ST Report: 12-Sep-97 #1336
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 09/12/97-04:47:11 PM Z
From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: ST Report: 12-Sep-97 #1336
Date: Fri Sep 12 16:47:11 1997
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LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
CompuServe Sale Accords Reached
H&R Block announced this morning it is selling its CompuServe subsidiary to
WorldCom Inc., operator of Internet service provider UUNet Technologies
Inc., in a deal valued at $1.2 billion. Separately, WorldCom announced it
will give America Online all of CompuServe's content and subscribers and
$175 million in exchange for AOL's ANS network service, which supplies
about one-third of the network capacity for AOL's subscribers. Also AOL has
signed a five-year contract under which WorldCom will become its largest
network service provider.
The CompuServe Network Services division, which operates some 100,000
dial-up ports in 105 countries, is being retained by WorldCom. The
CompuServe-WorldCom agreement -- which has been unanimously approved by
boards of directors of the three firms -- calls for CompuServe
shareholders, including H&R Block, to receive a fixed exchange ratio of
.40625 shares of WorldCom stock for each share of CompuServe, subject to
certain adjustments.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post this morning quotes sources close to the
negotiations as saying CompuServe still will exist as a separate service
but be fully operated by AOL. As one unidentified source told the paper,
"AOL is going to use its scale and its resources to make (CompuServe) more
focused and efficient in servicing the business and professional market."
The Associated Press notes the deals still require approval by government
antitrust regulators. If approved, AOL's biggest competitor would be
Microsoft Corp.'s Microsoft Network.
CompuServe has been on the market for about a year by H&R Block, which owns
80 percent of the stock. A plan to make CompuServe a separate stock company
owned by H&R Block shareholders, a realignment planned for late last year,
was withdrawn after Internet stocks in general declined. Also, The Wall
Street Journal reported this summer that German media giant Bertelsmann AG,
which owns 5 percent of AOL, was contributing cash so AOL could sweeten an
offer pending at that time of roughly $1 billion for CompuServe. The Post
story this morning says Bertelsmann and AOL would jointly operate
CompuServe's European service.
AOL Promises Distinct CompuServe
America Online officials say they are committed to preserving CompuServe as
a distinct service following yesterday's complex merger agreement that
gives the Dulles, Virginia-based AOL control of CompuServe's content and
subscriber base. "We'll continue to manage CompuServe as a separate brand
... forever," AOL Chairman Steve Case told The Wall Street Journal
yesterday. "We want to preserve the existing CompuServe experience."
Robert W. Pittman, chief executive of AOL Networks, added, "Are we going to
AOL-ize it? No." As reported, H&R Block is selling its 80 percent interest
in CompuServe to WorldCom Inc., which in turn plans to sell CompuServe's
consumer business to AOL. Writing in the Journal this morning, reporter
Thomas E. Weber comments, "AOL and CompuServe have cultivated very
different images. AOL has wooed consumers getting online for the first
time with its colorful graphics, celebrity interviews and freewheeling chat
rooms. CompuServe, launched in 1969, has traditionally catered to serious
hobbyists and professional users, serving up stock prices, airline
schedules and computer-troubleshooting forums. Think of CompuServe playing
Brooks Brothers to AOL's Gap. So CompuServe's members can be forgiven for
fretting about the future."
Case maintains AOL will operate CompuServe separately, telling Bob Woods of
the Newsbytes computer news service that efforts also will continue to
develop a new interface for CompuServe's online service. Case added some
CompuServe content that is appropriate for AOL's users might find its way
over to CompuServe's new big brother. Also, Newsbytes says Pittman, former
MTV executive before joining AOL, has been named to oversee the CompuServe
operations after it comes under AOL's corporate umbrella. As noted, the
merger still must face government regulators and officials have different
views on when the deal should close. Case said six months, while WorldCom
Vice Chairman John Sidgmore said by the end of the year.
Case also said he did not think antitrust concerns will come into play in
the approval of the merger, mainly because of the commitment to keep the
services separate. Meanwhile, the Journal's Weber this morning cites these
other concerns raised by CompuServe members and AOL responses:
z Will CompuServe email addresses change? AOL says no, because
CompuServe will remain a separate service.
z Will the price of CompuServe's service go up? AOL says it has no plans
for a price change.
z With AOL trumpeting how the WorldCom deal will alleviate busy signals
for AOL members, should CompuServe subscribers expect a tougher time
getting online? No, AOL says the company will use additional capacity from
WorldCom, but won't divert any capacity from CompuServe.
"We intend to marshal the resources of AOL behind CompuServe to take it to
the next level," Pittman told the Journal. Among other possibilities, he
said AOL could offer CompuServe members its popular Buddy Lists technology,
a feature that lets users know when their friends log on.
Survey Questions Net Privacy
A new survey finds nearly half of 70 Internet sites run by federal agencies
collect data about visitors, but most disclose nothing about how the
information will be used. This revelation, from a survey by OMB Watch, a
nonpartisan research group, comes even as the Clinton administration is
pressuring commercial ventures with Internet sites to respect the privacy
of Web surfers. Reporter Aaron Pressman of the Reuter News Service notes
privacy concerns arise on the Internet "because whenever a person using Web
browsing software visits a site, the site can collect information about the
person, sometimes without their knowledge," adding, "Some sites also ask
users to register or fill out questionnaires."
OMB Watch also found few government sites provide adequate statements about
the Privacy Act of 1974, which regulates government use of personal
information. Ari Schwartz, the primary author of the report, said, "The
new medium has blurred the lines created by the Privacy Act and subsequent
laws," adding the group is calling on the administration to develop a
government-wide policy for protecting privacy on the Internet.
Pressman notes a similar survey of mostly private Web sites released in
June by the Electronic Privacy Information Center found that none of the
100 most popular sites met basic standards for privacy protection.
Schwartz said a uniform government policy could help quell concerns that
have prevented the government from using the Internet to provide more
information to citizens, adding, "Guidance clarifying the application of
these laws to the Internet would ease the tensions of both agencies who
are reluctant to supply new information over the Web and users who are
concerned about their privacy."
Judge Attacks Encryption Rules
A federal judge in San Francisco has ruled that U.S. government regulations
on the export of encryption software are unconstitutional. U.S. District
Judge Marilyn Hall Patel says licensing requirements for the export of
encryption software and related devices are an unconstitutional prior
restraint on First Amendment free speech rights. She also has issued a
permanent injunction barring the government from enforcing the regulations
against plaintiff Daniel Bernstein, an assistant mathematics professor at
the University of Illinois at Chicago, or against anyone who sought to use,
discuss or publish his encryption program.
"By the very terms of the encryption regulations," Patel wrote in a 32-page
ruling, "the most common expressive activities of scholars -- teaching a
class, publishing their ideas, speaking at conferences, or writing to
colleagues over the Internet -- are subject to a prior restraint by the
export controls." Having found the regulations to be invalid, she added,
she could have issued a nationwide injunction barring their enforcement.
But she said she had kept the injunction as narrow as possible pending
appeal because "the legal questions at issue are novel, complex and of
public importance."
The Reuter News Service comments, "The ruling is important because the
computer industry sees use of encryption technology across country borders
as essential for advancing electronic commerce and private communications
over the Internet. The government has previously cited national security
concerns over the export of encryption programs." The case centers on
Bernstein, who as a graduate student developed an encryption algorithm he
called "Snuffle." In 1992, Bernstein asked the State Department whether
Snuffle was controlled by export regulations then in force which classified
cryptographic software as "defense articles." The government told him his
program was subject to licensing by the Department of State prior to
export.
Bernstein sued the State Department in 1995, challenging the regulations on
free speech grounds, alleging he was not free to teach, publish or discuss
with other scientists his theories on cryptography embodied in the Snuffle
program. As reported, Judge Patel ruled last December that the old
regulations limiting the export of encryption software violated the First
Amendment. However, late last year, President Clinton issued an executive
order transferring jurisdiction over the export of nonmilitary encryption
products to the Commerce Department.
This latest ruling from Patel is on Bernstein's amended lawsuit which
included the new regulations and new defendants. The judge said her
finding that encryption source code was speech protected by the First
Amendment did not remove encryption technology from all government
regulation.
Stronger Encryption Rules Backed
Several U.S. senators now say they would favor imposing mandatory domestic
regulations on computer encoding technology. This would broaden the
encryption debate, which to-date has focused largely on export limits.
California Democrat Dianne Feinstein is quoted by the Reuter News Service
as saying she would favor requiring manufacturers of encryption products to
include features allowing the government to decode any message by
recovering the software keys.
Speaking yesterday at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee's
technology, terrorism and government information subcommittee, she said,
"Nothing other than some kind of mandatory key recovery really does the
job. The public safety issue is a paramount one." Senator Jon Kyl
(R-Arizona), chairman of the terrorism subcommittee, added he was "in
complete agreement."
Meanwhile, FBI Director Louis Freeh told the subcommittee he also would
favor mandatory key recovery, but said such a policy was probably
unattainable given the strong opposition from other lawmakers and interest
groups. Said Freeh, "Mandatory key recovery, to the extent that it was
implemented, would be the best law enforcement solution," adding that as a
lesser step, he suggested legislation requiring manufacturers to include
key recovery features without immediately requiring users to turn on the
features.
Freeh said network service providers, like online services, also might be
required to build key recovery features into their systems. Reuters
reporter Aaron Pressman writes no opponents of the current export limits
testified at the hearing, but "afterwards, some said they were shocked by
the discussion." Alan Davidson, staff counsel at the Center for Democracy
and Technology, told the wire service, "It was really shocking to hear how
casually Senators and the FBI director talked about imposing domestic
controls. They've crossed a new line in this debate."
Pressman notes, "Software companies oppose mandatory key recovery schemes,
arguing they are unworkable, expensive and not required by customers. Civil
libertarians also oppose such plans, fearing the government could trample
the privacy of individuals." David Banisar, staff counsel at the
Electronic Privacy Information Center, said mandatory key recovery would
violate at least three parts of the constitution's Bill of Rights, adding,
"It appears that Senator Feinstein wants a Constitution-free zone for the
Internet."
He said such a law might violate the first amendment's guarantee of free
speech, the fourth amendment's privacy protections, and the fifth
amendment's prohibition of self-incrimination. As reported, the Senate is
considering a bill sponsored by Arizona Republican John McCain and Nebraska
Democrat Bob Kerrey that would slightly relax export controls while
imposing strong incentives to promote the use key recovery within the
United States.
In June, the bill was approved by the Commerce Committee, "but growing
opposition, including from majority leader Trent Lott, may derail the
bill," Pressman says. Meanwhile, a House bill sponsored Virginia
Republican Bob Goodlatte dramatically reduce export controls and prohibit
mandatory key escrow has been approved by several committees "but faces a
significant challenge in the National Security Committee," Reuters says.
California Backs Freeing Encryption
A resolution calling on President Clinton and Congress to take immediate
action to remove export barriers for encryption technology has been
unanimously passed by California state lawmakers. Okayed yesterday on a
77-0 voted by the California Assembly, the resolution previously passed
38-0 in the state Senate. Reporting from Sacramento, the Reuter News
Service notes the resolution does not require approval by Gov. Pete Wilson
and will be forwarded to Clinton and the Congress, legislative aides said.
Speaker Cruz Bustamante, a Democrat, told the wire service, "There is a $65
billion market worldwide for encryption technology that California
companies are losing out on because of misguided federal export law."
Authored by state Sen. John Vasconcellos, the resolution urges Clinton and
Congress to "take immediate action to revise the current federal export
controls on the export by American companies of cryptographic products."
As reported, Congress is considering three bills to end the export
controls. Bustamante added, "Because of the global availability of
encryption technology, the export ban does not aid America's security
interests, but does jeopardize individuals and businesses in California."
Clinton Rejects Encryption Plan
Word is the Clinton administration has reservations about a new
congressional proposal that would tighten export limits on computer
encoding technology, though the White House apparently does prefers it to
an approach contained in earlier legislation. And in another development,
Vice President Al Gore is distancing the administration from the FBI
director's proposal to regulate U.S. sales of high-tech devices that
maintain the privacy of computer messages.
On Capitol Hill, Under Secretary of Commerce William Reinsch told reporter
Aaron Pressman of the Reuter News Service a surprise amendment approved
yesterday by the House National Security Committee would give the secretary
of defense veto power over encryption export decisions. Says Reinsch,
"Giving the secretary of defense a veto is inconsistent with the
president's executive order and inconsistent with the policies of four
prior administrations. The administration thinks all relevant agencies
should have a seat at the table and none should have a veto."
Pressman notes that under current policy enacted by presidential order last
year, encryption export requests are reviewed by the Departments of State,
Defense, Energy, Commerce and Justice, along with the Arms Control and
Disarmament Agency. As reported, the most powerful encryption products
cannot be exported unless they contain a feature allowing the government to
decode any messages covertly. The new amendment -- sponsored by Rep. Curt
Weldon (R-Pennsylvania) and Rep. Ron Dellums (D-California) -- would
require the president to set "the maximum level of encryption strength that
could be exported from the United States ... without harm to the national
security of the United States." Products at or below the established level
could be exported after a one-time review specified by the secretary of
commerce with the concurrence of the secretary of defense.
Reuters comments the proposal "virtually gutted" the bill to which it was
attached, a measure written by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) that would
greatly relax export controls. Pressman quotes Reinsch as saying the
administration supports the "harm to the national security" standard,
saying, "It gives the administration the authority it needs. We'd much
rather have this" than the original.
As noted, software companies, civil libertarians and Internet user groups
favor relaxing the current limits and expressed strong concerns about the
Weldon amendment. Meanwhile, Associated Press writer Jeannine Aversa
reports Vice President Gore, in a speech to the Software Publishers
Association, says the administration is not in favor of FBI Director Louis
Freeh proposal to regulate sales of high-tech devices that maintain the
privacy of computer messages.
Gore reaffirmed the White House's policy against restricting the sale of
such data-scrambling devices in the United States, adding, "The
administration's position has not changed on encryption." As noted, Freeh
last week stunned the communications industry by suggesting to a Senate
subcommittee that encryption devices sold or imported into the United
States be required to include a feature allowing law enforcement agencies
to unscramble coded messages.
Aversa reports, "His comments rattled industry groups, which generally
oppose such a requirement, saying it would be expensive, difficult to
implement and raise privacy concerns. Gore didn't specifically mention
Freeh's proposal. But White House aides, speaking on condition of
anonymity, said the vice president's brief comment on the administration's
policy was intended to respond to Freeh and show that for now the
administration is not changing its position on the sale of encryption
devices in the United States."
Quarterdeck Courts Anti-Viruses
Quarterdeck Corp., best known for its computer utility software, is
branching into the anti-virus program market. Reporting from Marina Del
Rey, California, the Reuter News Service says Quarterdeck has acquired
global licensing rights to anti-virus software technology and is set to
enter the growing computer anti-virus market. ViruSweep is built on
technology licensed from privately-held EliaShim Ltd. and will be
integrated into its portfolio of system protection products. The wire
service notes Quarterdeck's anti-virus product will go up against products
made by McAfee Associates Inc., Symantec Corp. and Computer Associates
International Inc.'s Cheyenne Software unit.
McAfee Sues Symantec for $1 Billion
A $1 billion defamation suit has been filed against virus software expert
Symantec Corp. by rival McAfee Associates Inc., escalating their closely
watched trade-secret court fight. From Santa Clara, California, the Reuter
News Service calls the suit the latest volley involving two batches of
software code that appear in two McAfee products. As reported, Symantec
sued McAfee earlier this year, accusing McAfee of stealing those codes.
McAfee denied the allegations.
"Even by the competitive standards of Silicon Valley," says Reuters, "the
legal battle between the cross-town rivals is nasty. The chief executives
of both software companies have exchanged personal barbs against each other
in the press."
z On April 23, Symantec accused McAfee of stealing portions of Symantec
Crashguard -- a program that enhances the performances of personal
computers -- and using it in McAfee PC Medic 1997, a rival product.
z On July 21, Symantec expanded its lawsuit alleging that McAfee stole
another 100 lines of code and used it in McAfee VirusScan.
z Earlier this week, McAfee has said an internal investigation had found
that the 100 lines of code in VirusScan were downloaded from the Internet
by one of its programmers, not stolen from Symantec. The programmer cannot
specify from which Internet site he took the code. McAfee also said in the
release that the code did not perform any functions in the program and has
been deleted.
z Yesterday, Symantec issued a statement headlined "McAfee confirms that
VirusScan contains misappropriated Symantec code," citing McAfee's
statement the previous day.
z Now McAfee said it sued Symantec for defamation and trade libel,
deliberately twisting facts to bolster its case.
Angry McAfee general manager Zach Nelson told Reuters, "Where do we say
that we stole their code? Symantec has tried to distort fact after fact,
and we're tired of it." Symantec chief technical officer Enrique Salem
countered, "What McAfee is trying to do is hide the facts with a diversion.
They are in a desperate situation." Stay tuned.
Microsoft Foes Tighten Alliance
Tightening an alliance against Microsoft Corp.'s dominance, IBM, Sun
Microsystems Inc. and Netscape Communications Corp. are coordinating work
on a universal language for developing software that works on any computer
system, not just Microsoft's Windows. Business writer David E. Kalish of
The Associated Press says engineers from the three firms will work together
to make sure the Java language smoothly runs software formatted for
different computers, ranging from Windows to Sun machines. "And," he adds,
"they'll fine-tune the language to lessen problems, as well as time new
releases so software developers get the latest versions at the same time."
As reported earlier, Netscape plans to use Sun technology in its browser
for cruising the Internet. Meanwhile, in a third Java push, Sun announced
licensing deals with three big telephone equipment makers that plan to use
Java software in new phones, dubbed webphones, that can tap into the
Internet. "And Sun, Netscape and several other high-tech companies -- with
the notable exception of Microsoft -- proposed a technical standard aimed
at helping to unclog bottlenecks that have slowed the flow of information
across the Internet," Kalish reports.
Samsung Responds to Spamster
Samsung America Inc. is striking back at an unknown spamster who is
reportedly sending fraudulent e-mails under the name of the South Korean
electronic giant. "An unknown party continues to mass distribute
fraudulent e-mail messages under the name of Samsung and its affiliates,
the latest of which is titled 'Samsung Spamming Lie,'" notes a statement
issued by Samsung. "As much of the Internet community is aware, these
e-mails were neither written nor condoned by Samsung."
Samsung says it is working with Federal authorities to identify the
individual or individuals responsible for the messages and intends to take
legal action against the perpetrator when found. According to Samsung, its
investigation has revealed that an unknown party has sent mass e-mails
through The Microsoft Network and UUNET. Upon receipt of subpoenas, MSN and
UUNET released the identities and accounts of the e-mailer. However, that
information revealed forged names, phone numbers, and addresses, notes
Samsung.
Tokyo ISP Sues U.S. 'Spamster'
Tokyo-based Internet service provider Typhoon Inc. filed a federal lawsuit
yesterday charging a Pasadena, California, company with flooding its
Internet servers with masses of "spam" e-mail advertisements and placing a
false Typhoon return address on those messages. The suit filed in U.S.
District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that Paging
America engaged in a massive spam e-mail campaign to advertise its products
and services in March and then again in May of this year.
"The Internet is not a playground for pirates and scam artists," says
Typhoon legal counsel Andrew Mansfield of O'Melveny & Myers LLP. "The
defendants' unlawful conduct nearly crashed Typhoon's system, and
thousands of America Online customers were led to believe the spam
originated with Typhoon." Typhoon is seeking injunctive relief as well as
unspecified consequential and punitive damages. Typhoon's Web page can be
found at http://www.typhoon.co.jp/indexe.html.
New Website Fights Growing Scams
Watchdogs have received nearly 100 scam complaints a month so far this year
-- ranging in size from $10 to $10,000 -- compared with only 389 for all of
1996. "Cybercrooks are in your pocketbooks with a click of the mouse,"
Linda Golodny, president of the National Consumers League, told a news
conference called yesterday to announce the launch of new Web pages
http://www.fraud.org/ifw.htm intended to arm us with alerts to the
10 most-used scams.
The Associated Press quotes Susan Grant, the league's Internet Fraud Watch
director, as saying the most common signs of fraud are:
z Extravagant promises of profits.
z Guarantees of credit regardless of bad credit history.
z Suspiciously low prices.
z Prizes that require up-front payments.
The league says the 10 most frequent fraud reports involve: undelivered
Internet and online services; damaged, defective, misrepresented or
undelivered merchandise; auction sales; pyramids and multilevel marketing;
misrepresented cyberspace business opportunities and franchises;
work-at-home schemes; prizes and sweepstakes; credit card offers; books
and other self-help guides; and magazine subscriptions.
Court Backs Website in Suit
Putting a site on the World Wide Web doesn't in itself subject someone to
being sued anywhere in the country, an influential federal appeals court in
New York has ruled. This affirms an earlier dismissal of a
trademark-infringement suit filed in the U.S. district court in New York by
the operator of New York's famous Blue Note jazz club against a Columbia,
Missouri, music club of the same name.
The Wall Street Journal reports this morning the three-judge panel of the
appeals court ruled that a local operation, like the Missouri club, isn't
vulnerable to being sued in a distant court merely because it creates a Web
site on the Internet. A defendant must have some physical presence in New
York in order to be sued there, the court said. "The ruling was the first
by a federal appeals court to clarify this question," the Journal notes.
"The issue had created some confusion among businesses affected by Internet
activities." The New York club doesn't plan to appeal, said its attorney,
Dorothy Weber of Shukat Arrow Hafer & Weber.
Software Addresses Net Addiction
Solid Oak Software Inc., publisher of the CYBERsitter Internet access
control program, says it has developed software designed to combat
Internet addiction. The Santa Barbara, California, company's CYBERtimer
allows parents to specify a maximum amount of time online a child can
spend on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Additionally, parents can
specify a time period when Internet access will be allowed. "We are seeing
numerous stories appearing in the media about children and adults alike
who are spending way too much time online," says Marc Kanter, a Solid Oak
vice president. CYBERtimer is available for downloading directly from
www.solidoak.com and is free for personal use.
'Net Addict' Handed Probation
A Cincinnati, Ohio, woman described by police as an "Internet addict" has
been placed on two years' probation after pleading guilty to charges she
neglected her three small children while spending as much as 12 hours a day
on her home computer. The 24-year-old woman, whose name ironically is
Sandra Hacker, "kept her three children in deplorably filthy conditions in
a separate room of her apartment, while devoting her time to the
Internet," the Reuter News Service reports.
In Cincinnati Municipal Court yesterday, Judge William Mallory also fined
Hacker $100 and court costs and suspended a 180-day jail sentence on
condition that she take parenting classes under supervision of probation
officials. Defense attorney John Burlew told Reuters the children -- ages
2, 3, and 5 -- have been in the custody of her estranged husband, Alexander
Hacker, since the defendant's was arrested June 14 on the neglect charges.
Permanent custody rights will be determined in a divorce proceeding in
which the couple is now involved, he said.
Capture Leads to $10K Reward
A $10,000 reward has been given to an unidentified Internet user credited
by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for the capture in Mexico of
escaped murderer Jesus Juan Fleitas. Reporting from Tallahassee, Florida,
United Press International quotes state officials as saying the person saw
Fleitas' picture on TV's America's Most Wanted, then used the Internet to
match his photos and notify authorities. The department adds that without
the Floridian's help, Fleitas likely would have posted bail at a Mexican
jail and disappeared once again.
UPI says the agency's Jim Chambliss declined to identify the person or even
specify the sex. Chambliss did say the person was in Mexico when Fleitas'
picture was published in a newspaper following his arrest in a home robbery
attempt and shooting. He said the Floridian remembered Fleitas from a
report on the America's Most Wanted television show. The person then used
a computer in Mexico to call up Fleitas' picture on the FDLE website and
when he saw the match he called U.S. authorities. "To give credit where
it's due," Chambliss says, "it actually was the marriage of two leading
media technologies that did it. This person first saw Fleitas' picture on
television, then they used the Internet to make the identification."
Oops -- 'Scuse the E-Mail
A Michigan state lawmaker is red-faced today after an aide apparently
clicked the wrong mouse button and sent a critical e-mail comment to a
leading pro-gun group. Reporting from Lansing, United Press International
says the aide to state Sen. Leon Stille was trying to electronically tell a
colleague he thinks Brass Roots members are "a bit out in right field" and
"a bunch of wackos."
But -- oh, you guessed it -- the aide sent the e-mail message to the very
target of his critique. "What was intended as an interoffice message on
State Capitol computers," says the wire service, "wound up in the
electronic mailbox of Hazel Park-based Brass Roots, which sponsors annual
rallies on the Capitol steps."
The wire service says aide Robb Kennedy was giving his opinion of Brass
Roots and whether the senator should attend next weekend's "educational
forum" on concealed weapons legislation. UPI notes Brass Roots says
Michigan is one of 19 states that "has yet to reform their laws on
concealed weapons." In an interview with a Detroit Free Press columnist,
the colleague Kennedy was trying to message says the stray e-mail was due
to "an unfortunate click of the mouse."
Clinton Muffs New Net Funding
Missteps by the Clinton administration in seeking adequate funding from
Congress apparently now will delay the Next Generation Internet initiative.
Reporter Aaron Pressman of the Reuter News Service notes the administration
sought $100 million for next year. However, Pressman reports, the House
has approved only $78 million and the Senate just $35 million. A conference
committee will reconcile the two appropriations.
"We won't be able to ramp up as quickly," says Henry Kelly, associate
director of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy, "but
this is a very flexible community and they're going to be able to
re-adapt." As reported, the Next Generation Internet project aims to send
data at 1,000 times the speed of today's net. Higher speeds and improved
reliability could spur a host of new uses for the network, some with live
sound and video.
"As a result of the lower funding," Pressman reports, "the project will
take longer to meet its goal of connecting 100 universities to the faster
network. ... Some basic research needed to enable faster networking will
also be delayed." As reported, some lawmakers criticize the administration
for failing to provide details about the project, neglecting rural states
and overlapping with a university and private sector initiative called
Internet2.
Says Chairman Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisconsin) of the House Science
Committee, "I don't think the administration has learned its lesson and the
consequences of the delay and what to do to repair the damage as best as
possible." Pressman notes that in April, the Science Committee barred
spending on a portion of the project overseen by the National Science
Foundation but reversed course and boosted spending in July after
administration officials provided additional details.
Other committees have rejected or reduced funding requests for parts of the
project in the Departments of Energy and Defense. Sensenbrenner told
administration officials during a hearing yesterday, "I hate to run around
with a button that says 'I told you so,' but I got it on today. From what
you have just said, it does not appear the administration has any game
plan on what to do during this period of time when we're working in
conference."
Meanwhile, Pressman has found another problem lurking in the project: the
possible inclusion of funding for a controversial computer encoding
technology known as key recovery. "The administration is pushing key
recovery as a means of allowing law enforcement agencies to crack computer
coded messages among criminals or terrorists," he writes. "But software
firms, civil libertarians and Internet user groups strongly oppose the
approach as infringing on privacy rights and reducing the security of
electronic communications."
Search Engines Satisfy Users
Most users of Internet search engines and navigational sites are more than
satisfied with their favorite provider, finds a new survey by NPD Online
Research of Port Washington, New York. NPD polled a total of more than
22,000 visitors to the Alta Vista, Excite, Infoseek, Lycos, WebCrawler and
Yahoo! sites in a survey sponsored by the six search engines. Respondent
ratings of very good/excellent ranged from 78 percent to 92 percent among
the six sites; excellent ratings ranged from 30 percent to 48 percent among
the sites.
The survey's respondents were also virtually unanimous on what makes a site
a winner. More than 90 percent of respondents from each search engine said
ease of use, speed of loading and response, reliability and accuracy of
results and organized and up-to-date information are the most important
site features. On the other hand, respondents ranked contests among the
least important features attracting them to a particular search engine;
only 24 percent to 34 percent of respondents felt that it was important or
very important to have contests on a site. Respondents also placed little
importance in the fact that a site looks good (44 percent to 60 percent of
the respondents said it was important or very important) and that the site
be fun to use (43 percent to 68 percent).
Yahoo Signs CD Deal
Search engine giant Yahoo Inc. has signed an agreement to make CDnow the
premier music seller featured on Yahoo. CDnow is an Internet music store
which offers more than 250,000 music-oriented products. Reporting from
Santa Clara, California, the Reuter News Service quotes Yahoo officials as
saying the firm will offer users direct links to related CDnow
(www.cdnow.com) music products from Yahoo music-related search results and
music category pages. Also, CDnow will be integrated into My Yahoo with
special content, Yahoo Yellow Pages, the Yahoo Metro sites, the Visa
Shopping Guide by Yahoo and the Netscape Guide by Yahoo. Look for CDnow to
be the exclusive premier provider for music products to be promoted in
these Yahoo areas. As part of the deal CDnow will receive extensive
promotional exposure throughout Yahoo.
Intel Offers Faster Pentium
A speedy Pentium chip -- designed specifically for laptop computers and
that is smaller, uses less power and generates less heat -- is being
introduced by Intel Corp. this week. Previously code-named "Tillamook,"
the new chip is part of what the Reuter News Service says is Intel's plan
to make more microprocessors geared toward portable computers, the fastest
growing part of the PC market.
The wire service finds about 20 computer makers unveiling laptops - one
only as thick as two legal pads stacked together -- based on the new chip.
The new mobile Pentium features Intel's MMX multimedia-enhancing
technology and comes in two speeds, 200 and 233 megahertz, which are the
same as mid- and high-range desktop PCs. It consumes 3.9 watts of
electricity, about half that of a desktop model running at comparable
speeds. Reuters notes laptop computer sales are expected to grow 15
percent to 20 percent a year for the next few years, faster than the rest
of the PC industry. In 1997 alone, about $13 billion worth of laptops will
be sold worldwide.
Win 3.1 WordPerfect Suite 7 Ships
Corel Corp. has begun shipping Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 3.1x.
The suite includes the WordPerfect 7 word processor, Quattro Pro 7
spreadsheet software, Presentations 7 presentation program, Paradox 7
database manager, Time Line project management software and CorelFLOW 2
charting program. Also provided are the Envoy 1.0a electronic publishing
tool, Netscape Navigator Web browser, Sidekick 2.0 personal organizer and
Dashboard 3.0 Windows control panel, as well as 10,000 clip art images and
1,000 fonts.
"Corel recognizes that there is a substantial user base working in the
Windows 3.1x environment," says Michael Cowpland, Corel's president and
CEO. "We are pleased to offer a comprehensive solution to users of the
16-bit environment. The tight integration and ease-of-use of the suite
makes it easy for users to upgrade to the 32-bit program at some stage in
the future." Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows 3.1x sells for $425.
Upgrades are
priced at $149.
HP Offers New Ink-Jet Printer
Hewlett-Packard Co. has introduced the DeskJet 720C home printer line and
DeskJet 890C professional printer series. The new ink-jet models replace
the current DeskJet 820C and DeskJet 870C printers in the U.S. market.
HP notes that the new printers offer multiple technological breakthroughs,
design improvements, increased duty cycles, network connectivity options
and added versatility. Prices for the DeskJet 720C and DeskJet 890C models
are expected to begin at about $349 and $449, respectively.
Zoom Pledges Free Modem Upgrade
Zoom Telephonics Inc. says it will offer a free software upgrade to the ITU
56K bps standard for all of its internal, external and PC Card K56flex
modems currently shipping. The offer applies to customers in the U.S. and
Canada, and will remain in effect for modems purchased through June 30,
1998. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is expected to set a
definitive 56K bps standard sometime in 1998.
The Boston-based modem maker notes that all currently- shipping Zoom
K56flex modems have software-loadable flash memory, programmable digital
signal processors and programmable controllers that allow the modems to be
software upgraded to the ITU standard. The company says the applicable code
will be placed on its Web site for customers to download free at their
convenience. In the event that a software upgrade to the ITU standard is
not possible, Zoom says it will rework or replace any qualifying modem sent
to it for a maximum charge of $19.
"We believe that Zoom is the first major K56flex modem manufacturer to
announce a definitive, customer-friendly, easy-to-understand 56K upgrade
policy," says Frank Manning, Zoom's president. "Motorola and Diamond say
that a shipping and handling charge may be necessary, but don't state a
maximum charge. Many other modem manufacturers mislead potential customers
into thinking that a software upgrade will definitely work. Because the ITU
standard is still to be determined, it's important to have an upgrade
program that is clear about any potential upgrade cost if a software
upgrade is not possible."
A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N
LEXMARK OPTRA C
COLOR
LASER PRINTER
For a limited time only; If you wish to have a FREE sample printout sent to
you that demonstrates LEXMARK Optra C SUPERIOR QUALITY 600 dpi Laser Color
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sized envelope please) to:
STReport's LEXMARK Printout Offer
P.O. Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida 32205-6155
Folks, the LEXMARK Optra C has to be the very best yet in its price range.
It is far superior to anything we've seen or used as of yet. It is said
that ONE Picture is worth a thousand words. The out put from the Lexmark
Optra C is worth ten thousand words! Send for the free sample now. (For a
sample that's suitable for framing, see below) Guaranteed. you will be
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If you would like a sample printout that's suitable for framing. Yes
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A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N
Microsoftr Windowsr
Market Bulletin Windows Product Team z Summer 1997
Microsoft Windows 98 Overview
The Microsoftr Windowsr 98 operating system makes computing easier, more
reliable, faster, and is fully integrated with the Internet. Building on
Windows 95 innovation as the easiest path to a 32-bit desktop, Windows 98
defines cutting-edge capabilities-such as enabling powerful new hardware
technologies and entertainment platforms-while at the same time maintaining
the best support for older Windows-based applications and technologies.
For corporations, Windows 98 provides new manageability features that help
reduce total cost of ownership (TCO). Windows 98 will also be the fastest
platform for running the new Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Windows 98-previously code-named "Memphis"-builds on the innovations of
Windows 95. In addition to countless refinements and improvements,
including many user-requested features, all users will benefit from
interface enhancements that make Windows 98-based PCs easier to use. New
wizards, utilities, and resources proactively keep systems running more
smoothly. Performance is faster for many common tasks such as application
loading, system startup, and shut down. Finally, full integration with the
Web makes Windows 98-based systems easier to use, more powerful, and more
entertaining.
Windows 98 provides compelling new features for every type of computer
user:
z Home System Upgrades. Home users who are upgrading existing systems
will especially appreciate the increased reliability and Web integration
enabled by Windows 98. For example, user interface enhancements make
navigation easier, such as single-click opening, icon highlighting,
forward/backward buttons, and an easy to customize Start Menu. New wizards
and utilities, such as System File Checker, keep PCs running faster and
more smoothly. Windows 98 makes computers more entertaining and easier to
use by putting Web resources directly on the desktop. Integration with
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 provides a new e-mail client and desktop
information manager, OutlookT Express, and supports Internet conferencing
capabilities with Microsoft NetMeeting software.
z Corporate System Upgrades. Corporations will especially appreciate
increased manageability of Windows 98-based systems. For example, Windows
98 supports the policy-based, central management guidelines and features
outlined in Microsoft's Zero Administration Initiative for Windows. New
utilities such as Dr. Watson and System Information Utility makes it easier
for product support staff to diagnose and correct problems. Windows 98
provides an easy Upgrade Wizard from Windows 95 and Windows 3.x-based
systems.
z New Hardware Purchasers. Support for the newest generation of
hardware-including cutting-edge media platforms-makes new Windows 98-based
systems significantly easier to use, more entertaining, and more like
everyday "appliances." For example, OnNow instantly starts a new PC,
making it more like turning on a stereo or TV. Support for the Universal
Serial Bus enables the next generation of Plug and Play hardware. Support
for the industry standard IEEE 1394 Bus allows users to control VCRs,
stereos, and other consumer electronics from their PCs. In many ways,
Windows 98 redefines the PC's role as an entertainment center by combining
previously separate components, such as television, DVD and the Internet,
and integrating them with the powerful processing and communications
capabilities of the PC. This integration, such as combining television and
HTML, results in an experience that is more rich and more convenient. For
example, you can review and search for your favorite TV programs with the
built-in Program Guide, then instantly view any show on your PC, or set
reminders to watch shows at a later time. Producers can also deliver
Enhanced Television programming, which will add sports statistics or
cooking recipes alongside traditional television shows.
KEY WINDOWS 98 FEATURES AND BENEFITS
New Windows 98 features and benefits fall into six key areas. A more
complete feature highlights list can be found at Windows 98 is
currently in beta testing and is expected to ship in the first quarter
of 1998.
z Easier to Use
- User interface enhancements make navigation easier, such as single-
click launching, icon highlighting, forward/backward buttons, and an
easy to customize Start Menu.
- Support for hardware innovations such as Universal Serial Bus (USB)
enable more powerful device detection and the next generation of Plug
and Play hardware.
- On-line Help provides comprehensive, continually updated support
information for Microsoft products.
- Multi-monitor Support for up to eight monitors that can run at
different resolutions gives users more "real estate" for running
applications, including more exciting game play.
- Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) supports easier
device management on new PCs and enhanced battery performance on new
mobile PCs.
z More Reliable
- Countless refinements and improvements keep systems running smoothly.
- Windows Update, a new Web-based resource site, allows registered users
of Windows 98 to keep their PCs up-to-date by continually providing
the latest drivers and operating system files on an on-going basis.
- Windows 98 can regularly test your hard disk, system files, and
configuration information to increase the system reliability, and in
many cases automatically fix problems.
- Enhanced backup and restore functionality supports more tape drives
and the latest hardware.
- Date-dependent components within Windows 98 are Year 2000 ready.
z Faster
- Application loading, system startup, and shut down time are faster,
based on early performance testing with beta software.
- OnNow technology provides "instant on" capability, rather than
requiring users to boot up every time.
- The Windows 98 Tune-Up Wizard helps get faster system performance.
- Enhanced FAT32 File System stores files more efficiently and frees up
hard drive space.
z Web Integration
- Windows 98 will be the fastest platform to run the new Microsoft
Internet Explorer 4.0.
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 includes the Outlook Express, a new e-
mail client and collaboration tool; NetMeeting for Internet
conferencing and whiteboarding; NetShowT networked multimedia software
for on-demand audio and video capabilities; FrontPad personal Web-page
editing tool; and Personal Web Server which makes any Windows 98-based
system into a personal Web server.
- The Active Desktop interface puts Internet and intranet pages directly
on a user's desktop.
- With Channels, users can subscribe to Web sites, including many
leading content providers like Disney and Time-Warner.
- An enhanced Windows 98 Explorer integrates local, intranet, and
Internet resources into a single, logical view. For example, URLs can
now be accessed directly from the Windows 98 Explorer.
- New Internet access is easy with a new Internet Connection Wizard that
"talks" to your Internet provider for the correct configuration
information.
- Enhancements to Dial-Up Networking include the ability to link and
synchronize multiple modems and an ISDN Connection Wizard makes it
easier to configure hardware.
- Support for video and broadcast provides super-fast bandwidth for
accessing the Internet.
z More Entertaining
- Support for DVD and digital audio delivers high-quality digital movies
and audio direct to your TV or PC monitor.
- Support for IEEE 1394 bus provides an industry-standard interface to
control VCRs, stereos, and other consumer electronic devices from a
Windows 98-based PC.
- DirectX APIs provides graphics and video performance that exceeds
console game systems, and support for forced-feedback joysticks to
enhance the gaming experience.
- Watch TV on your PC and review and search for your favorite TV
programs with the built in Program Guide.
- Support for Enhanced Television, which combines television and HTML
content, delivers new entertainment possibilities.
z More Manageable for Corporations
- Support for the Zero Administration Initiative for Windows helps
reduce total cost of ownership.
- Dr. Watson and System Information Utility makes it easier for product
support staff to diagnose and correct problems.
- Upgrade Wizard provides smooth migration paths from Windows 95 and
Windows 3.x-based systems.
OTHER INNOVATIONS
Windows Update
Windows Update is a new Web-based resource site that allows registered
users of Windows 98 to get more out of their PC. Designed to help users
improve their computing experience, Windows Update keeps users systems up-
to-date by providing access to the latest drivers and operating system
files on an on-going basis. Windows Update also makes computing easier and
more enjoyable by providing product assistance that is constantly updated,
while allowing users to easily find the answers they need.
Note: Some capabilities, such as ACPI, DVD, multimonitor support, OnNow,
and television, require appropriate hardware support.
The information contained in this document represents the current view of
Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of
publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions,
it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft,
and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented
after the date of publication. This document is for informational purposes
only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT.
O 1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Active
Desktop, DirectX, NetMeeting, NetShow, Outlook, Windows, and Windows NT are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other
products and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their
respective owners. 07/97
EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
Edupage
Contents
Government Will Appeal Encryption Bell Canada, Netscape Team Up On
Case Electronic Commerce
Telecom Manufacturers, Networkers
Unite To Speed Up Internet
Computer Companies Step Up
Political Donations
Apple Clone Owners To Pay Full
Price For OS Upgrade
Deutsche Telekom Chooses VocalTec
For Internet Telephony
Dell Pioneers Individual Leasing
Option
Massachusetts Repeals Internet
Sales Tax
Drudge's Apology Doesn't Stop
Blumenthal's Libel Suit
Apple, Power Computing Huddle Over
Licensing Deal
Massachusetts To Refund Internet
Taxes
Five Different Bills Include
Funding For Next-Generation
Internet
"Deep Blue" Gets Deeper
PC Fixx Seeks To Franchise PC
Repair
Next Generation Of Software Will Be
Nonproprietary, Says Ellison
Clinton Administration Flip-Flops
On Encryption Issue
America Online To Operate
CompuServe
IBM Nixes Net PCs
Power Computing Gets Rights To Mac
OS 8
Motorola And IBM Rethink Purpose Of
PowerPC Chips
Dell Changes Production System For
OptiPlex Line
Disposable DVDs
Gelernter On The Beauty Of Software
"Amazing Grace" Showcases
Technology
The Internet Goes To Television
Airfare Web Sites Want Buyers, Not
Lookers
Microsoft Buys Stake In Translation
Software Company
Integrated Circuits And Musical
Birthday Cards
Software Piracy
Lower-Priced PCs Hit The "Sweet
Spot"
Security Issues Are Risk-Management
Issues
High-Level Cracking In Canada
Electronic Monographs Are "Great
Advertising"
Defending The Right To Hyperlink
Digital To Offer Internet Shopping
Systems
GOVERNMENT WILL APPEAL ENCRYPTION CASE
The U.S. government announced its intention to appeal a recent U.S.
District Court ruling that treating an electronic version of encryption
software code differently from a printed version was "irrational,"
"baffling," and "makes little or no sense and is untenable." The case was
part of a long-running dispute between a University of Illinois professor
and the Clinton administration over government restrictions on the export
of encryption programs. The professor was denied an export license for
the electronic copy of the source code for an encryption program he
developed as a graduate student, but was later granted approval to export a
printed version. In response to the government's appeal, the judge has
issued a stay of the injunction, limited to the particular source code
cited in the case. "Because the legal questions at issue are novel, complex
and of public importance, the injunctive relief should be as narrow as
possible pending appeal," she says. (MSNBC 29 Aug 97)
TELECOM MANUFACTURERS, NETWORKERS
UNITE TO SPEED UP INTERNET
Telefon AB LM Ericsson, Northern Telecom, Siemens AG, 3Com, and UUNet are
investing $40 million in Silicon start-up Juniper Networks in the hope of
jump-starting efforts to speed up Internet networking technology. Juniper
plans to combine advanced chip technology with a new type of switch router
to achieve top networking speeds of 2.4 gigabits per second and throughput
rates of 60 gigabits per second or more. Meanwhile, Cisco Systems is
already running field trials of its Gigabit Switch Router, which offers
speeds up to 622 megabits per second, and plans for next year call for
boosting speeds up to 2.5 gigabits per second. "We're very interested in
what Juniper is doing, as well as several other start-ups and some
established companies such as Cisco and 3Com," says MCI senior VP Vinton
Cerf, who notes that to keep up with traffic, "we are going to require
speeds of 2.4 gigabits between our nodes by next year." (Wall Street
Journal 29 Aug 97)
COMPUTER COMPANIES STEP UP POLITICAL DONATIONS
"The Digital Age has finally arrived in Washington," says the author of a
recent report on computer industry campaign donations and lobbying
activities. Published by the Center for Responsive Politics, the report
notes, "In the 1995-1996 election cycle, the computer industry donated
$7.3 million in [political action committee] money, soft money, and
individual contributions to federal candidates and parties. This is 52%
more than was spent in the 1991-1992 election cycle...The industry has also
learned to use sophisticated techniques such as bundling, in which a
particular organization or interest group gives a cluster of contributions
to a particular candidate over a specific period of time... Not only is
the computer industry growing rapidly, but there are almost a dozen bills
in the House and Senate that could affect the industry's bottom line."
Priority issues for computer execs include the regulation of shareholder
lawsuits, taxes, encryption and the World Intellectual Property
Organization treaty negotiations and related legislation. (TechWire Aug 29
97)
APPLE CLONE OWNERS TO PAY FULL PRICE FOR OS UPGRADE
Buyers of Apple Macintosh clones will have to purchase their upgrade to the
new Mac OS 8 operating system through computer stores or mail order, for
the full price of $69.95, rather than the $9.95 version available to
authentic Mac owners. The one exception is buyers who purchased their
machines between June 22 and August 1, and who ordered the software from
Apple before August 1 -- they will be eligible for the $9.95 Up-To-Date
option. Apple made its decision to penalize clone owners after it became
embroiled in a spat over licensing the new system to clone makers: "We
thought it was reasonable to include the clone systems in the Up-To-Date
upgrade program when we expected to come to a quick agreement on the new
licensing deals," says an Apple spokesman. "Obviously that's not going to
happen now." (San Jose Mercury News 30 Aug 97)
DEUTSCHE TELEKOM CHOOSES VOCALTEC
FOR INTERNET TELEPHONY
Deutsche Telekom says it will invest in VocalTec Communications and use its
products and services to offer customers Internet telephony services. The
two companies are already working together on the T-NetCall service, which
Deutsche Telekom has been testing over the past month, and the new
arrangement will give Deutsche Telekom a 21% stake in U.S.-based VocalTec.
Analysts predict that shortly after the turn of the century, 50% of the
world's communications will be carried over the Internet. (InfoWorld
Electric 29 Aug 97)
DELL PIONEERS INDIVIDUAL LEASING OPTION
Dell Computer has started a leasing option for individual customers, the
first such program to be offered by a major computer maker, say analysts.
Leasing a computer rather than purchasing appeals to people worried about
the rapid obsolescence of PCs and to those unable to come up with the full
amount of up-front cash. The move also ties consumers to Dell machines
over a period of years: "It's much cheaper to sell to a customer you
already have than it is to win over a customer you don't have," says an
industry analyst. About 18% of the corporate PCs ordered this year will
be paid for through a leasing arrangement, up from 5% three years ago.
(Wall Street Journal 29 Aug 97)
MASSACHUSETTS REPEALS INTERNET SALES TAX
Acting Massachusetts Governor Paul Cellucci says he will sign a budget
measure repealing the state sales tax on Internet transactions. (Computer
Reseller News 28 Aug 97)
DRUDGE'S APOLOGY DOESN'T STOP BLUMENTHAL'S LIBEL SUIT
A White House spokesman has acknowledged that President Clinton and Vice
President Gore approved of Presidential aide Sidney Blumenthal's decision
to file a $30 million libel suit against online gossip columnist Matt
Drudge. Drudge had reported that Blumenthal "has a spousal abuse past that
has been effectively covered up," but when Blumenthal vehemently denied
the allegation, Drudge quickly issued a retraction. But Blumenthal wasn't
mollified, and proceeded with his lawsuit. In his August 29th "Drudge
Report," Drudge says he is "disappointed that this lawsuit was filed even
after I retracted my original report and publicly apologized for it. The
fact that Mr. Blumenthal's 137-page complaint seeks to recover $30 million
from me has no relation to anything that I have done -- unless the White
House views me as a reporter who should not be in business. The
extraordinary admission at the August 28 White House press briefing that
both the President and Vice President told Mr. Blumenthal they would
support him in this action suggests this White House simply lacks respect
for basic principles of free speech and the First Amendment guarantee of a
free press. What the White House is doing in supporting this lawsuit
should arouse grave concern among all those who cherish our Constitution."
Drudge has been widely criticized by mainstream journalists, who have
accused him of practicing shoddy journalism. (Edupage 17 Aug 97, Reuter
28 Aug 97, Drudge Report 29 Aug 97)
APPLE, POWER COMPUTING HUDDLE OVER LICENSING DEAL
Apple Computer and Power Computing Corp. are negotiating a deal, the
details of which have not been disclosed, to resolve their ongoing dispute
over licensing terms for Apple's new Mac OS8 operating system. People
close to the negotiations say the new arrangement likely will entail Power
paying Apple higher licensing fees on more powerful Macs. (Wall Street
Journal 2 Sep 97) Meanwhile, InfoWorld Electric reports that the
negotiations are more likely to result in Power Computing renouncing its
Apple license and turning its full-time attention to manufacturing Wintel
machines. (InfoWorld Electric 2 Sep 97)
MASSACHUSETTS TO REFUND INTERNET TAXES
The Massachusetts law signed Friday repealing state taxes on Internet
services has been made retroactive to 1990. "Prior to the moratorium,
Internet service providers in Massachusetts were required to collect and
remit sales tax on their services, since they were classified as
telecommunications services," says the chief taxation officer for a tax
software provider. "The new legislation now excludes Internet access,
electronic mail, electronic bulletin board, and Web hosting services from
the definition of telecommunications services... By passing this
legislation, Massachusetts is attempting to stem the tide of computer users
who may have selected out-of-state Internet service providers." The U.S.
Congress is considering a similar nationwide moratorium on Internet taxes.
(TechInvestor 1 Sep 97)
FIVE DIFFERENT BILLS INCLUDE FUNDING FOR NEXT-GENERATION INTERNET
Five of the 13 bills spending bills still to be dealt with by Congress when
it returns to work this week include provisions for funding various
federal agencies efforts to participate in building the Next-Generation
Internet. Government efforts will parallel the university-sponsored
Internet 2 activities. The agencies will work directly with the Internet
2 project to help tie its high-performance campus backbones into the larger
national infrastructure. Under President Clinton's proposed spending plan,
the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency would receive $40 million;
the Energy Department $35 million; the National Science Foundation and the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration $10 million each; and the
National Institute of Standards and Technology $5 million. The National
Library of Medicine has said it will also try to commit $5 million to the
project. (Chronicle of Higher Education 5 Sep 97)
"DEEP BLUE" GETS DEEPER
The IBM RS/6000 SP computer "Deep Blue" -- widely known for its chess
victory over world chess champion Garry Kasparov -- has received hardware
and software enhancements expected to make that product line 58% faster.
Much of the speed increase is due to the latest version of IBM's 604e Power
PC microprocessor. (New York Times 1 Sep 97)
PC FIXX SEEKS TO FRANCHISE PC REPAIR
A small Seattle firm called PC Fixx is hoping to franchise the computer
repair business, offering Nordstrom-style service with McDonald's-style
convenience. The company, which is currently seeking investors, plans to
acquire computer repair businesses around the country and convert them to
PC Fixx franchises. Using a network of repair depots and service vans
linked to a telecommunications center, PC Fixx could offer repairs in a
matter of hours rather than days. A study by Dataquest estimates that the
U.S. PC repair market will grow at 21% a year to nearly $1.9 billion in
2001. (Tampa Tribune 1 Sep 97)
NEXT GENERATION OF SOFTWARE WILL BE
NONPROPRIETARY, SAYS ELLISON
Oracle CEO Larry Ellison says the age of domination by one software
company's technical standards is over: "The next generation of software
will not, cannot, be based on proprietary technology that belongs to one
company. We're living in the dawn of the information age, not the dawn of
the Microsoft Age or the dawn of the Age of Redmond. The next generation
of computing, network computing, will not be dominated by any one company
or any one person. The age in which we live can't be controlled by a
single human being. Nation-states resent it, individuals resent it."
(Upside Sep 97)
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION FLIP-FLOPS ON ENCRYPTION ISSUE
Reversing its previous assurances that it was opposed to domestic
encryption controls and determined not to regulate the development of
Internet commerce, the Clinton Administration has drafted legislation that
would require all encryption technology to include a "trap door" feature
allowing immediate decoding of any message by law enforcement officials
armed with a court order. The plan, which is opposed both by civil
libertarians and by the technology industry, would also require telephone
companies and Internet service providers to use the same feature in any
encryption systems they offer. (New York Times 7 Sep 97)
AMERICA ONLINE TO OPERATE COMPUSERVE
America Online has negotiated a complex deal with WorldCom that will result
in AOL acquiring and operating CompuServe. AOL intends to keep
CompuServe's content focused on business and technology issues: "AOL is
going to use its scale and its resources to make it more focused and
efficient in servicing the business and professional market," says a
source close to the negotiation. The arrangement calls for WorldCom to
purchase CompuServe as part of a $1.2 billion stock swap, then to turn it
over to America Online, along with $175 million in cash, in exchange for
AOL's ANS network service. The deal will give AOL some much needed cash,
and a boost of about 30% in subscribership. WorldCom will get to keep
CompuServe's global data network, which, in combination with the ANS
network, will beef up WorldCom's data networking capabilities. (Miami
Herald 8 Sep 97)
IBM NIXES NET PCs
Three months after demonstrating a prototype, IBM now says it won't pursue
the NetPC market after all. The NetPC is a stripped down version of a
desktop computer, priced at around $1,000 and based on Intel
microprocessors and Microsoft operating software. "There was a herd
mentality about NetPCs and now we see some of the breakup of the herd,"
says the president of a Washington, D.C.-based computer consulting firm.
IBM says its customers have indicated they'd prefer to spend a little more
money and get the network and software management features found on full-
fledged PCs. With hardware prices continuing to fall, "nobody can give a
compelling reason why a NetPC makes sense," says one PC vendor. (Wall
Street Journal 8 Sep 97)
POWER COMPUTING GETS RIGHTS TO MAC OS 8
After cutting a deal last week wherein Apple Computer will acquire Power
Computing's Macintosh assets for $100 million, Apple has said as part of
the arrangement, Power Computing now has the rights to bundle Mac OS 8
with its clones until Dec. 31, when the assets transfer is complete. Power
Computing has cut prices on its Macintosh compatibles, and sources say
it's sold more than $1.4 million worth of its PowerTower Pro systems since
its deal with Apple was announced. Meanwhile, Taiwan-based UMAX Computer
has reached an agreement to include the Mac OS 8 system on computers sold
in Asia; the arrangement for North American sales is still being worked
out. (Computer Reseller News 7 Sep 97)
MOTOROLA AND IBM RETHINK PURPOSE OF POWERPC CHIPS
Though the original purpose of the PowerPC chip (co-developed by Apple, IBM
and Motorola) was to compete against Intel's domination of the market for
microprocessors used by PCs, Motorola and IBM have now decided to refocus
that family of chips for use in noncomputer consumer electronics devices
(e.g., cellular phones) and industrial applications (e.g., factory
robots). Current speculation is that Apple leader Steve Jobs may use Intel
processors rather than PowerPCs for the Rhapsody operating system it is
developing for its next-generation Macintoshes, thereby reducing the
already weak demand for PowerPC chips. (New York Times 9 Sep 97)
DELL CHANGES PRODUCTION SYSTEM FOR OPTIPLEX LINE
Dell Computer is squeezing more productivity out of its production line by
moving to cell manufacturing, using one or two workers to build an entire
machine from start to finish. Beginning with its OptiPlex line of PCs
geared toward the corporate market, Dell's director of production says the
new system cuts the time it takes to make a PC to eight hours from 10:
"We have reduced or eliminated wait time for the product as it moves
hrough the process. We've reduced the length of time it takes to assemble
the product. We've reduced the number of touches (number of people
handling individual parts) and just overall improved the flow."
(Investor's Business Daily 8 Sep 97)
DISPOSABLE DVDs
Digital Video Express, a company backed by Circuit City Stores and a Los
Angeles entertainment-law firm, is developing a disposable digital video
disk aimed at consumers who would prefer to rent a movie for an evening,
rather than spend the money to purchase the film in DVD format. The new
Divx design is not compatible with existing DVD players; new Divx players
will cost about $100 more than the current models being sold. Viewers
could pay a rental-like fee of under $5 per disk, have access to the movie
for 48 hours after they first start watching it, and then throw the disk
away when they were finished. If, instead, they felt like seeing it again,
they could conduct an electronic transaction via modem to reactivate the
disk. Consumers would also have the choice of making a higher one-time
payment (likely to be below $20) for limitless viewing. The disposable
option undercuts the basic business model favored by current DVD
proponents who envision consumers building permanent libraries of movies
at premium prices. "We think this product ought to be put into the market
to let the consumer decide what they want," says the chairman and CEO of
Circuit City Stores, who holds the same titles in Digital Video Express.
Walt Disney Co., DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures
have all agreed to provide titles for Divx release. (Wall Street Journal 9
Sep 97)
GELERNTER ON THE BEAUTY OF SOFTWARE
"Most computer technologists don't like to discuss it, but the importance
of beauty is a consistent (if sometimes inconspicuous) thread in the
software literature. Beauty is more important in computing than anywhere
else in technology... Beauty is important in engineering terms because
software is so complicated... Beauty is our most reliable guide to
achieving software's ultimate goal: to break free of the computer, to
break free conceptually. Software is stuff unlike any other...
Software's goal is to escape this gravity field, and every key step in
software history has been a step away from the computer, toward forgetting
about the machine and its physical structure and limitations -- forgetting
that it can hold only so many bytes, that its memory is made of fixed size
cells, that you refer to each cell by a numerical address. Software
needn't accept those rules and limitations. But as we throw off the
limits, what guides us? How do we know where to head? Beauty is the best
guide we have." (Adapted from "Machine Beauty: Elegance and the Heart of
Computing," by David Gelernter, Discover Sep 97)
"AMAZING GRACE" SHOWCASES TECHNOLOGY
The USS Hopper, the Navy's second-ever ship to be named after a woman, is a
part of a new class of "stealth ships," demonstrating the latest in marine
design and computer technology. Named after Rear Adm. Grace Murray
Hopper, a computer pioneer credited with coining the term "bug" when she
found a moth in a switching contact, the ship is affectionately nicknamed
"Amazing Grace." During her 40 years in the Navy, Hopper specialized in
computer programming and developed a programming language based on a series
of commands rather than elaborate mathematical codes, a breakthrough that
cleared the way for modern computing. The 500- foot long destroyer's
control panel has a helm that looks more like a car's steering wheel,
giving it a video game aura. The ship's hull and superstructure have
slanted sides to deflect radar, and the Navy calls it "one of the most
capable warships ever built." (San Jose Mercury News 6 Sep 97)
THE INTERNET GOES TO TELEVISION
A group of companies in the cable industry is ready to begin offering low-
cost, high-speed Internet access to standard television sets with an
ordinary set-top cable converter box, without the need for a PC or any
additional equipment. For a fee of no more than $12 a month, the service
will at first be available only to subscribers in Philadelphia and St.
Louis, with other cities added next year. The coalition of companies
includes Worldgate Communications of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, along with
backers such as Citicorp, Motorola, and a number of cable system operators
and major advertising agencies. Consultant Richard Doherty says:
"Worldgate is Web TV and Microsoft's worst nightmare. They have the
cheapest cost of infrastructure, and they can switch the Internet on for
more Americans than anyone in the country." (New York Times 11 Sep 97)
AIRFARE WEB SITES WANT BUYERS, NOT LOOKERS
Expedia (owned by Microsoft), Travelocity (owned by American Airlines'
parent company), and other Web sites that provide travel services are
trying to make sure that visitors don't spend too much time looking at
price quotes without eventually buying an airline ticket. A travel Web
site must pay a fee every time it accesses an airline computer reservation
system to obtain a price quote, so the site has a definite incentive to
discourage pure window-shopping. Expedia says that "if a lot of people
use the site without buying, it saps the system resources and can make it
slower." (USA Today 10 Sep 97)
MICROSOFT BUYS STAKE IN TRANSLATION SOFTWARE COMPANY
Microsoft is buying 20% of Trados GmbH, a German-based maker of translation
software, to increase its ability to make local versions of Microsoft
software products which typically are shipped in more than 30 languages.
Trados software does not perform machine translation but instead stores
phrases and sentences after they have been translated, so that when
similar or identical phases recur the software automatically provides the
translation. (San Jose Mercury News 10 Sep 97)
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS AND MUSICAL BIRTHDAY CARDS
Now 73 years old, Jack Kilby, who invented the integrated circuit at a
Texas Instruments laboratory in 1958, marvels at how much impact his
invention has had on the world. "I am continuously being surprised by some
of the products coming onto the market. Some of them are fascinating...
Musical Christmas and birthday cards, neckties that play tunes. I
certainly couldn't have foreseen those." Looking back on the microchip
revolution, Kilby says: "It didn't happen overnight. It has been the
result of 40 years of hard work by tens of thousands of people." (Reuter 9
Sep 97)
SOFTWARE PIRACY
Vice President Al Gore told the Software Publishers Association that U.S.
government departments and agencies have been ordered to crack down on
pirated software within their offices. While piracy is a hot issue for
software makers, the SPA doubts much pirated software is being used in
government departments. (Toronto Globe & Mail 10 Sep 97 B12)
LOWER-PRICED PCs HIT THE "SWEET SPOT"
The new crop of bargain-basement PCs, priced at $1,000 or lower is
germinating a new market of buyers that could change the computer
industry's economic model. Packard Bell says its two top-selling models
both fall into this category, and that the lower-priced PCs now account
for 30% of its retail sales, a figure that's representative of the
industry as a whole. The rush to buy the new machines has boosted home-PC
sales growth, and is predicted to push PC penetration of U.S. homes to 53%
by 2001, according to estimates by Forrester Research. "That sweet spot
of $999 was something I couldn't resist," says one typical consumer. (Wall
Street Journal 10 Sep 97)
SECURITY ISSUES ARE RISK-MANAGEMENT ISSUES
Consultant Ira Machefsky of Giga Information Group's Santa Clara office
says that the issue of computer security is like the issue of automobile
safety. "If I told you 100 years ago you'd ride around in a little steel
box that could go 90 miles an hour, you'd have said that's crazy because
it's dangerous. That's similar to the Internet. You accept the risks
because the potential benefits carry the day. But it's all about risk
management."
(Information Week 8 Sep 97)
HIGH-LEVEL CRACKING IN CANADA
Computer Security Canada has opened an online library of computer security
breaches that have occurred on the World Wide Web. The site contains
examples of some of the most embarrassing Web security breaches that have
occurred in government, the military, academia and industry.
http://www.csci.ca/ (Toronto Globe & Mail 10 Sep 97)
ELECTRONIC MONOGRAPHS ARE "GREAT ADVERTISING"
As university publishers struggle to find the right business model for
offering scholarly documents online, some early innovators are finding
that making a monograph available electronically can boost sales of hard
copies. The National Academy Press has already put 1,700 of its books
online, and is finding that the electronic versions of some books have
boosted sales of the hard copy monographs -- often by two to three times
the previous level. It's "great advertising," says the Press's director.
The MIT Press is experiencing similar results: "For each of our
electronic books, we've approximately doubled our sales. The plain fact is
that no one is going to sit there and read a whole book online. And it
costs money and time to download it." Meanwhile, the Association of
American Publishers has set up a Web site to showcase its new Digital
Object Identifier System, which identifies copyrighted material and links
the user to the copyright owners. http://www.doi.org/overview.html
(Chronicle of Higher Education 12 Sep 97)
DEFENDING THE RIGHT TO HYPERLINK
World Wide Web founder Tim Berners-Lee says he's disturbed by the recent
lawsuit between Microsoft and Ticketmaster regarding Microsoft's
unauthorized hyperlink to Ticketmaster's Web site. "The question, 'May I
have permission to link to your site?' has got me really upset,'' he says.
The freedom to like from one site to another should be a given: "You and
I have a right to discuss something,'' he says, regardless of whether that
something wants to be discussed. "You don't have to ask someone's
permission to talk about them.'' (Seattle Post-Intelligencer 10 Sep 97)
DIGITAL TO OFFER INTERNET SHOPPING SYSTEMS
Digital Equipment Corporation, in collaboration with Wells Fargo Bank,
Microsoft, and VeriFone, will offer computers, software and services to
retailers wanting to establish a store on the Internet. The system will
make use of a Digital server running Microsoft's Storefront software, with
Wells Fargo providing Internet credit card clearing services using
software from VeriFone, a subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard. (Financial Times
10 Sep 97)
BELL CANADA, NETSCAPE TEAM UP ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
Bell Canada and Netscape Communications have formed a strategic partnership
to provide Internet services to businesses, including secure electronic
data interchange for financial transactions and sales information analysis.
A senior VP at Bell Canada says his company hopes to become a major player
in the Automotive Network Exchange, the automobile industry's initiative
to automate transactions between car makers and suppliers on the Internet,
scheduled to be fully operation next year. (Wall Street Journal 10 Sep 97)
AOL acquires CSi STR Focus Compuserve to be owned by AOL
CompuServe (Csi) to become part of AOL
>From Steve Case, CEO AOL..
September 8, 1997
Dear Members,
I'm pleased to be able to share some exciting news about a major business
transaction which we believe will help us serve you better, and also bring
the benefits of interactive services to a global audience faster.
This morning, we announced the acquisition of CompuServe's worldwide online
services. Simultaneously, we announced that we are selling our network
services division, ANS Communications, and entering into a long-term
agreement with the acquirer, WorldCom, to provide you with expanded network
capacity.
With these transactions, we now will be able to devote even more focus and
resources to our core interactive services and content businesses.
Importantly, it will mean a significant increase in AOLnet modem capacity -
- which will mean fewer busy signals for you. We said we would make
improving connectivity our top priority, and this deal is another example
of us delivering on that promise. Moreover, the deal with WorldCom better
positions us to bring you additional connectivity solutions -- permitting
higher speed access -- in the future.
Once the deal closes, which will take a few months, we'll continue to
operate AOL and CompuServe as separate services. That means, for example,
that CompuServe customers will continue to access their system on the
CompuServe network. There may be some synergies that make sense -- for
example, we will look at the possibility of making some of CompuServe's
business and professional content available to AOL members, and making some
of AOL's unique technologies available to CompuServe customers -- but we'll
be in a "walk before we run" mode to ensure maximum customer satisfaction.
The acquisition of CompuServe also helps expand our international reach,
providing you with an ever larger, more diverse and global community with
which to communicate. With the addition of CompuServe's over 850,000
customers to AOL Europe's nearly 700,000 members, AOL, in partnership with
Bertelsmann, will become the leading pan-European Internet online service
provider, with more than 1.5 million members less than two years after we
launched.
The past year marked the transformation of Internet online services into a
mass market medium. For millions around the world - whether they used it to
communicate with friends and business colleagues, find information, shop,
keep up with the news and latest sports scores, or just have some fun - our
interactive medium has become a vital and fulfilling part of their daily
lives. AOL has played a central role in making this happen. But we haven't
been alone. CompuServe has been an industry pioneer for nearly two decades,
and we're pleased to be bringing their expertise together with ours.
Working together, we're confident we can meet your needs even more
effectively than ever.
JUNK E-MAIL
Now let's switch gears a bit and discuss a problem that's facing our
community. If you're like most members, you are concerned about the
increase in junk e-mail. This was a minor annoyance a year ago, when
unsolicited mail occasionally appeared in your inbox. But for a growing
number of members, it has now become a source of considerable frustration.
In previous letters, I've told you about some of the steps we've taken the
try to combat this problem. Unfortunately, our efforts to date have had
limited success, and the problem is worsening. So this Fall, we'll be
stepping up our efforts, including deploying new technological solutions,
and adopting a far more aggressive legal posture. I'll update you next
month on some of the steps we're taking, but I did want to assure you that
we are aware of the problem, we realize it is getting worse, and we are
totally committed to addressing it.
BACK TO SCHOOL
September is here and that means it is "back to school" time for many of
you. Whether you are a parent or are attending school yourself, AOL has a
number of resources to get you back in the swing of things. We've placed
them in a new Back to School area (Keyword: Back to School), which includes
areas such as Getting Ready, Continuing Education, Homework Central, and
Afterschool Activities. The Homework Central area includes one particularly
helpful resource called The Paper Trail that can guide you through the
daunting task of writing a research paper from start to finish. Back to
School also offers kids or their parents a chance to win computers and AOL
accounts for their schools, sponsored by AOL, with the help of ABC Kidzine,
Plug In, and Moms Online. Just tell us -- in 250 words -- how you or your
kids use AOL to learn and you could win! (Enter by September 18.)
AOL also has an extensive Reference channel that can help with everything
from choosing a research paper topic to finding out what's wrong with your
pet. Try one of the many tours -- for business, home, fun, younger and
older students -- offered on the Reference channel to get you acquainted
with some of the useful features like The Road to College, Barron's Book
Notes, and Grolier's Encyclopedia. Or visit the Q&A area and ask a
veterinarian, pediatrician, mechanic or a host of other experts about a
range of subjects.
One of the most valuable tools on the Reference channel is the Searchable
Periodicals area (Keyword: RefPeriodicals). You can search or read a
particular publication and AOL gives you more than 100 to choose from. Here
is just a sampling:
z Major daily papers: Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer,
Washington Post, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune and many more.
z Sports magazines: Sports Illustrated, Bicycling Magazine, Field &
Stream, Golf, Runners World, SKI, Sporting News, and others.
z Entertainment and Fashion Magazines: Seventeen, Woman's Day,
Entertainment Weekly, People, Rolling Stone and Playbill.
z Other types of publications available: travel, computer, religious,
major news weeklies, science, medical, international, and armed forces.
Finally, don't forget about our popular Homework Help area (Keyword: KO HH)
in the Kids Only channel where students can visit a tutoring room or ask a
teacher about math, science, English and reading, or social studies. There
are teachers available to help you or your child 24 hours a day!
AOL POLICIES
Last month I promised you a better system of communicating to our members
any changes in our policies which might affect your AOL experience. As part
of this effort, we are currently reworking our policies in our Terms of
Service to make them as clear as possible to all of our members. We will
continue to keep you informed of our progress on this and related issues
and we thank you for your patience.
BRANDON TARTIKOFF
In closing this month's letter, I'd like to pay tribute to a very special
person. With the recent passing of Brandon Tartikoff, AOL lost a friend,
and the entertainment industry lost a creative visionary. Brandon enriched
America's television viewing experience for many years while serving as
president of NBC Entertainment. Last year, he joined AOL Studios'
Greenhouse Networks division to lend his expertise and enthusiasm to the
development of a new entertainment service we'll be launching soon called
Entertainment Asylum. Brandon's understanding of both traditional and new
media, his vision, and, most of all, the humility and sense of humor he
displayed while battling personal tragedies, touched us all. We mourn his
passing, and our sympathy and prayers are with his wife and family. We
will greatly miss him.
Warm Regards,
Steve Case
>From Frank Salizzoni Acting CEO CompuServe.
AOL Acquires CSi: Letter to Members from Frank Salizzoni
Dear CompuServe Customers:
CompuServe took a major step forward today, which will benefit you as
customers by preserving what you like best about the CompuServe online
experience, while providing the resources and passion that can move
CompuServe forward. As you may have heard, the CompuServe online service is
being acquired by America Online, Inc. Once the transaction closes, which
we expect will occur within the next 6 months, CompuServe will operate as
a separate business unit of AOL Inc., and AOL will continue to manage
CompuServe as a separate brand. That means you will still have access to
the existing services, using the existing software, and connecting through
the existing network. Indeed, AOL has made it clear that they recognize and
respect that you have chosen to be CompuServe customers for specific
reasons, and they intend to do everything they can to continue to serve
your needs.
AOL has had great success in reaching a mass consumer audience, and that
will continue to be the focus of the AOL brand. CompuServe, on the other
hand, has emerged as the leading brand for business and professional
customers, and under AOL's ownership, CompuServe will continue to retain
that focus. But this isn't just about preserving the status quo. AOL is
committed to also launching a new version of CompuServe, building on the
technology CompuServe already has under development. This new version of
CompuServe will be available as an option to you--which means if you
prefer using the existing service, as is, you can. But the new version is
expected to have wide appeal, as it will be more Web-centric and easier to
use.
AOL and CompuServe each played critical roles in shaping this dynamic new
medium. Millions now look to interactive services to communicate with
business colleagues and friends, find information, and stay informed. By
working together, AOL and CompuServe can take the promise of this new
medium to an even wider audience, not just in this country, but around the
world.
Sincerely,
Frank Salizzoni
Chairman & Acting CEO, CompuServe
Painter 5 STR Review
Painter 5
for Macintosh & Windows 95
Suggested Retail Price $449
Upgrade $99
Fractal Design/MetaCreations
http://www.metacreations.com
Sales: 800-846-0111
Review by Donna Lines (dlines@uti.com)
Painter 5 is a computer illustrator's dream. No other paint/illustration
program imitates natural media as well as Painter 5. If you can imagine
it, this program can do it.
This program was designed for the professional graphic artist. Painter 5
has a steep learning curve. Also, the program has many numerous palettes
with menus and sub-menus. This can create a lot of screen clutter and be
somewhat intimidating to the casual user. A feature new with Painter 5 is
the ability to tear off tools and create custom palettes so you can access
the tools you use most frequently and regain screen space.
This program, although it works with a mouse, really benefits from a
pressure-sensitive graphics tablet. Many brushes (depending on the variant
selected) respond to pressure. Lighter pressure produces thinner, lighter
strokes while heavier pressure creates thicker, darker strokes. You can
compensate for the mouse by using the slider controls in the Brush Controls
dialog box. This doesn't lend itself to the natural feel of simply
pressing harder or lighter on the stylus.
Packaged in an attractive paint can, the program (version 5.0.1 and up)
includes both the Macintosh and PC versions of the software, the User
Guide, Tutorial guide, and Quick Reference Card. The guides are written
for both the Macintosh and PC versions of the program. The manual
alternates between the Mac and PC examples of screen shots. This can be
confusing to the new user. Jon Bass, Product Manager, stated MetaCreations
(formerly Fractal Design) went to the dual platform approach so if a
customer changed from one platform to another, their investment in the
product was protected.
Painter provides an abundance of natural media brushes including Pen, Felt
Tip Pen, Pencil, Charcoal, Chalk, Airbrush, Crayons, Water Colors, Eraser,
Liquid, etc. Each of the brushes has several variants that vary the look
of the brush. For example, the Pen brush has ten variants including Fine
Point, Calligraphy, and even Leaky Pen.
The Image Hose (similar to Corel Photo-Paint 7'sT Image Sprayer) paints
images (called nozzles) in a random pattern on the canvas. Painter 5
includes several default nozzles (poppies, English ivy, stones, cumulous
clouds, etc.). You can even create your own nozzles. There are many add-
ons available from various software vendors and MetaCreations provides some
free nozzles on the web site under "Goodies". I even found some free
nozzles on other web sites (not supported or controlled by MetaCreations).
MetaCreations has included new brushes with Painter 5. These include Gooey
(for stretching, twisting, pinching, and bulging - try adding these effects
to a photograph of someone you know!), Super F/X (to paint with fire or
glow), Photo (easily re-touch photographs with scratch remover, add grain,
sharpen, blur, etc.), Hue to re-color or tint your photographs, New Paint
(to simulate fresh paint or an artist's palette knife), and the Super-
Cloners (to paint on a transparent layer above the image without altering
the image below).
Painter 5 also includes several plug-in floaters that allow to you to paint
on a floater (layer) without altering the image beneath. My favorite is
the Liquid Metal floater that enables you to paint with liquid metal. This
allows you to create a melting metal effect. Other plug-in floaters
include Burn, Tear, Glass Distortion and more.
New to Painter 5 is the ability to read and write Adobe r PhotoshopT 3.0
and 4.0 files, preserving layers (as floaters) and paths (convert to
shapes). Painter 5 and Photoshop treat layers, paths, and blending
differently. Refer to the User Guide for more information.
Painter 5 supports several industry standard file formats including RIF,
TIF, PSD, BMP, PCX, TGA, GIF, JPG, PCT, and AVI. You can save your files
in the above mentioned formats, including EPS, but Painter cannot read EPS
files. The program supports Adobe Illustrator for export.
Another great feature of Painter 5 is the ability to create Web pages. In
just minutes, you can create a web page complete with links to other pages
or web sites.
Painter 5 gives you the ability to edit and create videos and animations.
Onion skinning allows you to preview the previous and future frames while
you work on the current frame. Rotoscoping lets you apply effects and
paint on existing movies. Standard movie formats are supported -- AVI,
Microsoft Video for Windows (VFF) and Quick Time (Mac).
You can record scripts to increase your productivity. Scripts are
especially useful when you want to add special effects to multiple frames
in a movie. Just record your script, play the script, then sit back and
watch Painter do all the work.
Unfortunately, sometimes a product ships with "bugs". Versions 5.0 through
5.0.2 have some coding problems and errors. All these issues have been
addressed with the 5.0.3 update that is available for download on the
MetaCreations Web site (it was not posted on the Fractal Design Web site at
the time of this writing). Additionally, the Tutorial guide contains some
errors. MetaCreations is addressing this as well, and expects to have a
corrected Tutorial guide in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format available from the
web site in early September. The Tutorial guide has been corrected and is
now shipping. For those customers who purchased the earlier version of the
product and manuals, watch the MetaCreations web site for the update.
Service and Support:
Unlimited support is available through MetaCreations toll number Monday
through Friday, or via the Web site at http://www.fractal.com or at
http://www.metacreations.com. From within Painter, you can click on Help,
Online Support to automatically launch your Web browser.
MetaCreations is currently offering the Wild Bundle add-on FREE with any
Painter 5 purchase (online store price $29/SRP $89) when you order directly
through MetaCreations On Line Store. The Wild Bundle includes three great
collections in one excellent bundle: the Grains & Weaves and Patterns &
Nature texture libraries, and the Trees & Leaves brush looks libraries. You
get the natural look of canvas and felt, the richness of fabrics and
wicker, and natural elements such as water, rock, and cracked earth.
There are many vendors supplying add-ons for Painter 5. MetaCreations will
be adding new brushes and add-ons that you can download directly from the
web site. What makes this program so exciting are the limitless
possibilities. Try Painter 5 and set your imagination free.
System Requirements:
Windows:
486DX, Pentium, or Pentium Pro Compatible PC
Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0
16 MB System RAM (32 for NT)
SVGA Video (24 bit recommended)
CD ROM drive
Macintosh
Power Macintosh
System 7.5 or higher
12 MB of application RAM (20+ recommended)
Color display (24 bit recommended)
CD ROM drive
UltraEdit / UltraEdit-32 - v4.40b STR Infofile
UltraEdit / UltraEdit-32
The editor for all your editing needs.
UltraEdit is an excellent replacement for NOTEPAD and a lot more,with
support for unlimited file sizes, 100,000 word spelling checker, full HEX
editing capabilities, configurable syntax highlighting for programmers,
column editing. UltraEdit has all the features you will need. UltraEdit
handles multiple files at once, even if they are multi-megabyte files. It
is Disk based and only requires a small amount of memory, even for very
large files. UltraEdit-32 is designed for Windows NT and Windows 95, and
UltraEdit is designed for for Windows 3.1. One fee allows use of both
products.
Standard Features:
- Disk based text editing
- No limit on file size, minimum RAM used even for multi-megabyte files
- Multiple files open and displayed at the same time
- Column mode editing!!!, Insert columns/ delete/ cut/ add sequential
- numbers
- Drag and Drop Editing
- File sort (with remove duplicates, ignore case, ascending, descending)
- 100,000 word spell checker
- Syntax highlighting - configurable, pre configured for C/C++, VB, HTML
- and Java
- Automatic word wrap at specified column with hard return
- Insert file into an existing document at cursor position
- Drag and Drop support from the file manager
- Configurable toolbar
- Splitter windows
- Insert and overstrike modes for editing
- Multi-level undo and redo
- UltraEdit is Windows 3.x CUA compliant
- Find and Replace - Also allows selection of text between caret and
- find target when shift key is pressed, Replace all in select area
- Find in Files, Replace In Files
- Goto Line Number/Page Break
- Font Selection for display and printer. (Supports all fonts installed
- including TRUE-TYPE fonts)
- Print support with headers, footers, margins and page breaks.
- Automatic Line Indentation
- Tab Settings
- Word Wrap Support
- Hexadecimal Editor - Allows editing of any binary file - HEX Cut,
- copy and paste support
- HEX Insert and Delete of characters
- HEX Find, Replace and Replace All
- Bookmarks - Unlimited number of Bookmarks
- Multiple Windows of the same file
- Comprehensive macro support, including saving and loading
- Context Sensitive Help
- Automatic backup file generated with (.BAK) extension in the directory
of
- the original file
- UltraEdit retains its screen position each time it is used
- Line & column number display (line number display may be disabled)
- Pop-up menus with right mouse button.
- Text conversion to lower or upper case and capitalization.
- Unix/Mac to DOS Conversion
- DOS to Unix conversion
- Auto detect UNIX/Mac files
- Convert Word Wrap to CR/LF's allowing word wrap to be written to file
- with hard returns
- Convert CR/LF's to Word Wrap (removes CR/LF's from file)
- Template Support
- More ...
Also: - UltraEdit accepts a command line input and so can be used to
replace NOTEPAD or other editors that are called up from a file manager by
clicking on a file.
-------- Registration ------------------------------------
You are limited to 45 Days of use for an unregistered version.
UltraEdit is a shareware program. If you find it useful and continue to use
it you are obligated to register it with the author by sending $30.00 (Ohio
Residents add $1.65 Sales Tax) to:
Ian D. Mead
8209 Chestnut Hill Ct.
West Chester, OH 45069
USA
Free upgrades for at least 1 year.
Upgrade fee is $15.00 (Ohio residents add $0.83 Sales Tax) for previous
registered users.
-------- VISA/MASTERCARD/American Express Accepted ---------
For VISA/MasterCard/American Express orders, include:
1) Name of card holder
2) Address of card holder
3) Name and address of user if different from card holder
4) Expiration date of card
5) Card #.
Credit card orders may be faxed or telephoned to (513) 779 8549, or sent to
my E-Mail address (see below).
-------- Compuserve Registration -------------------------
UltraEdit may also be registered online on compuserve by typing GO SWREG
and following instructions for registering using ID 2662 dor UltraEdit and
ID 4017 for UltraEdit-32.
This will entitle you to an authorization code, the latest registered
version, and technical support.
For CompuServe registrations, a newer version is not sent out if the latest
version is available on CompuServe.
-------- E-Mail Address ----------------------------------
Internet: idm@idmcomp.com (backup idm@ultraedit.com, idm@iglou.com)
CompuServe: 71613,2654
WWW http://www.idmcomp.com or http://www.ultraedit.com
-------- Return Policy ----------------------------------
No refunds are issued after an authorization code has been issued.
Exchanges are allowed if appropriate.
This program may be freely distributed provided it is unmodified, no charge
is made for the software, and all of the following files are included:
1) READ.ME - This File
2) UltraEdt.EXE - Executable File
3) UltraEdt.HLP - UltraEdit help file
-------- Latest Version ----------------------------------
The latest version of UltraEdit/UltraEdit-32 may be found in several
places:
The following www page:
http://www.idmcomp.com and http://www.ultraedit.com
In the WINUSER Forum on CompuServe, an official distribution and support
online resource for future updates. Search for ULTRAEDIT.ZIP, and
UEDIT32.ZIP.
The Windows Users Group Network (WUGNET), operators of the oldest and
largest independent support resource forum (WINUSER) for Windows Users on
CIS with nearly 1,000,000 active members is recognized in the press, user
groups, developers, and Microsoft as the foremost resource for shareware
publishers on CompuServe and the Internet.
On the Internet on several sites, including STReport's FTP Site
(ftp.streport.com), CICA and other sites.
Windows is a registered Trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
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Kids Computing Corner
Frank Sereno, Editor
fsereno@streport.com
The Kids' Computing Corner
Computer news and software reviews
from a parent's point of view
In the News
CyberSound StudioT Makes Music Simple
Invision Interactive, Inc., introduces CyberSound Studio, an integrated and
easy-to-install program that transforms any PowerPC Mac into an incredible
musical instrument and composing tool. It provides the ease-of-use that
will make beginners sound great on their very first tries while providing
the necessary power for the accomplished musician.
CyberSound Studio is a complete desktop music solution. It includes a MIDI
keyboard, a MIDI interface, cables and professional-level software in a
$99.95 bundle. The software features an intuitive interface that
automatically corrects the playing of notes to the proper timing and key.
Beginners can't make a mistake! The program features several one-finger
chord options that make playing and recording very simple to master.
The program includes a wide variety of sampled instruments, songs, intros
and rhythm tracks to speed the composing process. The Software Synthesizer
negates the need for external hardware or additional instruments. It can
do wavetable, analog modeling, FM and physical modeling synthesis that
enables the software to play realistic sounds.
CyberSound Studio requires a Power Mac with System 7.1 or greater, 16MB of
RAM, 18MB of hard disk space, a CD-ROM drive and SoundManager 3.2.1
(included). This music package is now available on the West Coast. It
will also soon be available for IBM-compatible computers. For more
information, contact Invision Interactive by calling 800-468-5530, fax at
415-812-7386 or on the Web at http://www.cybersound.com .
Jason's Jive
Jason Sereno, STR Staff
jsereno@streport.com
Obsidian
Windows CD-ROM
Street Price: $39.95
for all ages
(mild animated violence)
Segasoft
150 Shorewood Drive
Redwood City, CA 94065
1.888.segasoft
www.segasoft.com
Program Requirements
Windows 95 IBM PC or compatible with Pentium 90MHz processor
4X CD ROM drive, 16 MB of RAM, 16 Bit video, 2MB VRAM
strongly recommended, Soundblaster 16 (Soundblaster AWE32
strongly recommended)
Also available on Macintosh computers
Required is a Power Mac 7100 or higher with System 7.0,
16 MB of RAM, and a 4X CD-ROM
Obsidian, from Segasoft, is terrifically spellbinding and a must-buy for
puzzle-loving gamers. It is superior to current Myst clones because of an
intriguing storyline told on five CD-ROMS. Obsidian also contains five
distinctive but equally beautiful realms. They graphics displayed are that
to put to shame most other first-person graphic adventures. The Quicktime
Video and beautiful melodies of Thomas Dolby are wonderful additions to
this already spectacular game.
Obsidian is driven mostly by its in depth story and characters. The game
takes place in an ecological disaster of a future and you play the game as
Lilah, an environmental scientist. Lilah, with her partner and love
interest named Max, have created something called the "Ceres Project." The
Ceres project is a weather control satellite that uses nanotechnology:
Robots smaller than the human cell, to find and repair the worst parts of
the earth's atmosphere. Everything seems to be working perfectly within
the Ceres Project so Lilah and Max decide to run tests on the atmosphere
from a campsite in the wilderness.
Suddenly, Max disappears. To search for him you are drawn inside of the,
"Obsidian." The Obsidian is a giant black rock formation that propels into
a you total of five dream realms. The rules of physics and almost all
practicality do not apply in these five beautiful and challenging worlds.
Each of the worlds contain many interesting and surprisingly different
puzzles inside them. To solve the puzzles you must use your mind and
intuition. The entire game is basically just a puzzle that has many twists
and turns you must follow in your adventure filled storyline. In the end
the fate of the world is in your hands as you must choose to live in a
world that humans have destroyed or Ceres's "paradise" she plans to make.
Segasoft's new release takes you from point A to point B through Quicktime
Movies. The transitions are smooth and display beautiful filmed and
artificial landscapes. The game also uses combinations of the two making
you wonder if you are looking at real landscapes or an artist's work while
you are playing. This is proof that the graphics are almost uncanny in
flawlessness and truly add dimension to the game.
Something else that no other Myst clones will have is a full soundtrack by
the brilliant Thomas Dolby. His music is present through the entire game
and when I played it clearly added dimension and atmosphere to Obsidian.
His music is remarkably diverse throughout and is something to look forward
to in the game. Since Obsidian runs about five hours in gameplay, you'd
better believe that you will be thankful of the ever-changing music and
sounds.
The bottom line is that Obsidian will impress you from the start up screen.
The entire game is chalked full of story, puzzles, and breathtaking
graphics and sounds. I have nothing but praise for the people at Rocket
Science, the makers of this game and Segasoft, the publishers. By the time
that Myst II comes to the market it will no doubt be held to the new
standard set by Obsidian. Until then, I hope that all of you have happy
gaming.
Jason
Things to look forward to in the coming weeks from Jason's Jive:
I will take a look at two sport sims: Sierra's FPS baseball 98' and
Legends football 98' from Accolade. Later this month I will also showcase
two 3D-accelerated games from Psygnosis and an amazing yet surprisingly
affordable 3D card from Intergraph.
Special Notice!! STR Infofile File format for Articles
File Format for STReport
All articles submitted to STReport for publication must be sent in the
following format. Please use the format requested. Any files received
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z No Indenting on any paragraphs!!
z No Indenting of any lines or "special gimmickery"
z No underlining!
z Columns shall be achieved through the use of tabs only. Or, columns
in Word or Word Perfect format. Do NOT, under any circumstances, use the
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z Most of all.. PLEASE! No ASCII "ART"!!
z There is no limits as to size, articles may be split into two if
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z Actual Artwork should be in GIF, PCX, JPG, TIF, BMP, WMF file formats
z Artwork (pictures, graphs, charts, etc.)should be sent along with the
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If there are any questions please use either E-Mail or call. On
another note. the ASCII version of STReport is fast approaching the "end of
the line" As the major Online Services move away from ASCII.. So shall
STReport. All in the name of progress and improved readability. The
amount of reader mail expressing a preference for our Adobe PDF enhanced
issue is running approximately 15 to 1 over the ASCII edition. I might add
however, the requests for our issues to be done in HTML far outnumber both
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Besides, STReport will not be caught in the old, worn out "downward
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However, if the ASCII readership remains as high, rest assured. ASCII
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Many grateful thanks in advance for your enthusiastic co-operation and
input.
Ralph F. Mariano, Editor
rmariano@streport.com
STReport International Online Magazine
Classic