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/nb021194

Text File | 1994-02-11 | 91KB | 2,002 lines

(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00001)

Acer Ships Multimedia, Pentium Systems 02/11/94
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- Hoping to
remain competitive with Dell, Compaq, IBM, and Packard
Bell, Acer America Corp., has announced shipment of five PC
systems with internal multimedia capabilities that includes a
new Pentium-based system.

Michael Culver, director of product marketing for PC desktops
and portables, told Newsbytes, "The focus for Acer in 1994
is threefold. We will strive to be a leader in the expansion
of multimedia, a leader in delivery of Pentium technology,
and a leader in the color notebook market. We believe we
are the first to offer the Microsoft bundle of Encarta,
Golf and Cinemania and we are committed to a more aggressive
entry-level availability of multimedia."

According to Acer, sales results of two earlier
multimedia-capable systems indicated a growing trend of the
acceptance of and demand for CD-ROM technology.

The newest systems consist of three under the Acer ACROS
model, ranging from a 486SX33 to 486DX2/50, one as the
AcerPower model 8681TG, a 486/DX2/66, and the last as the
AcerPower model 9697TG, a Pentium-based mini-tower
configuration. The Acer ACROS models are designed for the
home "edu-tainment" user and small office user who need a
cost-effective turnkey system that ranges from $1199 to
$1799. The AcerPower models, ranging from $1999 to
$2999, are designed for small business and office users who
require high-performance graphic and processing power.

The introduction of AcerPower model 9697TG, to be shipped
next week, is Acer's first mainstream desktop offering of a
Pentium-based configuration. Culver further stated, "We still
project a strong demand for the 486 and believe that will
continue for some time. The Pentium chip requires 8 megs of
RAM and that alone will extend the sales life of 486 systems.
In the last quarter, Pentium chip systems accounted for 10 to
15 percent of our sales. We expect to see a steady growth in
the coming quarters from users who are looking to protect
future investment and still have a system compatible with
existing software."

(Patrick McKenna/19940210/Press Contact: Kate Blocker,
Acer America Corp., tel [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00002)

SAVA Smart Card Network Security System 02/11/94
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- SAVA Research
Corporation has announced the Series 20 Secure Cell network security
system -- a hardware plus software identification and
authorization (I&D) device using a smart card ID card, a smart card
reader, and a PC half card to monitor workstation activity and access
to a network.

According to the Florida-based company, the I&A system helps
administrators to log security breaches and boot protection. The
smart card system is said to provides access control, locks the
keyboard, and will blank the screen when removed.

SAVA also claims that the card/password combination eliminates
password-only system compromises. The $279 system is claimed to
be compatible with SAVA's Series 500 Secure-Cell and
Secure-Stations, is configurable for Windows or DOS PCs,
and comes with a one-year warranty and free technical support.

(Steve Gold/19940210/Press & Public Contact - SAVA Research,
813/578-0490; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00003)

CD-ROM-Based Automobile Global Positioners 02/11/94
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- Sony
Corporation has joined in an effort with Etak, Inc., to produce
Sony GPX-M1 technology, a global positioning system (GPS) for use
in American Cars.

Etak, a unit of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, is a leader
in the development of digital map databases and has
introduced EtakGuide of California which is the map database for
GPX-M1.

The guide, in a pair of CD-ROMs, contains geographical data and
tourist information on the entire state of California and areas of
Las Vegas, Reno and eastern Lake Tahoe.

More detailed maps are presented for nine regions which include
San Diego, Los Angeles/Orange County, Central Coast, the desert,
Bay Area, Sierras, Wine Country and Northern California.

Etak states more maps on CD-ROM will be made available as the
positioning system expands. Currently, maps of Florida and
the East Coast are being developed for the next release.

The Sony GM\PX-M1 will be available in an installed or
transportable model, either of which can be plugged into a cigarette
lighter, and comes with a color monitor, a small GPS antenna, and a
handheld, laser joystick for moving through the software.

Etak claims pointing the joystick at the monitor will allow users
to access the data and pinpoint locations, specific buildings and
attractions. A video keyboard for entering data can be accessed
with the joystick and an Address Finder features specific
addresses and a City Finder reveals detailed street maps.

The Sony GPS sensor receives signals from orbiting satellites,
that allow EtakGuide to show the car's location on the map.
A "POS" (position) button centers the map to the position of the car.

Les Goldberg, president of Les Goldberg Public Relations, told
Newsbytes, "This positioning system is patterned after a Japanese
version that has sold over 170,000 units. In the US, California and
Nevada will be the first test sites and eventually we will include
all 50 states. The individual unit picks up the signal from the 24
satellites of the Navstar satellite system and can access 8 of
those satellites at a time."

The company plans to make the system available late in 1994
through retail electronic outlets for the suggested price of
$2,200, a bit more expensive than your average road atlas.
Sony is currently working to establish a built-in unit with various
auto manufacturers.

(Patrick McKenna/19940209/Press Contact: Les Goldberg, Les
Goldberg Public Relations, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SYD)(00004)

Australia - Osborne Ships Keyboardless Computer 02/11/94
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- Osborne, Australia's
largest manufacturer and supplier of PCs, has released a new
model which has a keyboard, although according to Osborne you may
not need it. The Speech Dictation System computer uses IBM's
new software of the same name.

Based on an Osborne Gold Series DX/266 computer with the new
IBM software, it sells for just under AUS$10,000 (around US$7100),
taking it well above standard PCs.

Unlike other speech recognition systems that have to learn the
user's pronunciation of every word it is to recognize, on this
system new users have to spend around two hours reading a
series of sentences into the machine. It then goes away
and analyzes the voice, "tuning" it to that person's
pronunciation patterns.

Once this has been done, the user can employ the voice input
to either enter just text, or control the system as well.
Osborne said this lends the system to applications such as
word processing, preparing faxes, reading and preparing email,
and so on. In particular, the company claims the system will allow
professional users such as lawyers to prepare their own word
processing, passing their file to a secretary to complete
it (read "fix it up").

By doing this, a number of steps are avoided, and the user
gets basically what he or she wants the first time, avoiding
multiple drafts and checks.

In use the system must be treated as a little hard of
hearing - each word must be spoken separately, and relatively
slowly at around 70-100 words per minute, which is considerably
slower than normal speech, though faster than all but the
fastest typists. Additional users can be trained at a system
cost of around four megabytes each.

The standard system has a 20,000-word dictionary, but allows
for 5000 user-defined words to be added. Presumably, beyond
this you have to delete words. There are also some specialized
dictionaries for special interest groups.

During a demonstration, the system got only one word wrong.
On the other hand, while the standard OS/2 navigation commands
were understood by the system, once the user was inside
applications such as WordPerfect, only the text input could be
handled by the voice system, not the application commands such
as running the spelling checker.

At present, the only voice input possible is via a microphone
boom which is worn on the head (like a sportscaster). Newsbytes
asked why it was not possible to record the dictation on tape
and feed this to the machine, or why the user could not
telephone his/her computer to give some commands. The answer
given was that either of these systems changed the voice so
much that it sounded to the computer like a new (and
unrecognizable) person.

One advantage of the system is the verbal equivalent of macro
keys - the word "AXE" for instance might become "Axelrod Trading
Company" on the screen.

(Paul Zucker/19940211/Contact John Linton at Osborne on phone
[phone]/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00005)

Commodore Australia Reported Close To Failure 02/11/94
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- Entrepreneurial types
interested in buying their very own multinational computer company
subsidiary in Australia will have their chance next week.
Commodore Business machines is the Australian distributor of
Commodore, but it is expected to be sold next week due to
financial problems.

"Everything's up for sale: goodwill, badwill, the lot," joked
Max Donnelly of accountancy firm Ferrier Hodgson. He has been
appointed administrator of the company after directors considered
the personal implications arising from the financial problems
of CBM. Donnelly said the company is unable to service
a bank bill due to roll over today, despite having made sales
of AUS$40 million over the past year. The two major creditors
are Commodore International and the Westpac bank. The main
asset is the stock of Amiga and IBM-compatible computers.

CBM MD Pat Byrne is believed to be a possible buyer for the
company. When interviewed last year he expressed interest should
the company ever be available.

IDC analyst Graham Penn said Commodore's declining fortunes
in Australia are partly due to the push into retail channels by
the heavyweight manufacturers. "Retailers don't have unlimited
space and the entry of brand names such as IBM, Compaq and
Packard Bell are squeezing out the likes of Amstrad, Atari,
and Commodore."

(Paul Zucker and Computer Daily News/19940211)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00006)

Software Support Pros Assn To Hold Events 02/11/94
BURLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- The Software
Support Professionals Association (SSPA) plans to present two
national events for support professionals later this month, each to
be hosted by Interleaf.

The SSPA National Roundtable, set for February 22, will be followed
on February 23 by Support Automation Showcase. The back-to-back
events will be held in Burlington, MA.

The National Roundtable is subtitled "Transitioning Software
Support to Professional Services." Highlights include a panel
discussion on "The Role of Professional Services in Software
Support," a tour of the Technical Support Center at Interleaf, and
two keynotes: "An Overview of Interleaf and How They Deliver
Support," by Dorene Woodrow, services marketing manager for
Interleaf; and "How to Transition Your Software Support to a
Professional Services Program."

Dave Brown, vice president of the Rancho Bernardo, CA-based SSPA,
will moderate the keynote panel. Panelists will include Paul
Simpson, director of customer support, Interleaf; Tom Rich,
director of North America programs, Prognostics; Dean Carmeris, VP
of product service, Progress Software; and Mike Bunch, manager of
professional products and services, Aldus Corporation.

In the next day's event, Support Automation Showcase, a series of
presentations will be capped by a Vendor's Showcase. After
welcoming remarks by Bill Rose, founder and director of the SSPA,
Jim Gerber, marketing manager for Clarify, will discuss "The Value
of Automation."

Other talks on the showcase agenda include "Managing Knowledge
Assets in the Support Center," by Mike Malone, regional manager for
Verity; "The Financial Side of Implementing an Automated Support
Plan," by Keith Larson, director of marketing, Astea International;
"The Impact of Automation on the Support Center," by Will Herman,
president of Scopus Technology; and "Advanced Technologies Pave the
Road to Service and Support Excellence in the '90s," by Chip
Anderson, director of ServiceSoft.

The SSPA's National Roundtable will take place from 8:30 am to 6 pm
on the 22nd, and the Support Automation Showcase from 8:30 am to 7
pm on the 23rd.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940211/Reader and press contact: SSPA, 619-
674-4864)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00007)

Electronic Resumes On Disk 02/11/94
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- The Electronic
Resume Network is using diskettes to bring job-seekers into
contact with would-be employers. The Toronto company will launch
its Resumes on Disk service March 1.

Perry Shoom, president of the Electronic Resume Network, told
Newsbytes his firm plans to have about 4,000 resumes, covering a
wide range of job categories in its database when its first
quarterly diskettes go out to subscribers. The network will send
out updates quarterly for the C$5,000 fee it charges businesses.

Job-hunters will pay C$25 to keep their resumes on the database
for six months. Shoom said individuals can have their resumes
entered in the system for them and sent out for checking for that
fee. People who work with organizations that buy the service can
add their resumes free of charge. To help get the service
started, the Electronic Resume Network is offering free resume
listing for two weeks, Shoom said.

Resumes on Disk is a national service, but Shoom said the
database will have a heavy concentration of Toronto-area and
Ontario listings initially.

Businesses using the system can choose the skills or
characteristics they are looking for and only those resumes that
match will be printed. The system works with DOS and Microsoft
Windows-based personal computers, the company said.

The Electronic Resume Network will also do one-time searches for
companies, charging C$499 to supply 10 resumes of qualified
candidates within one business day.

(Grant Buckler/19940211/Press Contact: Perry Shoom, Electronic
Resume Network, 905-889-0472)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00008)

Japan - NEC Beefs UP PC-VAN Network 02/11/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- NEC plans to take steps
to beef up membership in its personal computer-based
telecommunication network called PC-VAN. Several advanced
multimedia features will be added. The goal is to gain
one million members by the end of fiscal 1995.

PC-VAN will offer interconnection with cable TV as well as
"digital books." Also, PC-VAN will offer online audio to "read"
texts to users while they are online. This feature is also to
be adapted to allow users to listen to their electronic mail
or database through the telephone. NEC anticipates that the
read-aloud service will start this September.

Another new service will be its rapid data transmission
capabilities. PC-VAN will start 14.4-kilobits-per-second
service within a year. NEC plans to install 40 more
host computers for this rapid data transmission service.

NEC plans to triple its database offerings to 50 different
information databases, within a year.

Through all these new services, NEC hopes to gain 850
corporate memberships, and one million regular members by the
end of fiscal 1995, which is March 1996. PC-VAN currently
has 660,000 members and is the largest PC network in
Japan. NEC has recently connected with Dialog, and
is testing a connection with Japan's ASCII network.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19940207/Press Contact: NEC, PC-VAN,
[phone], Fax, [phone])


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

Networking Roundup 02/11/94
PENN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- This is
the first of what is planned as a regular Friday feature,
summarizing networking news not covered elsewhere by Newsbytes
this week.

SynOptics Communications Inc., has introduced a stand-alone switch
that translates data between 10 megabits-per-second (Mbps)
Ethernet frames and 155 Mbps asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)
cells, called EtherCell. The product acts as a front-end to the
SynOptics LattisCell ATM switch to allow customers to build
networks that consist of Ethernet and ATM devices.

According to the company, EtherCell can be used to create power
workgroups or to connect Ethernet segments to ATM backbone
networks. In the power workgroup, Ethernet end stations can be
connected directly to EtherCell ports for dedicated 10 Mbps
bandwidth. In an ATM backbones, EtherCell can connect Ethernet
segments from intelligent hubs to an ATM network fabric.
Two versions of the product are available. The $9,995 Model
10328-F features 12 10BASE-T Ethernet ports and one ATM port
with a multi-mode fiber SONET (Synchronous Optical NETwork)
/SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) interface, and scheduled to
ship in April. The $9,495 Model 10328-C features 12 10BASE-T
Ethernet ports and one ATM port with a Category 5 UTP (unshielded
twisted pair) SONET/SDH interface.

Microcom Inc., is shipping LANexpress, an integrated system
for connecting individual remote users to corporate LANs (local
area networks). The product combines Windows-based client
software with a high performance server that comes standard
with up to eight integrated 28.8 Kbps V.fast modems. LANexpress
is available in both Ethernet and Token Ring versions, both of
which are available immediately through Microcom's certified
resellers in either two-port, four-port or eight-port server
versions, with pricing ranging from $3,499 to $8,899, including
the server, network management tools and an unlimited license
for Carbon Copy.

Xircom Inc., has announced volume shipment availability of the new
CreditCard Token Ring Adapter, claimed to be the first Personal
Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) LAN
adapter based on the Texas Instruments Token Ring chipset. The
CreditCard Token Ring Adapter is already available through
Xircom's worldwide network of distributors and resellers, priced
at $599.

Router and internetworking vendor, Cisco Systems Inc., has announced
that its board of directors, at the company's regularly scheduled
board meeting on Tuesday, has authorized the splitting of the stock
on a 2-for-1 basis for shareholders of record on March 4, 1994.
Shares resulting from the split are expected to be distributed by
the transfer agent on March 18, 1994.

Network Systems Corp., and Essential Communications have signed
a partnership agreement to build and market gigabit-speed networking
products including HIPPI switches and workstation adapter cards;
ATM and SONET gateways; and "other high-performance enterprise
LAN devices." Under terms of the deal, Network Systems will hold
a 40 percent equity position in Essential, valued at $2.5 million,
and will market Essential products.

XNET Technology has introduced a server-based switching hub card
that increases the number of Ethernet 10 Mbps paths. The Series 1800
ParallelSwitch ServerHub switching hub card combines a six port,
"high performance full-bandwidth" Ethernet switching hub,
supporting up to 60 total Mbps of total throughput. The company
says it is targeted toward 20-100 port Ethernet networks.

While the Series 1800 ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) versions
will be ready for volume shipments in April, volume shipments of the
EISA (Extended ISA) version will be in May. The ISA version is priced
at $2,488 for 10Base-T and $2,688 for the BNC version. The
10Base-T EISA version will be priced at $2,988. The EISA BNC model
will be priced at $3,288.

On the peer-to-peer front, Artisoft Inc., says that its products are
now available through distributors throughout the Middle East,
India, and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The Network Management Forum has announced the election of
new officers: Keith Willetts of BT will remain as chairman of
the Board of Trustees; Ian Sugarbroad of Northern Telecom will
serve as president; John Kitchener of GPT will be vice president
for Europe; Dr. Makoto Yoshida of NTT will be vice president of Asia;
and Nancy Goguen of AT&T Global Information Systems will be vice
president for North America. The Network Management Forum is a
consortium of over 120 computer and communication systems
suppliers, service providers and users in 20 countries, focused
exclusively on management issues.

Wellfleet Communications has joined the Fast Ethernet Alliance, a
multivendor group focused on developing specifications for 100
Mbps) CSMA/CD (carrier sense multiple access with collision
detection) Ethernet technology.

Research firm Dataquest says that the worldwide intelligent hub
market exhibited significant changes in 1993. The nonmodular
managed Ethernet hub market, which includes entry-level stackable
hubs for computer networks, was three times larger in 1993 than
it was in 1992, illustrating a major shift in demand from large
companies to small and medium-size companies. In 1992, according
to Dataquest, the Token Ring market was larger than nonmodular
managed Ethernet shipments, but there were 2.3 million more
nonmodular managed Ethernet shipments than Token Ring shipments
in 1993.

NetWorth Inc., has formed a new business unit to "address the
burgeoning market for low-cost remote office internetworking
applications." The new division will be an operating unit within
NetWorth, and will complement the company's current hub business
to provide simplified routing and switching products for mass
distribution.

Accton Technology Corp., has announced the formation of the RedBox
Division, a new business group devoted to creating workgroup
computing "solutions" designed specifically to support Novell
NetWare environments. The company says that the first products
being developed by the division will incorporate Novell's Universal
NetWare Client software.

SofNet has announced that its FaxWorks Pro LAN product has begun
shipping and FaxWorks Pro Server will ship February 28 to end
users through the company's international network of resellers and
distributors. FaxWorks Pro LAN, a network-independent LAN fax
product, is designed for small to medium sized networks.

The company says that the product does not require a dedicated fax
server and is compatible with most DOS-based LANs including
Artisoft's LANtastic, Novell's NetWare and NetWare Lite, and
Microsoft's Windows for Workgroups. Pro LAN is priced at $199
for a two-user pack is $199, a 10-user pack is $599, a 25-user
pack is $999, and 50-user pack is $1,799. FaxWorks Pro Server
costs $1,499 per file server license or $799 for 10 users.

Legato Systems Inc., has signed deals under which Ingram Micro,
SunExpress, and Tech Data Corp. will resell Legato NetWorker,
the network-wide backup and recovery software product. Legato
NetWorker is a software application that backs up users' files on
the network server or desktop systems and allows recovery when
a needed file is destroyed or damaged.

(Ian Stokell/19940211)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00010)

PC-Write Sold To Starlite, Will Continue As Shareware 02/11/94
HADLOCK, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- Starlite has
acquired the rights to PC-Write, and plans to keep the popular,
11-year-old word processing program available to users as
shareware.

The deal between Starlite, producer of the Galaxy shareware word
processors for novice computer users, and Seattle-based developer
Bob Wallace, creator of PC-Write, also includes the rights to PC-
Write add-ons and related products, and Wallace's assistance in the
development of enhanced versions of PC-Write.

In addition, Starlite intends to continue the PC-Write forum on
CompuServe, according to Gordon Wanner, president of Starlite.

PC-Write, a program reportedly licensed by 50,000 individuals and
firms worldwide, was first released by Quicksoft, a company then
owned by Wallace, in 1983. Wallace sold Quicksoft in 1991, and
continued to develop PC-Write for the new owners. When Quicksoft
went out of business in October, 1993, the PC-Write product
returned to Wallace.

Explained Wallace: "Many loyal PC-Write users have called and told
me that they want to continue with PC-Write. I'm looking forward
to helping Starlite continue to serve PC-Write users, and to adding
the new features and platforms that our users want."

Like other shareware, PC-Write is offered free of charge on an
"honor system" to users who want to try out the software. Users
who then register for the software, and pay a license fee, are able
to receive printed manuals, technical support, and add-ons.

PC-Write and Galaxy Pro-Lite will complement each other well,
according to Wanner. "PC-Write's fast and easy operation, combined
with its support for complex documents with detailed formatting,
including graphics and columns, makes it an excellent word
processor. And particularly important for Starlite, it is an
excellent upgrade for our Galaxy users," he noted.

Shareware is "a great system that gets software into a lot of
users' hands, and lets them see for themselves how hot it is,"
Wanner added.

PC-Write 4.15 is available immediately through Starlite. The
single-user license fee is $69 with one year of technical support
or $49 with 30 days of "getting started" assistance. Existing PC-
Write users can receive technical support from Starlite at a
special discount, the company said.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940210/Reader contact: Starlite, 800-888-8088;
Press contact: Richard Leeds, Computer Product Introductions Corp.
for Starlite, 206-451-9788)


(EDITORIAL)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00011)

Editorial - A New Paradigm - Again 02/11/94
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- By John McCormick.
I have a great new idea for an entertainment system - all I
need is some PR hype and strong backing from the electronics
press to get it off the ground.

The problem.

People are not satisfied with what we have now. In particular,
they have a lot of trouble with all those digital controls where
you have to press keys in a number pad to select among those 130
cable channels. You are always hearing complaints from
malcontents who can't learn to program their VCR.

The situation is even worse for individuals with home satellite
systems who have dozens of satellites and literally hundreds of
transponders to choose between, all selected digitally from
keyboards.

Also, people are getting tired of seeing more of the same old
thing on TV. Talk shows, movies, sitcoms, news, and game shows
are all basically unchanged from years ago and are, frankly,
getting more than a bit boring. What people want is something
radically new both in format and in the entertainment content
networks present.

Here is my idea.

Get rid of those number pads and instead use a simple linear dial
with a moving indicator to select channels. The stations will
still be tightly restricted as to frequencies, but the ability to
gradually tune between adjacent stations using a continuously
changing analog frequency setting controlled by a dial rather
than a number pad will give the important appearance of more
control. Don't even include click stops; just have a smoothly
varying tuner.

My studies have shown that people really want some sort of
change, and this appears to be it.

Now to revamp the content.

Many people loudly complain about what we have now. Images
constrained to a specific screen format and resolution really bug
them, as do the actual images.

My new home entertainment system eliminates all the barriers
present in current television and not just by making screens
larger, changing them to letterbox format, or increasing
resolution. No, my new system opens up the entire environment to
the imagination of the user.

Sound familiar? It's called AM radio!

Ridiculous, right? Well, is that idea really any more far-fetched
than the current push for pen computers? Aren't companies, their
flacks, and hype artists just pushing for an idea that was
discarded years ago?

General-purpose pen computers are based on the idea that,
although every business in the past century changed from
handwritten records and correspondence to typewritten text and
nearly all of them have now moved on to using computers based on
the same paradigm, these businesses will all now want to reverse
that trend and input data with a pen.

What an exciting idea!

Does it make any sense that vast numbers of people will rush to
move backwards to handwriting-based business communications? Even
if pen computers were as accurate as a keyboard-based system, you
couldn't do the most important thing that people have come to
rely on keyboards for - touch-type! Most typists and experienced
computer users working with a lot of text can input data at 40 to
100 words per minute without ever looking away from their
reference texts. Don't expect to do better than 10 wpm with any
pen computer.

Handwriting- or, more accurately, handprinting-based computers
don't work very well yet. They will improve. They will even do a
decent job of recognizing continuous cursive writing someday if
enough money is put into developing them. But that doesn't mean
they are a good idea, so have your kids take typing classes in
school.

If you do want a technology to bet on, look to business once
again. Ten years ago no executive would have been caught dead
using a typewriter. Executive style called for dictating letters
and memos to a secretary who did the typing, even if this took
twice as long as it would for the original person to just type it
him or herself. Following this idea, look for speech recognition
to be the real new paradigm for small computers - but don't look
for it soon; good speech recognition is every bit as tough to
implement as is handwriting recognition.

(John McCormick/19940211)


(REVIEW)(IBM)(WAS)(00012)

Review of - National Lampoon's Chess Maniac 02/11/94

Runs on: MS-DOS compatible fast 386 SX with 27 MB (megabytes) of
hard drive space; DOS 5 or 6, VGA; mouse; 560 K (kilobytes) free
memory; and 1 MB EMS memory. Sound board optional.

From: Spectrum Holobyte; 2490 Mariner Square Loop, Alameda, CA
94501. 800-695-GAME (sales).

Price: $70 (floppy) $60 (CD-ROM)

PUMA Rating: 4 on a scale 1=lowest to 4=highest

Reviewed for Newsbytes by: John McCormick

Summary: Moderately strong chess program packed with humor and
animated board pieces - getting your rooks off.

======

REVIEW

======

Chess Maniac comes on 12 high-density floppy diskettes so it
should come as no surprise to learn that it takes about 30
minutes of disk swapping to get it copied onto your hard disk,
but that is just the start because it will take up to several
hours for the software to generate all the fantastic graphics
which are its major claim to fame - fortunately this processing
time doesn't require any user attention.

You can play CM5 using the traditional Staunton chess pieces
(rightly described as "boring" mode), but this is not the world's
strongest chess program so if you aren't anxious to play the
animated "bawdy" version then you are loading the wrong software.

Bawdy chess pieces include hooch dancing belly dancers as pawns
on one side and very tricky Bishops who are shown as wizards.

On the basic "Beginners Luck" level, any novice should have no
trouble beating the computer. I actually played to lose to see
how the game would deal with winning, but during the last ten
moves I tried to win and did so.

As you move toward level 10, otherwise known as "Tie me up and
whip me!" this program becomes a more formidable opponent. Of
course it also takes a long time to play the more sophisticated
games unless you have a reasonably fast 486.

My wife was watching me or I would have tried the final
difficulty option, "Strip Chess," but as it is I can't report on
that feature.

You can save and reload games as well as re-orient the board at
will and change from 3-D to 2-D.

Documentation should be read carefully, not because there is
anything tricky about learning the program but because it is
funny. One interesting advertisement carried in the documentation
is for a product described as "Hand-Tooled Crap."

This is a fun game and is certainly one I will keep loaded to
show to visitors, but I have real doubt that I will actually want
to play it more than once or twice. The animation is certainly
fantastic, but even when you set the software to play a
reasonably strong game it isn't much fun to play because in the
more interesting graphics mode the board is difficult to see due
to all the large characters.

I wisely loaded it onto a removable optical disc so I won't miss
the more than 25 MB of space taken up by CM5 -- otherwise I feel
certain that it would get wiped in a few months when I filled up
my hard drives again and went looking for something that I just
didn't use.

By all means order the CD-ROM version if you have a drive - it is
cheaper and easier to install, but it will still use up an
estimated 27 MB of hard disk space.

Not for small children. Sure there is more violence in TV
cartoons, but be reasonable folks. For instance, I seem to
remember seeing one belly dancer kick a court jester in his cod
piece.

============

PUMA RATING

============

PERFORMANCE: 4 Great, no make that fantastic animation, good
chess play.

USEFULNESS: 4 Generic rating for a game, it is definitely fun but
fun is in the eye of the beholder.

MANUAL: 4 Only because there is no higher rating available.

AVAILABILITY: 4 This is marketed by a major player in the
entertainment software business and is widely available.

(John McCormick/19931201/Press Contact: Tom Byron, Spectrum
Holobyte, 510-522-3584 or fax 2138)


(REVIEW)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00013)

Review of - Stan Veit's History of the Personal Computer 02/11/94

From: WorldComm Press, 65 Macedonia Road, Alexander, North
Carolina 28701, 704-252-9515. By Stan Veit, ISBN 1-56664-023-7.

Price: $19.95 U.S. or $24.95 Canada

PUMA Rating: 4 on a scale 1=lowest to 4=highest

Reviewed for Newsbytes by: John McCormick

Summary: The nitty gritty history of the computer industry as
seen by the founder of the world's second computer store, Stan
Veit, who later went on to build a tiny trade newsletter into
Computer Shopper, the world's largest computer magazine (the
February, 1994 issue has more than 870 pages).

======

REVIEW

======

Did you ever wonder how the personal computer industry got
started, what it was like trying to buy a computer in the early
days, and how people coped with finding the parts and information
they needed?

If so, then who better to learn from than Stan Veit, the man who
gave Steve Jobs and his partner "Woz" a place in his booth at the
world's first real computer show (August 27, 1976, Atlantic City,
New Jersey.)

Although Stan doesn't claim to the best businessman in the world
(he once turned down a 10 percent piece of Apple Computer for
$10,000), he was certainly a pioneer and knows where all the
skeletons are hidden.

But while this book does offer a revealing glimpse into some of
the personalities and infighting of the early personal computer
industry, it also provides a vital look at the how the industry
developed, if not from its birth, then certainly from the time it
was in diapers.

Stan eventually left the computer sales arena for publishing, but
during his time as operator of New York's Computer Mart (which
was actually owned by his wife) Stan once stopped traffic on busy
5th Avenue by putting a computer monitor in the window of his
store, and he shares this, along with dozens of other war stories
with readers in this very interesting book.

Based on the long-running column he wrote in Computer Shopper,
Stan Veit's History not only brings much of that information into
one easily accessible source, but also expands on many of the
subjects covered in the column.

Whether you lived through the PC revolution (as I did) or are
just getting involved in computers and want to understand how
they developed the way they have, Stan's book provides a unique
look at the people and hardware that have shaped the highly
polished multi-billion dollar industry we see today.

Personal note, I have known and worked with Stan for years and
have great respect for his knowledge of this industry. I thank
him for sharing his experiences, both good and bad, with the rest
of us in this book.

(John McCormick/19940121/Press Contact: WorldComm Press, 704-252-
9515)


(REVIEW)(IBM)(WAS)(00014)

Review of - The Best 1001 WordPerfect Tips Ever 02/11/94

Runs on: Disk is 3.5-inch MS-DOS compatible.

From: Osborne McGraw-Hill, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17294-0701.
800-722-472. By Mary Campbell, ISBN 0-07-881819-2, book
and included floppy disk.

Price: $39.95

PUMA Rating: 4 on a scale 1=lowest to 4=highest

Reviewed for Newsbytes by: John McCormick

Summary: A good substitute for a personal trainer learning
WordPerfect 6.0 or 5.1 for DOS, most useful for someone new to
word processing in general.

======

REVIEW

======

First of all I want to point out what this book is not. In these
days when about half of the books I get for review are nothing
but rewrites of the original documentation, it was refreshing to
see this book which is truly a supplement to the WordPerfect docs
rather than an attempt to replace them.

The object of this book is to provide hints and useful shortcuts
for WordPerfect and they cover a range from the most simple to
some fairly advanced concepts.

I think the best way to understand this book is to quote a couple
of tips.

Tip 37 reminds the reader not to mistake a 0 (zero) for an O
(letter). This is a good tip but obviously meant for rank
beginners.

Tip 44 explains that you should use "hard spaces" to separate two
words that you want formatted together, but fails to explain just
how to insert a "hard space" (use HOME-SPACE).

Tip 982 explains in considerable detail how to create booklets
and the disk enclosed with the book carries a pair of macros
which can make this basic desktop publishing task quite simple.

These three tips should make it clear that although there are
some more advanced topics covered, many of the 1001 are extremely
basic. This is not a criticism, in fact I think that the book
makes a fine supplement to the WordPerfect documentation which is
available online and in print form with the program.

Although there is little in this book which was new or useful to
me, you need to remember that I use WordPerfect up to ten hours
per day and I can remember giving a number of similar
explanations or tips to less experienced users.

While I wouldn't recommend the book to a user who works at my
level, the average office user will find it very useful, as will
an office manager who has more productive things to do than
provide advanced word processor training on a continuing basis.

It is also useful for more sophisticated users who seldom make
use of many features and would have to spend a lot more time
experimenting or digging through documentation than it will take
to find an appropriate tip in this book which provides a
shortcut.

This is not a replacement for the documentation but it isn't
intended to be. What it is is a solid collection of useful tips
and explanations of how WordPerfect works, what you can do with
all those strange features packed into the documentation, and a
nice set of useful clip-art, macros, forms, and templates on the
enclosed floppy diskette. The macros included on disk are only
compatible with version 6.0.

(John McCormick/19931210/Press Contact: Lisa Kissinger, McGraw-
Hill, 717-794-2191)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00015)

Company Results Roundup 02/11/94
PENN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- This is a
regular feature, summarizing company results not reported
elsewhere by Newsbytes: Sierra On-Line, Cisco Systems,
Key Tronic, NAI Technologies, Egghead Software, Informix,
Digital Microwave, Ingram Micro, SPSS.

Router and internetworking product manufacturer, Cisco Systems Inc.,
has reported that net sales for the second quarter ended January 30,
1994, were $302,166,000 and net income was $77,472,000, or $0.29
per share. This compares to net sales of $145,071,000 and net income
of $38,694,000, or $0.15 per share in the same period last year, and
are increases of 108 percent, 100 percent, and 93 percent,
respectively.

Said John Morgridge, president and CEO of Cisco, "It is my pleasure
to report the sixteenth consecutive quarter of growth in revenue and
profitability since the company went public in February 1990."

For the third quarter of fiscal 1994, revenue from Sierra On-Line's
core software publishing business increased to $26.7 million from
$17.6 million for the same quarter in fiscal 1993, an increase of
52 percent. Pre-tax income for the business was $5.5 million, an
increase over the pre-tax loss of $156,500 reported for the
same period a year ago. For the nine months ended December 31,
1993, revenue from core software publishing business increased
to $48.8 million from $36.2 million for the same period in fiscal
1993, an increase of 35 percent. Pre-tax income for the business
rose to $1.9 million from $325,000 for the same period in fiscal
1993, an increase of 485 percent.

Spokane-based manufacturer of computer keyboards and other input
devices, Key Tronic Corp., increased sales for the second
quarter of fiscal 1994 ended January 1, but the company sustained
a net loss of $2,302,000 or $0.28 per share, compared to earnings
of $1,446,000 or $0.15 per fully diluted share in the same period
last year. The company reported sales of $41,262,000, compared to
$32,613,000 in the same quarter of 1993. Reflected in the second
quarter's results are the operations of the former Honeywell
Keyboard Division, which Key Tronic acquired on July 30, 1993.
The company says that the operating loss contrasts with continued
major increases in unit deliveries of Key Tronic keyboards,
reflecting price decay still dominating the computer industry.

Computer and telecommunications electronics company, NAI
Technologies Inc., announced record annual results for the year
ended December 31, 1993. For the full year 1993, net income was
up eight percent to $5.5 million or 83 cents per share, compared
with $5.1 million or 83 cents per share the prior year. Revenues
increased 20 percent to $81 million from $67.3 million in 1992.
Net income for the fourth quarter of 1993 was $0.7 million or 10
cents per share, compared with net income of $1.3 million or
22 cents per share in the same period last year. Revenues for the
quarter declined three percent to $18.4 million from a year
earlier $19 million.

Egghead Software announced earnings of $1.4 million, or eight
cents per share, for the third quarter of fiscal 1994 ending January
8, 1994, down from earnings of $2.3 million, or 14 cents per share,
for the third quarter of fiscal 1993. Sales of $208.6 million for
the third quarter of fiscal 1994 were up $20.3 million, or 11
percent, compared to $188.3 million in the third quarter a year ago.
Retail sales of $114.9 million increased $21.5 million, or 23 percent,
compared to last year. Comparable retail store sales increased 18
percent compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company also
reported an increase in mail order sales due partly to the acquisition
of a new mail order subsidiary, during the second quarter of fiscal
1994.

Software vendor Informix Corp, announced results for the fourth
quarter and full year ended December 31, 1993. Informix's 1993
revenues increased by approximately 35 percent to $352,915,000
compared with revenues of $261,790,000 in fiscal 1992. Pretax
profit for 1993 increased by 64 percent to $87,679,000 compared
with pretax profit of $53,607,000 in 1992. Net income for 1993
increased by 31 percent to $56,115,000 compared with pretax
profit of $42,805,000 in 1992. Fully diluted earnings per share
were $0.83 in 1993, an increase of 24 percent over fully diluted
earnings per share of $0.67 in 1992.

Said Phil White, Informix chairman and CEO, "Our database
business had great momentum in 1993 capped with our December
shipment of the first of our newest generation of database
servers, Informix-OnLine Dynamic Server 6.0. 1994 promises
to be an exciting year for Informix, as we continue to roll
out our Dynamic Scalable Architecture, (DSA) database servers
and work towards the planned introduction of our object
oriented 4GL (fourth generation language), Informix-4GL++."

Digital Microwave Corp reported a quarterly loss of $25.4 million,
or $2.03 per share, on sales of $30.6 million for the third quarter
ended December 31, 1993. For the same period in the prior fiscal
year, the company had net income of $1.1 million, or $0.09 per
share, on sales of $26.8 million. The company said the loss resulted
from non-recurring charges of $27 million associated with the
settlement of a class action lawsuit and the anticipated liquidation
of its DMC Telecom (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. joint venture. For the third
quarter, before non-recurring charges, the company had income
before tax of $1.6 million, compared to income before tax of $1.1
million for the same period in the prior fiscal year.

Ingram Micro reported record worldwide fourth quarter and year-
end sales for the period ending December 31, 1993. For the fourth
quarter, the company had sales of $1,193,000,000 and for the
full year $4,023,000,000. According to the company, the figures
represent increases in sales of 46 percent for the fourth quarter
and 48 percent for the year over 1992's results, when the company
had sales of $820,000,000 for the fourth quarter and $2,716,000,000
for the full year. Domestic year-over-year sales grew by 36 percent.

Statistical software publisher, SPSS Inc., reported record results
for its fourth quarter and fiscal year, 1993. Net income for the
quarter totaled $1,537,000, a 143 percent increase over the prior
year. Earnings per share increased 45 percent to $0.24 cents from
the $0.16 cents in the last year's fourth quarter. Revenues for the
fourth quarter, 1993, were $11,864,000, an increase of three
percent over the fourth quarter, 1992, revenues of $11,507,000.

(Ian Stokell/19940211)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00016)

Canada - Stentor 711 Service For Hearing Impaired Set 02/11/94
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- The nine regional
telephone companies across Canada that make up the Stentor
consortium will launch their national 711 service for the
hearing- and speech-impaired February 14. The telephone companies
will also begin offering a single national toll-free number that
callers can use to contact hearing- or speech-impaired people
through a relay operator.

The 711 number will connect callers from almost any telephone
with a relay service operator. A relay operator allows someone
with a hearing or speech problem to communicate by phone using a
Telephone Device for the Deaf, which lets the caller type a
message and have the operator read it aloud to the person on the
other end.

The 711 service is meant for use by hearing- and speech-impaired
people. The toll-free number, 800-855-0511, is meant for callers
who want to contact someone with a hearing or speech impairment.

There will be no extra charge to use the 711 service, Stentor
spokeswoman Gail Carroll told Newsbytes, and some Stentor member
companies will offer long-distance discounts to users.
Subscribers will have to register with their phone companies to
be eligible for those discounts, Carroll said.

Stentor said the new numbers will be available from about 90
percent of Canadian telephone exchanges initially. A few
exchanges "will require a little extra time" to switch over,
Carroll said. The patchwork of local and toll-free numbers used
to reach relay operators in the past will keep working for the
time being, and will remain for some time in the rural and remote
areas where 711 won't be available for a while.

The move adds another to the list of x11 numbers in use in
Canada. Telephone users are familiar with 911, used for emergency
services, and 411, used for directory assistance within one's own
area code. Calling 611 reaches telephone company repair services,
and 011 is the access code to dial overseas calls. In the United
States, 511 is being used in some areas to provide special
information services, and some cellular telephone carriers are
using 711 and 811 for roaming information and technical support.

(Grant Buckler/19940211/Press Contact: Gail Carroll, Stentor
Communications, 613-785-2821)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00017)

MFS Makes International Push 02/11/94
OAK BROOK, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- MFS
Communications, best-known for its fiber "rings" in major US
cities which offer an alternative for local access to long
distance networks, is now making a major push for international
traffic, mainly through its Datanet data subsidiary.

The company announced what it called the first end-to-end
international service under the Asynchronous Transfer Mode, or
ATM standard, which can pass data at multi-megabit speeds. The
service is possible because MFS offers both local and long
distance services, in contrast to both its regional Bell and
long-distance competitors. In order to get the service, of
course, your building must be within reach of one of MFS' fiber
networks, which generally serve central business districts and
major office parks in the suburbs. The company currently serves
14 markets, but has announced it will begin service this year to
nine more for a total of 23.

In Atlanta, for instance, MFS serves the downtown, midtown,
Buckhead, and north Perimeter areas, and just recently extended
service to the Emory University area, home of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and American Cancer Society,
among other things. But MFS does not yet serve booming Cobb or
Gwinnett counties, where most high-tech businesses are still
located, nor does it serve the area south of the city near the
Atlanta airport. Because it serves only high-density business
neighborhoods, in fact, companies like MFS have been accused of
"cherry picking" by regional Bell companies, taking their best
customers and leaving them with higher cost, lower profit
residential customers.

For large businesses, however, companies like MFS offer big
bargains, and with long distance and now international data
services at multi-megabit speeds, the bargains are even bigger.
Many companies can digitize their voice calls, in fact, and load
them onto data lines to get even more savings. MFS' Datanet
launched its US ATM service last August, and will initially
offer international service to the United Kingdom, with expansion
planned to Western Europe and the Pacific Rim. The company's
local area network connection services will also be offered
through the international network.

As part of its marketing effort, MFS also signed a letter intent
with Rogers Network Services of Canada to do joint promotions of
the two companies' services. The deal will also simplify cross-
border traffic termination in the two markets. RNS is the largest
company of MFS' type in Canada, and part of Rogers Cablesystems
Ltd., the country's largest cable company with over two million
subscribers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940211/Press Contact: Claire Fennell, MFS,
708-218-7232)


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

AT&T Plans More Job Cuts 02/11/94
BASKING RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- AT&T
announced plans to cut 15,000 more jobs from its long distance
division over the next two years. This is on top of 3,500
operator service job cuts previously announced but not yet
implemented. AT&T has 309,000 employees worldwide, about 256,000
in the US. Its communications services group, from which the
present cuts are coming, has 96,500 employees.

While the layoff notices actually won't start going out until
March, spokesman Burke Stinson told Newsbytes, the company has
already accounted for the changes. "There was an accounting rule
that all corporations have to accrue for people who retire. The
second part of that is companies have to accrue for people
expected to take incentive packages. That was done in the last
quarter -- a $1.3 billion charge" against that quarter's
earnings. When completed, the latest changes should save about
$900 million a year, AT&T says.

The changes are based on technology, the company has noted, and
are occurring industry-wide in response to competition.
Computerized networks don't require the amount of maintenance, or
operator service, as older networks. They apparently don't need
as many layers of management, either -- over half the new cuts
will be among managers. Affected employees will be offered a
variety of payments to leave, up to 2 years' wages for non-
management workers and up to 42 weeks' salary for managers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940211/Press Contact: Burke Stinson, AT&T,
908-221-2062)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00019)

Defense Dept Frequencies Going Private 02/11/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- In a preliminary
report, the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration, or NTIA, has designated 200 MHz in new
frequencies which will be converted from Defense to private use
in the next 10 years.

This is on top of 160 MHz of spectrum for so-called personal
communications services or PCS networks, most of which is due for
auction later this year. Of that total, 120 MHz will be
auctioned while 40 MHz will be unlicensed frequencies for things
like in-building wireless networks and cordless phones.

A spokesman emphasized to Newsbytes, "This is a preliminary report.
We accept comments for 90 days, then file the final report in
March 1995." An exception is a 50 MHz block being turned over
immediately into private use. "The other 150 are up for
negotiation." Eventually, "the FCC has to decide what to do with
it. It could be used for low earth orbit satellites, microwave
links, any commercial purpose."

By way of comparison, the cellular phone industry uses 50 MHz of
frequency, the FM broadcasting industry uses 20 MHz, and TV
broadcasters use 400 MHz of frequency.

The first frequencies to be allocated are very high, at 4.66-
4.685 GHz. They'd previously been used for military airborne data
transmissions and communications -- they might now be used for
fixed or mobile radio and satellites. Two other slots, between
2.390-2.4 GHz and 2.402-2.417 GHz, previously used for military
radar testing and enemy radio simulations, with potential for
radio local and fixed or mobile communications, were also
allocated immediately. By way of comparison, most of the PCS
frequencies lie between 1.8 and 2.4 GHz.

In January 1996, the agency, an arm of the Commerce Department,
plans to release 10 MHz between 2.3-2.31 GHz, from military radar
applications. In January, 1997, the frequencies 4.635-4.660 GHz
will be released from military airborne use. Two years later, in
January, 1999, two lower frequency ranges will be released,
between 1.390-1.400 GHz and 1.427-1.432 GHz, as will frequency
slots between 1.670-1.675 GHz and 3.650-3.700 GHz, a large block
now used by the Navy for air traffic control on aircraft
carriers. Finally, in January, 2002, a block from 1.710-1.755
GHz, now used by microwave communications and military tactical
relays, would go private.

A complete report on all this is available to the public through
the NTIA bulletin board, at 202-482-1199. Technically, it's NTIA
Special Publication 94-27, a preliminary spectrum re-allocation
report in response to Title VI of the 1993 Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act. Written comments can be delivered until May
11, with a representative contact and 10 copies, to Norbert
Schroeder, Program Manager for Spectrum Openness at the NTIA,
Room 4092, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230. His phone
number is 202/482-3999. A public hearing by the staff will be
held on April 7, and meetings will be scheduled with government
users of the spectrum and commercial representatives starting
June 24.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940211/Press Contact: Larry Williams, NTIA,
202/482-1551; BBS: 202-482-1199)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00020)

Computers Aid Anthropologists To Study The Past 02/11/94
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- Three Texas companies
have been selected by scientists at The University of Texas to
participate in a project the scientists say could revolutionize the
way they record and study archaeological data.

In the project, which involves DTM Corporation, Digibotics Inc and
Scientific Measurement Systems, scientists scan ancient human
skeletal remains and other artifacts using Digibotics 3D Laser
Digitizer. Additional information is collected using the Smartscan
Computer Tomography system from SMS, and the data is stored on disk
or CD-ROM. DTM's Sinterstation 2000 System then creates three
dimensional nylon and polycarbonate replicas of the scanned objects.

Initially the project will involve the scanning and replica creation
of a small sample of Native American skeletal remains. The tribe
whose ancestor's remains are being scanned have granted permission
for the project. The scientists say the system will allow them to
study the artifacts long after they have been scanned and re-buried.

"New laws require the repatriation and reburial of
tribally affiliated Native American human remains and artifacts if
the culturally affiliated tribe makes that request, and this is
what initially prompted this project," according to Dr. John
Kappelman, University of Texas Associate Professor in the Department
of Anthropology. Dr. Kappelman is the founder of the project.

The technique can also be beneficial to museums. A 1990
repatriation law requires the return of cultural remains presently
located in museums or other institutions receiving federal funds if
the tribe requests that.

Dr. Kappelman says the scientific study of skeletons and artifacts
can yield clues that can help reveal details on the lifestyles of
early cultures, such as the types of diseases that afflicted the
population, what the average life span was, the content of their
diet, and other details regarding lifestyles and overall health.

(Jim Mallory/19940211/Press contact: Kent Nutt, DTM Corp,
512-339-2922; Wayne Winkelman, Digibotics, 512-832-9040; John
Steude, SMS, 512-837-4712; Reader contact: Dr. John Kappelman,
University of Texas, 512-471-0055/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00021)

New Services For OnTime Scheduler Software 02/11/94
SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- Campbell Services
has announced an upgrade to its OnTime group scheduler and several
new products the company says will broaden the program's
functionality.

On February 28, 1994 Campbell plans to ship its new Ontime
Enterprise for Netware, a client/server product that enables
realtime scheduling across a wide area network (WAN). Enterprise
supports DOS and Windows clients and is implemented as a Novell
Netware Loadable Module that works with Netware 3.1x and 4.x.

The company is also currently shipping its Interactive Voice
Response System, which uses text-to-speech conversion technology to
turn OnTime real-time calendar data into voice messages that users
can pick up from a touchtone phone while out of the office. Suppose
your department head schedules a meeting for early morning the
day you are to return from a business trip. By calling the office
and pressing some buttons on any touchtone phone, you'll know about
the meeting and can be prepared. Campbell says it will soon add a
feature that allows users to fax their schedule to any location
equipped with fax capability.

Campbell says it will ship OnTime version 3.0 in the third quarter.
That version of the program will add a basic event manager that will
eventually evolve into a program that that will be able to trigger
various events such as the unattended downloading of electronic mail
(e-mail) or even the printing of reports, using program linking and
macro scripting.

Version 3.0 is also scheduled to get a user interface facelift that
will include a new tool bar, a multiple document interface and the
ability to customize Ontime's screen layout. The network version
of OnTime will have a dedicated resource scheduler to help users
coordinate facilities and equipment for group meetings. It will also
include a new print engine that will provide some new features.

Campbell spokesperson Craig Settles told Newsbytes those features
will include additional schedule printout formats in addition to the
currently available Fil-O-Fax-fax and Daytimer as well as the standard
Campbell Services tri-fold. "They have a grab bag of different user
wishes," says Settles. Color support is also planned.

Version 3.0 is scheduled to include a store and forward capability
for e-mail that will add bi-directional wireless technology that
includes packet switching, paging, and cellular communication. The
current version of Ontime can use PC-to-pager communication to
automatically send meeting notifications to users' alphanumeric
pagers.

The company says a future version of Ontime will support the
Braille n'Speak hand-held system from Balzie Engineering that will
be built into an upgrade of the single user and network versions of
Ontime.

In the second quarter of this year Campbell plans to release a
phone book for Ontime that displays names that meet retrieval
criteria as soon as the user begins to type. Users will be able to
search by specific fields or use free-form search. The product
will support the use of aliases, so if you type "Robert" you will
also get entries that include "Bob" or "Bobby."

(Jim Mallory/19940211/Press contact: Don Campbell, Campbell
Services, 810-559-5955; Reader contact: Campbell Services,
810-559-5955, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00022)

Automap Offers California Quake Update File To Travelers 02/11/94
BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- Automap,
producers of the Automap Road Atlas, announced a supplement to the
software, available on Compuserve, to help travelers avoid
freeways damaged by the Los Angeles earthquake.

The program features detailed electronic maps of the
United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico that depict 410,203
miles of freeways, tollways, state and country roads and
more than 120,000 locations.

The software, geared mainly toward long distance traveling,
allows the user to input information as to freeways that are
under construction or otherwise undesirable so an alternate
route can be planned. Automap says the update available for
download provides details as to down or damaged freeways in Los
Angeles. Not only does the software offer alternative routes, but
it provides information on problems associated with the damage
and telephone numbers for further information. For example, the
earthquake-damaged 114, also known as the Antelope Valley
freeway, can be traveled, but in places drivers are forced off
onto one lane side access roads which are backed up several
hours.

The software is geared toward main highways only, however, and is
not designed to map out alternate route plans for streets within
Los Angeles blocked due to earthquake damage.

The download is free, except for normal Compuserve connect
charges, and is available in the United Kingdom forum (GO
AUTOMAP), since Automap is a UK-based company. The update file is
CAQUAKE.ZIP and works with DOS, Windows, and Macintosh versions
of the software, company officials said.

The company also is planning a series of add-on products for the
Automap Road Atlas for release this spring that add data and
features to the atlas database. For example, the Automap
Destination Ski allows the user to look up ski areas, find
detailed information as to ski resorts in any given area, and
routes to reach those resorts. A Destination Europe product will
also be available soon.

A compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) version of the product
will also be available soon so users who want to save their disk
space will need only 1 megabyte (MB) of hard disk space instead
of the 5.5 MB the product usually requires.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940211/Press Contact: Jessica Maco, Automap,
206-455-3552; Bob Bogard, Conners Communications for Automap, tel
415-771-3940, fax [phone]; Public Contact, Automap, 1-800-
440-6277; PHOTO)


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

Compton's Fight -- Patent Office Reverse On Prior Art 02/11/94
ANNAPOLIS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- The United
States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has decided it will
reverse its standard policy and consider prior art from the
public during the re-examinations of the Compton's "multimedia"
patent. The next round of public hearings on the subject is
scheduled for February 10-11 at the Crystal City Forum in
Arlington, Virginia.

The Compton's patent number 5,241,671, issued in August but
announced at Fall Comdex, caused an uproar in the computer
industry because its claim is that Compton's owns the concept of
multimedia. Compton's said anyone producing multimedia from
compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) titles to electronic
services would need to pay, and even announced a royalty schedule.

This isn't the first "broad, non-technical" patent the USPTO has
issued, according to the Interactive Multimedia Association
(IMA).

In December Patent and Trademark Commissioner Bruce Lehman
ordered a reexamination of the Compton's patent and announced
public hearings to be held in San Jose, California and Arlington,
Virginia. Now the office has further opened its policies to
include accepting examples of prior art from the public.

Philip Dodds, executive director of the IMA, praised the move,
and added that statues require the materials be in the form
of patents and printed publications, though evidence of prior
public use or sale is allowed.

Dodds also cautioned companies to carefully consider whether they
want to submit prior art for re-examination at this point, since
some of the Patent's 41 "claims" may survive re-examination,
strengthening those claims. "If this patent then ends up in
court, as many suspect it will, it will be virtually impossible
to use the prior art considered during the re-examination to
overcome those claims," Dodds said. "Some of our members are
choosing to withhold prior art so that it can be evaluated by a
judge instead of the patent examiner."

The IMA is made up of 280 member companies and organizations,
including leaders in the multimedia industry such as Apple
Computer, Paramount Technology, IBM, Kaleida Labs,
Videodiscovery, Philips, 3DO, Eastman Kodak, and Sun
Microsystems. Dodds has already previously announced the IMA is
willing to fight the Compton's patent in court.

PTO says interested parties can view the Compton's patent and
reexamination documentation at it's Public Search Room, 9 am to 5
pm Monday through Friday in Crystal Plaza 3, Crystal City,
Arlington, Virginia.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940211/Press Contact: David Kaufer, Kaufer
Miller Communications for the Interactive Multimedia Association,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(SFO)(00024)

Chinese Ministry Adopts Novell's Tuxedo OLTP 02/11/94
PROVO, UTAH, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- When Novell acquired
Unix Systems Laboratories (USL), part of the deal included USL's
Tuxedo on-line transaction processing (OLTP) system. Now Novell
says that the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) Ministry of Electronic
Industries, and Unix System Technologies (UST) of China, have
announced the adoption of Tuxedo as the Ministry's OLTP system.

According to the company, the PRC will use the Tuxedo system
for developing client-server transaction applications for China's
major commercial industries, including agriculture, banking,
communications, energy, government, and insurance.

Unix Systems Technologies (UST)-China is a joint venture between
Novell, the Ministry of Electronic Industries, and DASCOM Holdings
Ltd., a Hong Kong-based software organization formed in November,
1992. UST claims to be a group of independently operated firms
providing localized expertise and support for Unix-based
technologies.

Said professor Jian Yao Ling, president of UST-China. "The presence
of Tuxedo in the PRC marketplace signifies a new phase in the
scope and capabilities of UST-China. UST, along with Novell's direct
involvement, will be key to promoting the broad use of Tuxedo-based
applications in the PRC."

Tuxedo is a network service that provides mission-
critical transaction-processing capabilities in Novell's NetWare
and UnixWare network and computer operating system environments.

According to Novell, the Tuxedo system is a layer of software that
"improves performance, ensures data integrity and provides the
essential transaction processing and tracking services for business-
critical networked applications."

Additionally, Tuxedo is described as a suite of integrated software
development tools that facilitate the development of applications
for distributed computing environments, managing application
transactions between clients and servers, as well as large system
resources such as corporate databases. The product reportedly also
simplifies the management and integration of applications between
diverse computer operating system environments.

A Tuxedo partners and users conference is being held in Provo,
Utah, this week. The conference is intended to provide developers
and OEMs with information that will help them "more effectively
use the Tuxedo system as they build powerful, flexible and cost
effective distributed applications."

(Ian Stokell/19940211/Press Contact: Kelli Christensen,
801-429-5933, Novell Inc.)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00025)

Windows Software Gets You Internet Mail And News 02/11/94
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- If you are a
Windows user and want an easy way to communicate on the rapidly
growing Internet, you may want to check out the software from
a Louisville, Kentucky-based company.

Computer Witchcraft Inc., has announced WinNET Mail and News Version
2.0, a free software package that allows a Windows user to access
the Internet without having to navigate a terminal emulator, use a
character-oriented menu or remember Unix commands.

Witchcraft's WinNET software is only half the company's Internet
access package. WinNET Mail and News works gives you access to
Internet through the company's WinNET Internet Access Service, a
pipeline into the Internet which is akin to the driveway from your
house (the PC) to the highway (Internet).

WinNET Mail software lets you send and receive electronic mail
(e-mail), reading and/or posting messages in any of the thousands of
discussion groups, and send and receive files. It uses a folder
metaphor for organizing mail and news, an address book, and a news
reader that will follow the thread of a conversation topic and a
message search capability in any of the thousands of Internet
user groups, known as news groups. You can automate the sending and
pickup of messages, adjust fonts and colors for the most desirable
display and use a utility system editor to prepare very large
files.

Computer Witchcraft President Michael Tague told Newsbytes the
strength of WinNET is that it keeps the user online the minimum
amount of time. Consequently there are a few Internet services it
doesn't support. However Tague says some additional features are
being added.

Once the free software is installed, which Witchcraft says takes
about 15 minutes, you launch an automatic account registration
routine that very shortly has you on the Internet. Witchcraft
provides free technical support during the hours of 9AM to 8PM
Eastern time, and the software can handle communications at speeds
up to 14,400 bps with V.42bis and MNP-5 compression.

The company says since most work - reading and writing of messages
- is done while you are offline, costs are low. It estimates an
average cost of $25 per month, although like any online service
it's easy to run up your charges if you aren't careful. The WinNET
access rates are $8.00 with a monthly minimum of $9.95. The company
offers access through 800 numbers in some areas of North America.
US 800 number rates are the standard rate plus $0.12 per minute
during evening hours and $0.18 per minute during the business day.
In Canada rates are $0.30 and $0.40 for night and day rates
respectively.

Computer Witchcraft also has a WinNET node in London, England and
will soon launch a node in Germany. The company also publishes Mega
Edit, a fast text editor for Windows.

(Jim Mallory/19940211/Press contact: Michael Tague, Computer
Witchcraft Inc, 502-589-6800; Reader contact: Computer witchcraft
Inc, 502-589-6800, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00026)

HP Takes Lead In Back-up Tape Sales 02/11/94
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- International
Data Corp. has announced the conclusions of a study, "93 Tape
Storage Review and 94 Forecast." To the surprise of many,
Hewlett-Packard overtook Conner as the leader in the tape
business and IBM placed third in percent of market share.

The results showed HP with 17.5%, Conner 14.6% and IBM 13.2%.
The study used OEM (original equipment manufacturing) value for
tape units sold in each segment to derive the total value of the
tape business. In 1992, Conner was the leader with a 15 percent
market share and HP placed second with a 14.2 percent share.

Hewlett-Packard contends that the purchase of Colorado
Memory Systems, Inc., and a strategy of developing the
potential markets for tape-backup uses, has been a major
contribution to their number one position in the market share.

Speaking to Newsbytes, Roger Archibald, mass storage
group marketing manager for HP, said, "Our strategy for
distribution contains two main elements. One, we have
worked hard to develop the reseller market to become the
number one supplier of tape and, two, we are working with
computer companies to have tape back-up systems built-in to
their delivered units. We are continuing to target a broad
range of tape uses."

According to HP, there is a tremendous untapped market in
the millions of computer users who continue to work without
a means of back-up capabilities. They further state that
networks make up the strongest segment of back-up system
users at this time.

At deadline time for this article, Conner was unavailable for
comment.

(Patrick McKenna/19940211/ Press Contact: Lou Hoffman,
Hoffman Agency, 408-286-2611)


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

Amstrad Issues Losses Warning 02/11/94
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- Alan Sugar, the chairman of
Amstrad, the multimillion computer manufacturer, has warned that
the computer and consumer electronics group is close to falling into
the red this year after poor trading.

In a statement to analysts and financial brokers, Sugar said that,
as the second-half sales were usually lower, the target set for the
company would be very difficult to reach. The upturn in the English
economy, he said, did not persuade customers to spend more.

Pre-tax profits for Amstrad approached UKP 1.7 million in the six
months to December 31, 1993, compared with UKP 5.6 million in the
six months in the previous year. Sales in the first half, meanwhile,
fell from UKP 202.2 million to 139.9 million, a figure which
Newsbytes notes is very unusual, since sales in the first half year
are normally Amstrad's strong selling season.

Sugar explained the problems away by saying that profit margins in
the consumer electronics industry were under pressure "due to an
over-supply of product, price-cutting and depressed demand."

As Sugar made his announcement, the company's shares tumbled by 4.25
pence to 40.75 pence. He warned the press that "shareholders should
recognize the possibility of the company turning in a loss for the
full year."

Despite the tumble in the company's shares, Newsbytes notes that the
stock price is still comfortably above the 30 pence mark, the slot
which it was in late 1992 when Sugar unveiled his plan to take
the company back into private ownership.

(Steve Gold/19940211/Press & Public Contact: Amstrad - Tel: +44-277-
2288888)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00028)

 ****Directv - 150 Channels By April 02/11/94
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- Directv
announced it will offer 150 channels to consumers for less than
$30 a month via the new RCA-brand Digital Satellite Systems (DSS)
receiving units equipped with 18-inch satellite dishes which
should be in retail channels by April. The service will include
cable television, the Bloomberg Direct business television news
network, Music Choice compact disc (CD) quality music
programming, and optional pay-per-view movies.

A unit of GM Hughes Electronics, Directv said two packages will
be available to consumers -- the Personal Choice package for
$21.95 and the Total Choice package for $29.95. The service is
slated to begin in April with a modified version of the Personal
Choice package, but the Total Choice package won't be available
until the fall of this year.

In April the Personal Choice package will include ESPN, CNN, TBS,
USA, A&E, CNBC, Headline News, TNT, Sci-Fi, The Discovery Channel
and Encore. Primetime 24 will be sold a la carte for $3.95 a
month. Pay per view movie titles from Universal Pictures,
Paramount, Columbia/Tristar, Sony Pictures Classics and now Walt
Disney Television will be priced from $1.95 to $3.95.

Later, the Personal Choice package will include approximately 25
basic cable services including ESPN, CNN, TBS, Discovery, USA and
Headline News as well as the Disney Channel, Digital Cable
Radio's 30-channel Music Choice audio service, and one $3.95 pay-
per-view credit per month. Customers will be able to personalize
their package either by choosing 10 of the 25 services from a
list of more than 20 cable favorites or by selecting the seven-
channel Encore multiplex movie service, Directv said.

The Total Choice package will include approximately 40 basic
cable services including ESPN, CNN, TNN, CMT, USA, Headline News,
Sci-Fi Channel, C-SPAN, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, the Disney
Channel (east & west feeds), Music Choice, Encore multiplex
(seven channels of movies) and two $3.95 pay-per-view credits per
month.

Of course, consumers will need to have the DSS, which retails for
$699 and consists of the 18-inch satellite antenna, a digital
receiver box, and a remote control. Thomson Consumer Electronics
is manufacturing the DSS units initially.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940211/Press Contact: Linda Brill, Directv,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


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

RasterOps Price Cuts, Next-Day Lemon Replacement 02/11/94
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- The
battle for the consumer's dollar extends to service after
sales, and in that department Rasterops is offering a new
approach to those who get faulty or defective add-on boards
or displays -- next day replacement.

RasterOps' new service program, "SureThing," provides next-day
replacement of a faulty or defective add-on board or display
product for the first year of ownership. The customer must be
the original owner of the product and must agree to return the
defective product to RasterOps. The program applies to all
RasterOps and TrueVision products, including most RasterOps
large-screen color displays.

According to the company, the new program is retroactive to
qualifying products purchased after March 1, 1993.

In addition, RasterOps announced the following price cuts:
the CorrectPrint 300i dye-sublimation printer products, with
36MB version, $9,249 to $4,999, and the 16MB version,
$6,499 to $3,999; its MoviePak2 Pro Suite professional video
editing system, $4,999 to $4,199. The company claims that
the cuts are a means of keeping competitive in the market
and an aggressive step to develop more customers.

Speaking with Newsbytes, Diane Scott, director of marketing,
said, "The dye-sublimation market has not been as strong as we
would like to see it, so we have dropped the price so that the
technology is available to a larger segment of the market."

(Patrick McKenna/19940211/Press Contact: Anne-Lise
Stannard, RasterOps Corp., tel [phone])


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

 ****MCA Buys Into Software Developer Interplay 02/11/94
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- MCA, a
subsidiary of consumer electronics giant Matsushita Electric
Industrial, has invested in interactive software company
Interplay Productions of Irvine, California. Interplay is
probably best known for its Battle Chess, Mario Teaches Typing,
and Clay Fighter for Super Nintendo game titles.

Matsushita is also manufacturing the 3DO interactive multiplayer
under the brand name Panasonic. Under the arrangement, MCA is
Interplay's sole minority investor, with the option to increase
its minority position. The deal comes on the heels of an
announced merger between Electronic Arts, also heavily involved
in production of 3DO titles, and educational software producer
Broderbund Software.

Brian Fargo said: "Interplay has been courted by virtually every
major entertainment company in Hollywood but this transaction
offered us the opportunity to bring together everything MCA has
to offer -- books, movies, records, licensing, and theme parks --
with our expertise in interactive entertainment."

Skip Paul, executive vice president at MCA said: "Our involvement
with Interplay will not be a passive investment. We will be
working through our newly formed Universal Interactive Studios
unit to develop MCA properties with Interplay."

The convergence of interactive computer software development
companies with entertainment and hardware firms has been sparked
by the opportunities seen in the "information superhighway." On
Thursday, Apple Computer announced a deal with Oracle for set-top
boxes aimed at delivering the information superhighway to
consumers.

Interplay develops software for a variety of computer and
entertainment platforms including: DOS, Windows, Macintosh, the
Amiga, the Sega Genesis, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)
titles, 3DO, and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940211/Press Contact: Kevin Horn, Interplay,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(MSP)(00031)

Newsbytes Daily Summary 02/11/94
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 11 (NB) -- These are
capsules of all today's news stories:

1 -> Acer Ships Multimedia, Pentium Systems 02/11/94 Hoping to remain
competitive with Dell, Compaq, IBM, and Packard  Bell, Acer America
Corp., has announced shipment of five PC  systems with internal
multimedia capabilities that includes a  new Pentium-based system.

2 -> SAVA Smart Card Network Security System 02/11/94 SAVA Research
Corporation has announced the Series 20 Secure Cell network security
system -- a hardware plus software identification and authorization
(I&D) device using a smart card ID card, a smart card reader, and a PC
half card to monitor workstation activity and access to a network.

3 -> CD-ROM-Based Automobile Global Positioners 02/11/94 Sony
Corporation has joined in an effort with Etak, Inc., to produce  Sony
GPX-M1 technology, a global positioning system (GPS) for use  in
American Cars.

4 -> Australia - Osborne Ships Keyboardless Computer 02/11/94 Osborne,
Australia's  largest manufacturer and supplier of PCs, has released a
new  model which has a keyboard, although according to Osborne you may
not need it. The Speech Dictation System computer uses IBM's  new
software of the same name.

5 -> Commodore Australia Reported Close To Failure 02/11/94
Entrepreneurial types  interested in buying their very own multinational
computer company subsidiary in Australia will have their chance next
week.  Commodore Business machines is the Australian distributor of
Commodore, but it is expected to be sold next week due to  financial
problems.

6 -> Software Support Pros Assn To Hold Events 02/11/94 The Software
Support Professionals Association (SSPA) plans to present two national
events for support professionals later this month, each to be hosted by
Interleaf.

7 -> Electronic Resumes On Disk 02/11/94 The Electronic Resume Network
is using diskettes to bring job-seekers into contact with would-be
employers. The Toronto company will launch its Resumes on Disk service
March 1.

8 -> Japan - NEC Beefs UP PC-VAN Network 02/11/94 NEC plans to take
steps to beef up membership in its personal computer-based
telecommunication network called PC-VAN. Several advanced  multimedia
features will be added. The goal is to gain  one million members by the
end of fiscal 1995.

9 -> Networking Roundup 02/11/94 This is the first of what is planned as
a regular Friday feature,  summarizing networking news not covered
elsewhere by Newsbytes  this week.

10 -> PC-Write Sold To Starlite, Will Continue As Shareware 02/11/94
Starlite has acquired the rights to PC-Write, and plans to keep the
popular, 11-year-old word processing program available to users as
shareware.

11 -> Editorial - A New Paradigm - Again 02/11/94 By John McCormick. I
have a great new idea for an entertainment system - all I  need is some
PR hype and strong backing from the electronics  press to get it off the
ground.

12 -> Review of - National Lampoon's Chess Maniac 02/11/94 Runs on:
MS-DOS compatible fast 386 SX with 27 MB (megabytes) of hard drive
space; DOS 5 or 6, VGA; mouse; 560 K (kilobytes) free memory; and 1 MB
EMS memory. Sound board optional.

13 -> Review of - Stan Veit's History of the Personal Computer 02/11/94
From: WorldComm Press, 65 Macedonia Road, Alexander, North Carolina
28701, 704-252-9515. By Stan Veit, ISBN 1-56664-023-7.

14 -> Review of - The Best 1001 WordPerfect Tips Ever 02/11/94 Runs on:
Disk is 3.5-inch MS-DOS compatible.

15 -> Company Results Roundup 02/11/94 This is a  regular feature,
summarizing company results not reported  elsewhere by Newsbytes: Sierra
On-Line, Cisco Systems, Key Tronic, NAI Technologies, Egghead Software,
Informix, Digital Microwave, Ingram Micro, SPSS.

16 -> Canada - Stentor 711 Service For Hearing Impaired Set 02/11/94 The
nine regional telephone companies across Canada that make up the Stentor
consortium will launch their national 711 service for the hearing- and
speech-impaired February 14. The telephone companies will also begin
offering a single national toll-free number that callers can use to
contact hearing- or speech-impaired people through a relay operator.

17 -> MFS Makes International Push 02/11/94 MFS  Communications,
best-known for its fiber "rings" in major US cities which offer an
alternative for local access to long  distance networks, is now making a
major push for international traffic, mainly through its Datanet data
subsidiary.

18 -> AT&T Plans More Job Cuts 02/11/94 AT&T  announced plans to cut
15,000 more jobs from its long distance  division over the next two
years. This is on top of 3,500  operator service job cuts previously
announced but not yet  implemented. AT&T has 309,000 employees
worldwide, about 256,000  in the US. Its communications services group,
from which the  present cuts are coming, has 96,500 employees.

19 -> Defense Dept Frequencies Going Private 02/11/94 In a preliminary
report, the National Telecommunications and Information  Administration,
or NTIA, has designated 200 MHz in new  frequencies which will be
converted from Defense to private use  in the next 10 years.

20 -> Computers Aid Anthropologists To Study The Past 02/11/94 Three
Texas companies have been selected by scientists at The University of
Texas to participate in a project the scientists say could revolutionize
the way they record and study archaeological data.

21 -> New Services For OnTime Scheduler Software 02/11/94 Campbell
Services has announced an upgrade to its OnTime group scheduler and
several new products the company says will broaden the program's
functionality.

22 -> Automap Offers California Quake Update File To Travelers 02/11/94
Automap, producers of the Automap Road Atlas, announced a supplement to
the software, available on Compuserve, to help travelers avoid freeways
damaged by the Los Angeles earthquake.

23 -> Compton's Fight -- Patent Office Reverse On Prior Art 02/11/94 The
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has decided it will
reverse its standard policy and consider prior art from the public
during the re-examinations of the Compton's "multimedia" patent. The
next round of public hearings on the subject is scheduled for February
10-11 at the Crystal City Forum in Arlington, Virginia.

24 -> Chinese Ministry Adopts Novell's Tuxedo OLTP 02/11/94 When Novell
acquired Unix Systems Laboratories (USL), part of the deal included
USL's Tuxedo on-line transaction processing (OLTP) system. Now Novell
says that the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) Ministry of Electronic
Industries, and Unix System Technologies (UST) of China, have announced
the adoption of Tuxedo as the Ministry's OLTP system.

25 -> Windows Software Gets You Internet Mail And News 02/11/94 If you
are a Windows user and want an easy way to communicate on the rapidly
growing Internet, you may want to check out the software from a
Louisville, Kentucky-based company.

26 -> HP Takes Lead In Back-up Tape Sales 02/11/94 International  Data
Corp. has announced the conclusions of a study, "93 Tape  Storage Review
and 94 Forecast." To the surprise of many,  Hewlett-Packard overtook
Conner as the leader in the tape  business and IBM placed third in
percent of market share.

27 -> Amstrad Issues Losses Warning 02/11/94 Alan Sugar, the chairman of
Amstrad, the multimillion computer manufacturer, has warned that the
computer and consumer electronics group is close to falling into the red
this year after poor trading.

28 ->  ****Directv - 150 Channels By April 02/11/94 Directv announced it
will offer 150 channels to consumers for less than $30 a month via the
new RCA-brand Digital Satellite Systems (DSS) receiving units equipped
with 18-inch satellite dishes which should be in retail channels by
April. The service will include cable television, the Bloomberg Direct
business television news network, Music Choice compact disc (CD) quality
music programming, and optional pay-per-view movies.

29 -> RasterOps Price Cuts, Next-Day Lemon Replacement 02/11/94 The
battle for the consumer's dollar extends to service after sales, and in
that department Rasterops is offering a new approach to those who get
faulty or defective add-on boards or displays -- next day replacement.
RasterOps' new service program, "SureThing," provides next-day
replacement of a faulty or defective add-on board or display  product
for the first year of ownership. The customer must be the original owner
of the product and must agree to return the  defective product to
RasterOps. The program applies to all  RasterOps and TrueVision
products, including most RasterOps  large-screen color displays.

30 ->  ****MCA Buys Into Software Developer Interplay 02/11/94 MCA, a
subsidiary of consumer electronics giant Matsushita Electric Industrial,
has invested in interactive software company Interplay Productions of
Irvine, California. Interplay is probably best known for its Battle
Chess, Mario Teaches Typing, and Clay Fighter for Super Nintendo game
titles.

(Wendy Woods, Editor/19940211)