ST Report: 22-May-98 #1420
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 06/08/98-03:17:16 PM Z
From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: ST Report: 22-May-98 #1420
Date: Mon Jun 8 15:17:16 1998
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05/22/98 STR 1420
"Often Imitated, Never Surpassed!"
CPU Industry Report BORK & Co. "Elated" NetBanks on Rise
Cybertax Moratorium Runaway Government! BEEPER Blackout
Intel Sidestepping DOJ? Euro Hologram Missing AOL to BUY ICQ?
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LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Microsoft Braces For Landmark Antitrust Suits
A defiant Microsoft is braced for a landmark antitrust case
that is casting a cloud of uncertainty over its Windows 98
operating system and could distract its executives for years
to come. Federal antitrust regulators and attorneys general
from 20 states were expected to file closely related
lawsuits today after settlement talks collapsed over what
Microsoft executives termed "unreasonable" demands for
changes in its flagship Windows operating system.
The pending lawsuit raised questions about the launch of
Microsoft's next-generation Windows 98 computer system,
which is scheduled to go on sale worldwide June 25.
Microsoft officials said they plan to ship the completed
software code to computer makers Monday, but government
officials were poised to ask a judge to force changes in the
system. Federal and state officials were about to sue
Thursday, charging the Microsoft illegally exploits its
Windows monopoly to expand into new markets, when the
software giant reopened negotiations by offering concessions
including a three-day delay in the shipment of Windows 98.
But in 11 hours of talks over two days, lawyers for the two
sides were unable to come any closer to an agreement.
President Clinton said through a spokesman Sunday that he
has "full confidence and fully supports the Justice
Department officials handling this case." According to
Microsoft's account, talks broke down after Justice
Department officials demanded that the software maker ship
Netscape Communications' competing Navigator browser with
every copy of Windows 98.
The Justice Department also asked Microsoft to cede all
control of the look of the Windows screen "desktop" to
computer makers and to remove all Internet browsing
functionality from Windows 98, said Microsoft spokesman Jim
Cullinan. "These demands were simply unreasonable and we
cannot agree to them," he said. Industry analysts said they
were not surprised Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates ordered his
lawyers to return to Seattle.
"In Microsoft's view there are things they're willing to
negotiate, but they're not willing to set a precedent in
terms of asking permission to integrate new features into
the operating system," said Scott Winkler of research firm
Gartner Group. David Readerman, analyst for Nationsbanc
Montgomery Securities, said Wall Street's reaction would
depend on the scope of the state and federal lawsuits.
Efforts to block the shipment of Windows 98 would be
damaging, as would any move against Microsoft's high-end
Windows NT operating system, a rapidly growing and lucrative
business focused on corporate and network computing, he
said.
"There is a lot of uncertainty that could be introduced to
Microsoft's earnings model," he said. Any delay of Windows
98 also could affect the plans of dozens of computer
hardware, software and retailing companies hoping the
sluggish market will get a boost from the upgrade cycle.
Cullinan said the Justice Department demands appeared to be
chiefly in the interests of Netscape rather than consumers.
But Microsoft rivals said that after eight years of
government investigation, including a 1995 antitrust consent
decree widely seen as ineffective, the time had come to
force the company to fundamentally change the way it does
business. "Sure, a couple competitors care about this," said
Ed Black, president of a Washington technology trade group
aligned against Microsoft. "But to say they shouldn't be
involved is like saying that victims of a hit-and-run drunk
driver shouldn't complain when drunk-driving laws aren't
enforced."
Indeed the antitrust case is likely to focus on Microsoft's
aggressive effort to beat back the threat from the Mountain
View, California-based startup. Netscape's browser once was
seen as a possible rival to the Windows operating system
itself, but the company has seen its profits disappear and
market share plummet since Microsoft identified it as a
target. In a May 1995 meeting, top executives of the two
companies met to discuss a potential partnership including a
possible investment by Microsoft. Netscape executives now
portray that meeting as an improper attempt by Microsoft to
push it out of the market for Windows 95 browsers.
"Netscape's allegations about this meeting are completely
false and they grow more far-fetched every day," Microsoft's
Cullinan said. "There was never any suggestion of illegally
splitting up the marketplace."
U.S. vs. Microsoft: The Case at a Glance
It's a big story. After all, this is the world's most
powerful government taking on one of the world's foremost
corporations, led by one of the world's richest men. It's a
complicated story, too, involving the law, technology,
business - even politics. What follows is a quick digest of
the case as it's unfolded so far. There are three main
parties in the Microsoft antitrust action. They are:
* Microsoft Corp., based in Redmond, Wash.
* U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust
Division, Washington.
* Attorneys general from some 18 states.
Based on reports, these are the government's main demands:
* Cease integrating Internet access into
Windows.
* Allow others to customize Windows startup
screen and desktop.
* No longer require PC makers to accept
Internet Explorer browser with Windows.
* Include Netscape's Navigator browser with
Windows.
* Exclude other Microsoft technologies from
Windows.
* Remove Windows interface seen by users when
they boot up for the first time.
Computer Groups Applaud Microsoft Suits
Computer industry groups applauded the Justice Department
and 20 states for filing lawsuits against Microsoft that
could result in one of the largest antitrust actions in U.S.
history. "Microsoft is a $12 billion business. I don't
believe they have to engage in the kinds of practices that
have been part of the lawsuits today in order to succeed,"
said Ken Wasch, president of the Software Publishers
Association, at a briefing.
Wasch's comments came after lawsuits were filed against
Microsoft accusing the software giant of abusing its
monopoly power to bully competitors. "The crucial fact here
is that Microsoft is a monopoly," said the famed
conservative antitrust scholar Robert Bork. He is now
representing Microsoft's bitter rival, Netscape
Communications. "They are an American success story and
nobody should deny that, but success takes you to a certain
point," Bork said.
The U.S. government and the states in their suits asked the
court to stop Microsoft from requiring computer makers to
include the Microsoft Internet browser in its Windows 98
operating system. At present Microsoft's operating system
dominates about 97 percent of the market, Bork said. The
computer industry representatives agreed now that regulators
have taken their actions, more misconduct by Microsoft will
likely unfold.
"The immediate effect of today's filing is the public
disclosure of the many anti-competitive business practices
which are standard fare at Microsoft," said Ed Black,
President of the Computer & Communications Industry
Association.
It's Official -- Windows 98 begins shipping
Microsoft Corp., as expected, has begun shipping its Windows
98 operating system to computer makers for retail sale
beginning June 25, a company spokesman said Monday. The
software system, which bundles Internet capabilities, has
been near the center of an anti-trust dispute between
Microsoft and federal regulators. Microsoft has spearheaded
a computer industry campaign arguing that blocking Windows
98 would harm the fastest growing sector of the U.S.
economy.
Following through on its vow to push ahead, the software
giant Monday ordered its manufacturing contractors to begin
the process of stamping disks, packaging them and shipping
them out, Microsoft spokesman Jim Cullinan said. The Justice
Department and state attorneys general were expected to
announce antitrust action against Microsoft later Monday.
The state and federal officials accuse Microsoft of
illegally exploiting its Windows monopoly.
The lawsuits reportedly will not seek to halt shipment of
the disks but will ask for changes in Windows 98 before it
is allowed to go on sale. Microsoft had delayed shipping the
product on Friday to allow for last-minute negotiations with
antitrust regulators. The talks collapsed Saturday.
Antitrust officials have several concerns with Windows 98,
including its tight integration with Microsoft's Internet
Explorer browser, which competes with rival Netscape
Communications Corp.
Gore Proposes "Electronic Bill of Rights" for Net
Vice President Al Gore announced a White House plan Thursday
to give people greater protection over how personal
information about them is gathered and used via computer.
"We need an electronic bill of rights for this electronic
age," Gore said in a commencement speech at New York
University. Gore, planning to run for president in 2000, was
taking up an issue that Americans are increasingly concerned
about: their loss of privacy in a world increasingly reliant
on computers.
Using improved technology, a growing number of companies are
gathering information about individual habits and spending
patterns. Most of that data is used by marketers, insurers
and others. Information brokers on the Internet profit by
selling names, addresses and credit histories to other
parties. The ready availability of personal information has
also led to a growing number of "identity thefts" in which
fraud artists assume an identity and run up bills in the
names of unsuspecting victims.
Gore called on the Commerce Department to convene a summit
on privacy within the next month to bring privacy and
consumer advocates together with industry officials to
explore whether the industry can regulate itself on the
Internet to assure privacy, particularly for children.
"Americans should have the right to choose whether their
personal information is disclosed," Gore said. "They should
have the right to know how, when and how much of that
information is being used. And they should have the right to
see it themselves, to know if it's accurate."
President Clinton, in a directive released to coincide with
Gore's announcement, ordered each head of a federal agency
to ensure that government use of new information
technologies sustains, instead of erodes, privacy
protections. He directed each agency to appoint within 30
days a senior official to assume primary responsibility for
privacy policy. "Increased computerization of federal
records permits this information to be used and analyzed in
ways that could diminish individual privacy in the absence
of additional safeguards," Clinton said.
Gore called on Congress to pass strict medical records
legislation to restrict the use of such records and to give
people the chance to correct theirs. In addition, he
unveiled a new Web site sponsored by the Federal Trade
Commission and located at www.consumer.gov that will enable
individuals to prohibit companies from pre-screening their
credit records without their permission; prevent their
drivers' license data from being sold to data banks; and
remove their name and address from direct-mailing and
telemarketing lists.
House Committee Approves Internet Tax Moratorium
The US House Commerce Committee unanimously approved
legislation Thursday to impose a three-year moratorium on
new state and local taxes -- a bill aimed at fostering the
growth of electronic commerce. The Internet Tax Freedom Act
(H.R. 3849) would prohibit the FCC and individual states
from regulating subscriber prices for online services and
Internet access, as well as setting a three-year ban on
state taxation of Internet access and online services.
The bill was introduced 12 May by representatives Chris Cox
(R-California) and Rick White (R-Washington) to address
concerns stemming from a previous Internet tax bill, H.R.
1054, which passed the subcommittee last year. "As
electronic commerce emerges as the new marketplace for the
21st century, it's important that we keep the Internet free
from unnecessary taxation and regulation," said panel
chairman Tom Bliley, a Virginia Republican.
Many governors fear that states and localities, which rely
heavily on sales taxes to help fund health care, education,
and other critical services, will be shut out of the
nation's emerging digital economy. A National Governors'
Association representative said that the group, which backed
a recent version of Cox's bill, is currently reviewing the
revised measure. Cox's bill has the blessing of President
Clinton, who has called for a US and international ban on
new taxes of cyberspace business transactions that the
Commerce Department has predicted will hit US$300 billion in
the next four years.
Last November, the Senate Commerce Committe cleared a tough
Internet moratorium bill sponsored by Senator Ron Wyden
(D-Oregon) that would curb new state and local taxes on the
Internet for six years. Wyden's bill also calls for a study
of whether and how the Internet should be taxed in the
future. But it does not include language backed by governors
in House versions that would permit states to treat a Web
shopper's residence as the point of sale for tax purposes.
That provision is designed to let states tap lucrative
"remote sales" by out-of-state companies to in-state
consumers.
Wyden said Tuesday that Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott
wants his bill brought up for a Senate vote very soon. A
study released Tuesday concluded that affluent American
households - those most likely to have personal computers
and the credit cards to buy all manner of goods and services
over the Internet-will benefit at the expense of the poor
and middle-class should any of the tax moratorium
legislation moving through Congress be adopted.
A T T E N T I O N ** A T T E N T I O N ** A T T E N T I O N
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EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
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Contents
Microsoft Settlement Talks Collapse Senate Passes Online Copyright Extension
Japan Supports Clinton's Market-Focused Approach To Moratorium On Cybertax
Online Commerce
Call-Waiting On The Net Net Banks On The Rise
Court Rejects Effort By Bells To Get Into Electronic Antitrust Suits Filed Against Microsoft
Publishing
DOE Will Share Technology With FBI-BAFT AT&T Makes Deal With Another Search Engine
India Sanctions Could Affect High-Tech Exports Yahoo Replaces AltaVista With Inktomi Search Engine
IBM To Push Internet Phone Service MCI May Sell Its Internet Business To Disarm
Antitrust Objections
Navy Turns To Off-The-Shelf PCs To Power Ships The Internet As Lobbying Tool
Beeper Blackout WTO Pledges Duty-Free Internet For One Year
Euro Hologram Is Missing U.S. Encryption Policy Could Cost Companies $9
Billion
New Wireless Technology For Data Transfer What's Good For Quest Is Good For AT&T
Repetitive Stress Injuries To Students Is Microsoft Antitrust Suit A Clever Marketing
Trick?
Intel Eases Chip Licensing Policy
MICROSOFT SETTLEMENT TALKS COLLAPSE
Negotiations between Microsoft and state and federal officials have collapsed, and the Justice Department will
file a formal antitrust suit against the company. Microsoft says it had made "a number of significant offers to
address the government's concerns, but we cannot agree to their demands without undermining our ability to
innovate for consumers." A Microsoft executive says that the Justice Department's demand that Netscape's
competing Web browser (Netscape Navigator) be included in every copy of Microsoft's new Windows 98 operating
system "would be like telling Coke that they have to have three cans of Pepsi in every six pack." A government
official said of the failed discussions: "Some of the Attorneys General got the feeling that Microsoft was just
fooling around, trying to learn as much as possible about what we planned to do. They really to failed to make
any substantive offers. And we're not in the mood to be jerked around anymore." (New York Times 17 May 98)
SENATE PASSES ONLINE COPYRIGHT EXTENSION
The Senate unanimously approved the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which offers the same protection to online
computer software, music, movies and written works that they enjoy in more tangible form. In a key provision,
the legislation exempts libraries and online services from prosecution for copyright violations committed by
patrons and customers. Individuals who violate copyrights for financial gain will be liable for $1 million in
fines and up to 10 years in prison. (Wall Street Journal 15 May 98)
JAPAN SUPPORTS CLINTON'S MARKET-FOCUSED APPROACH TO ONLINE COMMERCE
Japan has endorsed the Clinton Administration's unregulated, tax-free approach to electronic commerce, as well
as its position against theEuropean Union's privacy regulations, which prohibit companies that collect personal
information about citizens of European countries from sending that information to any country that doesn't
insist on the same degree of privacy as the citizens' own countries. The Clinton view is that such restrictions
could hurt U.S. companies trying to collect global marketing data. (New York Times 15 May 98)
MORATORIUM ON CYBERTAX
The House Commerce Committee voted 41-0 for a three-year moratorium on taxes on Internet sales and services, but
allowed state and local governments to keep Internet taxes that were in effect before 1 Mar 98. The bill would
also prevent the FCC from regulating subscriber fees charged by online service providers. (USA Today 15 May 98)
CALL-WAITING ON THE NET
Lucent Technologies has developed software that enables users to receive a call-waiting message on their
computer screens while they're using the phone line for data access or the Internet. If a call comes in, a
message pops up on the screen and the user can choose to ignore it or log off and take the call. The software
will be available this summer. (St. Petersburg Times 16 May 98)
NET BANKS ON THE RISE
Internet banks are catching on, luring customers with higher interest rates and the convenience of banking at
home. According to the Online Banking Report, currently close to 5 million people, or 5% of the U.S. population,
do some form of online banking, but by the end of 2001, that number will go up to about 22 million, or 21% of
the population. Customers of virtual banks can make deposits, check accounts, pay bills, transfer funds, and
apply for loans 24 hours a day, while reaping as much as 4% interest on some checking accounts, compared to 1%
to 1.5% at brick-and-mortar institutions. (Wall Street Journal 15 May 98)
COURT REJECTS EFFORT BY BELLS TO GET INTO ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING
In a decision that blocks BellSouth and the other regional Bell local phone service companies from competing
with America Online and similar companies, a Washington, D.C. federal court of appeals rejected a BellSouth
challenge to a section of the 1996 Telecommunications Act that prevents the Bells from offering such information
"content" services as news, sports, weather, and classified ads. BellSouth had argued that the provision was an
unlawful limitation on its freedom speech and on unfair discrimination applying only to the Bell companies.
(Atlanta Journal-Constitution 16 May 98)
ANTITRUST SUITS FILED AGAINST MICROSOFT
The federal government and 20 state attorneys general have filed two antitrust suits against Microsoft, accusing
it of using monopolistic practices to win control of the Internet and related software products, such as
software for browsing the World Wide Web. However, the government did not take any action to halt the release of
Microsoft's new Windows 98 operating system, which is being distributed this week. Among other things, the suit
demands that Microsoft either sell its browser, Internet Explorer, separately from the Windows operating system,
or reconfigure Windows so that users will have a choice between Explorer and the rival product Netscape
Navigator. Another demand is that other Microsoft products -- such as the Microsoft Word word processing
software and the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software -- be "unbundled" from Windows 98 and sold separately.
Microsoft co-founder and chief executive Bill Gates told reporters: "This is a step backward for America, for
consumers and for the personal computer industry that is leading our nation's economy into the 21st century. How
ironic that in the United States -- where freedom and innovation are core values -- that these regulators are
trying to punish an American company that has worked hard and successfully to deliver on these values." (New
York Times 19 May 98)
DOE WILL SHARE TECHNOLOGY WITH FBI, BATF
In a speech today, Vice President Al Gore is expected to announce that the Energy Department will share some of
its valuable technology, which up to now has been used only for Cold War espionage, with the Federal Bureau of
Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The technology includes: portable chemical
analysis machines to gather forensic crime-scene data; software used to track cell-phone fraud, online copyright
violations and Internet fraud; hand-held GPS devices to record video and audio notes; and nuclear-detection
technology and drug-analysis labs. "This new partnership will help law enforcement across the country deploy the
cutting-edge technologies of our national labs to fight drugs, violent crime and terrorism," says Gore. (Wall
Street Journal 19 May 98)
AT&T MAKES DEAL WITH ANOTHER SEARCH ENGINE
AT&T and Yahoo! have developed an arrangement that will allow users to buy AT&T communications services through
buttons located in several places throughout the Yahoo! search-engine Web site; the two companies will also test
a new service allowing users to maintain confidentiality in "chats" over the Internet, by establishing a voice
link without revealing a chat-participant's phone number. AT&T has recently signed up other search services as
well, to offer a variety of "front-ends" for its WorldNet Internet service. (ZDNet 18 May 98)
INDIA SANCTIONS COULD AFFECT HIGH-TECH EXPORTS
Software and computer companies are scrambling to figure out how the Clinton Administration sanctions in the
wake of India's nuclear tests last week will affect them. Cited in the sanctions is a ban on exports of
"specific goods and technology subject to export licensing by the Commerce Department." According to Commerce
officials, the prohibition would apply to workstation manufacturers seeking to ship upgrades to India, a prime
customer for the high-end machines and upgrades. Still unclear is whether the sanctions will be imposed on
electronic transmission of software and design information across borders. A number of U.S. high-tech companies
have subsidiaries or branch offices in India. (EE Times 19 May 98)
YAHOO! REPLACES ALTAVISTA WITH INKTOMI SEARCH ENGINE
Reflecting the rise in competition among so-called Internet "portal" sites, Yahoo! says it's replacing Digital
Equipment's AltaVista search engine technology with that from Inktomi when AltaVista's contract expires in July.
Digital, which has supplied Yahoo! with its search engine for the past two years, says AltaVista's success in
snaring a piece of the Internet portal site market is responsible for the rift, because now AltaVista and Yahoo!
are competitors. "In the beginning, there was not much conflict, but it changed as the business grew stronger
and revenue increased," says AltaVista's communications manager. Digital will now concentrate on selling more
ads on its site and increasing content. (TechWeb 18 May 98)
IBM TO PUSH INTERNET PHONE SERVICE
IBM has cut a deal with Internet service provider IDT Corp., wherein it will promote IDT's Internet phone
service by including IDT's Net2Phone software in its Internet access kit and the two companies will share the
revenue generated. (Investor's Business Daily 19 May 98)
MCI MAY SELL ITS INTERNET BUSINESS TO DISARM ANTITRUST OBJECTIONS
To protect itself from criticisms that its planned merger with WorldCom would give it an excessive degree of
dominance in high-capacity data network services, MCI is apparently considering selling all or parts of its
Internet business. Competitors GTE and Sprint, who are hoping to have the merger blocked by the federal
government, say that the combined company formed by MCI and WorldCom would account for 40-60% of the U.S.
communications traffic flowing over high-capacity networks. (San Jose Mercury News 19 May 98)
NAVY TURNS TO OFF-THE-SHELF PCs TO POWER SHIPS
The U.S. Navy, facing pressure from Congress to cut spending, is maintaining its cutting edge by replacing
expensive custom-built systems with off-the-shelf products. "If we insisted on military specs, we'd be a
generation behind, and they'd cost twice as much," says the intelligence officer on the USS Coronado. The new
strategy, called IT-21 or Information Technology for the 21st Century, is the brainchild of the Pacific Fleet
commander-in-chief Adm. Archie Clemins. "If you use proprietary systems, you can never stay current with
technology," says Clemins. Another advantage is a shortened learning curve: "Everybody knows how to use the
technology so training costs are way down." In addition, using off-the-shelf systems makes it a lot easier to
coordinate joint operations with U.S. allies. "Proprietary computers were too expensive for our coalition
partners." The only downside is that the Navy may be losing some of its computer brain power to the private
sector: "Our people are very valuable in the commercial world," says a spokesman. (St. Petersburg Times 18 May
98)
THE INTERNET AS LOBBYING TOOL
Referring to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event yesterday demonstrating the use of the Internet as a lobbying tool
for communicating with (lobbying) government officials, James Thurber, director of American University's Center
for Congressional Studies, says: "This is an example of the future... The linkage between a direct lobbying
effort and the Internet is going to improve the capacity of these large organizations to pressure individual
members of Congress to do what they want them to do. With these sites, they can just click an icon, and they
have programs that will automatically send a letter to the right members of Congress." (Washington Post 18 May
98)
BEEPER BLACKOUT
A malfunctioning Panamsat-owned satellite late Tuesday caused service disruptions to tens of millions of pagers
and other communications devices throughout the nation, and in many states prevented distribution of such
televisions programs as "The News Hour With Jim Lehrer" on Public Television. The malfunction was characterized
as one that would happen extremely infrequently. Normal paging service may not be restored for a full week. (New
York Times 21 May 98)
WTO PLEDGES DUTY-FREE INTERNET FOR ONE YEAR
Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have agreed to refrain from levying tariffs on Internet business
for one year -- a partial victory for the U.S., which had pushed for a total ban on tariffs. Arguing against the
moratorium were several developing countries that see the Internet as an additional source of much-needed
revenue. The WTO agreement calls for no tariffs on items traded via the Internet, but does not include items
ordered over the Internet but delivered in a conventional manner. (Reuters 20 May 98)
EURO HOLOGRAM IS MISSING
Somewhere between Paris and Munich, a unique hologram design, intended to deter counterfeiting of the new euro
currency, has turned up missing. The French-made hologram was on its way to a high-security printer near
Nuremberg for testing. One European Union monetary official called the disappearance "startling" and there's
speculation that the EU may have to change the design of its high-denomination euro banknotes, due to be issued
in 2002. The hologram was designed by a small business in Paris and was taken to be loaded onto an Air France
flight at Roissy airport by Brink's security services. Officials in Paris say the theft bears the hallmarks of a
well-organized crime, as only an expert would understand the significance of the hologram in the note-printing
process. (Financial Times 21 May 98)
U.S. ENCRYPTION POLICY COULD COST COMPANIES $9 BILLION
A study released recently the Economic Strategy Institute shows that U.S. makers of encryption software could
miss out on $9-billion worth of sales over the next five years, if the U.S. doesn't revise its export policy.
Although the administration has shown some signs of willingness to relax its stance against encryption export,
companies remain wary. Government officials "continually play this game of offering some meaningless relief,
promising more and never delivering," says RSA Data Security president Jim Bidzos. "They're gridlocked. When
pressed to make concessions, the NSA and FBI never find any compromises acceptable." "We need to get a new
dialogue started," says IBM's public policy director. "As long as there is posturing by law enforcement on one
hand and people advocating total freedom to use and export strong encryption on the other, you're going to end
up in this area of paralysis." (Investor's Business Daily 21 May 98)
NEW WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY FOR DATA TRANSFER
A group of computer and telecommunications companies is backing a new technology for transferring electronic
data over short distances, up to 30 feet. The technology, code-named Bluetooth, uses a portion of the radio
spectrum that was set aside for industrial, scientific and medical devices, and can transfer data at about eight
times the speed of a 56-Kbps computer modem. Bluetooth transmitters are expected to cost about $20 apiece, and
will be able to communicate with a number of different devices. Backers include Intel, IBM, Nokia, Ericsson and
Toshiba Corp. (Wall Street Journal 20 May 98)
WHAT'S GOOD FOR QUEST IS GOOD FOR AT&T
AT&T has approached the regional Bell phone companies as well as GTE, another major provider of local phone
service, and offered to use those companies as sales channels to market AT&T long-distance service to local
companies. Recently, AT&T filed suit against a similar plan offered by long-distance carrier Qwest
Communications and two of the Bell companies (U S West and Ameritech), arguing that such an arrangement violated
provisions of the 1996 Telecommunications Act that put constraints on local companies entering the long-distance
market. If AT&T's attempt to derail the Qwest proposal fails, AT&T at least wants to be able to do the same
thing. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 21 May 98)
REPETITIVE STRESS INJURIES TO STUDENTS
Rising numbers of teenagers and college students are suffering from Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI) as a result
of using computer keyboards. A study at Carnegie Mellon University shows that 22% of students, faculty, and
staff report symptoms of RSI, and vastly increased increases in RSI problems have been reported by Harvard, MIT,
and other institutions. Anita Barkin at Carnegie Mellon says: "Students are using computers earlier and earlier.
They are using them in elementary school and in high school. By the time they come here, they've already gotten
into some bad habits and have not been aware that RSI is a problem." (Washington Post 17 May 98)
IS MICROSOFT ANTITRUST SUIT A CLEVER MARKETING TRICK?
Advance sales of Microsoft's Windows 98 have vastly exceeded the company's expectations. An executive of the
CompUSA chain of computer stores thinks the surge of buyers can be explained by the antitrust suit filed this
week against Microsoft: "The government has created more demand for Windows 98 than could have ever been
generated by a marketing program." (New York Times 21 May 98)
INTEL EASES CHIP LICENSING POLICY
Intel is planning to license its P6 chip-set technology, making life easier for companies like Advanced Micro
Devices that make competing products. Intel says it's reached a licensing agreement with one chip-set maker and
is in discussions with other potential licensees. Intel says its recent decision to expand its licensing program
is unrelated to a probe by the Federal Trade Commission, which is investigating licensing policies and other
Intel business practices. (Wall Street Journal 21 May 98)
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Hello??
LOOKING FOR TIDBITS
ABOUT THE DOJ'S CASE AGAINST MICROSOFT
Charles Rule, former head of the Justice Department's antitrust division, says the DOJ lawsuit against
Microsoft is the work of a group of "fuzzy-headed academics." Rule thinks the government is overreaching
in its case. "It's one thing to ask a company to go the extra mile," he says, "and it's quite another to
ask them to walk off a cliff."
Industry Giants Back Wireless Standard
An industry consortium lead by IBM, Intel Corp., Nokia Corp., and Toshiba demonstrated wireless
technology designed to make data communications using notebooks and personal digital assistants simpler
and cheaper by eliminating the need for wireless modems and cables. The technology, code-named
Bluetooth, will be available commercially during the second half of 1999 in the form of wireless
transmitters and receivers that will be included in cellular phones, notebooks, and other devices.
Bluetooth devices will transfer data between themselves at 1 megabit per second at up to 30 feet.
AOL looking at Mirabilis Ltd
America Online is said to be close to signing a deal to purchase Mirabilis Ltd., an Israeli-based
software company, for $300 million, the electronic edition of the Wall Street Journal reported. Reston,
Virginia based AOL, the largest on-line service in the U.S. is expected to make the deal for the
start-up, which doesn't take ads and doesn't charge users, within the next week or two, the Journal
said, citing executives familiar with the negotiations. Mirabilis makes a successful Internet chat
software program, dubbed ICQ, that allows users to know when their friends are on-line. Reports of the
possible deal also appeared in Israel's Globes business newspaper. AOL was not immediately available for
comment.
Microsoft, Sega to develop new game machine
Microsoft announced a tie-up with Japanese gamemaker Sega Enterprises Ltd to develop Sega's new home
video game machine, Dreamcast. The new game machine carrying Microsoft's Windows CE operating system is
scheduled to be launched in Japan on Nov. 20 and in 1999 outside Japan, Microsoft's Japan unit said.
Sega separately announced the planned launch of its new game machine, which it said will carry high
graphics capacity and a 64-channel sound system. It will be equipped with a 33.6Kbps modem for fast
network connections and online functions, the gamemaker said.
Food illness computer web planned
All 50 states will be linked together by next year on a computer web to track and respond to outbreaks
of foodborne illness under a new Clinton administration initiative. Vice President Al Gore, who is
scheduled to formally unveil the network Friday, said it would enable investigators to identify
outbreaks five times faster than is possible now. The move is the administration's latest effort to
reduce the estimated 9,000 deaths and 33 million illnesses caused by foodborne pathogens each year.
Previous efforts include issuing new guidelines to farms and food processors on how to guard against
contamination and adopting new inspection techniques at meat and poultry plants. The network, dubbed
Pulsenet, will use the Internet to link the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and
Drug Administration, the Agriculture Department, four laboratories and state health departments
together. This will enable officials to quickly identify pathogens like E. coli in illn! ess outbreaks
using the DNA of the bacteria found in the contaminated food and in patients who are suffering from
gastric problems.
Groups target Internet access fees
Providing cheap Internet hookups for schools, libraries and rural health care providers is going to cost
someone, probably phone users, consumer groups contend. Saying they want to avoid higher phone bills,
the Consumers Union and the Consumer Federation of America asked the Federal Communications Commission
Thursday to stop collecting money from phone companies to pay for the discounted Internet hookups. The
groups said the commission should make deep cuts in access fees, which long distance companies pay to
local phone companies, in order to pay for continued funding of the Internet program. Access fees help
pay for connecting calls and typically get passed along to long-distance customers. Reductions in those
fees are also supposed to flow to customers. But FCC Chairman Bill Kennard said paying for the Internet
program and keeping phone bills stable is not an either-or proposition.
Web users wary of Internet sites
Digital commerce across the Internet offers customers more convenience with 24-hour shopping from their
living rooms. But the fledgling industries hawking products online admit they need to persuade consumers
that purchases can be trusted and that personal information will be kept private. "The majority of Web
users today will not provide personal registration information, and many say they do not trust sites
that collect personal information," said Madeline Mooney, a vice president for Lycos Inc., in testimony
prepared for a congressional hearing Thursday. She was among executives from some of the nation's
companies on the cutting edge of digital commerce describing to members of the House Subcommittee on
Telecommunications, Trade and Consumer Protection the awesome potential of the future of Internet
trading.
The CWSApps Weekly Newsletter
Volume 3.04 - May 13, 1998
Contents
Introduction
New Additions to CWSApps
Updated Apps for the Week
Top 25 Downloads for the Week
Cool App of the Week - DU Meter
----------------
1. Introduction
----------------
Welcome to the CWSApps Weekly Newsletter. Each week we will be delivering a message to your mailbox that
is designed to help keep you up to date with the Internet software scene. The newsletter will offer a
summary of the latest and greatest Net software updates as well as breaking software news and revisions
made to the CWSApps Web site.
As always, any feedback you have on the newsletter will be greatly appreciated. Please send comments
(good and bad) to cwsapps@internet.com or fill out our comments form at
http://cws.internet.com/comment5.html.
Enjoy...
----------------------------
2. New Additions to CWSApps
----------------------------
* DU Meter v2.0 - a Net Diagnostic Tool
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32diag.html#dumeter
Download: http://www.hagel.threadnet.com/download/dumtr200.exe (0.3 MB)
Rating: 4 Stars
* XiRCON v1.0 Beta 4 - an IRC App
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32irc.html#xircon
Download: ftp://ftp.xircon.com/pub/xircon/xirc10b4.exe (0.9 MB)
Rating: 4 Stars
* Netscape Next Generation Layout Source Code (for developers only)
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32auxx.html#netscom
Download: http://www.mozilla.org/newlayout/download.html (4.5 MB)
Rating: Untested
-- Servers --
* WinProxy v2.1c - a Proxy Server
ServerWatch Location:
http://serverwatch.internet.com/proxyservers.html#winproxy
Download: http://www.WinProxy.com/downloads/WProxy21.exe (1.2 MB)
Rating: 4 Stars
* Spaghetti Proxy Server v2.2 - a Proxy Server
ServerWatch Location:
http://serverwatch.internet.com/proxyservers.html#spaghetti
Download: http://aVirt.vservers.com/download/spg22.exe (0.7 MB)
Rating: 3 Stars
-----------------------------
3. Updated Apps for the Week
-----------------------------
* Internet Neighborhood v1.5 Build 3 - a FTP Client
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32ftp.html#ineighbor
Download: ftp://ftp.knowareinc.com/knowareinc.com/pub/in32/in32.zip (1.3 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
* WebPhone v4.0 - an Internet Phone Client
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32phone.html#webphone
Download: ftp://ftp.netspeak.com/pub/wpsetup.exe (3.0 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
* DynamIP v3.30 Beta 4 - an Internet Utility
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32win.html#dynamip
Download: http://members.xoom.com/DynamIP/files/DynamIPv330b4.zip (3.4 MB)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
* RAS+ 95 Beta 4 Build 140 - a Winsock App
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32crit.html#rasplus
Download: ftp://ftp.cftnet.com/pub/RASPlus/setupras.exe (1.0 MB)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
* VDOPhone 3.03 - an Internet Phone Client
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32phone.html#vdophone
Download: ftp://ftp1.vdo.net/pub/vptrl300.exe (3.9 MB)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
* WinStock v1.16.2 / Winstock Pro v2.2.2 - Online Stock Tickers
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32stock.html#winstock
Download: ftp://ftp.teleport.com/pub/vendors/magoldsm/cb1v162v2.exe (3.7 MB)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
* OrbitIRC v2.1 Official Release - an IRC Application
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32irc.html#orbitirc
Download: http://ftp.dlcwest.com/~orbitirc/download/orbitirc210.exe (2.2 MB)
Rating: 4 Stars
* Trumpet Winsock v4.0 Beta 3 - a Winsock Package
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32crit.html#tcpman
Download: ftp://ftp.trumpet.com/winsock/twsk40b3.exe (1.1 MB)
Rating: 4 Stars
* PolyView v3.0 Beta 19 - a Graphics Application
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32image.html#polyview
Download: http://www.polybytes.com/betafiles/pvbeta.exe (1.2 MB)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
* Ladybird v2.5 - a 16-bit Mail Client
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/16mail.html#ladybird
Download: http://www.iii.org.tw/mforest/ladybird/lbird25x.exe (0.1 MB)
Rating: 3 Stars
* NewsBin v2.2 - a News Reader
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32news.html#nbin
Download: http://www.newsbin.com/nb3222.exe (0.1 MB)
Rating: 3 Stars
* ThunderBYTE AntiVirus May Virus Definition Update
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32virus.html#tbav
Download: ftp://ftp.norman.nl/pub/def/TBSCAN.DEF (0.1 MB)
Rating: Untested
-- Servers --
* Netscape Collabra Server v3.51 - a News Server
ServerWatch Location:
http://serverwatch.internet.com/newsservers.html#nscollabra
Download: http://home.netscape.com/download/selectplatform_100_20.html
(14.5 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
* Xitami v2.3b - a Web Server
ServerWatch Location: http://serverwatch.internet.com/webserver-xitami.html
Download: http://www.imatix.com/html/xitami/download (0.6 MB)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
-----------------------------------------
4. Top 25 Downloads - Movers and Shakers
-----------------------------------------
The May 11th update for the Top 25 Downloads on CWSApps is now available. Here are the apps that have
moved up (the 'movers') or have fallen (the 'shakers') 10 or more places during the past week. For the
complete
Top 25 results for the past week, check out:
http://cws.internet.com/top25weekly.html
--The Movers--
* Microsoft Media Player v5.0 Beta 2 - an Audio/Video App
http://cws.internet.com/32video#msmedia
Debuts this week at #1!
* Eudora Pro v4.0.1 - a Mail Client
http://cws.internet.com/32mail.html#eudorap
Up to #3 from #22
* Microsoft Liquid Motion v1.0 Beta 1 - a Web Graphics Tool
http://cws.internet.com/32webimg.html#msliquid
Debuts this week at #7
* AtomTime 98 v2.0 - an Internet Utility
http://cws.internet.com/32win.html#atomtime
Debuts this week at #15
--The Shakers--
* RealPlayer v5.0 - an Audio/Video App
http://cws.internet.com/32audio.html#realplay
Down from #15 to #25
* TweakDUN v2.10 - a Winsock App
http://cws.internet.com/32crit.html#tweakdun
Exits the list (#28) from #13
* VirusScan DAT v3104 - a Virus Definition Update
http://cws.internet.com/32virus.html#virus
Exits the list (#32) from #20
* Outlook 98 - a Mail Client
http://cws.internet.com/32mail.html#outlook
Exits the list (#30) from #19
-----------------------------------
5. Cool App of the Week - DU Meter
-----------------------------------
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32diag.html#dumeter
Download: http://www.hagel.threadnet.com/download/dumtr200.exe (0.3 MB)
Version: 2.0
Rating: 4 Stars
DU Meter (Download/Upload Meter) is an inexpensive utility with one major purpose in mind--to let you
know how much of your bandwidth potential is actually being utilized at any given point in time.
In addition to supporting all 32-bit Windows platforms (Windows 95/98 and NT 3.x/4.x/5.x), DU Meter also
supports all types of Net connections-- from dial-up connections to cable modems to T3 lines and
everything
in between. The utility even supports LAN network devices.
One particularly beneficial use for DU Meter is as a sidekick to TweakDUN
http://cws.internet.com/32crit.html#tweakdun . You can use DU Meter to get exact transfer rate results
when trying out different MTU and similar settings in TweakDUN. The DU Meter results will then allow you
to accurately determine which combination of TweakDUN settings works best for your connection.
Another useful feature is DU Meter's stopwatch, which can be used to measure data transfer rates over a
given period of time. After pressing start, the stopwatch will track elapsed time, accumulated data (in
Kilobytes), maximum transfer rate (in kilobits per second--kbps), and average rate of transfer (again in
kbps) until you press stop. The only downside to the stopwatch is that there aren't any user
configuration options, i.e., you can't change the average and maximum rates to Kilobytes per second
(Kbps) instead of the default kilobits per second.
DU Meter isn't the only utility available that will display download and upload transfer rates. One such
tool, Net.Medic, displays not only your upload/download speed but also your overall connection status;
status of local, intermediate, and host computers; bottlenecks and dead servers; average data transfer
speed; and much more.
Combined with its extensive reporting capabilities and problem logging, the set of features in the $50
Net.Medic make it a must-have app for advanced users. But for users looking for a less expensive way of
monitoring the performance of an Internet connection, DU Meter is definitely the more cost-effective
route.
Your Web browser is another utility that reports transfer speeds, but only for files downloaded via the
browser itself. Both Netscape and Internet Explorer will give you an average rate of transfer for the
file currently being downloaded. While being of some use in letting users know the rate of a download,
Web browsers aren't designed to provide advanced transfer data rates, so it shouldn't come as a surprise
that both Net.Medic and DU Meter offer many more features in this area.
Despite some advantages of using other utilities, DU Meter has a number of its own distinctive
competencies. While Net.Medic displays transfer information only in kbps, or kilobits per second
(one/eighth of a Kilobyte), DU Meter will display speed rates in either kbps (the term often associated
with transfer speed in analog modems) or in Kbps (Kilobytes per second--a term that is more useful in
terms of relaying how long it takes to download a given file).
Like Net.Medic, DU Meter can be configured to scale its graph automatically depending on your
connection, or you can use one of several preconfigured values (28.8 kbps, 33.6 kbps, 56 kbps, etc.) In
addition, with DU Meter you can manually set your own transfer speed scale, a feature especially useful
for cable modem users who are unable to utilize the automatic settings or one of the preconfigured
values.
Another advantage of DU Meter is its small size--in terms of desktop space used, system resource
utilization, and overall footprint--and the configurable ability to make itself even smaller. You can
modify the program settings to display numeric and/or graphical results, use a window caption (or not),
start minimized, or minimize when idle. DU Meter also offers system traybar icon support with an icon
that graphically displays upload and download transfers.
DU Meter is not without its shortcomings, but with a price tag of only $10, you won't find a less
expensive net diagnostic tool that gives as accurate results for download and upload transfer rates.
Users needing more information on transfer speeds than the data provided by their Web browser but a bit
less than that provided by the super-deluxe tool Net.Medic will find DU Meter to be an excellent
compromise.
Pros: Supports all types of Net connections, inexpensive, minimal use of resources/desktop
space, stopwatch tool
Cons: Few configurable options for the stopwatch, lacks some advanced features found in
competing offerings
We All Have Questions About ISPs!
Internet.com's The List can help answer those questions with the largest and most detailed, accurate
directory of Internet Service Providers available on the Net today. A simple point and click allows you
to find a provider that offers the access speed and computing services that satisfy your needs and
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Visit http://thelist.internet.com and find any ISP in the world.
GOVERNMENT (STATE & FEDERAL)
RUNNING UNCHECKED and DERANGED?
An Opinion
Part 4
By R.F. Mariano
I refuse to harp on things I've already said but... (there's always that but)! The comedy or, should I
call it a tragedy of the Hatch Stage Show. Better yet the crybaby instigated persecution of Microsoft
has taken a number of daffy turns. At this point in time, the best that can be said is its going to get
very interesting.
My take on the entire matter is as plain as an open book. If I were Bill Gates, I'd look at it this way.
Microsoft has an extreme responsibility to its employees and stockholders. I'd fight to last soo. The
Government Control Freaks have got to be put down once and for all. Everything these goofs get their
hands on becomes SNAFU'd so bad and became so expensive as to predate the demise of said item(s) being
controlled. The likes of Orrin Hatch, who by the way, had to resort to all kinds of "crib sheets" during
his interview on TV thus letting the whole world know just how badly informed and ill-experienced he is
when it comes to computers and their use, further sunk himself with the personal attacks on MS and
Gates. How very professional of the good Senator.
While I paid close attention to Hatch .. It "dawned" upon me. What might really be "up". These elderly
clowns are vying with each other for immortality!! Incredible as it may sound, the more I think about
it, the more it makes sense. Look at Dole with his ill-fated Presidential bid, then his goofy check card
commercials, his jumping on the hate MS bandwagon and now his loudly proclaimed love of Viagra! Perhaps
just perhaps, its about time we as taxpayers and voters demanded an upper age limit and stiff term
limits on the House and Senate. The senility and power bases would NEVER have a chance to set in.
Agree? - Disagree? Let us know drop us a line or two at rmariano@streport.com
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Classics & Gaming Section
Editor Dana P. Jacobson
dpj@streport.com
From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
Vacation!! Today marks the first day of a long-awaited
vacation. I'll be spending most of my time doing work around
the house, but I'm not looking at it as "work" but some
leisurely-spent time in and outside the house.
I'm looking forward to do finishing up some yard work,
planting some more flowers, starting a vegetable garden,
setting up the pool - and that's just the outside work! Some
painting inside and some more unpacking and setting up of a
couple of rooms will almost complete the "moving-in" stage.
And who knows what else I might start!
And then the traditional Memorial Day cookout! This will be
our first; and we have friends coming over this weekend and
some of my in-laws next weekend. It should be fun,
especially with the weather cooperating for a change.
Speaking of Memorial Day...since this is the traditional
"welcome to Spring" weekend, there's likely to be plenty of
partying going on. Play it smart and do not drink and drive.
There are already enough crazy drivers on the roads this
holiday weekend - don't aid in becoming a highway statistic.
Be safe and have an enjoyable long weekend.
Until next time...
Gaming Section
* "Centipede"!! 3DO News!
* "Monopoly World Cup '98"!!
* "Mortal Kombat 4"! Nintendo!
* And much more...
Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming
News!
Nintendo Enjoys Healthy Rise In 1997/98 Profits
Japan's Nintendo reports a strong rise in profits for the
1997/98 business year thanks to brisk sales of its video
game machines in domestic and overseas markets. The
company's group net profit rose 27.8 percent to $624
million. Nintendo's earnings were buoyed by a sharp increase
in sales of its 64-bit video game player, Nintendo 64, in
the United States and Europe, as well as by the popularity
of its Gameboy portable video game in Japan.
Accumulated sales of Nintendo 64 in overseas markets reached
12.99 million units as of the end of March, while domestic
sales totaled 3.15 million units, the company said. For the
last business year ended in March, sales of the game machine
totaled 8.91 million units in the overseas markets, while
sales in the domestic market totaled 1.11 million units, it
said.
Nintendo said it expected sales of Nintendo 64 in the
current business year to March 1999 to reach nine million
units in the overseas markets and two million units in
Japan. We will seek to expand sales of Nintendo 64 in the
domestic market by introducing new software and stepping up
advertising activities," a Nintendo executive told a news
conference.
The company also sold 11.02 million units of Gameboy
globally last business year, riding on the popularity of its
Pocket Monster game software. Global sales of software for
the game machine were seen reaching 54 million units in the
current business year, it said. It also forecast global
sales of its Gameboy portable video game player in the
current business year to reach 11.5 million units.
However, uncertainties loom over the business outlook for
the current year as parents are likely to tighten their
wallets amid prolonged weakness in the domestic economy,
analysts said. The company also faces severe competition
from Sony, which entered the home-use video game market in
late 1994 with its 32-bit game player PlayStation.
Sony earlier said it sold 19.4 million PlayStations in the
global market last business year, more than double the
previous year's volume. PlayStation sales in the current
business year are expected to be 18.5 million units, it
said. Another rival, Sega Enterprises is suffering from slow
sales of its 32-bit game console, Sega Saturn.
3DO Plans Multi-Platform Releases, 'Incredible Growth'
May 18, 1998 (MULTIMEDIA WIRE, Vol. 5, No. 95) -- 3DO plans
to ship "a handful of PlayStation titles and one or two N64
titles" this year in addition to PC titles as it bids to
make its software business profitable by 2000, CFO John
Adams tells MMWire. "As we grow from fiscal '98 with three
titles, we're looking at 10 to 15 this fiscal year (until
April '99) and then 15 to 20 the following year," Adams
says. The company will broaden its multi- platform plans the
following year. It is investing in infrastructure this year
to get there, he adds, and will decrease pace the following
year. "The focus is on developing quality games and building
franchises."
Titles scheduled to ship this fiscal year include Heroes of
Might & Magic VII; a sequel to High Heat Baseball; Battle
Tanks on N64, a PSX adaptation of Army Men, followed shortly
afterward by a release on N64; Requiem (from 3DO's Cyclone
Studios); and Vegas Games (from its New World Computing
arm). The company has no Project X plans so far, but the
platform is "definitely on our radar screen."
Sales of Might & Magic VI are "beating all of our initial
forecasts," Adams says. "In a number of our retail outlets
we're number one in sell through." Army Men is also selling
well. "We're in the top five in the retail market for both
titles."
Sell through on High Heat Baseball is "about where we
planned. But if you read press, all the reviewers are saying
it's the best game," Adams says. "It's the first in a series
of baseball games. We would expect the second and third to
go far beyond the initial sales." The company's Team .366
unit has been developing the baseball franchise, but 3DO is
also looking at other sporting activities, Adams says.
On Thursday 3DO posted net income of $22.5m on revenue of
$38.9m. The company also gained $18.0m plus interest from
the sale of its hardware business to Samsung in May, which
balanced R&D expenses of $19.1m. But with no hardware left
to sell, 3DO will have to stand or fall by its software
business this year. With Q4 net losses of $6.3m on revenue
of only $1.5m, the company is looking to healthy sales and
new releases to bring it back into profit.
3DO expects its software business to turn a profit by 2000.
"We expect to see profits improve by another 50% year over
year," Adams says. The company will get there, he adds, by
building primarily on its existing properties instead of
relying heavily on the development of new titles.
With $9m software publishing revenue in fiscal '98 and a
planned $40m in fiscal '99, the goal is $100m in fiscal
2000. "The beauty is that we're doing it with existing
titles and developing sequels."
Adams says 3DO has succeeded in persuading the investment
community to back it as a software-only company. He
describes feedback as "overwhelming." "A lot of the concern
has been whether CEO Trip Hawkins still has the passion he
had a few years ago...His passion is unmatched by anybody.
Trip is back and he's here to play."
Hasbro Interactive Unveils Its New Centipede(TM) Action Game
BEVERLY, Mass., May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Swarms of pesky
spiders, menacing fleas, mushroom-poisoning scorpions and
the QueenPede herself are waking up from their decade-long
naps, reborn in Hasbro Interactive's new Centipede action
arcade game for the PC and video game platforms. Based on
the legendary Atari game of the 1980s, Hasbro Interactive's
new Centipede will delight nostalgic game players who
remember blasting away those irksome insects in the arcades
and challenge today's action gamers with its new
high-powered 3D adventure modes. Centipede will be Hasbro
Interactive's first release from its recent acquisition of
the Atari assets from JTS Corporation and is scheduled to
ship this fall.
"We can't wait for our customers to take a look at our new
Centipede game at E3," said Tom Dusenberry, President of
Hasbro Interactive. "The game play is a thrill ride and
those insects never looked so good in their new 3D worlds,"
added Dusenberry. "We think Centipede will be one of Hasbro
Interactive's top-selling titles in '98."
The Story of Centipede...
As the tale is told, every hundred years an eclipse occurs
which causes a metabolic metamorphosis in the insect
kingdom, triggering the awakening of the boss centipede, the
QueenPede, and her mindful minions -- the spiders,
scorpions, and fleas. Their mission is to wreak havoc on the
nearby colony of Wee People. The Wee People, a peaceful
sort, must defend themselves against the insects and have
built "The Shooter," a powerful vessel especially designed
to defeat the creepy crawlers. One very brave soul must man
"The Shooter" and this time the faithful town bean counter,
Wally, has been chosen to tackle this daunting deed. Wally
needs your help in his quest to defeat the Centipede!!
Caution -- the squeamish need not apply!
The Game Play
In Hasbro Interactive's new Centipede game, players have two
ways to battle the bothersome bugs -- the Arcade mode and
the Adventure mode. In the Arcade mode, the designers of
Centipede are modeling the mechanics of the game so it will
play exactly like the classic arcade game that fans from the
80s remember -- but the Arcade mode will have a cool 3D
perspective. Since the game play is based on the 80s
version, the bugs will behave exactly the same way they did
in the original game -- centipedes are still winding toward
the player, the fleas are still building mushrooms, the
scorpions are still poisoning the mushrooms and the
spiders...well, they are still as annoying as ever. The most
important element in this mode is, of course, to ascend the
top ten list with the highest score.
In the Adventure mode, players can break out of the classic
arcade-style rectangular board interface and take on bugs
face to face in six exciting new 3D worlds. Following the
story line, players must direct our unsung hero Wally in his
mission to exterminate the insects in these magical new
lands. In the new Centipede, there will be even more
distasteful vermin to conquer -- each one with unique battle
powers.
In addition to the new game play modes there will be new
perspectives that players can choose from including top
down, third-person (over Wally's shoulder), and first-person
views. Players can switch their perspective whenever they
want to help them out of any precarious situation! Centipede
will be available this fall.
Midway To Launch Mortal Kombat 4 for Nintendo 64
CORSICANA, TEXAS (May 18) BUSINESS WIRE - May 18, 1998 -
Midway Home Entertainment prepares for the launch of Mortal
Kombat 4(R) (MK4) with the announcement of an aggressive new
price point for the Nintendo 64(R) version and a
multi-million dollar national TV advertising campaign.
Midway is responding to retail buyer and consumer demand for
lower priced Nintendo 64 games by reducing the wholesale
cost of MK4 for the platform. This reduction will result in
a new suggested retail price of $49.95 as opposed to the
previous MSRP of $59.95.
"MK4 is the type of high profile title that can generate
substantial excitement for the Nintendo 64 hardware," said
Byron Cook, president of Midway Home Entertainment. "The
popularity and huge success of the Mortal Kombat franchise
coupled with the new low price and our national TV ad
campaign will cause the title to fly off retail store
shelves." The sneak previews of the "music video" style
advertising spot start Sunday, May 17 (9 p.m. & 11:15 p.m.
EST) with the airing of the Mortal Kombat movie on TBS. The
spot will be featured four times during each of the five
airings of the movie that month. The campaign supports the
pre-sale efforts of MK4 for the Nintendo 64 and the
PlayStation(R) game console system.
The largest portion of the multi-million dollar MK4 TV
campaign coincides with the launch of the game on June 29
and continues through July 13 on cable networks including
Comedy Central, USA, TNT, TBS, and MTV. The commercial will
be featured on programs such as South Park on Comedy
Central, Beavis & Butthead and Daria on MTV, WCW Thunder on
TBS, and Saved by the Bell and Baywatch on USA.
Hasbro Interactive Kicks Off Soccer Summer With Monopoly
World Cup '98
BEVERLY, Mass., May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The wheeling and
dealing of the Monopoly(R) game has teamed up with the
world's most anticipated sporting event this year! Hasbro
Interactive, leading all-family interactive games publisher,
announced it is shipping the Monopoly World Cup '98 CD-ROM
at the end of the month.
Faithful to the original Monopoly game play that everyone in
the family knows, players buy and sell the world's 22 best
soccer teams in Monopoly World Cup CD-ROM as they compete
for soccer supremacy. Game tokens are fully animated 3-D
soccer players that kick passes across the board to the next
player or dribble the ball elegantly to the next team. Just
as on the real field, a soccer player gets heated when he's
sent to the bench (jail) or receives a yellow or red
card-all with the realistic soccer crowd fanfare in the
background. The railroad stations of the original Monopoly
game are now the top four soccer stadiums for 1998 World Cup
in France and instead of hotels, you're buying stadiums. The
goal of the game is to bankrupt your opponent and own this
soccer lover's universe. Monopoly World Cup CD-ROM will be
available in seven languages and playable on Windows 95 for
a suggested retail price of $29.95. For more information on
this game and other Hasbro Interactive titles visit
www.hasbro-interactive.com.
Get Ready to Burn Rubber: ASC Games' Jeff Gordon Racing
Peels Out
DARIEN, CONN. (May 13) BUSINESS WIRE - May 13, 1998 - Ladies
and gentlemen start your engines - the checkered flag is
about to fly for the launch of ASC Games' JEFF GORDON
RACING, a new video game series developed with NASCAR
Winston Cup Champion and racing prodigy Jeff Gordon at the
wheel. JEFF GORDON RACING is the first game in which a
NASCAR superstar is hands-on in co-designing and
co-producing a racing game series. Showcased at this year's
Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade show from May 28-30
in Atlanta, Georgia by leading video game developer and
publisher ASC Games, JEFF GORDON RACING will land on store
shelves beginning first quarter 1999 for the PC CD-ROM,
PlayStation, arcade, and N64 platforms.
"This video game will be the ultimate combination of my two
passions - racing and video gaming," says Jeff Gordon,
NASCAR Champion. "I'm really looking forward to creating
games in which players can virtually experience the pure
rush of driving at lightning-fast speeds and the heat of
fierce competitive racing. I want gamers everywhere to know
the intense thrill of a Victory Lane ride!" JEFF GORDON
RACING is a turbo-charged, arcade-style, stock car racing
game that features Jeff Gordon as your personal mentor,
teammate, and ultimately, your toughest competition. The
game combines extreme high speeds with a wild spin on stock
car racing and tracks of the future.
"ASC Games is developing the Jeff Gordon Racing games to be
unlike anything on the market," says David Klein, president
and COO of ASC Games. "So gamers -- get ready to shift into
high gear because Jeff Gordon Racing will be a new racing
experience." A prodigy in the racing world, Jeff Gordon is
one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR Winston Cup
history. A Winston Cup Series Champion in 1997 and 1995,
Gordon was the youngest driver to ever win the coveted
championship. Last season alone, Gordon won 10 victories,
including the coveted Daytona 500 - as the youngest driver
ever. Gordon's awards include the 1998 NASCAR Future Legend
Award, Time Magazine's 1996 Top Ten Sports Phenoms of the
Year in 1996, a 1995 ESPN ESPY award for Racing's
International Driver of the Year, the 1995 National
Motorsports Press Association's American Driver of the Year
award, among others.
Sega to Release New Video Game Machine In November
TOKYO, May 21 (Kyodo) -- Sega Enterprises Ltd. said Thursday
it will release a new home-use video game machine in Japan
on Nov. 20. The machine is equipped with a 128-bit processor
produced by Hitachi Ltd. at its central processing unit and
a customized Windows CE operating system developed by
Microsoft, Sega officials said. The Dreamcast, which carries
a Yamaha Corp. 64-channel sound system, will allow users to
freely transform stereoscopic pictures on the screen when
playing games, the officials said.
Sega, which has been fighting an uphill battle in the
home-use video game machine industry, is scheduled to
release the software for the Dreamcast in mid-September,
they said. At the end of March this year, Sony Corp.'s
32-bit PlayStation was the best-selling video game machine
in the world with the cumulative total 32.82 million units
shipped. Nintendo Co.'s 64-bit NINTENDO 64 ranked second
with 16.14 million units shipped. With the shipment of only
8.86 million units, Sega's 32-bit Sega Saturn was far behind
the Sony and Nintendo machines.
Jaguar Online STR InfoFile - Online Users Growl & Purr!
The Jaguar's Domain
NEW JAGUAR GAME!
Worms has just been released for the Atari Jaguar as of May
15, 1998! Other recent Telegames releases include Iron
Soldier II and Zero Five. See www.telegames.com for more
details, and show your continued support by ordering a
Jaguar game from Telegames.
THE WAIT IS ALMOST OVER...
BattleSphere, the much-anticipated Jaguar game, is very near
to completion! Yes, I know, you've heard that before, but
this multiplayer network space combat game will finally be
available in 1998. Please fill out the official BS feedback
form even if you've done so in the past. 4Play would like to
confirm how many carts need to be manufactured for the first
run. The form is linked to the below page:
http://www.best.com/~sebab/dvidgames/dsphere/sphere.shtml
1998 ATARI SURVEY
Please stop by the Jaguar's Domain and fill out my 1998
Atari Survey at:
http://www.millcomm.com/~forhan/jaguar.html
Hopefully this feedback can be used to convince companies
such as ICD and Telegames to continue to release completed
Jaguar games that have been sitting on the shelf for several
years. Thanks to all who've already completed the form!
STILL PURRING IN 1998...
Sharpen the claws of your Atari Lynxes... there should be at
least two, and possibly more, new releases for the Lynx this
year. Stay tuned to the Lynx Domain (linked to the Jaguar's
Domain) for details.
Thanks for your time,
Carl Forhan
forhan@millcomm.com
http://www.millcomm.com/~forhan/games.html
ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
Compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@streport.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Another week has come and
gone, and it's time to take a look at what's going on in the
Atari section of the computer world. Not much as far as new
products and things of that nature are concerned, I'm
afraid. But that's to be expected since Atari hasn't made or
sold a computer in several years.
There are, of course, the usual questions and answers that
are the mainstay of this column though, and hopefully you've
found them informative or interesting. I know I always find
some useful information in the posts I grab every week.
Before we 'get down to it', I'd like to say a word about all
this Government vs. Microsoft business. You might have
noticed that I've remained quiet about it recently and
wondered why. Well actually, I'm of two minds about it.
First of all, I don't believe that Microsoft or any of its
minions started out with the idea of driving anyone else out
of business. The object of any business venture is to sell
as much of your product as you can. In the computer world
(as in most other product-oriented businesses), that means
continuously upgrading and improving your product.... If you
make a product that forever be the best in its class,
customers will buy only one. It's much better to produce a
product that will, either by design or by nature, wear out
or be superseded by another. This, Microsoft has done
exceptionally well. The time between products is not too
short (three years or so between Windows 95 and Windows 98),
the advances are modest and for the most part simply take
advantage of new or updated technology. A corollary product
(Internet Explorer) is also available which, because it was
designed and implemented by the same company, meshes quite
well with the new Windows OS. It's probably not Microsoft's
fault that other companies sell products like the ones that
Microsoft gives away for nothing, but they are the
convenient scapegoat simply because of their size. Whether
or not Microsoft is deserving of the accusations is a matter
that I prefer to leave up to the legal system.
On the other hand, other companies do have a hard time
competing against this giant. Whether or not Microsoft has
an unfair advantage is something best left to the legal and
industry experts. And while there's been plenty of chaff
thrown around about the Department of Justice and the
Attorney General, let's remember that it is their job to
investigate. The very nature of our system of justice
demands that investigations be thorough and not simply
cursory examinations presupposing guilt.
I hear one or two people muttering about Waco and Ruby Ridge
at the moment (you didn't think I could hear that, did you).
Without commenting too heavily on those situations, let me
just say that certain portions of our society have begun to
think that it is acceptable to simply ignore or disobey laws
that we don't like. Let me (and a large portion of the
general population) assure you that this is not the case.
Great pains have been taken to ensure that there is legal
recourse when you feel that you have been wronged.
Unfortunately, this means that you will be held to the same
standard as everyone else and some people just don't like
that idea. So when a law enforcement official, be it Janet
Reno or Barney Fife, says "Surrender your weapons" or
"Release the children into our custody", you have a legal,
moral, and social obligation to do so. Enough said about
that. Let's get back to Microsoft.
As a less-than-perfect test, I set up my web page 'hit
counter' to tell me what operating systems and browsers
people who visit my page are using. The results were not
surprising. Out of the last 215 visits, 143 computers were
using Windows95, 6 used Windows NT, 8 used Windows 3.1 or
3.11, 22 people used the Macintosh OS in one version or
another, 1 intrepid soul used Linux, and 35 used 'something
else' which includes all other computers. That's a grand
total of 157 Microsoft OS users to 58 'something else's. As
for the bowsers, 105 people decided that Microsoft's
Internet Explorer fit their needs best, while 77 people
opted for Netscape Navigator version 3 or 4. There were also
33 others who used alternate browsers which include CAB on
the Atari.
As usual, this brings more questions than answers to the
forefront. Did the people who used Explorer do so because
they really liked it better? Or because Microsoft had seen
to it that it was included with their computer's operating
system CD? Were the folks who used Navigator doing it
because it provided them with something that the other one
didn't, or because they were practicing their own form of
monopoly busting? And those 'others'... what were THEY
thinking? If they were anything like me, they were thinking
"Just let me browse in peace and make my own decisions while
the rest of the world fights it out.
Well, let's get on with the reason for this column... all
the news, hints, tips, and info available every week... no
matter what operating system you use.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
Kevin Dermott asks for help with formatting an IDE drive on
his Falcon:
"I've been trying to formatt a 3.2 gig ide with ahdi 6.6 and
keep getting the message "reserved sectors are bad" I have
used bigger but never needed to format. I do a sector test
with hd driver all is fine. Does it look like i have a bad
drive? Will anything else formatt ide?
Dennis Bishop tells Kevin:
"You do NOT format an IDE drive, only Partition it."
Chris Gray adds:
"I think more recent IDE drives are designed to ignore
attempts to format them. Note also that PCs tend to call
partitioning "formatting" and formatting "low-level
formatting", just to confuse us."
Dennis Bishop asks:
"Can someone e-mail me a copy of Atari IRC? Does it work
with STinG?"
*** For those of you who don't know (I didn't until
recently), IRC is techie-talk for 'Internet Relay Chat'.
It's a type of program that allows you to participate in
chats all around the internet. One of these days I'm
actually going to have the time to check out how IRC works.
Peter Rottengatter, the author of STinG, tells Dennis:
"[Work with STinG?]... 'f course it does. Surf to
http://www.flinny.demon.co.uk/ which is Flinny's STiK page.
You can download it there."
Since I've been without a good, solid backup for a few
months now, I post and ask for opinions on backup software:
"I'm in despirate need of GOOD backup software. I've tried
ELFBACK and SYBACK, and found them wanting in several areas.
Whatever I end up using should be TT, Geneva/NeoDesk, and
MagiC compatable, and fairly fast. I've got a new SyQuest
EzFlyer 230 that's just begging for backup data...Any
suggestions?"
Terry Kelly tells me:
"I too have an EZ flyer and use it to backup my TT's
harddrive. All I do is set the backup mode in MagiC, select
the whole partition and copy it to the flyer. Only updated
files will be copied. It takes less than a minute after the
initial backup."
Matt Faehnle asks Terry:
"How do you set 'backup mode' in MagiC? I have never heard
of this before."
Terry tells Matt:
"When you copy files, the dialogue that comes up has a
number of options: confirm, rename, overwrite, and backup.
If you select backup, MagiC will compare date stamps and
only copy the ones with a newer date. It does the comparison
very quickly, so even if you select hundreds of duplicates
that don't need to be copied as you would in backing up a
partition regularly, it zaps through them in a few seconds.
It's really very handy, and with the flyer I'd just as soon
not mess with compression."
Carsten Krumnow adds:
"This refers to MGCOPY (one of the special programs called
on by MagiC), the file copy client of MagiC 5.0 and above.
Before starting to copy it asks for the mode. "Backup mode"
means that only these files are overwritten whose last
change dates are older than the ones of the files to be
copied. Not clear, huh? It means that you can always copy
complete folders without the fear that a newer file could be
replaced by an older one (presuming that your hardware clock
works alright)."
Ken MacDonald adds his thoughts:
"Kobold is also very good, you can create *.job files to do
specific backups, including only backing up changed files.
very fast also. This is Kobold 2.5 by the way, Kobold
3.5(German) I can't say."
Neil Roughley adds his praise of Kobold:
"Buy Kobold v2.5, the high-speed file copier which can also
do incremental backups. In NeoDesk, you can even install
Kobold by running it as an accessory and having 'Use Kobold
for file operations' selected. This way most common file
operations in NeoDesk are automatically handled by Kobold
instead of the slow GEMDOS routines (something Geneva
doesn't replace, unlike MagiC). The difference in speed
while copying, moving or deleting files is stunning. This
feature alone is worth the cost, but like I say Kobold can
also do backups (including the use of batch files). Another
nice feature is Kobold's 'identical sequence' mode, perfect
for backing-up the boot partition, where running order is
important. And, of course, it runs under MagiC (Kobold v2.5
doesn't support long filenames, though).
Frank Lockwood tells me:
"I just use STZIP 2.6. I have an external hard drive setup
(in an ICD expansion box) that I use strictly for backups -
it has enough room for two complete sets from my internal
hard drive. ZIP archives take up far less space than ELFBACK
or DIAMONDBACK archives. Once I've done a complete backup,
you can set STZIP to add only those files that have changed
since the last backup (update mode). For a third backup, for
long term storage, I'll do a complete backup to a ZIP
archive, and then segment these large files with "SCHNIPP"
to put the segments onto floppies. Doing it this way take
far less time than using ELFBACK. I moved a year ago and was
very paranoid about losing data while my computer sat in a
box in a moving van. I decided not to take my hard drive out
of the machine, but rather to take my ZIPed and SCHNIPPed
archive in my personal luggage when I travelled. The
computer arrived in fine shape, with no data loss, but it
was nice to have the archive anyway."
John Kormylo, the author of ELFBACK, asks me if I would...
"Care to be more specific w.r.t. ELFBACK? I could always use
suggestions."
I haven't replied to John yet, but I will. I would like to
say that I found ELFBACK to be a good piece of software, but
it lacks two things that I consider mandatory in backup
software.... FAST compression, and the ability to back up
several partitions with a script file so that I can start
the backup and walk away. Other than that, I highly
recommend ELFBACK. A few weeks ago, I included a post about
the VDI implementation for the Nova graphics card caused a
'memory leakage' problem with CAB.
Neil Roughley tells us:
"NOVA VDI has been updated:
-2.67: Memory leak detected when playing animated GIFs with
CAB Thanks to Alexander Clauss for troubleshooting a problem
that wasn't his in the first place, and to Gerhard Huber for
updating his VDI."
Magnus Kollberg asks Neil:
"Aha! Great! Gerhard refused to look at it as long as the
author didn't send him a short bit of code with the problem.
Great!!! Does anyone have the Falcon/AB040 version yet?"
K.Hampf asks about picture viewers for his Falcon:
"I would like to know if there's any picture viewer
(GIF/JPEG) for Falcon 030 using DSP and that has slideshow
capablities.
I have been using JPEGView v2.22 and it's great ... but it
won't work good enough with MagiC and I can't read big DOS
partitions from GEM/TOS due to BigDOS problems. The 1st
Guide is not using DSP and it's lacking slideshow
capabilites, and so are the Apex viewers I've tried. The
JPEG thingie you start up in the AUTO folder and that has
this demo-ACC is probably using the DSP but it's also slow.
I think I've been a little spoiled by using GraphicConverter
on Macintosh, but I no longer have a color Mac, I'm now
forced to use my Falcon on a TV-set. That also makes me not
using Interlaced resolutions, and gives all programs not
switching resolutions this strange tall look."
Neil Roughley tells K.Hampf:
"Try GrafTool:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JJvB
It has fast JPEG decoding and a slideshow feature. However,
it doesn't support the DSP or progressive JPEGs found on the
'net (these have to be converted beforehand using
jpegtran.ttp from The Independent JPEG Group's software).
GrafTool also makes an excellent external viewer for use in
CAB, as it understands the AV Protocol and is robust while
multitasking, among other things."
Johan Klockars adds:
"If you want to do something with images that don't include
drawing, chances are always good that MGIF will handle it.
;-) MGIF can do slideshows directly from the command line or
via a 'script' file. Normal wildcards are supported and
slideshows can be repeating, random and timed. It's even
possible to do some image processing operations on the
images before they are displayed, but I can't recall exactly
what the limitations are on that (at least scaling should be
possible). Naturally, all graphics modes are supported (only
256 colours on graphics cards). JPEG'D (Brainstorm's DSP
jpeg decoder) will be used if available and you won't find a
faster GIF decoder/viewer anywhere. The latest actual
release version is v5.01, which should be available on most
ftp sites, but you should really always use the latest
'beta' version available from my ftp/WWW site (the beta
archives are not complete, though, so you need a regular
distribution as well). The fifth v5.10 beta was released in
July last year and is a _lot_ better than v5.01. Speedups,
new functions, windowed dialogs etc."
Well folks, that's it for this time around. Be sure to tune
in again next week, same time, same channel, and be ready to
listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
EDITORIAL QUICKIES
Two Texans were seated in a fast-food restaurant when a
young lady seated a few tables away began to choke on a
piece of hamburger. She was turning blue and obviously in
serious respiratory distress.
One said to the other, "That there gal is having a bad
time!" The other agreed and said, "Think we should go help?"
"You bet," said the first, and with that he ran over and
asked, "Can you breathe?" she shook her head no. He asked,"
Can you speak?" She again shook her head no.
With that, he pulled up her skirt and licked her on the
butt. She was so shocked, she coughed up the obstruction and
began to breathe. With great relief, the Texan walked back
to his friend and said, "Funny how that hind lick maneuver
always works."
John Hole/WUGNET [Enfield,Middlesex,UK]
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