenko said supply and demand for 386-based machines is also
rapidly growing. Sales of those accounted for 11% of the total
computer market in January 1992 and 20% in April.

According to statistical records, the average Russian company has 10
PCs, which are two years old. A quarter of them use local area networks.

Members of the audience repeatedly noted that the machines
being sold through the exchange reach the end-user through a number of
intermediaries and therefore an important part of business -- customer
service -- has ceased to exist at all.

The Moscow Commodities Exchange's computer division was formed in November
1991 and comprises 500 companies which sell computers for rubles.
It claims to be the largest wholesale computer market in the country

The Russian computer market briefing was held as a part of the Third
International Computer Forum, organized by the Moscow-based International
Computer Club.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19920618)


(NEWS)(IBM)(MOW)(00018)

Moscow: Steepler Releases Windows Fax Software 06/19/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Moscow-based Steepler Company has
released its Faxline Windows fax software. Faxline works from any
application which enables printing. By selecting Faxline as a printer,
text or graphics chosen will be faxed to a chosen phone number.

Similar to other faxing software, the Russian-developed Faxline has
the usual background receive fax, send and receive log, delayed fax,
customized cover sheet, phonebook, and help features.
The software is said to be compatible with all major fax boards
and modems available on the market.

The software requires Windows 3.0 or 3.1, 1 MB of memory, EGA, and a mouse.
Sales are to begin in August. The single user version will cost US$195,
multiuser -- $295, and a network supporting one -- $495.

Steepler is a Moscow-based computer equipment reseller and Windows
software developer.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19920619/Press contact: Steepler, phone [phone]-
8192; fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00019)

Australia Urged To Use Automated Freeway Systems 06/19/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- A councillor of a local
motorists association has called on the New South Wales (NSW)
government to follow Victoria's lead in utilizing freeway traffic
detection and communications technology as soon as possible.

Ron Talbot, a councillor with the National Roads and Motorists'
Association (NRMA), feels that advanced warning systems should be
installed and linked nationally within 10 years.

Talbot was responding to a call by NSW's Roads and Traffic Authority
for expressions of interest in replacing the existing fog warning
system the major southbound freeway from Sydney, the F6, to
Wollongong. Talbot cited the example of Victorian freeways, which
already have systems which detect breakdown, suggest alternative
routes and notify motorists. "This could just be the start of
something in this country that could go into the 21st Century,"
Talbot said.

The Victorian system allows Vic Roads (the RTA's Victorian
counterpart) to continually monitor traffic flow and breakdowns and
notify motorists. The RTA, however, has only called for fog detection
hardware. Talbot, however, wants motorists associations to be able to
offer to members warning systems similar to the Victorian systems, but
utilizing dashboard miniterminals to display traffic and tourist
information.

The NRMA is Australia's largest motorists association, and it offers
such services as roadside service (utilizing a computer-based job
scheduling and information system with a similar technology base as
that suggested by Talbot for the driver information service),
insurance, investment advice, and travel and legal services.

(Sean McNamara/19920619)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00020)

Australia: University Gets AUS$0.5M For Taiwanese Research 06/19/92
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- The University of South
Australia has been awarded an AUS$500,000 grant for a research
project it will carry out with the National Cheng Kung University of
Tainan, Taiwan. The research will cover collaborative CAD/CAM
(computer-aided design and manufacturing) systems.

The project will also see local firm Qikdraw and the Tjing Ling
Automotive Company of Taiwan participating in research. Work will be
carried out by the Tjing Ling Manufacturing Technology Research and
Development Center at the Cheng Kung University and by Professor
Grier Lin's School of Mechanical Engineering at the Levels campus of
the University of South Australia.

The CAD/CAM systems under investigation would allow design centers
separated across the world to develop a design, and have the product
manufactured at either site. Professor Lin claimed that existing
CAD/CAM systems are "generally restricted to single location
applications. Now with companies having plants located in a number
of places, and the increasing emphasis on manufacturing
internationally, there is a need for designers at two remote
locations to be able to work together on a common design activity."

The grant was awarded by the Federal Department of Employment,
Education and Training (DEET) under the Targeted Institutional Links
Program.

(Sean McNamara/19920619)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00021)

Australian/South Korean Anti-virus Project 06/19/92
PERTH, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- An anti-virus research project
being carried out by the Edith Cowan University of Western
Australian and the Chung Ang University of South Korea has received
an AUS$250,000 grant from the Australian government.

The project was established just over a year ago to investigate the
prevalence of computer viruses and ways to combat them. The grant
was awarded under the Targeted Institutional Links Program of the
Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET). The
research came about after the Australian University's computers were
struck by the "Stoned" virus.

After initially conducting private research, Associate Professor
Tony Watson, of the University's School of Information Technology
and Mathematics, began a more formalized approach. After deciding
discussions to date had not been specific enough, further research
showed that there were 10 basic types of viruses. The Korean
University then entered the research, to determine if these 10
generic virus types existed in Korea as well.

The project currently includes seven Australians and three Koreans,
and two South Korean companies have already expressed an interest in the
project's findings. "Our research shows an increased sophistication
in the structure of some of the new viruses, which suggest there is
a great potential for industrial damage in the future," Watson said.

(Sean McNamara/19920619)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00022)

Foreigners Complicate UPI Auction 06/19/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- The Middle East
Broadcasting Centre of London, England stunned United Press
International creditors with a sudden $3.5 million cash bid for
the ailing wire service.

Leon Charney, a New York attorney, is continuing to negotiate on
a possible joint venture, which he says is worth $14 million, to
run the wire service. Charney has said he sees UPI's future as a
cooperative among reporters and subscribers.

Middle East Broadcasting was formed in 1989 to create a worldwide
Arabic language television service, which has been operating in
both English and Arabic since September. It wants to close the
deal within 10 days, saying that since it will leave the
receivables with the company, it doesn't require the due
diligence which Charney is carrying out, and which Robertson
carried out before lowering his $6 million bid. MEB will say of
its ownership only that it is linked to Saudi interests.

The next major event in this drama will take place Tuesday, June
23, when bankruptcy court judge Francis Conrad holds a hearing in
New York. At that time, Pat Robertson will try to insist that his
$500,000 bid for the UPI name and certain profitable assets
should be accepted. The Middle East group will try to get its
cash bid approved. And Charney will be under pressure to detail
his bid, and put a hard dollar value on it. UPI creditors are
owed about $60 million, and will get pennies on the dollar in any
event, most observers expect.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920619)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00023)

Delrina Signs Wallace Computer Services As VAR 06/19/92
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Forms software maker
Delrina Technology has signed up Wallace Computer Services of
Hillside, Illinois, in its second major account value-added
reseller agreement in the United States in recent weeks.

Wallace is a national supplier of business forms, commercial
printing, direct mail advertising, computer hardware and software,
and office products. The company had revenues of US$459 million in
1991.

Delrina spokesman Shelly Sofer said this deal is similar to one
signed in April with Uarco, a Barrington, Illinois supplier of
business forms. That deal made Uarco a worldwide distributor. While
the exact value of the multi-year deal was not disclosed, Delrina
spokesman Josef Zancowicz said it would be worth millions of
dollars to Delrina.

Zancowicz said paper forms suppliers are making a strategic shift
to get a piece of the electronic forms business, and this is likely
to be a major new distribution channel for the software company.

Delrina will provide certification training, marketing, and
technical support to Wallace's sales force and advance information
on its future products and research and development work, company
officials said.

Delrina sells PerForm Pro forms processing software for Microsoft
Windows, as well as related form-filling products for DOS and the
Apple Macintosh. The company also sells fax software.

(Grant Buckler/19920619/Press Contact: Josef Zancowicz or Shelly
Sofer, Delrina, 416-441-3676, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00024)

IBM Launches OS/2 Superstore Blitz 06/19/92
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Continuing
efforts to put OS/2 back in the race with Microsoft's Windows, IBM
is about to launch a nationwide OS/2 2.0 "Superstore Blitz Days"
program at close to 100 retail computer locations across the United
States.

From Saturday, June 20, through July, IBM employee volunteers will
be at stores to demonstrate OS/2 2.0 and answer users' questions
about the operating system. They will be joined by independent
software developers as well as other vendors whose products and
services complement OS/2.

IBM said many stores will offer patrons a chance to try out OS/2.
Many of them will also offer special promotions and giveaways under
the program.

Participating stores include American TV, Ballards, BizMart,
Brandsmart, Computer Attic, Computer City, Computerland Express, CW
Electronics, Elek-Tek, Fry's Electronics, J&R, LDI, Micro Center,
Whole Earth, and Workplace.

IBM officials said the initial response to OS/2 2.0, launched at
the end of March, has been good. Several personal computer buyers
and consultants Newsbytes has spoken to in that time have praised
the new release as a major improvement over previous versions of
OS/2, with the potential to reverse its slow acceptance in the
past.

However, even IBM officials acknowledge that Microsoft Windows has
a head start in the marketplace. Consultant George Schussel,
president of Andover, Massachusetts-based Digital Consulting Inc.,
said recently that IBM has done a bad job of marketing OS/2.
"They're getting the living daylights beaten out of them by
Microsoft," he said.

(Grant Buckler/19920619/Press Contact: Keith Lindenburg, IBM,
914-642-5363)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00025)

Compaq Building Contura Notebooks in Singapore 06/19/92
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Compaq Computer Corp has
begun producing its low-priced Contura notebook computers in
Singapore as part of what it called "its global blitz on winning
back market share."

Contura, a low-cost notebook line, was unveiled by Compaq this week
as it introduced new PCs as part of a strategy of selling higher
volumes of computers at lower prices. On Monday, Compaq launched
16 new PCs and slashed prices by 32% on some of its
best-selling products.

According to Phey Teck Moh, marketing manager at Compaq Computer
Asia, two more production lines have been added to the Singapore
facility to handle the Contura family. The plant in Singapore
produces the bulk of printer circuit boards that go into Compaq
computers globally. The Singapore plant has been producing existing
models of the Compaq flagship DeskPro family since 1990. Compaq's
two other production plants are in Scotland and Houston. "We are
working on bringing other products here (for production)," Phey
said. The company said it might eventually produce its Deskpro
desktop PCs at the Singapore plant.

(Jim Mallory/19920619/Press contact: John Sweney, Compaq Computer,
713-374-1564)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00026)

Dell To Announce New Models, Cut Prices; Stock Falls 06/19/92
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Despite assurances by its
chairman, Dell Computer stock fell sharply in heavy trading after
the company announced that it would follow the lead of other
companies by introducing a new line of computers and reduce prices
on its existing models.

The market apparently reacted to the possibility of lower profits as
a result of the price cuts, with Dell stock off 5-1/8 to 16 on over
five million shares. Dell said it would be difficult to maintain
5-6 percent margins in the second half of 92 "if the pricing
environment worsens." A number of computer makers have been
announcing price cuts recently, with the possibility that others
will follow suit.

Dell spokesperson Roger Rydell told Newsbytes that Dell would
introduce a new line of less expensive computers, as well as
announce new support policies, on June 29th. Rydell declined to
discuss details of the new line or support, and declined to rule out
that customers would have to pay for the support. During the past
few months Dell has added four-hour on-site response, network and
operating system support, and pre-loaded software.

Dell said it is also seeking ways to reduce its operating expenses.
Rydell told Newsbytes that the cost reduction methods would not
include employee layoffs. He said the company is "in an aggressive
hiring mode," recruiting electrical engineers as well as
technical and customer support staff.

Rydell said the company was considering ways of reducing facilities
costs, more economical manufacturing methods, and better sources of
supply. Similar methods were implemented by Compaq a few months ago
in an attempt to remain competitive.

Dell has already cut its operating expenses as a percent of sales by
six percent over last year, and doubled its domestic revenues.

Dell Chairman Michael Dell told stockholders and analysts that the
company had met or exceeded its three principle objectives: improve
the cost structure to allow price reductions, deliver added value to
its customers, and provide good profitability to shareholders, and
strengthen the company's financial position.

The announcements were made at the annual shareholders meeting,
which Rydell said was attended by about 100 stockholders. "The
meeting was very upbeat and positive. The questions asked were
intelligent ones," said Rydell. He attributed the stock market
action to the general unsettled nature of the market.

During the meeting, shareholders voted to increase authorized stock
from 50 million shares to 100 million, and approved changes in the
stock option plan.

(Jim Mallory/19920619/Press contact: Roger Rydell, Dell Computer,
512-794-4100)


(REVIEW)(IBM)(SFO)(00027)

Review of: Lotus 1-2-3 for Home, Version 1.0, 06/19/92

Runs on: PCs with 512K of RAM, hard disk, graphics display, DOS 2.1 or higher.
Windows compatible (.PIF included). Requires approximately 5MB hard
disk space, depending upon installation options related to fonts.
(NOTE: 123H CAN run on an 8088/86 CPU, if the machine has the
necessary RAM, display and storage requirements.)

From: Lotus Development Corporation, 55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA
02142, 617-577-8500

Suggested List Price: $149 Street price: Below $100.

PUMA Rating: 4.0 (on a scale of 1=lowest to 4=highest)

Reviewed for Newsbytes by: Thom Foulks, Business Radio Network,
Fax: [phone].

Summary: This package stands out, not for its program (123H), but for the
bundled templates with it. The 50(!) 123-compatible .WK1 files are
useful for Excel and QuattroPro owners, making the total package of
interest to nearly all spreadsheet users.

======

REVIEW

======

Even if you're quick with QuattroPro or excellent with Excel, you will
want to look at "Lotus 1-2-3 for Home" -- and be aware the "home"
description is somewhat misleading.

In a comparatively inexpensive package, Lotus has bundled a slightly
scaled-down spreadsheet (based on Lotus 1-2-3 for DOS, Release 2.3)
AND fifty "SmartSheet" customized application templates. It is the
templates which give this product its power and attractiveness.

The spreadsheet is a full-powered, character-based 1-2-3
implementation. Its limitation is in the size of spreadsheet that can
be handled -- 256 rows by 512 columns instead of the 256x8192 cell
layout in larger 1-2-3 versions -- and it lacks the interface permitting
add-on products or linking between spreadsheets.

But a graphical interface is built-in, so that 123H comes on-screen in
full WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) mode. Included are
Bitstream's Swiss fonts (in Roman, bold, italic and bold-italic) that
can be sized from 3 to 72 points, and printed just as they are
displayed. 123H provides "quick graph" power, with pie, bar, line and
3-D effects. The user interface is the traditional Lotus menu
structure, activated by the "/" key or by mouse clicks.

The power of the package is in the SmartSheets. The .WK1 files are a
broad range of ready-to-use applications that stretch the "home"
descriptor into home business and small business uses. There is, of
course, a mortgage amortization template (graphed far fancier than
what you'll find on your neighborhood BBS). At the other end of the
spectrum are spreadsheets for "perpetual inventory control" and "stock
balance record" with data input instructions on the template. Closer
to home are templates for a videotape log, household inventory, and a
tally sheet for a commercial credit application.

Other SmartSheets make use of 1-2-3's text-graphics power with annual
and monthly calendars, a memo form, a fax cover sheet and other
applications more typical of word processing than number crunching.
All the sheets are laid out with graphics in place, and with the
"print range" already defined for easy print-out to common dot matrix
or laser printers.

Lotus Development's DOS spreadsheets marketing manager, Ben Shelton,
told Newsbytes the SmartSheets were developed by Lotus programmers in
response to user requests. He said: "Users can just plug in their own
numbers, and start working right away. Also, the SmartSheets can help
users learn how to use 1-2-3, because they can see these formulas.
These templates are not too complex...users can see how to set up
their own formulas in their own worksheets." Although the SmartSheets
might seem to be marketable as a stand-alone package, Shelton said that
is not "currently planned."

The SmartSheets are divided into five categories: Administration,
Finance, Human Resources, Operations, Personal Finance and Planning,
and Sales and Marketing. A 55-page reference manual gives a brief
explanation of each, but the quintessential help information is in
each template and appears on screen when they are loaded into the
spreadsheet program.

For general use, 1-2-3 Home also includes a 140-page User's Guide
which Lotus admits "is not a comprehensive reference...on all the
functionality in 1-2-3." The on-line help system, with
context-sensitive references, appears more than adequate to make full
and varied use of the SmartSheets. (Spreadsheet neophytes hoping to
augment the corporate accounting system should note this product is
not targeted at the Fortune 1000.)

Registered 1-2-3 for Home users are also provided one-month free
support via the Lotus toll-free help line.

Do the .WK1 files WORK with Excel and QuattroPro? At random, I
selected three different SmartSheet files from within each Excel 4.0
and QuattroPro SE. All loaded and displayed properly, all accepted
pertinent data input properly, all printed properly. Given the
nuances of file compatibility-handling among spreadsheet program
manufacturers, that's not a guarantee -- but the high quality of the
SmartSheets certainly deserves consideration by users of other
spreadsheet software.

In a nutshell: At a expected street price in the $100 area, BUY the
package. That's $2.00 per SmartSheet, and any one of them may save you
100 times that price in keyboard time.

===========

PUMA RATING

===========

PERFORMANCE: (4.0) The spreadsheet software itself, 123H.EXE, is
derivative of a tried-and-tested Lotus product. SmartSheets handle
user revision predictably, and can be revised easily for variations to
meet user's needs.

USEFULNESS: (4.0) A court is still wrestling with competitors' use of
the Lotus menu structure (its "look and feel"), but the .WK1 file
structure is a de facto standard. That makes the usefulness of
SmartSheets spread far beyond their home product.

MANUAL: (4.0) Given the context-sensitive help system, any manual with
such a product -- beyond start-up instructions -- is almost
superfluous. Start-up, itself, is from a stand-alone "INSTALL" program,
with easy-to-follow prompts.

AVAILABILITY: (4.0) Lotus 1-2-3 for Home began shipping in mid-April,
and is well-immersed in standard software discount channels -- look
for a $99 or below price.

(Thom Foulks/19920619)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SFO)(00028)

 ****Intel to Sue for Back Damages; AMD to File New Motions Monday 06/19/92
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Intel
Corporation has told Newsbytes that it plans to sue Advanced Micro
Devices (AMD) for back damages in response to a jury decision
Wednesday which determined that Advanced Micro Devices does not
have the rights to copy Intel's microcode for the 287 math
coprocessor.

Advanced Micro Devices, after the court decision, saw its stock
plunge 30% in active trading. In fact, Thursday it was the most
active issue on the New York Stock Exchange. Intel stock, meanwhile,
was the most active over-the-counter stock Thursday.

Meanwhile, AMD, distressed by the fact that presiding Judge William
Ingrams was out on vacation while the jury deliberated and reached
its verdict, intends to file new motions Monday morning when
Ingrams returns to the bench.

Intel will seek back damages over AMD's use of Intel microcode in
AMD's imitations of both Intel's 287 coprocessor and its 386
microprocessor, a spokesperson told Newsbytes.

Intel also maintains that the jury ruling will prevent AMD from
using Intel microcode in present and future generations of
products, including the 486 microprocessor and an upcoming
microprocessor, code named the "P5," now under development, she
added. "We're absolutely ecstatic with the ruling," she remarked.
But at this point, AMD is moving ahead with its clone of the 486
chip, an AMD spokesperson emphasized.

AMD believes that the verdicts reached by the jury are inconsistent
with the facts presented, and will ask Ingrams on Monday to make a
ruling on the meaning of the nature of the original agreement,
according to a written statement released by W. J. Sanders III,
chairman and CEO.

"Essentially, the jury said, 'Nobody proved anything' -- which
leaves a great deal of doubt as to what the contract means," the
AMD spokesperson told Newsbytes. The jury was asked to consider
whether there was a "preponderance of evidence" to prove four
separate points, two raised by Intel and two by AMD. The jury
voted "No" on three of these issues, and ended in a hung verdict on
the fourth point, he said.

Further, he suggested, the jury acted without the guidance that
would ordinarily be provided by a presiding judge, since Ingrams
has been on vacation since July 12.

The sole function of the judge who acted in Ingrams' stead, Judge
Ronald Whyte, was to receive the verdict, the spokesperson added.
Only the presiding judge is allowed to actually preside over a
jury, he explained. "Judge Whyte spent most of his time in his
chambers, or in an area nearby the jury," he commented.

The trial -- the latest in a long series of legal struggles between
Intel and AMD -- began April 28. Still to come in the case are
verdicts on allegations by Intel that AMD misrepresented the
characteristics of the 287 device and that AMD engaged in mask work
infringement. AMD is asserting that these allegations are without
merit.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920619; Press Contact: Michelle Bourdon,
Intel, tel [phone]; John Greenagel, AMD, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00029)

 ****Komag/HP To Create Next-Generation Storage Medium 06/19/92
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Komag, a supplier
of thin-film components for Winchester disk drives, says it and
Hewlett-Packard (HP) have agreed to work together to develop and
manufacture magneto-resistive (MR) thin film read/write heads.

The announced agreement says Komag will develop prototype MR heads
based on HP's designs and processes, and once both companies like the
design, Komag will manufacture the MR heads for HP.

MR heads are the basis of a new generation of computer storage
devices that are capable of storing more information, Bruce Spenner
general manager of HP's Disk Memory Division said. The MR technology
allows for increased recording density in magnetic disk drives.

David Allen, treasurer at Komag, said historically hard disk drives
have doubled in capacity every two years. Allen maintains the MR
technology will be another step in the evolution of increased
capacity magnetic disk drives and while Allen won't say how much the
increase might be, he did say it would be several fold.

Komag says the agreement with HP also allows for it to sell the
planned MR heads to other disk drive manufacturers as well. The
company says its Dastek subsidiary, which it, acquired last year,
will do the development and manufacturing. Dastek focuses entirely on
disk head development, while Komag produces disk surfaces, more
commonly known as platters. Prototypes are expected the third calendar
quarter of this year with production slated for early in 1993 and
volume shipments in 1994.

The HP agreement is good news to sweeten Komag's bad news that
higher-than-expected losses at Dastek are expected in its forthcoming
second quarter earnings statement. The company also confirmed its
Asahi Komag thin-film joint venture in Japan would also post a loss
for the second quarter.

Komag says Dastek will post a loss $1 million higher in the second
quarter than the $5.3 million loss Dastek posted in the first quarter
of this year. Second quarter revenues are expected to be 5 to 10
percent lower than the $12.2 million posted in the first quarter. The
official second quarter earnings are expected to be released June 28.

Part of the reason Allen gave for the higher losses is Dastek made
more than it needed of older generation products that it now thinks
it won't be able to sell and is writing off.

Stephen Johnson, Komag's president, sounded hopeful, despite the
expected losses and said the deal with HP is just partial reason for
his optimism. Johnson said the trends in orders at Komag are higher
density disks in all form factors and a movement to the 3.5-inch form
factor -- trends which says generally mean better gross profit
margins as the company is capable of producing more 3.5- than 5.25-
inch disks. Also, the company has just completed renovations of its
manufacturing facilities in both the US and Malaysia, Johnson added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920619/Press Contact: David Allen, Komag, tel 408-
946-2300, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00030)

 ****CA Acquisition Of Nantucket Complete 06/19/92
ISLANDIA, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 19 (NB) -- Computer Associates
(CA) says it's official. CA now has completed the acquisition and now
owns privately-held Nantucket, makers of dBASE compatible language
product Clipper.

While CA has been giving assurances to developers and customers of
Nantucket, no specific plans or directions for the product have been
announced. CA did say it plans to announce short- and long-term plans
for the Nantucket products at PC Expo, next week in New York City.

The Culver City office of Nantucket remains open, but Newsbytes has
learned layoffs have occurred since the unexpected announcement of
the acquisition last month. Support and technical staff remain at the
Culver City offices to support the estimated 300,000 Clipper users,
CA said.

Larry Heimendinger, president and COO of Nantucket, said the
development of the Clipper for Windows product, code named Aspen,
will be accelerated with acquisition of the company by CA.

CA said it plans to sell the Nantucket products under its own label
through its distribution network, but doesn't plan to lower the price
of the $795 Clipper 5.0 product.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920619/Press Contact: Bob Gordon, Computer
Associates, tel [phone], fax [phone])