ST Report: 8-May-98 #1418
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 05/13/98-01:18:02 PM Z
From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: ST Report: 8-May-98 #1418
Date: Wed May 13 13:18:02 1998
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05/08/98 STR 1418
"Often Imitated, Never Surpassed!"
CPU Industry Report Ameritech Raises Rates Borland now INPRISE
USENet Profit Centers? Adobe Photoshop 5 Runaway Government
NEW Powerbooks Ready Intuit back with MAC IMAC to Debut
Win98 POISED for RTM People Talking Classics & Gaming
MICROSOFT WARNS WALLSTREET
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From the Editor's Desk...
The weather is marvelous, the outdoor grill is doing wonderful
things and the pool is simply shimmering night and day. Florida is
the way to go. At least I think so.
I began an opinion essay last week... that is to run for a few
weeks with, I'm certain, some very interesting reader input. This
week, we take a look at Senator Orrin (The Hatchet) Hatch and the
Florida Attorney General, Robert Butterworth's decision to "look
into Microsoft and Windows 98".
Windows 98 is facing a brace or two of politically minded AG and DA
state offices around the country. Somebody outta tell these geeks
to run on their own dime and not try to skate into a reelection at
the cost of the computing industry across this nation. Take a look
at our essay about unchecked runaway government. It began last week
and will continue for a few more.
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LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Microsoft Warns Wall Street
As Microsoft Corp. goes, so goes the economy, was the
warning implicit in a letter fired off by the company to
Wall Street last night. Microsoft's letter warned the a
delay of its Windows 98 operating system, due next month,
could have "broad, negative consequences not just for
Microsoft but for the entire PC industry." The letter,
authored by Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Greg Maffei,
was sent to about 150 stock analysts, software companies,
and venture capitalists. It appears to be part of a
continuing public relations campaign by the company to ward
off antitrust threats.
A group of states is expected this week to file suit against
the company, charging it with violations of anti-trust
statutes. Last week, a group of PC company executives wrote
the U.S. Department of Justice on the company's behalf,
asking the government not to block the release. Maffei said
in the letter that he wanted to "outline the possible
financial ramifications of such regulatory action."
PC companies, software resellers, and independent software
vendors would all be hurt by a delay, Maffei said. because
so much effort and money has already been spent in
anticipation of the software release. However, analysts have
said that Windows 98 is not expected to be as much of a
driver in PC sales compared to its precursor, Windows 95.
Editor Note: Analysts.... "ANAL"-YSTS, sometimes these folks
really allow their "bias" or, is that "bile" to show! ...rfm
Microsoft Letter Urges No Windows 98 Delay
Microsoft released a letter late on Thursday signed by the
heads of 26 computer software, hardware and retail outlets
asking antitrust chief Joel Klein not to delay the release
of Windows 98. "Government intervention into the launch of
Windows 98 would endanger what we have all worked for, and
harm consumers and the economy too," said the letter to
Klein, who heads the Justice Department antitrust division.
The Justice Department and 13 state attorneys general are
considering taking some action against Microsoft before
Windows 98 is sent to computer makers in mid-May,
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has said.
However, it is unclear if the authorities would make any
attempt to block or alter Windows 98. They might instead
seek to alter contracts under which Microsoft offers Windows
98, so computer makers would have more flexibility, sources
have said.
The letter's signatories said they were concerned that the
federal government might try to delay Windows 98 itself. It
is scheduled for release to the public on June 25. "We --
and many other companies in the PC industry -- have spent
millions of dollars developing, marketing and promoting
products and services that depend on the on-time launch of
Windows 98," the letters' signatories said.
They said that any delay would undermine their ability to
sell their products in the back-to-school season. The letter
was signed by the presidents or CEO's of such companies as
AMD, CDW Computer Centers, Compaq Computer, CompUSA, Dell
Computer, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Micron Electronics,
OfficeMax, Packard Bell NEC, Sony Electronics and Symantec.
Republican Senators Cross Swords On Microsoft
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch attacked
Microsoft Friday and was in turn attacked by a senator from
the company's home state, Slade Gorton, in an escalating
battle between the two senior Republicans. Gorton called
remarks about Microsoft by Hatch "nonsensical" and said he
was "completely outraged" by them. Hatch was not immediately
available to respond.
The barbs on Capitol Hill again reflected an increasingly
tense atmosphere surrounding Microsoft as state attorneys
general -- and possibly the Justice Department -- are on the
cusp of filing new legal action against the software giant.
At issue Friday was a letter to the Justice Department's top
trustbuster, Joel Klein, written by 26 high-tech executives.
The letter, released by Microsoft, asked the government to
permit the release of the Windows 98 operating system
without delay next month.
It is unclear that the government would attempt to delay
Windows 98 in any actions it might bring, analysts said.
Hatch, of a Utah, said through a spokeswoman the letter made
it appear "that Microsoft is contacting potential witnesses
and urging them to voice public opposition to possible law
enforcement actions." Hatch, his spokeswoman said, found it
"troubling that the target of an investigation might be
using its relationship (with computer makers and others) to
encourage (witnesses) to participate in a public relations
campaign seemingly designed to frustrate legitimate efforts
to enforce the laws."
Gorton responded to his fellow Republican with unusual fury.
He said through a spokesman he was "completely outraged that
the chairman of the Judiciary Committee would suggest that
26 high-tech CEOs should not be able to exercise their First
Amendment rights and defend themselves against unwarranted
intervention." And he said that for Hatch to "presume that
he knows more about the high-tech industry and what they
need than the 26 CEO'S ... is nonsensical."
The letter was signed by the presidents or CEOs of such
companies as Compaq Computer, CompUSA, Dell Computer,
Hewlett- Packard, Intel, Micron Electronics, OfficeMax,
Packard Bell NEC and Symantec. Said a Microsoft spokesman:
"The letter speaks for itself." The spokesman said Hatch may
have been "misinformed" about the letter. The context for
the letter is apparent imminent government action against
Microsoft before Windows 98 is distributed to computer
makers in mid-May.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and others
said this week that a filing against Microsoft by attorneys
general and the Justice Department could happen in the next
week or two.
The federal and state governments are investigating
allegations that Microsoft used monopoly power to force its
products on computer makers and others.
Gates Met With Justice Lawyers Tuesday Night
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates met with senior Justice
Department officials Tuesday night, as a possible new
antitrust action against the software company loomed, the
Wall Street Journal reported in today's electronic edition.
Gates sought the meeting with lead antitrust prosecutor Joel
Klein to make a personal and direct presentation of what
would be at stake in any new antitrust suit, the Journal
said, citing two unnamed people familiar with plans for the
meeting. The meeting comes as Klein nears a decision on
whether to pursue a broad Sherman Act antitrust case against
Microsoft.
The suit, if it proceeds, would allege that Microsoft acted
illegally to protect a monopoly for its ubiquitous Windows
operating system for computers and to extend that dominance
into new markets in its attack on Netscape Communications'
Internet software, the paper said, citing people close to
the case. Officials from Microsoft and the Justice
Department refused to comment to the paper.
Earlier Tuesday, Gates had appeared in New York with
Microsoft supporters in an effort to rally broad support
against any government action that might delay the release
of Windows 98, the latest version of the operating system.
Microsoft CEO Takes Windows 98 Case To The Public
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, whose company is the target
of several antitrust investigations, warned that any
government action to block release of its Windows 98
operating system software could hurt the U.S. economy and
cost jobs. Flanked by a phalanx of computer industry
executives, Gates warned such a move against the newest
version of the company's flagship software would hamper
innovation and could have a devastating effect in and beyond
the computer industry.
"Any government action that would derail or delay Windows 98
would hurt the American economy and would cost American
jobs, " Gates said at a "rally" organized by Microsoft at
New York City's Equitable Building. "The effect would be
profound and would ripple through the economy." The speech
was Gates' most direct response to what he called the
"serious consideration" government attorneys are giving to a
plan to delay Windows 98.
To buttress his case, Gates turned to several top industry
executives, including Eckhard Pfeiffer, president of Compaq
Computer, the world's biggest personal computer maker.
Pfeiffer said Compaq and the entire PC industry had "a large
stake in the introduction and success of Windows 98," a
product many industry executive hope will help spark new
life into recently sluggish sales growth.
Pfeiffer and computer retailer CompUSA Chief Executive Jim
Halpin also noted that many companies have already sunk
millions of dollars into early marketing efforts linked to
the June 25 scheduled release of Windows 98. But the display
of solidarity was immediately seized on by opponents who
assembled outside to argue the affair was more evidence of
Microsoft's grip on the computer industry.
"When you are that reliant on a company that has a
stranglehold, it's not surprising that you would go along,"
said Ed Black, president of the Computer & Communications
Industry Association, a Washington-based industry lobby
representing Microsoft's foes. Connecticut Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal echoed those sentiments in a statement
released after the rally.
Blumenthal, who last week said he and 12 other state
attorneys general were "on the cusp" of bringing an
antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft, declined to say on
Tuesday exactly what action the states were considering.
However, he did say the argument that Windows 98 is
"absolutely essential" to the PC industry would "seem to
support the view that Microsoft has excessive dominance that
constitutes a stranglehold."
A federal lawsuit against Microsoft is also a possibility,
and some believe the states and federal government could
move jointly against the Redmond, Wash.-based software
giant. In seeking to rebut the argument of his company's
power over the marketplace, Gates steered the focus
repeatedly to the topic of innovation rather than focus on
the topic of whether or not Microsoft enjoyed monopoly
status.
A demonstration of the software that preceded Gates' remarks
-- and which went without a hitch, in contrast to a recent
crash-plagued demo handled by Gates himself in Chicago --
highlighted some of the new Windows features designed to
address the needs of disabled customers. One such feature
allows users to magnify parts of the screen for easy
reading, for example.
Microsoft also introduced Gregory Mankiw, a Harvard
University economics professor, who argued against
government involvement in the computer industry. "The
computer industry is not broke, and the government should
not try to fix it," Mankiw said, adding intervention would
be like "throwing sand in the gears" of progress.
Borland To Change Name, Sets New Product Strategy
Borland International, one of the most storied software
companies, said it plans to change its name to Inprise to
reflect a new corporate strategy and product focus. Borland
-- once the third-biggest personal computer software company
in the world and a serious threat to Microsoft -- said it
now would focus its business on so-called "middleware"
software products, which act as translators between
different types of hardware and business software.
Borland will introduce several products later this year that
the company said would make it easier for corporate computer
networks to share vital business information. "The name
Inprise is a way to identify ourselves with new markets, a
new customer base and a new strategy," said Del Yocam,
Borland's chief executive and chairman. "This is a new
company." The company's name will be changed to Inprise on
June 5, pending shareholder approval. It also will get a new
stock symbol, "INPR," on the Nasdaq market.
Borland, based in Scotts Valley, Calif., is best known for
its computer programming languages and tools. Its software
products help professional programmers write other software.
In the early 1980s it grew rapidly and dominated the
software development tools market, once Microsoft's main
cash cow. It was such a threat that it prompted Microsoft
Chairman Bill Gates to write an infamous memo directing his
troops "to kill Philippe," referring to Borland founder
Philippe Kahn.
But Borland stumbled badly in the early 1990s by making
several unwieldy acquisitions. Microsoft also countered
Borland's gains by slashing prices of its own development
tools, forcing Borland to follow. Until last year, Borland
had been reporting plummeting sales and big losses for
several years. To find new sources of revenue, Borland has
acquired smaller software companies that specialize in
middleware, a $2 billion software market that is growing at
about 40 percent a year, according to market researcher
International Data Corp.
"Borland is a great tools company, but they had been stuck
there" because of competition with Microsoft, said Ted
Schadler, senior analyst at market researcher Forrester
Research. "The middleware market is growing so quickly that
they have good prospects." Yocam said he planned to double
his company's revenue in three years to about $500 million a
year, with at least 50 percent of sales coming from its new
product lines. The company also said it established a
services unit that will help big companies write software
based on its new products.
Ameritech Raises Internet Access Rates
Ameritech said today effective June 1 it will raise the
price of unlimited access to the Internet via its
Ameritech.net service, with the new monthly rate increased
to $21.95 from $19.95. The annual price for unlimited access
will rise to $213 -- equivalent to $17.75 a month -- from
$189. The basic monthly rate of $8.95 for 10 hours of usage
will remain unchanged, Ameritech said.
Prices for Ameritech's unlimited access using ADSL
(asymmetric digital subscriber line) or ISDN (integrated
services digital network) technology remain unchanged at
$49.95 a month. Ameritech joins other Internet Service
Providers in raising rates or changing price programs.
America Online, also raised its monthly rate to $21.95 from
$19.95 in February. "We have to keep up with the
marketplace, but really we've invested a great deal in our
Internet network," said Ameritech spokesman Geoff Potter.
Ameritech said it will increase its investment in its
Internet access network by 66 percent over 1997, to upgrade
its infrastructure in order to keep up with increased usage.
Potter said the company does not disclose actual investment
numbers. The number of Ameritech.net subscribers has doubled
in the past six months, the company said, and average
session length per customer has grown by 30 percent.
In addition, Ameritech has invested in 24-hour-a-day
customer service and technical support for its Internet
access customers. The company said it increased its service
center staff by about 50 percent over the past six months.
Digital Copyright Bill Moves Ahead In U.S. Senate
Legislation to protect copyright material on the Internet
passed the Senate Judiciary Committee after a series of
amendments soothed groups that had threatened to block the
measure. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act would
implement two international treaties adopted in 1996 by the
World Intellectual Property Organization to protect
everything from software to movies and music available
online.
Once the implementing legislation is adopted, the Senate can
proceed to formally ratify the treaties. Committee Chairman
Orrin Hatch said after the vote that he would move for swift
passage by the full Senate. A similar bill is pending in the
House of Representatives but that version lacks many of the
compromises incorporated into the Senate bill. "It is
essential to protecting American creativity abroad," the
Utah Republican said.
Opposition to the bill had centered around provisions making
online service providers liable for copyright infringements
and a section prohibiting disabling of hardware or software
anti-copying protection. But new language added to the bill
pleased high-tech groups that had opposed earlier versions.
"The current Senate language strikes the proper balance,"
said Rhett Dawson, president of the Information Technology
Industry Council. Gary Klein, vice president at the
Electronic Industries Alliance, said that while the
amendments appeared to rectify flaws in the bill, his group
would need to see language from the committee in a report
that will accompany the bill.
"If the report language is satisfactory, we have agreed not
to actively oppose the bill," he said. Sen. Pat Leahy,
Democrat of Vermont, and Sen. John Ashcroft, Republican of
Missouri, worked to draft the revised online liability
section. The amended provision included four "safe harbors"
granting online service providers immunity from liability
for copyright infringements by others over their networks.
Trying to Turn Usenet Sites Into Profit Centers
If Deja News and Talkway are right, there's a big new
revenue opportunity in old communities. The two companies
hope that by opening up the often-arcane world of Usenet
computer bulletin board groups to the Web, they'll be able
to find profits where other community-builders have found
only red ink.
"The hardest thing about creating an online community is
building critical mass," says Rich Simoni, Talkway's vice
president of technology. Next month, Talkway
(http://www.talkway.com) will launch a Web-based gateway to
15,000 of the most active Usenet groups, each of which has
its own built-in constituency. Deja News ( based in Austin,
Texas, was the first company to identify the commercial
potential of colonizing the 20-year-old Usenet system of
Internet message posting. It set up a searchable archive of
Usenet posts in 1995 and has been adding features rapidly,
including the ability to customize a view of Usenet, and,
this week, spam-free email from WhoWhere.
But the niche that Talkway and Deja News have identified is
a small one, and analysts aren't sure of its potential
profitability. "It's a fairly specialized space," observes
Chris Charron at Forrester Research. "There's not room for
that many players, and it's pretty dependent on advertising
and commerce deals. But I do give both companies points for
making Usenet easier to use."
Sunnyvale, California-based Talkway is optimistic about
selling highly targeted ads around Usenet content for
premium rates-up to $80 per 1,000 ad impressions. And it has
signed commerce deals with companies like Barnes & Noble and
Cyberian Outpost. Users of the Talkway service will see book
recommendations, for example, that are tied to the topics of
the groups they participate in.
Talkway offers Java and HTML Web language versions of a
newsreader that lets users easily participate in Usenet.
(Talkway is still beta-testing its product.) It's designed,
according to marketing director Carlos Tribino, to be a sort
of Usenet Yahoo, guiding users to a Seinfeld group, for
example, without requiring them to know that the group's
official name is alt.tv.seinfeld. From there, users can post
messages, read messages posted by others, and even rate the
posts they read.
With Talkway, you can label a post as "spam," "adult,"
"flame," or "thumbs up," to help guide fellow users. And
Tribino points out that Talkway uses Usenet's native NNTP
protocol, unlike Deja News, so posts show up faster on the
system. Deja News is enjoying its first-mover advantage,
though. Marketing vice president David Wilson says his
company has already attracted 4.5 million users, and plans
to continue adding new features rapidly. Deja News also
plans to add non-Usenet content to its database.
"You can expect us to pick up and aggregate more and more
discussion sources," says Wilson. "Usenet is not going to be
the only source of discussion to Deja News." And he doesn't
sound cowed by Talkway's imminent entry into his niche.
"They will be some sort of competition," Wilson says
dubiously, before scoffing at Talkway's mention of $80
cost-per-thousand ad rates: "That's really stretching the
upper bounds." He added that Deja News would continue to
rely on banner advertising for the bulk of its revenue, and
expected to be profitable soon. Both Deja News and Talkway
are privately held companies.
For its part, Talkway doesn't think it will be competing
head-to-head with Deja News once it launches. "We see our
service as different from Deja News," explains Tribino.
"Talkway is about real-time participation, not searching
Usenet. We have a great search tool, but it's only a means
to an end. That end is to make it easy and friendly for
people to participate in Usenet."
Charron at Forrester sees that as a noble goal. "As the Web
audience becomes more diverse, in terms of technical
expertise and background, they'll need a simpler interface
to Usenet, and both of these companies provide that," he
says. But like all advertising-dependent companies, Charron
expects Talkway and Deja News to stagger-rather than
stride-toward profitability.
"I don't think opening up Usenet is going to be like
striking gold," he says. "It's difficult to make money
through advertising, and these companies will have to endure
some red ink for a while." They'll also have to learn how to
introduce ads and sponsorships to Usenet without offending
the sensibilities of a traditionally anti-advertising
populace. Marc Smith, a sociologist at the University of
California, Los Angeles who studies Usenet culture, says
that Deja News and Talkway aren't the first companies to
make Usenet more accessible. The biggest influx of new
users, according to Smith, happened when America Online
granted Usenet access to its subscriber base. "That was the
biggest tsunami ever to hit Usenet," Smith says.
But he applauds the introduction of more sophisticated tools
for searching and participating in Usenet. "Tools like this
are great," Smith says. "Usenet would not go away without a
Web front-end, but the merger of the Web and Usenet bodes
well for both. The Web needs Usenet for content."
Deja News Has Plan to Bolster "Spam" Defenses
In response to customer complaints of spammers "harvesting"
private email addresses from its postings, the Web-based
Usenet service Deja News is providing free buffer email
accounts to its users. By creating Deja News-specific mail
accounts, the service says it can filter spam using those
addresses. Since last December, the service has been
filtering spam from Usenet postings - which can be as much
as two-thirds of postings, Deja News says -- and will apply
similar filters to the new email service.
The hope, said David Wilson, Deja News vice president of
marketing, is that Usenet posters will no longer exclude
their email address or use a mangled address to fend off
spammers. And "if spam does get through, at least it won't
get through to their permanent email address," Wilson said.
He emphasized that though the free email can be used for
general purpose correspondence, the move is not meant as an
entry into the ever-expanding free email market.
Disney's On the Web Prowl
Fee fi fo fum. Look out Web, here Disney comes. The Walt
Disney Co. is making a big play for the Internet, one that
could push aside already established Internet brands and
lead to more subscription-based sites on the Web. Though
it's been criticized for being slow to embrace the Internet
at first, lately the company's been marching into cyberspace
with gusto. Thursday, Disney signed a deal to purchase the
final stake in Starwave, a company that manages Web traffic
and runs sites such as ESPN SportsZone.com and ABC News.com.
And on Tuesday, CEO Michael Eisner said Disney plans to
partner with a company to become a gateway to the Web.
"That's definitely in the future," said Diane Passarelli, a
spokeswoman for the Disney Online division, though she
declined to elaborate. "We want to make it easier for people
to go online, to get services they now get from other
outlets." Disney already holds a gateway position in the
television arena through its ownership of Capitol Cities
Communications Inc., which runs the ABC network.
A TV-like Web And some analysts think the Web of the future
will resemble television more closely, with only a handful
of network-like gateways where people go first, to get
things like news and weather before going off to roam the
Net. "There will be two or three places where people start
at on the Web," Alexis DePlanque, senior research analyst at
Meta Group, said. "If you can lock in mindshare, then you
can leverage that to make money later."
Indeed, portals are power -- or at least they have the
potential to be -- as more and more companies are
discovering. Heavyweights such as Microsoft Corp. and
Netscape Communications Corp. already have announced plans
to provide their own gateways, from which they can direct
traffic to their other Web sites. In addition to its
proposed gateway, Disney also can direct people online
through its traditional entertainment ventures, theme parks,
and networks -- and sell its product on the Internet.
"It'll attract a lot of mainstream people to the Web," Zona
Research Inc. analyst Jim Balderston said. "Who knows better
than Disney how to leverage content? These guys are masters
at cross-promotion." Show Mickey the money Disney's
increased move into the online arena also could spark more
subscription-based sites. Already the company runs Disney's
Daily Blast, one of the only kids sites to charge for
content.
And the company eventually could leverage more of its
authentic Disney characters -- as well as sought-after sites
such as SportsZone and ABC News -- into cybercash. The
company's current online ventures include Disney Daily
Blast, the Starwave ventures, and Disney.com -- a site
launched in 1996, where the company updates viewers on
Disney news, sells products, and entertains kids with
activities such as chats with Jiminy Cricket. The company's
online ventures make up the most-visited conglomeration of
mainstream sites on the Web.
But until recently, Disney has waited on the sidelines while
smaller Internet-based firms -- such as Yahoo!, Infoseek and
AOL -- made major inroads into the Web. That's not an
unusual scenario in cyberspace. "Once they cut the path and
take all the lumps and get bit by the alligators and snakes,
guess who's going to follow them up the river? Companies
like Disney," Balderston said. Now that Disney has
discovered the Web is an environment where companies can
survive, and even thrive, it's making it a priority.
A guessing game CEO Eisner's announcement that it would soon
partner with a major Internet company has sparked a guessing
game in the industry. Scoring Disney would be a major coup
for any up-and-coming Internet company because of the
company's high-profile brand name. And it could spell
trouble for those left out of the deal. "Really, the
question is not what can Disney offer these companies? But
what are these companies going to offer Disney?" Meta
Group's DePlanque said.
Potential partners include: Infoseek, a company that could
provide Disney with much-coveted searching technology;
Yahoo!, which would give Disney plenty of eyeballs; or even
Netscape, which recently announced its own plans to become
more consumer-focused even as its strikes its own deals with
major search companies.
But others aren't so sure that Disney has what it takes.
Viacom already has made a strong play in the children's
online market with its Nickelodeon unit, teaming up with AOL
for the America Online Kids Only Channel. One source at AOL
said Disney needs to buy a large company, not just partner
with one, if it wants to become a major player.
Apple To Launch New PowerBooks This Week
Apple Computer is expected to introduce a new line of
PowerBook computers at a press conference Wednesday, in a
much-needed refreshment of its current notebook computer
line, analysts said. Apple will introduce new Powerbooks
designed around its G3 processor - code-named Wall Street --
with a wide range of options and prices expected to start
around $2,250 for the lowest-cost model.
The systems will also include the fastest PowerBook to date,
with a 292 megahertz PowerPC chip. "They haven't refreshed
them since November," said Lou Mazzucchelli, a Gerard Klauer
Mattison & Co analyst. There could be all sorts of other
stuff too," Mazzucchelli said, adding that Apple could also
unveil another online store, but one targeted specifically
to the education market.
"It would allow teachers and school systems to build to
order (Apple products) on the Web," he said. Apple has had
some success selling Macintoshes and other products over the
Internet at its Apple Online store since November. "It will
stem the defection, certainly," Mazzucchelli said of Apple's
declining share of the education market.
A spokesman for the Cupertino, Calif.-based company declined
to comment on unannounced products. Apple may also provide
more details about its acquisition on Monday of some video
editing technology from Macromedia, which analysts said they
believe is "Final Cut," Macromedia's video editing suite.
Apple did not provide any details in a statement late Monday
on the acquisition, except to say that it acquired
technology from Macromedia to enhance future versions of its
QuickTime multimedia content authoring and playback
software. Daniel Kunstler, a J.P. Morgan analyst, said Apple
could also provide some details on its anticipated consumer
products for later this year, but he added that he is only
speculating.
Intuit Says Mac Quicken Version Born Again
Intuit Tuesday announced it would continue to support and
develop Quicken for the Macintosh, reversing an announcement
made just weeks ago. In April, Intuit stunned Mac loyalists
and fueled the speculation of Apple doomsayers when it said
it would discontinue development for the Mac of the world's
most popular personal finance software. Intuit credited the
reversal to a dazzling presentation by Apple execs: "Now,
having seen what Apple is planning for consumer products,
we're thrilled to announce renewed support for the
Macintosh," said Intuit senior vice president Mark Goines in
a statement. The announcement bolsters the credibility of
Apple interim CEO Steve Jobs, who two weeks ago assured
Apple shareholders that he would bring Intuit back into the
fold. "We didn't get into Intuit's face and tell them how we
plan to re-enter the consumer market," he said, before
making assurances that he would do just that.
PDA Sales Boom
While there has been a lot of talk about handheld IT
products, both computers and PDAs, up until Q4, the market
was not that larger nor robust. However, since that time
sales volumes have continued to grow, not by percentages,
but multiples over prior year numbers. This astounding
growth has created a true business for the companies that
participate, and one in particular.
Looking at sales growth, most of our InfoBead Insider
indices look at growth rates between 10 and 40 percent,
however in the most recent quarter, sales of handhelds were
400 percent of Q1 1997 volumes! This shows that the market
is still in an upward vortex, and I don't expect the
purchase index to drop under 2.0 until Q4 of this year at
the latest.
What's also really interesting in the handheld market, is
that vendor positioning is not behaving as it normally does
in such a dynamic market. Usually in very fast growth
markets, share tends to be somewhat spread out among a
number of vendors. Sometimes it's a case of lack of
manufacturing capacity for a single firm, and sometimes it's
the inevitable product leapfrogs that occur as more and more
vendors are drawn by one of the few IT markets, where 100
percent growth is a disaster, not a blessing.
But that's not the case here. 3COM/USR's Pilot line has
consistently had share at or near 50 percent of the market.
In point of fact, the company has been above 50 percent for
the last four months running. Only Sharp has shown the
ability to challenge, and that happened only in the month of
February. Other than that, no competitor has been able to
consistently drive share above 15 percent for more than a
month or two. Is this another Microsoft? Will Pilot become
to PDAs what Kleenex are to Tissues? Only time will tell,
and you can bet that I'll be watching how this part of the
business shapes up at InfoBead Insider.
Oscar Winner Titanic's Special Effects Dramatize Sizzle of
Alpha Power
For Business Computing
Digital Overshadows SGI's Hollywood Presence
They may not realize it, but the millions of movie-goers
thrilled by Titanic, which captured the Oscar for Best
Special Effects, have seen the future of special effects
wizardry. Further, Titanic's jaw-dropping special effects
provide compelling evidence of a dramatic shift in
Hollywood's choice of computing tools, on which
audience-appealing cinematic effects increasingly depend.
Titanic, history's biggest box office hit and winner of 11
Oscars, vividly illustrates how Digital Equipment
Corporation), Maynard, Mass., is quickly becoming the first
vendor to successfully challenge Silicon Graphics (SGI) in
the technology-hungry computer generated imaging (CGI)
market. Many of the now-famous "How did they do that?!"
special effects were made possible by image rendering and
film compositing solutions based on Digital's 64-bit Alpha
computing platform.
"Digital congratulates everyone associated with Titanic,"
said Jesse Lipcon, Digital vice president, UNIX and OpenVMS
Systems Business Unit. "It's fitting the film that smashed
all-time box office records should showcase the blockbuster
performance of Digital's Alpha technology. Titanic
demonstrates clearly the performance and reliability
advantages of our 64-bit solutions." Ironically, in an era
when audiences have come to equate special effects with
images such as super-realistic aliens and human morphing,
Titanic may for the first time call attention to what many
see as the next wave of special effects -- those the viewer
can't perceive, such as Titanic passengers strolling on
deck, gorgeous sunset backgrounds, and the din of the engine
room. These and other "invisible" special effects in Titanic
were created using some of the world's most powerful
computing applications.
Lipcon added, "Hollywood is just one of the many places
showcasing Digital Alpha systems. Look behind the scenes and
you'll find Alpha speeding complex data mining, powering
compute-intensive data modeling, and driving many of the
world's largest and most popular Websites." For example, the
same level of performance Alpha delivers to
technology-hungry CGI creators also enables corporate
managers to make split-second business decisions based on
"mining" of competitive gems from massive, diverse data
stores.
To meet its film debut deadline, Hollywood's Digital Domain
studios, which oversaw the entire CGI production for
Titanic, came to Digital. "When you look at the grand scenes
of the ship in Titanic, you're not seeing just a picture
filmed by a camera - you're also seeing hundreds of
gigabytes of data," said Scott Ross, president and CEO of
Digital Domain. "Without the Alpha systems, we knew that
compositing the frames would take far too much time. In
film-making, as in any other business, time is money, and
that's why we chose the Alpha platform."
The computing power of Alpha is enabling CGI staffs across
Hollywood and beyond to be more creative and work faster and
at lower cost than ever before. In addition to Digital
Domain, creator of Titanic, Terminator 2-3D, Apollo 13 and
many other feature films, such studios as Kodak Cinesite
(Sphere, Jerry Maguire, Space Jam, Batman & Robin) and Santa
Barbara Studios (An American Werewolf in Paris) are moving
rapidly to exploit the performance advantages of Alpha for
some of computing's most taxing applications. Other studios
include Threshold Entertainment, Area 51, indimension3, Mass
Illusions, and Netter Digital, which is producing all the
new episodes of the TV series Babylon5 with special effects
powered by Alpha.
Building a ship the size of Titanic is a massive
undertaking, whether on a sound stage or on a computer. To
render the visual effects of the ship and its thousands of
passengers during Titanic post-production, Alpha-based
workstations and server systems crunched through terabytes
of data. Digital Domain relied on the power of more than 200
Alpha processors running 24 hours a day for two straight
months, averaging an astounding 800 million computer
instructions per second.
Looking to the future, the advent of new media, such as
high-definition television, or HDTV, and the
"digitalization" of the broadcast studio, requires a level
of computing performance available today only from Alpha.
For example, many broadcasters are implementing the "virtual
set," eliminating the need for expensive studio sets for
programs such as sports analysis programs, talk shows, and
other productions. By rendering a backdrop in real- time,
solving parallax and "front/back" issues with a computer,
they can generate electronically a very realistic,
economical, easily altered "set."
Only Digital offers both UNIX and Windows NT rendering
solutions. Digital is the only player in the plug-and-play
rendering market of SGI compatible UNIX systems that also
offers a Windows NT solution using the same system.
Customers can purchase a Digital UNIX Alpha solution today
knowing that, if they decide to implement a Windows NT
rendering solution in the future, the same Alpha hardware
can run Windows NT applications.
Software providers such as Softimage, Discreet Logic,
Silicon Grail, Cinema Graphics, Eyeon Software, Lambsoft,
Modern Cartoons, and others are porting to Alpha systems on
Digital UNIX or Windows NT for the power and value Alpha
solutions give their customers. Digital Equipment
Corporation, recognized for product and service excellence,
is a leading supplier of high-performance, Web-based
computing solutions that help enterprises compete in the
global marketplace. Digital gives its customers a winning
Internet advantage through a comprehensive portfolio of
Internet solutions based on award-winning systems, advanced
networking infrastructure, innovative software, and industry
applications - including those from business partners. The
expertise and experience of Digital employees help customers
plan, design, implement, manage and support Internet
solutions in countries throughout the world. For the latest
company information, visit Digital on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.digital.com and/or http://www.newsdesk.com
The e-home: It's the Shelter of the Future
The home of the future will be packed with cool bells and
whistles, many of which will be nestled tidily behind walls
and powered by high-bandwidth wires and souped-up circuit
boards. The future promises faster Internet links, networked
computers that talk with intelligent appliances,
conveniences, energy savers and devices to keep family
members entertained and connected, experts say.
Here's a glimpse at some features of the home of the future,
coming to a home near you in an estimated three to seven
years: *Virtual birthday parties with faraway relatives and
friends would be possible courtesy a TV video conferencing
system connected to the Internet via high-speed wires.
*Intelligent appliances would be able to communicate with
the home computer network if its task is complete, or if the
appliance malfunctions. For instance, the basement clothes
dryer would be able to alert the person watching an upstairs
PC or TV that the clothes are dry. Sensors would detect an
extra dirty wash load, and compensate with added cleaning
power.
*Lights and audio systems would be controlled by a central
touchpad, and also would be adjusted by a remote control.
The home's control center would be alerted when owners leave
the house, automatically reducing the thermostat. *The
control center would be able to communicate with outside
entities such as the National Weather Service, so that when
rain is forecast, the homeowner would be alerted and the
sprinkler system could be turned off and the windows closed
remotely.
Here it comes "We're envisioning home automation, home
monitoring and security, inventory and shopping aids, and
intelligent books, games and appliances," said Ken Lim,
senior futurist for CyberMedia Convergence Consulting in
Cupertino, Calif. Lim next month will release his
"Interactive Opportunities in the Home, 2001" research about
the home of the future. Technology and appliance companies,
as well as such universities as Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, are studying the possibilities and are working
with manufacturers to make the house of the future a
reality.
Some technologies, such as speedy networks and high-tech
entertainment systems, are now being installed in high-end
new constructions. In the future, even median-income homes
will have their own ethernets, with connections for
computers in the kitchen, the home office, children's
bedrooms and the family room. The kitchen computer could
bring up handy dinner recipes after the cook types in
available ingredients, while the student can seek homework
help over the Internet.
Give me more time "I want computing to take the tedium out
of my day and leave me with the good stuff -- like more time
for my family or for entertainment," said Suze Woolf, group
program manager for Microsoft's home of the future
prototyping team. Microsoft displayed futuristic vignettes
at Comdex and Windows World last week in Chicago. High-speed
lines such as 1394 or coaxial will be wired to universal
outlets throughout the house. Some companies are working on
retrofitting copper "twisted-pair" wire for high-bandwidth
usage, or developing wireless networks using radio
frequencies, thereby eliminating the need for rewiring an
existing house.
Beyond high-speed local-area networks, or LANs, those
developing futuristic plans think the next step is to
develop user interfaces between intelligent appliances and
the networks. "That's farther out in the future than
networks," Woolf said. An example might be using a "low
footprint" operating system such as Windows CE, which might
connect the network to an intelligent washing machine. When
a load of wash is "out of balance," a message may appear on
the computer network, alerting the homeowner.
Refrigerators can't crash Lim warns that consumers won't
tolerate computer crashes that disable the household. "I
think PCs are incapable of doing (a home network). They are
not robust enough to handle multiple elements," Lim said.
"The network needs to be bulletproof -- as reliable as a
refrigerator or phone. How often do they crash?" Bringing
intelligent appliances and other technologies mainstream are
three to seven years down the road, according to experts.
While high-tech wiring and technologies are currently only
afforded by the rich, systems for the future will be
targeted to middle-income households and will be
conventional installations for new home construction.
A home multimedia system, which combines DVD, Web browsing,
gaming, and high-speed data and telephone capabilities is
well on its way to manufacturing this summer, according to
Jeff Minushkin, president of Multimedia Convergence Corp., a
Chicago-based technology firm. MCC is developing the TV
set-top device for a high-profile manufacturer, to be
disclosed next month, and will retail for less than $500, he
said. Buying separate WebTV boxes, gaming devices and DVD
players today would cost more than $1,000. Screen phones in
1999 Coming within 12 to 18 months are video screen phones,
which would sell for $500 initially and $300 by Christmas of
1999, Lim said. The screens would be 3x5 or 6x9 inches.
"We're headed in a lot of directions for the home of the
future," Lim said. "What you'll need is one device to handle
the multiple elements. A simple and cheap network is
important."
MIT Is Planning House of the Future
Massachusetts Institute of Technology is teaming up with
technology industry giants to map out the home of the
future. In their sites they envision five to seven prototype
homes to be built worldwide by 2001, which will shape the
future of architecture, building materials and home-based
technology. MIT, which will make public next month its
partnerships with key companies such as Microsoft Corp.
(MSFT), Intel Corp. (INTC), Siemens, Procter.
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EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
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Contents
Don't Block Windows 98, Say Vendors Distance Education Threatens Small Regional
Colleges
Amazon.com Acquires Movie Site Power Companies Want To Be Internet
Powerhouses
Internet Use On Company Time CIOs Say E-Mail Is Key To Future Business
Kodak Teams With Intel For Digital Imaging Disney Buys Starwave
Another FAQ On Essay Contest Eligibility Congress Authorizes Internet Fee Collection
Senate Committee Moves Forward On Online FCC To Scrutinize School Wiring Funds
(c) Bill
Miller Publishing Gets Wired Excite Inks Deal With Netscape
Lycos Links With AT&T Economist Predicts Y2K Problem Will Cause
Recession
@Home To Sell Pay-Per-Play CD-ROMs IMS Standards For Online Course Materials
Intuit Reverses Decision On Mac Quicken RealNetworks Denies Its Audio Streams Can
Be Recorded
Intel To Build Research Facility In China Dell, Cisco And U S West Team Up On PCs
With Speedy Modems
Compaq Plans Job Cuts Apple iMacs, New PowerBooks Hit The Market
AT&T Gets Excited Too
DON'T BLOCK WINDOWS 98, SAY VENDORS
Twenty-six computer industry executives, including the chairmen of Intel Corp., Micron
Electronics, Dell Computer, Compaq Computer and Hewlett-Packard, have signed a joint letter
urging the Department of Justice not to block the planned release of Microsoft's Windows 98
operating system. "Interfering with the release of Windows 98 would drag down the entire
industry's efforts to deliver value to customers and returns to shareholders," said the
letter. The executives were careful to point out that they weren't expressing "any opinion
on the merits of the investigation of Microsoft." The upgrade is expected to be shipped to
computer makers in mid-May and hit retail shelves on June 25. "The bottom line is, no
computer manufacturer can afford to harm their relationship with Microsoft," says the
president of the Software Publishers Association. "When Microsoft calls and asks them to
write a letter to Justice, they're hard-pressed not to." (Los Angeles Times 1 May 98)
DISTANCE EDUCATION THREATENS SMALL REGIONAL COLLEGES
Small regional colleges are seeing a lucrative source of income - continuing education
courses that fill otherwise empty classrooms in the evening -- threatened by distance
learning programs offered by larger, more well-known research universities. "The question
is, How much more depth is there to the graduate and retraining market for everyone to
succeed?" says the president of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Colleges and
Universities. "Private colleges have certain advantages -- one being that they have been in
a particular market for years. But a small institution, all by itself, can never compete
with the range of courses and convenient times that Penn State can offer, all with the
support of state taxpayers." Meanwhile, Penn State's associate VP for distance education
says Penn has no desire to "replicate well-established programs" offered by small schools
in its state. "If we took that approach, students would pick the local institution over
us." The university is planning to offer some 25 certificate programs via distance
education with an enrollment of 5,000 students by 2003. (Chronicle of Higher Education 1
May 98)
AMAZON.COM ACQUIRES MOVIE SITE
Amazon.com has acquired three Internet businesses: the Internet Movie Database, which it
plans to use as its initial entry point into online video sales, and European book
retailers Bookpages and Telebook, which it will use to crack the European book market. Last
week, the company announced it was developing an online music store to meet the demand for
compact disks. (Financial Times 27 Apr 98)
POWER COMPANIES WANT TO BE INTERNET POWERHOUSES
Power companies are eyeing the Internet, hoping for a chance to use their long-held
physical rights of way to deliver telecommunications services. Thursday, Interpath
Communications, a subsidiary of Carolina Power & Light, announced it would merge with
TriNet Services, a consulting and Internet development firm. "We are seeing companies with
rights of way use them for telecommunications purposes in the Internet space," says an
industry consultant. "Carolina broadened themselves from being a bandwidth or pipe, to
being a provider of professional services. CP&L is following the lead of companies such as
The Williams Co., which used its massive gas pipeline to string the fiber network that was
later sold to WorldCom as WilTel. (Computer Reseller News 30 Apr 98)
INTERNET USE ON COMPANY TIME
A survey by Elron Software, developers of a program that allows companies to track the hits
to every Web site visited by employees, found that 68% of workers logged on to pornographic
sites at work, far more than other non-work-related categories such as news gambling and
sports. Elron also found that just like subscribers to Playboy who claim they only read the
articles, most employees say they use the Internet for business research. News sites were
second at 30%, even though some employees need access to these sites for their work.
(Toronto Star 30 Apr 98)
CIOs SAY E-MAIL IS KEY TO FUTURE BUSINESS
"E-mail used to be a convenience computing tool," said the CIO of engineering firm Fluor.
"Now interoperability is the theme; it's critical for messaging in the millennium." Other
panelists at the Electronic Messaging Association conference last week agreed, pointing out
that centralized directories would become more critical for electronic commerce, security
and single sign-on. But before that happens there are several problems to solve, they
agreed, including garbled attachments, gateway management tools, authentication and error
messages. "If the error messages were in plain English, end users could figure them out
without having to call the help desk," said the U.S. Agriculture Dept.'s Anne Thomson Reed,
chairwoman of the messaging interoperability committee for the Federal CIO Council.
(InternetWeek 30 Apr 98)
KODAK TEAMS WITH INTEL FOR DIGITAL IMAGING
Eastman Kodak has cut a deal with Intel Corp. to jointly develop and market digital imaging
products, sharing patent licenses on products and splitting the cost of updating Kodak
photofinishing labs with Intel equipment. The move expands an alliance begun in March 1997,
when the two companies agreed to use each other's technology in digital imaging. Kodak and
Intel plan to spend as much as $150 million over the next three years building the consumer
market for digital imaging products. (New York Times 1 May 98)
DISNEY BUYS STARWAVE
Walt Disney Co., which already owns a third of Starwave Corp., is buying the remaining
two-thirds of the multimedia company and plans to incorporate it into its Buena Vista
Internet Group. Sixty-seven percent of Starwave is currently owned by Microsoft co-founder
and high-tech entrepreneur Paul Allen and Starwave employees. The two companies already
operate several joint ventures, including the ABCNEWS.com and ESPN SportsZone Web sites.
Disney chairman and CEO Michael Eisner says his company plans to be an "aggressive
competitor" on the Internet. (Wall Street Journal 1 May 98)
ANOTHER FAQ ON ESSAY CONTEST ELIGIBILITY
There continues to be uncertainty about whether an entrant to our Student Essay Contest
(see below for contest details) has to be enrolled as a student on the date the contest
ends. The answer is NO. The main purpose of the eligibility requirement is simply to
indicate that the contest is NOT intended for professional writers, senior executives, etc.
Rather, the contest IS intended for people of all ages who are enrolled full-time or
part-time in a formal learning program. Thus, if we get an essay from, let's say, Mr. Bill
Gates, we will read it with interest, but we will NOT consider it eligible for the $1,000
prize -- even if his entry is articulate, well-reasoned, insightful, and compelling. (And,
for the record, we're sure it would be.)
CONGRESS AUTHORIZES INTERNET FEE COLLECTION
Congress has retroactively authorized the collection of a $15 fee as part of Internet
domain name registration, money that was then deposited in the Intellectual Infrastructure
Fund. The fund, which was created in 1995 in an agreement between the National Science
Foundation and Network Solutions, is now worth about $56 million. Twenty-three million
dollars of that fund has been earmarked for Next Generation Internet projects. The money
has been tied up in a lawsuit filed by the American Internet Registrants Association, a
group of Internet service companies, which charged that the fee was actually a tax, being
illegally collected without Congressional approval. "It's nice to get that money out of
legal limbo," says Educom president Robert C. Heterick, Jr. (Chronicle of Higher Education
8 May 98)
FCC TO SCRUTINIZE SCHOOL WIRING FUNDS
The Federal Communications Commission, which created the U.S. Schools and Libraries Corp.
to administer the wiring of U.S. schools for Internet connections, is beefing up its
oversight of the new corporation as it begins to distribute funds to applicants. The
Schools and Libraries Corp. has asked for $2.02 billion to be paid out this year to schools
and libraries that have applied for funding. The General Accounting Office recently
criticized the FCC for over stepping its authority when it created the Schools and
Libraries Corp. and the commission is now expected to announce plans for overhauling the
corporation's administrative structure. (Wall Street Journal 4 May 98)
MILLER PUBLISHING GETS WIRED
Wired magazine has been sold to Miller Publishing Group LLC for a reported price of $74
million. Miller also owns the alternative music magazine, Spin. Wired previously had tried
twice to launch an initial public offering, both of which were canceled. Co-founder Louis
Rossetto resigned as CEO last July, and in September gave up the post of magazine publisher
as well. (San Jose Mercury News 4 May 98)
EXCITE INKS DEAL WITH NETSCAPE
Online directory service Excite will pay Netscape Communications $70 million for the
privilege of providing some of the search services that Netscape plans to make available to
users of its home page. Excite hopes to recoup the investment through advertising on the
pages it delivers to people using its search engine. Any ad revenue generated beyond the
$70 million will be shared by the two companies. The alliance between the two companies is
aimed at unseating Yahoo!, which ranks as the most popular site on the Web. At the end of
the two-year deal, Netscape and Excite could revert to full-fledged competitors, as both of
them number among the top five most heavily trafficked sites on the Web. (New York Times 5
May 98)
LYCOS LINKS WITH AT&T
Search engine software maker Lycos is joining forces with AT&T WorldNet Service to provide
Web search and other services to WorldNet customers. On Thursday, Lycos agreed to pay $39.7
million for WiseWire, an Internet software company whose technology will enable Lycos to
improve its searchcapabilities. "We are continuing to... narrow the distance between us and
Yahoo! and AOL," says Lycos's CEO. Lycos currently ranks eighth in most frequently visited
Web sites, trailing fellow search engines Excite and Infoseek. (Investor's Business Daily 5
May 98)
ECONOMIST PREDICTS Y2K PROBLEM WILL CAUSE RECESSION
In an op-ed piece, Edward Yardeni, chief economist and managing director of Deutsche Morgan
Grenfell says that problems arising from the Year 2000 computer glitch could cause a major
recession, as businesses fail and government agencies become incapable of delivering basic
services, including tax collection, welfare payments, national defense and air traffic
control: "The likely recession could be at least as bad as the one during 1973-74, which
was caused mostly by a disruption in the supply of oil. Information, stored and manipulated
by computers, is as vital as oil for running modern economies. If information is harder to
obtain, markets will allocate and use resources inefficiently. Market participants will be
forced to spend more time and money obtaining information that was previously available at
little or no cost... Furthermore, a 2000 recession is bound to be deflationary. The U.S.
may experience a $1 trillion drop in nominal GDP and a $1 trillion loss in stock market
capitalization." (Wall Street Journal 4 May 98)
@HOME TO SELL PAY-PER-PLAY CD-ROMs
The @Home Network is planning to launch an online gaming business next year, capitalizing
on its ability to deliver Internet access at higher speeds than many
telephone-line-dependent competitors. The company would store CD-ROM content on its
servers, and subscribers could access that content on a pay-per-play basis. "It's instant
access over a broadband network using a broadband pipe," says the @Home manager for media
development. A trial of the as-yet-unnamed service is planned for the San Francisco area
sometime in late August or September, with commercial launch slated for early 1999.
(Broadcasting & Cable 27 Apr 98)
IMS STANDARDS FOR ONLINE COURSE MATERIALS
Educom's Instructional Management System (IMS) project has released a set of standards
intended to assist software and publishing companies in developing electronic teaching
tools that will work together, regardless of origin. The details of the standards can be
found at http://www.imsproject.org/ . Mark Resmer, director of the IMS project and CIO at
Sonoma State University, says the standards will "foster the development of a market in
online learning." That market is estimated to reach $3.2 billion in sales of online courses
and tools by 2010. (Chronicle of Higher Education 8 May 98)
INTUIT REVERSES DECISION ON MAC QUICKEN
In a sudden about-face, Intuit says it will continue to produce its Quicken personal
financial software for Apple Macintosh machines. A new version will be available in 1999,
and in the meantime, Apple and Intuit will work together to promote Quicken 98, the latest
version of the software. "We're delighted to have Quicken back on the Mac, and we look
forward to working with Intuit on Quicken 98 and new products in 1999," says Apple interim
CEO Steve Jobs. (PC Week Online 6 May 98)
REALNETWORKS DENIES ITS AUDIO STREAMS CAN BE RECORDED
RealNetworks has come under fire from the British Phonographic Industry, which has issued a
warning to broadcasters that music played on the Internet using RealAudio software could be
recorded using a widely available software called Audio Rack. RealNetworks has said its
RealAudio software, which is used by 85% of Internet broadcasters, blocks users from saving
audio streams as digital files. "Because we are not downloading the whole file, the content
is not resident on the hard drive," says RealNetworks' manager of consumer products. But
BPI consultants say they "stand by their assertion that software in their possession will
record RealAudio streams, irrespective of whether the record facility is enabled."
Meanwhile, Virgin FM's webmaster says RealAudio streams could be converted into .wav files
but only at the audio quality set by the Web server. In Virgin's case, that's 28.8 Kbps --
"not the equivalent of burning a CD." (TechWeb 7 May 98)
INTEL TO BUILD RESEARCH FACILITY IN CHINA
Intel is investing $50 million over the next five years to build a research center in
Beijing that will focus on developing Internet technology for Chinese-language
applications. In addition, the company will open a $198 million flash memory chip
fabrication plant in Shanghai this week. (Investor's Business Daily 6 May 98)
DELL, CISCO AND U S WEST TEAM UP ON PCs WITH SPEEDY MODEMS
Dell Computer is teaming up with Cisco Systems and U S West to develop and market PCs with
high-speed ADSL modems that run over ordinary copper telephone wires. The companies say the
package deal -- comprising a Dell Dimension XPS PC, a Cisco modem and U S West ADSL
(asymmetric digital subscriber line) Internet service -- will be available in some U S West
markets this fall. Currently, U S West's ADSL customers must buy and install their modems
at a cost of about $300. "We hear all the time from customers that it's too much work if
they have to put all the equipment together," says a U S West executive director. (Wall
Street Journal 6 May 98)
COMPAQ PLANS JOB CUTS
As part of its restructuring after Compaq Computer's merger with Digital Equipment Corp. is
completed later this year, Compaq reportedly plans to cut 15,000 jobs, or 28% of Digital's
workforce. Although neither company would confirm the number, one executive, who asked to
remain anonymous, says, "It's a real solid number." Analysts speculate that the cuts will
focus on sales and services jobs, and that Compaq might shut down some of Digital's weaker
businesses, like its line of computer workstations. Many of those who lose their jobs will
be targeted for hire by Sun Microsystems, which is building a campus for 4,000 workers
outside Boston, says Massachusetts' economic development director. "Many high-tech
companies are salivating for those workers." (New York Times 7 May 98)
AT&T GETS EXCITED TOO
After announcing a couple of days ago that it was forming a major partnership with Netscape
Communications, Excite Inc. says it's also planning an alliance with AT&T that will allow
the telco to market its WorldNet Internet access service to Excite's online search
directory users. Meanwhile, AT&T also just announced a similar deal with Excite rival
Lycos. The recent flurry of activity reflects the growing consensus that cross-marketing
deals between Internet service providers and so-called Internet portal sites are an
effective way for both parties to grow market share. Similar deals include Sprint Corp.'s
arrangement with Snap! and MCI's agreement with Yahoo!. (Wall Street Journal 6 May 98)
APPLE iMACs, NEW POWERBOOKS HIT THE MARKET
Apple Computer has unveiled its iMac desktop machine, redesigned to appeal to the consumer
market. The iMac sports a modern look, with its monitor, hard drive and stereo speakers all
in one unit. The machine, priced at $1,299, comes with a 4-gigabyte hard drive, 32
megabytes of RAM, a 15-inch monitor, 24X CD-ROM drive and 33.6-Kbps modem. Meanwhile,
Apple's G3 PowerBook has also gotten a makeover, now equipped with a 233-MHz processor,
12-inch screen, 32 MB of RAM, 2-GB hard drive, 20X CD-ROM, for $2,299. The PowerBooks are
available now, and the iMac will ship in 90 days. (Net Insider 7 May 98)
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GOVERNMENT (STATE & FEDERAL)
RUNNING UNCHECKED and DERANGED?
An Opinion
Part 2
By R.F. Mariano
We looked at Bork and Dole (The Dork Twins) last week... If you'll
remember, I remarked that Dole doesn't miss a chance at grabbing
some kind of headlines.... ANY headlines. This week, he jumped up
saying he LIKED Viagra!! I'm so happy for both him and Liz... but
really, must he get on the "male potency" band wagon too? Atta Boy
Bob! Way to go.... Any old port in a storm right Bob? (Yeah, you'll
make a lot of sense someday in the future. Go home Bob, Go home.
Give the Country a break.
Now this week we'll take a look at the new center of controversy on
the Hill. Its none other than Senator Orrin (The Hatchet) Hatch.
This guy takes the cake. He made chair of the Senate's Judicial
Committee and now he consistently tries to influence, rule and/or
preside over Corporate America, Theological America, Philanthropic
America and Politic America.
Cripes!! Why doesn't The Hatchet just come right out and say it...
"I wanna be the newest Dictator, Head Control Freak, going into the
New Millennium!!? There, I said it for hizzoner. It presses my
patience to the limit to see The Hatchet attack Microsoft, The
Executive Branch, The Legislative Branch and the General Electorate
at will and seemingly get away with it. Does this goof wield THAT
much power?
Here's a SENATOR whose BIAS is obviously so brazenly bold that
people are becoming accustomed to his nonsense. Well, I'm not, nor
should you or anybody else allow themselves to be "numbed" by his
goofy actions. Hatch should and must be dealt with at the election
polls. He must, along with the other control freaks, be sent a
resoundingly loud and clear message of "Hands Off... where you know
absolutely nothing of what you speak." Send this goof HOME where he
belongs!
Why is it he has absolutely NOTHING to say about Novell's heavy
hand in the Networking world? Why is it he has yet to say anything
about the manner in which Word Perfect Corp. did business in the
computing community? Because, BOTH companies are from Utah, HIS
HOME STATE!! That's why.
Somewhere it was said what does all this have to do with computing?
Well, dearies... it has a bunch to do with computing and the future
of computing. You see, from the persecution of the President to the
hounding of Microsoft there are so many of the same names. For
example Hatch... Gingrich, Burton, to name a few... folks these
birds are all militantly obvious Republicans out to sink the
Democratic Administration any way they can. If... they succeed in
one area, say... Clinton, then you can bet they'll get their way in
the Microsoft matter. Think about it. Look at Janet (Waco) Reno and
the manner in which the wonderful Attorney General has made certain
that Starr and Klien have done the right thing. In BOTH instances
Her silence is all but deafening.
In the State of Florida, Attorney General Bob Butterworth is also
contemplating "action" against Microsoft. I called and spoke to
their media section and I must admit the gent I spoke to was up on
his current events. I spoke to a J. Bizzaro. I asked pointedly
if they had any idea of the affect both immediate and long term any
actions to delay Win98 would have on the economy of Florida and the
Nation? He said they have been made very well aware of the
possibilities. He continually emphasized that the AG's office was
still only contemplating action and had not done anything yet.
Believe me folks, I made it abundantly clear that any delay of
Win98 would adversely affect small businesses involved in both
hardware and software sales throughout the State. Again, Mr.
Bizzaro made it clear "nothing had been done as of yet". I then
offered the thought; this was an extremely un-wise move on
Butterworth's part since it is an election year and he is seeking
re-election. I hope Butterworth wasn't thinking that any action
taken against Microsoft on his part would help or enhance his
re-election chances. I added. Additionally, I stated that any
politician who did take part in this hounding of Microsoft would
long be remembered if such actions were successful but ultimately,
the economy took a beating.
Political Suicide is exactly what I called it.
Agree? - Disagree? Let us know drop us a line or two at
rmariano@streport.com
ANOTHER LOOK AT TODAY'S EVENTS
WILL CHASE NOW BE GOING FOR CLINTON'S THROAT??
Shares of Mellon BankCorp. jumped late Wednesday on speculation
that Chase Manhattan Corp. is preparing to bid for the bank, which
just turned down a takeover offer from Bank of New York Co. "The
rumor is that Mellon is talking to Chase and that Chase is getting
ready to make a bid," said James Schutz, an analyst at ABN AMRO.
Mellon, which rejected a $24 billion merger proposal from Bank of
New York citing different business philosophies, declined to
comment on rumors or speculation.
BURTON BUSY DEFENDING TAPES
Congressman Dan Burton said Sunday he will release full transcripts
of 54 taped jailhouse conversations made by ex-Clinton confidant
Webster Hubbell. Burton, chairman of the House Government Reform
and Oversight Committee, said "tomorrow we will release the
entirety of the 54 conversations from which we previously made
public only extracts. I believe this will once and for all put the
lie to any accusations of 'editing,' 'doctoring,' or 'out of
context quotation.'" Portions of the tapes and 27 pages of
transcripts from the 1996 conversations were released last week by
Burton. They amounted to about one hour's worth out of the
approximately 150 hours total on the tapes.
REP. BURTON ENDS EFFORT TO WIN WITNESSES' IMMUNITY
Rep. Dan Burton, in hot water for calling the president a "scumbag"
and releasing edited versions of Webster Hubbell's prison
conversations, gave up Tuesday trying to get the committee he
chairs to grant immunity to witnesses in a campaign fund-raising
probe. Burton canceled a House Government Reform and Oversight
Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday after committee
Democrats, who voted unanimously last week to oppose immunity for
four potential witnesses, said they would block it again. A
committee spokesman said the issue would be turned over to the
House Oversight Committee, which has a two-thirds Republican
majority, the number needed to approve witness immunity.
HATCH GRANDSTANDING AGAIN!
The head of the Senate Judiciary Committee predicted Sunday another
independent counsel will soon be named to investigate President
Clinton, this time over alleged campaign finance abuses. Panel
chairman Orrin Hatch said on Fox News Sunday Attorney General Janet
Reno may soon have no choice but to seek a new special prosecutor
because of what he implied may be new evidence of wrongdoing.
Clinton allies meanwhile urged Reno to consider firing Independent
Counsel Kenneth Starr on grounds his investigation of the Clintons'
Whitewater real estate tangle and related matters was out of
control.
THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE NAMES!
More than a dozen Democrats walked out on House Speaker Newt
Gingrich Thursday when he said President Clinton was not above the
law during a speech before the New Hampshire legislature. Gingrich
accused the president's longtime friend Webster Hubbell, indicted
last week on tax evasion charges, of criminal acts when a handful
of the 424 legislators stood up and left. "People can walk out, but
what I'm saying is a fact about a crime," Gingrich said as the
heavily Republican House and Senate membership erupted in applause.
Gingrich defended his speech, saying voters deserve the know the
facts of the case.
BOB DOLE CALLS VIAGRA 'GREAT DRUG'
Former presidential candidate Bob Dole said Thursday he
participated in tests of the new wonder drug for impotence, Viagra,
after winning his battle against prostate cancer. "It's a great
drug. I wish I'd ... bought stock earlier," Dole said on CNN's
"Larry King Live," referring to sharp gains in the stock price of
the drug's manufacturer, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals after the FDA
approval. The Food and Drug Administration approved Viagra in March
after tests on more than 3,000 men showed the drug could help
impotence associated with diabetes, spinal cord injuries and
prostate surgery. Dole told CNN he was in the drugmakers'
"protocol" to test Viagra. "I think it's an effective drug," the
former Senate majority leader said.
D'AMATO FINALLY DOES SOMETHING WORTHWHILE
The Senate approved legislation Friday to create a presidential
advisory commission to look into whether any Holocaust-era assets
were located in the U.S. The commission will research the
collection and disposition of Holocaust-era assets in the U.S. from
1933 to 1945. "We need to know what art, gold, jewelry, bank
accounts and other valuables were taken from Holocaust victims and
ended up in the U.S.," said Senate Banking Committee Chairman
Alfonse D'Amato. The legislation requires the commission to issue
its final report by Dec. 31, 1999. D'Amato has led a campaign to
press Swiss banks to search records for Holocaust assets.
U.S. PHONE CO. GIVES CABLE NETS HIGH-SPEED WEB ACCESS
Frontier Corp. planned to unveil Tuesday at a cable industry trade
show a system that allows cable TV companies to deliver high-speed
Internet access without making costly upgrades to their cable
networks. In an ironic twist, the system is using existing standard
phone lines to provide a crucial link that has previously prevented
many cable operators from offering Internet access. The system
allows cable TV companies to deliver Internet access via existing
one-way cable networks into customer homes while relying on
standard phone lines to transmit data from customer homes to the
outside world.
DUTCH WANT INTERNATIONAL TAX ON INTERNET TRADING
The Dutch government is seeking international tax agreements to
regulate trading through electronic media such as the internet,
Junior Finance Minister Willem Vermeend said in a letter to
Parliament on Tuesday. "The emerging 'internet economy' will have
an indisputable effect on the (Dutch) tax system and on levying
taxes," Vermeend said, adding that this could have budgetary
consequences for the Netherlands in the longer term. The Dutch tax
system should be adjusted to react on new developments in
information and communication technology (ICT) but the Dutch should
also look abroad. "International agreements are necessary regarding
levying taxes on turnover and profits made through electronic
commerce," Vermeend said.
DIGITAL'S ALTAVISTA GOES MULTI-LINGUAL
Digital Equipment Corp. said it has introduced an internet search
engine which supports one-step searching across the entire Web in a
variety of languages, among them Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Digital said in a statement that its AltaVista World Index was
unlike other search engines because it was not limited to those
that use a standard Western encoding known as ISO-Latin-1. The
company said about 30% of the Web was written in languages other
than English, and much of that 30% was in Chinese, Japanese or
Korean. The system also allows users to search for Central
European, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Turkish and other
languages from one location, Digital said.
CIA SAYS MANY UNPREPARED FOR MILLENNIUM GLITCH
Many countries appear ill prepared for the disruption to basic
services that the Year 2000 computer glitch may cause, the head of
the CIA office studying the issue said Tuesday. "We're concerned
about the potential disruption of power grids, telecommunications
and banking services" among other possible fallout, especially in
countries already torn by political tensions, Sherry Burns said.
She said CIA systems engineers and intelligence analysts were
focusing beyond the technical problem of reprogramming computers to
recognize dates when the Millennium dawns on Jan. 1, 2000.
WEB SITE OPENS FOR INTERNATIONAL DISSIDENT AUTHORS
The banned or censored words of five dissidents from China, Kenya,
Algeria, Cuba and Cameroon were the first to be posted Tuesday on a
new web site displaying the works of political activists. The web
site www.dfn.org is published by the Digital Freedom Network, an
international partnership founded in the New York area to fight
censorship and protect human rights. "By putting banned or
restricted material on our site we give dissidents a powerful,
effective way to communicate with people around the world," the
group's executive director Bobson Wong said. He said the collection
of speeches, newspaper articles, essays, poetry and letters written
from prison would include material from 17 countries.
COMPAQ TO CUT 15,000 DIGITAL JOBS, TAKE CHARGE
Compaq Computer Corp. will lay off about 15,000 Digital Equipment
Corp. employees and take a charge of up to $2 billion as a result
of its $9.6 billion takeover of the computer hardware company, a
source said. The cuts represent about 27% of the 54,000 employees
at Digital, which has reduced its staff from a high of 127,000 in
the late 1980s as it struggled for profit. Digital employees have
anticipated the cuts for months and resumes have been flooding
Boston-area computer companies, analysts said. Many Digital
employees do not want to make the move to Houston, home of Compaq.
The combined company will create a high-tech superpower with sales
of nearly $38 billion. That rivals Hewlett-Packard Co's No. 2
ranking in the industry behind IBM Corp.
APPLE UNVEILS "JETSONS"-LIKE MAC FOR $1,299
Apple Computer Inc. unveiled a $1,299 "Jetsons"-like computer aimed
at consumers called the iMac, in a bid to regain its lost position
in the consumer market. Apple also introduced a new line of sleek,
black PowerBook notebook computers designed around its powerful G3
microprocessor, starting at $2,299 and available now. The iMac - in
a dual-toned aqua and clear plastic enclosure, with a carrying
handle at the top - is an all-in-one system, with only an external
keyboard, and a built-in 15-inch monitor. The computer, which will
be available in 90 days, has a 233 megahertz PowerPC chip and comes
with 32 megabytes of memory, a 4-gigabyte hard drive, a built-in
CD-ROM drive and built-in speakers. It does not have a floppy
drive.
IBM TO LAUNCH NEW MAINFRAME
IBM Corp. will announce later Thursday the fifth generation in its
microprocessor-based mainframe family, delivering ahead of schedule
a system more powerful than the company had promised. The new
mainframe family, called the S/390 G5 - the G5 stands for fifth
generation - doubles the performance of IBM's previous G4 models
launched last June, achieving performance of up to 900 million
instructions per second (MIPS) when configured with 10
microprocessors. Analysts said the new systems represent a
significant boost for IBM's competitive position against its two
main competitors in the mainframe business, Hitachi Ltd. and
Fujitsu Ltd. unit Amdahl Corp.
CALIF. ELECTRONIC TRADE GROUP HAS FIRST MEETING
California Gov. Pete Wilson used a mouse Thursday to buy a Mickey
Mouse toy over the Internet in a show of support for the state's
flourishing electronic commerce industry. Wilson, who bought the
crawling "Baby Mickey" from the Internet toy store eToys, told a
group of Silicon Valley executives he was committed to policies
that would "encourage rather than inhibit electronic commerce,"
even if it meant lost tax revenues in the short term. "We don't
want to have any practices in which the government inhibits what we
think has enormous potential. I think it is important that the
government be an ally," he told the Electronic Commerce Advisory
Council.
N.C. POLITICIAN SPAMS VOTERS
Why stump when you can spam? A North Carolina judge, seeking the
Democratic nomination for the state Supreme Court, indiscriminately
sent an e-mail message to every Internet address his campaign could
get its hands on this week, an online practice known as spamming.
The political spam was spread from Internet address
bettergov+foru.com that was set up not to take return mail - a
staple of spamming. It landed at e-mail addresses as North Carolina
voters prepared to go to the polls for party primaries Tuesday.
Martin won't say who sent the e-mail or what computer it was sent
from, but state elections officials fielded complaints from voters
across the state and across the country.
Rumor Monger Drudge at IT Again!
JUSTICE READY TO SOCK GATES, MOVE COULD SPLIT UP COMPANY
BUSINESS WEEK is set to report that the Justice Department is
planning to launch an expansive antitrust action against MSFT --
within days, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned. The report will be
published in Friday's BW and posted on the magazine's web and AOL
sites. The magazine reveals that the agency wants to pounce by May
15, the date on which the software giant is scheduled to start
shipping the Windows 98 operating system to PC makers! Sources
familiar with the Justice Department case have laid out a detailed
plan of attack against the software giant for BUSINESS WEEK.
Barring a last minute settlement -- Gates, Justice Department
antitrust chief Klein and top members of their legal did meet
Tuesday night at an undisclosed location in Washington -- Justice
will charge MSFT with using illegal means to protect its monopoly
in PC operating systems and extend its monopoly power into other
markets. The Feds are prepared to launch a quick court action to
force MSFT to alter Windows 98, which includes a version of the
company's Internet browser, BW reports. They want to force MSFT to
offer a browser-less version of Windows 98 that would be sold at "a
commercially reasonable price" -- meaning less than the version
with the browser. Justice is also toying with several possible ways
to remove the browser. Up until now, BW reports, Justice Department
officials predicted they would not seek a breakup of MSFT. But they
now concede that could be the end result if the court concludes
splitting up the company is the best solution.
INTEL TOO!
In a *separate* story, red-hot BUSINESS WEEK will also reveal that
the Federal Trade Commission is prepared to take on the other half
of the Information Age duopoly -- INTEL! The magazine will report
that by the end of June, the FTC staff plans to file a suit against
INTEL to weaken what it believes is a monopoly hold, similar to
MSFT's, over a crucial segment of the Nation's high-tech industry.
BW says the FTC plans to focus on several of INTEL's business
practices, including forcing customer loyalty by withholding chip
supply or information on future products from companies that don't
use INTEL chips exclusively...
WINDOWS 98 IS POISED FOR MANUFACTURING
LAS VEGAS -- Despite threats from some state attorneys
general to stop the shipment of Windows 98, Microsoft senior
vice president Jim Allchin said the company is poised to put
the product into manufacturing in only nine days. At a
keynote address here in Las Vegas at NetWorld+Interop,
Allchin said Win 98 will be going to manufacturing May 15
and will hit stores June 25.
Allchin's comments came after U.S. Department of Justice
officials confirmed Wednesday morning the agency's top
antitrust attorney, Joel Klein, met with Microsoft (company
profile) chairman Bill Gates for more than two hours Tuesday
night. A spokesperson for the Justice Department said Gates
requested the meeting. Sources said Gates said Microsoft is
not a monopoly, and any attempt to prevent or delay the
shipment of Win 98 would be harmful both to the computer and
software industries as well as to the overall economy.
Demonstrated was Chrome, Microsoft's high-end 3-D rendering
technology that will be included in both Win 98 and Win NT
5.0. Chrome is able to do 3-D rendering of websites on a PC.
While no definitive time frame for a Win NT 5.0 release was
given, he said Microsoft is "working hard" to deliver beta 2
of NT 5.0 to the market by early summer.
He also said the Redmond, WA-based Microsoft was working on
an embedded version of Win NT and that Microsoft's
BackOffice suite will be revved up to take advantage of NT
5.0 and released shortly after NT 5.0. Microsoft said it
hopes to ship NT 5.0 this year. However, a number of
industry executives have speculated that the operating
system will not ship until the first quarter next year. On
the 64-bit Win NT front, he also stated Microsoft has
successfully booted 64-bit NT on Alpha and on a Merced
simulator and "was making good progress."
SQL Server 7.0 and System Management Server will be
available later this year. Microsoft announced here at N+I
that MCIS 2.0 was in beta and that Win NT Services will be
in beta this summer. Addressing Wednesday's business
climate, Allchin said value-added resellers and IT managers
are grappling with budget pressures and the incredible
growth of connected Internet nodes. Allchin also previewed
some of the storage hierarchical management capabilities in
Win NT 5.0. Furthermore, he demonstrated NetShow and the
ability to synchronize audio and video. Allchin also
demonstrated the capabilities of Win NT 5.0's Active
Directory Manager as a means to lower the total cost of PC
ownership.
[adobetop.gif (3819 bytes)]
The World's Best-Selling...
Professional Image-Editing Software
Just Got Better!
San Jose, Calif. (April 26, 1998) (Nasdaq:ADBE) - The
world's best-selling professional image-editing software
will be available next month in its most powerful version
ever with new tools to unleash the talents of inventive and
creative users of Adobe Photoshop software.
Key new features in Photoshop 5.0 such as the;
* History Palette
* Editable Text Layers
* Spot-Color Channels
* Color Management support make it easier for users to
focus their creativity on their designs.
"Customer input has played a major role in shaping the
Photoshop 5.0 release," said John Leddy, Photoshop group
product manager. "In addition to answering our customers'
top requests, we've added a wealth of powerful features that
address the full range of Photoshop uses-from color
correction to photo-composition and from print production to
Web design. Users will gain more freedom to experiment, more
predictable results, and more saved time."
Freedom to Experiment
The addition of the History Palette satisfies one of users'
top requests, the ability to undo multiple steps with a
single click. Katrin Eismann, a photographer and author in
Los Angeles, thinks the History Palette is "brilliant."
"It's as if someone is taking notes of my work in progress,"
says Eismann. "Since the History Palette tracks every step
of my work, I feel more relaxed and try out more new ideas.
If I decide I like what I did 10 minutes ago better, I click
on that step and I'm back there."
Photoshop 5.0 software also offers an innovative History
Brush that allows users to seamlessly combine different
versions of the same image. The History Brush enables
customers to create unique designs that incorporate the best
elements from both images.
Saves Time
Other practical new features of Photoshop 5.0 include
timesaving Magnetic Selection Tools. The Magnetic Lasso
makes it a breeze to trace the outline of even the most
intricate objects. "Today, for example, I'm leaving on a
shoot for an Italian fashion magazine," says Douglas
Kirkland, a fashion and celebrity photographer whose work
includes photographs of celebrities from Marilyn Monroe to
Leonardo DiCaprio. "With the magnetic lasso I know I can
finish this project in three days instead of four. It is an
amazing tool and it saves a phenomenal amount of time."
Web and print designers will appreciate the new Layer
Effects feature in Photoshop 5.0 which automates the
creation of formerly time-consuming effects such as shadows,
glows, and bevels. Now, these effects can be attached to any
layer with a few mouse clicks, after which they remain
"live." The effects regenerate themselves automatically any
time the layer is edited.
Predictable, Professional Results
Color management has challenged many creative professionals
who require color consistency across hardware and for output
of their designs. Phototoshop 5.0 software helps resolve
this issue by complementing its existing color management
engine with full support for industry-standard ICC profiles.
Users can now choose the color management workflow they
prefer, or they can even integrate different approaches. The
result is more consistent color from input through output.
Precision and Control
Editable Type with Character Level Formatting is one of many
new features that give Adobe users even greater precision
and control during the editing process. Users have complete
control to flow text horizontally or vertically, to mix
multiple typefaces, and to adjust size, kerning, baseline,
and tracking. Best of all, the new Type Tools create special
type layers that retain their formatting characteristics and
can be edited at any time.
This newest release reinforces Photoshop as an indispensable
tool for a broad range of users. Ben Willmore, CEO of
Digital Mastery in Boulder, Colorado, has taught everyone
from corporations to government agencies to Hollywood film
studios how Adobe software can help their bottom line. "I
tell companies, if you're not using Photoshop to create your
documents you're wasting time and money," says Willmore. Too
many firms, he says, pay high fees for others to do their
scans, color corrections, retouching and image compositing.
Says Willmore: "Photoshop 5.0 has become so refined and has
so many time-saving features that tasks that once required
five production people can now be done by one person."
Adobe Photoshop 5.0 for Windows also includes the
FotoExplorer_ software from FotoNation Inc. which makes
bringing images into Adobe Photoshop from some popular
digital cameras as easy as accessing files from a desktop
folder.
Since Adobe introduced Photoshop software in 1989, growth in
digital imaging has exploded. Sales of digital cameras are
expected to increase six-fold within two years, and Eastman
Kodak Co. estimates that of the 72 billion photographs taken
each year worldwide, between 20 to 40 percent will be
processed digitally by the year 2000, driving even greater
demand for image editing tools.
In addition to millions of new users, the range of people
and purposes for which they use Photoshop is now more varied
than ever. Photoshop 5.0 strengthens Adobe's extensive
portfolio of digital imaging products for creative
professionals, business customers, and home users. Whether
for work with images on the Web, in print, in video, at
home, or in the office, Adobe has the solution.
Pricing and Availability
Photoshop 5.0, priced at $995, is expected to ship in May.
Photoshop users will be able to upgrade for an introductory
price of $199.
About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Based in San Jose, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated
develops and supports products to help people express and
use information in more imaginative and meaningful ways,
across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982,
Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution.
Today, the company offers a market-leading line of
application software and type products for creating and
distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses
its industry-standard technologies to major hardware
manufacturers, software developers, and service providers;
and offers integrated software solutions to businesses of
all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at
http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.
[Image]
Special Notice!! STR Infofile File format for Articles
File Format for STReport
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sent in the following format. Please use the format
requested. Any files received that do not conform will not
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Please use proportional fonting only and at Twelve (12)
points.
* No Indenting on any paragraphs!!
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Or, columns in Word or Word Perfect format. Do NOT,
under any circumstances, use the space bar.
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* There is no limits as to size, articles may be split
into two if lengthy
* Actual Artwork should be in GIF, PCX, JPG, TIF, BMP,
WMF file formats
* Artwork (pictures, graphs, charts, etc.)should be sent
along with the article separately
* Please use a single font in an article. TTF Times New
Roman 12pt. is preferred. (VERY Strong Hint)
If there are any questions please use either E-Mail or call.
On another note... the ASCII version of STReport has reached
the "end of the line" As the major Online Services moved
away from ASCII.... So has STReport. All in the name of
progress and improved readability. The amount of reader mail
expressing a preference for HTML as opposed to our Adobe PDF
enhanced issue is running approximately 11 to 1 over the PDF
edition. Cited are size, graphic quality and speed of
download. I'm elated that requests for our issues in HTML
far outnumber PDF. So PDF too, like ascii, is gone. HTML is
now a reality. On our web download page is a selection for
HTML (Read or Download). As you can see, STReport will not
be caught in the old, worn out "downward compatibility
dodge" we must move forward.
Many grateful thanks in advance for your enthusiastic
co-operation and input.
Ralph F. Mariano, Editor
rmariano@streport.com
STReport International Online Magazine
[Image]
Classics & Gaming Section
Editor Dana P. Jacobson
dpj@streport.com
From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
Another week blows by.... What a terrible week,
weather-wise. Rainy, dark and gloomy. What happened to
Spring?
I know that I've been saying that I've needed more time to
do other things in my life - 'tis true. One of the things
I've been spending a lot of time doing is working in the
yard. It's finally "clean". I must have put out in excess of
a hundred bags of lawn refuse (leaves, pine needles, acorns,
dead grass, tree branches, etc.) in the last month or so.
This yard was a disaster, left over from the previous owner.
I did some re-seeding in the front lawn (grass is actually
starting to grow!) and put in some flowers (and most are
still alive!). It's been fun. A little more gardening in the
front and then I have to tackle the sides and back. Both
really need some serious work, but I'm looking forward to
it. And then I have to clean out the swimming pool.
Hopefully I'll get back to inside the house and finish up
some much-needed work in various areas.
Friends weren't kidding when they told us that owning a
house means there will always be work to be done! But it is
rewarding to see the results of your labor. I'm sure that
many of you can relate. Then again, there are probably also
many of you who feel that I'm full of what helped my new
grass grow! <grin>
But back to STReport... I've been on the staff for almost
ten years now. I started sometime before the WAACE show of
1989. It seems like an eternity, but I can also remember
that show - my first _ever_ Atari show. What an experience
that was, as well as future shows. WAACE was really the
turning point for me and my appreciation for Atari users.
The camaraderie and fun times made it all worthwhile - I
really miss those times. It's also a reason why it's so
difficult to even consider limiting or ending my stint with
STReport. We'll have to take it one day at a time and see
how it all plays out. In the meantime, let's hear from
another voice from Atari's past.
Until next time...
Gribnif Software's 10th Anniversary Sale
From: Dan Wilga gribnif@pair.com
Gribnif Software's 10th Anniversary Sale
It all started ten years ago with the release of NeoDesk
1.0, a program few even thought could be written. Since
then, companies have come and gone, but we're still here
providing software for Atari computers. As a way of saying
"Thank You" for ten wonderful years, we're offering special
discounts of up to 50% on nearly all our major products, now
through May 31! If you've put off buying Geneva or NeoDesk
all these years, now is definitely the time to get it!
Here are just some of the special prices available:
NeoDesk 4: The latest version of the original desktop
replacement for Atari computers is now just $35!
* Geneva: The multitasking application environment is now
just $35, as well
* XBoot III, the premier boot manager, is now $30
* CardFile 4, the personal information manager, is $20
* ...and we even have a few copies left of NeoDesk 3, for
just $10 each!
Prices listed do not include shipping. See
http://www.pair.com/gribnif for more products and info.
Dan Wilga
Tel/Fax: 413-532-2434
Gribnif Software
Web: www.pair.com/gribnif
PO Box 779
email: gribnif@pair.com
Northampton, MA 01061-0779
Gaming Section
"4x4 Mud Monsters"!
MultiGen Support!
Activision and N64?
"HotShots"!
Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming
News!
MultiGen Puts Game Authoring Pedal to the Metal
Enhanced Support for Nintendo N64, Sony PlayStation, VM
Labs' Project X Announced with Debut of Innovative Prototype
Program
LONG BEACH, Calif., May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- To open the 1998
Computer Game Developers Conference today, MultiGen, Inc.,
the leader in realtime 3D software, announced several
strategic technology relationships with makers of the
world's most popular video game platforms, including
Nintendo(R) N64(R) and Sony PlayStation. MultiGen also
unveiled an innovative new Game Developer Prototype Program,
enabling start-up game developers to create a new generation
of 3D hit titles with little or no overhead costs.
"MultiGen is committed to delivering the world's best
realtime 3D game authoring solutions for developers
targeting every major game system," said Dave Rolston,
president and CEO of MultiGen, Inc. "Today's announcements
with Nintendo, Sony and VM Labs - as well as the debut of
our Game Developer Prototype Program - underscore our desire
to give developers the tools to breathe life into
unforgettable new game experiences."
Already a favorite among next-generation game developers,
MultiGen software has been used to develop some of the
world's best-selling game titles, including "Mario Kart,"
"Super Mario" "Wave Race," "GoldenEye 007," "San Francisco
RUSH," "Jet Moto I and II" and "Twisted Metal I and II."
MultiGen Creator(TM) gives artists and modelers all the
right tools to efficiently and easily design, edit and
prototype innovative 3D games with realtime playback
performance.
"Time is precious in game development," said Joan Wood,
president of Mango Grits, developers of the interactive 3D
flying action title, "Barrage." "MultiGen saves us time by
enabling us to modify the artwork in its publishable state
instead of going back to the original design software. Even
prototype content can easily be used in the final title. As
a result, we can focus our efforts on creating content."
MultiGen announced that its game authoring solutions will
support Nintendo Systems, Inc.'s NIFF 2.0 (Nintendo
Intermediary File Format), enabling Nintendo N64 game
developers to quickly and easily enhance and customize 3D
content with realtime capabilities. NIFF 2.0 allows N64 game
developers to optimize content created with MultiGen's
popular Creator game authoring solution for deployment
within new Nintendo N64 titles.
NIFF 2.0 allows game developers to expand and build on the
capabilities provided in the Nintendo development kit, by
offering easier access to data elements such as animation,
lighting and special effects. Developers can then extend or
customize their games on an open platform by adding
attributes and functionality offered by 3D authoring
systems. With NIFF 2.0, N64 game developers will be able to
take full advantage of the rich set of animation and
graphical features found in Creator, MultiGen's realtime 3D
authoring system and the first hierarchical realtime 3D
modeler for Windows NT and Silicon Graphics workstations. As
a result, Nintendo N64 game players benefit from spectacular
3D graphics that run faster and more efficiently.
MultiGen also announced that Creator will support Sony
Computer Entertainment America, Inc.'s Hierarchical Modeling
Data (HMD), a high-level graphics processing framework
available under the PlayStation development environment.
Sony's HMD gives PlayStation game developers more
flexibility to create and prototype games, thereby speeding
the development process and enabling the creation of a new
generation of realtime 3D titles.
By supporting HMD, Creator accelerates the game authoring
process so that designers and artists can effectively
communicate their ideas. As a common language, HMD is fully
convertible with plain text format and provides a smooth
transition from formal file formats. The implementation of
HMD is coupled tightly with the PlayStation hardware to
provide a solid foundation to optimize performance related
algorithms used in titles.
Also today, MultiGen announced that its popular game
authoring tools and industry-standard OpenFlight visual
database format will drive the development of revolutionary
new video games for Project X, the next-generation video
game platform developed by VM Labs. Already popular for
creating 3D titles with immersive, realistic game
environments, MultiGen's authoring tools will create game
content compliant with the Project X platform, which is
expected to be optimized for realtime 3D graphics.
The announcement extends MultiGen's expertise in realtime 3D
authoring to Project X software developers by providing them
with all the tools and resources necessary for optimizing a
model or world for playback in realtime. The Project X video
game console is scheduled for release Christmas 1998 from VM
Labs. The Los Altos, Calif.-based game console company is
currently developing the Project X kit, which comes Ethernet
ready and equipped with a modem to allow Internet access,
along with several other entertainment features.
MultiGen also unveiled its Game Developer Prototype Program,
enabling start-up game developers to create a new generation
of 3D hit titles with little or no overhead costs. The
revolutionary program loans thousands of dollars in game
authoring software at no cost to fledgling developers
working on new titles.
MultiGen's Game Developer Prototype Program loans a limited
number of developers free software and technical support,
enabling them to quickly design and prototype new titles and
more rapidly solicit funding from game publishers.
Participants are under no obligation to purchase MultiGen
software. Developers can apply for participation in
MultiGen's Game Developer Prototype Program at by sending
email to prototypemultigen.com, or by phoning 408-261-4100.
Activision Sheds Light on N64 Plans
May 4, 1998 (MULTIMEDIA WIRE, Vol. 5, No. 85) --
Activision's decision to make public its plans for N64
before E3 was to intended keep retailers from being
surprised at the show, Activision Senior VP of Marketing
Eric Johnson tells MMWire. Activision Friday said it will
produce Quake II and Nightmare Creatures for N64, leaving GT
Interactive as the only major console publisher holding out
on developing for the platform -- Sony and Sega aside. GT
plans to release seven PlayStation titles, but only one N64
title, Mike Piazza's Strikezone, in North America this year,
an official says. Activision's choice of proven titles is
consistent with its conservatively late entrance onto N64.
"We wanted to put our best foot forward on the platform,
[and Activision] expects to see success," Johnson says. To
be a player this late in the hardware cycle, a publisher
needs a high-quality game, a good brand and has to be
willing to advertise on TV, he adds. "Large publishers can't
afford to ignore [N64]," Ian Berman of Frost & Berman says.
For Christmas 1998, publishers can succeed on N64 with
mediocre titles, so it "makes absolute sense" for Activision
to bring Quake II and Nightmare Creatures out before
Christmas, he says. For Christmas 1999, it is hard to tell,
he adds. Among other leading publishers, Eidos is understood
to be at work on N64 titles. MMWire expects the company to
bring Tomb Raider to the platform by Christmas. Even the
notoriously conservative THQ is preparing for its
second-generation N64 game this year.
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Announces '4X4 Mud
Monsters'
NEW YORK (May 5) BUSINESS WIRE - May 5, 1998 - Take-Two
Interactive Software, Inc. announced today that it has
signed an agreement with Gathering of Developers, Ltd. to
co-publish and distribute 4X4 Mud Monsters. 4X4 Mud Monsters
is being developed by Gathering of Developers partners Edge
of Reality, Inc. and Terminal Reality Inc., exclusively for
the Nintendo 64. Currently, 4X4 Mud Monsters is scheduled
for release in the first quarter of 1999. 4X4 Mud Monsters
is the first product to be developed and marketed by The
Gathering exclusively for a console system. Additionally,
Take-Two is the first corporate co-publishing and
distribution partner The Gathering has chosen to work with.
4X4 Mud Monsters is a hard driving off-road truck
simulation, which goes beyond real world practicalities. The
product will take full advantage of the Nintendo 64's 3D
graphics power and utilize a powerful new proprietary N64
engine developed by Edge of Reality's founder Rob Cohen, and
based on Terminal Reality Inc.'s Photex 2 Engine for the PC.
Terminal Reality is working closely with Edge of Reality to
share their proprietary engine technology, most recently
featured in Microsoft, Inc.'s Monster Truck Madness 2 for
the PC.
Mike Wilson, CEO of The Gathering, said, "Gathering of
Developers, Terminal Reality and Edge of Reality are pleased
to be working with Take-Two in the United States and Europe.
They have embraced our business philosophy fully, and we are
excited by their recent growth in the entertainment software
publishing industry on both sides of the Atlantic. Rob
Cohen, President of Edge of Reality, Inc., said, "I have
enjoyed working exclusively on the Nintendo 64 console over
the past several years, and am thrilled to be able to apply
my expertise on the system to a project as exciting as 4X4
Mud Monsters."
Russ Howard, Vice-President of Business Development, said,
"Take-Two is pleased to be partnered with The Gathering,
Edge of Reality, and Terminal Reality to bring 4X4 Mud
Monsters to market exclusively for the Nintendo 64.
Gathering of Developers has assembled a fantastic group of
proven entertainment software industry talent, and Take-Two
is excited to be their first corporate partner within the
video game industry."
Tee Off with Hot Shots Golf -- the Arcade-Style Golf Game
FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (May 5) BUSINESS WIRE - May 5, 1998 -
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today
that Japan's best selling arcade-style PlayStation golf
videogame, Hot Shots Golf, will be available this May
exclusively for the PlayStation game console. Hot Shots Golf
was created to be a fun playing videogame for all ages and
skill levels, with an arcade-style presentation that
captures the spirit and realism of golf.
"The beauty of Hot Shots Golf is that it's a fun game for
anyone to pick up and play but more importantly, it's the
most advanced golf engine ever developed," said Peter Dille,
senior director, product marketing, Sony Computer
Entertainment America. "That means the gameplay is flawless.
We're getting more superlatives on Hot Shots Golf every day,
from both the gaming press as well as the golfing
community." In fact, consider the following accolades:
"Hot Shots Golf is the best looking and most fun-playing
golf game of all time." - Paul Johnson, Sport Magazine
"Playing Hot Shots Golf is like being on the golf course,
with its great golf engine. This game is so much fun to
play." - Mike Stinton, The Golf Channel
"The graphics are so vivid it's like watching live golf on
TV." - Dave Stevens, ESPN
One of the gameplay features that makes Hot Shot Golf a
"stand out" in the golf category is the quick set-ups in
between shots (no long load times) and fast responses to
gameplay commands.
Hot Shots Golf provides gamers with six different play modes
that include Match Play, Stroke Play (where players can
"bet" against their buddies), Tournament Mode, Training
Mode, VS. Mode and a Hidden Bonus Mode. VS. Mode gives
gamers the ability to play with new characters as they win
more progressively-challenging matches, and gain experience
points.
Another key feature in Hot Shots Golf is the Experience
Level System, which rewards players with experience points
for playing well. Earning experience points means players
earn the right to play on other courses. Hot Shots Golf Key
Features:
* Gameplay designed to appeal to all ages and skill
levels (not just hard-core gamers).
* Amazing colorful 3D graphics.
* Real physics: a realistic feel to the swing, the ball's
flight trajectory, how the ball lands, weather
conditions and sound effects. Seamless load time: quick
set-ups in between shots and quick responses to swing
commands.
* Six challenging and fun-to-play game modes: Match Play,
Stroke Play (with a Bet Mode), Tournament Mode,
Training Mode, VS Mode and a hidden Bonus Mode.
* Six golf courses
* Other features include: miniature golf course,
computer-controlled caddie, ability to call your own
shots by selecting your club, gauging your distance and
picking your direction.
* Replay feature allows players to check out awesome
shots and embarrassing blunders.
* Zooming camera to hone in on the hole.
* Up to 4 players.
* Multi tap compatible.
ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
Compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@streport.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. I'll tell you right from the
start that this week's column is going to be on the short
side. I somehow managed to pinch a nerve in my neck and it's
kind of difficult to sit at the computer... even if it IS an
Atari. <grin>
Before we get to the actual "meat" of the column, I'd like
to tell you about something that happened to me the other
day. I'm betting you'll think it's as cute as I did. My
sister had come over to pick up some information that I'd
downloaded from the internet for her for a college class
project. While she was here, she mentioned that she and her
husband were going to buy a computer soon but had no idea of
what to look for or look out for, and what a fair price
would be.
I excused myself for a few moments, fired up my trusty
Atari, connected up to the internet, and accessed the
website of one of the few PC manufactures I actually trust
(Micron). Within five minutes I had a printed page listing
all of the things that I thought they'd need in a computer,
all the information they'd need to order, and all the
technical jargon that wouldn't mean a thing to them anyway.
My sister looked at the page (price first, of course) and
asked if this was the kind of computer that I had. Without
explaining too much, I told her that it wasn't. She became
somewhat suspicious and asked why I didn't recommend
whatever it was that I was using for her and her husband. I
told her that the computer that I used was no longer being
manufactured and that the company itself had been run into
the ground and sold off to someone who had no idea of what
to do with it, who had recently sold it to Hasbro.
Now she was really suspicious. To her way of thinking,
computer companies couldn't go out of business. The computer
market is so robust right now that anyone making a computer
simply HAD to be doing okay. Anything else would be...
wrong. (Okay, okay, so my sister isn't the sharpest pencil
in the box. That's neither here nor there <grin>)
Now marks the time I've started calling "The Computer Novice
Renaissance". It used to be that people thought that you had
to have a Ph.D. in computer science to operate a computer.
Now non-users and novices think that ALL computers simply
'find a way' to do whatever it is that you want them to do.
True, people who are more familiar with computers know
better, but the novices still outnumber computer-literate
people.
At any rate, I explained that my trusty TT required that I
actually work to get something done. I couldn't simply click
on the install button and run the same type of cutting-edge
application that users of newer machines enjoy.
She thought for a moment and then said that I probably
wouldn't 'enjoy' doing that anyway... but SHE would. I
agreed. As I've said before, that's not necessarily a bad
thing, but it does make a computer a tool and not a hobby. I
don't know what I'd do if I had a computer that didn't
require me to 'mess with it'. I'd probably either join the
U.S. Postal Service or become a special prosecutor
investigating the President...
"Hmmm... let's see. No clear evidence of wrong-doing while
he was Governor. No clear evidence of his wife doing
anything wrong... oh, except for this tape that I'm not
supposed to have anyway. Oops, that's right, it was edited
to cut out parts that said that she was on the
straight-and-narrow. They'll find out about that eventually.
I better not press that. Hey, there's that land deal that
went bad. Aaahh, he was just an investor. He had nothing to
do with the mechanics of it. Oh, there's that sex thing with
the brunette from his home state. Nope. Her lawyers don't
want to split the fees. What about that white house intern?
Another tape? Darn. It's second-person hear-say, and not
even about anything illegal. Well, I'll just have to milk
this investigation for all I can. Meanwhile, I can keep
taking big bucks through my law firm from some of the very
tobacco companies that the president is trying to make
things hard for..."
Hmmm... not even a mention of a computer in any of that.
Guess I better bone up for the civil service exam. <grin>
Well, now that I've vented, let's take a look at what's
happening on the Use Net.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
Steve Stupple asks:
"Is it possible to have two DMA-SCSI adaptors running in
parallel? e.g. one running my hard drive and another taking
care of my CD-ROM drive?"
Nicholas Bales tells Steve:
"You shouldn't need that, since the SCSI architecture is a
daisy chain, just start the chain with you SCSI adapter,
then the HD to the adapter, and the CD-ROM to the HD. You
end the chain with a SCSI terminator and you make sure the
SCSI ID numbers are correct."
Carsten Krumnow tells Nicholas (and Steve):
"But it is possible though. For example when using to
Megafile 44 drives (no sense in it, OK, but no problems with
it). But it remains one SCSI system, so you are still
limited to 8 devices."
Dr. Uwe Seimet (the author of HD Driver) adds:
"Basically this should be possible but you won't gain
anything. A single adapter is sufficient to address all the
devices." He's right, but there have been times when I've
had two or more hard drives in their own separate cases
which each had host adaptors that I wanted to use. It works
fine. It's un-necessary, but it works.
Our friend Dennis Bishop, who recently dropped his online
service in favor of an ISP asks about MY favorite
Email/FTP/UseNet reader... NEWSie:
"I have a question, WHY does Newsie put TWO e-mails together
at the same time??? I notice this today, I had e-mail from
to places that are NOT the same place and Newsie had
attached one to the other and had broken up the 2nd one mid
way and put it as a <No Subject> after the 1st one. What's
up? Is there some kind of a setting I need to check?"
Roger Cain tells Dennis:
"Yes, I used to get this. Rarely (about 5%) but it's a
nuisance. I'm trying to remember how I fixed it .... ummmm I
think it turned out to be a problem with the comms. layers
rather than Newsie. Newsie was being sent some duff
characters which it interpreted as 'End of Message' and, at
other times interpreted a corrupt 'EOM' as something else.
Have a careful look at bits of your comms system. You could
try:
Check your modem settings in SERIAL.CPX. You have RTS/CTS do
you? How about the DTE rate? See if the problem goes away if
you set it one notch lower.
Check HSMODEM settings. Are your buffers 2K-4K? All other
flags as recommended? What do you use - DRIVIN + MFP?
Have faith - since I fixed it the problem has not
re-occurred."
Charles Silver tells Dennis:
"Well, I don't think you have a NEWSie problem, necessarily.
It sounds like STinG is dropping some packets which will
cause all kinds of problems. In the STinG Dialer(Statistics)
check to see how many dropped packets your getting after an
online usage. Check Modem 1 or 2 that your using. You
mentioned before you had trouble sending large files with
NEWSie. I've sent/received 2meg binaries with no problems.
Your might try sending yourself 4 or 5 test messages to see
what's what. Your Mail Box may have been corrupted.
I would upgrade to NEWSie v0.88 also. "EoF from Remote" can
mean that you lost your news group feed, so you have to
re-connect NEWSie to you host. It doesn't mean that STinG
dropped your connection. Just re-connect NEWSie. My best
guess is that you don't have STinG optimized for your ISP."
The author of NEWSie, John Rojewski, tells Dennis:
"Check your timeout values, I use about 20 seconds for Last
Char and 30 seconds for Max Timeout. Sometimes there can be
malformed emails, but that is pretty rare..."
Oh, what the heck, let's make this "NEWSie Week". Alyre
Chiasson posts:
"I am running Newsie .88 and have run into the problem that
despite having the remove mail from server option checked my
mail is not removed from the server. Every few weeks I have
to call to have them flush my inbox, which they have been
kind enough to do so far. Does anyone else have this
problem? Any suggestions? I suspect my ISP has changed his
software, the problem wasn't there several weeks ago. Is
there anything I can ask my ISP provider to do or switch to
as far as a mail protocol? The problem was there when I was
using a Slip account and also there now that I am using
Sting and a PPP account. I have a MegaSte 4."
Terry May tells Alyre:
"I don't know what you can do with NEWSie, but you should be
able to remove the mail yourself with POPwatch. A simple
Control-A to select all files, followed by Delete will
delete all the mail in your server's mail box."
**By the way folks, I just started using POPWatch and I like
it a lot. I'd like it a lot more if it worked correctly
under Geneva though.
Charles Silver echoes my own thoughts:
"Well, I don't have that problem with NEWSie, but I always
use POPWatch to preview e-mail as it has a very good
killfile/delete. For me, I think the NEWSie/POPWatch is a
*very* good combo as they both have very good features.
Highly recommended..."
Peter Smith asks about MagiC:
"My Atari ST is still used every day in my business. I have
programmed a nice database out of Superbase. I have a series
of Auto-folder programs (LGSelect,QuickST, Cache, RamBuffer,
etc) which make things a bit easier, but this Magic OS
sounds interesting ... What is it like, what can it do, and
where can i get it ?"
Ian Norton tells Peter:
"Well magic is probably the best and most used thing I have
ever bought (except my falcon). It is a pre-emptive
multitasking operating system (as stable as windows NT). The
up side of having magic is that all your gem based stuff
should (90% of) still works, although DSASE One doesn't
work, I'm not sure about super base. Also and by far the
best bit is that your programs will run much faster than
normal as the OS is optimised in assembler, It will run from
floppy disk but you really need a hard disk, you also really
need 4mb of RAM on an ST and if you have a falcon you will
after a month or three be craving for 14mb. Magic is very
easy to get going but is sadly incompatible with some really
cool autos and accs like mouse ka mania but it was well
worth the 60.00 uk pounds that I paid for it!"
Well folks, that's about it for this week. I'm going to go
rub some of that nasty smelling salve on my neck in the
hopes that it will drive away whatever demon is kicking my
vertebrae this time. Tune in again next week, same time,
same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying
when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
EDITORIAL QUICKIES
Lesser Primate Committee Thinking Experiment
Start with a cage containing five apes.
In the cage, hang a banana on a string and put stairs under it.
Before long, an ape will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the Banana,
but as soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the apes with cold water.
After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same result...
...all the apes are sprayed with cold water.
Turn off the cold water.
If, later, another ape tries to climb the stairs...
the other apes will try to prevent it even though no water sprays them.
Now, remove one ape from the cage and replace it with a new one.
The new ape sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs.
To his horror, all of the other apes attack him.
After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.
Next, remove another of the original five apes and replace it with a new one.
The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked.
The previous Newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm.
Again, replace a third original ape with a new one.
The new one makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well.
Two of the four apes that beat him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs,
or why they are participating in the beating of the newest ape.
After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes,
all the apes which have been sprayed with cold water have been replaced.
Nevertheless, no ape ever again approaches the stairs. Why not?
"Because that's the way it's always been around here."
Sound familiar?
..........Thanks Binky, for another good one.
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