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/1994/jan_feb_94/nb012794

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(NEWS)(TRENDS)(HKG)(00001)

Hong Kong Firm Intros Chip For PC-To-TV Output 01/27/94
CAUSEWAY BAY, HONG KONG, 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Display Research
Laboratory, a Hong Kong developer of video-related computer
peripherals, has introduced a revolutionary integrated circuit (IC)
that converts the VGA (Video Graphics Array) output from a PC
directly into a television signal.

Known as the VIP 01033 video interlace processor, the new chip
will enable the next generation notebook PCs, palmtop PCs, and even
digital diaries to output directly to a TV screen. It is small enough
to be built directly on to the motherboard of any compact product
and uses very little power, making it both environmentally friendly
and ideal for use in portable devices, claims the company.

"The high level of integration of the VIP chip offers extremely high
reliability compared with VGA-to-TV convertors made from
discrete components," said S.C. Mok, founder and president of
Display Research Laboratory. "This, coupled with very low power
consumption, makes the VIP chip suitable for a host of applications
where direct output to a TV screen is desirable."

The emergence of increasingly sophisticated applications which
help users create presentations, in full color and with moving
images, has fueled the demand for ways to display this material
to audiences. PC-compatible projectors require special lighting
and are prohibitively expensive, as are large size PC monitors.

"VGA-to-TV convertors and a big screen television represent the
most cost-effective solution to date," said Mok. "Any output which
can be shown on a TV can also be recorded on a conventional VCR.
This means that users can make videos for seminars, training
courses, or simply for entertainment."

Display Research says it has three years experience in the design
and manufacture of standalone and card-based VGA-to-TV products.
The VIP chip represents breakthroughs on a number of levels,
including reduced power consumption, size, scale of integration
and cost.

However, Mok believes the chip's most significant achievement is its
innovative adaptive anti-flicker filter which is already patent
pending in the US, Germany, Japan, UK, China, and Canada.

"The adaptive anti-flicker filter automatically adjusts pixel
brightness to prevent flickering while ensuring that fine image
details are preserved," said Mok. "Consequently, images converted
by the VIP chip offer a level of clarity that standard anti-flicker
filters just cannot match."

Video convertors based on DRL's new chip can display very fine detail
on ordinary TVs through standard composite video jacks, S-Video or
21-pin RGB SCART connectors. The company claims that the
resolution is so precise that single pixel dots, such as the dot above
an "i" or the tail of an "e" can be seen clearly. "This level of clarity is
essential when displaying complex oriental characters," said Mok.

According to the company, the VIP chip is suitable for a host of
applications. Combined with standard analog ICs, it provides a
low-cost and simple "solution" for the implementation of a scan
convertor, says the company. No extra memory or discrete logic
elements are required. The chip also offers selectable sampling
rates, horizontal overscan/underscan controls, and adjustable
vertical and horizontal positioning capabilities.

Using standard cell VLSI (very large-scale interface) technology
to fabricate the VIP chip has resulted in a cost-effective product,
according to the company.

"We already had a strong technological lead in the production of
advanced VGA-to-TV convertors," said Mok. "By taking that expertise
and encapsulating it in a single integrated circuit, we have moved
well ahead of the competition in terms of reliability and price."

Established in 1989, Display Research Laboratory is one of Hong
Kong's leading developers and implementors of PC-to-video
conversion products for the mass market.

(Keith Cameron/19940125/Press Contact: S. C. Mok,
852-402-1121, Display Research)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00002)

PA County Gets Oracle-Based Data Management System 01/27/94
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Systems & Computer
Technology has announced that the company's Banner Courts Series
software has been selected for use by the Allegheny County
(Pennsylvania) Courts, Office of the Prothonotary, and Office of
Register of Wills.

Eric Haskell, senior vice president of SCT, while reluctant to
divulge the financial aspects of the contract, told Newsbytes
that the software is based on Oracle's database software.

Whether any new hardware would be required is unclear, but
Haskell told Newsbytes that his company does not supply
custom software, rather it provides facilities management
services and standard software systems to the education,
utilities, and government markets.

The new program will replace an older computerized system used
by the Register of wills and will upgrade the manual system still
being used in the county's Prothonotary office.

Allegheny County, which includes the city of Pittsburgh, has a
government staff of 11,000 and the county court system deals
with 160,000 cases every year.

(John McCormick/19940126/Press Contact: Eric Haskell,
215-640-5175, SCT)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00003)

I/O Magic Intros 3 Notebook Cards 01/27/94
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- I/O Magic Corp.,
developer of PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card
International Association)-based peripheral products for portable
computers, has announced three new products: Lightning, a 14,400
baud fax modem; Satellite, an Ethernet-based network card; and a
SCSI II (small computer system interface type 2)-based PCMCIA
card.

These new developments accompany Focus, claimed to be the first
video capture card for notebook computers, and Tempo, a sound
card also for notebooks, that have already established I/OMagic
in the portable computing market.

Tony Shahbaz, president of the company, told Newsbytes, "We
cannot build enough of the Focus and Tempo cards to keep the
orders filled. The opportunities for developing peripheral cards
and accessories in the portable computing market are giving us
a strong position as a growing company."

I/OMagic also announced the Pico Tower, which will be available
in late March, 1994. The Pico Tower will be a packaged speaker
and microphone to accompany their Tempo audio card.  This will
provide both the opportunity to play and to record sound for
notebook users. Pico Tower will also be available in a bundle
with the audio card.

(Patrick McKenna/19940126/Press Contact: Rolf Rudestam,
Rudestam Group, 714-721-6960)


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

Apple & Symantec End Bedrock Agreement 01/27/94
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) --  After 18
months of collaboration, Apple Computer Inc., and Symantec
Corp., have decided to end the alliance that was formed to
develop the Bedrock cross-platforming technology.

In May, 1993, Apple and Symantec presented Bedrock
Architecture CD to developers, as a means of getting feedback
about their needs. The CD presented a technical overview of the
application framework and the resulting data has led to a
mutually agreed end to the alliance.

Apple says that it will pursue the development of Bedrock
architecture as an in-house project to be incorporated into the
OpenDoc technology.

Speaking to Newsbytes, Emilio Robles, spokesman for Apple, said,
"The development of OpenDoc technology has led to a redesign of
the monolithic structure of Bedrock architecture and we will
now develop Bedrock to assist developers to write code for the
OpenDoc system."

In a new agreement, Apple granted Symantec a perpetual
license to develop specific Apple technology which will be
released at a later date.

Newsbytes has learned that the specific technology is indirectly
related to PowerPC, but neither company will confirm details
of the agreement. Symantec granted to Apple a perpetual license
to distribute and further develop Bedrock. Whether the name will
remain as Bedrock is not determined, but it is likely to resurface
under a different title as a finished product.

(Patrick McKenna/19940126/Press Contacts: Emilio Robles,
Apple Computer Inc., 408-862-5671; or Heather Hedin, Symantec,
408-725-2733)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00005)

 ****Compaq Signs AMD As 2nd Chip Supplier 01/27/94
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Compaq Computer
Corp., has signed Advanced Micro Devices as a supplier for the
microprocessors that are the heart of every Compaq PC. In the past,
AMD has provided 80286 chips to Compaq.

Compaq stressed that Intel Corp., will continue to be its primary
supplier. However, having a second source of the essential chips
gives Compaq more leverage in buying chips at reasonable prices.
"AMD and Intel each offer unique combinations of features, price
and performance not available from the other," said John Rose,
Compaq's senior vice president and general manager of the desktop
PC division.

The company said computers using AMD microprocessors can be
expected to reach the market place during the next few months.
AMD says shipments of 486 chips to Compaq will start this quarter.

A Compaq source told Newsbytes that another reason it selected AMD
was to have access to some AMD products yet to be announced. Intel,
it says, also offers some chips not available from AMD. Compaq said
it expects to buy "substantially more" chips from Intel  in 1994
than it did in 1993.

The company declined to discuss whether it is negotiating with
Cyrix Corp., to buy chips from that company. Cyrix is the David that
challenged Intel's Goliath and won the right to sell its chips after
several patent infringement cases were settled in favor of Cyrix.

Cyrix officials were not available for comment by the time
Newsbytes went to press. Intel and AMD are also currently
embroiled in a legal battle.

Compaq Chief Financial Officer Daryl White says pricing of personal
computers remains aggressive. "We do believe that the environment
for pricing will remain aggressive, but that doesn't mean that
current products will drop dramatically in price as much as it may
mean that products will be introduced at aggressive price points,"
White told the British news service Reuters. Having a secondary
supplier for microprocessors could help Compaq lead the pack in
setting that pricing.

(Jim Mallory/19940127/Press Contact: John Sweney, Compaq
Computer Corp., 713-374-1564; Reader Contact: Compaq Computer
Corp., 713-374-1459)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00006)

Compaq 4Qtr Earnings Jump 70% 01/27/94
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Compaq Computer
Corp., has announced that its earnings for the fourth quarter
jumped 70 percent from the same period last year.

Compaq said it earned $151 million in the period, or $1.74 per
share, on sales of $2.2 billion. Sales were up nearly 55 percent
over 1992. The company increased its market share by about
three percent.

Chief Financial Officer Daryl White credits the results to several
factors. "We put a lot of things together in 1993. Along with
revenue growth, we created a very stable financial model, we
introduced a record number of new products, and expanded our
distribution channels."

Compaq's financial results for the entire year generally mirrored
the fourth quarter. The company said it earned $462 million, or
$5.35 per share for 1993. That is a 70 percent jump over the $213
million in earnings for 1992.

Compaq maintains it will be the number one computer maker by
1996. Currently it is in the number three slot behind industry
leader IBM, and number two, Apple Computer.

Compaq's performance exceeded estimates of many Wall Street
analysts, who had predicted the company would show a $1.53 per
share profit. The results sent investors on a profit taking spree,
with the price-per-share of Compaq stock dropping more than $2.

Compaq announced this week that it would delay the introduction
of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a pocket sized PC it calls a
"mobile companion." The delay is attributed to feedback from
customers. Compaq says its customers are suggesting that a pen-
only input device may not be what they want, and the handwriting
translation problems experienced by  Apple Computer's Newton
PDA may indicate that technology still has a way to go before it
can become accepted by users.

(Jim Mallory/19940127/Press Contact: John Sweney, Compaq
Computer Corp., 713-374-1564; Reader Contact: Compaq Computer
Corp., 713-374-1459)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00007)

Lotus Sets Revenue Record, Windows Sales Grow 01/27/94
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Lotus
Development Corp., set a revenue record in the fourth quarter and
turned in a nine percent revenue increase for the full year.

Net income also rose before one-time charges, although the cost
of acquiring Approach Software Corp., left 1993's net lower than
1992's, which included a one-time gain from sale of an interest
in Sybase Inc.

Lotus reported net income of $55.5 million, or $1.24 per share,
on revenues of $981.2 million in 1993. Before a $19.9 million
charge for purchased research and development in the acquisition
of Redwood City, California-based Approach, net income in 1993
was $75.4 million, or $1.69 per share.

In 1992, the company recorded net income of $80.4 million, or
$1.87 per share, on revenues of $900.1 million. However, this
included a pre-tax gain of $49.7 million from the sale of Sybase
securities, as well as a pre-tax restructuring charge of $15
million. Without these charges, 1992 net income was $57.2
million, or $1.33 per share.

Company spokesman Richard Eckel said Lotus is pleased with its
nine percent revenue growth, especially given the decline in the
DOS software market which was once its mainstay. Sales of Lotus'
DOS products fell by $215 million in 1993, he said. Most of the
slack was taken up by products for Microsoft Windows.

In the fourth quarter, Windows software accounted for 70 percent
of Lotus' sales, while DOS software made up only 21 percent. The
balance came from software for other operating systems, notably
OS/2, the Apple Computer Macintosh, and Unix.

Company officials also pointed to growth in Lotus' sales of
work-group software and communications products, including
Notes and cc:Mail. Eckel said revenues from the company's
communications business, which includes consulting services as
well as Notes and cc:Mail, accounted for about 25 percent of
fourth-quarter sales.

In the fourth quarter, Lotus earned net income of $29.6 million,
or 64 cents per share. This was up 103 percent from net income
of $14.6 million, or 35 cents per share, in the fourth quarter of
1992. Revenues were $278.3 million in the fourth quarter of 1993,
up 13 percent from $246 million in the same quarter a year
earlier.

(Grant Buckler/19940126/Press Contact: Richard Eckel, Lotus,
617-693-1284)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00008)

DEC Creates New Client/Server Unit 01/27/94
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Digital
Equipment Corp., has created a new systems business unit in the
latest of a series of quiet changes to the structure the company
created a year ago.

The new unit has a heavy emphasis on client/server computing,
with responsibility for client/server software, Open
VMS client/server systems and software, Unix and Windows NT
client/server systems, network products, and memory and
peripherals upgrades, said Joe Codispoti, a DEC spokesman.

It will report to Edward Lucente, Digital's vice-president of
sales and marketing, who takes on the additional title of general
manager of the systems business unit. The new unit was announced
to DEC employees last week, Codispoti said.

It become the sixth product and service business unit in DEC's
corporate structure. In December, 1992, the company segmented
its operations into nine business units, four of them focused on
products and services and the other five on specific industries.

The original four product and service units were the personal
computer, components and peripherals, multivendor customer
services, and storage business units. In December, DEC added a
consulting unit. All five of these units report directly to
Robert Palmer, president and chief executive, Codispoti said.

In October, DEC changed the reporting structure so that the five
customer business units report to Lucente in his capacity as
vice-president of sales and marketing. These units still exist to
maintain the company's focus on certain key industries, Codispoti
said, but they are now part of DEC's sales organization. The six
product and service business units are responsible for all
profits and losses.

DEC's customer business units cover: discrete manufacturing and
defense; health industries; communications, education, and
entertainment; consumer and process manufacturing; and financial,
professional, and public services industries.

(Grant Buckler/19940127/Press Contact: Joe Codispoti, DEC,
508-493-6767)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00009)

Data General Teams With Bull's UniKix Technologies 01/27/94
BILLERICA, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Data
General Corp., and UniKix Technologies, a recently established
separate business unit of Bull NH Information Systems, have
reached a strategic partnership.

Through a newly announced agreement, Data General (DG) will
directly support and distribute UniKix transaction-processing
software with DG's line of Aviion Unix-based servers in the US.
The alliance is aimed at helping users rightsize mainframe
applications to open systems.

UniKix software is a full-function transaction processing monitor
implemented on Unix systems that supports the IBM Customer
Information Control System (CICS) application programming
interface (API).

The software from Bull is designed to let customers port IBM
Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM) and DB2 production and batch
applications to a distributed open systems environment without
re-engineering.

Officials said that the benefits of migrating applications with
UniKix include: major cost reduction; investment protection of
mission-critical mainframe production applications and data;
utilization of existing CICS programmer and end-user skills; and
3270 terminal and System Network Architecture (SNA) network
integration.

"UniKix has won a strong position with a number of major clients,
and we see it as a very positive element in a comprehensive
enterprise portfolio approach," noted Stephen Gardner, vice-
president, corporate marketing, for Data General.

Added John Noonan, newly appointed president of UniKix
Technologies: "DG's sales and support capabilities, combined with
the power of the Aviion series and UniKix, will provide an
excellent solution for off-loading very high performance CICS
applications to Unix systems." UniKix Technologies was previously
a division of Bull's Integris systems integration business.

According to a recently released report from International Data
Corporation (IDC), DG's Aviion line was the US market share leader
in medium-scale Unix systems for 1992, and achieved a growth rate
over four times that of the overall growth rate for midrange Unix
systems in each of the last two years.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940127/Reader Contacts: Bull NH Information
Systems, 508-294-6000; Data General: 508-898-5000; Press
Contacts: Bruce McDonald, Bull, 508-294-6602; Kim Sarkisian,
Data General, 508-898-6392)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00010)

Newsletter Aimed At Computer Education 01/27/94
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Years ago,
Barbara Gollon coordinated computer resources for schools, and
bought Apple IIs which quickly became obsolete. Now her
newsletter, KidTECH, tries to steer parents and educators through
those rocky shoals where the desire to learn meets the fast-paced
computer market.

KidTECH comes out six times a year, and the most recent issue was
16 pages. There is a news section called "Edubits," a question and
answer section called "Ask KitTECH," a section called Transitions
on non-computer electronic learning equipment, and a review
section called KidTECH Select. There are also contact names and
numbers for everyone mentioned in the newsletter.

"It's for educated consumers, the home-school connection," she
says. "What I'm trying to do is present what families who want
electronic learning can do." She says her next issue, due out in
February, will feature a report from the New York Toy Fair,
where the next season's Christmas toys make their debut.

Newsbytes discussed with Gollon what parents of young children
should do to make their kids ready for learning with computers.
By age three or four, she said, kids should have their first computer,
and be able to run a kid-friendly program with a mouse. By age
four-five, they should be able to use a keyboard to enter data,
operate age-appropriate programs, save and print their work.

Kindergarten is a good age to learn how to use a keyboard, use
simple operating system commands, and do word processing along
with simple desktop publishing. By age seven, that should enable
them to use their computer skills to learn reading, science, and
math, she says.

A subscription to KidTECH costs $30, $40 in Canada, or $50
in other international locations.

(Dana Blankenhorn/01271994/Press Contact: Barbara A. Gollon,
KidTECH, 212-935-7873; CompuServe, 76625,1552; Internet,
barbg@panix,com; Reader Contact: KidTECH, PO Box 200,
New York, NY 10044)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00011)

Free Education Prgm Site Licenses From Project Equity 01/27/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Paul Shapiro wants
all schools to share equally in the advances of education software.
As a result, his small company, Balloons Software, is sponsoring
Project Equity, aimed at schools in states which traditionally
have not had access to educational technology.

Simply put, he is offering free site licenses to private schools
in six states -- West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi,
South Carolina, and Maine -- to the two Apple II programs he
publishes, Number Squares and Big Text Machine. All that is need
is $5 to cover postage and handling, along with a letter making
the request from the school principal on school letterhead. The
letter should include the name of the school's computer
coordinator, information on the school, and the number of Apple
IIs on site. Libraries can get the same treatment, Shapiro told
Newsbytes.

Along with these poorer states, Shapiro is making his offer good
in California, Iowa, and North Carolina, as well as the Canadian
province of British Columbia (BC). California has shown a strong
commitment to school technology, he said, Iowa schools were
early supporters of his company, and North Carolina is offering a
network of FredMail bulletin boards -- it is also the home of one
of Shapiro's most active beta-testers. BC was chosen for its
leadership role in Canadian school technology.

Shapiro said more about his programs can be learned by accessing
reviews of them on GEnie and America Online.

(Dana Blankenhorn/01271994/Press Contact: Phil Shapiro, Project
Equity, 202-244-2223; GEnie, p.shapiro1; America Online,
pshapiro; Internet e-mail, [e-mail]; Public
Contact: Balloons Software, 5201 Chevy Chase Parkway NW,
Washington, D.C., 20015)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00012)

Japan's NTT Joins General Magic Alliance 01/27/94
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- The stock of
Japan's major phone company, NTT, rose sharply on Tokyo stock
markets as it announced it will join the General Magic alliance
along with US companies including Apple and AT&T. In the Tokyo
exchange's morning session alone, NTT rose 22,000 yen per share,
to 877,000 yen.

In a press statement, NTT noted that the investment agreement
has not yet been finalized, and its interest is based on a speech
made by the company's president, Masashi Kojima, on January 12.

It is the first time NTT has joined an alliance with a foreign
multimedia software developer. With technologies licensed from
General Magic, NTT hopes to start development of multimedia
services in Japan. Press reports have indicated it may work with
AT&T on those services, but spokesmen could not confirm that to
Newsbytes.

General Magic, which is based in Mountain View, California, was
founded in May, 1990. It is best known for Magic Cap, a software
platform for communication devices, and TeleScript, a scripting
language of independent "agents" which can actually negotiate
with other, similar programs on information and purchases.

AT&T announced at the Winter CES show it will base a new service
called PersonaLink on TeleScript, while a number of companies
have said they will create personal digital assistants based on
Magic Cap -- Motorola announced its intention nearly a year ago.
Participants in General Magic also include, along with AT&T
and Apple, Matsushita, Motorola, Philips, and Sony.

(Dana Blankenhorn/01271994/Press Contact: Liz Doherty, NTT
America, 212-808-2251)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(ATL)(00013)

Administration Endorses Deregulation Bills 01/27/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- The Clinton
Administration has formally endorsed a bill by Rep. Edward Markey,
a Massachusetts Democrat, and Rep. Jack Fields, a Texas Republican,
aimed at opening the phone and cable markets to competition, as
well as a bill from Democrats John Dingell and Jack Brooks
allowing the regional Bells into long distance and manufacturing.

The announcement was formalized at a hearing before Markey's
House subcommittee by assistant attorney general for anti-trust
Anne Bingaman, information superhighway "czar" Larry Irving, the
Commerce Department's information and technology head, and FCC
Chair Reed Hundt on January 27. The three appeared together so
that Democratic members of the committee could go to a party
retreat in the afternoon.

The administration apparently endorsed existing bills rather than
submit a separate proposal because there is a great urgency to
pass a bill soon. The administration wants to "clear the decks"
on telecommunications before pushing hard for its health care
initiative, and feared that waiting would mean a bill allowing
cable-telco competition might not be passed until 1995 unless it
got behind the Markey-Fields proposal.

The bill by Brooks and Dingell would phase out limits on long
distance and manufacturing now imposed on the regional Bell
companies by a 1982 consent decree breaking up the Bell System.
There is a similar bill in the Senate, sponsored by Missouri
Republican John Danforth and Hawaii Democrat Daniel Inouye, but
Brooks-Dingell is considered a more cautious approach, requiring
proof before the FCC and Justice Department that Bell entry into
the businesses would not injure competition, along with a waiting
period. Irving told Markey's committee he wants the Markey-Fields
and Dingell-Brooks bills to move forward together.

While both bills are now on a bi-partisan fast track, there
remain hurdles. Defining "universal service" or "universal
access" to broadband services, and putting it into the bills,
will prove difficult. And Rep. Rick Boucher, a Virginia Democrat,
added a proposal as an amendment that would allow electric
utilities to also get into the telecommunications business.

In his opening remarks, chairman Hundt showed a chart indicating
that, while the communications and information businesses have
grown to $718 billion last year in constant dollars, from $478
billion in 1983, they could reach $1 trillion by 1996, if the two
bills pass. "This is not competition where there are losers or
winners, but winners and winners," Hundt added, showing that
AT&T's long distance volumes have actually increased 50 percent
since 1984, as its share of the total long distance market
has declined.

(Dana Blankenhorn/01271994)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00014)

Canadian "Information Highway" Announcements 01/27/94
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- There is a
bandwagon rolling down the information highway, and everybody
wants to be on it.

From research networks to enhanced cable television services to
electronic mail, anything that sends information from anywhere to
anywhere is now part of or, in a particularly overworked cliche,
" on an on-ramp" to, the information highway. Canadians are
falling over each other to get a piece of the action.

This week, Montreal-based Groupe Videotron announced an
alliance with several other Quebec companies and media giant
Hearst Corp., to provide interactive services such as home banking
and electronic mail by way of its cable links into Quebec homes.
Later, Videotron plans to extend those services to other parts of
Canada and abroad.

Also this week, the Ottawa Carleton Research Institute (OCRI)
announced the inauguration of OCRInet, a high-bandwidth network
linking several high-tech companies and research laboratories in
the area around Ottawa.

Not to be left behind, Microsoft Canada Inc., invoked the
information highway buzzword in announcing a made-in-Canada
initiative that will let independent developers exchange
information with Microsoft programmers via the Internet.

Groupe Videotron unveiled a partnership with the National Bank of
Canada, electric utility Hydro-Quebec, the government-run lottery
Loto-Quebec, Canada Post Corp., and Hearst. The companies will
offer a service called Universal Bidirectional Interactive (UBI),
which will begin in the Saguenay region next year, reaching
34,000 homes, and then be extended to the Montreal and Quebec
metropolitan areas over the next seven years, Videotron said.

Videotron does not plan to charge cable subscribers for the
service, officials said. Instead, service providers will pay for
usage. Customers will be able to do basic banking with the
National Bank, pay their electricity bills to Hydro-Quebec, buy
lottery tickets, and send and receive electronic mail using
Canada Post's services. Canada Post will also provide services
such as deferred bill payment and order fulfillment -- and it will
use the service to deliver "addressed and targeted advertising"
-- that is, some contend, electronic junk mail. Hearst will offer
access to business directory services.

In addition to the founding partners, some 75 other service
providers have signed letters of intent to participate in the
launch of the service, Videotron officials said.

The service will use Videoway terminals developed by Videotron
and already in use in a simple interactive television service the
cable company calls Videoway. Customers will also need an
alphanumeric remote control, a microprocessor-based smart card,
and a transaction unit that can read smart cards and
magnetic-stripe cards and accept personal identification numbers
through a numeric keypad.

OCRI said it began service on its Ottawa-area research network
with a 10-minute exchange of multimedia information between
Bell-Northern Research, the research arm of Northern Telecom
Ltd., and the University of Ottawa.

OCRInet uses dual DS3 lines to provide 100 megabits-per-second
of bandwidth initially, said Gavin McLintock, who works in
application development at OCRI. This will quickly increase to
150 megabits-per-second, and eventually OCRI plans to boost the
bandwidth to about one gigabit (1,000 megabits)-per-second.

The founding members of the OCRInet consortium are Algonquin
College, Bell Canada, Bell-Northern Research, Carleton
University, Communications Research Center, Gandalf Technologies
Inc., Mitel Corp., the National Research Council, Newbridge
Networks Corp., Northern Telecom, Stentor, Telesat Canada, and
the University of Ottawa.

Membership is open to other organizations, McLintock said, but
traffic on the network must be research-oriented.

Funding is being provided by the participants, and OCRI is also
hoping to obtain some support from the federal and Ontario
governments, McLintock added.

OCRI is a consortium of universities and colleges, government,
and private companies, concerned with high-technology research.

(Grant Buckler/19940127/Press Contact: Jean-Pierre Galarneau,
Groupe Videotron, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Gavin
McLintock or Alexandra Pugh, OCRI, 613-592-8160)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00015)

ATI Ships PC Graphics Wonder Entry-Level Accelerator 01/27/94
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- ATI Technologies
Inc., has added a new entry-level model to its mach32 line of
graphics accelerators. The Graphics Wonder card is intended for
PC graphics users who need a basic accelerator at a low price,
company officials said.

Company spokesman Andrew Clarke described the device as an
entry-level mach32 accelerator. It is available in versions for
the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus and for the Video
Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus. There are no
current plans to produce a version for Intel Corp.'s PCI
(Peripheral Component Interconnect) local bus, said Clarke, since
PCI is being used mainly by more demanding users today and PCI
systems tend to be shipped with graphics accelerators built in
anyway.

The Graphics Wonder has one megabyte (MB) of dynamic random-
access memory (DRAM) video memory built in and displays as many
as 16.7 million colors at resolutions up to 1,280 by 1,024, ATI said.
Refresh rates of up to 75 hertz are available. The card also
works with VESA's Display Power Management Signalling (DPMS)
energy savings standard.

The FlexDesk control panel, which works with Microsoft Corp.'s
Windows software, controls resolution, color, font, desktop size,
video color control, and DPMS power savings using a single
driver.

The Graphics Wonder has a list price of C$259 or US$199 and is
available now, the company said.

(Grant Buckler/19940127/Press Contact: Andrew Clarke,
ATI Technologies, 905-882-2600 ext 8491, MCI Mail
612-0298/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00016)

Utility Uninstalls Windows Apps Cleanly 01/27/94
MARIETTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- If you have ever
uninstalled a Microsoft Windows-based application, you know what
a hassle it is. The installation process makes changes to a number
of files on your computer and creates new files. Deleting files when
you no longer need that program does not reverse some of those
changes.

But Georgia-based Microhelp Inc., believes it has the answer and has
upgraded its Uninstaller utility software that removes Windows
applications, deletes directories, subdirectories, and auxiliary
files.

Microhelp says Uninstaller 2 finds and removes orphaned files, has
an "undo" option that will restore an uninstalled application if you
change your mind, and can find and remove duplicate files. It has a
"system cleanup" option that even removes fonts, video drivers, and
other unneeded Windows components.

There is also an INI file editor to help you clean up those files. The
user is offered the option to approve each step of the uninstall
process, and the company says it will even clean up already-removed
programs. The first time you use each of the tools, Uninstaller 2
displays a brief summary of that tool's features. The summaries are
not shown subsequently unless you choose to do so.

A medium dependent interface (MDI) includes an optional status bar,
a button bar and three-dimensional (3-D) effects, and support is
provided for Norton Desktop for Windows and other popular user
interface shells. A built-in file viewer can display most popular
file formats. The company says Uninstaller 2 can even help network
administrators remove applications from a network server and the
workstations. It removes the application from the network server
and offers the workstation user the option of removing the
application from their PC the next time they attempt to use the
removed program.

Uninstaller 2 is shipping now with a suggested retail price of $69.95.
If you are using version 1 you can upgrade to the new release for
$29. Uninstaller 2 requires Windows 3.1 or higher, four megabytes
(MB) of system memory, and at least 3MB of available disk space, a
VGA (Video Graphics Array) or better display, and a high-density
3.5-inch floppy drive. A mouse is not mandatory, but is
recommended.

(Jim Mallory/19940127/Press Contact: Phil Hall, Open City
Communications for Microhelp Inc., 212-714-3575; Reader
Contact: Microhelp Inc., tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00017)

Microrim Updates R:Base For DOS, Intros Charting Tool 01/27/94
BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Despite
the proliferation of Microsoft's Windows applications, there are
millions of DOS-based systems still in use, and the maker of the
popular database program R:Base is now shipping an update to
the program.

Microrim Inc., says release 4.5 Plus of R:Base is "a significantly
enhanced version" of the 32-bit multi-user relational database
management system (DBMS) and has more than 50 new features.

Microrim says the most significant area of improvement is speed.
According to the company's testing, version 4.5 Plus is about 300
percent faster than version 4.5 when running in a multi-use
environment.

Other enhancements in the new release include dynamic pop-ups in
forms, updatable multi-table views, scrollable cursors, new
multi-user import and export capabilities, and expanded querying
capabilities with outer joins.

The company has also introduced Power Graph, a Windows-based
query and charting tool that works with R:Base. Power Graph is
based on Microrim's SQL (structured query language) engine and
allows users to create standard and statistical queries with a
few clicks of the mouse.

Data can be selected from any table, view or attached dBase file.
Queries can be sorted and displayed in a Windows spreadsheet
format. The user can also tailor the view and copy it to the
Windows Clipboard for insertion into other Windows application.
Additionally, the company says that queries can be saved and
recalled.

Users can create a variety of color graph types, and up to 12
columns and 12 rows of data can be graphed at once. The program
will produce bar, pie, and area chart graphs in a variety of styles in
two or three dimensions. Other graph types available are tape, line,
log-linear, polar and high-low-close. The user can toggle between
the graph and the query result spreadsheet to edit data. The
changes are immediately reflected in the associated graph.

Power Graph supports all Windows fonts, including TrueType.
Graphs can be exported to other Windows applications using the
Windows Clipboard or by saving the graphs as a Windows bitmap
file. The program comes with a sample database and tutorial, and a
custom Windows installation routine. Power Graph is available in a
multi-user version.

R:Base 4.5 Plus has a suggested retail price of $795. A five-user
local area network (LAN) pack is priced at $995. Registered users
of R:Base can upgrade to 4.5 Plus for $195. LAN upgrades are $300.
Power Graph has a suggested retail price of $99.95 for single
users and $249.95 for a five-user network version.

(Jim Mallory/19940127/Press Contact: Peter Card, Microrim Inc.,
206-649-2551; Reader Contact: Microrim Inc., tel [phone],
fax [phone])


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

 ****Canadian Services Recover After Satellite Damage 01/27/94
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Canadian
telecommunications companies, broadcasters, and publishers had
to scramble this week to get their services back to normal after
what was believed to be a geomagnetic storm knocked out the Anik
E-2 satellite and temporarily disrupted service on the Anik E-1.

The troubles started January 20 when the Anik E-1 temporarily
stopped responding to commands. Some traffic normally carried on
that satellite was shifted to the Anik E-2 -- just in time for
the E-2 in its turn to develop almost exactly the same problems.

The E-1 satellite later began working normally again, but the E-2
is still out of service, and Telesat officials are now studying a
complicated plan to get the satellite back in service. There is
little chance it will be working again soon, Telesat spokesman
Jim Spendlove said.

The problems were apparently the result of a geomagnetic storm,
in which a surge of solar radiation strikes a fairly small area.
Several other satellites are reported to have misbehaved briefly,
but none other than Telesat Canada's Anik E-2 were knocked out by
the storm. Spendlove likened it to a tornado that can touch down
and destroy one house while leaving its neighbors untouched.

The problem with the E-2 satellite now is that its flywheels,
which keep the device spinning and pointed toward the earth, have
stopped working.

Telesat hopes to work out a way of straightening the satellite
out using only its thrusters, Spendlove said. This has never been
done before and will be very complicated. Telesat will have to
write computer software to control the thrusters, he said.

A number of Telesat customers had their service disrupted by the
satellite failure. Several television stations that are
distributed to cable systems by satellite were off the air during
the weekend. Telephone companies lost the use of the satellite to
carry long-distance service and had to shift their traffic to
other satellites or ground-based systems. The Globe and Mail, a
national newspaper edited in Toronto and printed in several
cities across the country, had chartered airplanes standing by to
fly pages across the country for printing, and has now shifted
transmission of its pages to an American satellite.

All traffic that is to be restored is now restored, Spendlove
said. Telesat is using Anik E-1 and leased space on other
satellites.

A spokeswoman for Stentor, the consortium of Canadian telephone
companies, said national services were not hurt by the failure.
Four of Stentor's high-capacity DS-3 communications channels
rely on the E-1 satellite, she said, but Stentor was able to shift
traffic to other media while that satellite was malfunctioning.

Tee-Comm Electronics, a Milton, Ontario-based company that
provides Direct-to-Home satellite television service to about
32,000 Canadian homes, said service to most of its customers
was restored Monday, using Anik E-1.

Telesat's satellites are not insured once they are in orbit, due
to the high cost of insurance and the small chance of trouble,
Spendlove said. The company is not sure at this point what it
will do if E-2 cannot be repaired. It could replace the
satellite, or it might choose to continue leasing space on other
satellites to meet its commitments.

(Grant Buckler/19940127/Press Contact: Jim Spendlove, Telesat
Canada, 613-748-0123; Stentor, 613-660-3009; Ted Boyle,
Tee-Comm Electronics, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00019)

INTELSAT Maintains Satellite Reliability In Storm Wake 01/27/94
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- INTELSAT maintains
that, despite recent problems with the Anik E-1 and E-2 Canadian
communications satellites (which are not INTELSAT owned or
operated), the company's communications satellites "remain the
most dependable form of telecommunications, with a reliability
record of more than 99.99 percent."

Spokesman Michael Newsom of INTELSAT told Newsbytes that
the company released a press report assuring people that INTELSAT
satellites were not involved in any major outages, because of a
number of media queries triggered by failure of another satellite
design.

According to Newsom, COMSAT, INTELSAT's US member, has
designed a special shielding system for INTELSAT communications
satellites which meant that the recent storm which virtually
knocked other satellites out of service (albeit temporarily),
only had a marginal effect on one INTELSAT satellite, the
INTELSAT-K which carries video and radio signals between
the US and Europe.

This was the only one out of 20 INTELSAT satellites which even
experienced minor problems, the company said.

It is relatively rare for a solar storm to disrupt satellite
communications, but that is just what happened recently to
the Canadian satellites which do not use the special shielding
used by INTELSAT space vehicles.

A solar storm (high levels of energetic charged particles
expelled by the sun during active periods) caused temporary
failures on both of the Canadian communications satellites on
January 20. Solar storms send streams of charged particles
through space which can cause static charge build up on metallic
objects in outer space (such as space vehicles or satellites).

Solar storms also cause changes in the Earth's upper atmosphere
which can improve or disrupt radio communications depending on
the strength of the storm and the frequencies being used to
communicate, and they also cause the spectacular, but harmless
northern lights.

(John McCormick/19940127/Press Contact: Michael Newsom,
INTELSAT, 202-944-7500)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00020)

 ****NCR Changes Name 01/27/94
DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Not quite three years
after being taken over by AT&T Co., NCR Corp. is giving up its
name. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T since the
spring of 1991, will be renamed AT&T Global Information
Solutions.

It is a historic change for the company that was founded late in
the 19th century as the National Cash Register Co. The initials
were substituted for the original name as the firm moved into the
computer field and other areas of electronics and business
equipment.

The NCR name will not disappear entirely. AT&T Global Information
Solutions will keep it as a brand name for use in markets where
the NCR nameplate still has more cachet than AT&T's. Among these
will be electronic cash registers and other supermarket
equipment, as well and banking systems and automated teller
machines, said company spokesman Mark Feighery. Business forms
and supplies will also still be sold under the NCR name.

The name change has no effect on NCR's status within the AT&T
organization, where it remains a wholly owned, but separate,
subsidiary, Feighery said.

In a prepared statement, Jerre Stead, chief executive of AT&T
Global Information Solutions, said the new name "reflects the
compelling value and power of the integration of computing and
communications."

(Grant Buckler/19940127/Press Contact: Mark Feighery, AT&T
Global Information Solutions, 513-445-5236)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00021)

Cincom Rolls Out Products For Mainframe "Redeployment" 01/27/94
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Cincom has
announced Diamond DataPaks and FastForward, two products aimed
at accomplishing "redeployment" of mainframe systems.

Under Cincom's definition, "redeployment" reaches beyond
traditional downsizing by cutting through technical complexities
for users, lowering costs, and "modernizing the mainframe" with
new technologies like multimedia and object orientation, according
to Dave Bunker, senior director, marketing and business planning,
for the Systems Software Division.

In a meeting with Newsbytes during Cincom's current East Coast
press tour, Bunker said that Cincom's new Diamond DataPaks and
FastForward technologies are both being offered through Cincom's
Redeployment Office.

The mission of the newly created Redeployment Office, he explained,
is to supply complete, pre-packaged, and pre-tested "solutions" to
customers who are looking to either rewrite or integrate mainframe
systems into newer environments.

The new FastForward product is designed to automatically
rewrite legacy programs, files and data from a Virtual Storage
Access Method (VSAM) mainframe database environment into native
structured query language (SQL), added Marco Emrich, Cincom's
director of System Software, Products & Architecture, also at the
meeting.

Diamond DataPaks, on the other hand, consists of preconfigured
turnkey packages meant to contain all the hardware, software,
connectivity, and migration or access components needed to
integrate a mainframe server, local area network (LAN) server, and
PC or Macintosh client environment.

The Diamond DataPaks packages are based on a modular approach,
allowing users to pick and choose from among components for MVS
and VSE mainframe environments, five different server environments,
and five different PC or Mac development environments.

The DataPaks are targeted at organizations that want to retain
databases operating on mainframes, while enhancing the legacy
applications with emerging technologies like multimedia, or while
transitioning some or all of the mainframe data to more cost-
efficient platforms.

With both new products, Cincom intends to eliminate the remaining
barriers to rightsizing, Newsbytes was told. "Cincom has packaged
(FastForward) attractively with guaranteed prices and a specific
list of deliverables that virtually removes any risk," said Emrich.

Pricing for FastForward is performed on a custom basis based on
results obtained by a detailed program code analyzer. In contrast
to prevailing industry practice, Cincom supplies a fixed price
quote to the FastForward customer, said Bunker.

The quote reflects the number of VSAM programs to be converted to
SQL, in addition to the amount and difficulty of any manual
conversion required. Prices are highly affordable, he said,
generally running in the $50,000 to $100,000 range.

Bunker added that Cincom's new Diamond DataPaks lowers risk by
letting customers continue to use mainframes while beginning to
take advantage of client-server architectures, graphical user
interfaces (GUIs), and the other drawing cards of distributed
computing.

Mainframe computers are still more prevalent than some people might
think, said Bunker, citing statistics from International Data
Corporation (IDC) that show a 1993 worldwide installed base of
47,080 mainframe processors. "And 90 percent of today's mainframes
will still be around five years from now," he predicted.

Although the newer distributed environments hold appeal, users also
want to leverage their investments in existing equipment, he
maintained. Further, mainframes provide such recognized advantages
as reliability, security, and sufficient capacity for very large
databases.

The Diamond DataPaks are priced at $40,000 to $60,000 each, a
figure said by Bunker to be a fraction of the cost of competing
solutions. Each DataPak consists of three components: one running
on the MVS- or VSE-based mainframe; one running on the Unix- or
OS/2-based server; and one for DOS-, Windows-, or OS/2-based
client PCs, or for Macintoshes.

The constituent parts of the mainframe component vary according to
what hardware and software is already operating on the mainframe,
said Greg Doud, program manager, Strategic Deployment, in an
interview after the meeting. Ingredients of the mainframe
component can include some or all of the following: Cincom's
Supra Server for MVS or VSE; a legacy data manager for VSAM; the
new FastForward; Cincom's PDM (Physical Data Manager) Server;
and Cincom's VSAM Server.

The server component is available for Sun, IBM's AIX, Hewlett-
Packard's HP-UX, Data General's DG-UX, or OS/2. This component
includes an Advanced Program to Program Communications (APPC)
gateway to the mainframe, plus Cincom's Supra Server for
OS/2 or Unix; a C or Cobol precompiler; and Cincom's DBlinks, a
piece of code providing connectivity to SQL databases.

The OS/2 servers use IBM's LANServer or Microsoft's LANManager
as a network operating environment, while the Unix servers use
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). The
client component of Diamond DataPaks incorporates Gupta's Quest
end-user toolset, along with a choice of five development
environments: Gupta's SQL/Win Quest; TechGnosis' Sequelink for
Windows, or Sequelink for Macintosh; Cincom's AD/Advantage; or
Cincom's upcoming Multimedia Developer's Workbench.

Cincom plans to officially announce its Multimedia Developer's
Workbench about a month from now, according to Bunker. The
company is also looking into the possibility of extending
FastForward to I/DBMS mainframe databases, he added.

But VSAM is still the most popular of all mainframe databases by
far, he pointed out. IDC has reported a 1993 installed base of
38,925 for VSAM, much higher than that of any other database
in the category, according to Bunker.

Cincom has been producing mainframe-based products ever since its
founding in 1968, the officials emphasized. The company unveiled
its first products for Unix back in 1989, noted Doud. Hardware
platforms supported by Cincom include DEC, Sequent, NCR, Fujitsu,
Bull, and Siemens-Nixdorf, in addition to IBM, Sun, Data General,
Hewlett-Packard, and Apple Macintosh.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940127/Reader Contact: Cincom Systems
Inc., 513-662-2300; Press Contact: Ronald R. Hank, Cincom,
513-662-2300)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00022)

UK - Vodafone Claims "Best Quality" Mobile Phone Network 01/27/94
NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- The third
quarterly Oftel (Office of Telecommunications) trial into the
quality of service of national cellular networks in the UK has, for
the third time running, shown Vodafone to be ahead of Cellnet in
terms of call quality and other associated call measurement
criteria.

According to Vodafone, the consolidated figure for all 120 routes
surveyed in the trial gave Vodafone an overall success rate for call
connections of 94.9 percent, compared with 91.6 percent that
Cellnet scored in the same tests.

Chris Gent, Vodafone's managing director, said that the
independent Oftel trials showed that Vodafone, once again, is the
best quality network for mobile phone users. "Our consolidated lead
after all three trials, which involved more than 90,000 calls being
made on the two networks, was over three and a half percent. We
were winners in each of the three surveys in every region of the
country," he said.

"The results of the trials have corroborated our own internal tests
which consistently match those obtained by Oftel to within once
percentage point," he added.

Cellnet and Vodafone are currently locked in a heavy advertising
campaign in the UK, Newsbytes notes. Having seemingly saturated the
business and residential markets, both companies are offering very
favorable terms to their potential new subscribers in a bid to boost
their income.

With Hutchinson Microtel (a digital network) expected to launch in
the next two to three months in the UK, the race is on to persuade
as many potential customers to sign up for service as quickly as
possible.

(Steve Gold/19940127/Press & Public Contact: Vodafone,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00023)

 ****Wordperfect UK Outlines Strategy For 1994 01/27/94
ADDLESTONE, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- As the US
parent operation was announcing layoffs across the board (925 in
the US and 100 worldwide were announced recently), Wordperfect
UK has announced its plans for the UK marketplace over the
coming year.

Although details of how many of Wordperfect UK's staff, if any, are
expected to be laid off, have yet to be announced, the company
appears bullish on its prospects for the UK market. According to
David Godwin, general manager for sales and marketing with the UK
operation, Wordperfect UK plans to become a major force in the
consumer software market over the next year.

In 1994, the company is aiming for a 20 percent share of the
worldwide consumer products market with its new range,
Wordperfect Main Street. According to the company, Software
Publishing Association (SPA) figures estimate that this market
will grow to $1,500 million by 1996 from a level of $430
million in 1991.

"The primary objective in launching Wordperfect Main Street is to
position Wordperfect UK as one of the leading providers of
consumer software worldwide by the end of 1994," Godwin said.

At the same time, Godwin added, Wordperfect is looking at developing
alternative outlets and methods of distribution for its products.
These include the possibility of original equipment manufacturer
(OEM) deals with third party companies.

According to Godwin, the Main Street range of packages will be sold
through a very wide variety of outlets in the UK. These will include
superstores, multiples, high street retailers, department stories
and warehouse clubs.

Plans also call for Wordperfect UK to expand its overall product
offerings by adding consumer titles within the "educatainment"
and "infotainment" sectors suitable for the UK.

Godwin's bullish approach to 1994 sales seems to represent a major
change in company policy, Newsbytes notes. Newsbytes interviewed
Peter Fergusson, managing director of Sentinel Software (the name
of Wordperfect UK back in 1987, before it was sold to Wordperfect
in the US), when Godwin had joined the company.

At that time, Wordperfect's strategy was to position its products
high in the marketplace, with pricing structured (Fergusson and
Godwin claimed at the time) to absorb the relatively high cost of
free support for its products.

That free support policy was dramatically changed earlier this month
when the company announced on both sides of the Atlantic, its
intention to move to value-added (i.e. payable) support for its
products, with customers outside the basic warranty period only
being able to access automated support via modem or fax.

The changes that have taken place this month appear to show that
Wordperfect is moving down market, pricing its products much more
in the mainstream -- as witnessed by the Main Street range of
consumer software. Ironically, 1993 projected income for
Wordperfect is around the $700 million, a 20 percent rise on 1992.

It is clear that, even with Wordperfect, one of the higher end
players in the software market, that eroding profit margins are
forcing software companies to cut back on the levels of free
support they offer, asking users to pay for their support as they go.

(Steve Gold/19940127/Press & Public Contact: Wordperfect UK,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00024)

UK - BT Plans "Pay As You Use" On-line Teledirectory 01/27/94
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- British Telecommunications
has announced plans for an enhanced version of its on-line directory
assistance service for computer/modem users. The new service,
which is known as Teledirectory, is aimed at users who required
five or more directory assistance calls a day, and charges them
at 12 pence per enquiry.

Teledirectory, Newsbytes understands, does not replace the
Phonebase service, which is billed as "b1" tariffs for smaller users.
Phonebase, which has been running for the past two years costs
nothing to sign up, but the "b1" low-cost trunk call tariff means
that users can pay anything from 4.2 pence to 25 pence per enquiry,
depending on the time day accessed.

Teledirectory, in contrast, costs UKP300 a year to sign up to, and
is accessible at local call rates through BT's Dial Plus packet data
network (PDN). In addition, the Windows-based software is designed
to be interactive, using "fuzzy logic" to locate numbers with less
than perfect data. Phonebase, the existing low-cost service,
requires the user to input all data perfectly.

A key feature of Teledirectory, Newsbytes notes, is its ability to
upload data from a users' local database and request directory
information en-masse for up to 10,000 records at a time. This
facility, known as the File Transfer Mechanism (FTM) costs 7.8
pence per residential enquiry and 9.8 pence per business enquiry.

Announcing Teledirectory, David Rosenbaum, the services' manager,
said that BT recognizes that businesses need to make increasing use
of telephone number information to maintain and extend their
records, as well as supporting regular contact with customers and
prospects.

"The launch of Teledirectory, thanks to the combination of
innovative software and the power of today's PC, has allowed us to
provide customers with easy access to up to date phone number
information quickly and accurately," he said.

According to Rosenbaum, Teledirectory is the first Windows-based
phone number information service in the UK --  with responses
taking around 15 seconds per enquiry. If correct, Newsbytes notes,
that will be faster than the Phonebase service.

Standard voice directory assistance calls, after several decades of
being free of charge, started to be chargeable a few years ago. The
current charge for up to two enquiries in a single call is 42 pence
plus tax for inland or international enquiries.

(Steve Gold/19940127/Press & Public Contact: British Telecom -
UK Public Enquiries, 0800-200-700 (toll free); International
public and UK/International press enquiries, Jenny Bailey
Associates, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00025)

UK - Datafile Offers 60-Day Acct Prgm "Test Drive 01/27/94
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Datafile Software, the
accountancy software company, has announced it is offering
potential customers a free 60-day "test drive" of its package.

According to the company, any potential customer can ask for a copy
of the test drive kit, which includes a full working version of all
the Datafile software ranges, with a test drive script, which
describes how to use each package. Test drivers can also,
Newsbytes notes, try out their own data as well.

"Time and again our dealers tell us that a demonstration of the
products leads to an order," explained John Roberts, Datafile's
managing director, who added that the Test Drive scheme allows
potential customers to "demonstrate to themselves why so many of
their colleagues bought Datafile software."

The test drive pack claims to allow potential customers to try each
of the company's products in turn: Datafile Compact, aimed at
first time, small business users; Datafile Diamond, the mid-range
package, which includes full control over datafile, screen and
report design; and Datafile Premier, which has been designed for
major companies.

"The difficulty with competitive products is that they can only be
configured to match a users' specific needs through costly bespoke
programming. That route cuts him off from future product
improvements and leaves him at the mercy of escalating prices for
even the smallest change," Roberts said.

He added: "With the Datafile Software route, only the setup operation
is unique to the user company. The applications themselves remain
standard and are designed to interpret the setup. This allows the
user to take advantage of product improvements as they occur."

The Test Drive package is open to anyone from a sole-trader to a
major company looking to distribute its accounting to its separate
divisions. On application, the company says it will forward a copy of
the test drive kit to any potential customer, together with details
of their nearest dealer.

(Steve Gold/19940127/Press & Public Contact: Datafile Software,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00026)

Women's Wire On-line Service Intro'd 01/27/94
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Women's
Wire, claimed to be the first on-line service dedicated to women's
issues, has announced its grand opening with a week of celebration
events.

From their extensive on-line experience, Ellen Pack, president, and
Nancy Rhine, director, decided there was market for an electronic
community that would devote itself entirely to issues of interest
to women.

Starting one year ago with a charter group, they developed a nucleus
for what is now the inauguration of Women's Wire. It offers a
centralized source of information with databases, discussions,
guests, alerts, abstracts and forums devoted to health, politics,
career, finance, technology, parenting, education, and lifestyle.

Speaking to Newsbytes, Ellen Pack said, "We want to reach out to
all women regardless of their on-line or computer experience and
one of the things that makes our on-line service different is our
commitment to new users. We are providing technical support that
will take anyone through all of the steps necessary to get on-line
even if they do not have a computer."

Among the current membership is a male audience making-up 15
percent of the users. Nancy Rhine stated, "We welcome all new
members and want them to know that our content is focused
entirely on issues of concern to women."

Women's Wire is a 24-hour on-line service with computer and
telephone support by Pandora Systems of San Francisco. For
Macintosh and Windows users there is free start-up kit that
presents an "easy-to-use, colorful" graphical user interface, with
a DOS version and full Internet service to be released later this year.
A "/command" DOS version is currently available.

The fees for the service start at $15 per month (includes first two
hours on-line) and $2.50 per hour. International rates are higher.

(Patrick McKenna/19940127/Press Contact: Laura Daykin,
Niehaus Ryan Haller Public Relations, tel [phone],
fax [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00027)

Michael Spindler Outlines Apple Strategy 01/27/94
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) --  Michael
Spindler, president and chief executive officer with Apple Computer,
emphasized the development and role of the PowerPC architecture,
in addressing the company's annual shareholders' meeting.

The address outlined five goals for Apple in the coming months:
successfully add PowerPC to the product line; grow new business
in software, servers, Newton, and on-line services; put the
customer at the center by realigning products, divisions and
services; improve the predictability of product delivery; and closely
manage business costs and expenses.

Of these the foremost task at hand for Spindler is to successfully
transition PowerPC into the Macintosh world.

Speaking to Newsbytes, Michael Murphy, editor of California
Technology Stock Letter, said, "Michael Spindler's task is to bridge
the new to the old, to somehow find away to keep the Macintosh
users an integral part of Apple Computer while at the same time
creating an entirely new impact on the computer market with the
PowerPC. I believe that Apple has truly learned that premium
pricing will not only be ineffective but harmful to the future of
PowerPC. Time will tell if they will follow through with that fact.
Their real success lies in competitive pricing and winning the
market with greater features."

Apple continues to stress a commitment to the Apple Business
Systems Division, the Newton, and the new developments in
on-line services (Software Dispatch and eWorld).

Other comments by Michael Spindler seem to indicate more
cutbacks within the company and a tougher more thorough
management policy from the top and into the divisions.

Apple also announced the election of Paul G. Stern, 55, formerly
CEO of Northern Telecom, to fill a vacated spot on the board of
directors. Paul Stern joins the board as a Class 1 director and
will begin serving immediately. He will be eligible for re-election
in one year. The company says he will be involved with Apple's
development of PowerPC into the small and medium business
markets.

Shareholder's will be watching Michael Spindler to see if he can
increase revenues with the success of PowerPC, his continued
reorganization, and the implementation of new customer-oriented
management strategies.

(Patrick McKenna/19940127/Press Contact: Frank O'Mahony,
Apple Computer, 408-974-5420)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00028)

CompuServe Offers IRS Forms On-line 01/27/94
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- If the IRS did not
include the forms you needed with your tax booklet, or you never
get to the Post Office, library, or a bank which carries them,
don't loose heart, CompuServe and Adobe have teamed up to let
you download (at regular connect-time charges) 450 forms or
instruction sheets along with a Mac, DOS, or Windows compatible
copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, so you can print out the forms in
IRS acceptable form.

This is not a tax preparation program which will compute your
taxes and then print completed IRS 1040 and other tax forms ready
for your signature, but it does provide a way for CIS subscribers
to get blank forms electronically - forms which they can then
print out as many times as they want on their own printers.

To find the files and locate the one you want to download type GO
TAXFORMS at the CIS prompt. A search feature lets you quickly
locate all forms which contain key words such as "charity."
Callers can also locate particular forms using the form number if
they already know what forms they need.

You will also need to download a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader to
print out the blank forms. Mac and Windows versions of Acrobat
Reader are now on-line and the DOS version is scheduled to be
posted by mid-February.

CIS points out that the availability of these forms on-line makes
them more readily available to tax preparers than if they called
the toll-free IRS number and requested the forms.

Newsbytes called the service and found that the forms are very
easy to locate. However, there is no indication of file size
before you initiate the download.

There is a message posted with the download memo for the Adobe
software needed to print forms. It says: "ACROBAT READER DISK 1
is free. However, you will be charged for connect time. Estimated
download time: 91:17 minutes."

(John McCormick/19940127/Press Contact: David Kishler of
CompuServe, 614-538-4553, or 70004,336)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00029)

Digital Cuts Alpha PC Prices, Adds Windows NT Model 01/27/94
CHAI WAN, HONG KONG, 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- Following last month's
announcement of the Pentium based DECpc XL line of personal
computers, Digital Equipment Corp., has reduced the price
of its DECpc AXP 150 family and introduced two new Alpha AXP
based models that are designed to ease the transition to Windows
NT and Windows NT Advanced Server (NTAS).

Packaged configuration prices for the DECpc AXP 150 family have
been reduced by 10-15 percent depending on configuration. All
models include: a 150 megahertz (MHz) 21064 AXP RISC (reduced
instruction-set computer) processor; Windows NT operating system
factory installed with documentation; 512 kilobytes (KB) of cache
memory; a 3.5-inch 2.88 megabyte (MB) floppy disk drive; six EISA
(Extended Industry Standard Architecture) slots; two serial ports
and one parallel port; a QVision graphics option; an Adaptec EISA
SCSI (small computer system interface) adapter; memory, hard disk,
keyboard, mouse and documentation. Digital also offers a selection
of PC options.

"Volume production of Alpha AXP microprocessors has given us
economies of scale, enabling us to pass the reduced production
cost back to customers in the form of lower prices," explained
Jeff Gustafson, Digital Asia's PC product manager.

Simultaneously, Digital announced an Alpha PC specially packaged
for Windows NT Advanced Server. The NT Advanced Server
operating system is especially well suited for users with
heterogenous PC, Macintosh and OS/2 environments who wish to
share files and information or provide centralized data and
applications.

Key features of NTAS include: domain control, which means that
all systems in the domain are recognized by the control system
and users can use one login for the entire domain; services
for Macintosh and OS/2; file and print services; and multi-line
remote access services for users off-site who wish to dial in to
transfer files from the Windows NT Advanced Server domain.

Digital is also offering the Universal Platform, an Alpha AXP PC
system loaded with Windows NT and a second operating system
option, which can be either DEC OSF/1 or OpenVMS. The Universal
Platform serves the needs of software developers and educational
institutions, which often have requirements for multiple operating
systems.

"Benefits to software developers include reduced hardware
investment for development and testing, simplified support for
multiple platforms by software vendors, and less office clutter
and power consumption," said Gustafson. "Educational institutions
can free funds for other uses and the combined platform makes
learning and teaching about operating systems much simpler."

He added: "The Universal Platform also makes the switch to
Windows NT a business and not a technology decision and protects
investments for the future for all users."

At the same time, the company announced that three additional
software applications will be ported to Alpha AXP and Windows NT.
Autodesk has committed to port both its AutoCAD and HyperChem
applications, Intergraph will port MicroStation and Novell's
Processor Independent NetWare is scheduled to be available in 1994.

"Software porting for the Alpha version of Windows NT continues
to gain momentum," noted Gustafson. "These leading applications
join more than 600 software packages that will be ported to the
Alpha AXP Windows NT platform. More than 300 of these
applications are already shipping."

(Keith Cameron 19940125 Press Contact: Bonnie Engel,
852-805-3510, DEC)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00030)

3Com Intros Remote Office Networking Products 01/27/94
WANCHAI, HONG KONG, 1994 JAN 27 (NB) -- 3Com Asia has
announced a new internetworking platform that the company
claims, cuts the cost of linking branch office local area
networks (LANs) to corporate networks.

Built on 3Com's high- volume manufacturing lines, the first two
members  of the new NETBuilder Remote Office family are priced
below US$2,000.

NETBuilder Remote Office family is built for low-cost, highly
reliable operation with all subsystems, including dual-image
flash memory, integrated on a single circuit board, according to
the company. The plug-and-play design means no on-site expertise
is needed for set-up. With links into Transcend, 3Com's network
management application, a central network administrator can
view the remote office as a single logical entity.

Over the next 18 months 3Com plans to release NETBuilder Remote
Office variants that will encompass both Ethernet and Token Ring,
and support leased line, switched digital line, frame relay and
X.25 WAN connections. LAN protocol support will include Appletalk,
DECnet, IP (Internet Protocol), IPX (Internetwork Packet Exchange),
OSI, Vines IP and XNS.

A recent study from IDC points out that two million LANs
worldwide, many at small remote sites, are not yet internetworked.
IDC projects the remote office internetworking market will grow
400 per cent over the next four years.

"As these networks become connected, companies will be focusing
on effective administration and WAN service efficiencies. 3Com's
new NETBuilder Remote Office product family delivers major
savings in these two areas, which represent the major cost factors
in remote networking," said Roy Johnson, managing director of
3Com Asia Ltd.

"Contrary to conventional wisdom, capital costs actually represent
the smallest part of the remote networking equation. As customers
replace batch file transfer procedures using low speed modems
with LAN interconnect solutions, the administrative costs of
remote networking expand. This highlights the need for an
integrated, simplified and efficient solution," said Johnson.

A study of router-based remote office connectivity, recently carried
out by Strategic Networks Consulting Inc., found that administrative
costs represent 45 percent of total expenditure. WAN (wide area
network) service costs accounted for another 34 percent, while
capital costs were only 21 percent of the remote networking outlay.

3Com will ship the first two models in the NETBuilder Remote
Office family this quarter. The NETBuilder Remote Office 200, with
a base price of US$1,795, provides a remote Ethernet bridge with
integrated 10BASE-T and WAN connectors. The NETBuilder Remote
Office 201 is offered at US$1,995.

(Keith Cameron 19940125 Press Contact: Roy Johnson,
852-868-9111, 3Com)