Newsbytes - Internationa…ews 1983 May to 1994 June/Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1994 Edition - May 1983 - June 1994 - Wayzata Technologies (5045) (1994).iso/pc/text/mac_text/1992/nb920728

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(NEWS)(IBM)(MOW)(00001)

Windows Gets Boost With Russian Campaign 07/28/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Paragraph, the Russian software
house, is promoting Microsoft Windows with its "Windows in Russia"
marketing campaign. The campaign, which is endorsed by Microsoft,
involves Paragraph selling localized Windows applications at prices
around three to four times lower than the normal market price.

One interesting by-product of buying the localized version is that
hotline support and the ability of users to upgrade the package when
new versions become available is greatly enhanced.

Under the campaign, Windows 3.0 is available through Paragraph with a
retail price of 12,500 rubles ($100), while Word 1.1 for Windows and
Excel sell for 25,000 rubles each. Bundled with every package sold
through Paragraph is a copy of Parawin, the company's Windows utility
software. Parawin allows users to work on text in Russian and other
Central European (i.e. non-ASCII) languages.

Paragraph claims that Parawin has a growing audience. The company
also claims that Adobe has just bought a licence to ship the package
with its own font collection here in Russia.

According to Richard Hevron, Microsoft's director of Russian business
development, the company is currently finalizing its upgrade policy
and prices for Russia, details of which will be announced when
Microsoft's new office in Moscow is formally opened. He said that the
company will definitely include Paragraph in its upgrade scheme.

The Western edition of Microsoft Windows 3.0 sold in Russia is a lot
more expensive than in the West, Newsbytes notes. According to a
recent survey undertaken by Softmarket Magazine, the package sells for
between 25,000 and 38,000 rubles ($200 to $300) without any formal
support or upgrade facilities. This suggests that Paragraph's version
of Windows 3.0, as well as its localized Windows applications
software, will be extremely popular.

Paragraph is not just concentrating on the Windows market. According
to Leonid Malkov, the company's director of marketing, Paragraph is
selling localized versions of Borland's Paradox and Microsoft Word,
both of which are DOS packages. By doing this, the company hopes to
achieve a large market share in a very short space of time.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19920728/Press & Public Contact: Leonid Malkov,
Paragraph, phone [phone]; fax [phone]-
68; E-mail on Usenet/Internet: [e-mail])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00002)

Australia: AAPT Increases Capacity With Digital Toll Switch 07/28/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Private telecommunications
provider AAP Telecommunications (AAPT) has commissioned an AUS$2M
state-of-the-art digital toll switch. The DEX 600E switch is being
installed to increase AAPT's network capacity and to enhance its
services to network users.

The DEX 600E from Digital Switching Corporation (DSC) is the first of
its kind in Australia, and will serve as the first access point to the
AAPT network. When a call is initiated, the 600E will query a
customer-defined database held in a separate high-speed transaction
processing system.

Instructions from the processor will then be sent back, including
instructions relating to calling plan translations, identifying the
caller, as well as the customer's privileges (or restrictions) for
completing calls on the company's virtual private network. These
instructions are returned to allow the switch to act within
milliseconds.

"We already operate a network based on switching equipment in
Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra," said AAPT
chief executive, Barry Wheeler.

"This state-of-the-art equipment will give us the capacity to offer
even more sophisticated telecommunications to the growing business
market. We plan to install additional DSC switches in other capital
cities as our network traffic increases," Wheeler went on to say.

AAPT offers long-distance services throughout Australia and to more
than 100 locations worldwide.

(Sean McNamara/19920728)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00003)

Australia: Roads Authority Develops Info System 07/28/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- The New South Wales (NSW) Roads
and Traffic Authority (RTA) has developed an information system to
help with the 18 million inquiries it receives each year. The RTA
called on Film Australia to help with the development of the system,
which uses multimedia technology.

Despite Film Australia's strong record in the film medium (it has won
Academy Awards for its work in the past), it looks forward to the use
of computers.

Ben Cardillo, the head of the production team for the project from
Film Australia said: "We like to pride ourselves on our ability to
communicate -- the technology is not important."

The system uses a touch-screen display which guides RTA customers
through to the required information. Information is presented from a
variety of printed RTA material, as well as television advertisements.
Examples of the information available include addresses of regional
RTA offices, travelling times between almost 30 NSW towns, road
safety, and licensing.

The portable unit will be on trial throughout next month in shopping
centers throughout Sydney. Although the system currently runs on an
80486-based PC with 200 megabytes (MB) of memory, MS-DOS 5.0, a Sony
video disk player and a NEC 4D Multisync monitor, Cardillo did not
rule out considerable changes in the hardware, as new technologies
arrive on the scene.

"We see ourselves as open developers in the sense that computer
programmers use the term, for it is unlikely the delivery system we
use today will be the one we use in five years' time. We are not
locked into any particular computer environment or delivery system,"
he explained.

(Sean McNamara/19920728)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00004)

 ****Australia: Disk Recovery Program Prompts Police Warning 07/28/92
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- A program circulating in
Sydney which could make a PC's hard disk unusable has prompted a
warning by Australia's Federal Police on its use. The warning stated
that disk recovery software was unlikely to rectify problems resulting
from use of BAD.COM, and that "unless the user is very experienced in
hard disk recovery and reconstruction, the program should not be run."

BAD.COM has been recognized by Brisbane firm Australian Tech Support
(ATS) as a modification of its Virtest program after the package was
demonstrated on a national late night talk show, Tonight Live, which
has been likened to David Letterman's show in the US. Virtest was
developed by ATS to test its computer security program, C:CURE.

Virtest was distributed to a limited number of ATS clients, and ATS is
still mystified about where the modification originated. ATS say that
Virtest is not a virus as it is not self replicating, and was
originally designed to do no harm to computers.

According to Paul Horton, ATS' managing director, the program deletes
part of a hard drive's partition table, but not any of the information
held on the disk. If the program is run again, it immediately corrects
its actions, according to Horton. However, Detective-Sergeant Buttner
of the Federal Police has stated this is not always the case.

"It doesn't always work when you run the program again as it is
hardware dependent," Buttner said. "If your hardware isn't 100
percent (IBM) compatible you can't say categorically running it again
will correct the problem."

The program does not represent a federal offence, Buttner said, and no
complaints had been received. "It is benign in its present form and we
are just warning people at this stage," he said.

(Sean McNamara/19920728)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00005)

Australian Army Computerizes Quartermasters Stores 07/28/92
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- The Australian Army has
completed an AUS$13.5M project to automate all of its quartermasters
stores throughout Australia. The automation process saw the
installation of the AUTOQ system at over 360 sites, the last being in
Darwin.

AUTOQ is an automated stores accounting system runs on IBM-compatible
PCs and laptops, and was developed by Canberra-based consultants
Priority Systems using the Advanced Revelation program development
environment. The AUTOQ project was begun in 1986 to overcome the
shortcomings in the previously used manual stores accounting system.

The system keeps track of all items held from stationery to armaments,
and features a 30,000-item database which contains descriptions of
each item in store. This database can be customized to meet a specific
unit's needs. This customization would allow, for example, an
engineering or signals regiment to delete items in the database to
allow the easier tracking of its more complex inventory.

The specifications for AUTOQ called for an easy to use interface which
would ease the conversion to the new system, especially for stores
staff with little or no computer experience. A support officer in the
project, Warrant Officer Class One Barry Goodwin, has seen three
generations of stores accounting systems in his 20 years service.

"This is by far the most revolutionary," Goodwin said. The software
virtually eliminates the need for the 148 forms formerly used, as all
forms are generated on computer and printer. The system also provided
usage rates allowing for better planning of re-ordering items.

To date the system has also been used in Australian contingents in UN
forces in Namibia, the western Sahara and Cambodia.

(Sean McNamara/19920728)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00006)

Australia: Local Lotus Div Opens Network Consultancy 07/28/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Lotus Development Corporation's
Australian subsidiary has opened a consultancy to deal with networks
and client-server computing. The consultancy will be known as Lotus
CSG (Consulting Services Group), and is the result of Lotus "assuming"
the operations of local consulting firm InfoCraft.

Lotus will hold no equity stake in Lotus CSG, and no stock or asset
purchase was made as part of the deal. The new company will not be
restricted to Lotus products in its projects, and will not be selling
Lotus products. However, InfoCraft founder Mark Ginsberg sees Lotus
as benefiting from the company's knowledge of Lotus' desktop
applications and Notes, Lotus' groupware application.

"The short term advantage is that people will begin to use the
products in a more sophisticated way. In the longer term, we are
charged with the responsibility of increasing the acceptance of
products like groupware, and create more visibility for Lotus," he
said.

Plans call for CSG to help promote Lotus products in
networking/groupware environments by developing systems which take
advantage of the products' networking features. The aim is to showcase
the US company's technology and extend its use in Australia. CSG will
have complete autonomy, according to Ginsberg, as this was the only
way the company could "do its job properly."

(Sean McNamara/19920728/Press Contact: Mark Ginsberg, phone in
Australia [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00007)

 ****Music Is The Food Of Love - And Hair 07/28/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Daiichi Seiyaku Medicine (DSM) has
started selling a music compact disk (CD), which it claims stimulates
hair growth and starts new hair growing in areas where growth
has ceased. As you'd expect, the music is used in conjunction
with a special liquid which is massaged into the scalp.

DSM has been selling the CD in parallel with its "hair growing"
liquid, claiming that the type of music on the disk actually
stimulates hair growth. According to the company, Dr Takashi
Moroharu of Tokyo Psychiatric Medical Laboratory has
recommended the combination of classical music.

Dr Moroharu says that the music creates a relaxed atmosphere that
encourages the blood supply to the scalp to run a lot smoother, which
in turn stimulates the cells in the scalp to grow more hair.

The scientist claims to have tested the CD on a group of 40-year-old
business people. He says when the music is played, the alpha wave
patterns of their brain cells were observed to increase, and
their temperature rose. Daiichi Seiyaku recommends that users
apply the firm's hair nurturing liquid while listening to the
CD after a bath.

This unique CD contains several classical music titles such as works
by Mozart.

The CD on its own costs 22,000 yen (around $18), and has already sold
12,000 copies through the drug stores that stock it. At this sales
level, the CD looks like it has become a hit, as normal classical CDs
only tend to sell 10,000 units before being acknowledged as a best
seller.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920728/Press Contact: Daiichi Seiyaku, +81-3-
3272-0611)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00008)

UK: Elonex Sub-UKP900 25MHz 486SX PC 07/28/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Elonex, the direct PC
manufacturer, has announced the PC 425X, the latest machine in its
range of modular industry standard architecture (ISA) computers. The
25MHz 486SX would be unremarkable, were it not for the price -- UKP
895.

For the money, users get an entry-level 80486SX-based PC equipped with
2 megabytes (MB) of memory, a 50MB hard disk and a super VGA color
monitor. A mouse, DOS 5 and Microsoft Windows 3.1 are bundled free of
charge with the machine.

According to Elonex, the machine's modular architecture means that
users can upgrade the PC 425X simply by swapping one CPU card for
another. Existing upgrade options include a 33 or 50MHz
microprocessor, with a 66MHz 486 chipset option promised by the end of
next month.

What's interesting about the motherboard is that most of a PC's
intelligence is located on the main board, including a clock
synthesizer that allows the processor speed to be adjusted using
jumpers. Since most of the components -- system memory, display
adapter, drive controllers etc -- are contained on the motherboard,
Elonex claims that upgrade costs are minimal.

Upgrade prices are UKP 220 to move up to a 33Mhz 486DX chipset, UKP
440 for a 50MHz DX2 chipset, UKP 540 for a 50MHz DX chipset and UKP
740 for a 66MHz 486DX3 card, once this becomes available.

(Steve Gold/19920728/Press & Public Contact: Elonex - tel: 081-452-
4444)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00009)

Denmark Ready For Cashless Revolution 07/28/92
NAESTVED, DENMARK, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Naestved is a small town about
45 miles away from Copenhagen. Apart from that, there is nothing
special about the town, except that, come September, the town will
become Denmark's first cashless zone, as all its citizens are issued
with pre-paid cards that act as universal payment cards at many retail
outlets.

According to Card Technology Today (CTT) newsletter, Naestved is the
first stage in a major Danish project to "go cashless" with pre-paid
cards. The project, a joint venture between eight banks and the
national phone company, will use pre-paid cards instead of small
change for purchases at shops, as well as for paying bus fares and
phone charges at payphones.

The Dancoin project runs for six months, after which the Danish
government and the banks will assess the consumer's response to the
cards. If successful, the pre-paid card system could mean the end of
those bulging pockets, wallets and purses that result from retailers
dishing out lots of coins in change for bills and purchases.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Dancoin project, according
to CTT newsletter, is that the cards have room for adverts on them.
The banks hope that the advertisers will pay for the cost of the
Dancoin project, perhaps even returning a small profit for the banks
concerned.

Denmark already has its own bank debit card system known as Dancard.
Like Visa and Mastercard, however, Dancard transactions are usually
for larger amounts and, because of the transaction costs, are
unsuitable for smaller purchases, such as a buying a paper or taking a
subway ride.

CTT newsletter is published by SJB Services of Somerton, Somerset
(Tel: [phone]) and is a monthly newsletter aimed at the money-
related plastic card industry. Subscriptions to the newsletter costs
UKP 225 in the UK, $450 in the US.

(Steve Gold/19920728)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00010)

Orbis Euroinfo Show Details 07/28/92
PARIS, FRANCE, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Learned Information has announced
the third of its annual Orbis events. This one, the Orbis Euroinfo
'92, takes place in Paris (moving from the earlier Milan and Rome
based locations) and takes place on October 7-9 this year.

Organized by Learned Information in conjunction with Cerved, the event
consists of a conference aimed at several aspects of the business
information industry, as well as a parallel exhibition (Euroinfo)
which will attract several online service vendors.

According to Roger Bilboul, the chairman of Learned Information, the
French event has been modelled on the London Online Information
meetings and will "show the full range of information products to a
discerning European audience."

While attendance at the Euroinfo exhibition is free of charge, the
Orbis Euroinfo event costs UKP 225 per seminar or UKP 594 for the full
two day show. A ten percent discount is offered to delegates
registering and paying before the end of August.

Since the conference is pan-European, all descriptive literature is
multi-lingual (four languages), with real time translation services
available for delegates to the event seminars.

(Steve Gold/19920728/Press & Public Contact: Learned Information -
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00011)

New For Macintosh: MacImara Imaging Software 07/28/92
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Imara Research has
announced MacImara, a Macintosh version of the image management
software it already sells for Microsoft Windows and OS/2. The first
release of MacImara is due to be available later this year, a company
spokeswoman said.

Imara has also announced the Optical Jukebox Manager, a driver for
optical disk jukeboxes that will work with the Imara image software on
OS/2 systems. Third, the company unveiled a distribution deal with
Tech Data, a Clearwater, Florida-based computer products distributor,
which will be handling the Windows version of Imara as well as Imara
Lite, an image filing and fax software package for Windows.

The first release of MacImara will run on AppleTalk networks with a
Macintosh server, said Imara spokeswoman Erin Hintz. In the first
quarter of 1993, she added, the company plans to release a version
that will let Macintosh clients work with an OS/2 server using the
Microsoft LAN Manager network operating system.

Pricing for MacImara has not yet been set. According to Hintz, the
distribution deal with Tech Data does not cover the Macintosh product,
which Imara plans to sell through its own authorized resellers.

The Optical Jukebox Manager is due to be available at the end of
August at a price of C$8,000.

(Grant Buckler/19920728/Press Contact: Erin Hintz, Imara Research,
416-581-1740, fax [phone]; Public Contact: Imara Research, 416-
581-1740)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00012)

New For PC: Music Clips And Sounds On CD-ROM 07/28/92
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- License-free
music and sound effects are now beginning to appear in volume, with
the result that users are starting to take advantage of the new
multimedia capability of PCs. This in turn has spawned a totally new
industry -- public domain (license-free) audio clips supplied on
compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM) disks.

New products Musicbytes and Stingers offer original sounds that need
only be cut and pasted into applications CD-ROM for PC and Macintosh
users, the suppliers claim.

Musicbytes from Prosonus offers 27 original tunes ranging from rock to
classical and from industrial to novelty, as well as more than 100
sound effects including uh-oh's, explosions, and bird whistles.

The Musicbytes sounds come in AIFF file format for the Macintosh and
in Wave format for the PC with a sound card and Microsoft Windows 3.0
with multimedia extensions or Microsoft Windows 3.1 that has the
multimedia extensions built in.

The sound clips on CD come in four lengths: 60, 30, 15, and 5-second
versions so the user can choose the right length clip without
additional editing. The clips can be edited, if desired, with sound
editing software and can even be combined with other music clips to
create custom tunes.

Several well-known musicians have contributed to the Musicbytes CD-ROM
including Scott Page (Pink Floyd, Supertramp), Jeff Porcaro (Toto,
Paul McCartney), Steve Lukather (Toto, Michael Jackson), Neil
Stubenhaus (Quincy Jones, Natalie Cole), Jeff (Skunk) Baxter (Doobie
Brothers, Steely Dan), and Michael Lang (Barbra Streisand, Lee
Ritenour, Neil Diamond).

Stringers, from Music Bank, offers 98 music clips, each in 9 different
formats for a over 800 clips. The company says that the clips are in
lengths from 2 seconds to 2 minutes -- the clips are available in Wave
and AIFF data formats. The segments are also offered in 8-bit and 16-
bit formats in mono and stereo.

Stingers is Music Bank's first release. The company is planning to
release other titles in other categories of music. American Country,
Countries of the World, The Best in Classica, and Futurelands are
titles of upcoming CDs. Also the company says its next release is
Background Sounds, a CD of music clips over 20 seconds in length
designed for background ambience.

License-free means once the user has purchased the CD, the sounds can
be used in any multimedia production and resold to the public without
payment of royalties. Music Bank says the only exception is in
productions for theatrical release, where only the sound effects
libraries are totally license-free.

The Stingers CD-ROM retails for $99, while the Musicbytes CD-ROM is
retail priced at $99.95. The Music Bank is located in Saratoga,
California, while Prosonus is in North Hollywood, California.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920728/Press Contact: Pat Meier, Pat Meier
Associates for Prosonus, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Kristen
McKeehen, Music Bank, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00013)

 ****Mac SE Upgrade Claims Color & Modularity For Less 07/28/92
CITY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Micromac Technology
claims to specialize in offering kits that can rehouse their
Macintosh SEs into small footprint enclosures. This, the company
says, allows users to add larger, and even color, displays.

Located in Aliso Viejo, California, Micromac Technology offers upgrade
kits geared toward Mac SE and SE 30 computers. The company claims that
users can upgrade their existing Mac in an hour. Once upgraded, users
can plug in a 14" or 15" monochrome video graphics array (VGA) display
that rests on the top of the case in much the same way that IBM and
compatible computer monitors are designed to do.

The most enticing upgrade kit is for the Mac SE 30, because that one
leaves the user with a larger color display and a Superdrive. Micromac
representatives said a user can transform an old SE 30 into one nearly
equivalent to the new Macintosh IIsi offered by Apple. The
SE 30 upgrade is $995.

The company also encourages Mac users to consider upgrading their hard
disk drives as well and offers drives up to 240 megabytes
for installation.

Those not upgrading the SE 30 who want color and a Superdrive can
trade up to an SE 30 from Micromac. Though upgrading from a Mac SE to
a Micromac color computer with a Superdrive costs significantly more,
Mal Park from Micromac told Newsbytes that Mac users can still save
several hundred dollars off the price of a new Apple system with color
and a Superdrive.

Micromac will also do the upgrade for no additional charge to users
who request it, Park said.

The company says the minimum requirements for its upgrade kits to work
are a Mac SE with two floppy disks and no expansion card installed.
The system software level is Finder 6.1 and System 6.02 or later.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920728/Press Contact: Mal Park, Micromac
Technology, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Public Contact:
Micromac Technology, 27111 Aliso Creek Road, #145, Aliso Viejo, CA,
92656, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00014)

New For Macintosh: Broadcast Quality Full-Screen Video To Tape 07/28/92
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- The race is on for
sending video out directly to a video cassette recorder, a technique
known as "printing to tape" and Supermac claims to be out up front
with its new Digitalfilm product for the Apple Macintosh.

Supermac says Digitalfilm is the only product available now that can
bring in full-screen video at the broadcast quality rate of 30 frames
per second to a Macintosh hard disk and send it out at the same screen
size and rate to "print" to video tape.

Company representatives are not comparing the $5,999 Digitalfilm
hardware addition for the Mac to Radius' newly announced Videovision
card, but instead are comparing it to Avid Technologies' $100,000+
workstation. The Digitalfilm card is a mother and daughter board that
together only take up one slot in a Macintosh. Also included is a
break-out box with the various connection points for input from VCRs,
video cameras, laser discs, and television tuners.

Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compression is built into the
Digitalfilm card, offering real-time compression to disk. The
compressed video is frame accurate which allows fast random access for
editing. Also video input can be accepted from the standard sources
such as NTSC, PAL, and S-video.

Adobe Photoshop 2.0 is included with the Digitalfilm card so that
users can assemble, select, and manage input from multiple sources,
apply professional effects and transitions, and mix audio.

Right now the Digitalfilm card currently supports only 22 kilohertz
(kHz) sound, while compact disc (CD) quality sound is twice as fast,
or 44 kHz. Supermac says the deficiency in the sound quality is in
Quicktime, which is expected to support 44 kHz sound in its next
release. When Quicktime supports CD quality sound, Digitalfilm is
built so it will be able to take advantage of it, Supermac
representatives said.

According to company officials, the Digitalfilm card is expected to
make a big splash in the television, movie, and video production
world. The company claims that producers will be able to put the Mac
equipped with the Digitalfilm card on a "crash cart" on location and
view scenes immediately after they are filmed instead of at the end of
a shooting day. Then, if a scene needs to be redone, it can be done
while everything is still set up, saving time and production costs.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920728/Press Contact: Laurie McLean, McLean PR, tel
415-358-8535, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00015)

New For Macintosh: One Mac Drives A Wall Of Monitors 07/28/92
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Those walls of
television displays that sometimes each hold an individual image and
sometimes together show a large picture are called multi-screen
display systems. The technology is lucrative for the producers, which
perhaps explains why Rasterops has formed a special division -- The
Wall Division -- to handle video wall sales.

Video and graphics "walls" are being used increasingly in passenger
terminals, retail displays, concerts, museums, meetings, and
conventions for presentations, training, information displays, and
advertising. But, while other vendors can only offer full-wall video
or color graphics, Rasterops thinks it can beat the competition by
providing a family of expandable, multi-screen display systems that
can display both full-wall video and color graphics.

The new division's flagship product, The Wall, is expected to be
available in September of this year. The Wall uses a single Mac
containing Rasterops boards to drive an array of monitors or
projectors. Rasterops claims that The Wall can display up to 10 live
video sources, high resolution graphics, text, or animation in
addition to off-the-shelf software.

Rasterops describes itself as a provider of photorealistic imaging
systems for Apple Macintosh and Quadra series computers, IBM Micro
Channel computers, and Sun Sparcstations. The company is located in
Santa Clara, California.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920728/Press Contact: Mary Looram, Cunningham
Communications for Rasterops, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00016)

New For Networks: Cabletron Automated Beacon Recovery 07/28/92
ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Cabletron has
announced a new feature that it is making available to
Token Ring customers who have purchased a Token Ring Management Module
(TRMM). This new feature is called Automated Beacon Recovery and it is
intended to help bring the network back up to its full
performance after a network beaconing event.

Beaconing is a result of some event occurring in the ring -- primarily
in network interface cards or other node hardware. If the node goes
down, or the network interface card detects a problem with itself,
that node will start broadcasting the fact that it is in trouble to
the world. Cabletron calls this effect "beaconing."

Some examples that Cabletron officials cited to Newsbytes as having
occurred recently included a user plugging in a video cable to the
Token Ring wall outlet and feeding the video signal into the network,
and an installation that was hit by lightning.

In all such cases the network gets bogged down with these requests for
help and network performance is degraded - sometimes severely.
Typically the network administrator is then called in and it takes
some time to investigate and discover the problem node or wiring and
to take the appropriate action to repair the problem and regain
network performance.

With this new feature, the TRMM starts performing the necessary
activities automatically. The TRMM identifies the misbehaving node and
isolates it. The network map is then reconfigured to eliminate the
misbehaving node and network operation is restored.

Cabletron claims that it can take as little as eight seconds for the
network to be restored to its full capacity with this feature. The
TRMM software logs the appropriate information and will alert the
network management software that it had to take this action so that
the network administrator can then investigate the full cause of the
problem and resolve it.

The Advanced Beaconing Recovery feature is being offered as a free
upgrade to all TRMM registered customers. Those who are members of
Cabletron's maintenance contract program should be expecting to
receive a disk in the mail soon with complete instructions on how to
install this new software in their hubs. Those without such contracts
need to contact Cabletron to receive the free upgrade. The new
features are available now.

(Naor Wallach/19920728/Press Contact: Darren Orzechowski, Cabletron,
603-332-9400 Extension 1282/Public Contact: 603-332-9400)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00017)

New For Networks: Triticom Upgrade To LANdecoder/e 07/28/92
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Triticom has
announced an upgrade to its software-only LAN packet analyzer program
called LANdecoder. LANdecoder version 1.1 will begin shipping later
this week.

The prime consideration for this upgrade was to fulfill Triticom's
strategy for the product. When LANdecoder was initially released, the
company envisioned it as a general purpose protocol analyzer that was
introduced with support for just one of the major network protocols -
Netware.

Now, with v1.1, Triticom is adding support for an additional network
protocol - TCP/IP. Newsbytes has been told that it is fair to assume
that other versions will be coming out with an expanding line of
network protocols supported.

Outside of the major enhancement in the product, there is very little
else that Triticom has changed. Company personnel told Newsbytes that
most of the other changes were superficial or cosmetic. However a list
was provided to Newsbytes of those features. They include: support for
multiple Ethernet frame types; a parameter that can be set to
determine the type of frame wrapping supported by the buffer; file
format conversion to and from other popular protocol decoders; the
ability to operate without a network interface adapter so that data
can be analyzed at a remote machine; new triggering and filtering
features.

Pricing remains at $945 for the program. An upgrade policy has yet to
be established by the company for current owners of LANdecoder/e 1.0
however Newsbytes has learned that the company is planning to offer
this as either a free upgrade or to charge a nominal fee that would be
intended to cover the costs of duplicating the materials and the
shipping and handling charges.

(Naor Wallach/19920728/Press Contact: Jodie Boseck, Triticom, 612-937-
0772)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00018)

New For Networks: DCA IRMALAN Client For DEC 07/28/92
ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- DCA and Digital
Equipment Corporation (DEC) signed an agreement on October 1, 1991
that was hailed as a strategic technology relationship. Now, DCA is
delivering the first fruits of that agreement.

DCA has released to DEC's channels of distribution a Pathworks
compatible version of its Irmalan Client for Windows. The official
name of the product is Irmalan Windows Client for Digital Equipment
Corp.'s DECnet/SNA Gateway.

According to the company, this product allows the users to use their
PCs running under Microsoft Windows to emulate IBM 3270 style
graphics terminals with All Points Addressable (APA) graphics
capabilities. All of this is done even though the connection between
the PC and the IBM mainframe is done across a network that includes
the DEC machines and the DECnet/SNA gateway running under Pathworks.

The Irmalan Windows Client for the DECnet/SNA gateway operates exactly
like the other Irmalan Clients with the main difference being the path
that it takes to connect to the host computer.

Irmalan Windows Client for the DECnet/SNA gateway is being sold in the
United States only through DEC's distribution channel like their
software catalog and DECDirect. DCA is selling the program through
their own channels in addition to DEC's outside of the US. DCA
engineers and other personnel have trained the appropriate DEC
personnel. Some cross training on DEC's gateway has been provided to
DCA personnel in return.

The Irmalan Windows Client for the DECnet/SNA Gateway sells for a
suggested retail price of $495 for a single user version and can be
licensed to 25 users for $6195 and for 250 users for $29,995.

(Naor Wallach/19920728/Press Contact: Kerry Stanfield, DCA, 404-442-
4519)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEL)(00019)

 ****Indian Technology Exports Set For Boom Period -- Report 07/28/92
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- India is in a reasonably
favorable position to compete in the major software markets world-
wide, according to a report just out. The report, which was funded by
the World Bank, indicates that India can grow its software services
exports to be worth $1,000 million a year, provided the industry's
actions are well-coordinated.

The study report, which focused on the export potential and strategies
for India's software and services industry, has just been released by
the Department of Electronics here in India.

The $620,000 study was undertaken by Maxi/Micro Inc. -- which recently
merged with Infotech Consulting Inc., of Parsippany, New Jersey -- in
conjunction with International Data Corporation and its Indian
subsidiary of the same name.

A detailed study of issues related to software exports was carried
out, looking at several issues, including international market
potential, marketing channels, pricing and distribution patterns,
financing, data communications, manpower needs and training, and market
niches.

Identifying a potential market for Indian software exports, the report
identifies six potential country markets -- Italy, UK, France,
Germany, Japan and US -- which between them account for 80 per cent of
the world's total spending on information technology products.
India's software services exports were worth a total of $164 million
in 1991 -- that is 11.7 percent of, what the report calls "total
foreign opportunity." India's share is expected to shrink to nine
percent ($660 million) in 1996, if India goes on with its "business as
usual" approach, the report notes.

The report recommends that India's software services export target
be raised by the government to $1,000 million (a 13.5 percent share)
in 1996. Identifying the market opportunity for developing countries
in the target countries, the study estimates that, in professional
services (valued at $4,000 million in 1996), the major demand will
shift toward offshore projects than on-site projects in the coming
years -- these represent 54 percent and 46 percent of the market
respectively.

A detailed analysis of the eight competing countries ranks India in
number two spot, with Ireland topping the list. The six contenders
are: Singapore, Israel, Philippines, Mexico, Hungary and China.

Apart from calling for coordinated action between the government,
industry and the individual companies, opening the domestic market
place and "eliminating the remaining red tape," the report identifies
a number of action areas to be tackled, including targeting of markets,
upgrading the population skills and increasing the level of training
in the Indian computer industry.

One of the main recommendations of the report is the formation of a
Software Development Board (SDB) to plan, coordinate and direct
actions with specific responsibilities for marketing. The SDB would
have a proposed budget of about $1 million for core operations; $3-5
million for overseas liaison in six target countries; and $4-5 million
for general promotions.

Where will the funds come from? Initial suggestions about the
exporting companies contributing two percent of their earnings to SDB
have been scoffed at by the industry. The World Bank, however, is
apparently eager to grant $220 million towards enhancing information
technology projects in India, which should go some way toward putting
exporting IT companies in the right frame of mind.

The World Bank-funded study is a precursor to that benevolence. After
the ongoing deliberations of the report, the Indian government is
expected to give its nod of approval. Meanwhile, the 800-page tome has
more than enough data to satisfy any prospective software exporter.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19920728)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00020)

Globex Suffers First Outage 07/28/92
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Globex, the electronic
futures market partly owned by Reuters, has suffered its first outage.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange, which along with the Chicago Board of
Trade and the UK wire service that runs the system, blamed its phone lines
for the problem, which hit 50 terminals in New York and Chicago around
11 PM on July 26, Chicago Time. The problem was fixed in about 90
minutes.

Chicago Merc spokesmen emphasized that the problem wasn't in the
system's computers. Few traders noticed the problem because volumes
are light at that time -- peak hours are soon after US markets close
and soon after United Kingdom markets open. Globex was launched with
great fanfare June 25.

Globex is currently trading currency and debt futures, which are used
by traders to lock in or bet on the future value of international
currencies and interest rates. More heavily traded US Treasury bond
and Eurodollar futures are due to be added soon.

The electronic market is important because, while it currently
operates only when local exchanges are closed, its lower costs could
in time eliminate trading floors entirely.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920728)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00021)

McCaw Part Of Winning Hong Kong GSM Cellular Group 07/28/92
KIRKLAND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- A group in which
McCaw Cellular holds 30 percent and a unit of the Chinese government
holds 15 percent has won the tender to establish a GSM standard
digital cellular phone network in Hong Kong.

The largest shareholder in SmartCom Limited is Hung Kai Properties
Limited, a large Hong Kong publicly traded property owner and
developer, which holds 40 percent of the stock. 15 percent is held by
ABC Communications, a Hong Kong paging company, and the Chinese
government's 15 percent is held by Town Khan, a company owned by the
Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.

Among the losers were groups which included such companies as
Ameritech, Nynex, PacTel, Japan's NTT and Australia's OTC. Hong Kong
has among the most active cellular markets in the world, on a per-
capita basis. Currently there are 200,000 cellular customers there,
and cells are even located within the city's subway system. SmartCom's
network is due to open in January, and while it will cost about $120
million to build, McCaw's out-of-pocket investment is under $10
million.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920728/Press Contact: McCaw Cellular, Todd
Wolfenbarger, 206/828-1851)


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

Losses For US Telecom Companies 07/28/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- A recession can create
losses even for fast-growing companies, if they can't make up the cost
of needed investments. That is becoming clear as leading-edge US
telecommunications companies report their results.

Contel Cellular, which is 90 percent owned by GTE but still 10 percent
owned by the public, reported a quarterly loss of $29 million, almost
even with its loss for the March quarter, and only slightly less than
losses it posted in 1991.

Revenues were up 19 percent, to $70.6 million from $59.5 million, and
its subscriber count increased at an annual rate of 28 percent. In a
statement President Dennis Whipple acknowledged that the recession has
made sales "soft in several of our larger markets." In response, the
company is trying to cut its selling costs.

Paging Network, a Dallas-based company which has been rapidly
expanding its operations nationwide on a city-by-city basis, lost
$15.5 million for the quarter, despite record-setting growth in net
revenues, operating cash flow and subscribers for the quarter ended
June 30. Its subscriber count grew to 1.63 million at the end of June,
against 1.04 million a year ago. During the quarter the company opened
new operations in Dallas/Fort Worth; Atlanta; Sacramento, California;
and Cincinnati/Dayton and Columbus, Ohio. And the firm isn't slowing
down, later this year it will open up shop in Cleveland, Ohio,
Pittsburgh; Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada, and
Norfolk/Richmond, Virginia. Most of the loss involved interest-rate
swaps and loan origination fees for bank debt.

Perhaps most troubling of all, the Moody's bond-rating service lowered
the debt rating of the Williams Companies, blaming the continued
expansion of its WilTel fiber telecommunications network into new
markets. WilTel, which started by re-selling capacity to larger long-
distance companies, has been trying to establish itself as a direct
presence in the market as those firms expand their capacity and take
back the business.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920728/Press Contact: Jenny Haynes, Paging
Network, 214-985-6986; Ted Carrier, Contel Cellular, 404-804-3549)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00023)

Bell Atlantic Makes ISDN Moves 07/28/92
ASHLAND, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Bell Atlantic has
accepted delivery of its first National ISDN-1 compatible switch from
AT&T, and immediately made new plans to market the digital service.

National ISDN represents an industry effort to standardize the way
digital services are delivered by all switch-makers. National ISDN-1,
makes it possible for terminal equipment made by one vendor to work
with a switch made by another. AT&T delivered the system as a 5ESS
switch with a new software release, called 5E8, installed at a C&P
Telephone office in Ashland, which is 20 miles north of Richmond.

After delivery of the switch, Bell Atlantic announced strategic
alliances with Ascend Communications, Gandalf Systems, Hitachi
America, Sun Microsystems, and Unifi Communications, aimed at selling
ISDN business applications. The companies will work to turn ISDN into
total business systems, in such areas as automatic call
distribution, desktop video conferencing, collaborative computing and
LAN access and interconnection. Bell Atlantic said in a press
statement it plans to sign similar agreements in the months ahead,
marketing them through joint sales calls, trade shows and in-house
demonstrations.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920728/Press Contact: Nancy Murray, Bell Atlantic,
703-974-1719; AT&T, Carl Blesch, 708 224-4196)


(CORRECTION)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00024)

Correction: Fujitsu Pulls Out Of Fax Machine Sales In US 07/28/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- This is a correction to a story of
this title which ran July 20 on the Newsbytes News Network. The report
incorrectly identified the firm to which Fujitsu's Connecticut-based
subsidiary would be sold. Newsbytes reported the name to be Dunka
Industries -- in fact the name of the firm is Danka Industries.

Newsbytes reported that Fujitsu's subsidiary -- Fujitsu Imaging
Systems of America -- was formed in 1981. Fujitsu reports this is
incorrect and that the subsidiary was formed in 1986.

Fujitsu also disputes a statement that it was a late starter in the
fax industry. "We have been in the [fax] business for 10 years,"
explained a Fujitsu spokesman. He further states that fax machines
were being shipped to the US right up to the date of sale to Danka
Industries, and that exports of the fax machines to the US were not
stopped, as Newsbytes reported, in April. Newsbytes apologizes for the
errors.

(Wendy Woods & Masayuki Miyazawa/19920728/Press Contact:
Fujitsu, [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00025)

Dataquest Predicts Semiconductor Market Growth 07/28/92
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- The worldwide
semiconductor revenue will rise to $62.9 billion, a 5.4 percent
increase over the 1991 level of $59.7 billion, according to a report
from market research firm Dataquest.

According to the company, revenue in the Asia/Pacific and the "rest of
world" (ROW) region -- consisting of Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan,
Singapore, and other countries throughout the world -- is expected to
grow at a rate of 21.6 percent. In North America, which the company
maintains is continuing its economic recovery that started in 1991,
semiconductor revenue will grow at 15.1 percent.

The European market, which continues to experience soft economic
conditions, will only show a moderate gain and post 7.2 percent
revenue growth. Japan, which is also undergoing a severe economic
downturn, especially in the computer and electronics industries, will
show a revenue decline of 9.4 percent.

Gene Norrett, Dataquest's vice president and director of the company's
semiconductor services, said: "The Asia/Pacific-ROW region has become
a major supplier of personal computers, workstations, personal
information technology products, and other devices that incorporate
large quantities of semiconductors.

The region has built a strong infrastructure of factories, parts
suppliers, and logistics networks. Also, it has become so financially
strong that local consumers are purchasing a substantial amount of the
region's home-grown information technology products."

The trend towards the 486 microprocessor is considered a sizeable
factor in the US revenue growth.

"The 15.1 percent growth rate in North America is a result of that
region's strong movement toward both the conversion of high-end PCs
from the Intel 386 to the 486 microprocessor platform and the higher
production levels of communications systems and workstations," said
Norrett.

The added demand for extra memory on the desktop to cater to greater
software demands was also listed as a factor in added demand.

"Overall growth in the industry is currently being fueled by the
demand for workstations, portable PCs, and software such as Windows
and OS/2 that require greater amounts of system memory," explained
Norrett. "We expect the four megabit DRAM and Intel 486 microprocessor
sales to soar as more of these new technologies are adopted by
customers."

(Ian Stokell/19920728/Press Contact: Mary Hand, Dataquest, 408-437-
8312)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00026)

Frame Technology To Acquire Datalogics 07/28/92
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Hoping to establish
itself as the primary supplier in the electronic document publishing
market, Frame Technology has signed an agreement to acquire
Datalogics.

Under the terms of the agreement, Datalogics will become a wholly
owned subsidiary of Frame. The company says that completion of the
transaction is subject to "certain customary conditions" and is
expected to be completed by the end of August.

The agreement calls for Frame to issue an aggregate of one million
shares of its common stock in exchange for all of the outstanding
shares of Datalogics capital stock.

Paul R. Robichaux, Frame's chairman and chief executive officer, said:
"With more than 31 combined years of experience in creating and
delivering document-based solutions, Frame and Datalogics will bring
together the industry's leading shrink-wrapped publishing software
with the market's most highly regarded systems integration and
software customization expertise."

Datalogics, a privately held Chicago-based company, is a supplier for
publishing applications in the government, aerospace, automotive,
financial, and legal communities.

The companies maintain that Steve Brown will continue as president and
chief executive officer of Datalogics.

According to Robichaux, "Customers increasingly are looking to us to
manage the integration of Frame products into their total document
information systems, which frequently include database publishing,
document management, and even custom application design."

Frame is a supplier of document publishing and distribution software
for creating and electronically distributing a range of business and
technical documents. Frame's products are available worldwide for 25
Unix workstations, Apple Macintosh, and DOS-based PCs running
Microsoft Windows. According to the company, all of its products are
"fully file compatible across all of these platforms."

In June, Newsbytes reported that Frame had announced its second public
stock offering of the year, along with the formation of new business
units dedicated to particular hardware platforms.

A public relations spokesperson told Newsbytes at the time 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 expanding customer base.

(Ian Stokell/19920728/Press Contact: Jolana Leinson, Frame Technology
Corp., 408-954-3964 )


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00027)

RasterOps Signs 3 New Distributors 07/28/92
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Hoping to expand
its presence into the graphic arts and creative services markets,
RasterOps has signed one-year, renewable distribution agreements with
Access Graphics, Ingram Micro, and Tech Data.

According to RasterOps, from July 1, 1992, each company will
distribute all of the company's product line in the United States and
Central America. Ingram Micro will also distribute the products in
the United Kingdom.

Boulder, Colorado-based Access Graphics is a full-service distributor
of computer graphics products targeted towards creative graphics,
technical publishing, CAD/CAE (computer-aided design/manufacturing,
science/medical, productivity, and commercial applications.

Ingram Micro is claimed to be the world's largest wholesale
distributor of microcomputer products, with more than 12,000 in stock
from over 600 companies. The company sells to 60,000 reseller
customers in 65 countries, has distribution operations in seven,
including international subsidiaries in Canada, the United Kingdom,
Belgium, France, The Netherlands and Italy.

Clearwater, Florida-based Tech Data Corp. offers product lines in
software, networking/communications, mass storage, peripherals and
computer systems including Unix/Xenix-compatible products. The company
also provides pre-sale and post-sale training, service, and support.

Only last week, Newsbytes reported that RasterOps had posted sales of
$89.2 million, up 23 percent from $72.4 million in 1991, for the
fiscal year ended June 30,1992.

Newsbytes also reported that RasterOps had recently announced a
definitive agreement to merge with Truevision. Truevision offers
desktop video imaging products for IBM and compatible personal
computers and is set to become a wholly owned subsidiary of RasterOps.
The company maintains that the merger is scheduled for completion in
August 1992.

In June, RasterOps and Adobe Systems Inc., signed an agreement for
RasterOps to integrate Adobe technologies into board products designed
to enhance PostScript imagesetter output devices.

Also in June, Newsbytes reported that RasterOps had signed a letter of
intent to merge with Raster Image Processing Systems (RIPS). Under the
terms of the deal, RIPS would be a wholly owned subsidiary of
RasterOps.

(Ian Stokell/19920728/Press Contact: Carrie Coppe, RasterOps Corp.,
408-562-4200)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00028)

Delrina, NCR Announce Reseller Deal 07/28/92
DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Toronto-based forms software
maker Delrina Technology has announced its third major account
reseller agreement, the first with a major computer vendor. The deal
with NCR also provides for joint development efforts.

In April, Delrina signed a reseller agreement with business forms
supplier Uarco, of Barrington, Illinois. In June, it signed a similar
deal with Wallace Computer Services of Hillside, Illinois.

The NCR deal is "very similar" to those agreements, Delrina spokesman
Josef Zancowicz said, but adds plans for joint software development
efforts. "NCR, unlike the other vendors, is in a terrific position to
provide systems integration from hardware... right through to
networking," he said.

Zancowicz also said that Delrina expects quicker results from the NCR
deal since the Dayton company starts off more familiar with Delrina's
market. "The fact that we're dealing with a computer vendor that's
also in the forms business is quite significant," he said.

The NCR deal could add between C$6 million and C$15 million to
Delrina's annual revenues, Zancowicz estimated. That is a significant
prospect for a company expected to report total annual revenues of
about C$20 million this year.

NCR said the deal makes it the only company with a total forms
automation offering, including traditional business forms, a line of
computer and networking systems, document imaging, and forms
automation.

(Grant Buckler/19920728/Press Contact: Randy Popson, NCR, 513-439-
8498; Josef Zancowicz, Delrina, 416-441-3676 ext. 308, fax 416-441-
0333; Public Contact: Delrina, 800-268-6082)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00029)

Canada: Microsoft Opens Workgroup Software R&D Facility 07/28/92
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- Microsoft has
opened a workgroup software development operation here, the only
Microsoft research and development facility outside the United States
that will develop products for world markets.

Microsoft Workgroup Canada, the unit responsible for Microsoft's
electronic mail products, was formerly Consumers Software, an
independent Vancouver company acquired by Microsoft in spring, 1991.
The workgroup unit has operations in Canada and at Microsoft
headquarters, a spokeswoman for the company said.

While Microsoft has non-US research and development facilities in
the Far East, the spokeswoman added, their function is to adapt
Microsoft products to local languages for sale in that region only.
The Vancouver operation, on the other hand, is responsible for
Microsoft Mail development for the world market. It houses much of
Microsoft's Mail development team, the company said.

The new facility is located next to the newly expanded and relocated
Western regional office of Microsoft Canada in downtown Vancouver.

Most of Consumers' Software's 60 employees stayed with Microsoft when
the company was acquired, and the workgroup unit has grown about 20
percent since the acquisition, company officials said.

(Grant Buckler/19920728/Press Contact: Sue Taylor, Creative Marketing
for Microsoft Canada, 416-539-0694; Public Contact: Microsoft Canada,
416-568-0434, fax [phone])


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

Toolworks Plans To Pay $3.7M More To Shareholders 07/28/92
NOVATO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 28 (NB) -- It's not $3.2 million
as reported in June, but $3.7 million that The Software Toolworks will
pay to disgruntled stockholders in addition to the $9.5 million it
announced it would pay last September.

The company's stockholders had filed a class action suit in US
District Court arising out of the company's July 1990 stock offering
and certain public statements.

In the original settlement agreement, stockholders were to receive an
additional $5 million from the other defendants named besides
Toolworks itself. To make good on that promise, Toolworks said it will
issue 1,166,666 additional shares of its common stock to the plaintiff
class, worth about $3.7 million, if the US District Court in San
Francisco agrees.

The company has $5 million in reserve, according to its March 1992
Form 10-K and is claiming that it should be able to more than cover
the remaining settlement expenses. This last amount should be the end
of the settlement, according to Toolworks President Bob Lloyd.

The company has been reporting losses on and off since 1990 and
reported another $15 million in losses for its fiscal 1992 year.
However, the Miracle Piano Teaching System is the one bright spot in
the company's past, responsible for the sparse black ink on its
balance sheet and is weighted heavily in the company's future.

Toolworks depended heavily on its game titles for the personal
computer and Nintendo markets, which simply became saturated, until
its introduction of the Miracle Piano. The Macintosh version of the
Miracle Piano is expected to do well though Toolworks said it shipped
too late to have any effect on the $15 million in losses it reported
last year.

Some of its Toolworks' titles are Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, Chess
Master 2000, and Life and Death. Toolworks also has a compact disc
read-only memory (CD-ROM) licensing agreement with Sony Corporation of
America to include its World Atlas CD in Sony's multimedia Laser
Library product.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920728/Press Contact: Vince Turzo, Software
Toolworks, tel [phone], ext. 568, fax [phone])