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/may_jun_94/nb052494

Text File | 1994-06-05 | 101KB | 2,191 lines

(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00001)

Action! For Windows 3.0 Intro'd, CD-ROM Version 05/24/94
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Macromedia
has announced that the new version of its multimedia presentation
tool Action! for Windows 3.0 contains new features and a lower
price tag. In addition, the company is offering a second CD-ROM
(compact disc read-only memory) version with sound editing
capability thrown in.

Aimed at the entry-level multimedia user, Action! adds to its
ability to make presentations using text, graphics, animation,
digital video, and sound new text tools, templates, and an
enhanced user interface, according to the company.

Macromedia said Action! now includes an outliner and a spelling
checker. The outliner is for planning and organizing key points
of the presentation and the spelling checker helps prevent "typos."

Over 300 templates are available in the new version, including
graphic design, motion, font/color selections, visual flourishes,
and synchronization. The template libraries are interchangeable
so context created with one template may be transferred to a
different template. Automated motion and transition effects are
available to the user, including flying bullets and a motion palette.

The company claims it has enhanced the user interface to make it
easier to use with commonly used commands accessible in the
tool bar and in floating palettes. The right mouse button is also
being used as a context sensitive help button providing the
options available in the working area of the screen at any
particular point.

Action! 3.0 is also compatible with Microsoft Office and uses
Microsoft's object linking and embedding (OLE) 2.0 technology. OLE
support allows users the ability to work with other programs also
supporting OLE, so users can drag-and-drop data between programs,
edit information in place, and share data between programs.

Action! for Windows 3.0 has been cut nearly $100 from $295 to
$199. Upgrades for those with previous versions are $49 until
July 31, 1994, and $69 anytime later.

The CD-ROM version will be $295 when it is available in June and
it offers 230 megabytes of Clipmedia as well as Wave Tools and
musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) editing software. The
additional software is from sound company Turtle Beach, and
allows users to create or edit their own sound clips and special
sound effects. Upgrades to the CD-ROM version for those with
previous versions will be $69 until July 31, when the price goes
up to $89.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940523/Press Contact: Lynn Stadler,
Macromedia, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00002)

AmCoEx Index Of Used Computer Prices 05/24/94
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- By John
Hastings. Intel has set an extremely ambitious goal to sell over
7 million Pentium CPU (central processing unit) chips before the
end of this year. Some estimate the company has sold fewer than
one million chips during the past thirteen months.

For Intel to realize its goals in the face of mounting competition,
chip prices will surely fall. Some industry experts are expecting
fire sale prices during the fourth quarter. Smart shoppers are
delaying large purchases until the real bargains appear.

Apple is expected to lower the prices on some low end
Macintosh computers soon. These are the models that have the
greatest effect on used computer prices. Hence, used prices
could be forced lower as a result. Color Classics are expected
to sell between $600 and $700, but supplies are limited and
the impact on the used computer market could be short lived.
The Quadra 605 prices may drop by several hundred dollars.
This could force used prices down by an equal or slightly
greater amount on a more permanent basis.

Most of the software for the Macintosh is currently
being converted to take advantage of the phenomenal speed
increase available from the new PowerMacs. Some of these
conversions are relatively simple matters involving a process
known as recompiling. Other applications may have to be
essentially rewritten. Over the course of the next year
virtually all applications will be available in PowerMac
format. IBM compatible users will face a similar transition
next year when the next version of Windows is released.

Because Windows 4.0 will be a 32-bit operating system and
Windows 3.1 is a 16-bit operating system, most of the Windows
applications will need conversion effort ranging from minor to
major.  Unfortunately, Windows users will not see the same
speed improvement as will the Macintosh users. However,
Microsoft does plan to put a completely new and different user
interface on the new version of Windows. The new interface may
be optional to eliminate retraining for those familiar with
the current version. The new interface is said to be easier
for first time users to learn.

Apple is trying to capitalize on the video capabilities built into
many of its new models. It is expected to announce a device which
will allow television programs to be displayed on the computer
screen. While this is not the first device to accomplish that, it
may be the first to sell for less than $100.

Computer sales to large corporations have fallen flat
lately due to saturation. Meanwhile, small business sales have
grown dramatically. Graphical interfaces have allowed more
small businesses to computerize with less effort and training.
In addition, lower prices have made computers more affordable.
Small businesses today account for more than half of all
computer sales.

                                Average Average

                                Buyer's Seller's

 Machine                        Bid     Ask     Close Change

 IBM PS/2 Model 30/286 20MB    $250    $450    $300    +25

 IBM PS/2 Model 70 60MB         400     700     550     ..

 IBM ThinkPad 350               1000    1550    1025    ..

 IBM ThinkPad 700               1100    1700    1350    -50

 IBM ThinkPad 720               1600    2000    1775    -25

 AST 386/20, 80MB               450     850     525     ..

 Dell 325SX,60MB                400     800     525     -50

 Dell 386/20, 120MB             600     900     675     -25

 Gateway 386SX/20, 80MB         400     850     525     ..

 Gateway 386/25, 80MB           500     800     650     ..

 Gateway 486/33 120MB           900     1300    975     +50

 Clone Notebook 286, 40 MB      350     700     400     -25

 Clone Notebook 386SX, 40 MB    500     900     750     +25

 Clone 386/25 80MB, VGA         450     850     650     ..

 Clone 386/33 80MB, VGA         550     950     700     ..

 Clone 486/25120MB, VGA         800     1250    950     +50

 Compaq SLT/286 20MB            250     500     350     ..

 Compaq LTE 286 40MB            300     675     400     -25

 Compaq Deskpro 386/20e 100MB   500     800     650     ..

 Compaq Contura 320 60MB        500     1000    775     +25

 Macintosh Classic 40MB         350     600     400     -25

 Macintosh SE/30 40MB           375     800     550     -25

 Macintosh II 40MB              350     650     500     -25

 Macintosh IIcx 80MB            400     700     550     +50

 Macintosh IIci 80MB            700     1000    800     ..

 Macintosh IIfx 80MB            800     1400    1050    +50

 PowerBook 100 20MB             525     900     650     ..

 PowerBook 140 40MB             900     1400    1100    +75

 PowerBook 170 40MB             1200    1700    1350    +50

 PowerBook 180 80MB             1400    1800    1575    ..

 LaserWriter IINT               700     1000    750     -25

 Toshiba 1200XE                 300     650     550     +25

 Toshiba 1900 120M              1000    1700    1175    ..

 Toshiba 3200SX 40MB            400     800     550     ..

 Toshiba 5200 100MB             850     1250    1025    +25

 HP LaserJet II                 400     850     750     ..

 HP LaserJet IIIP               375     950     575     ..

 HP LaserJet III                750     1100    925     +25

 HP LaserJet IV                 1000    1300    1125    ..

 John Hastings is the president of the American Computer
Exchange Corporation. The American Computer Exchange matches
buyers and sellers of used microcomputer equipment. For more
information contact the American Computer Exchange Corporation
at [phone].

(AMCOEX/19940523)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00003)

Adobe Intros Illustrator 5.5 For Mac & Power Mac 05/24/94
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Adobe has
announced the latest version of Illustrator, its illustration and
single-page design program, is available for both the Macintosh
and Power Macintosh platforms. The new version contains the
software for both Macintosh platforms as well as a CD-ROM
(compact disc read-only memory) with an interactive how-to
presentation.

Since Apple Computer's introduction of the PowerPC-based Power
Macintosh, applications that run "native" on the new computer are
in short supply. The Power Macintosh will run regular Macintosh
applications, but those programs do not get the benefit of the
added processing speed of the reduced instruction-set computing
(RISC) PowerPC chip. Adobe has placed both the Macintosh and
Power Macintosh versions in the same box with Adobe Illustrator
5.5.

Added features of the new version include: text-handling
functions such as tabs; a spelling checker; search and replace by
font; and the ability to import, edit, and export with a new
Portable Document Format (PDF), and some new or expanded filters
aimed at high-end, quality publishing.

The Pathfinder filters have been expanded to enable trapping,
which allows the user to blend the colors better before printing,
so color boundaries are not obvious. A new Document Info filter
lists files in the image, including the needed fonts and images
so a last minute check can be made before going to the service
bureau for printing. A new Custom-To-Process filter highlights
custom or spot colors developed by the user that need to be
converted back to process color before going to print.

Adobe is claiming some beta testers gave up their page layout
programs because they can now lay out copy and produce small
documents as large as eight pages.

The CD-ROM Edition is now a standard component, Adobe added,
and contains: an interactive presentation on Adobe Illustrator
tips and techniques; 220 of Adobe's Type 1 fonts; 100 clip art
drawings; and Adobe Collectors Editions I and II. Documentation
for both the Adobe Illustrator and Acrobat manuals is also on the
CD-ROM as well as technical notes for the file import PDF.
Quicktime, the multimedia system extension, is provided on the
CD-ROM for use by the interactive presentation.

Adobe Illustrator requires at least a Macintosh computer with a
68020 or greater processor, System 6.0.7 or greater, 4 megabytes
(MB) of application random access memory (RAM), a hard disk
drive, a floppy disk drive, and a 13-inch color monitor. A CD-ROM
drive is recommended for making use of the information provided
on the CD-ROM Edition. Retail price for Adobe Illustrator 5.5 for
Macintosh is $595 and the product is available through Adobe
resellers, the company said.

Adobe recently announced its intention to combine with page
layout software maker, Aldus, known for its Pagemaker product,
in a merger valued at over $525 million.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940523/Press Contact: Patricia Pane,
Adobe Systems, tel [phone], fax [phone]/
ADOBE940524/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00004)

ICL Plans NetWare NLM Version Of TeamOFFICE 05/24/94
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Workgroup
computing software is designed to work on a network, in order
to take advantage of interactive capabilities between users.
As a result, software companies often write versions of their
products to work with specific networking environments. Now ICL's
TeamWARE Division has announced that it will begin shipping
groupware products for the "native" Novell NetWare environment
during the third quarter.

Newsbytes notes that Novell's NetWare commands about 65
percent of the network operating system (NOS) market. Native
versions of NOSes are designed to take advantage of specific
functions and capabilities within the environment. As a result,
users of native versions can usually expect better performance,
increased speed, and less compatibility problems.

ICL says that the first available NetWare Loadable Module (NLM)
products in the TeamOFFICE groupware line will be TeamMail
electronic mail and TeamForum electronic conferencing. Other
TeamOFFICE modules are planned for later in 1994, along with
support for additional NetWare services including MHS, Novell's
message transport protocol, and NetWare Directory Services (NDS).

According to Mika Enberg, ICL TeamWARE Division marketing
director, "ICL sees NetWare as one of the primary platforms for its
TeamOFFICE products. It's all about giving customers greater choice.
The further integration of MHS, NDS and additional X.400 support,
announced May 10 as part of a strategic development agreement
(SDA) with Novell, will give our customers a powerful multi-
platform solution for enterprise wide client-server computing."

ICL and Novell have worked together before. Also, the recently
announced SDA calls for Novell to offer ICL's NLM version of
TeamOFFICE as a third party product through its own authorized
distribution channels in Europe. Plans are also under discussion
for US distribution of TeamOFFICE through Novell's US reseller
channel.

The company says that TeamOFFICE is an "open," modular office
information system, that combines a range of workgroup
applications with scalable enterprise-wide groupware services.
TeamOFFICE modules include TeamForum, TeamMail, TeamLibrary
document management, TeamCalendar group and resource scheduling
and TeamFlow workflow routing.

TeamOFFICE runs on multiple server platforms, including NetWare,
OS/2, Windows NT, SVR4 Unix, and Solaris (set for a third quarter
1994 release). It supports Windows, DOS, Macintosh, OS/2, and
ASCII terminal clients.

No-one was available at the company for comment by Newsbytes
press time.

(Ian Stokell/19940523/Press Contact: Anne Prine, 714-855-5505,
ICL TeamWARE Division)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(ATL)(00005)

Comdex - 7th Level's Grayson On Multimedia 05/24/94
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A,. 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Former Micrografx
head George Grayson now heads 7th Level, a multimedia CD-ROM
company known for "Tuneland," an interactive cartoon starring
Howie Mandel, and TopGun, the authoring system used to produce
it. At this show the company accepted three awards for "Tuneland"
from New Media magazine, and announced something completely
different -- a CD-ROM based on the "Monty Python" TV show.

Also of interest is Grayson's business vision, fueled by his attempt
to merge Silicon Valley with Hollywood, begun at Micrografx's chili
cook-offs for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"Silicon Valley will never get entertainment right, outside of
games," he said. Disney and Warner Brothers still have all the
best animators working for them -- no one in Silicon Valley can
do it. The reason to put a studio in LA is to attract that talent."

Among 7th Level's crew now are Dan Kuenster, who was once
offered control of Don Bluth's studio, and Steve Martino, an Oscar
winner formerly from MetroLight, as well as former music producer
Bob Ezrin. "With them, we can compete with the studios. But my
competitors out of Silicon Valley don't have that kind of thinking."

An example of Grayson's thinking is his new three-year deal to
produce multimedia with Charles Fleischer, the voice of "Roger
Rabbit" and a comic known for his bit on numbers called "Moties."
Other examples are the TopGun authoring system and Annie, an
animation tool. "We'll create our own production standards and
technologies that will be so far ahead of what they have, they'll
have to come to us. That's our business --- get there first and
capitalize."

Grayson is convinced that the PC platform will dominate the
information highway. He is developing his best stuff for the 486
this year, and next year will start expecting Pentium-based
systems with 16 megabytes of memory for top performance.

He is not impressed with either the 3DO or the Apple, and told a
story of how cruel kids can be in enforcing tastes. "I was checking
out a software store stocking 'Tuneland' and overheard two kids
talking. One bragged that his mother had bought him a Nintendo.
The friend immediately replied, 'Well, my mother just got me a
486.'"

Newsbytes asked Grayson where multimedia developers can go to
show their wares. "There isn't a good show right now for us," he
admitted. "One big challenge now is how to market to this very
loosely affiliated mass market," which he figures now totals six
million families. "It's horizontal, it's people from all walks of
life -- they tend to have more money of course, 35-45 year old
parents, and half have small children. They can't be targeted in
the normal way....so I spend a lot of time talking to writers. I
can reach more people through PR than other ways."

And he gave some other insights into his marketing plan. "What
we've done is hire part-timers around the country, with three key
salespeople for each region. The part-timers work our primary
outlets. Then we do all the merchandising things, send our
stars, like Howie Mandel, onto TV shows to talk about us, and
we'll do the same thing with Charlie Fleischer. We may get
Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones or Michael Pahlin to work
with us on 'Python,'" probably around the Fall Comdex.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940524/Press Contact: Karen Hart, for
7th Level, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00006)

Comdex - NewMedia's Envision Awards 05/24/94
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- One of the major
events of this show was the presentation of awards by NewMedia
magazine for multimedia. The Envision awards, which started last
year, drew 600 entries, and this year drew such stars as M.C.
"Weird Al" Yankovic and "Roger Rabbit" voice Charles Fleischer.

Technology being as squirrely as it is, the show was 45 minutes
late getting off the ground. Fleischer vamped some comedy, then
gratefully introduced an all-star band featuring 7th Level
Executive Vice President Scott Page, who formerly played with
Pink Floyd, and former members of such bands as Steely Dan and
Crosby, Stills & Nash.

As entertainment, the band proved better than the show itself,
which mainly featured executives, publishers looking uncomfortable
in black ties, and canned demos. Real emotion was reserved for
winners with socially relevant titles like those on addiction and
AIDS prevention.

Perhaps better than the show was the "playground" put together
for all the winners outside the Windows World show hall, which
opened right after the ceremony and stayed open through the
rest of the show.

Best of Show was "Addiction and its Processes" and "Life Moves: The
Process of Recovery," from the American Institute of Learning. Other
top titles ran all over the map, and here are a sampling of the gold
medal winners. Andersen Consulting won for its "McDonald's Service
Enhancement Training," while Noal Multimedia won for its "This Old
Pump," a training application. Artemis Alliance won a gold for its
Skyvision, a manufacturing/technical support product. The Wall
Street Journal took a gold for its "The Affluent Investor," while
North Communications Inc., won a point-of-sale kiosk award for
the "Singapore Post."

"Books That Work" won gold in the advertising category for its
"Home Survival Toolkit," while Mackeral Interactive Media took
gold for its "Mackeral Stack 2.0." Disc Manufacturing Inc. took
gold for its product demo, "DMI Interactive Gallery,  and intouch
group won for its ad, "The iStation." West End Post Interactive
also won a gold for its Electronic Business Card.

In the education area, D.C. Heath took gold for its "Discovering
French Interactive and the Open Learning Unit of John Moores
University won gold for its CytoVision Laser." Another education
winner was the Interactive Media Lab of Dartmouth College for
"HIV & AIDS: An Interactive Curriculum."

In the Entertainment Area, Sanctuary Woods won gold for "Sitting
on the Farm." Grid Media Ltd. also won for its "Journey to the
Source." Among reference works, Microsoft took two Silvers but
gold was won by "AARX:Kronolog II" by Human Code.

Consumer Gold winners included: Maris Multimedia for "Red Shift
Multimedia Astronomy;" Sierra Online for "Berlitz for Business
Japanese; and "Birdsong" from Mackeral Interactive Media.
Microsoft also won a gold for the "Microsoft Art Gallery,"
as did Philips Interactive Media for its "Voyeur." Other gold
winners in the same area were "Make My Video: INXS" from Digital
Pictures, and "Lenny's MusicToons" from Paramount Interactive.

Among the best end-user designed applications were "The Dynamic
Spine" from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine,"
and "Brothers" from the Brother's Network: National Task Force on
AIDS Prevention," as well as the "Arris Imaging System from
Chiropractic Consultants Ltd.

On the technical side, gold winners included: "En Passant:
Experiences in Interactive Shopping" from Medior Inc; "the 7th
Guest" from Trilobyte Inc; "Total Distortion" from Pop Rocket
Inc; and "World Tour Golf" from Media Designs.

In addition to merit, some observers contended that the judges also
wanted to honor programs that could use the attention. Thus, among
those who did not win top honors were some very well-known
products, like Microsoft's "Encarta" encyclopedia, and "Tuneland"
from 7th Level.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940524/Press Contact: Susan Lake,
NewMedia Magazine, 415-573-5170)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00007)

Comdex - "Open" Standards Waiting 05/24/94
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- When last Newsbytes
saw the Comdex crowd, they were arguing over patent rights. Things
have changed. At this show there were numerous "open" standards
begging to be used.

The first few hours held a flurry of such announcements. Folio
said it would welcome the creation of application programming
interfaces, or APIs, for its Open Views 2.0 technology.

A group code-named Shamrock said it would work toward open
interfaces for corporate databases, and Plantronics offered a
mini-DIN plug as a replacement for RJ-11 plugs, noting it was
better adapted to use with computers and, again, offering it as
an open standard.

Microsoft decided not to announce its Chicago operating system, a
version of Windows not based on DOS. Bill Gates still hopes to ship
it before year-end, but he is obviously not willing to bet on that.

With no big announcement from Microsoft, that took the pressure
off other exhibitors, who held off on announcements of their own.
IBM talked about some minor add-ons for OS/2, but would have
made a bigger deal of them under pressure. Lotus also held off.
WordPerfect put on a show using one of the World Congress
Center's auditoriums, but there was little news there, either.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940524)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00008)

VMark Software Intros Vantage Services 05/24/94
FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Shortly
after reporting its 21st consecutive quarter of financial growth,
VMark Software, a producer of "post-relational databases" and
object-oriented client-server software, has unveiled Vantage
Services, a suite of support, education and consulting services for
customers and distributors.

In an interview with Newsbytes, Steve Machnik, VP of marketing,
attributed the spiraling success of the Framingham, Massachusetts-
based vendor to the ability of value-added resellers (VARs) to use
VMark's uniVerse and HyperStar software for developing "real
world" vertical applications.

The applications are designed for areas like manufacturing, health
care, finance, libraries, legal, and retail and wholesale distribution,
Machnik told Newsbytes. Most of VMark's customers are mid-sized
organizations with networks based on Unix servers and PC clients,
the VP added.

VMark's 15,000 customer organizations include Stanford University,
Electronic Data Systems, BP Oil, the London Underground,
Anheuser-Busch, and the French National Office of Forestry.

VMark conducts 90 percent of its business through VARs, Machnik
emphasized. From first quarter 1993, to first quarter 1994, the
ten-year-old company added 83 more resellers to its roster, for a
total of 316.

Over the same period, earnings per share increased 53 percent to
$0.23 from $0.15 per share in the previous year's first quarter,
exclusive of a one-time special charge related to VMark's purchase
of Constellation Software. Revenues also rose 53 percent exclusive
of the one-time charge, to $9,907,000 for first quarter 1994 from
$6,458,000 for the same quarter last year.

Machnik told Newsbytes that VMark had been distributing
HyperStar, a client-server middleware product originally produced
by Constellation, for about a year before acquiring Constellation
in January.

The Constellation move marked the second acquisition for VMark in
just a few months. In October, 1993 VMark purchased
ComputerVision's Prime Information relational database management
(RDBMS) software, PI/open and Prime, together with a portion of the
business unit that provided support for the Prime Information
customer base.

Meanwhile, VMark has evolved its flagship uniVerse product into a
"post-relational database" with multi-dimensional viewing
capabilities, Machnik said. By incorporating multiple values
into a single data field, uniVerse allows users to look at data
from a variety of perspectives, he explained.

In addition, unlike competing RDBMSes, which adhere to two-
dimensional rows and columns, uniVerse permits fields and
records of variable lengths, he noted.

"As a result, we are able to connect more users on small systems
than RDBMSes can," he maintained. "Oracle, for instance, makes a
lot of statements about being able to connect 100 users. Well, 100
users is very easy for us to do. In fact, we have many customers
with 1,000 users on a system, and some with 2,000 users."

UniVerse is now able to work with structured query language (SQL)
queries, as well as with other data retrieval methods, such as
other additional language languages and VMARK's BASIC programming
language, he added. "So the benefits of SQL are available to more
people than just SQL users."

VMark's HyperStar uses an object-oriented approach, meaning that
unlike much client-server software, it is not "hard-wired to
anything in particular," according to Machnik.

The HyperStar middleware employs a "very advanced set of object-
oriented messages" to present requests, commands or results to data
structures "in ways that are native to that particular data structure,"
he explained. To communicate with Oracle, for example, HyperStar
uses Oracle SQL.

HyperStar is currently available in versions for Oracle, Sybase,
Informix, and uniVerse, as well as for PI/open, a Unix-based RDBMS,
and Prime, a proprietary RDBMS. The versions for Prime and PI/open
are generally used when "somebody had Prime to begin with, and
now wants to move to Unix," he said. HyperStar can also be easily
adapted to almost any other data source, according to Machnik.

The new Vantage Services suite fulfills another expansion
opportunity for VMark, he reported. "Our core business with the
database and applications is still very good and growing. The
opportunities with HyperStar and the client-server market are
excellent for our existing core activities. But services present
another market in and of themselves," he told Newsbytes.

Last year, VMark added consulting and education elements to its
existing product development, sales and support services. The newly
announced Vantage Services make these offerings available in a
modular format that allows VARs and customers to "choose what
they want," Machnik said. The services are available either directly
from VMark or through VARs.

Some of the offerings are brand new, such as the ability to enjoy
"24-by-7" telephone support, a service provided by VMark's new
Vantage Premier Twenty-Four service.

Vantage Services also supplies four additional levels of phone
support: Vantage Standard Support, for phone access from 8am to
5pm Monday through Friday; Vantage Plus Twelve, for access 12
hours a day, Monday through Friday; Vantage Plus Twenty-Four, for
access 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday; and Vantage FlexCare,
for "five days of 24-hour telephone support, to be used sequentially
or individually at any point throughout a single year."

Other VMark support options include Vantage Install, for on-site
installation of VMark products by a VMark Technical Support
Engineer; and the Vantage Certified Support Engineer Program.

The new Vantage Services program also provides three consulting
programs and a pair of education options, according to Machnik.
The consulting programs include Application and Data Conversion
Services; Conversion Planning Services, which are focused on
analyses of platform, network, application and data conversion
needs; and Program Management Services.

The Program Management Services include project management
and planning; "vendor selection and coordination;" product
acquisition; application conversion, testing and validation; and
training of support personnel and end users.

Vantage Education Services fall into two categories: classroom
courses and "self-paced training." The classroom courses teach
a number of VMark database fundamentals, including VMARK BASIC
programming, uniVerse communications/networking, HyperStar,
and systems administration.

The self-paced training encompasses a range of individual and
bundled courses on open systems, networks, and databases,
according to Machnik.

As a provider of support services, VMark claims a competitive
edge that stems from the company's long experience in working
with supporting multivendor hardware and software platforms, he
said. UniVerse, for instance, runs in 20 different hardware and
software environments, including RS 6000, HP 9000, and, most
recently, Windows NT.

HyperStar also offers a great deal of flexibility, according to
Machnik. The client-server middleware can be used with any
application development tool that is based on either C, C++, the
Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard, or dynamic data
exchange (DDE).

"In terms of moving forward our open systems capabilities, we're
spending our time on uniVerse," the vice president noted. "We've
been incorporating more PI Open Functionality in uniVerse, so PI
customers have a way to get there."

Also for the future, VMark is looking at further ways of expanding
its business. "The applications development market is very hot
right now. Just about every VAR (value-added reseller) is planning
to make a decision as to its development platform in the near future.
Companies like Powersoft and Uniface have been very successful,"
Machnik pointed out.

"Our plan is to get closer to (the application development tool)
vendors, and possibly to offer our own application development
products, as well," he added. Vmark has already established
strategic alliances with both Powersoft and Uniface, Newsbytes
was told.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940523/Reader Contact: VMark Software,
617-879-3311; Press Contacts: Paula Levis Suita, VMark, 508-879-
3311, ext 3311; Jeff Aubin or Ann Hawkins, Brodeur & Partners for
VMark, 617-894-0003)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00009)

Comdex - 7th Level's Grayson On Education 05/24/94
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Newsbytes spoke
to George Grayson of 7th Level, at Comdex in Atlanta. One of the
subjects discussed was education.

Grayson's next project will be an interactive science disk called
"The Universe According to Virgil," based around a character called
"Virgil Reality," a mad scientist whose voice will be by Charles
Fleischer, who also did Roger Rabbit.

Grayson showed some sketches from the proposal and called it,
"The world's first interactive pencil test. We're creating the whole
feature in outline, and then after compositing we can ink and
paint, and anti-alias."

Animation will be in the Warner Brothers style, but what really
excites Grayson is the amount of material the disk will cover.
"You can click on galaxies and learn about astronomy. You can
click on the Earth and learn about geologic time, or explore
continental drift." On the Earth "objects also change based on
the age -- some are facts, some are jokes. If you're in a period
with dinosaurs," one "might stick his head through the glass and
roar at you. There's also digital video, and Virgil flies around.
There's a biology section, done through a microscope. There's a
song called 'I'm an amoeba,' and particle people like the muzon,
with additional facts."

He continued: "The whole idea is to pique interest, to teach the
wonder of the universe. So many people get lost in the details that
wonderment is never taught." For instance, "The amount of matter
that makes up the Earth, if you eliminate all the space between the
particles, will fit in a teaspoon." That sort of thing also fascinates
Fleischer, a physics "nut" and stand-up comic whose best-known
bit, "Moties," involves the magic of numbers.

Grayson strongly believes that multimedia will change the way we
think about education. That vision brought him to 7th Level's
major investor, Michael Milken. Grayson turned out other
investors and went with Milken money because of that shared
vision. But he sees his company as meaning more than money, but
as a way to do something meaningful.

Kids are ultimately going to become the engine for change,
Grayson believes. "My son Nathan has 3 friends with computers, 15
friends who don't" have computers. "When they get together he'll
show off his library of software, and they all play together. His
friends know what they'd like if they had a PC...but they can't"
get it until they have the hardware. "That's the phenomenon that
will occur" -- kids getting educational tools the same way they
now get Nintendo sets.

Newsbytes asked where all this is going. "What we're going to get
to, and few talk about it, is that every school desk will have a
docking station, hooked to an intelligent network, and when you
carry the computer from class to class the network will give you
your restricted files. You'll carry your lessons from place to
place and you'll carry it in that box. Think of the benefits
administratively -- not to have our education system focused on
this is unbelievable."

Newsbytes mentioned the present political divide in education,
between teachers and researchers on the left and religious
conservatives on the right. It seems impossible to break that
logjam, we said. "That's why it takes someone to come in...when I
retire from 7th Level I'll work on trying to further children's
issues. I did that from the birth of my first child. That's what
the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is
about. Children are our future. To the extent you deal with
social problems of children, you solve problems. When you do it
with adults, you paper over it -- it's a permanent scar. Children
don't have those scars -- let's not let them form."

Why not get into the political battle then? "You have to do it
outside the political system. The only way to approach it is
the grassroots. Politicians only deal with what they feel is
consensus." Until then, Grayson will be happy making money
demonstrating where that consensus might be.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940524/Press Contact: Karen Hart, for 7th
Level, 214/394-5115; FAX: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00010)

Trace Family History With Windows Family Ties 05/24/94
PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- In an
effort to entice Windows users to use its Family Ties program,
Individual Software has released a new version of its genealogy
software.

Matt Hendrickson, product and marketing manager for Individual
Software, told Newsbytes, "Our release of Family Ties for Windows
is targeted towards people who want to trace their family lineage
back a few generations. We have moved our Family Ties program from
DOS-only to the Windows environment and can now offer all the
features associated with Windows. This makes it easier for first-
time users who might find genealogy a bit confusing. We are not
trying to attract high-end users who want to trace their family
to the Fourteenth century."

According to Individual, the average street price of $19.95
for Family Ties for Windows is half that of its nearest competition.
This new program will ship in June of this year and be available in
most retail channels.

Hendrickson continued, "Market studies have shown that a lot of our
users are in the 50-and-over age group, which tells us that a lot of
parents and grandparents use this program to develop a tree to pass
down to their children. We have worked to develop Family Ties for
Windows as a very user-friendly software. For users that want to
graduate to a more complicated and professional program we have
built-in a export and import feature which allows users to export
all their data into another program."

Family Ties for Windows highlights a Quick Tour for instruction,
automatic verification, quick review of names, automatic save/back-
up, cut, copy and paste, name and word search, additional notes area,
and online help.

The exporting and importing features use the Genealogical Data
Communications format (GEDCOM) and the enclosed manual, prepared
by Myrna Leferver Smith, offers extensive research information in
reading lists, archives, libraries and genealogical centers in the US.

A conflict alert signal notifies users when conflicting information
has been entered. Individual claims the new version allows users to
include divorces as part of the format. Completed output can be
printed in ascending or descending style.

This program requires a 386 or higher processor, Windows 3.1 or
higher, two megabytes (MB) of RAM, a Video graphics array (VGA) or
higher resolution display, 2MB of hard disk space and a mouse
pointing device.

(Patrick McKenna/19940524/Press Contact: Kathleen Turnbull,
Individual Software, 510-734-6767)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00011)

AT&T Intros PCs "Communications-Ready" 05/24/94
DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- AT&T Global Information
Solutions has announced the Globalyst line of personal computers,
which the company describes as "communications-ready."

There are four models in the new PC line, using Intel Corp.'s 486
and Pentium processors and a combination of the Industry Standard
Architecture (ISA) and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
and Video Electronics Standard Association (VESA) local buses.

AT&T Global Information Solutions -- the former NCR Corp. --
is applying the marketing tag "communications-ready" to the
machines. Those experienced with PCs know there is nothing
special about the ability to hook a personal computer to a
network, so the availability of pre-installed network interface
cards -- Token Ring, Ethernet, or WaveLAN -- and software is
hardly revolutionary. What is more unusual is a refinement of the
power-management features in the Globalyst models that makes
for more effective energy conservation on a network.

Most energy-saving PCs go into a "sleep mode" after a certain
period of inactivity. The trouble is that when such a PC is
attached to a network, the power-management software interprets
routine network traffic as activity and wakes the machine up
again, explained Jim Borton, Globalyst brand manager. The
Globalyst PCs' power-management software ignores routine
network traffic.

AT&T also said it is certifying its products to work with Novell
Inc.'s popular NetWare local area network operating system, under
a program called NetWare Pledge. While Novell already certifies
third-party products with its "Yes, it works with NetWare" label,
Borton said AT&T is going one step farther by offering a
money-back guarantee. If the company cannot resolve a
compatibility problem with any product covered by its NetWare
Pledge, he told Newsbytes, the customer can return it within 30
days of purchase for a full refund.

The Globalyst line includes four models: the Globalyst 510, a
small desktop PC with ISA and VESA buses; the larger-chassis
Globalyst 515 desktop, also with ISA and VESA; the Globalyst 550,
which uses the PCI local bus along with ISA; and the Globalyst
590, which offers a choice of 60 or 66 megahertz (MHz) Pentium
processors in a mini-tower cabinet.

A range of processors from the 33MHz 486SX to the 66MHz Pentium
are available. The systems can be upgraded later using Intel
OverDrive chips. A Flash BIOS (basic input/output) system allows
the BIOS to be upgraded as well, AT&T said. Personal Computer
Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) expansion slots
are optional.

All models are available now, AT&T said. Typical prices, all
including diskette drive, keyboard, mouse, MS-DOS operating
system and Microsoft Windows, are: $1,040 for a 510 with 33MHz
486SX processor, four megabytes (MB) of memory, and 170MB hard
drive; $1,999 for a 515 with a 50MHz 486SX2 chip, 8MB of
memory, 170MB hard drive, dual-speed compact disc read-only
memory (CD-ROM) drive, stereo speakers, 16-bit sound card, and a
bundle of multimedia software; $2,015 for a 550 with a 66MHz
486DX2 chip, 8MB of memory, and 270MB hard drive; and
$3,075 for a Globalyst 590 with 66MHz Pentium, 8MB of
memory, 340MB hard drive, 1MB of dual-ported video
random-access memory, and 256 kilobytes of write-back cache.

(Grant Buckler/19940524/Press Contact: Sean Glynn, AT&T,
513-445-1951; Kate Bochonko, Manning Selvage & Lee for AT&T,
212-213-1951; Public Contact: AT&T, 800-637-2600)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00012)

Zilog Intros PC 28.8Kbps Modem Controller 05/24/94
CAMPBELL, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Zilog has
announced a 33 megahertz (MHz) version of its Z80182 (Z182)
modem controller that will transfer data along standard phone lines
 at the V.Fast speed of 28,800 bits-per-second (bps), yet still
works with existing personal computer (PC) communication
software.

Aimed at the internal, external, and credit-card sized modem
market, the company claims the controller is capable of its
V.Fast or V.32 speed without using data compression. Currently
popular modems operate at speeds of 2400, 9600, and 14,400 bps
without data compression.

The controller integrates the static Zilog Z8S180 microprocessor
unit (MPU) core and the Z85230 Enhanced Serial Communications
Controller (ESCC) by linking two channels, 24 bits of parallel
input/output, and a 16550 MIMIC. These components link for a direct
interface connection to a 16-bit Industry Standard Architecture
(ISA) bus, also known as an IBM personal computer advanced
technology (PC AT) bus.

The components provide 32-bit cyclical redundancy checking (CRC)
error checking for wireless communications and emulation of the
standard 16550 Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART)
for transmitting and receiving data on the serial port. It is the
16550 UART emulation that provides the PC Communication software
compatibility, but the design also allows a parallel interface
with the PC host so the controller can accommodate higher data
transfer rates, by-passing the limitations of the UART.

Zilog also said it is offering its customers who have been
developing modem products for the company's Z80 and Z180
architecture to upgrade to the Z182. The upgrade is designed to
make it easy to migrate to the V.34 with the idea of reducing
design time and speeding up time-to-market, according to
Scott DuBose, channel manager for the modem line at Zilog.

The biggest disadvantage to the 33MHz version of the Z80182 is
that it requires 5.5 volts, which takes it out of the running for
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA)
credit-card sized modems that require low voltage. The 33MHz
version is aimed at internal and external modems for desktop
computers, the company said. However, a 20MHz 3.3 volt version
is available for PCMCIA applications and other applications where
low voltage is a requirement because the system has to run off
battery power.

The Z182 is available at 33MHz in a 5.5-volt 100-pin QFP/VQFP
packages for $14.36 in 10,000 original equipment manufacturer
(OEM) quantities. The 3.3-volt version running at 20MHz in 100-
pin QFP/VQFP packages is available for $13.83 in 10,000 OEM
quantities.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940524/Press Contact: Chris Bradley, Zilog,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00013)

 ****IBM Launches First EISA Server 05/24/94
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- IBM has announced
a network server aimed at small businesses and workgroup
local area networks (LANs), and at the same time made a
concession to market realities by using the Extended Industry
Standard Architecture (EISA) system bus for the first time in one
of its servers.

The EISA bus is a rival to IBM's own Micro Channel Architecture
(MCA), launched by a group of IBM competitors who disagreed with
IBM's 1987 break with the traditional Industry Standard
Architecture (ISA -- formerly known as the AT bus). Unlike the MCA
bus, the EISA specification accepts expansion cards made for ISA
slots.

IBM talked to potential customers in the small business and
workgroup LAN market, company spokeswoman Nancy Meyers told
Newsbytes, and found that "they're looking for industry standards."

IBM continues to tout MCA as a better option for interconnected
networks and those with more sophisticated requirements, and will
keep offering it in its higher-priced PC servers, Meyers said.

The IBM PC Server comes in two models, one built around a
66 megahertz (MHz) Intel 486DX2 processor and one using a 60MHz
Pentium chip. IBM will offer the machines to resellers without
hard drives so they can be customized, or with a 728 megabyte
(MB) Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) hard disk drive or a
one gigabyte (GB) small computer systems interface (SCSI-2)
drive.

Both models are equipped with the Peripheral Component
Interconnect (PCI) local bus as well as EISA, and come with a
SCSI-2 Fast PCI adapter, IBM said.

IBM also upgraded NetFinity, its network hardware management
package, adding the ability to manage Microsoft Windows clients
and Novell NetWare servers, plus the ability to generate Simple
Network Management Protocol (SNMP) alerts and call pagers
automatically. The new release also adds database export and
scheduling features.

The new servers are due to ship within three weeks. The base
price for the 486DX2 server with 8MB of memory, without a
hard disk, is $2,499. With the 728MB disk, that model is $3,099.
The Pentium server, with 16MB of memory, is $3,899 without hard
disk and $4,999 with a 1GB SCSI-2 drive. These prices do not
include monitors, Meyers said.

NetFinity 2.0 is to be available in July. NetFinity Manager,
including one copy of NetFinity Services, costs $850. NetFinity
Services, for individual machines on a network, costs $115 per
copy.

(Grant Buckler/19940524/Press Contact: Nancy Meyers, IBM,
914-766-1027)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00014)

MIPS R4400 200MHz Beats Pentium Running NT 05/24/94
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- MIPS is touting its
200 megahertz (MHz) reduced instruction-set computing (RISC)-
based R4400 microprocessor. The company claims it is over three
times faster than a 90MHz Intel P54C Pentium microprocessor when
running 32-bit Microsoft Windows NT applications.

Toshiba America Electronic Components (TAEC) is manufacturing
the chip along with semiconductor partners Integrated Device
Technology (IDT) and computer manufacturer NEC.

The 64-bit MIPS processor is manufactured using a more compact
0.35 micron complementary metal-oxide semiconductor process
(CMOS) and has a die size of 134 square millimeters with 2.3
million transistors, says the company. The chip operates at the
low-power consumption of 3.3-volts and offers 32 kilobytes (KB)
of internal cache, with 16KB for instructions and 16KB for data.

MIPS made its claim at the Spring Comdex show in Atlanta,
Georgia. The company says the Windows NT comparison tests
were on real software applications rather than on synthetic
benchmarks. In the standard workstation performance measurements,
the R4400 running at 200MHz measured in the integer test a
SPECint92 of 117 and a SPECfp92 of 131 in the floating-point test.

Three versions of the new MIPS chip are available from Toshiba.
The R4400PC supports primary cache and is aimed at desktop and
high-performance embedded control applications. The R4400SC
supports both primary and secondary cache and is designed for
workstation and server-class products. The R4400MC  provides
secondary cache functionality plus multiprocessing support, and
is aimed at high-performance computers and network superservers.

First introduced in 1991, the R4000 series had the 150MHz R4400
as its fastest family member until the introduction of the
200MHz version. Toshiba, which has been making MIPS R4000 family
chips since 1992, and claims it offers a complete range of RISC
systems products, including its Tigershark chip set, introduced
in May 1993. The Tigershark chipset converts R4XXX family system
interface signals (SYSAD and SYSCMD buses) to a 32-bit local bus
compatible with the Intel 486 bus.

The Tigershark can talk to industry-standard buses available on
IBM-compatible personal computers (PCs), including the Industry
Standard Architecture (ISA) or AT bus, the Extended ISA, the
Video Electronics Standards Association Local (VL) bus, and the
Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) local bus standard from
Intel aimed at multimedia. The Tigershark chip set also features a
built-in cache controller that interfaces to second-level cache
memory, Toshiba said.

MIPS said the sampling price of the R4400/200 will be set
individually by IDT, NEC, and Toshiba. Toshiba has announced its
prices as: $1,600 for the R4400PC-200; $1,950 for the  R4400SC-
200; and $2,150 for the R4400MC-200. Pricing is based on 10,000-
piece quantities.

The Toshiba R4400PC is also available in 179-pin pin grid array
(PGA) packages, with the other two versions offered in 447-pin
PGA packages. General sampling of the R4400/200 starts in June
1994, with production set to begin in the third quarter of this year.

MIPS also provided a preview of processors to come. The company
said its next generation processor as internally code-named the
T5, will be announced later this year. The T5 will be binary
compatible with software for the R4xxx series processors, but
will add performance, MIPS said. MIPS added that it has already
delivered complete specifications for the T5 to its customers,
who were also involved in the early design stages of the chip.

Another processor, aimed at supercomputing and high-performance
image processing, code-named the TFP, will be announced this
summer.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940524/Press Contact: Jim Lucas, Toshiba
America Electronic Components, 408-456-8900; Steve Schick, MIPS
Technologies, 415-390-2573; Caroline Phillips, Integrated Device
Technology, 408-492-8620; Joany Winkler, NEC Electronics, 415-
965-6495)


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

 ****NCTA - Cross-Industry Cooperation Called For 05/24/94
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, U.S.A.,1994 MAY 24  (NB) -- As cable
television systems-owners cope with the effects of rate rollbacks
imposed recently by the Federal Communications Commission, they
should look to online services and the computer industry in general
for support. Speaking at the opening general session of the National
Cable Television Association Cable '94 convention, NCTA Chief
Executive Officer and President Decker Anstrom laid out a case for
cross-industry cooperation.

"We have to look outside our own industry to build alliances and
partnerships with others that share our goals," he said. "We hope to
improve the lives of our customers with new programming and new
technologies, so we should seek out the computer companies, the
newspaper companies, and yes, even the broadcasters -- in a spirit
of cooperation."

Anstrom attacked the FCC rollbacks, which must be implemented by
July, "as nothing less than a political caning." Yet he added that
although court appeals to the FCC were filed, the industry should
think positively about the future.

Noting the more than 20,000 in attendance at this year's NCTA,
Anstrom said that "We are shattering attendance records, so
I know you all didn't come here for a funeral. You came here
because in spite of the regulatory obstacles, this industry is
full of promise. This industry will lead America into a new
revolution in telecommunications."

Pausing after applause from the 4,000 general session attendees,
Anstrom added that, "We put sound and images into the lives of
more than 55 million Americans more than seven hours a day. We
have the responsibility of making our commitment a powerful one.
We've had enough of licking our wounds. it is time for us to get on
with our business."

(Russell Shaw/19940523/Press Contact: Rich D'Amato, National
Cable Television Association, 202-775-3629


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

NCTA - Prodigy In Cable Deal With Media General 05/24/94
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, USA, 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Prodigy
Services Company has announced a venture with Media General Cable,
offering its services over cable to Media's entire 209,000 subscriber
base in affluent Fairfax County, Virginia. Prodigy and Media General
executives made the announcement during the National Cable
Television Association Cable '94 Convention being held through
Wednesday.

Initial testing will take place in the next few months. Prodigy
President Ross Glatzer said that the joint venture with Media
General is a natural outgrowth of plans first announced six months
ago to seek multimedia alliances with cable companies.

Last year at the Western Show (a major cable industry trade show
held in December in Anaheim, California) Prodigy announced
its intention to be a major partner with the cable television
industry.

"It's important to us in our strategic direction to form partnerships
with networks and multi-system operators to make products that
are more acceptable and valuable to our subscribers," he said.
Glatzer added that a prime motivator for the joint venture
is the realization that broadband cable is a better transmitter of
data than standard phone networks are.

"For Prodigy, the fundamental basis of this (the agreements with
cable companies) is that it means we can deliver our service
50 to 100 times faster than our members receive it today over
conventional telephone lines," he said. "It also allows us to
evolve the service using much more multimedia -- to go to images,
to sound, and soon, to video. It helps us continually increase the
value of our products."

Glatzer was quick to add, however, that ventures between
Prodigy and cable are mutually beneficial. "About 30 million
households in America have a personal computer, so we simply
want to help the cable industry expand their market and bridge to
what we think is a pretty appealing customer base," he added.

Scott Junit, executive vice president, products, marketing and
development for Prodigy, reiterated Glatzer's perspective. "The
cable industry is our absolute future," he said. "Because cable
distribution makes our product so much more usable, if we could,
today, switch all of our over-the-telephone customers to cable,
we would do it." Plus, for cable networks, we increase viewership
because we provide interactive, relationship marketing," he added.

At the convention, Prodigy's Kurnit also said the service would
expand its marketing effort to start proprietary discussion
groups and bulletin boards for high-technology associations.

(Russell Shaw/19940523/Press Contacts: Debra Borchert, Prodigy,
914-448-8305/Michael Harris, Media General Cable, 703-378-3922)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00017)

Systems Support Expo - Fujitsu's DTC-Support 05/24/94
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- At Systems
Support Expo, Fujitsu Networks Industry unveiled DeskTop
Conferencing for Support (DTC-Support), a Windows-based system
that lets a technical support specialist share a user's applications,
use pen and pointer tools to mark up the user's screen, and call in
additional experts as "consultants" in an online support session.

In an interview on the show floor, Jim Zimmerman, director
of marketing for the Stamford, CT-based company, told Newsbytes
that the new system adds an alternative interface, specifically
designed for tech support, to Fujitsu's Novell LAN (local area
network)-based DTC.

DTC-Support stands out from competing tech support systems by
allowing technicians and users to share screens, Zimmerman said.
The client-server software also includes a remote control option,
he added.

When a "flipchart" is invoked, a technician ("expert") and user
("client") can each access pens and pointers to take notes,
brainstorm ideas, or give instructions, on either blank white pages
or captured application screens.

The screen sharing capability lets the technician see how a
user is working with an application, and determine what the user
might be "doing wrong," according to Zimmerman.

Alternatively, the user can watch the technician work with the
application, and then model the technician's actions while the
technician looks on. If the user starts to run into trouble, the
technician can take control of the user's mouse and keyboard.
Technicians can also share their own screens, if desired.

A user will typically learn more from actively working with an
application than from passively observing an expert, Zimmerman
noted.

In a demo, the marketing director showed Newsbytes how the user
double-clicks on an icon to set up a support conference. The
"expert" then joins the conference by clicking on the client's name
in a list of conferences displayed on the screen.

Once begun, the remainder of the support conference session is
conducted from the expert's machine. This eliminates the need to
train multiple users in an organization in how to use DTC-Support,
Zimmerman maintained.

The technician can call in up to seven outside experts at a time
for extra assistance in an online help session. These individuals
might be other technicians or "power users" with special expertise
in a particular application or technique, Newsbytes was told.

Each expert or client in a session can be assigned a specific
color for use in annotating pages in the flipchart. Flipchart pages
can be saved for future reference.

A built-in file transfer tool allows experts to distribute
software updates or fixes by sending files to the client, and to
transfer files from the client's machine for review purposes.

Experts can also send or receive the contents of the local or
remote Windows Clipboard. The recipient can then copy/paste the
contents into applications, according to Zimmerman.

Another capability, the "flipchart organizer," permits the expert
to create, manage, and store flipchart pages in a "visual database."

DTC-Support experts are also provided with a messaging
feature that lets them exchange text messages of up to 240
characters with any or all other experts in a conference.

Fujitsu DTC-Support is shipping now. A single client version is
priced at $99 per user. Expert versions are priced at $299 for a
single edition, $2,490 for a ten-pack, and $17,900 for a 100-pack.

The client version requires Windows 3.0 or higher. The expert
version requires Windows 3.1. Novell NetWare 2.2, 2.11 or 4.0 and
IPX (Internetwork Packet Exchange) are also required. The product
works with any network topology. A bridge or router with at least
56 kilobits-per-second (kbps) bandwidth is recommended for wide
area interconnects.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940523/Reader Contact: Fujitsu Networks
Industry, 203-326-2723; Press Contacts: Leahanne Hobson or Narina
Sippy, Copithorne & Bellows Public Relations for Fujitsu, 617-252-
0606)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TYO)(00018)

Japan Plans Asia's Information Superhighway 05/24/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- The Japanese Ministry of
Posts & Telecommunications has unveiled a plan to set up an
information superhighway in Asia. To begin with, the Japanese
government plans to create a steering committee, or an institute,
to push the project.

The ministry will propose the plan at the Asia Pacific
Telecommunications meeting in Thailand this week. First, the
agency wants to hold talks on the standardization of
telecommunications systems in the region.

According to a ministry report, there are no institutes to
study the standardization of telecommunication systems in some
Asian countries. Also, telecommunication systems are different
from the country to country. In addition, some countries are
behind others in the development of such systems.

Meanwhile, the ministry is also planning to support experiments
on optical fiber data transmission in Japan in September. The
experiments are planned by major Japanese telecommunications
and computer firms, including NTT, IBM Japan, KDD, Fujitsu,
Hitachi, Japan Digital Equipment, Japan Sun Microsystems, and
Cray Japan.

Under the plan, they will use optical fiber with a maximum data
transmission speed of 156 megabytes per second. The experiments
will include videoconferencing and remote medical diagnosis
between Tokyo and Osaka.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19940524/Press Contact: Japanese
Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications, Press Bureau,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00019)

Japan - Casio/Nokia, Ricoh/LDL Forge Links 05/24/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Japan's Casio Computer has
signed an agreement with Finland-based telecom firm Nokia,
that calls for Casio to help maintain Nokia's mobile phones in
Japan. Meanwhile, Tokyo-based Ricoh has signed a deal with
Light Work Design (LDL) involving the joint development of
software interfaces.

The agreement between Casio Computer and Nokia covers the
maintenance service of Nokia's mobile phones in Japan. Casio
will provide such a service through its 28 service centers
in Japan. Currently, Nokia has an agreement with Mitsui Bussan
Trading involving the sale of digital mobile phones in the
country.

Both Nokia and Mitsui Bussan are jointly providing the
maintenance service through their joint venture firm, Nokia
Mobile Phone Japan. Casio's maintenance service could provide
strong support for Nokia in the sale of mobile phones in Japan.

Casio has the Personal Handy Phone System technology as well
as a variety of electronics equipment. It also has the powerful
maintenance network in Japan.

Meanwhile, Ricoh has signed an agreement with Light Work Design
of the United Kingdom. Under the deal, both firms will develop
the software interface for Ricoh's CAD (computer-aided design)
software, called the Design Base, and Light Work's graphics
program, called Light Works.

Ricoh has already licensed Design Base software to over 70 firms
in Japan, while Light Works has licensed Light Works to over 35
firms in the UK.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19940524/Press Contact: Casio
Computer, tel [phone], fax [phone], Ricoh,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00020)

UK Distributor Swallows Up French Counterpart 05/24/94
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Azlan, the networking
distributor, has acquired a 99.97 percent stake in Research and
Development (R and D), a French computer distributor.

According to David Randall, Azlan's managing director, the deal
involves an initial payment of FF5.5 million (UKP650,000) followed
by a payment of FF500,000 (UKP60,000) payable six months after
completion. Further payments are due in the years 1995 to 1998,
which could push the price as high as UKP3.4 million, Newsbytes
understands.

The final payments will be based on the performance of the company
in the four years following the buy-out, a standard procedure in UK
business operations, Newsbytes notes.

Commenting on the deal, Randall said: "We see the acquisition of R
and D as a stepping stone towards achieving our strategic objective
of maximizing market opportunities that exist in Europe for the
distribution of our network computing products and services."

This is third acquisition deal by Azlan in recent times. Just over two
years ago, Random, R and D's main shareholder (with a 75 percent
stake) and a major French computer dealership, went into liquidation,
causing the distributor some financial worries, which resulted in a
pre-tax loss of FF1.3 million for financial year 1991/92. Since then,
R and D has been operating in the black. In 1992/93, R and D generated
a profit of UKP370,000 on a turnover of UKP8.5 million.

(Steve Gold/19940524/Press & Public Contact: Azlan,
44-734-894400)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00021)

UK - Silica's "Stores-Within-Stores" Computer Outlets 05/24/94
SIDCUP, KENT, 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Silica, the computer dealer
operation subsidiary of Prodis, has announced plans to open a chain
of "stores within stores" in the Debenhams chain of department
stories across the UK.

The move follows the successful trial of a mini-store in the
Selfridges department store in London. The first new mini-store,
which has just opened, is located in Debenhams' Oxford Street store
in London. Plans call for the mini-stores to be rolled out to a further
18 locations around the UK.

According to Silica, the mini-stores will offer consumer and business
PC hardware and peripherals, as well as PC software with a bias
towards Microsoft Windows applications. Plans are also in hand to
offer training courses through the stores, as well as technical advice
for all customers.

Silica has a proven track record in the UK as a discount mail order
supplier. According to the company, the Debenhams' mini-stores will
maintain this price-competitive edge, with prices on a par with its
mail order catalogs.

So what sort of customer is Silica pitching for? A company
spokesman told Newsbytes that all types of computer users, ranging
from novice through to advanced, will be catered for at the outlets.

(Steve Gold/19940524/Press & Public Contact: Silica Shop,
44-81-309-1111)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00022)

UK - Compaq Number One In Computer Sales 05/24/94
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Following figures released
in the US that show Compaq as number one seller in unit sales terms
in the portable marketplace, Compaq UK is citing Dataquest figures
reportedly showing the company assuming the same slot across all
PC markets in the UK.

According to Dataquest's 1993 figures, Compaq moved ahead of
IBM/Ambra and Apple Computer. Also, in the first quarter of 1994,
Compaq cites Dataquest's figures showing that it consolidated its
position in
the market.

During 1993, Dataquest rated Compaq as having 10.5 percent of the
UK PC marketplace, as against 9.8 percent for IBM/Ambra, and 7.2
percent for Apple Computer. Compaq also pulled ahead of Big Blue in
the professional PC marketplace, according to Dataquest, which
shows Compaq with 12 percent in unit sales terms, as compared to
9.7 percent for IBM/Ambra.

Is this a flash in the pan for Compaq? The company says no, citing
Dataquest's European figures, which show Compaq as being responsible
for 11.8 percent of the 2.7 million machines shipped in Western Europe
in 1993, as compared with 11.0 percent for IBM/Ambra. This compares
with Compaq's 10.8 percent market share in 1992, when IBM/Ambra
was 12.8 percent.

Jo McNally, Compaq UK managing director and vice president of the
company worldwide, said that the figures underline "the dramatic
surge that Compaq has been making in recent months," in its bid to
achieve a number one slot worldwide within the next few years.

McNally said that the company's UK operation is the first division
of the company to achieve this goal.

(Steve Gold/19940524/Press Contact: Dave Currer, A-Plus Group
for Compaq Computer UK, 44-753-790700; Public Contact: Compaq
UK, 44-81-332-3888)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEN)(00023)

 ****Cyrix Asks $750 Million In TI Lawsuit 05/24/94
RICHARDSON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Cyrix Corp.,
has amended its 1993 lawsuit against Texas Instruments (TI) to ask
for damages in the amount of $750 million. TI says the change is a
tactic to delay the trial.

The amendment filed this week in Dallas (Texas) County District
Court, also asks the court to confirm that Cyrix rightfully
terminated its 1991 manufacturing and supply agreement with TI,
order TI to stop manufacturing Cyrix-designed chips and to return
all Cyrix intellectual property.

"As a result of TI's refusal to honor its production and allocation
commitments, Cyrix lost hundreds of millions in additional profits
that would have been generated by the unfilled demand for its high
performance math coprocessors and microprocessors," according to
Cyrix General Counsel Russ Fairbanks.

Cyrix says that in 1991, TI agreed to supply Cyrix with math
coprocessor chips and microprocessors in exchange for the license
to certain Cyrix designs. The company says it granted TI rights
to the Cx486SLC and Cx486DLC entry-level microprocessors, the
type of chips that are the heart of personal computers (PCs).

Cyrix said it was led to believe that in the original agreement it
would receive commercial quantities of math coprocessors in the
beginning, and then microprocessors once Cyrix provided the
designs.

The suit alleges that TI gave priority to manufacturing
Cyrix-designed chips for TI's use, refusing to properly allocate
production to Cyrix purchase orders. Cyrix contends that TI never
intended to meet its production commitments.

Cyrix terminated the agreement on July 28, 1993, allegedly because
TI failed to meet its obligation to supply wafers to Cyrix in
exchange for product rights.  TI filed a countersuit in Delaware
Chancery Court in December, 1993, demanding rights to Cyrix's
486DX and 486SX chips that were not included in the original
agreement.

Cyrix says TI has not manufactured any chips for it in over a year.
Cyrix currently gets its chips from IBM Microelectronics and from
SGS-Thomson.

Texas Instruments spokesperson Terri West told Newsbytes TI
believes the amendment to the suit is an attempt to delay its
request for a speedy trial. "We are asking them to live up to what
they agreed to. We've met all terms and conditions but they are
refusing to," said West.

A trial date hearing is scheduled June 3, 1994. TI has requested a
July 18th trial date. "We're ready to go to court. It sounds like
they are trying to delay," West told Newsbytes.

(Jim Mallory/19940524/Press contact: Michelle Moody, Cyrix
Corporation, 214-994-8302; Terri West Texas Instruments,
214-995-3481)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00024)

TI Intros Color Inkjet Printer For Under $400 05/24/94
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Texas Instruments (TI)
has unveiled an inkjet color printer it expects will sell for less
than $400.

The company calls its new microMarc "two printers in one," since
the color and monochrome print heads that come with the unit are
interchangeable. Users can reduce operating cost by using the less
expensive monochrome head except when they need to print in color.

TI will shortly announce a driver for the microMarc called colorMarc
Color Magic. No details were available about the driver, but TI
spokesperson Julie Boutwell said it will be a "user-friendly,
easy-to-install driver that will make color printing much easier."

The new printer will print one to two pages per minute in color and
three to four pages per minute in the monochrome mode, depending on
the complexity of the print job. The system comes with a 120-sheet
auto sheet feeder that can handle letter and legal size paper.
Courier, Letter Gothic, Times, Nordic, BF Times and Linea fonts are
built in.  It also supports Truetype fonts. The suggested retail
price is $439. Boutwell told Newsbytes the unit is expected to have
a street price of about $399.

In other TI news, the company says it has signed a license
agreement to integrate Macrovision Corporation's patented video copy
protection technology into its line of dedicated video compression
integrated circuits. According to TI the technology allows digital
video system makers to protect against unauthorized duplication of
program material from Hollywood studios by implementing
Macrovision's anti-copy technology.

According to Ron Slaymaker, manager of TI's Digital Compression
Products Group, the transition from analog VHS tapes to digital
video products has created a new requirement for anti-copy
technology. "By putting Macrovision's technology into silicon with
minimal incremental cost and producing it in high volume, we make it
easy for cable set-top box manufacturers and other OEMs (original
equipment manufacturers) to take advantage of this standard,
allowing them to respond to Hollywood's need to protect
programming against unauthorized copying.

(Jim Mallory/19940524/Press Contact: Jerry Rycaj, (color
printers), Texas Instruments, 817-774-6110; General Info: Terri
West, Texas Instruments, 214-995-3481)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00025)

IBM Extends RS/6000 Offerings 05/24/94
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- IBM has announced
a wide range of new reduced instruction-set computing (RISC)
computers, including additions to its line of systems built on
the PowerPC microprocessor developed in cooperation with Apple
Computer Inc., and Motorola Corp.

IBM also added new models using its Power2 microprocessor, a
RISC architecture related to PowerPC. The company beefed up the
graphics capabilities of its RISC System/6000 workstation and
claimed to have taken the performance lead in several areas.

The company claimed its announcements include the industry's
most powerful uniprocessor desktop and deskside servers and
PowerPC-based systems with industry-leading two-dimensional
(2-D) graphics performance plus three-dimensional (3-D)
capabilities.

In a New York press conference, William J. Filip, vice-president
and general manager of IBM's RISC System/6000 division, said the
announcements were aimed at "leveraging our technology in three
different categories:" extending the PowerPC line; expanding the
Power2 line; and adding to graphics capabilities.

The announcements include seven servers. One, the Model C10, uses
a PowerPC 601 processor running at 80 megahertz (MHz). Three
servers are based on Power2 technology. IBM said the Power2-based
Model 59H is the highest-performing uniprocessor desk-side server
on the market now. The Model 380 and 390 servers are also
Power2-based. The R10, R20, and R24 are rack-mountable servers.

IBM said it plans to ship the C10 server in early June at a list
price of $12,800, or $15,800 with one megabyte (MB) cache. The
Model 380 is to ship in early June at $24,200. The Model 390 will
be available in early June for $28,200, and in August a choice of
.5MB or 1MB cache will be available. The Model 59H server is
due in early June starting at $74,450. The rack-mount servers
will range from $41,100 to $98,100, with the R10 and R20 models
shipping in June and the R24 in mid-July.

New graphics workstations based on PowerPC chips include the
RS/6000 41T and the RS/6000 41W. The 41W is essentially the same
machine as the 41T but sold without a monitor, officials said.

The RS/6000 Model 3AT and 3BT workstations use Power2
microprocessors, and IBM claimed they deliver impressive
technical computing performance, with the 3BT scoring 205.3 on
the Standard Performance Evaluation Council's SPECfp92
benchmark.

The 41T workstation has a list price of $12,100, or $13,600 with
.5MB cache. The 41W is $10,895, or $12,395 with .5MB cache. The
basic models are due to ship in early June and those with the
cache later in the month. The 3AT workstation lists for $24,795,
or $30,300 with .5MB cache, and the 3BT for $28,300, or $32,300
with cache. The non-cache models are due in early June and the
cache models in early August.

For owners of existing workstations there are new graphics
accelerators to boost performance.

Filip said demand for PowerPC systems have been strong, to the
point where IBM has had trouble keeping up with orders. By the
end of the second quarter, he said, the company hopes to be able
to fill orders within two weeks.

IBM also launched new versions of its Database 2 relational
database management system for the OS/2 and AIX/6000 operating
systems and for Hewlett-Packard Co. and Sun Microsystems Inc.
workstations, plus DB2 Parallel Edition for AIX, a version of the
database software meant to exploit IBM's parallel-processing
hardware.

The company announced VisualGen, a client/server rapid
application development (RAD) tool for OS/2, as well as the IBM
Visualizer family of data presentation software and a family of
data replication software.

And the company's Storage Systems Division in San Jose, Calif.,
announced two new storage products and two new connecting
devices, and enhanced other products.

IBM Storage Systems unveiled two small computer systems
interface (SCSI) controllers: the SCSI-2 Fast/Wide Adapter/A
and the SCSI/2 Differential Fast/Wide Adapter/A.

The new storage products are the IBM 7134 High Density SCSI Disk
Subsystem, providing from four to 28 gigabytes (GB) of storage,
and the 7204 External Disk Drive Model 315, a 2GB drive for
the RS/6000.

IBM enhanced its 7135 RAIDiant Array Models 010 and 110, 3514
High Availability Disk Array Models 212 and 213, 3494 Tape
Library Dataserver, and 3490 Magnetic Tape Subsystem Enhanced
Capability Models to work with the new SCSI controllers. Also,
the division announced a new 5.25-inch optical disk drive with
600MB capacity for its 9334 SCSI Expansion Unit.

(Grant Buckler/19940524/Press Contact: Steven Malkiewicz, IBM,
914-642-5449; Gregory Golden, IBM, 914-642-5463; Rick Bause,
IBM, 914-766-1750; Terrie Phoenix, IBM, 914-766-1165; Carol
Keslar, IBM Storage Systems, 408-256-9451)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00026)

 ****Microsoft/Creative Tech In Sound Technology Deal 05/24/94
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Microsoft
originally supported the Creative Labs Sound Blaster products for
Windows 3.1, but later said the sound products market was not
going the way it wanted and introduced its own sound products. Now
Microsoft and Creative have announced a "strategic relationship"
to share each other's technology for audio and digital signal
processing (DSP) aimed at the IBM-compatible personal computer
(PC) market.

In this current agreement, Microsoft will license Sound Blaster
16 technology from Creative Technology, the parent company of the
US subsidiary Creative Labs. Creative Technology, in turn, will
license Microsoft's Windows Sound System software.

Recent events have put Creative, already the leading audio and
multimedia hardware manufacturer, into an even stronger market
position. Its largest competitor, Media Vision, is on the ropes
fighting for its life battling almost incredible reports of
financial mismanagement, an exodus of the company's upper
management, and investigations by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) and the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC). Creative has also won several legal fights with smaller
competitors over compatibility issues.

Microsoft is openly acknowledging that Creative's Sound Blaster
is a compatibility standard in the market. The agreement between
the two companies covers DSP technologies aimed at the home and
business marketplaces. Microsoft mentioned the implementation of
its DSP Resource Manager and Interfaces in Creative products as a
consistent method for accessing the resources of a DSP within
future Microsoft operating systems. This appears to be a reference
to Chicago, the next implementation of the Windows interface, but
without DOS underneath.

In addition, the agreement targets the inclusion of Sound Blaster
16 included in future Microsoft products, the inclusion of
Windows Sound System 2.0 software in Creative's sound board
products, voice recognition, and text-to-speech application
programming interfaces (APIs).

(Linda Rohrbough/19940524/Press Contact: Steffanee Foster,
Creative Labs, 408-428-6600 ext 6430; David Hufford, Waggener
Edstrom for Microsoft, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00027)

 ****US-Japan Trade Talks To Resume 05/24/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Stalled trade
talks between the US and Japan will resume following a
compromise over the issue of how to measure progress in opening
Japanese markets to American goods such as telecommunications
gear, according to officials in Washington and Tokyo.

According to US officials, the deal was wrapped up in a
late-night agreement between Bowman Cutter, White House deputy
economic adviser, and Japan's deputy foreign minister, Sadayuki
Hayashi, in Washington. Negotiations over the meaning of the
so-called "framework agreement" of last July broke down in
February over the issue of numerical, market-share targets to
measure progress.

According to White House officials, who requested anonymity, the
compromise involves two elements: Japan will acknowledge that
measurable results are needed in areas where the US is
attempting to boost sales in Japan; and the US will state in
writing that it will not rely solely on numerical targets in
judging whether Japan is keeping its trade promises.

The framework talks -- hailed by President Clinton as the start
of a new era in US-Japan trade relations -- crashed after an
acrimonious meeting between Clinton and then-Prime Minister
Morihiro Hosokawa February 11. The sticking point was the US
desire for "objective criteria" for measuring trade gains in
four major sectors: telecommunications equipment, automobiles
and auto parts, insurance, and medical equipment.

The Japanese charged that Washington was trying to practice
managed trade, while Washington said the Japanese were
attempting to cure their massive, $131 billion surplus with
smoke and mirrors.

The US is "not seeking numerical targets or managed trade,"
US Trade Representative Mickey Kantor told a news conference
in Washington announcing resumption of the talks, but is
committed to "objective criteria" on trade.

The trade acrimony threatened to undermine the solid political
relationship between Washington and Tokyo and to topple the
shaky new government of Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata.

According to White House officials, Hata sent the trade delegation
headed by Hayashi to Washington with instructions to get the
talks back on track and show results before the July Group of 7
economic summit in Naples, Italy.

Washington has been signaling its intention to soften its
hardline stance on Japan for weeks, ever since Kantor met
privately with Japanese officials in Morocco during talks about
the new World Trade Organization.

The US was also worried about the "pounding" the dollar has
been taking against the yen, which was making investors
skittish. The discussions between Hayashi and the White House
team began last Thursday.

(Kennedy Maize/19940524)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00028)

NCTA - FCC Rollbacks Causing Project Pruning 05/24/94
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB)- In the
light of rate rollbacks ordered by the FCC, cable systems are
pruning their wish list of desired technical upgrades.

According to National Cable Television Association Vice President
of science and technology Wendell Bailey, operators have been
"performing triage" on their equipment purchases and upgrade goals,
reducing purchases often at the behest of financial managers at
the companies involved.

Bailey made these comments during a press conference at Cable
'94, the annual convention of the National Cable Television
Association.

"The plain fact of the matter is, that during the years when our
business, according to Congress and the FCC, was 'raising rates
dramatically,' we had our largest subscriber gains in years.
The reason was, we were putting money in programming and
technology.  What we had cued up here, until the rate rollback,
was a variety of projects.  There was a palpable excitement two
years ago in our business," he noted.

"You have these projects on your plate, and someone in a
company has come to you, the engineer, and says, 'I'm sorry,
you can have the first four projects, but you've got twelve, so
some of those have got to be put off till the following year.'
Yes, that's a damper, not on the willingness to do it, but on the
ability to fund projects, because in that mix of project money
comes technology as well as program launches as well as other
operational issues. You'll see people go on, it's just that they
will do some triage on the projects they are going to handle."

Bailey added that in meetings with system-operator
attendees, he has sensed this feeling. "If you have a severely
constrained amount of project money, I think a lot of people will
more finely tune the idea of the projects they would like to
accommodate," Bailey said.

He added, though, that smaller cable systems -- widely thought
to be the most vulnerable to rollback-engendered cost-cutting --
have some workable alternatives by which to pursue technical
upgrades.

"One of the most positive things that has happened is the
idea of "head-ends-in-the-sky," Bailey said of several
regional hub arrangements. These are things that are very
positive for small operators, because it allows them to trade
capital investment in the capability of doing some of these
things for what is essentially an investment in transactional
fees to accomplish some of the same things."

(Russell Shaw/19940523/PC: Rich D'Amato, NCTA Public
Affairs, 202-775-3629


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00029)

 ****NCTA - "Online Services/Cable TV A Natural Marriage" 05/24/94
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 -- Two leading
engineers in the cable television industry predicted at the National
Cable Television Association's Cable '94 convention that more
online services will be carried by cable systems in the near future.

"What's in it for the online services? The bottom line is simply,
speed," said NCTA Vice President of science and technology Wendell
Bailey. "Every online service looks like a totally new service, a
service that no one has seen before, when you do it at the speeds
that bandwidth can give you when compared to telephone dial-up
lines. It's really that simple."

Bailey added that carrying online services will be beneficial to
cable operators as well.  'Operators I think are interested in
(online services) for a couple of reasons," he said. "One is not
withstanding the limitations of delivering this service on telephone
lines, it (the online services) have got brand identity. People know
what it is.  So if you can make it look real spiffy -- which bandwidth
does -- you've got a brand name product that is really impressive."

Bailey predicted this synergy of advantages will lead to more
partnerships similar to the arrangement announced this week that
will make Prodigy available to the 230,000 Fairfax County, Virginia
subscribers of Media General Cable in the near future.

"I see that cable operators like the idea of an online service with
brand identity potentially available to them," Bailey said. "Cable
operators don't have to do anything, because in technical terms,
this is a slice of a very large pie.  We are quite conversant in the
cable business of putting very large carriers of data on to our
plants.  There are several equipment suppliers that can do this."

The major remaining technical hurdle, according to Bailey, "is
upstream.  As we go forward with architectures and upgrades of
our plant itself, it will still, for a long time be what we call spin
upstream, because the human interface doesn't originate a lot of
data -- it elicits a lot of data.  We're moving into areas where
people want to exchange data files, compressed videos, and then
the upstream capacity gets greater. It's gotten potentially easier
because we've redeployed fiber to the feeder, and will get easier
yet as new technical rules are implemented.

Craig Tanner, vice president of advanced television projects for
industry research arm Cable Television Laboratories, added that
if online services are piped into homes via cable, the services will
profit because traditional telephone lines previously used to deliver
online networks to the home will not be tied up by voice
communication.

"From personal experience, as an America Online user, I have
competition with my wife for the telephone line. She very often
comes into the room, sees me sign on and says, 'I've got to make a
phone call, when are you going to be off the computer?'" Tanner
said.

"Putting an online service on cable frees up the phoneline. I think
that is probably to the advantage of the online service provider.
Generally, you get so many hours for a flat fee, and then charge so
much per hour.  The more hours people spend on it, without
competing for someone's phone line, the better they'll do and the
happier the customer will be."

(Russell Shaw/19940524/PC: Rich D'Amato, National Cable
Television Assn., 202-775-3629


(NEWS)(IBM)(DAL)(00030)

 ****Apple, IBM, Sci-Atlanta Seek Interactive Apps 05/24/94
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- Apple, IBM, and
Scientific-Atlanta are still talking about interactive services
to home consumers. This time the companies are talking about
combining to develop "open, scalable, interoperable, and
interactive" television interfaces in an attempt to attract third-
party application development.

In June of last year, Scientific-Atlanta announced its intention
to provide the television set connection in the form of a set-top
box to deliver interactive services via cable. The PowerPC, a
reduced instruction-set computing (RISC)-based microprocessor
developed by a partnership between Motorola, Apple, and IBM, is
to power the set-top boxes originally announced for delivery this
summer.

Scriptx, the multimedia programming language developed by the
IBM/Apple joint venture Kaleida, is still the focal point of the
software end of the system. But the interactive television venture
may need third-party involvement to make it come alive. Kaleida
recently announced it will layoff 20 percent of its staff and
attempt to accelerate development on Scriptx, which is behind
schedule. The company also said it would narrow its focus, cutting
back on development of its Malibu graphics controller and
development of an operating system for set-top boxes.

However, Apple has added its Opendoc component software object
model and IBM is contributing its SOMobjects/DSOM object model.
The implication is that developers can leverage their investment
by being able to develop for the new IBM workstation platform and
the Power Macintosh, which are also PowerPC-based, as well as for
the Scientific-Atlanta set-top boxes,

Scientific-Atlanta Chief Executive Officer (CEO) James F.
McDonald said: "In an open architecture environment, third party
providers would be able to develop many new applications for use
on home communications terminals, providing consumers a broad
choice of information and entertainment options."

The announcement is one of intention. The three companies said
they still have yet to reach a definitive business agreement for
creation of a combined technical and business team.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940524/Press Contact: Betty Taylor, Apple
Computer, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Kevin Clark, IBM,
914-766-4280; Bob Meyers, Scientific-Atlanta, 404-903-4608)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00031)

Newsbytes Daily Summary 05/24/94
PENN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAY 24 (NB) -- These are
capsules of all today's news stories:

1 -> Action! For Windows 3.0 Intro'd, CD-ROM Version 05/24/94
Macromedia has announced that the new version of its multimedia
presentation  tool Action! for Windows 3.0 contains new features and a
lower  price tag. In addition, the company is offering a second CD-ROM
(compact disc read-only memory) version with sound editing  capability
thrown in.

2 -> AmCoEx Index Of Used Computer Prices 05/24/94 By John  Hastings.
Intel has set an extremely ambitious goal to sell over 7 million
Pentium CPU (central processing unit) chips before the  end of this
year. Some estimate the company has sold fewer than  one million chips
during the past thirteen months.

3 -> Adobe Intros Illustrator 5.5 For Mac & Power Mac 05/24/94 Adobe
has announced the latest version of Illustrator, its illustration and
single-page design program, is available for both the Macintosh and
Power Macintosh platforms. The new version contains the software for
both Macintosh platforms as well as a CD-ROM (compact disc read-only
memory) with an interactive how-to presentation.

4 -> ICL Plans NetWare NLM Version Of TeamOFFICE 05/24/94 Workgroup
computing software is designed to work on a network, in order to take
advantage of interactive capabilities between users. As a result,
software companies often write versions of their products to work with
specific networking environments. Now ICL's  TeamWARE Division has
announced that it will begin shipping  groupware products for the
"native" Novell NetWare environment  during the third quarter.

5 -> Comdex - 7th Level's Grayson On Multimedia 05/24/94 Former
Micrografx  head George Grayson now heads 7th Level, a multimedia
CD-ROM  company known for "Tuneland," an interactive cartoon starring
Howie Mandel, and TopGun, the authoring system used to produce  it. At
this show the company accepted three awards for "Tuneland"  from New
Media magazine, and announced something completely  different -- a
CD-ROM based on the "Monty Python" TV show.

6 -> Comdex - NewMedia's Envision Awards 05/24/94 One of the major
events of this show was the presentation of awards by NewMedia
magazine for multimedia. The Envision awards, which started last
year, drew 600 entries, and this year drew such stars as M.C.  "Weird
Al" Yankovic and "Roger Rabbit" voice Charles Fleischer.

7 -> Comdex - "Open" Standards Waiting 05/24/94 When last Newsbytes
saw the Comdex crowd, they were arguing over patent rights. Things
have changed. At this show there were numerous "open" standards
begging to be used.

8 -> VMark Software Intros Vantage Services 05/24/94 Shortly after
reporting its 21st consecutive quarter of financial growth, VMark
Software, a producer of "post-relational databases" and
object-oriented client-server software, has unveiled Vantage Services,
a suite of support, education and consulting services for customers
and distributors.

9 -> Comdex - 7th Level's Grayson On Education 05/24/94 Newsbytes
spoke to George Grayson of 7th Level, at Comdex in Atlanta. One of the
subjects discussed was education.

10 -> Trace Family History With Windows Family Ties 05/24/94 In an
effort to entice Windows users to use its Family Ties program,
Individual Software has released a new version of its genealogy
software.

11 -> AT&T Intros PCs "Communications-Ready" 05/24/94 AT&T Global
Information Solutions has announced the Globalyst line of personal
computers, which the company describes as "communications-ready."

12 -> Zilog Intros PC 28.8Kbps Modem Controller 05/24/94 Zilog has
announced a 33 megahertz (MHz) version of its Z80182 (Z182)  modem
controller that will transfer data along standard phone lines  at the
V.Fast speed of 28,800 bits-per-second (bps), yet still  works with
existing personal computer (PC) communication  software.

13 ->  ****IBM Launches First EISA Server 05/24/94 IBM has announced
a network server aimed at small businesses and workgroup local area
networks (LANs), and at the same time made a concession to market
realities by using the Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA)
system bus for the first time in one of its servers.

14 -> MIPS R4400 200MHz Beats Pentium Running NT 05/24/94 MIPS is
touting its  200 megahertz (MHz) reduced instruction-set computing
(RISC)- based R4400 microprocessor. The company claims it is over
three  times faster than a 90MHz Intel P54C Pentium microprocessor
when running 32-bit Microsoft Windows NT applications.

15 ->  ****NCTA - Cross-Industry Cooperation Called For 05/24/94 As
cable television systems-owners cope with the effects of rate
rollbacks  imposed recently by the Federal Communications Commission,
they  should look to online services and the computer industry in
general  for support. Speaking at the opening general session of the
National  Cable Television Association Cable '94 convention, NCTA
Chief  Executive Officer and President Decker Anstrom laid out a case
for  cross-industry cooperation.

16 -> NCTA - Prodigy In Cable Deal With Media General 05/24/94 Prodigy
Services Company has announced a venture with Media General Cable,
offering its services over cable to Media's entire 209,000 subscriber
base in affluent Fairfax County, Virginia. Prodigy and Media General
executives made the announcement during the National Cable  Television
Association Cable '94 Convention being held through  Wednesday.

17 -> Systems Support Expo - Fujitsu's DTC-Support 05/24/94 At Systems
Support Expo, Fujitsu Networks Industry unveiled DeskTop Conferencing
for Support (DTC-Support), a Windows-based system  that lets a
technical support specialist share a user's applications, use pen and
pointer tools to mark up the user's screen, and call in additional
experts as "consultants" in an online support session.

18 -> Japan Plans Asia's Information Superhighway 05/24/94 The
Japanese Ministry of  Posts & Telecommunications has unveiled a plan
to set up an information superhighway in Asia. To begin with, the
Japanese government plans to create a steering committee, or an
institute,  to push the project.

19 -> Japan - Casio/Nokia, Ricoh/LDL Forge Links 05/24/94 Japan's
Casio Computer has signed an agreement with Finland-based telecom firm
Nokia, that calls for Casio to help maintain Nokia's mobile phones in
Japan. Meanwhile, Tokyo-based Ricoh has signed a deal with Light Work
Design (LDL) involving the joint development of  software interfaces.

20 -> UK Distributor Swallows Up French Counterpart 05/24/94 Azlan,
the networking distributor, has acquired a 99.97 percent stake in
Research and Development (R and D), a French computer distributor.

21 -> UK - Silica's "Stores-Within-Stores" Computer Outlets 05/24/94
Silica, the computer dealer operation subsidiary of Prodis, has
announced plans to open a chain  of "stores within stores" in the
Debenhams chain of department  stories across the UK.

22 -> UK - Compaq Number One In Computer Sales 05/24/94 Following
figures released  in the US that show Compaq as number one seller in
unit sales terms  in the portable marketplace, Compaq UK is citing
Dataquest figures  reportedly showing the company assuming the same
slot across all  PC markets in the UK.

23 ->  ****Cyrix Asks $750 Million In TI Lawsuit 05/24/94 Cyrix Corp.,
has amended its 1993 lawsuit against Texas Instruments (TI) to ask for
damages in the amount of $750 million. TI says the change is a tactic
to delay the trial.

24 -> TI Intros Color Inkjet Printer For Under $400 05/24/94 Texas
Instruments (TI) has unveiled an inkjet color printer it expects will
sell for less than $400.

25 -> IBM Extends RS/6000 Offerings 05/24/94 IBM has announced  a wide
range of new reduced instruction-set computing (RISC) computers,
including additions to its line of systems built on the PowerPC
microprocessor developed in cooperation with Apple Computer Inc., and
Motorola Corp.

26 ->  ****Microsoft/Creative Tech In Sound Technology Deal 05/24/94
Microsoft originally supported the Creative Labs Sound Blaster
products for  Windows 3.1, but later said the sound products market
was not  going the way it wanted and introduced its own sound
products. Now Microsoft and Creative have announced a "strategic
relationship" to share each other's technology for audio and digital
signal processing (DSP) aimed at the IBM-compatible personal computer
(PC) market.

27 ->  ****US-Japan Trade Talks To Resume 05/24/94 Stalled trade talks
between the US and Japan will resume following a compromise over the
issue of how to measure progress in opening Japanese markets to
American goods such as telecommunications gear, according to officials
in Washington and Tokyo.

28 -> NCTA - FCC Rollbacks Causing Project Pruning 05/24/94 n the
light of rate rollbacks ordered by the FCC, cable systems are pruning
their wish list of desired technical upgrades.

29 ->  ****NCTA - "Online Services/Cable TV A Natural Marriage"
05/24/94 Two leading engineers in the cable television industry
predicted at the National  Cable Television Association's Cable '94
convention that more  online services will be carried by cable systems
in the near future.

30 ->  ****Apple, IBM, Sci-Atlanta Seek Interactive Apps 05/24/94
Apple, IBM, and Scientific-Atlanta are still talking about interactive
services to home consumers. This time the companies are talking about
combining to develop "open, scalable, interoperable, and interactive"
television interfaces in an attempt to attract third- party
application development.

(Ian Stokell/19940524)