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/1993/nb930210

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(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEL)(00001)

Delhi Microfilming Land Records 02/10/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Delhi's land records are being
put on microfilm. A project undertaken by the office of the Deputy
Commissioner of Delhi will put 1.5 million revenue records on
microfilm by mid-1993.

Since the records are very old and in extremely poor condition, the
microfilming project will not only arrest the deterioration of
existing records but also ensure a foolproof records management
system to cater to future requirements.

The DC's office has procured a high speed rotary microfilm camera
and revenue records are being microfilmed daily with turnkey support
from the manufacturers.

Retrieval and referencing of these records is required for
ascertaining ownership and tenancy rights, physical identification
of a piece of land, revenue fixing, land acquisition, compensation
fixing, historical research, sale/purchase, and rural development.

Microfilming worldwide has proved extremely useful in the office
environment, enabling paper intensive organizations to maintain
records in a compact and accessible form, resulting in as much as
98 percent savings of space.

In addition to its convenient size and archival life of over
100 years, its undisputed advantage, even in this era of
digitization, is its use as a field tested medium for images and
text.

In a separate project, the central government has also initiated
land records computerization in various districts through the
state governments. Because land records remain as complex as
land reforms program. As a technocrat in the government
quipped, "Land records is technology, while land reforms may
be in the realm of politics."

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930210)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00002)

India Crunching Millions Of Investor Records 02/10/93
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Unit Trust of India, one of
India's main financial institutions, has decided to computerize its
operations by June 1994 to provide better service to its customers,
UTI Chairman S. A. Dave said.

He said that Rs 1 billion (around $33.3 million) has been
earmarked for the project. Mr. Dave was confident that "investors
will find a sea change in UTIs operational activities," after
the completion of the computerization project.

Computerization has assumed top priority at the investment giant
because of the phenomenal number of its investors. The number
has grown from 10 to 21.3 million in the current financial
year. In fact, the company finds mention in the Guiness Book
of World Records for having the maximum number of shareholders.

Five computer vendors are in the race to bag the contract for
supply of hardware to the UTI. They are HCL-HP, Tata Information
Systems Ltd., Digital Equipment (India) Ltd., Wipro Infotech
and ICIM.

The project is being implemented in two phases. The first phase
covers UTI's head office in Bombay and the branches in the other
three metros and is planned for completion by the first quarter
of 1994. At present, different departments in the UTI have their
own systems, mostly personal computers. But the massive
investor record processing has been outsourced to different
registrars (share processing companies).

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930210)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEL)(00003)

India - Translator From Hindi To Other Indian Languages 02/10/93
HYDERABAD, INDIA, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- A computer translator that
simplifies translation from Hindi into other Indian languages has
been developed by the Birla Science Centre, Hyderabad in southern
India.

Named Birlatrans, the software package can serve as a tool in
overcoming the problems of translating official correspondence in
the form of letters and notifications from Hindi to Telugu (the
former being the largest spoken language in India and the latter
ranking next) at present and other languages in future, BSC
Director B.G. Sidharth said.

Claimed to be the first of its kind in the country, Brilatrans
works with the help of a GIST (Graphics & Intelligence-based
Script Technology), an interface card which can be added to a
standard PC. GIST was an outcome of a national project to
evolve standards for computerization of all Indian language
scripts and also to be in conformity with ISO standards.

The translation is based on a sentence analyzer and sentence
generator. The analysis performs lexicographic and syntactical
analysis to produce an intermediate knowledge representation
framework, while the sentence generator produces language
sentences using the intermediate form as input.

Machine translation between languages by a computer system is one
of the most difficult tasks that researchers have been facing,
Sidarth claimed. Keeping in view the general problems in machine
translation work, Birlatrans was restricted to official
languages (the 14 main languages that find mention in the
Constitution of India).

Birlatrans can be used by any company with a PC, a GIST card
and MS-DOS. Researchers at the Birla Centre are working on
extending the translating capability into other Indian languages
also, using artificial intelligence.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930210)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00004)

Japan - Fujitsu Pen-Input Computer 02/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Fujitsu has developed a 32-bit
pen-input type computer based on a tablet and equipped with a
card-type hard disk. There are actually three kinds of hard disks,
and each disk is equipped with a different operating system.

Fujitsu's machine is called the FM Pen-note. Equipped with a
25-megahertz 80386SX processor and a 640 x 480-pixel FL-backlit
LCD (liquid crystal display) panel, its screen is designed to be
clear enough to see even in a dark place.

The card-type 1.8-inch hard disks are being purchased from
US-based Western Digital on an OEM (original equipment
manufacturer) basis. The size of this 40-megabyte hard disk is
5.4 x 8.56 cm, and is 1.05-cm thick. It weighs only 90 grams.
Meanwhile, the pen-input computer itself is just as
large as an A4-size notebook, and it weighs 1.4kg, making it
easy to carry around, Fujitsu says.

Fujitsu offers a choice of three operating systems: MS-Windows
For Pen, Pen-Point 2.0J, and Pen DOS 2.0. Each of these operating
systems is pre-installed on the hard disk, requiring the customer
to choose one of them prior to purchase.

The FM Pen-note can be operated for five hours with a
single battery charge. Also, the computer has an infrared ray
optical interface, enabling it to exchange data with another FM
Pen-note computer without a cable.

The retail prices of the pen-computer with a hard disk are
between 498,000 yen and 523,000 yen (around $4,000) depending on
the operating system. It is slated for release in May.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930208/Press Contact: Fujitsu, +81-
3-3215-5236, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00005)

Further Details On IBM ES/9000 02/10/93
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Newsbytes has
obtained some further details on IBM's ES/9000 mainframe
announcements.

The 10 water-cooled mainframe models use IBM's 9021-type
processors and range from the single-processor 711 to the
eight-processor 982, the new top of the ES/9000 line, said Roger
Luca, a planning manager at IBM Enterprise Systems.

The eight new air-cooled models use 9121-type processors and
include three uniprocessor systems, two dyadic machines, and
two-, three-, and four-processor multiprocessor designs.

In its announcements, IBM emphasized a growing role for mainframe
systems as servers in client/server computing. It sought to
position its Customer Information Control System (CICS) software
as a server product.

IBM said it will address the client/server market further in
coming months by developing parallel processing systems built on
microprocessor implementations of the ES/9000 architecture. Luca
said these machines will use from 30 to 50 of the ES/9000
microprocessors, which have already been developed, and will be
used to run applications such as database processing that are
easily adapted to parallel architectures. They will operate as
adjuncts to the existing mainframes.

IBM said its recently announced Parallel Processing Systems
business unit will also play a role in selling systems for
client/server computing.

Another part of the client/server thrust is support for industry
standards, such as the Portable Operating System Interface
(POSIX) standard. Luca said support for POSIX in the MVS/ESA
operating system fulfills promises made in statements of direction
over the past couple of years. The company also stated that it
will bring similar capabilities to the VM/ESA operating system.

Elaborating on the new Satisfaction Guarantee that IBM said would
apply to all future sales of ES/9000 processors and upgrades,
Luca said the guarantee means that if a customer is dissatisfied
with a machine, it will be replaced at the customer's discretion.

IBM also said it is making available performance data for its own
and certain competing mainframe computers, based on measurements
it has used internally for more than 10 years. The data is
intended to help customers with capacity planning, IBM said, and
is more accurate than other measurements available to most
customers.

(Grant Buckler/19930209/Press Contact: Ed Trapasso, IBM,
914-642-4668; Diane Whitehead, IBM, 914-642-5359)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00006)

New For Unix - cc:Mail X.400 Gateway 02/10/93
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- OSIware
has announced Messenger 400 Gateway to cc:Mail, a gateway
from Lotus Development Corp.'s cc:Mail electronic mail software
to the X.400 standard for SCO Unix, Sun SPARC, and Tandem
Integrity fault-tolerant Unix platforms.

While cc:Mail X.400 gateway software exists for DOS machines,
said Janie Chang, product manager for the maker of X.400
software, customers have complained that DOS machines cannot
handle the message traffic of larger heterogenous networks.

Based on OSIware's Messenger 400 X.400 transport, M400 Gateway to
cc:Mail can be configured to run as a dedicated gateway node, in
conjunction with other OSIware gateway products, or as an
optional add-on to existing Messenger 400 message transfer agents
(MTAs).

The gateway will be of interest mostly to larger organizations
with extensive mail systems that involve multiple hardware and
software platforms, Chang said.

OSIware also offers other products based on Messenger 400,
including: Messenger 400 RFC 987 Gateway (to Unix mail systems);
Messenger 400 Gateway for Microsoft Mail; Messenger 400 Fax
Access Unit; Messenger 400 Physical Delivery Access Unit;
Messenger 400 APIs for gateways, applications, and network
interfaces; and Messenger 400 network support modules for X.25,
TCP/IP, and asynchronous networks; and Directory 500 (X.500
services).

(Grant Buckler/19930209/Press Contact: Janie Chang, OSIware,
604-436-2922)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00007)

Australia - New Publications Track IT Scene 02/10/93
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- The Australian subsidiaries
of IDC and IDG (International Data Group) have announced that
they will produce a series of industry reference publications.
They have created an entity called IDG Sources to produce the
IDG Sources Series.

IDG MD Don Kennedy said the joint project was an excellent
opportunity to meld the technology publishing expertise of IDG
Communications with the leading research and analysis of IDC
Australia. He said this was demonstrated by the successful 1992 edition
of the Computing 100, jointly produced by the two companies.

IDC's MD Len Rust said the series would be based on IDC research
and will track and analyze the information technology (IT)
industry in Australia, to enable buyers of technology and the
companies within the industry to make better and more fully
informed decisions.

The publications are:

Software 50 (Publication 26th March). This will identify and
profile the 50 most successful software publishing companies in
Australia. It will have expert analysis and commentary on the
state of the industry.

Computerworld Premier 100 (26th June). This will identify and
profile the 100 Australian companies that are most innovative and
effective users of technology. This publication is intended to be
the definitive study of state-of-the-art IT implementation in
Australia.

PC World 100 (30th July). The 100 most successful PC vendors in
the areas of hardware, software, peripherals, networking, service,
training and support.

Export 50 (24th September). This will identify the 50 most
successful companies exporting IT and communications
products from Australia. Expert analysis and commentary will aim
to explore the broader issues of Australia as a global trading
nation.

Computerworld 100 (5th November). Formerly called the Computing
100, this book is claimed to be the definitive profile of
the state of IT in Australia. It ranks the top 100 technology
companies in Australia and New Zealand. It has analysis and
commentary on each company.

Reseller 50 (15th December). This publication will identify and
profile the top 50 computer resellers in Australia. Analysis and
commentary will explore the particular issues confronting Australia's
distribution and retail channels.

Each publication will be included with the relevant IDG publication,
and with the exception of the Reseller 50, will also be available
on newsstands. Editorial director for the series is Linda Kennedy
and Andrew McGregor will direct the research efforts.

(Paul Zucker/19930210/Contact: Linda Kennedy on phone +61-2-439
5133 or fax [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SYD)(00008)

Australia - Apple Launches New Models 02/10/93
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Apple Australia, in concert
with the Tokyo and worldwide launch of the same products, has
rolled out a number of new machines including a color version of
the Classic and a new mid-range line, the Cantris. Depending on
model, they will start shipping in Australia from now until the
beginning of March.

The Color Classic with LC expansion capability is designed for home,
education and small business applications. The base model is
AUS$2495 (around US$1860). It has 4MB of RAM and 40MB hard disk.
The 80MB hard disk is $200 more. In keeping with trends to
lower power consumption for desktop machines, the new Classic
has circuitry to reduce power consumption when idle.

The PowerBook 165C is the first color Mac battery portable. It
has the same design style as other Powerbooks. The 640x400
backlit display can show 256 colors from a palette of
4096 or it can drive an external monitor or projection screen.
The 4/120M 165C will have a suggested price of AUS$7995 (around
US$5300). Battery life is around 1.5 hours.

The Quadra 800 is the lowest cost version of the highest
performance Mac. For AUS$9995 (around US$6500) buyers will get a
33MHz 68040 processor, 8MB of RAM, three 32-bit NuBus slots,
three standard expansion bays and a 130MB hard disk.

Macintosh Centris offers a 68040 Mac system for less than
AUS$5000 (US$3300). The model 610 has a version of the processor
without the floating point calculation circuitry, while the
650 has the standard, full 68040 chip. Standard spec includes 8K
of cache memory, 4MB of RAM, various expansion slots and an
internal 5 1/4" drive bay. Hard disks range from 80 to 500
megabytes.

The Mac LCIII is a low-cost version of the best selling Mac model.
It has better performance, additional display options and more
memory expansion. A base LCIII with 4/80M is AUS$3195 (around
US$2100) and a full-spec model with 160MB hard disk, color
display and coprocessor is AUS$4090. An Apple Ethernet network card is
AUS$295.

LaserWriter Select is a new range of mid-range laser printers from
Apple. The Select 300 has a suggested price of AUS$1995 while the
310 PostScript version is only AUS$300 extra. They are built around
Fuji Xerox engines with 5 pages per minute throughput, a
standard 250-page paper tray and an all-in-one toner cartridge.

(Paul Zucker/19930210)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TYO)(00009)

Macworld Expo - Sculley Outlines Market Share Goals 02/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- In the roll-out of six
new machines in 16 models, Apple Chairman John Sculley
told the press, on the eve of the major Tokyo "Macworld Expo"
in Makuhari Messe, Chiba Prefecture, that Apple is going for
a 9 percent market share in Japan this fiscal year. This is
1.5 percent more than last year and indicates Apple's
determination to compete head-on with NEC and IBM Japan, the
two leaders in computer retailing.

Apple Computer has increased sales by 57 percent over sales
for the first quarter of fiscal 1993 (October 1992 and December
1992), compared with the same term in the previous year, Sculley
said.

Among the products receiving the most interest at the
announcement was the new color Powerbook, the 165c, which is
equipped with an ultra super nematic (FSTN) passive matrix color
LCD. With this technology, the screen is extra bright and clear.
This technology was developed with the help of Japan's Sharp.

Sculley also told the press that the Apple will use Telescript on
the Newton, a personal new-media telecommunication device
Apple is also developing with Sharp. Telescript is a
programming language for telecommunication that has been
developed by General Magic of the US and was announced earlier
this week. "Apple Computer wants to maintain the compatibility of
Telescript with other multimedia equipment," stated the chairman.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930210/Press Contact: Apple Computer,
Tokyo, [phone], Fax, +81-3-)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TYO)(00010)

Macworld Expo - Largest Ever In Japan 02/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Macworld Expo has opened in
Makuhari, a suburb of Tokyo where it is expected to attract
about 90,000 visitors during the three-day period. This one is
said to be the largest Macworld convention in the world.

At the exhibition, over 235 firms from Japan and overseas
are showing their latest hardware and software. Those up-to-date
products include a Japanese language version of the latest
operating system called KanjiTalk 7. This program allows the
user to print high quality kanji letters. Other exhibits feature
digital movie technology employing Quicktime 1.5 and
CD-ROM devices.

The conference includes about 50 sessions during the three-day
period. Apple Computer's Chairman John Sculley delivered the
key-note speech where he announced that unit sales of the
Macintosh have just reached 10 million units. Apple Computer
Japan is also celebrating its 10th anniversary.

The Expo also offers a "Beginner's Workshop" for Macintosh
users with less than one year of experience. Workshops for
intermediate and advanced users who want to deal with advanced
business and multimedia applications are also on tap. These
workshop topics include "The future of digital photography,"
"Quicktime movie making," "Multi-media entertainment," "New CD-ROM
titles," "Super user tips," and "System advances -- Future course."

Macworld Expo is sponsored by International Digital Group (IDG),
Macworld Communications Japan and IDG World Expo Japan.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930210/Press Contact: IDG Japan,
 [phone], Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00011)

Unix Gets Multimedia And More 02/10/93
PARSIPPANY, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- To boost the
competitiveness of Unix System V Release 4 (SVR4), Unix
International (UI) is adding multimedia, interoperability, and
other new capabilities to the Unix operating system, while widening
the development process to suppliers outside Unix Systems
Laboratories (USL).

USL, a facility recently sold to Novell, no longer has the "right
of first refusal" for Unix SVR4 development, and another vendor's
product, SunSoft's ONC+, will be the reference technology for SVR4
distributed filing services, UI representatives told Newsbytes.
The reference technologies serve as standards for SVR4
capabilities.

Under new policies, announced at the same time as a UI "Roadmap"
for 1993, the association of Unix vendors and users will publish
the requirements for specific reference technologies, opening up
the "bidding" to all interested developers, the spokespersons said.

USL will continue to provide the reference technologies for the
base Unix operating system, and for such software components as
Tuxedo, OSF DCE Services, and Distributed Manager. Like other
suppliers, USL will be able to respond to published requirements
with development proposals. After considering the proposals for
each requirement, UI members will select a reference technology
provider.

During 1993, UI will publish the requirements for a multimedia
reference technologies, and for technologies that will bring
interoperability with the NetWare, Appletalk, and LU6.2 protocols,
a UI representative told Newsbytes.

In addition, object-oriented management, Windows emulation, and
"federated naming" have all been pinpointed as candidates for
upcoming reference technologies. Federated naming will allow for
the unification of existing naming systems and the modular
construction of future naming services.

SunSoft's ONC+, the newly chosen reference technology for
distributed filing services, also meets UI's requirements for
associated naming, communications and security services.

A detailed plan for implementing the new distributed filing
services reference technology, as well as previously chosen and
upcoming reference technologies, is contained in the 1993 edition
of "Roadmap," a three-year schedule that UI has been producing
annually since 1990.

In a separate written statement from UI, Roel Pieper, president and
CEO of USL, is quoted as saying that USL has adhered to the Roadmap
for the past three years, and will continue to do so in the future.
"The UI Roadmap is excellent direction from our customers on
exactly what they need in future releases of Unix Systems," Pieper
added.

An agreement for Novell to buy USL from AT&T was announced in late
December. Novell previously owned 7% of the labs, and AT&T 77%.
But under the pact, USL has become a wholly owned subsidiary of
Novell. The deal was seen by many observers as an attempt by
Novell to expand the marketing opportunities for NetWare in the
face of rising competition from outside operating systems.

Meanwhile, UI was also showing signs of shoring itself up against
the competition. In early December, the group released an
independent report predicting that while Windows NT will become a
dominant desktop operating system in the future, the Microsoft
technology will not displace Unix from the server market.

UI's expanded development process is meant to speed time to market
for future layered system software products by introducing the
element of competition, a spokesperson told Newsbytes.

According to UI officials, ONC+, the new reference technology being
provided by SunSoft, is an enhanced version of the widely used ONC
distributed computing environment.

The new technology provides a multithreaded NFS file system for
faster performance across local and wide area networks, client side
caching, the NIS+ enterprise naming service, transport-independent
RPC for network-independent distributed applications, and support
for network security support and transparent global namespaces.

UI's upcoming multimedia requirement will call for a multimedia
support package that will enable use of multimedia applications
across a variety of Unix systems, and will also improve
interoperability with proprietary platforms.

The upcoming NetWare interoperability requirement will be designed
to ensure that Unix systems provide optimum support as data servers
and communications gateways in environments using NetWare protocols
and services. The requirement will include support for file
sharing, printer sharing, and interapplication communication.

The AppleTalk interoperability requirement will be aimed at
allowing Unix systems to seamlessly share data with Apple Computer
systems. Stipulations will include printer access protocol
support, address resolution, and client and server file sharing.

The LU6.2 requirement will supply connectivity to proprietary
systems. Support will be offered for the X/Open CPI C API and
IBM's LU6.2 networking protocol.

UI describes the prospective object management environment as one
that will provide the basic modules for building and executive
distributed, object-oriented applications, including an independent
description language compiler, object request broker, object
adaptor, and set of common services for creating and deleting
objects.

The Windows emulation package is described as offering access to
the vast array of applications available under Windows 3/1/MS-DOS.
The upcoming requirement is scheduled to support Microsoft GDI and
OLE/DDE, plus the use of MS-DOS volumes as Unix systems file
systems.

In the 1993/94 time frame, UI expects that USL and its partners
will deliver products based on the following previously released
requirements: OSF DCE, Distributed Manager, and operating and
transaction processing enhancements.

The OSF DCE support package will be designed to enable seamless
interoperability with systems supporting OSF DCE. Distributed
Manager will be geared toward easing management of such
applications as backup and restore, startup and shutdown, print,
storage, and software installation on distributed networks.

The operating system enhancements will include a highly scalable,
secure multiprocessing release, along with asynchronous I/O,
internationalization, localization, performance management
enablement, and X/Open XPG4 base enhancement capabilities.

The transaction processing enhancements will give the transaction
monitor greater interoperability with both Unix and legacy
application environments. The enhancements will bring support for
OSI TP and S/Open TP, together with enhanced support for X/Open TP.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930209; Press contacts: Vickie Glazar, UI, tel
201-263-8400; Michele Macauley, Kahn Communications for UI, tel
212-889-0202)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00012)

Vendors Not Happy With GSA Electronic Catalog 02/10/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- We often think of the
government bureaucracy as being naturally backward and resistant
to change, but this time it appears to be the computer industry
which is balking at modern advances. Government Computer News for
February 1 reports that three months after opening a bulletin
board system to carry information on 500 suppliers' products only
70 have provided data.

The General Services Administration is responsible for pre-
negotiating standard contracts with computer companies which can
then be used by most government agencies without going through
any negotiation process. These contracts are known collectively
as the GSA Microcomputer Schedule and the companies are said to
"be on the schedule."

The GSA recently started a BBS which was supposed to make this
process even easier by listing all of the thousands of hardware
and software products carried on the "schedule," but vendors have
apparently not taken advantage of this opportunity to make their
print catalogs available electronically.

The GSA has long been under strong Congressional pressure to
change the way it negotiates contracts and handles protests and
this apparently failed BBS venture will only increase calls from
a cost-conscious administration and Congressional critics for an
overhaul in the way the General Services Administration operates.

In what may be a related move, acting GSA head Robert Lee Jones
has rescinded a proposed new Multiple Award Schedule Program
Management Office which would have increased the status of the
"schedule" contracts division.

Last year about $4 billion worth of computers, accessories, and
software were bought from the GSA schedule, dwarfing even such
ballyhooed contracts as the multi-year $740 million Desktop IV.

The old GSA BBS, which provided minimal information about
contracts and often listed useless contact telephone numbers, is
still in operation at 202-501-2014 despite an online notice that
it would shut down on January 31.

The new Information Resources Management Services On-Line
Schedules System - OSS is available at 202-501-7254 (8N1), and
the introductory message shown below explains just what is to be
found on the board.

"This system is for Multiple Award Schedule procurement of FIP
Resources. This covers FSC Group 70 A & B/C ADP-"Micro, Mini &
Mainframe computers, peripherals and Software" and Group 58 VI &
VII Telecommunication-"Telephone, Facsimile, Radio & Voice paging
products."

Those calling the system must have ANSI enabled.

(John McCormick/19930210/Press Contact: John Beckman, GSA SYSOP,
202-219-0190)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00013)

Wang's Government Woes 02/10/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Severely troubled
Wang Laboratories learned this month that the US Department of
State, which depends on Wang systems worldwide, is joining the
Department of Defense's Joint Chiefs of Staff in moving away from
dependence on the Lowell, Massachusetts-based computer maker.

Three "conversion" centers using IBM RS/6000 workstation
computers are being opened by State to spur migration to an AIX
(Unix)-based system.

Wang Labs was one of the earliest big suppliers in the office
automation arena with the company's dedicated word processor
stations and later word processor software gaining a large share
of the private and government arenas.

Last year's collapse of the company as a major player sent shock
waves through businesses and federal agencies which had not kept
up with advances in computer technology any more than Wang
Laboratories had. This is a special problem because Wang word
processing software produces files are difficult to convert
to either generic ASCII or proprietary formats used by popular
modern word processors such as Microsoft Word or WordPerfect.

The Pentagon recently awarded a major contract to convert the
Joint Chiefs of Staff's communications systems from Wang-based
hardware and software.

Wang has announced that the company will continue to provide full
support for State Department systems and that is important
because State estimates that this new conversion from Wang VS
minicomputers to RISC-based Unix computers will take at least
four years.

Knowledgeware and Texas Instruments will reportedly supply CASE,
or computer-aided software engineering, tools to help speed
conversion.

(John McCormick/19930210/)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(WAS)(00014)

MacTV Schedule For February 15-19 02/10/93
MARLOW, NEW HAMPSHIRE, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- MacTV is a
daily one-hour satellite computer product news program broadcast
every day on Galaxy 6, Channel 22, starting at 8 a.m. Eastern
time. Some shows are also broadcast on the Mind Extension
University cable channel.

Previously broadcast programs are available at $9.95 plus $3
shipping.

Monday, February 15, 1993: TelePort, combination fax/modem;
ComboCache Card, the Macintosh IIsi gets a four-in-one package;
PowerBooks: Duo230/180, two new Apple portables; Desktop Dialer,
access your telephone when in any application; DaynaSTAR Hubs &
SCSI Link, Dayna products that promise networking solutions.

Tuesday, February 16, 1993: EtherNet, details on EtherNet and
advantages of using it; Networks, helps you to find mistakes as
well as managing hubs and traffic; SpreadBase, the first modeling
tool that is category-based; Status Mac, comprehensive details on
networking Macintoshes; Rocket Accelerator & Rocket Share,
software that boosts your Macintosh to undreamed-of heights.

Wednesday, February 17, 1993: Quicken 3.0, another financial
management package; Berlitz: Think & Talk, the Berlitz way of
language teaching; At Ease, lessens fear of computers;
LetterWorks, prewritten documents prevent delays caused by
writer's block.

Thursday, February 18, 1993: On Telecommunications, discussion on
whether or not our daily lives are being changed by
telecommunications; FaxMania, novel and attractive cover sheets
for faxes; PowerPort, PBs get a very fast internal fax modem;
Smartcom II Mac, communications software that is uncomplicated;
On-Line Services, how to decide which service you should use;
PowerKey/Remote, allows a Macintosh to be turned on whether you
are home or traveling; LanRover/L, allows networks to be accessed
remotely.

Friday, February 19, 1993: Works 3.0, introduces this software's
latest version; ClarisWorks, perhaps the ultimate one-and-only
application; WordPerfect Works, integrated software has a
newcomer; GreatWorks 2.0, a combination database/paint-and-
draw/word processor package.

(John McCormick/19930210/Press Contact: Wayne Mohr, Executive
Producer PCTV and MacTV, 603-863-9322)


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

SW Bell Buys Cable Nets 02/10/93
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Southwestern
Bell made history by agreeing to buy two cable television
companies in the Washington, DC area for about $650 million.

The irony here is that Bell Atlantic, the local phone company,
has been the most aggressive of the regional Bells in demanding
the right to compete in the cable television business. In
October, it said it would test the delivery of compressed videos
to 400 employees in the Arlington, Virginia area, using a "video
server" with movies compressed under the Motion Picture Experts
Group, or MPEG standard. The company has also announced plans to
upgrade phone systems in Pennsylvania and New Jersey to deliver
TV.

The company has also been active in the courts. In December, the
company filed suit to declare the 1984 Cable Act, which prevents
phone companies from competing directly with cable firms,
unconstitutional. The suit charged the cable act violates the
phone company's First Amendment freedom of speech and Fifth
Amendment right to be free of illegal taking of property. Art
Bushkin is the company's president for Information Services, and
has called video-on-demand a "tremendous market opportunity"
adding the company is talking with many possible providers of
services.

The seller, a privately held firm mostly owned by Gustave Hauser,
who helped launch the Nickelodeon cable channel in 1979. News
reports indicate Hauser is doubling its total investment in the
Montgomery County system, which comes to about $2,888 per
subscriber. Such deals have been criticized in the past by
consumer groups, who claim they lead to cable companies raising
rates in order to make up the windfall. This is also the first
such deal since the passage of the 1992 Cable Reregulation Act,
aimed at holding down such price increases. The Hauser companies
raised their rates just last December.

Southwestern Bell also has other operations in the Washington,
D.C. area, including the local Cellular One phone network and a
phone book called the One Book. It would be able to use the
network for microwave-based PCN cellular service. It could also,
in time, use the cable network in some areas to bypass the local
Bell Atlantic phone network, or offer special deals to One Book
advertisers on its cable system. The sale is due to close this
summer.

There remains a regulatory hitch in all this, however. Pacific
Telesis signed an option in 1989 to buy a Chicago-area cable
service, and asked the Justice Department for a waiver on its
prohibition from offering long distance service in order to take
satellite feeds outside the local operating area. That waiver
request is still pending, and Southwestern Bell will need a
similar waiver to go ahead. President Clinton has yet to appoint
a new Attorney General, however, and the agency is in limbo until
new top officials are approved by the Senate.

Reaction was generally favorable. Bell Atlantic's Art Bushkin
called again for lifting the AT&T consent decree restrictions and
the 1984 Cable Act, but did not indicate it would oppose the
Southwestern Bell buy. Other analysts cynically noted that a
cable operation in the Washington area where most House and
Senate members live represents a lobbying coup.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930210/Press Contact: Julie Kearney,
Southwestern Bell, 314-235-7135)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00016)

Southwestern Bell Fights Caller ID Ban In Texas 02/10/93
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Southwestern Bell has
launched a two-pronged assault on the Texas Public Utility
Commission's decision against letting it offer the controversial
Caller ID service in that state.

The PUC had decided on September 15 that Caller ID service
violates the state's "tap and traces" and anti-wiretapping law.
The company, which is moving its home office to San Antonio from
St. Louis, filed suit January 14 in an Austin state court against
that decision, calling it "an incorrect interpretation of Texas
law." The ruling was a blow not only to Southwestern Bell but to
third-party companies like Rochelle Communications of Austin,
which offer special software to let businesses access databases
using Caller ID information. The service is now available in 30
states, under a variety of rules, most-often allowing free per-
call blocking of numbers going out but disallowing total blocks
of phone lines. If Bell wins its suit, the PUC would only have to
reconsider its rejection of Caller ID in light of the court's
favorable interpretation of the law.

Far more promising are moves by Bell's allies in the State
Senate, where three bills have been introduced on the subject.
Sen. Teel Bivins, an Amarillo Republican, filed a bill December
30 that would exempt Caller ID from the state's wiretap law,
which is now awaiting a hearing. On January 21, Democratic Sen.
John Whitmire of Houston offered a broader re-write of criminal
statutes which would also legalize Caller ID. Both bills have the
approval of Southwestern Bell.

But on February 9, after the "Austin American-Statesman"
publicized Bell's efforts on behalf of Caller ID, Democrat Peggy
Rosson of El Paso offered a bill which, "would require the
telephone company offering Caller ID to provide free per-line
blocking as a default. You'd start out with everyone blocked,"
according to Bell spokesman Sherry Smith. "We oppose that bill,
because we feel that defeats the very purpose of it."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930210/Press Contact: Sherry Smith,
Southwestern Bell, 314-247-4613)


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

Cartridge Lets LaserJets Receive Faxes 02/10/93
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Moonlight
Computer Products has introduced the Moonlight PrinterFax cartridge
which allows users to receive faxes on Hewlett-Packard LaserJet
printers. The cartridge installs in the printer's font
cartridge slot and connects to any telephone jack.

The PrinterFax cartridge provides complete CCITT Group 3
compatibility at laser printer resolution. Suggested list
price is $259.

The Moonlight PrinterFax resembles a normal font cartridge and
simply plugs into any Hewlett-Packard LaserJet Series II, IID,
IIP+, III, IIID, and IIIP printer. The cartridge switches
automatically between printer and fax modes, allows storage of
lengthy incoming faxes and includes an internal clock for
precise date and time stamping.

The Moonlight PrinterFax cartridge ships ready to install with
a three-foot phone cord and fax/phone RTS connector. A minimum
of one megabyte of expansion printer memory is required;
additional printer memory increases the storage capacity for
incoming faxes. The cartridge carries a lifetime warranty and
is backed by a 60 day money-back guarantee.

(Computer Currents/19930210/Press and Public Contact: 619/625-
0300)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00018)

 ****Available Phone Numbers Disappearing Rapidly 02/10/93
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- The Southwestern
Bell Telephone Company said this week that it is rapidly running out
of phone numbers in some area codes and the problem is at least
partially due to demand for second and third home and
office lines for computers and fax machines, and the rapid
growth of cellular phone usage.

A Bell spokesperson said the 314 area code in St Louis will be out
of available numbers by the second quarter of 1995 and 13 other area
codes are expected to be filled by the end of the same year.
The spokesperson said area codes in communities like Fort Worth,
Texas and Nashville, Tennessee will probably be filled by the
end of 1993.

Right now there are 144 available area codes, and most will fill
up by 1995 when a new North American Numbering Plan comes
into effect from Bellcore, the Bells' research arm, allowing up
to 640 area codes.

Regional Bell company representatives and Federal Communications
staffers are scheduled to meet in Washington, DC next month to
re-examine the original North American Numbering Plan, developed
in 1947 to assign one billion telephone numbers in 144
area codes. The new Plan will add 640 more area codes and
as many as five billion new phone numbers.

Southwestern Bell spokesperson Joe Elstner said the new plan will
probably mean that callers will have to dial 10 digit numbers for
calls within their own area codes. "It will be somewhat
inconvenient but its what's needed to create a whole new supply of
phone numbers," Elstner said.

(Jim Mallory & Dana Blankenhorn/19930210/Press contact: Joe
Elstner, Southwestern Bell, 314-235-9800)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00019)

Microsoft's Second OLE Developers Beta Kit 02/10/93
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Microsoft
announced this week that is has released the second beta software
developer's kit (SDK) of its object linking and embedding (OLE)
technology for Microsoft Windows 3.1.

OLE is a Microsoft-developed technology that allows items such as
video, sound, animation, a spreadsheet, or graphics, to be embedded
within a file, such as a text document. Clicking on the icon
representing the embedded item activates the embedded file.

The company says version 2.0 of the SDK, which like its predecessor
is free to any developer, will allow independent software vendors to
create OLE-aware applications more easily.

To teach developers more about the updated SDK, Microsoft says it
will host a professional developers conference at the Washington
State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle May 3-5, 1993. A
Microsoft spokesperson told Newsbytes the conference fee is $795 if
registration is done before April 16, and $845 after that date. No
estimate of how many developers would register was available, but
the facility will hold 1200, the spokesperson said. Developers
interested in attending can call a toll-free number for
registration.

The conference will include several breakout tracks so attendees can
choose the most appropriate sessions for their individual needs.
There will also be question-and-answer sessions to answer specific
detailed technical questions.

"The OLE 2.0 conference will take the interest in our object
technology to a new level as developers begin to see how they can
implement it and realize the impact of the resulting customer
benefits," said Microsoft's Cameron Myhrvold, director of systems
developer relations.

OLE has many potential applications. Some of those that have been
demonstrated are pictures of employees embedded in a employee
database; spreadsheets with financial data embedded in a report;
and pictures of products embedded in a product catalog database. The
link feature of OLE connects the embedded image with the application
in which it was created. If the user changes the figures in an
embedded spreadsheet, those changes would automatically be made in
the original file and would be present next time a user clicked on
the image icon.

(Jim Mallory/19930210/Press contact: Beverley Flower, Microsoft
Corporation, 206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft, 800-426-9400;
Conference registration: 800-421-2388 in the US; In Canada and
overseas: 405-543-5847)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00020)

Dell Computer Cuts Prices Again 02/10/93
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Dell Computer has once
again reduced prices on some of its desktop, floorstanding, and
notebook models, with cuts of as much as $500.

In addition to the personal computer reductions, the company said it
is also reducing the price of various peripherals including
monitors, hard drives, and notebook system memory upgrades by as
much as $300. The company says that with the combined system and
peripheral reductions, a base system is now available for as much as
$699 less than before the cuts.

Dell USA President Joel Kocher said that the price of a PC is just
one of many features that must be competitive for a computer system
to be attractive to buyers. Growing interest in elements such as
upgradability, serviceability, and cost of ownership has predicated
what has been called a "value war," or competition among PC vendors
for the most valuable mix of product features, price/performance,
and service and support. A number of recent Newsbytes stories have
reported enhanced customer service and technical support from PC
makers.

Products affected by the announcement include four portable systems
and 10 of the company's Intel 486-based systems, which were
introduced last December. The biggest savings is on a Dell 320SLi
configured with 8 megabytes (MB) of system memory and a 120MB hard
drive. That system dropped $699. At the low end of the price
scale, a Dell 486-based Model 425s/L is now available for $1,000.
That price includes 4MB of system memory, a 80MB hard drive, one
floppy drive, a mouse, MS-DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.1. A monitor is
extra.

Under the new pricing schedule Dell provided Newsbytes, a Dell
Model 466/T, powered by an Intel 486 operating at 66 MHz with 16MB
of memory, a 320MB hard drive, and an UltraScan 15-inch monitor, is
now priced at $3,949, down $250. The company's 325NC color
notebook, equipped with 4MB of memory, a 120MB hard drive, and a VGA
color LCD display, now sells for $2,549. That's a $400 reduction.

In addition to the price reductions, Dell announced that it has
signed a contract with Wal-Mart stores to sell the four models of
Dell's Precision line through that company's Sam's Clubs. Shipment
of the Precision line, designed by Dell specifically for
warehouse-type outlets, will begin in April. A Dell spokesperson
told Newsbytes the Precision line systems include lifetime
round-the-clock technical support. Sam's members will also receive
second business-day onsite service through BSC, Dell's national
service provider.

Kocher said the deal is part of Dell's strategy to reach customers
in small businesses and home offices. Market research firm
International Data Corporation estimates that warehouse membership
clubs will be one of the fastest growing segments of the mass
merchandising market, growing over 25 percent in the next five
years.

Dell already sells the Precision line through CompUSA, Staples, and
Price Club.

(Jim Mallory/19930210/Press contact: Dean Kline, Dell Computer,
512-794-4100; Reader contact: Dell Computer, 800-289-3355)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00021)

Rumors Not True, Says Data Race 02/10/93
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Data Race President
and CEO Herb Hensley said yesterday that the recent rumors that the
company has lost one of its largest customers is not true.

Hensley said he knows of no reason why the company's stock continues
to decline other than the unfounded rumors. Analyst Raymond James
recently cited delivery problems with some components, and Hensley
said that report, which he characterized as "overstating the
seriousness" of the supply problem, may have also contributed to the
stock drop. Data Race stock entered the market in October 1992 at
$13 and reached an all-time high of 28. It opened at 23 today and
reached a high of 25 by Newsbytes deadline on a volume of 257,300
shares.

Hensley said AT&T Microelectronics chip sets, crystals, and
oscillators have been on allocation since October. However, he did
admit that Data Race may be unable to obtain enough chips to satisfy
demand for the company's data/voice/fax multiplexers. However he
said delivery above second quarter levels is anticipated, and
expects quarter-to-quarter sequential revenue and earnings growth
throughout 1993.

A Data Race spokesperson told Newsbytes that the company has no idea
what customer it is that they allegedly lost, but denied that it has
lost any of its OEM customers. "We absolutely refute that," the
spokesperson told Newsbytes. He told Newsbytes that representatives
of AT&T Microelectronics will travel to San Antonio later this week
to meet with Hensley in an attempt to resolve the supply problem.

In the meantime the company says it has located alternate sources
for crystals and oscillators and shipment is being expedited in
order to meet Data Race's production increase planned for the third
fiscal quarter.

Hensley declined to comment about the effect rumors can have on a
publicly held company. He also declined to reveal the company's
current order backlog.

(Jim Mallory/19930210/Press contact: Alan Weinkrantz for Data Race,
210-820-3070; Reader contact: Data Race, 210-558-1900, fax
210-558-1929))


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00022)

Compaq Sustains R&D, Seeks IBM Market Share 02/10/93
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Compaq Computer
Corporation says it will continue its R&D program despite price war
pressures, and expects to challenge IBM's market share worldwide.

The company said it is determined to remain a technology leader
despite the industry-wide pressure on costs. Compaq instituted
aggressive price cutting last year, kicking off a PC price war.

The company says it spent over four percent of its 1992 $4.1 billion
sales revenue on research and development, when revenue rose a
record 24 percent.

Compaq President Eckhard Pfeiffer says he is determined to maintain
R&D spending and the pace of product launches, including that of a
new lower-cost entry-level personal computer. He said the company
is also working on new products based on Intel's new 586 Pentium
chip.

Pfeiffer assumed leadership of the company which had always competed
with IBM on a quality basis, but was known for its higher prices in
comparison to other PC makers, two years ago when he replaced
co-founder Rod Canion. He instituted a high-volume, low cost
approach, slashing prices as much as 50 percent.

The company says it has cut materials costs $200 million and
overhead per unit by 63 percent in 1992. Operating costs fell from
32 percent of sales in the third quarter of 1991 to 16 percent at
the end of 1992. Gross margins are reported down to 28 percent and
net margins have dropped from 10 percent to five percent. Market
research firm Dataquest estimates Compaq's market share was up .6 in
92, and some analysts see Compaq overtaking IBM as the world's
leading PC seller this year.

The company also plans to open a new European distribution center in
the Netherlands in March. European sales contributed 44 percent of
the company's sales last year.

(Jim Mallory/19930210/Press contact: John Sweney, Compaq,
713-374-1564)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00023)

PC Wars Means Semiconductor Orders 02/10/93
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- The
semiconductor industry book-to-bill ratio is at its highest
level since 1987 according to preliminary reports from the
Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). Personal computer
(PC) price wars are being credited for the rise, according to
Angela Newlove of the SIA.

The PC market boom has also propelled PC microprocessor
manufacturer Intel to the top of the industry. Intel was
recently reported to be the world's largest semiconductor
manufacturer for the first time.

The preliminary book-to-bill ratio for January is reported at
1.19, which means for every $100 worth of products shipped
(billed), a $119 worth of orders (bookings) are received. The
ratio is calculated by averaging three months' worth of book-to-
bill reports from major semiconductor manufacturers.

January bookings are reported to be $2.02 billion, up from
$1.90 billion in December. However, the SIA did adjust downward
the preliminary book-to-bill ratio originally reported in
December at 1.13 to a final figure of 1.11.

While the January figures are up only 6.6 percent from
December, the jump compared to January of 1992 is 39.7 percent
when orders were reported at $1.45 million.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930210/Press Contact: Angela Newlove,
Semiconductor Industry Association, tel [phone], fax 408-
246-2830)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00024)

Sun Shareholder Suits Settled For $30 Million 02/10/93
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Sun
Microsystems says it cost $30 million to settle two separate
securities class action lawsuits brought against it by
shareholders and pending in the Federal District Court in San
Jose, California.

One suit was related to the company's fourth fiscal quarter of
1989, and the other related to the company's first fiscal
quarter of 1991. Sun's vice president and general counsel
Michael H. Morris admits no wrong-doing and that the
allegations in the suits were not true. "However, defense of
these matters through trial, with the inherent risks of
litigation, would have entailed enormous legal expense and the
devotion of substantial management time and energy which, in
our board's opinion, could far better be spent on running the
business."

The settlement amount will take care of all outstanding suits
Sun is facing. The company says half the cost of the total
settlement will be paid by insurance.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930210/Press Contact: Jeanne Storment, Sun
Microsystems, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00025)

Autocad Release 12 On CD-ROM For Solaris 02/10/93
SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- The latest
release of Autodesk's flagship computer-aided design software
product, Autocad Release 12, is now available to Sun Solaris
Sparcstation's customers in the United States, Canada, and
Latin America.

Autocad Release 12 will run on the new Solaris 2.1 for the
Sparcstation, including Sparcstation 2, Sparcstation LX and
Sparcstation 10. Sunsoft, the subsidiary of Sun which developed
Solaris describes Solaris 2.1 as a distributed-computing
environment which complies with the POSIX standard. Solaris
includes Sun Operating System (OS) 5.1, Openwindows 3.1
industry-standard networking capabilities, a developer
environment, and a three-dimensional multimedia "desktop."

"Technical designers and engineers looking for a design
automation tool that combines ease of use with the
multitasking, security and networking of high end computing --
all on the desktop -- should be looking at Autocad Release 12
on Solaris," said Len Rand, vice president of Autodesk's Design
Automation Group.

Autodesk says the new version of Autocad for Solaris is shipped
with a free compact disc (CD) containing hundreds of files,
including sample Autolisp and ADS routines, DOS and Unix
utilities, fonts, toolkits, and tutorials. Support for
Autocad's optional, integrated solid modeler, Advanced Modeling
Extension (AME) Release 2.1 is also included.

Autodesk says Solaris users can look forward to an Openwindows
user interface for Autocad, quick installation from the CD, the
addition of Audio notes software, the XGL Birds-eye Window
feature, the ability to drag and drop .dwg files from File
Manager, the ability to copy-and-paste in addition to text-
scrolling capabilities in the text window and graphics command-
line areas.

Also the new release adds networking and Elan License
Management with Open Look-based administration tools, support
for X server displays, Autocad software log file support,
Multiple-session digitizer support, and support for use of
digitizer as system mouse, Autodesk added.

The suggested retail price of Autocad Release 12 for Sun
Solaris is $3,750 and the AME Release 2.1 (the version required
for use with Autocad Release 12) is an additional $495.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930210/Press Contact: Lynne Saunders,
Autodesk, tel [phone] ext 8753, fax [phone]; Public
Contact for Info 415/332-2344 or type GO ADESK on Compuserve;
Dealer Info US 800-964-6432; Europe fax [phone];
Asia/Pacific region fax [phone], Latin America fax 415-
491-8303)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00026)

AST Cuts Server, Storage, Upgrade Prices 02/10/93
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- AST Research
says it is cutting prices on its Premium SE file server systems
from 10 to 23 percent. The company is also cutting prices on
its Premium SE 4/66d Cupid Fastboard upgrade and on its 500-
megabyte (MB) and 1-gigabyte (GB) small computer systems
interface (SCSI) hard disk drives which are mounted in slide-
out trays for easy removal and replacement.

For example, AST's 486DX 33 megahertz (MHz) model Premium Se
4/33 is reduced $700 to $3,295 from $3,995. The company's
fully-configured Premium SE 4/66d Model 1003 is now $7,535,
reduced from $9,695. The company's Premium SE 4/66d Fastboard
is reduced to $2,595 from $2,895. The 500 MB hard drive is now
$1,495, down from $1,895 and the 1 GB hard drive is $2,045, '
reduced from $2,945.

The company, despite high praise in industry publications, says
it wants to be at or below competitors in price. "Feature for
feature, AST's Premium SE product line is now priced at or
below most comparable products on the market," said Larry
Fortmuller, director of high-performance system marketing.
"AST's record volume shipments over the past year have provided
the avenue for us to offer customers a dramatically high value
at a very low cost."

AST says its servers offer Flash Basic Input Output System
(BIOS) which allows the upgrade of the BIOS with software so it
can support larger hard disk drives or new peripherals
introduced in the future. The company also says its video
graphics array (VGA) is integrated video for to accelerate
video performance.

To speed network responsiveness, AST says its servers can
support up to 8 GB of internal hard drive storage and can
include an optional single-channel caching controller or an
optional multi-channel disk array equipped with the Intel i960
reduced instruction set chip (RISC). The i960 can manage
multiple hard drives independent of the host system, AST added.

The company's FastSCSI-2 offers 10 MB-per-second data transfer
as opposed to the standard 5 MB-per-second rates. The company's
500 MB and 1 GB drives FastSCSI drives FastSCSI hard drives
mount in slide-out trays to make it easy to upgrade or "hot"
swap in a disk array environment. Also, a SCSI backplane design
provides cable-free drive installation.

Irvine, California headquartered AST also recently announced
price cuts and additional features on its Powerexec line of
notebook computers. The company reported with 1992 revenues
totaling more than $1.1 billion and says it had the third
largest market share of PCs sold in 1992. AST has been listed
Fortune Magazine's 500 largest industrial companies in America
and Forbes Magazine's Profit List.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930210/Press Contact: Deborah Paquin, AST,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00027)

UK - Excalibur In Europe 02/10/93
WINDSOR, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Excalibur
Technologies, the document imaging software company, has just
appointed its first European distributor, Salcom Multimedia of
Stockholm in Sweden.

The move is a significant one for the relatively young company.
Excalibur was formed in November of last year and now claims to be a
distributor for DEC and Open Connections. Plans call for Salcom to
market Excalibur's Pixtec/EFG document imaging system into the Swedish
marketplace.

Excalibur claims that its document imaging software is different from
the competition, since it uses "fuzzy logic" and automatic indexing to
allow rapid retrieval of documents scanned into the system.

The company also claims that the automatic indexing facility negates
the need for the user to input any data manually when scanning the
document in. The Pixtex/EFS software indexes the document based on the
data content of the image.

Pixtex/EFS runs on a variety of platforms, including DEC VAX/VMS and
Risc environments, as well as Hewlett-Packard and IBM RS/6000
computers. Sun Microsystems and Microsoft Windows environments are
also supported.

(Steve Gold/19930210/Press & Public Contact: Excalibur Technologies -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00028)

 ****Software Lets DOS Apps Run Under Windows 02/10/93
AYLESBURY, BUCKS, ENGLAND, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Micromini Systems has
launched GUI Assist, a utility package that it claims allows DOS
software to run as true Windows applications under Microsoft Windows
3.1, without any modification to the original program.

Even more amazingly, Micromini claims that access to the source code
of the original program is not required. According to the company,
instead of changing the existing application, GUI Assist works by
adding a self-contained graphical user interface (GUI) front end that
runs the DOS application in a controlled environment.

In use, GUI Assist claims to allow multi-lingual versions of a PC
user-developed front end to be installed with the original DOS
application. This means, for example, that an English language
application could be front ended with a German Windows front end for
the German language marketplace.

"The package overcomes the problems of moving DOS applications to
Windows. Because no changes are made to the existing DOS application,
the process is quick and virtually bug-free," explained Bill Holmes,
Micromini Systems' managing director.

Holmes went on to say that different DOS applications can be made to
look and feel the same. This is important, he argues, as companies try
to establish a single graphical user interface for their applications.

The UKP 350 package works in conjunction with the Windows software
development kit (SDK) 3.1 or later and Visual Basic or later. As
supplied, the software includes developer extensions for Visual Basic,
including custom routines and a special DLL.

Also included in the price of the package is an unlimited runtime
license for purchasers to supply copies of GUI Assist as a front end
to their software.

(Steve Gold/19931002/Press & Public Contact: Micromini Systems - Tel:
0844-275666)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00029)

Voice Messaging For London's Subway 02/10/03
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- The London Underground, the
London subway system, has just become Racal Recorders' latest customer
for its Wordsafe communications system.

Wordsafe is a voice messaging and logging system that Racal claims has
generated UKP 17 million since it was launched two years ago. At the
London Underground site, the equipment will be located at the Baker
Street station and will be used to record conversations in the
signalling control room.

In the event of any problems occurring, operators can access the
digital recording system in seconds to play back any ambiguous
commands and instructions used on the Metropolitan line, one of the
busiest tube lines in London.

Announcing the contract with London Transport, Bruce Titheridge said
that it is an important milestone for Racal. "We have become rapidly
established as the leading VHS cassette voice logger in the world," he
said, adding that the system is now installed around the world.

The Wordsafe system uses standard VHS cassettes which provide up to 27
hours of continuous recording on a single tape using between four and
27 channels. The system is highly reliable, Racal claims, and saves on
storage space and media costs for the recordings against conventional
cassette and digital audio cassette recordings.

(Steve Gold/19930210/Press & Public Contact: Racal Recorders - Tel:
0734-669969)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00030)

Egghead's New President, Lower Earnings 02/10/93
ISSAQUAH, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 FEB 10 (NB) -- Egghead Software
has announced the resignation of Matthew J. Griffin as
president/CEO, the election of a new president/CEO and chairman,
the departure of two senior vice presidents, the opening of three
new stores, and lowered earnings of $2.3 million for the most
recent quarter.

Egghead's board of directors has named Timothy E. Turnpaugh,
previously a vice president of Seafirst Bank, as president/CEO, and
Richard P. Cooley, the retired chairman and CEO of Seafirst, as
chairman of the retail software chain.

Turnpaugh and Cooley replace Ronald P. Erickson, who has served as
acting president/CEO and chairman since last fall. Erickson took
over temporarily for Stuart Sloan, who left as chairman in
September, and Griffin, who resigned as president/CEO in November.

Erickson now moves on to the position of vice chairman of Egghead.
Company officials said that Erickson will continue to focus on
"strategic projects" in his new capacity.

Senior Vice President of Administration M. Carol Lewis and Senior
Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising Robert W. Brooks will
be leaving Egghead as a result of a company decision to eliminate
their positions to streamline the organization.

In announcing the resignations and new appointments, Egghead also
reported the opening of one new store in Rochester, NY and two new
stores in Raleigh, NC, and financial results showing earnings of 14
cents per share for the third quarter of fiscal 1993.

Egghead's earnings for the most recent quarter compared with 36
cents per share, or $6.3 million, for the same quarter the previous
year. The company's year-to-date earnings were $4.7 million, or 27
cents a share, compared to $11.5 million, or 67 cents per share,
during the same period a year ago.

Overall sales for the third quarter showed a 7% increase, to $188
million. Quarterly sales were split about 50/50 between retail and
corporate/government sales. Retail sales shot up 16% over the
period, but a company spokesperson told Newsbytes that the rise was
not as high as the average rate for comparable stores.

Egghead blames the earning decline largely on a drop in gross
margins as a percentage of sales and a $2.1 million reserve for
restructuring charges, related mainly to a reorganization of the
corporate/government sales group to improve customer service.

Officials attribute the reduction in gross margins to industry
pressure to lower prices, the company's commitment to competitive
pricing, and high sales of low-margin items, particularly some
multimedia products that proved to be quite popular.

The company also announced that other departments will be reduced
in size due to the effects of reorganization in corporate/
government sales.

In addition to opening the new stores in Rochester and Raleigh,
Egghead has signed the leases for two more sites, completing its
fiscal 1993 goal of 30 to 40 new stores. The spokesperson told
Newsbytes that Egghead is not ready to divulge yet where the two
upcoming stores will be located.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930210; Press contact: Megan McKenzie, Egghead,
tel [phone])