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/nb930429

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(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00001)

ArborText's SGML-Based Software To Be Available For PCs 04/29/93
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- ArborText has
announced Version 5.0 of the Adept Series, the first release of
the company's SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language)-based
software to be offered in editions for Windows and Windows NT as
well as traditional Unix platforms.

In an interview with Newsbytes, John M. Ford, vice president, said
that ArborText focused on usability and human factors in developing
the latest release of Adept, a series of authoring-editing-
publishing packages that are widely employed in government agencies
and the commercial aerospace and telecommunications industries.

Document-Architect, the authoring component, is newly equipped with
intelligent algorithms that can automatically create human
interfaces for working with SGML Document Type Definitions (DTDs),
he reported. SGML preserves the structure, but not the format, of
a document. DTDs are used to specify rules for the document.

"The smart algorithms are most useful in a situation where two
people are communicating in SGML, and one person gives the other a
body of SGML (with DTDs) the second person has never seen before,"
Ford told Newsbytes. In previous releases of Document-Architect,
the recipient of the unfamiliar SGML would have needed to call in
an expert to create the tools needed for working with the DTDs.

"Now, the software automatically generates the right tools. It
then makes guesses as to what a reasonable human interface would
look like," he explained. The new ease of use will make it
possible for documentation writers and editors, and inhouse
publishing arms, to create interfaces by themselves, without
necessarily relying on MIS departments, he emphasized.

Also in Version 5.0, Adept has been enhanced with the first GUI
(graphical user interface) for FOSI (Formatting Output Specification
Instance), a style specification developed by an industry steering
group to support the Department of Defense CALS initiative.

"Our new software works more like a desktop publishing application
than a typical FOSI package," stated the company vice president.
The FOSI interface is fully integrated into Document Architect.
However, the ability to quickly change fonts and make other style
changes under the FOSI GUI also appears in Adept Publisher, a
component of Adept used for page composition.

In addition, Adept Publisher and Adept Editor, a subset of
Publisher, have been embellished with new authoring and navigation
aids, he said. In the past, commercial industries have used Adept
for delivering federal contracts, in instances where SGML was
stipulated as a delivery requirement.

"But from now on, there will be people using Adept who have nothing
to do with federal contracting," he commented. By giving writers
and editors a standard sequence of actions to follow, the software
can bring about greater productivity and higher document quality,
he asserted. "The software knows what action is supposed to come
next, and sort of leads the user in that direction."

All three components of the Adept Series are available now.
Windows NT and Windows 3.1 editions of Document Architect and
Editor, the first versions of Adept ever to be released for PCs,
are slated to ship this fall. "We'll probably also be doing
something to bring Publisher over to PCs, but we're not announcing
that now," Ford told Newsbytes.

(Jacqueline Emigh/042893/Press contact: John M. Ford, ArborText,
tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEL)(00002)

GDC Multiplexers Hit Indian Shores 04/29/93
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- General Datacomm (GDC) of the
US, a leading manufacturer of data communication products, is
set to indent the Indian communication market through a technical
and marketing tie up with Neutron Electronic systems Pvt. Ltd.
The Bombay-based company will market and support GDC's high-speed
data communication networking products including Megamux TMS, GDC's
widely acclaimed multiplexer for managing high speed wide area
networks.

The GDC range of multiplexers are designed for very small aperture
terminals (VSAT) networks, digital microwave networks for both
voice and data applications. Its most popular one, Megamux TMS,
allows the integration of voice and data with image, video and
local area networking applications for a wide area networking
besides supporting the dedicated and switched fractional services
essential for total digital connectivity.

Another software controlled single aggregate one, Minimux, helps
in point-to-point links in voice, data, voice and LANs.

Other GDC products that will be available in India include
high-speed multiplexers, networking products, network management
systems and controllers, modems, data-over-voice systems port sharing
devices.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930429)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00003)

Japanese Word Processor Ichitaro Upgraded 04/29/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Best-selling Japanese word
processor Ichitaro has been upgraded to version 5. Just System has
launched a major advertising campaign on TV and in major magazines
to promote it.

Ichitaro version 5 was released April 24 at the retail price of
68,000 yen ($620). This program supports more fonts and offers a
WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) environment. It includes
two Japanese kanji fonts and 6 alphabetical fonts which can be
printed in 2 to 250-point sizes.

An unique AI (artificial intelligence) feature allows the
program to convert Japanese kana words into kanji letters
effectively and quickly, the company says.

This latest version of the program also supports multiple
data processing and powerful macros and has Just System's original
window platform, a multiple processing environment. The user can
link data between different files easily, the firm says.

The release of this latest version was behind schedule due to
some stubborn "bugs" or program errors. Just System also
experienced a bug problem in its previous version 4, so has taken
the time to make sure the program runs without a hitch this
time.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930427/Press Contact: Just Systems,
 [phone], Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00004)

Sony Gets PostScript License From Adobe 04/29/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Adobe has licensed its
page description language PostScript to Sony in a deal which
calls for Sony to adapt this program to its Unix workstations
and come up with a standard PostScript for Unix workstations.

Adobe will reap extra benefits from the relationship because Sony
plans to port the program for its workstations at its own cost.

Sony will offer Postscript first on its NEWS workstation this fall.
Then, the company will produce a Japanese Unix standard, called
the "OCMP" version of PostScript, later. This standard is expected
to enable the program to run on NEC and other firms' workstations.

The license also allows Sony to sub-license Adobe's Raster
Image Processor, which is based on a PostScript interpreter called
CPSI. The Raster Image Processor is used on output devices such
as printers. Sony will employ it on its workstations. The Raster
Image Processor has the latest version of PostScript, level 2,
which is more powerful.

Sony will also equip the Raster Image Processor on its printer,
the Pixel Jet, which is currently supplied to Sony from
Canon on an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) basis.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930427/Press Contact: Sony, +81-3-
3448-2200, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00005)

NEC To Transfer System Engineers To Sales Division 04/29/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- NEC will transfer about 10
percent of its computer systems engineers to its sales division
as part of a major restructuring.

NEC has currently about 8,000 system engineers at its 20 software
subsidiaries throughout Japan. By 1998, the firm wants to transfer
about 800 engineers to its sales division. This is due to a
slump in software sales. NEC wants the system engineers to
operate its system integration business by creating semi-custom
ordered computer systems for corporate customers. These engineers
will create systems priced between 500,000 yen ($4,500)
to 3 million yen ($27,000) per customer.

To start, about 250 system engineers will be transferred to the
sales divisions to become system integrators by the end of June.
By the end of fiscal 1993, another 330 engineers will be
transferred to its subsidiaries in major cities such as in Tokyo
and Osaka.

Due to the recent downsizing trend in computing, NEC subsidiary
software sales have slumped. The sales figure for 1992 was the
same as that of the previous year, but it will be 2 to 3 percent
lower in this fiscal year.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930427/Press Contact: NEC, +81-3-
3451-2974, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(MOW)(00006)

Borland Developing In CIS And Baltics 04/29/93
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Borland Russia, at a press
conference at Moscow computer show Comtek'93, has described
its company's strategy in the former USSR.

According to Yury Sobolev, sales and marketing director of Borland
Russia, the company now has 5 distributors and 200 dealers in the
market. In 1993, Borland ceased its ruble operations with the
distribution network, all its products are now sold for hard
currency but end-users pay still in rubles.

Yury Parad, Borland's representative in Eastern Europe, Baltics
and CIS, said that the prices in CIS are still 40-50% lower
than in the West.

Borland now offers some localized products, including Turbo C++
compiler and Quattro Pro. The firm's representative said that
a Russian version of Paradox 4.0 for DOS is being beta-tested
right now and is expected to be ready in June. He also said
that a Cyrillised Paradox for Windows will hit the market in the
4th quarter of the year.

Answering Newsbytes' question on the financial situation at
Borland as a whole and for Borland Russia specifically, Mr. Parad
said that Borland's 4th quarter report has suprising revenue
figures. Parad attributed this success to Paradox for Windows which
"very substantially" increased company sales and helped Borland
to produce record results.

Also the alliance with WordPerfect was mentioned which, according
to Parad, has given a boost to Borland stocks.

Concerning the situation with the CIS market, both Yury Sobolev
and Yury Parad have not disclosed any figures, saying sales
volume has reached "several hundreds of thousands dollars which
is excellent for the three months we are operating here." He
added that "the situation is changing very rapidly."

The hit of the season is Quattro Pro 4.0 for DOS -- more
than 1,000 copies are sold every month, he says.

Borland is going to give several more presentations during the Comtek
show.

(Eugene Peskin & Kirill Tchashchin/19930426/Press Contact: Borland AO,
phone [phone] )


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00007)

Document Imaging For VINES, Networks 04/29/93
WESTERVILLE, OHIO, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Image Engineering
has announced FolderXpress, a software package that the company
says allows VINES and Novell Netware users to quickly and easily
share text and images from virtually any networked application.

The company is demonstrating FolderXpress in its booth at the
Association of Banyan Users International spring conference being
held in San Francisco this week, and says it will ship as soon as
Banyan releases its VINES 5.5 toolkit. Image Engineering says
FolderXpress runs on networks running VINES 5.5 or Novell networks
running Banyan's Enterprise Network Services and Microsoft's
Windows.

Using FolderXpress, users can organize text and images in individual
documents or folders containing multiple files, with files from
multiple applications and scanned images included in the same folder.

According to Greg Boyd, Image Engineering president, FolderXpress
eliminates the need to route hundreds of copies of the same paper
document around an organization. "Because no one's waiting to get
access to important information, the workflow is improved - often
significantly," says Boyd.

Document imaging is a technology still in an emerging state, and
could be the answer to the paperless office which many computerists
have dreamed of and touted for years. Using the technology a
document can be created electronically or scanned in from a hard
copy. Once the document is in the system, it can be automatically
routed to various recipients, changed, and even signed. The finished
product can be sent to addressees outside the originating company,
or kept on file for future reference. Some insurance companies are
already using document imaging for paperless claims processing from
submission by the field agent to final approval and issuance of the
check.

Image Engineering says typical FolderXpress applications include an
electronic daily reading file of important articles, and the
consolidation and reconciliation of financial statements from
different parts of the organization. FolderXpress can be used
independently or with Paper Terminator, the company's image scanning
and document management system. Paper Terminator, which has a
suggested retail price of $1,995, provides document indexing and
supports more than 100 PC file types, black and white and color
images, and voice. Documents can be retrieved by indexed page,
document, folder or text. An Image Engineering spokesperson told
Newsbytes Folder Xpress costs $995 per server.

(Jim Mallory/19930427/Press contact: Amy Bermar, Corporate Ink for
Image Engineering, 617-969-4036; Reader contact: Image Engineering,
614-899-7226, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(MOW)(00008)

Moscow - Symantec Releases New Local Products 04/29/93
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Symantec Corporation has
announced four Russian language versions of its software
products: Time Line 5.0, Just Write 2.0, and Norton Desktop
for Windows 2.0 and Norton Desktop for DOS 1.0.

Sunny Tyrrell, Symantec East European and CIS manager, said at
the recent Comtek show in Moscow that the company "is very
happy with those new versions because they were not only
localized very well by Russian programmers but also produced in
Russia."

The company's representatives consider Time Line (and complimentary
Guide Line utility) to be the only project management system
successful in the CIS market. The new Just Write version was
described as "first fully functional Russian text processor for
Windows." There is an original Russian spellchecker in the program,
created in Russia by Sergei Korolev.

The most popular Symantec product in Russia now is Norton Commander
for DOS. 2,000 copies were sold in March alone but practically
every DOS computer in the country has an illegal copy.

Time Line 5.0 is distributed now through Symantec's partners,
other products are expected to be shipped in May. Some of the
products are exported from Ireland, others are produced in
the Russian city of Kazan.

Tyrrel told Newsbytes that Symantec has now 4 distributors in
the CIS (all in Moscow) and is considering deals with two
Estonian firms. "We are also seeking value-added resellers,"
she said.

Symantec is not going to sell the products itself. It will
concentrate on support and services, translation and
manufacturing management. All rubles will be reinvested, said
Tyrell. The company also seeks a local team of programmers to
develop Russian versions of its software and to take part in
Symantec's global projects.

(Eugene Peskin & Kirill Tchashchin/19930427/Press Contact: Symantec
Moscow, Michail Titkin, [phone]; Symantec Corp., Sunny
Tyrrell, 619 429-1091)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(MOW)(00009)

Russia Unable To Support Computer Project 04/29/93
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- The Russian government has
neither the financial resources nor administrative power to
carry out a large-scale state informatics program, computer
projects, or to invest in high technology, according to
Russian Vice Prime Minister Hizha. That's why foreign companies
are so welcomed to cooperate with Russia's converted defense
industry and why qualified scientists are unable to receive
state support right now.

Comtek'93 computer show visitors in Moscow had an opportunity
to exchange opinions on the development of computer and
telecommunications industry with the government. Unfortunately, Mr.
Hizha wasn't able to deliver the speech himself "due to the
political situation in the country," so his paper was read by
his assistant Andrei Gorbachev.

According to the paper, Russian policy on the export of hi-tech
is based on three main principles: first, openness and
international cooperation; second, full exploitation of the
scientific, research and production potential; third, refusal
from total state control over cooperation with foreign partners.

The paper itself was mainly listing joint ventures with
foreign companies, including IBM, Siemens-Nixdorf, Cable &
Wireless, Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard and ICL. Also Apple
and PICK Systems were mentioned.

The main fields in which the cooperation with Russian partners
can benefit Western companies are artificial intellect,
neuro-networks, parallel processing and optimization technologies.

The government is fully aware of the computer needs of banks, tax,
and customs and other agencies. But, unfortunately, a difficult
financial situation gives no hope for massive investments from
the central government. The State is also unable to help home
producers. The national microelectronics program is nearly
dead with a budget of about 100 billion rubles (US$117
million at the current exchange rate).

Answering Newsbytes' question on the preferential regime enjoyed
by all foreign companies when compared with Russian firms, Mr.
Gorbachev called this a "vicious practice." Such a situation
has to be eliminated but right now the government has no power
to do it. In the future, the government is planning to
create some protection barriers to defend home companies.

(Eugene Peskin & Kirill Tchashchin/19930427/ Press Contact: Gorbachev
Andrei, Russian Government, [phone], 206-2711)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00010)

Zilog Expands Wafer Manufacturing Outside California 04/29/93
CAMPBELL, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Intel is not
the only wafer manufacturer expanding its facilities outside
California. Zilog, maker of application specific standard
products (ASSPs) for controlling electronic devices ranging
from computer keyboards to telephone answering machines, says
triple growth in the last eight years is forcing it to expand
its production facilities in Nampa, Idaho.

The company says it introduced over 30 new products in 1992
that are primarily targeted for data and telecommunications,
consumer electronics, and intelligent computer peripherals. To
meet demand, the company says it will invest $200 million to
expand its existing Idaho facility. The expansion will include
the addition of a 30,000-square-foot Class 1 clean room for
submicron lithography wafer production to its existing 200,000
square foot facility. A Class 1 clean room requires cleanliness
controls more rigid than a hospital operating room and even the
air is filtered.

The entire semiconductor industry is reporting record growth
and the largest semiconductor manufacturer, Intel, has boasted
it will spend $1 billion expanding its manufacturing facilities
in Rio Rancho, New Mexico this year.

The company's Japanese subsidiary also announced Toshio
Kurihara, formerly of National Semiconductor in Japan, will
take over as president of Zilog Japan. Kurihara was at National
Semiconductor for 9 years and before that spent 11 years with
Texas Instruments of Japan.

Headquartered in Campbell, California, Zilog says it employs
approximately 1,400 people.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930427/Press Contact: Chris Bradley, Zilog,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00011)

Common Ground Miniviewer To Be Offered For Free Online 04/29/93
BELMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- No Hands Software
will be distributing a miniviewer for its Common Ground universal
viewing document software free of charge over Compuserve,
AppleLink, America Online, and other online services, Newsbytes has
learned.

In an interview with Newsbytes, Tony Stayner, company president,
said that the miniviewer will let Mac and Windows users view and
print documents generated in any file format, without requiring
users to have the creating applications and fonts, or even Common
Ground, installed on their own systems.

No Hands expects that free distribution of the miniviewer will
result in rapid market penetration for Common Ground, a package
based on the company's new DigitalPaper cross platform file format.

Stayner told Newsbytes that a Mac version of the miniviewer will
become available online within the next few weeks, at about the
same time as the shipment of Common Ground 1.0 for the Mac. A
Windows miniviewer will also go out to online services, probably in
advance of the release of Common Ground for Windows, currently
targeted for this summer.

The Mac miniviewer will run only on the Mac, and the Windows mini-
viewer only on Windows, but users of both miniviewers will be able
to read DigitalPaper documents originally created on either
platform.

No Hands has also announced plans to license Common Ground to
third-party vendors, enabling developers to convert online
documentation, promotional materials, and other files into the
universally viewable file format.

The off-the-shelf Common Ground package will consist of two main
components: a maker and a viewer. The viewer is more fully
featured than the miniviewer, allowing users to search, copy and
paste, and export Common Ground documents, as well as view and
print them. Zoom capabilities and online help are also included.

The Common Ground maker will let the user convert a document from
any format to DigitalPaper. Once converted, the document will
become a pixel-for-pixel identical replica of the original.

Resulting documents can then be sent electronically, via modem or
on disk. The viewer or the miniviewer can be used to open, read
and print the documents.

In the Mac version, which runs on System 7, the maker can be used
in either of two ways. The user can simply drag and drop a
document onto the Common Ground automaker icon. Alternatively, the
user can go into the chooser and select the Common Ground maker.
The maker will then write the information to a Common Ground
document.

The Common Ground maker also provides an embeddable miniviewer,
300 dpi print resolution, DES encryption, and the ability to embed
sound.

The Common Ground miniviewer will be available to any online
service free of charge. The Mac version of Common Ground will list
for $189. Pricing has yet to be set for the Windows version.

Some time in the future, No Hands Software will be rolling out DOS
and Unix editions of Common Ground, Stayner told Newsbytes.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930428/Press contact: Kathleen Raycraft,
McLean Public Relations for No Hands Software, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00012)

May 1 Is Toll-Free Switch Day 04/29/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- May 1 used to be
the annual day for workers to celebrate their power. This year
it's being celebrated in American telephony as the first day
companies can switch toll-free carriers and take their numbers
with them. Industry analysts estimate the value of the toll-
free market at between $7-$8 billion.

AT&T and MCI celebrated by filing dueling press releases covering
their early wins in "800 portability" contracts. AT&T has the
most to lose in this fight, having 80 percent of the market,
against 12 percent for MCI. In recent weeks AT&T has moved to
warn customers with large contracts that combine discounts from
various services that the discounts will drop if they take the
800-number business elsewhere. The company has also undertaken a
TV ad campaign, claiming its service is more reliable. MCI has
also run TV ads on the subjects, touting its service guarantee,
lower prices, and the right of customers to switch. It has also
objected to the AT&T customer letters, calling them illegal
attempts at intimidation.

In their latest releases AT&T claims it has won $140 million in
new business, MCI $170 million, and two points in total market
share. Among AT&T's claim of 86 big wins are Delta Air Lines and
Marriott Corp., both of which signed new AT&T contracts after
examining their options. The company said over 10,000 businesses
had already agreed to switch their service to AT&T after May 1,
while over 34,000 existing customers have recommitted to their
service in the last 7 weeks. MCI counted Bear Stearns & Co., Blue
Cross and Blue Shield, and Equifax among its wins. It said over
50 large companies and four state governments would move about
1,000 numbers from AT&T to its service May 1.

Trying to turn up the heat on AT&T, MCI also announced new
enhancements to its "800 Guardian" guarantee. It will now provide
back-up service on a toll-free number within 1 minute after a
service disruption, and back-up up to 250 numbers in 5 minutes.
Terminating locations and routing plans can also be different for
each toll-free line.

AT&T, meanwhile, made moves beyond the toll-free area. It
announced a new paging system, PagePac Plus, designed for use
with business switches and key-phones and created with Harris
Dracon Corp. The system is aimed at hospitals, museums, and
warehouses, among other locations. The Internal Revenue Service
and other Department of Treasury agencies signed to buy AT&T
Audix voice messaging systems to improve efficiency for up to
150,000 employees. It's the company's largest voice messaging
network contract to date. And Claircom, a joint venture between
McCaw and GM's Hughes Network Systems unit doing business as
AirOne which provides telephone service to airplanes, signed a
contract to link AT&T long distance and operator services to
those calls. AirOne service is available on Alaska Airlines,
Southwest Airlines and Northwest Airlines.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930429/Press Contact: AT&T, Federal Systems,
Ruthlyn Newell, 301-608-5108; AT&T, Jim Bredeson, 908-221-6638;
MCI, 202-887-3000)


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

GTE Extends Microwave Cellular Test 04/29/93
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- GTE extended
its test of microwave-based PCN cellular phone services by
providing it through its own switches and customer switches for
five businesses in Nashville, Tennessee, and Durham, North
Carolina. The trial is being conducted with Northern Telecom
and Oki equipment. Northern is also one of the customers.

Since the Clinton Administration decided a month ago to auction
off microwave frequencies needed for such services, large phone
companies which dominate the existing cellular business have
shown renewed interest in the technology, which could either
extend their monopolies or give them the opportunity to compete
more closely with each other. A number of regional Bell
companies, like Southwestern Bell, have begun offering wireless
in-building services as a commercial product, tied to their
existing cellular systems.

GTE says its 350-phone test is the first time its central switch-
based Centrex services have been linked to wide-area wireless
services under a specific tariff, or pricing schedule. This lets
customers use four-digit dialing to call wireless users anywhere
within a 3,500-square mile coverage area. The new test focuses
on requirements for serving the business customer, GTE said, and
how the service changes the way the business functions. GTE is
calling its service Tele-Go Business Service.

Other customers of the GTE trial include the Opryland USA
convention and amusement park, Underwriter Labs, and the
Environmental Protection Agency. An earlier trial, using
residential customers, concludes in December.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930429/Press Contact: GTE, Tony Hamilton,
203-965-2853)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEL)(00014)

Indian School Boy Bags Medals At Robot Olympiad 04/29/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- A robot built by a 16-year-old
Indian student from Lucknow has won gold, silver and bronze medals
in three categories at the Second International Beam Robot Olympics
at Toronto.

An India Abroad News Service report said that Promote Peace On
Earth (POPOE), built by Mohammed Tasheen Ameen, a student of
Lucknow Montessori Inter-college, got the gold in the "right
arm category" and the silver in the "innovative machine category."

That was not all for India, at the four-day event which
concluded on Sunday. POPOE was also awarded the bronze medal
in the "Robodog Domestic Help Category." In all prizes were
given under eight different categories with the maximum awards
going to the US. There were 60 entries from India, Canada, US
and the UK.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930429)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(MOW)(00015)

Control Data Car Factory Project Inches Along 04/29/93
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Control Data signed a
contract with AZLK last year to supply an integrated system of
production management to the Moscow AZLK car factory. The slow
development of the system was the subject of a visit by a
Control Data officer to Moscow.

Dieter Porzel, vice president of Control Data, was in Moscow
April 20 and 21. He inspected the Moscow office of the company
and held talks with AZLK car plant director, Mr. Borodin.

According to "CompuTerra" newspaper, the AZLK equipment supply
agreement sale was supposed to be a step-by-step process,
resulting in the installation of US$3.5 million worth of
equipment. To date, only one subsystem has been installed
and others have been delayed. No explanation of the
slow project development was available to the press.

Control Data has had an office in Moscow since 1969. Its only
marketing effort is to participate in large computer exhibitions
such as Comtek. This year the company displayed RISC-based high
performance servers, graphical workstations, and special software
for CAD/CAM and engineering data management in the mechanical
manufacturing industry.

(Eugene Peskin & Kirill Tchashchin/19930429/Press Contact:
Control Data Moscow, phone [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(HKG)(00016)

 ****Subsea Lightwave Superhighway For Asia 04/29/93
EXETER RD, SINGAPORE, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Singapore Telecom
and eight other international telecommunications organizations
in the Asia Pacific region have concluded their year-long
study of a subsea digital lightwave superhighway that will
connect Singapore with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong,
the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. This new system is
to be called the Asia Pacific Cable Network (APCN).

Singapore Telecom's partners in this project are INDOSAT (Indonesia)
Telekom Malaysia, Communications Authority of Thailand, Hong Kong
Telecom International, Philippine Long Distance Company, International
Telecommunication Development Corporation (Taiwan) Kokusai Denshin
Denwa (Japan), and Korea Telecom.

The project is scheduled for completion in 1996/97 and is expected to
cost $610 million. It will be over 11,000 km long and will provide the
region with unprecedented lightwave telecommunications connectivity
and circuit capacity for telephone and other wideband services. This
state of the art infrastructure will have a catalytic effect in
supporting the world's most dynamic growth region well into the next
century.

The APCN will use direct optical signal amplification. This is the
next generation of digital lightwave communications technology. The
optical amplifier will simplify the electronics of the underwater
repeater circuits, thus increasing the reliability of the submarine
cable system.

The network will also adopt synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH)
multiplexing technology, which will improve the efficiency of
monitoring and controlling the flow of telecommunications traffic.

This advanced technology will make each fiber pair within the network
capable of carrying 60,000 simultaneous phone calls. Using 11 fiber
pairs in the network, a maximum of 660,000 phone calls can then be
made simultaneously. This represents a quantum leap over the existing
fiber technology, which has a capacity of 7,560 simultaneous phone
calls per fiber pair.

The APCN will benefit Singapore Telecom's business customers
especially by through offering higher quality and greater
network reliability at cheaper prices, its creators contend.

Singapore Telecom is currently installing the APC System linking
Singapore to Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. Installation of
the SEA-ME-WE 2 System, which links Singapore to the Indian Ocean,
Middle East and Europe, is also in progress. Together with the already
operational Brunei-Singapore System, Singapore Telecom's optical fiber
submarine cable network will cover all the major countries on these
regions.

(Brett Cameron/19930429/Press Contact: Ms Foo Kim Leng, Tel 65-83
3682;HK time is GMT + 8)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(HKG)(00017)

Bangkok Bank Orders Digital Automation 04/29/93
TAIKOO SHING, HONG KONG, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- The largest bank
in Thailand, Bangkok Bank Ltd., has ordered more than 260
Unix-based servers and 1,400 personal computers from Digital
Equipment Corporation to upgrade its nationwide branch automation
network.

The $10.6 million order will enable the bank to move from a host-based
system using Philips PTS6000 banking terminals to a client-server
architecture built around branch and regional servers.

In addition to the new hardware, Digital will supply an SCO Unix-based
DECadvantage package to implement management of the network from a
central point and permit software to be distributed to all the servers
from the bank's data center in Bangkok.

"This is the latest stage in a phased upgrade program which started
with our branches in Bangkok and is now being extended to all our up-
country branches," said Teera Aphaiwongse, Bangkok Bank's executive
vice president for technology.

"During the course of this program, our former supplier Philips was
acquired by Digital, which has done an excellent job of integrating
the product lines and maintaining the high level of service to which
we were accustomed.

"Digital has demonstrated that our existing applications can be
migrated to the new client-server environment with only minor
modifications. We feel confident that this is the right technical
solution."

Most of Bangkok Bank's 276 up-country branches will be equipped with
teller workstations based on the DECpc 333sx, linked to applicationDEC
400xP servers. The branch servers will have X.25 links to 38 regional
servers, again mainly application DEC 400xPs, which will use IBM's SNA
protocol to communicate with the bank's mainframes. Also included in
the order are 500 Digital APP6390 passbook printers.

A small number of up-country branches and regional offices previously
upgraded to Philips PTS9000 workstations or servers, following the 120
branches in Bangkok. These units will be retained and integrated with
the new systems.

Digital won the order against stiff competition from IBM, largely
because of its unparalleled support capability in Thailand.

"We have 20 service centers across the country, far exceeding the
commitment of any other vendor," noted Fred Fung, Digital's Asia
region finance industry manager. "For a large financial institution
like Bangkok Bank, whose business is dependent on reliable systems and
networking, our ability to respond fast and effectively is very
compelling."

Fung said the order, from an information technology leader in
Thailand, was welcome recognition of Digital's success in merging the
Digital and Philips banking interests. "We said we would achieve
seamless integration of the two companies' people, products, and
services and we have done it," he said.

(Brett Cameron/19930429/Press Contact: Walter Cheung, Digital, Tel:
[phone];HK time is GMT + 8)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00018)

Alberta Phone Rate Increase Granted 04/29/93
EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Government
regulators have given AGT Ltd., the telephone company serving
Alberta, permission for an interim increase in local telephone
rates. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) has allowed AGT about half the rate hike the
company asked for in February.

Effective May 1, residential rates will rise C$1.80 per month and
business line rates will increase between C$4 and C$12 per month,
AGT said.

In the application filed in February, the company asked for an
interim rate increase of C$3.50 per month in residential rates
and C$8 to C$25 in business line rates. AGT had also asked to
raise its charges for extended flat rate calling, a service that
allows local calls to a larger area. That request was denied, at
least for the time being.

Company officials said that while the interim increase was not as
much as requested, it would be enough to maintain investor
confidence.

The CRTC is to begin hearings in August concerning further
increases that AGT has asked to put into effect on November 1 and
January 1, said company spokeswoman Betty MacLennan.

Earlier, company spokesman Ron Liepert denied the rate
application was in response to the impending arrival of
long-distance competition in Alberta. He said it is AGT's
long-term plan to bring local and long-distance rates more into
line with the actual cost of providing service. Even with the
increase, he said, local service will still have to be subsidized
from long-distance revenues.

Earlier in April, AGT announced cost-cutting measures including
the closure of several offices and the shutting down of its
network of retail phone centers.

(Grant Buckler/19930429/Press Contact: Betty MacLennan, AGT,
403-498-7327)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00019)

IBM Vice-Chairman Kuehler To Retire 04/29/93
ARMONK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Jack Kuehler,
vice-chairman of IBM since he was shunted out of the president's
chair as part of top-management changes in January, has announced
his retirement.

Kuehler will leave IBM August 31, after 35 years with the
company.

In announcing Kuehler's departure, IBM officials said he had
already stayed with the company past his planned retirement date.
He will remain until the end of August to complete work on key
alliances and to advise Louis Gerstner, the new chairman and
chief executive hired recently.

Kuehler, now 60, was IBM's first president from a technical
background when he stepped into the job in May, 1989. Before
that, he headed IBM's systems products division in the late 1970s
when it introduced the 4300 line of midrange systems, and
spearheaded the team that brought out the RISC System/6000
workstation line in the 1980s.

IBM has no plans to fill Kuehler's current post or the job of
president at the moment, said company spokesman Jon Iwata.
"Sometimes we've had presidents, sometimes we haven't," Iwata
said.

Kuehler will remain on the board of directors of Taligent,
IBM's multimedia joint venture with Apple Computer. He was
named to that post in March.

Iwata did confirm that IBM is close to hiring a new chief
financial officer, but would not comment on rumors that the job
will go to Christopher Steffen, who has just resigned from the
same post at Eastman Kodak, citing differences in opinion
after only weeks on the job. He came to Kodak from Honeywell.

(Grant Buckler/19930429/Press Contact: Jon Iwata, IBM,
914-765-6630)


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

Zeos Intros Subnotebook PC 04/29/93
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Zeos
International has announced a subnotebook computer that uses Intel
Corporation's 25 megahertz (MHz) 486SL microprocessor.

Called the Contenda 486, the system weighs less than four pounds.
The company already markets a similiar system that uses a 25MHz
386-based microprocessor.

The Contend 486 measures 9.7 inches wide by 6.1 inches deep, has a
backlit VGA display, a built-in trackball, a BIOS (basic
input-output system) that can be upgraded from a floppy disk, and
uses Intel's PI local bus for faster video refresh. The unit is
powered by a removable, rechargable nickel-metal-hydride battery.
Zeos says the computer has a 256-kilobyte video cache and will
operate for up to four hours on a single battery charge.

Zeos Marketing VP Rick Apple told Newsbytes a Contenda 486
configured with 4 megabytes (MB) of system memory and an 80MB hard
drive will carry a price tag of $1,795. Apple said the memory can
be expanded up to 8MB, and optional features include an external
floppy drive, DOS 6.0 with Enhanced Tools, Windows 3.1, Lotus
Organizer, a nylon carrying case, extra batteries, and an internal
9600/2400 baud fax/data modem. A built-in charger and an external
charger for extra batteries is included.

"The Contenda is perfect for those individuals who travel a lot,
need to perform all kinds of desktop applications on the road, yet
don't want to carry a heavy or bulky notebook," according to Apple.

Zeos provides around-the-clock toll-free technical support, a one
year limited warranty, and a 30-day money back guarantee on all its
products.

(Jim Mallory/19930429/Press contact: Rick Apple, Zeos International,
612-623-9614, ext 1096; Reader contact: Zeos International,
612-623-9614 or 800-423-5891)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEN)(00021)

Microsoft Settles With Alleged Pirate 04/29/93
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Microsoft
Corporation says it has reached a settlement in its software piracy
lawsuit against a former OEM licensee, that company's president, and
three of its distributors.

The lawsuit charging copyright and trademark infringement and breach
of contract was originally filed last June against Z-Nix Co., Inc.,
Z-Nix President Jimmy Chen, and Z-Nix distributors Jactech
Corporation, Max Group Corporation, and PC Man Inc.

Microsoft declined to reveal the terms of the settlement, but
according to Microsoft corporate attorney Jim Lowe "The settlement
vindicates our infringement claims, as well as our termination of
Z-Nix's license agreement last year. It also reflects Microsoft's
consistent position that Z-Nix's antitrust counterclaims had no
merit."

Microsoft terminated Z-Nix's license agreement last summer on the
basis of what it described as "evidence that hundreds of thousands of
copies of Microsoft Windows software were being distributed under
the Z-Nix label." The software company said it attempted to conduct
an audit of Z-Nix, a procedure permitted under the licensing
agreement. Z-Nix reportedly refused access to its records, and
Microsoft filed its suit in the US District Court in Los Angeles.
Z-Nix and Chen were held in contempt of court, and monetary damages
were awarded to Microsoft, after Z-Nix reportedly continued its
activities following issuance of a restraining order by the
judge.

"We will continue to bring legal actions against distributors and
resellers of unauthorized Microsoft software, because these vendors
also incur liability under federal copyright and trademark laws,"
Lowe said.

Microsoft said it pressed its worldwide investigation of the
allegedly counterfeit Windows product being sold in Z-Nix packaging
because of the product's persistent availability. "Z-Nix lost all
rights to reproduce or distribute Microsoft Windows so long ago that
all Microsoft software bearing the Z-Nix name available in the
marketplace today, with or without a Z-Nix mouse, should be
considered counterfeit," said Lowe.

(Jim Mallory/19930429/Press contact: Anne Rupley, Microsoft,
206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft, 800-662-6796)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00022)

Microsoft - An Entertainment Company? 04/29/93
PARIS, FRANCE, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation Chairman
Bill Gates says he increasingly has to decide whether to collaborate
or to compete with firms that do everything from make movies to
manufacture calculators.

"At the same time as PC technology is moving up into key corporate
applications it's also moving down to create things like the
intelligent TV, where you can select any type of movie to see or
where you can do your shopping," Gates told reporters at a recent
news conference in Paris, France. "We find ourselves using this new
technology to move into the consumer markets and cooperate with lots
of companies like entertainment companies and TV companies. When
you're like we are, you're always taking a broad view of what the
market is. Now we either need to cooperate with communications
companies or to compete with those companies."

Right now the company seems to be going in both directions.
Microsoft will introduce Windows NT in the next couple of months,
and it is also reportedly working with US General Instrument
Corporation to build cable television converters that will make it
easier to manipulate hundreds of cable channels. And a recent
Newsbytes story reported on Gates' plan to put nearly all the
contents of your wallet or purse, including bank cards, keys, and
photos, into a tiny handheld computer device.

While Gates declined comment on Microsoft's future profits, he did
tell reporters the company would continue to invest heavily in
technology, even at the expense of short term earnings. "The key
point we try to make is that we have a long-term view of our
business. We are going to keep making a lot of investments. If that
means we are sacrificing short term profit for our long term
technology, we would do that," he told reporters.

As previously reported by Newsbytes, Microsoft officials have been
warning that their high rate of profit growth will ultimately slow
down. "In the long run we have said we won't have the same level of
profitability that we have today, although we will continue to be
very profitable," Gates said. "We want people to understand there
will be ups and downs. It is a very volatile business."

The recently engaged software executive said he sees some strength
in the US economy, but noted that Microsoft's growth has not
historically been linked to overall economic strength. "Most of the
signs are quite positive. It won't be a dramatic recovery but there
will be a good pickup in the economy."

(Jim Mallory/19930429/Press contact: Microsoft Corporation,
206-882-8080)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00023)

 ****Loose Change On A Credit Card 04/29/93
BOULDER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Two Colorado-based
companies have jointly announced a system that uses a credit card
type device to replace loose change in your pocket and pay for
things like ski lift tickets, phone calls, subway fares and other
low cost items electronically.

The system blends the technology of Ramtron International in
Colorado Springs and Boulder, Colorado-based Racom Systems to
introduce "In Charge," a debit card-type device that is read by an
electronic scanner connected to a personal computer through the PC's
serial port.

Once the user buys the card the amount of "money" still remaining in
its memory is reduced each time a transaction is accomplished. In
Charge uses Ramtron's FRAM (ferroelectric random access memory) to
store the information in the card. FRAM memory is non-volatile,
retaining its information even without a power source.

Technically, In Charge is called the RFM 256 CC, and utilizes an
application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that contains the
necessary analog and digital functions in a single low power CMOS
chip. The card is activated by a 125 kilohertz magnetic field
generated by Racom's RFC 100 communications controller, which has a
maximum operating range of about six inches. Racom says In Charge
can retain data for as long as 10 years and includes selective,
software lockable, irreversible write protection.

"The DSS 1000 system's features make it superior to bar code,
magnetic stripe and contact smart cards in a broad range of
applications requiring electronic identification, transaction
processing, and data collection at the speeds people and objects
move in the real world," according to Racom President Richard
Horton. He said that the system was designed to replace coins and
tokens in low value (less than $20) prepaid financial transactions
such as fare collection on buses and subways. "But we're also
finding significant demand in applications ranging from electronic
ski lift tickets to recording maintenance and inspection records on
containers of hazardous waste."

The automatic ID market, estimated to be worth nearly $12 billion,
is presently dominated by bar code and magnetic stripe cards that
can only read a card, but can't write back to it. Another category,
known as "smart cards" can read and write but have to come into
contact with the card. In Charge doesn't require contact since it
talks to its reader via radio waves.

Racom says a preprogrammed version of the system is available for
evaluation at a cost of $1,800. That includes four In Charge cards,
the communications controller with antenna and power supply, cables,
user manual, carrying case, and Microsoft Windows-based menu driven
software for use on an IBM-compatible PC. Additional cards are
available for $9.72 each when ordered in lots of 1,000.

A similar system is already in use in Japan and Europe for phone
calls and bus fare.

(Jim Mallory/19930429/Press and public contact: Wayne Baker (Press),
Racom Systems, 303-447-2474, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00024)

 ****NextStep 3.1 Intro'd; Bell Atlantic Supports Hardware 04/29/93
REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Just a
few weeks after announcing that it hopes to divest its hardware
operations to Canon, Next Computer has introduced NextStep 3.1
for Next workstations and 486-based PCs. Bell Atlantic Business
Systems Services has also taken over as the official service
provider for Next workstations and printers worldwide.

Margaret Chan, manager of product marketing, told Newsbytes
that, "The primary goal of version 3.1 was to port the entire
operating system and development environment to the Intel
platform. A lot of the work is probably stuff that users wouldnt
see, a lot of the engineering work was to make the operating
system more portable with the goal of moving to Intel first, and
then to other architectures in the future."

Continued Chan, "The features and functionality are pretty much
the same as 3.0. There are some things we had to do because of
Intel specifics, like the fact that we don't have complete control
of the hardware, such as ejecting floppies, so there are some user
interface changes to that."

Chan said that the new version offers a 10-15 percent
performance enhancement over 3.0. "We also fixed a lot of
bugs that were in 3.0, and by virtue of the fact that we now
run on multiple architectures, we've added some new
technology called Multiple-Architecture Binaries (MABs)."

The company says that MABs allow applications compiled under
3.1 to run on existing Next68040 workstations and on PCs powered
by Intel 80486 and Pentium microprocessors. The company also
says that in-house and commercial NextStep developers only
need to create and deploy one version of an application for mixed
hardware environments from either Next or Intel computers, as
a single copy of an application dynamically loads the correct
binary automatically, depending on the computer on which it
is running.

Said Chan to Newsbytes, "As a developer I only have to have one
package, and it will automatically run on multiple architectures.
From a corporate point of view, as a management information
systems person, I could have one copy of the application out on a
file server, which any number of different clients could access,
without regard to what architecture they were running."

NextStep 3.1 will run on both existing Next 68040 workstations
and on computers powered by Intel 80486 and Pentium
microprocessors, and is object-oriented software for
client/server application development and deployment.

According to the company, it includes everything needed to
use NextStep applications, including electronic mail (the
multimedia Nextmail), built-in NetWare and NFS (Network File
System) networking capabilities, database access and system
administration tools. NextStep Developer, the development
environment, contains visual application construction tools
needed to develop NextStep applications, including distributed
object messaging to facilitate building client/server
applications.

The company also says that, using Insignia Solutions' products,
NextStep offers interoperability and compatibility with Microsoft
DOS and Windows environments, including file transfer and the
ability to run these environments within NextStep via PC
emulation.

SoftPC with Windows is available to owners of NextStep for
Next hardware for $499, down from $695. The promotion lasts
until May 25, when NestStep Release 3.1 begins shipping.

Chan also told Newsbytes that 3.1 also adds POSIX (Portable
Operating System Interface)-compliance. GOSIP support will
be made available as an add-on product. AppleTalk client support
and AppleShare server support will be offered through
Information Presentation Technologies.

NextStep 3.1 for Next 68040 workstations will be available in
May to registered owners of version 3.0 for $75 per individual
machine, or $50 per machine for a Right-to-Use License. Users
of earlier releases can upgrade to version 3.1 for $495.
NextStep Developer will also be available in May for $1,995.
Upgrades will cost $99 for owners of NextStep 3.0 and $495
for owners of earlier versions.

Next has also signed an agreement with Bell Atlantic Business
Systems Services to be the official service provider for Next
workstations and printers in the US. As of May 15, Bell Atlantic
take over responsibility for servicing Next hardware under
warranty, as well as post-warranty support services.

(Ian Stokell/19930429/Press Contact: Brett Bachman,
415-780-3807, Next)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00025)

Sun Offers Reseller Certification Program 04/29/93
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Sun
Microsystems Computer has launched a reseller training and
certification program for authorized resellers in the United
States.

According to the company, the new program, called "Competency
2000," will "improve and validate the capabilities of SMCC's
resellers." The scheme involves sales, technical and customer
service programs.

Sun says that the Competency 2000 program gives resellers the
training they need to sell and support SMCC's Unix client-server
technology, which uses the Solaris operating environment.

In announcing the program, Stephen Dahill, SMCC's manager of
reseller training in the United States, said: "Competency 2000
advances reseller product and skills training to a new level. It
is a comprehensive program that combines an exciting new
curriculum structure with the latest computer-based training
and testing tools. Our resellers learn to apply SMCC technology
in real-life customer rightsizing situations."

The program measures a reseller's ability to sell and support
SMCC workstations and servers. The reseller can apply for one
of three levels of certification: expert Level 1000, which is
geared towards small workgroups; expert Level 1500, designed
for medium-sized groups of more than 10; and expert Level 2000,
for enterprise-wide environments using the SPARCcenter 2000
server.

The company says that each level in the program has
requirements for sales representatives, system engineers and
the reseller organization.

Classroom training for Competency 2000 will be offered at Sun
educational services facilities, SMCC reseller training centers
and other SMCC facilities across the United States. In addition,
the program includes a computer-based training option. SMCC
plans to use the on-line test delivery system of Drake
Training and Technologies.

(Ian Stokell/1993-429/Press Contact: Lisa Ganier,
415-336-5637, Sun Microsystems Computer Corp.)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00026)

British Telecom Says US Telcos Twisted Facts 04/29/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- In response to negative reaction
to the publication of its plans for entry into the US telecoms market,
British Telecom (BT) has responded with an uncharacteristic display of
criticism.

In a further published statement, BT has said that opposition to its
plans to offer services in the US is an attempt to exploit regulatory
procedures and distort the issues in order to delay the application
now lodged with the FCC.

"Opponents of our efforts are attempting to deny customers in the US
the benefits of competition that a strong and experienced global
competitor would bring to the marketplace," said Jim Graf, BT's vice
president of government relations.

BT applied for FCC agreement to sell private wire services out of the
US for its major customers at the end of last month. AT&T almost
immediately responded by applying for a similar licence in the UK,
while at the same time asking the US Government to block the
BT application until it gets its UK licence through.

According to BT, the issues involved with the licence applications are
being distorted. The telecoms giant argues that a lot more than simple
reciprocity is at stake.

BT's Graf said that the market conditions in the UK are different to
those in the US and that AT&T already has a high degree of access to
the UK telecoms market. "The Commission should not impose additional
requirements or delays designed to insulate AT&T and others from the
resale competition of foreign carriers or their affiliates," he said.

One thing the two telecoms giants are agreed on, Newsbytes notes, is
that they now accept that it will take many months for everything to
be resolved. Only when that happens, will BT stand a chance for its
licence to be approved, Newsbytes notes.

(Steve Gold/19930429)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00027)

EC HDTV Compromise As US Plans Race Ahead 04/29/93
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- As the US TV and broadcasting
organizations surge ahead with their digital high-definition TV (HDTV)
system standards, the European Commission is starting to look
seriously at a compromise on proposed HDTV standards in Europe.

Denmark has submitted a compromise plan to the EC that involves
stepping back from mandating the MAC HDTV system on to broadcasters,
and instead allow a free market for development of wide-screen HDTV
technology. Such a move, Newsbytes notes, will come as a crushing blow
to Philips and Thomson, which have invested millions in the MAC TV
system.

Last year saw the EC propose to offer large subsidies to Philips and
Thomson in return for investment in a MAC HDTV system. The plan was
vetoed by Britain, which claimed that the MAC system was a non-
starter. Denmark's suggestion is that the EC still offer its
subsidies, but to any company interested in furthering a wide-screen
HDTV system, which could include, Newsbytes understands, the US HDTV
technology.

Though elegant, the Danish initiative is unlikely to persuade the
British Government to accept that all is now well and allow the $600
million-plus EC subsidy plan to go ahead, judging from reports on
British TV today.

(Steve Gold/19930429)


(CORRECTION)(TRENDS)(LON)(00028)

Correction To Cebit/GDI Tracker Story 04/29/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Geotechnology Development
Incorporated (GDI) has contacted Newsbytes and asked for the following
clarifications and corrections to be made to our CeBIT report on the
company.

In our original story dated March 26, we reported that Tracker was a
vehicle location system. GDI has asked that we describe it as "a
cargo and container tracking and monitoring service," although it also
has vehicle location facilities.

GDI has pointed out that the two-way facility on Tracker is not yet
available, and will not be available until late next year.

Newsbytes described one of Tracker's facilities as store and forward.
This is our description of the system's facility to store data
transmissions until such time as the satellite becomes contactable by
the mobile.

Transmitters for the Tracker service cost between $400 and $1,000,
although GDI plans to get this price down to $50 after the system
becomes fully operational in late 1994.

Newsbytes reported that the Tracker service works at 256,000 bits per
second. In fact, the service is limited to messages of up to 256 bits
in length, with a maximum of seven messages a day at the moment. This
limitation is due to the fact that there are only a few satellites
with which the service is working. Plans call for Tracker to make
use of 20 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, which will allow up to
four message transmissions an hour to be made.

Tracker currently runs on the Argos satellite system for
demonstrations. Argos is a system of two LEO satellites in non-
geostationary orbit around the poles.

Service costs on Tracker are billed on a per-message or per month
basis. GDI has asked us to point out that service costs vary. The
company has also stated it is not in competition to the Motorola
Iridium service. It describes itself as "a provider of data messaging
and position location services."

GDI does not contract its services from TRW as we reported. It has an
agreement with ESL, a subsidiary of TRW, to enable GDI to continue the
software development of the system.

Newsbytes regrets any inconvenience caused by our original report.

(Steve Gold/19930429/Press & Public Contact: GDI - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00029)

Borland Plans 4th Annual User Conference 04/29/93
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- Borland
International has outlined its plans for the fourth annual
Borland International Conference and Exhibition, set for San
Diego, California, between May 16-19, 1993.

According to the company, the event will feature keynote
speeches from Philippe Kahn of Borland, Andrew Grove of Intel,
John Soyring from IBM, and Darrell Miller of Novell.

Kahn is set to give an overview of Borland's object computing
architecture and strategy. Andrew Grove will speak about advanced
software standards and the hardware platforms that will fuel
client-server networking architectures. John Soyring will
address the latest IBM developments for DOS and OS/2, LAN
system products and new end-user interface technologies, such
as multimedia and pen-based computing. Meanwhile, Miller
will discuss connectivity as a fundamental requirement for
modern-day personal computer use.

According to Borland, the annual event is designed to increase
users' working knowledge of the company's databases,
spreadsheets and application development tools. It is also
designed to provide a forum for dialogue between Borland and
users, reports the company.

There will also be a forum focusing on InterBase users, that
will run in conjunction with the conference. InterChange '93
will also meet in San Diego at the same time and will present
technical presentations, breakout sessions, third-party vendor
presentations, and roundtable discussions focused on Borland's
relational database server, InterBase.

More than 250 sessions covering Borland products are planned
for the three-day event

Borland has also established a Client/Server Division, which
will concentrate on research and development, and the
marketing of the company's client developer tools and server
products in client/server configurations. Rob Dickerson, 36,
has been promoted to senior vice president and will head the new
division.

(Ian Stokell/19930429/Press Contact: Sandra Hawker,
408-439-4691, Borland International Inc.)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00030)

 ****Intel Files Suit Again Against AMD Over 486 04/29/93
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 29 (NB) -- The chip-
maker battles continue as Intel has filed another suit against
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) concerning the 486 microprocessor.
The two companies have faced each other in numerous court
battle over AMD's rights to produce this and previous
microprocessor chips, rights which AMD claims it received in
technology licensing agreements with Intel.

The entire issue is over whether or not the term "microcomputer"
in a 1976 licensing agreement between Intel and AMD includes the
microcode in the microprocessing chips that are the brains of
the IBM compatible microcomputers. The wording of the agreement
allows AMD use of "microcode contained in Intel microcomputers
and peripherals sold by Intel." AMD says the term microcomputer
includes the microcode, while Intel says microcomputer never meant
chips.

AMD recently lost a suit in a jury trial with Intel over the
microcode for its planned 486 chip, but the decision was
reversed by the judge, William Ingram, because Ingram said
Intel made "an avoidable accidental omission" which Ingram
called the legal "equivalent of misconduct."

Intel told Newsbytes AMD gets a new trial because they were able to
convince Ingram certain press releases and issues of a document
Intel calls the "Litigation Reporter" were left out at the
first trial. The Litigation Reporter is a document Intel uses
internally for tracking the status of its pending lawsuits. AMD
says Intel altered the dates on copies of the document they did
present and didn't present a version of the Reporter that
contains language stating AMD has the rights to the microcode
in the 287 math coprocessor chip. If the issue of the
Litigation Reporter does say AMD has the right to the 287
microcode, that could be an Intel admission that AMD is right
after all. However, Intel says the documents are not material
to the case.

Intel has filed the new suit against AMD because the company
began shipping the AM486 chip containing Intel microcode. Intel
representatives said the company would like to have filed a
preliminary injunction to legally stop AMD from shipping the
AM486, but said Intel didn't feel it could present the
necessary evidence to get a preliminary injunction. In order to
get a preliminary injunction there needs to be proof that
shipment of the AMD chip would substantially hurt Intel's
business or that it has a substantial likelihood of success in
the case.

Intel also said it has approached Judge Ingram to ask him to
reconsider his decision. Intel has asked that if Ingram won't
change his mind, could they bypass another jury trial and go
straight to an appeal. No word is back from Ingram concerning
those requests, Intel said.

If AMD wins, further legal battles are still ahead. AMD and
Intel are already talking about how long AMD's rights to the
microcode should last. The license between Intel and AMD
extends the agreement until December 31, 1995. Intel claims
that AMD will have to cease shipping any product with Intel
microcode by that 1995 date, a claim AMD representatives call
"Cinderella's coach." John Greenagel of AMD told Newsbytes he
doesn't believe at midnight on December 31, 1995 the AMD
licensing agreement turns "back into a pumpkin" but claims AMD
should still have rights to the microcode developed before that
date.

Intel also mentioned it has won a small victory against Cyrix.
Cyrix was seeking a preliminary injunction against Intel to
stop Intel from pursuing its claims that Cyrix is in violation
of Intel patents. Cyrix was unsuccessful in seeking the
preliminary injunction, which means the case will have to go to
trial. Intel says Cyrix is in violation of its patent 4,972,338
by shipping the combination of its 32-bit microprocessor
with external memory and paging software such as Windows or
OS/2.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930429/Press Contact: Sandra Duncan, Intel,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; John Greenagel, AMD, tel
408-749-3310, fax [phone])