ST Report: 29-May-98 #1421
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 06/08/98-03:20:06 PM Z
From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: ST Report: 29-May-98 #1421
Date: Mon Jun 8 15:20:06 1998
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05/29/98 STR 1421
"Often Imitated, Never Surpassed!"
- CPU Industry Report - Jason's Jazz - New PCDos Y2k OK
- Linux Advocate - MS Court Date 9/98 - Shareware Listings
- Yahoo Drops Nscape - Thumbs Plus for MAC - AMD K6 w/3D
- In-Depth E3 Coverage - People Talking - Classics & Gaming
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HEWLETT PACKARD BUYS OUT SAMSUNG
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Florida Lotto - LottoMan v1.35
Results: 05/23/98: five of six numbers with 9 three # matches
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From the Editor's Desk...
Its another weekend! Already?? Yes I know it was a short week....
but darn, the month of May seems to have flown by. Oddly enough,
all the "well wishers" of MS have been bleating away, but the
"order of things", they really are not making much sense. Sure
they posture and postulate but the bottom line is clear to see....
they're just as biased as Bill is. I am just as biased because I am
more than satisfied with the manner in which Microsoft's products
serve me. Windows 98 is a marvel of software programming and
engineering. Predictably, I highly reccommend Win98 and Plus 98
without hesitation.
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LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Oracle CEO Blasts Microsoft Tactics
Oracle Corp. Chief Executive Larry Ellison accused
arch-rival Microsoft Corp. of taking "outrageous" and
"tacitly illegal" measures to protect its dominance of the
personal computer desktop. Ellison said Microsoft, facing a
landmark government antitrust case, uses its monopoly on
computer operating systems to drive other companies such as
Netscape Communications Corp. out of business. Ellison said
Microsoft unfairly competes by taking underselling or poorly
performing applications and bundling them with new versions
of its Windows operating system, which are installed on more
than 90% of the world's personal computers.
Editor Note
(As if Larry is such a "Saint". He's trying to monopolize
internet access and program leasing!) When will the parade
of hypocrites cease? ...rfm.
For Netscape Browser Business, Suits May Be Too Late
It is the company most commonly identified as the victim of
Microsoft Corp.'s alleged monopolistic practices. But
Netscape Communications Corp. was restrained on Monday in
response to antitrust suits filed against Microsoft,
suggesting that the damage had been done and would not be
easily repaired.
"At Netscape, we may never know how the company would have
developed in the absence of (Microsoft's) anti-competitive
behavior," Netscape said. Although Netscape still has close
to 60% of the browser market, it is no longer a revenue
center for the company. Earlier this year, Netscape started
giving away its browser for free in an effort to compete
with Microsoft.
Netscape Loses More of Internet Browser Market
Netscape Communications Corp. lost more share of the U.S.
Internet browser market to Microsoft Corp. as of January,
market research firm ZD Market Intelligence said. Although
Netscape added new users, ZD Market Intelligence said that
its total share of U.S. PCs using the Internet fell to 54%
in January, from 63% a year ago. Microsoft's Internet
Explorer's share nearly doubled to 39% from 21% in January
1997. The firm also reported that nearly 45 million personal
computers in the United States regularly accessed the
Internet in the first quarter, a 43% increase from a year
ago, according to a recent study by ZD Market Intelligence.
Government Preparing Charges Against Intel
Government lawyers are preparing charges Intel Corp. - maker
of chips at the heart of nearly all personal computers -
illegally abused monopoly power to hurt rivals, sources
familiar with the case said Tuesday. Within the next week,
top staff at the Federal Trade Commission will review the
proposed charges against the Santa Clara, Ca.., company,
which makes the microprocessors running four out of five
PCs, the sources said. The five-member commission may vote
to approve narrow charges against the company. Those charges
are likely to be broadened later. The move comes as the
Justice Department and 20 states are pursuing major
antitrust actions against Microsoft Corp.
EU To Fund Campaign To Clean Up the Internet
European Union telecommunications ministers agreed Tuesday
to fund a four-year campaign aimed at clamping down on
smutty and illegal content on the Internet. The action plan
on "promoting the safe use of the Internet" aims to promote
self-regulation of the network by the industry, including
the creation of content monitoring schemes. Work would also
be undertaken on developing "filtering and rating systems"
for websites so a surfer could "select the content he/she
wishes to receive." A network of European "hot lines" for
Internet users to report content they consider to be illegal
should also be considered, the EU said in a press release.
Kodak, America Online To Deliver Pictures Online
Photographers can have their pictures returned to them via
the Internet under a program announced Tuesday by Eastman
Kodak Co. and America Online Inc. The service, which teams
up the world's largest film maker and the world's largest
online service, will be available to AOL's 12 million
members when they drop film off at developers that process
Kodak film.
The companies said they expect more than 30,000 retailers to
participate in the program. Under the program, photographers
can drop off film from any type of camera and, for an
additional fee, have digital images returned to their AOL
e-mail address within 48 hours.
Hewlett-Packard Buys Out Samsung Electronics
Hewlett-Packard Co. said it will purchase Samsung
Electronics Co.'s 45% share in the companies' 13-year-old
joint venture, Hewlett-Packard Korea, for $36 million.
Samsung said in a statement released by the companies that
it will use the proceeds to improve its financial structure
and cash flow.
Hewlett-Packard said it agreed to buy Samsung Electronics'
45% share to help the partner's efforts to attract foreign
funds. Samsung Electronics and Hewlett-Packard have worked
together since 1977 to jointly develop products, to expand
their purchasing activities and to manage the service and
support of Hewlett-Packard products.
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.
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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LEXMARK OPTRA C
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Folks, the LEXMARK Optra C has to be the very best yet in its price range. It is far
superior to anything we've seen or used as of yet. It is said that ONE Picture is worth a
thousand words. The output from the Lexmark Optra C is worth ten thousand words! Send for
the free sample now. (For a sample that's suitable for framing, see below) Guaranteed you
will be amazed at the superb quality. (Please.. allow at least a two week turn-around).
If you would like a sample printout that's suitable for framingYes, that's right! Suitable
for Framing! Order this package. It'll be on special stock and be of superb quality. We
obtained a mint copy of a 1927 Color Engraver's Year book. Our Scanner is doing "double
duty"! The results will absolutely blow you away. If you want this high quality sample
package please include a check or money order in the amount of $6.95 (Costs only) Please,
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A T T E N T I O N ** A T T E N T I O N ** A T T E N T I O N
EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
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Contents
Motorola Invests In Teledesic FCC Examines Baby Bell Deals With Qwest
AOL Acquisition Of Mirabilis Criticized Yahoo! Severs Most Ties To Netscape
Getting Back To Beepness "Apple Should Be The Apple Of This Business"
Microsoft Trial Slated For September Another Antitrust Suit-This Time Against
Intel
Microsoft Allows Gateway To Modify Screen New DOS Is Year 2000-Compliant
German Prosecutors Change Of Mind On Mac Cloners Wind Down Operations
Censorship Case
MCI Sheds Internet Assets So It Can Merge Library Consortium Says Access To Research Is
With WorldCom "In Grave Danger"
Robots Help Perform Open Heart Surgeries
MOTOROLA INVESTS IN TELEDESIC
Motorola is purchasing a 26% stake in Teledesic -- the Bill Gates/Craig McCaw satellite
wireless communications venture -- for $750 million. Teledesic's service is designed to
offer businesses, institutions and individuals high-speed data connections anywhere in the
world through a series of low-Earth orbit satellites. Service is expected to begin in 2003.
(Reuters 21 May 98)
FCC EXAMINES BABY BELL DEALS WITH QWEST
The Federal Communications Commission is examining two marketing deals recently cut between
Baby Bells U S West and Ameritech, and long-distance provider Qwest Communications
International. The arrangements would allow the Baby Bells to market Qwest's services, in
exchange for a fee for each customer signed up. AT&T, MCI and a group of smaller long
distance carriers have sued Ameritech and U S West, saying that the arrangements violate
the 1996 Telecommunications Reform Act. Despite the lawsuit, AT&T is actively soliciting
similar deals with other Bell companies. (Wall Street Journal 22 May 98)
AOL ACQUISITION OF MIRABILIS CRITICIZED
America Online's announcement that it was negotiating to buy Mirabilis, Tel Aviv-based
maker of the ICQ Internet chat software system, is drawing fire from Internet users who
resent the commercial online service's intrusion into the area of traditional Internet
"geeks." "ICQ was developed by Internet users. ICQ is AOL's way of pushing itself into the
faces of millions of people who want absolutely nothing to do with it," says one
disgruntled ICQ user. ICQ currently has more than 11 million subscribers and adds 57,000
every day. Its Web site is ranked No. 4 in usage, after Yahoo!, Microsoft and Netscape. One
aspect especially troubling to ICQ users is the potential for them to receive some of the
spam mail that plagues AOL subscribers. "If I start getting inundated with ads, I'll
probably stick with e-mail and Internet Relay Chat to keep in contact with people," says a
game designer. (TechWeb 22 May 98)
YAHOO! SEVERS MOST TIES TO NETSCAPE
Recognizing that the two companies are moving into roles that are highly competitive with
each other, Yahoo! says it's planning to abandon a directory called "Netscape Guide by
Yahoo" that it produces for Netscape, even though a year remains on its contract. It's also
considering dropping the link to its site that is currently available on the Netscape
Netcenter Web site. (Wall Street Journal 22 May 98)
GETTING BACK TO BEEPNESS
By Thursday all of the pager and other communications companies that lost service after the
Galaxy 4 satellite began rotating uncontrollably Tuesday evening had found communications
capacity on other satellites. John Leslie, the chief technology officer for one company
that switched to another satellite, says: "There was no way we were going to get a
technician out here, because so many people needed help. There's the right way to do it,
which is to use a spectrum analyzer, which is probably an $8,000 piece of equipment, and
then there's the way you do it when you have to do it. We looked up on the Web where in the
sky the Galaxy 4 was, and then we looked up where the new satellites were, and we used
string and a protractor to reposition the dishes on the roof. It was an emergency trip to
Office Depot. I told them to get the biggest protractor they could find." (New York Times
22 May 98) Note: Our last issue indicated that the satellite malfunction had caused some
Public Television programs to go off the air; the reference should have been, instead, to
Public Radio. Public Television was not affected.
"APPLE SHOULD BE THE APPLE OF THIS BUSINESS"
Apple interim CEO Steve Jobs says: "I used to say that Apple should be the Sony of this
business, but in reality, I think Apple should be the Apple of this business. Apple is
certainly moving closer to doing that with these new products. And I've got to tell you,
the Internet is a place you go when you want to turn your brain on, and television is a
place you go when you want to turn your brain off. I'm not at all convinced that the twain
will meet." (Business Week 25 May 98)
MICROSOFT TRIAL SLATED FOR SEPTEMBER
U.S. district judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ordered a fast-track schedule for the federal
and state antitrust lawsuits against Microsoft, and set 8 September 1998 as the date for
commencement of the trial. Microsoft had asked for more time to prepare its case, but
Jackson said: "By the time you propose to be ready, 16 to 18 million horses will already be
out of the barn, and that's too late," referring to the fact that Microsoft's Windows 98
operating system has already been released, and computer manufacturers are free to install
and ship it at any time. (Washington Post 23 May 98)
ANOTHER ANTITRUST SUIT, THIS TIME AGAINST INTEL
The Federal Trade Commission is preparing a major antitrust suit against Intel Corporation.
Based largely on a charge that Intel illegally retaliated against Digital Equipment
Corporation, Integraph Corporation, and two other companies with whom Intel was having a
dispute, the suit will argue that "a monopolist cannot cut off a customer who has no other
alternatives in the market, causing him severe economic harm, just because they are having
a dispute." Intel is withholding comment until the suit is formally filed. (New York Times
28 May 98)
MICROSOFT ALLOWS GATEWAY TO MODIFY SCREEN
After months of negotiations influenced by the government's planned antitrust action
against Microsoft, Gateway has received Microsoft's permission to modify the Windows screen
to offer users an equal choice between Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape's
Navigator, the two main competing software products for browsing the World Wide Web.
Gateway chairman Ted Waitt said: "We don't feel that it's right for us to ask for
permission every time we want to make a change consumers want." (Washington Post 28 May 98)
NEW DOS IS YEAR 2000-COMPLIANT
IBM has launched a new PC DOS 2000 that automatically corrects the two-digit dates that
threaten to befuddle older computer systems, and also supports the European Monetary
Union's new euro currency symbol -- a management problem that could prove even more
troublesome for European businesses than the Y2K problem. According to recent research,
there are between 120 million and 150 million people who still use DOS on their desktop
machines. "We believe about half of those are business users," says a manager at IBM's
Network Computing Software division. That figure doesn't include users of Microsoft Windows
3.1, which includes DOS as a component. (InternetWeek 27 May 98)
GERMAN PROSECUTORS CHANGE OF MIND ON CENSORSHIP CASE
Despite the fact that his prosecutors ended up urging the acquittal of Felix Somm, the
former head of CompuServe Germany, on charges of allowing the distribution of child
pornography, violent computer games with Nazi symbols, and other banned material, the
Munich district court convicted Somm and sentenced him to two years probation. The case
began as an attempt to hold Internet service providers responsible for the material
transmitted through their systems. The federal official in charge of privacy issues
described the sentence as "irritating." (USA Today 28 May 98)
MAC CLONERS WIND DOWN OPERATIONS
Umax, the last of the Apple cloners, has "almost stopped production" as it winds down its
Macintosh business. The company now plans to design and sell Pentium-based machines and
networking devices. Umax's licensing agreement with Apple to produce the Mac clones expires
in July, and is unlikely to be renewed. (AP 24 May 98)
MCI SHEDS INTERNET ASSETS SO IT CAN MERGE WITH WORLDCOM
Heeding a warning from the European Commission that approval of the planned MCI-WorldCom
merger would require the elimination of any overlap between the Internet holdings of the
two companies, MCI has arranged to sell its Internet facilities to Cable & Wireless PLC for
$625 million. (San Jose Mercury News 28 May 98)
LIBRARY CONSORTIUM SAYS ACCESS TO RESEARCH IS "IN GRAVE DANGER"
The Big 12 Plus Library Consortium has issued a statement warning that "long-term access to
scholarly research is in grave danger," because of high prices that have forced some
libraries to cancel journal subscriptions and cut back on book purchases. At the same time,
commercial interests are pushing legislation that would restrict fair use of copyrighted
works. The statement calls for a new model for managing intellectual property that would
include new understandings of copyright and fair use, and a new economic model for
producing and distributing scholarly information. Institutions should "acknowledge that
research libraries can no longer afford to build comprehensive collections," and must focus
on determining which materials are the most useful to the largest number of constituents.
(Chronicle of Higher Education 20 May 98)
ROBOTS HELP PERFORM OPEN HEART SURGERIES
French surgeons used computerized robots developed by California-based Intuitive Surgical
to perform six open heart surgeries. The technique involved the surgeon sitting at a
console several yards away from the patient, viewing the heart via a 3-D camera inside the
patient, and directing the robot to perform the surgery. (Investor's Business Daily 26 May
98)
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Kids Computing Corner
Frank Sereno, Editor
fsereno@streport.com
On Vacation.....
The CWSApps Weekly Newsletter
Volume 3.06 - May 27, 1998
Contents
1. Introduction
2. New Additions to CWSApps
3. Updated Apps for the Week
4. Top 25 Downloads for the Week
5. Cool App of the Week
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.
This week a large number of 5-star apps were updated and the first
Service Pack for Internet Explorer was released. Check out all the
details below and enjoy...
2. New Additions to CWSApps
- NetObjects Fusion v3.0 - a HTML Editor
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32html.html#fusion
Download: ftp://ftp2.netobjects.com/pub/win/nof3/NOF30_LFTrial.exe
(13.0 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
- Internet Explorer v4.01 Service Pack 1 - a Web Browser
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32msnet.html#ie40pack
Download:
http://msvaus.www.conxion.com/msdownload/ie401/sp1/ie4setup.exe
(0.4
MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
- McAfee VirusScan May Virus Definition v3105 - a Virus Scanner
Update
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32virus.html#scan
Download: ftp://ftp.mcafee.com/pub/antivirus/datfiles/3.x/dat-
3105.zip (0.6 MB)
Rating: Untested
- Norton AntiVirus May Virus Definition - a Virus Scanner Update
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32virus.html#scan
Download:
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/antivirus_definition
s/norton_antivirus/0518i32.exe (1.4 MB)
Rating: Untested
-- Servers --
- FTGate Mail Server v4.0 - a Proxy Server
ServerWatch Location:
http://serverwatch.internet.com/mailservers2.html#ftgate
Download: http://www.floosietek.com/dload/download.htm (2.4 MB)
Rating: 4 Stars
3. Updated Apps for the Week
Note: The '*' icon identifies apps that have shown significant
improvement since their last update. These apps typically exhibit
important new features that make them 'must-have' updates.
* Eudora Pro v4.0.1 Demo Release - a Mail Client
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32mail.html#eudorap
Download: ftp://ftp.qualcomm.com/eudora/windows/demo401/epdemo.exe
(7.8 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
- HotDog Pro Webmaster Suite v5.0 Beta 2 - a HTML Editor
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32html.html#hotdog
Download: ftp://ftp.winsock-l.com/mirror/sausage/HD_Installer.EXE
(1.2 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
* Internet Explorer for Macintosh v4.01 - a Web Browser
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/macwww.html#ie
Download:
http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/iebuild/ie401_mac/en/ie401_mac.htm
(15 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
- MicroPlanet Gravity v2.1 Beta 3 - a News Reader
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32news.html#gravity
Download: ftp://208.221.102.189/grav21b3.exe (2.5 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
* RealPlayer G2 Preview Release - an Audio/Video App
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32audio.html#realplay
Download: http://www.real.com/g2/products/player/downloadpage.html
(2.2 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
- WinAmp v1.91 Service Pack 1 - a MP3 Audio Player
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32audio.html#winamp
Download: http://www.winamp.com/getit.html (0.6 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
- DynamIP v3.0 Beta 3 - an Internet Utility
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32win.html#dynamip
Download: http://members.xoom.com/DynamIP/files/DynamIPv330.zip
(2.6 MB)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
- ThunderBYTE AntiVirus v8.06 - a Virus Scanner
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32virus.html#tbav
Download: ftp://ftp.norman.nl/pub/rel/tbw95806.zip (1.1 MB)
Rating: 4 Stars
- Net2Phone v8.61 - an Internet Phone Client
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/16phone.html#net2fone
Download: http://www.net2phone.com/software/n2p861.exe (1.4 MB)
Rating: 3 Stars
- MidiGate v8.5.0 - an Audio App
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/16audio.html#midigate
Download: http://www.prs.net/ftp/midigat_.exe (0.2 MB)
Rating: 2.5 Stars
-- Servers --
- Apache v1.3 Beta 7 - a Web Server
ServerWatch Location:
http://serverwatch.internet.com/webserver-apache.html
Download: http://www.apache.org/dist (1.8 MB)
Rating: 5 Stars
- CSM Proxy Server Plus v4.1 - a Proxy Server
ServerWatch Location:
http://serverwatch.internet.com/proxyservers.html#csmproxyplus
Download: http://www.csm.co.at/download/eval.htm (11 MB)
Rating: 4 Stars
- WinProxy v2.1d - 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
- Xitami v2.1b1 - a Web Server
ServerWatch Location:
http://serverwatch.internet.com/webserver-xitami.html
Download: http://www.imatix.com/html/xitami/index2.html (0.6 MB)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
4. Top 25 Downloads - Movers and Shakers
The May 25th 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') seven 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--
- ICQ - an Internet Utility
http://cws.internet.com/32win.html#icq
Returns to the list at #3!
- PowerDesk Utilities 98 - a Windows Shell Enhancement
http://cws.internet.com/32auxx.html#powerdesk
Returns to the list at #6
- WinAmp - an MP3 Audio Player
http://cws.internet.com/32auxx.html#powerdesk
Returns to the list at #8
- McAfee May VirusScan DAT - a Virus Definition Update
http://cws.internet.com/32virus.html#scan
Debuts this week at #9
- QuickTime - an Audio/Video App
http://cws.internet.com/32video.html#qtw
Returns to the list at #24
--The Shakers--
- Microsoft Media Player - an Audio/Video App
http://cws.internet.com/32video.html#msmedia
Down from #3 to #10
- DU Meter - a Net Diagnostic Tool
http://cws.internet.com/32diag.html#dumeter
Exits the list (#28) from #10
- WS-FTP Pro - a FTP Client
http://cws.internet.com/32ftp.html#ws-ftp
Down from #16 to #23
- Eudora Pro - a Mail Client
http://cws.internet.com/32mail.html#eudorap
Exits the list (#36) from #17
- Eudora Light - a Mail Client
http://cws.internet.com/32mail.html#eudora
Exits the list (#27) from #20
- NetTerm - a Terminal App
http://cws.internet.com/32term.html#netterm
Exits the list (#30) from #21
- Microsoft Liquid Motion - a Web Graphics Tool
http://cws.internet.com/32webimg.html#msliquid
Exits the list (#33) from #22
5. Cool App of the Week - NetObjects Fusion
CWSApps Location: http://cws.internet.com/32html.html#fusion
Download: ftp://ftp2.netobjects.com/pub/win/nof3/NOF30_LFTrial.exe
(13.0 MB)
Version: 3.0
Rating: 5 Stars
Once upon a time a Webmaster could create a Web site with little
more than a basic text editor like Notepad and a minimal
understanding of the HTML language.
That time was less than a year ago, but as we all know, today's
World-Wide Web is a vastly different beast than the World-Wide Web
of yesterday. And while a solid text editor remains the most
commonly used tool for making routine updates to Web sites, a
high-end advanced HTML editor is now the only effective way to
develop and manage professional-looking Web sites.
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the site to find accurate, up-to-date information about computers,
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Visit the best dictionary and search engine of hi-tech terms on the
Internet, http://pcwebopaedia.com.
For advertising in this newsletter or on other parts of
Internet.com's Network, contact: Susan Leiterstein, Vice President
& Publisher, Internet.com (203) 341-2962, sleiter@internet.com, or
link to our online media kit, http://www.internet.com/mediakit.
New and advanced HTML features like nested tables, cascading style
sheets (CSS), dynamic HTML (DHTML), layers, JavaScript, multimedia
extensions, Java applets, JavaBeans, dynamic database connectivity,
and ActiveX controls contribute heavily to the steep learning curve
now associated with developing professional Web sites. The HTML
knowledge base has also expanded exponentially to the point that
understanding every detail of the language is virtually impossible.
As a result of these and other changes introduced in the 4.0
releases of Netscape and Internet Explorer (and to some degree the
3.0 releases as well), it now takes more than a text editor or
basic HTML editor to develop great-looking Web sites with enough
appeal and pizzazz to keep your users coming back for more. Today's
editor must not only support the latest advanced HTML features but
must also make them intuitive enough for developers to implement
without having to know all the gritty code-level details. Enter the
professional HTML editor.
Tools like Microsoft FrontPage, HotDog Professional Webmaster
Suite, Allaire HomeSite, Anawave CoolCat, and Macromedia
Dreamweaver have been introduced and continually improved in order
to help developers harness the power of the latest and greatest
HTML technologies. NetObjects Fusion is another tool that has
followed this path of progression and has perhaps advanced further
than any editor of its kind.
Much like HotDog Professional, NetObjects Fusion is an advanced
HTML editor that has a history of positioning itself at the
forefront of HTML design and innovation. Earlier versions (1.0 and
2.0) brought a desktop publishing-like interface to Web design and
allowed for specific layout of text and images using simple drag
and drop. Fusion was also one of the first editors to offer WYSIWYG
HTML editing and integrated site management tools. But while
earlier versions were innovators in their own right, it's the
latest version, v3.0, that really sets Fusion apart from the
competition.
In addition to supporting the latest technologies like Java,
JavaScript, JavaBeans, and multimedia extensions, Fusion 3.0 excels
at helping you implement dynamic HTML content with ease and
efficiency. Fusion's Dynamic Actions allow you to easily assign
actions and behaviors to objects and elements. A menu-based system
allows you to add transitions (like wipe, fade, peek, and iris),
object movements and motions, custom window controls, layer
controls, or even your own customized actions using JavaScript
Beans (.jsb).
Fusion 3.0 also helps you develop Web sites while taking into
account the multiple browser environment we live in today. Fusion's
Everywhere HTML technology automatically creates sites that work
with all browsers and browser versions. Additionally, you can
create optimized sites that work on both Navigator 4.0 and Internet
Explorer 4.0 (even though they implement DHTML differently), or you
can allow Fusion to automatically redirect users to different Web
pages that are optimized for a specific 4.0 browser or 3.0 (and
earlier) browsers.
Another key feature in Fusion is its automatic navigation and
linking capabilities. Using the Site Layout interface you can
rearrange pages within a site via drag and drop. Fusion's Assets
Manager automatically handles the navigation and link changes on
the page itself and all the pages that link to it. By replicating
the changes across your entire site, Fusion eliminates one of the
most time-consuming tasks associated with managing a Web site.
Customizable SiteStyles also make it possible to create interactive
and complex layouts for your entire site, for specific sections of
a site, or for individual pages. Fusion offers more than 50
different SiteStyle templates to work with, or you can create your
own. Each SiteStyle includes navigational toolbars, background
graphics, header images, border specifications, page layout
information, and font styles.
With version 3.0 NetObjects Fusion has once again upped the ante
for professional HTML editing tools. Competing offerings retain
distinctive competencies in specific areas--Hot Dog Pro's
integrated link analysis and Web graphics tools, FrontPage's
WebBots and image composer features, CoolCat's plug-in modules,
Dreamweaver's Dynamic HTML capabilities, and HomeSite's attractive
interface and inexpensive price tag--but few can match Fusion's
overall power and functionality.
While a $285 price tag makes Fusion one of the more costly
solutions on the market today, if you're looking for an advanced
HTML editor that can help you create high-quality,
professional-looking Web sites, you'll have a hard time finding a
better software package than NetObjects Fusion.
Pros: Excellent Dynamic HTML support, innovative tools,
support for nearly every HTML feature imaginable
Cons: Relatively slow performance, expensive price tag,
import conversion tool doesn't work with all HTML tags.
Linux Advocate
#12 - 28MAY98
- by Scott Dowdle
dowdle@icstech.com
LOGIN:
Hello again from Linuxland. Quite a few news items this
week. I've been using KDE on my desktop machine and have
grown very accustomed to it, although I don't use every
piece of software that is a part of KDE. I still prefer
Netscape over KDE's browser, and PINE over kmail... but
that's just my personal preference. The window manager
that is part of KDE is very friendly and it is the part
of KDE that I use the most. I haven't really decided
where to take my coverage of KDE.
The 2.1.x kernel continues to progress and as I type this
it is up to 2.1.103 now. Usually you don't see releases
past x.x.99 but as 2.2.0 draws near, they (the world wide
Linux kernel development team) have decided to go with
numbers in the hundreds. It shouldn't be too long now. I
remember when 1.3.x hit .99 and then they cycled the
number to 2.0.0-pre1... or something like that. It got a
lot of people confused as it kind of looked like 2.0.x
was released. Hmmm, I guess most of you aren't familiar
with the kernel numbering scheme so I'll briefly mention
how it works. If the middle number is an even number,
then it is a production kernel, for example 1.2.13 and
2.0.33 are production kernels because the middle number
is even. If the middle number is odd, it's a development
kernel, for example 1.3.98 and 2.1.103 are development
kernels. Distribution makers generally stick with the
production kernels since they are, well, production
kernels. The user is free to go hunt down the source code
to the latest development kernel and compile it for
him/herself if one wants to live on the bleeding edge.
Me? Well, while I have used development kernels in the
past, I pretty much stick with the production version
because I've not found a reason to stay on the bleeding
edge. :)
Speaking of developments, I've done a lot of talking
about GIMP in this column (and Ralph mentioned a new
version of Adobe Photoshop last issue of STR if I
remember right). No, GIMP 1.0 isn't out yet, but the
development cycle for GIMP continues to be hot, heavy and
very aggressive with the current version number (looking
on www.gimp.org) being 0.99.31. The GIMP folks could have
started calling 0.99.x 1.0 if they wanted to and the
whole matter would have been settled... and we'd be
seeing 1.xx by now... but does the version really matter?
A lot of the software that you will find in the Linux
community is still below the 1.0 version level and openly
called beta versions. The kicker is that, generally
speaking, most beta stuff on Linux is more stable and
functional than production releases of commercial
software on those other platforms. How many times have I
heard that no one wants a 1.0 or a 2.0 or whatever point
zero of a Windows program because there will always be
bugs? I'm sure you get my gist, eh? Anyway, GIMP
continues to be improved
and version 1.0 of the GIMP User's manual was released
recently. The GIMP manual is available in several formats
including HTML, Postscript, and PDF. It is huge though
and I've not been able to find it in an online browsable
format. Oh, sure... you can xfer the complete manual in
those various formats and then uncompress it and read it
locally, but as I said, it is huge.
The Linux Weekly News folks finally got their own domain
name and you can find the Linux Weekly News site at the
following URL from now on:
http://lwn.net
I'll stick mostly with news this column as well as a
quick opinion about the current situation between the
U.S. Department of Justice and Microsoft.
NEWS
Item #1: Linux in high regard in India - PC Quest May
issue featuring Linux: PC Quest is a very popular
computing magazine in India and it just so happens that
the May issue has many articles on Linux including a
piece by the editor. The following URLs are probably
going to change soon (when the June issue comes out) so
be aware that they are probably only good for a short
time.
http://www.pcquest.com/
The Decline and Rise of Linux Editorial:
http://www.pcquest.com/editorial/edit-may98.html
Item #2: Transmeta article in Salon Magazine: There was
an interesting piece in the digital pages of Salon
Magazine about Transmeta and Linus Torvalds. This is yet
another article that says a lot about nothing since
Transmeta's plans are still secret, but all in all, it is
very enjoyable reading so check out the following URL:
http://www.salonmagazine.com/21st/feature/1998/05/22feature.html
Item #3: Sun joins Linux International: Sun Microsystems
has decided to become a board member of Linux
International. This only makes sense since Linux runs on
both Sun's older Sparc 3 family of machines as well as
the newer UltraSparc architecture. You can find formal
information at the following URLs:
http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB19980522S0019
http://slashdot.org/articles/9804211730214.shtml
Item #4: Red Hat 5.1 to ship: Red Hat Software has
announced that they will be shipping version 5.1 of their
very popular Linux distribution on June 1st. I personally
ordered a copy for myself from www.linuxmall.com since
they have a few specials going on and I was able to pick
up the official RHL 5.1 as well as a Penguin Power tee
shirt for less than the suggested retail price of RHL
alone. Hey, I love Linux tee shirts and this will be my
fourth. Anyway, you can find Red Hat's official press
release slash order form at the following URL:
http://www.redhat.com/products/product-details.phtml?id=rhl-intel11
Item #5: Red Hat releases Secure WWW server: Those Red
Hat folks have been busy little beavers and also
announced that they will be shipping an RSA secured
version of the Apache WWW server (the most popular WWW
server on the Internet) along with several other
utilities and tools to aid in commercial web development
for a lowly $99.95. You can find the official press
release slash order form at the following URL:
http://www.redhat.com/products/product-details.phtml?id=rhsa
Item #6: Project Heresy: The people over at C|Net Radio
and Builder.com have put together something they call
Project Heresy. Two guys have decided to try and run
their Intel based machines without any Microsoft stuff on
them and they are delving into Linux. Since this is a
radio show, transcripts are available in Real Audio
format for your listening pleasure. As a somewhat
seasoned Linux user, I find it humorous to listen to
these guys fumble around a bit, but I know they are
finding their way. Something people take for granted is
the time it took them to learn Microsoft products... and
environment that is all but drilled into most people's
heads these days. Linux does take a bit of learning as
did Windows but people tend to forget their challenging
and frustrating days of learning Windows as they take on
a new, full featured OS like Linux. :) Currently there
are four shows posted and the last one is set to air on
Friday the 29th of May. You may find the Project Heresy
at the following URL:
http://www.news.com/Radio/Features/0,155,205,0.html
Item #7; Catch up with the new X11 -- easier app access,
less hardware: Since I've done a bit of jabbering about
the X Window System, Window Managers and the lot over the
past few columns, and seeing as how I found a fresh
article about the X Window System versus Windows NT 4.0
Terminal Server Edition (formerly known as Hydra)... I
couldn't resist offering the following URL:
http://www.ncworldmag.com/ncworld/ncw-05-1998/ncw-05-netlaunch.html
You'll find an overview of the X Windowing System as well
as information on how good of a product Windows NT 4.0
Terminal Server Edition is from a different perspective
than you find in Microsoft's press literature and PC
magazine coverage aka, Microsoft's press literature. :)
Item #8 : Talk about booting various X terminals from
Linux: Since the previous news item was about X
terminals... and the fact that I happened to stumble over
a discussion of booting various X terminals from Linux,
see for yourself, at the following URL, that some people
are putting Linux to good use with all kinds of X
terminals:
http://slashdot.org/articles/9805260852206.shtml
Item #8: Is NT paranoid or is Unix out to get it?: This
is the third part in a multi-part series (the previous
two having already been mentioned here) that talks about
NT versus Unix. The author seems somewhat biased but I'll
tell you what, I'd like to see Ralph himself come up with
evidence that disputes any of the arguments this fellow
makes. Read it for yourself at the following
URL:
http://www.ncworldmag.com/ncw-05-1998/ncw-05-nextten.html
Item #9: The Case Against Linux?: John Taschek of ZDNET
wrote an article with a very dubious title but he
actually has a lot of good things to say about Linux and
I think his article is worth reading. He does make a
couple of flaky comments like the following...
"But Linux is a communist operating system in a
capitalist society."
Hahahaha, I prefer to think of Linux as a socialist
movement myself. Anyway, John also feels that Linux is
lacking direction which he sees as it's biggest stumbling
block. In my opinion the Linux development community, and
I'm not talking about the kernel development team here,
is aiming in many different yet important directions...
and the fact that there isn't some single direction is
good. Linux doesn't exist to feed off of any particular
niche market and is a full featured OS with a wide
variety of software. While there are still a few
application gaps (and they are few as even the Project
Heresy folks found out if you listened to their programs)
I don't see why Linux needs any particular direction. As
I see it, this "direction" thing is little more than an
extension of marketing hoopla. Read Johns article and let
me know what you think. You can find it at the following
URL:
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/content/pcwk/1521/317585.html
Opinion Time - Scott takes on the DOJ vs. Microsoft
issue!
I thought about writing this piece for the issue last
week, while it was a fresh, hot, news story... but
alas... I thought it better to let it run through my
brain for an additional week. :) And it is always good to
hear how everyone goes off in STR before I even open my
mouth. Anyway, here is my take on the whole thing.
Microsoft should have settled as the terms the government
were seeking were paltry ones. It is obvious to me that
Bill Gates is so strong headed that he is willing to cost
his company tens of millions of dollars (a low estimate)
to defend things that are obviously not in the end users'
better interests. While some might think that last
sentence was ridiculous let me explain.
First of all, I listened to the whole hour and a half (or
whatever it was) press conference the DOJ and state
Attorneys General held. I listened closely to exactly
what their settlement offers where... and I'm confident
to say that I have an excellent understanding of what is
going on with the case. It is obvious just who doesn't
have a clue as to what is going on. After listening to
the press ask the DOJ and state folks questions after the
announcements were made, it is obvious that the vast
majority of the news media have no clue as to the issues
in question nor on how to compare and contrast things in
a digestible format for the public. It is no wonder why
some of the general public is so lost... they are just
misinformed.
It is not my intent to offer an elitist attitude here, as
I don't feel that I have one... nor am I going to pick
through the nitty gritty details of the various documents
that have been publicly posted by both sides. Let me just
say that Bill Gates and company are creating
misinformation and feeding off the misinformation that
exists out there in an effort to turn public opinion
against the government's case. That much is to be
expected. I would like to cover the silly things that
Bill Gates is willing to risk his company rather than
settle.
1) The DOJ gave Microsoft the a choice and it seems to me
it's an easy choice - either de-bundle Internet Explorer
from Windows 98 OR include a copy of Netscape (and one
additional browser for a total of three) with Windows 98.
Microsoft's comments on this particular matter have been
the silliest of them all. They contend that agreeing to
include Netscape with Windows 98 is akin to asking Coke
to include a can of Pepsi with every 6 pack. That analogy
is so off the mark. In fact, the DOJ guy commented on it
directly in his speech to the press. I'll not going to
debate the analogy but it seems like common sense to me
that more is more and more is not less. Microsoft's
customers only benefit from Windows 98 including
additional software. The press is quick to point out that
Netscape is available freely on the Internet and that
everyone is free to download it on their own if they so
desire, but THE FACT IS that software that is included
with the operating system has such an advantage over
stuff the user has to go out of their way to find,
transfer and install. In giving Microsoft the option to
include Netscape rather than demanding the de-bundling of
MSIE from Windows 98, the DOJ has totally gotten past the
whole, "You won't let us innovate," argument Microsoft
landed on. Microsoft can no longer claim that they aren't
free to innovate, right? Microsoft has said that they
want the two browsers to compete on merit yet they have
gone out of their way to make it a very unlevel playing
field. Why is including Netscape with Windows 98 so scary
of an idea for Microsoft? How is including additional
software with Windows 98 bad for the customer? I'm sure
Microsoft will claim, if they offer an explanation at
all, that having more than one browser to pick from will
be confusing for the end user. Microsoft seems to want to
protect the end users from themselves.
Is Microsoft scared that their browser won't compete well
with Netscape? I doubt it. Considering that Microsoft has
been able to integrate the guts of Internet Explorer into
the guts of Windows 98... and most of library calls
needed to run MSIE are already in memory before you even
load it gives MSIE a dramatic advantage. This is where
the "innovation" and the "monopoly bundling" butt heads.
Microsoft has made it messy to de-bundle MSIE because
they have made it and the operating system into
simease(sp?) twins. While from a software design
perspective this critical interrelationship can make
sense and I think that is the main reason that the DOJ
has decided to give Microsoft the option of keeping it in
by accepting to include Netscape. Although it might be
possible to de-bundle, it would certainly be painful and
dangerous. By integrating various organs of MSIE into the
common system libraries Microsoft has been able to
increase its performance as well as market share.
Netscape simply can't match this level of system
performance tuning. Netscape can't take their libraries
and integrate them into the common, already loaded,
libraries. Netscape can't beat Microsoft because the
playing field isn't level.
I'll not bitch and moan about the lack of a level playing
field because it ain't going to help. I'll just point out
that Microsoft is so competitive that it refuses to help
Netscape market it's browser. Microsoft isn't interested
in competing on the merits even if they have the merits.
They want to crush Netscape and they don't care that
additional software and easier choice is in the better
interests of their customers. I see this as TAKE NO
PRISONERS warfare. What do you think?
2) The second demand (in no certain order) of the DOJ was
that Microsoft free the introductory screen. This is the
most misunderstood and poorly explained issue in the
press. Many people seem to think that this is some sort
of technical issue but it isn't at all. You see, vendors
used to be in control of their own machines and could put
up whatever introductory welcome screen graphic they
wanted. For example when you turned on a Packard Bell
you'd get a nice Packard Bell message as Windows
proceeded to load. Why this is such an important issue is
beyond me but Bill Gates seems to think it is very
important. In the press conference with the DOJ and the
states folks after the formal announcement, the press
asked the DOJ guy why the intro screen was so important.
The DOJ guy said that it was obviously important because
Bill Gates thought it was important. Personally, I see
this issue as a silly WHO IS IN CONTROL issue. It's a big
power struggle. It's a whose penis is bigger and who can
piss the farthest BS, macho argument. In my opinion, the
maker of a machine should say what a customer sees when
they first turn on the computer. Bill Gates sees the
introduction screen as a way to force 90% of the desktop
computer market to see a simplistic commercial for
Microsoft each and every time they turn on their machine.
Bill Gates obviously feels that he is in total control of
those desktop machines and has the power to dictate such
matters. So far he has won on that issue when a while
back he demanded that no screen could be seen before the
Microsoft screen. The OEMs gave in, Bill had the monopoly
and he used it plain and simple. There are those that
will argue that the intro screen is a legitimate product
splash screen but Windows could just as well put up a
product splash screen once Windows has booted completely
to the desktop. The real poker chip here is in the
advertising. I mean, heck... take a look at the Microsoft
intro screen and judge for yourself. Depending on which
release of Windows you have, it will look a little
different but they are all basically the same. How many
times does it say Microsoft and how many times does it
say Internet Explorer on the same screen? Why does it
have to be so repetitious? Because they want to drill it
into your brain over and over again. Microsoft wants to
exploit every subtle nook and cranny... and as I said,
Bill is willing to risk the whole company on it.
3) The DOJ wants Microsoft to agree to stop some business
deals and practices that they have already agreed they
would stop. I'll not delve into it too deeply but it has
to do with contracts made with Internet Service Providers
and Internet Content Providers. If you have been keeping
up with the developments between the DOJ and Microsoft
you are surely aware of it. To be honest with you, it is
the more boring of the three issues so I haven't done
much thinking about it. :)
Final thoughts: Why is Microsoft so strong headed on the
above three points? Well, I think it is because Bill
Gates himself is so strong headed. My boss at work, who
claims to know a lot about Microsoft, told me (and this
is just rumor so I'm not going to debate about it) that
Bill's business partners decided to sell out to Bill long
ago because he was so hard headed and unyielding... even
about the simplest of things. While I don't know if that
is true or not, it certainly fits the pattern I've tried
to draw from the above. Some people want to commend Mr.
Gates for being so head strong and point to that as
perhaps one of the main reasons he has been such a
business success. For myself, in this particular issue
(the DOJ vs. Microsoft) I think Bill Gates is either
going to have to learn how to be give in a bit OR he is
going to have to suffer. A lot of folks see that as
unfair. They see the government's case as just an attempt
to punish Microsoft for being so successful. I've said
over and over again, that this case is about the law.
It's not about having a monopoly, it's about abusing a
monopoly. It's not about punishing success, it's about
punishing illegal business practices. Now whether or not
that will be shown in court is another matter. I see
perfectly intelligent people seemingly abandon logic and
common sense on many of these issues and raise analogies
and unrelated stories in an attempt to vent their
frustrations with their favorite software maker getting
their hand slapped. Certainly not every element of this
whole process is easily reasoned out because there are
several confusing twists and turns.
The best thing Microsoft could have done was settled with
the government's easy to live with demands. What would
Microsoft have really lost? What would the user community
lost? Not much. Who will win? Who knows... the guilty go
free sometimes and innocent can go to jail.
LOGOUT:
Wshoooo... boy, was that a load off my mind getting all
of that opinion out. :) What do you think? That's all I
ask of you... to think about the real issues rather than
the personal feelings you have about the software you use
or past mistakes the government might have made in Ruby
Ridge or elsewhere. They ain't related issues gang.
I try so hard to be a good Linux Advocate, and I
apologize for spending so much of my column space talking
about Microsoft... but with all of the hoopla on the
subject, it seems almost impossible to avoid sometimes.
There are so many topics I've been wanting to talk about
here... like IP masquerading... a free product for Unix,
Windows, and plamtop devices called Virtual Network
Computer... as well as networking in general. Perhaps
I'll get around to being a better Linux Advocate in the
near future. :) I would appreciate Linux related
questions and comments so if you have any, please forward
them to me. Thanks for reading!
ANNOUNCING...
ThumbsPlus for Macintosh
Shareware Beta 11
Dear ThumbsPlus for Macintosh User:
The 11th (and final) beta of ThumbsPlus/Mac is now
available from:
http://www.cerious.com/macbeta.htm
Information on the changes in beta 11 is available on
that page as well.
Please contact me if you have any questions or problems.
Kind regards,
Phillip Crews, President
Cerious Software, Inc.
http://www.cerious.com
** ThumbsPlus 3.20 -- Released 1/8/98 **
[Image]
Jason's Jive
[Image]
Jason Sereno, STR Staff
jsereno@streport.com
Joystick Switchbox
Four Port Joystick Adapter
Approximate price: $39.95
[Image]
CH Products
970 Park Center Drive
Vista, California 92083
www.chproducts.com
sales@chproducts.com
[Image] I saw this product recently on the CH Products website and thought it would be very useful to most of you
out there. It always seems switching controllers is more trouble than what it is really worth. It's not
only a hassle crawling to the back of your CPU but configuring and collaborating for Windows can be a pain too. The
Joystick Switchbox from CH Products is a simple accessory that makes switching controllers pretty easy.
The concept is simple. The Joystick Switchbox is a four port joystick adapter. It has four slots that separate
joysticks can be placed in. However, the slots on the adapter do not represent game ports themselves. The activated
slot on the adapter represents only port 1 or whatever port the Joystick Switchbox is plugged into.
Therefore, each time you switch controllers, you must also switch the setup in your windows control panel. Not to
worry though, CH Products has also included a small program for making changing controllers easier. All you have to
do is open the small utility, click on a controller's pre-programmed configuration and off you go.
To activate a controller you must also toggle the Joystick Switchbox itself. To do this is simply click on the
desired controller's fire button. A light will appear to tell you which joystick is activated. Two controllers can
also be used simultaneously. However, each player can only use two buttons and one axis.
The Joystick Switchbox is compatible with all PC gameports and analog controllers but doesn't comply with
digital-only controllers like Microsoft's Sidewinder Precision Pro and Force Feedback Pro. This is something you
might want to consider before picking one up. It is a very simple idea and a good accessory for the frequent gamer.
Hope to see you next week,
Jason
TAKING ANOTHER LOOK!
WINDOWS 98 AVAILABLE TO COMPUTER BUYERS JUNE 15
Microsoft said Friday Windows 98 will be available June 15 to consumers who buy new computers, but customers who
want to upgrade software on existing machines must wait until the official "launch date" of June 25. The
information came out in bits and pieces, starting with comments Friday by Microsoft attorney John Warden at the
first hearing on major antitrust lawsuits filed by states and the federal government this week. Later in the day, a
Microsoft spokesman clarified the lawyers's comments. Warden told Judge Thomas Penfield computer makers were free
to ship machines loaded with Windows 98 at any time. Some leading computer makers, such as Dell Computer and
Gateway 2000 sell most of their computers directly by shipping them to consumers.
U.S. LAW SEEKS REPORT ON MILLENNIUM BUG EFFORTS
The Clinton administration would be required to make the first broad assessment of how key industries are tackling
the so-called millennium computer bug under legislation introduced in Congress Friday. The bill introduced in the
House if passed into law would require the White House to report within 90 days on steps the nation's critical
industries such as banking and transportation are taking to ensure their computers will work in 2000. The bill's
chief sponsor, Rep. James Leach, wants to ensure computers are able to recognize dates beginning Jan. 1, 2000.
Unless computers are modified, many software applications will read the last two "00" digits of the year as being
1900 instead of 2000.
QUICKEN.COM ANNOUNCES FREE INVESTMENT FEATURES
With the Dow Jones Industrial average at an all time high, almost half of Americans are investing in the stock
market according to a recent NBC poll. Providing individual investors with access to the same kinds of investment
tools used by Wall Street professionals, Quicken.com, said Monday it will offer free investment features including
portfolio analysis, portfolio alerts and news on the Web. The new investment features are also available through
Excite Business and Investing Channel by Quicken.com (http://www.quicken.excite.com). The Quicken.com Portfolio
Analysis will evaluate the overall risk-return characteristics of a portfolio and develop an efficient model
portfolio online from which to make better decisions about how to allocate investments.
GOVERNMENT PREPARING CHARGES AGAINST INTEL
Government lawyers are preparing charges Intel Corp. - maker of chips at the heart of nearly all personal computers
- illegally abused monopoly power to hurt rivals, sources familiar with the case said Tuesday. Within the next
week, top staff at the Federal Trade Commission will review the proposed charges against the Santa Clara, Calif.,
company, which makes the microprocessors running four out of five PCs, the sources said. The five-member commission
may vote to approve narrow charges against the company. Those charges are likely to be broadened later. The move
comes as the Justice Department and 20 states are pursuing major antitrust actions against Microsoft Corp.
U.S. HOPES NEW INTERNET PLAN WILL APPEASE CRITICS
A senior adviser to President Clinton said Tuesday he hoped a revised plan for reforming the Internet address
system would dispel European and Australian concerns it was too U.S.-dominated. Internet policy guru Ira Magaziner
said he hoped the Clinton administration's "white paper" on phasing out U.S. government involvement in running the
Internet's naming and address system would come out later this week. The document will refine proposals made in a
"green paper" earlier this year to turn over management of the system to the private sector and stimulate
competition for registering new Internet addresses.
GATES HOSTS GATHERING OF CORPORATE CHIEFTAINS
More than 100 chief executives from the world's biggest companies met in Seattle Thursday for an "intimate"
gathering with Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates highlighted by dinner at his lakeside mansion. Security was
tight at Seattle's posh Four Seasons Olympic Hotel where the executives came to mingle with Gates and other top
executives of the software giant at Microsoft's second annual "CEO summit." With Microsoft battling a landmark
antitrust lawsuit brought by state and federal regulators, the company needs all the friends it can get.
AMD TO LAUNCH K6 CHIP UPGRADE, 3D FEATURES
Advanced Micro Devices Inc will introduce a new K6 chip with improved multimedia technology, and it hopes to entice
video game developers to embrace the chip by launching it at the big E3 trade show. The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based
company said it will introduce the AMD-K6-2 Thursday at the E3 Expo in Atlanta, the biggest trade show for the
video game industry. The new semiconductor will contain a new multimedia instruction set called 3D Now. Analysts
said the new instruction set seeks to improve on Intel Corp's MMX multimedia technology. The new K6 has three
dimensional graphics capabilities embedded in the chip.
AOL-44 STATES REACH ACCORD ON PRICE HIKES
America Online reached a settlement with 44 state attorneys general, promising to provide clear information to
subscribers when the Internet online service provider raises prices or changes services in the future, state
officials said Thursday. As part of the settlement, the third between the states and the country's largest online
provider, the Dulles, Va.-based company agreed to pay the 44 states a combined $2.6 million for legal costs and
future consumer protection and education efforts, state officials added.
INTERNET PORN CONVICTION OF CIS IN GERMANY SHOCKS EXPERTS
A Bavarian court convicted a former Compuserve manager Thursday of spreading pornography over the Internet,
shocking industry experts and raising concerns about the medium's future in Germany. The Munich district court,
ignoring a change of heart by the state prosecutor, convicted the former head of the German division of the online
service of distributing child pornography and other illegal material over the Internet. "Even on the Internet,
there can be no law-free zones," the court said, handing down a two-year suspended sentence to Felix Somm, 34. "The
accused is not a victim. He abused the medium." The German government said it would study the court's decision
carefully.
VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY DENIES ANY BLAME FOR SHOOTINGS
The rash of shootings in U.S. high schools this year cannot be blamed on depictions of violence in video games,
which may even have a "cathartic" effect on teenagers who play them, an industry spokesman said Thursday. Douglas
Lowenstein, president of the Interactive Digital Software Association, said, "... there is absolutely no basis for
making the leap that the presence of video games is a factor in these premeditated acts, in these murders ... there
is evidence the games have a cathartic effect. To isolate any form of entertainment as the agent is unsubstantiated
and irresponsible." President Clinton suggested Saturday children were being introduced to violence at an early age
by playing electronic games and watching television and movies.
[Image]
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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
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edition. Cited are size, graphic quality and speed of
download. I'm elated that requests for our issues in HTML
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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.
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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!"
As mentioned last week, I've been on vacation all week. It's been terrific so far. Yes, I've been
working hard on the house - mostly outside - but it's beginning to pay off.
We had many of our windows replaced - what an improvement! The yard is 99% cleared, finally. I never
saw a home where an owner had a nice yard but rarely took care of it. This was what was told to me by a
couple of our neighbors. The leaves, tree branches, and brush was incredible. What an improvement! The
vegetable garden is dug and ready for planting. I hope I'll have all of my plants in before you read
this week's issue! The pool is scheduled to be opened by this time next week (I wish it had been ready
this week after all of that yard work!).
Hope you all had an enjoyable long Memorial Day weekend. Had some friends over from work for our first
barbecue. The next cookout is this weekend when my wife's family arrives en masse. This is fun!
This week's section is intentionally small - I had planned to carry my vacation to the extreme, but
decided just prior to deadline that I'd put something together. So, although the Atari section is
non-existent this week (other than "People Are Talking," the gaming section is jam-packed due to the E3
show going on right now in Atlanta.
Until next time...
Gaming Section
* E3 News!
* Marvel Comics!
* "Spawn"!
* "NFL Blitz"!
* Konami!
* "Rayman 2"!
* And much more!
Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News!
Multimedia Companies Show Wave of New Titles At E3
May 27, 1998 (SELLING TO KIDS, Vol. 3, No. 11) -- At this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in
Atlanta, the girls entertainment CD-ROM category continues to grow exponentially with themes of soccer,
beauty, crafts and adventure. Mattel Media [MAT], Purple Moon, Hasbro
Interactive [HAS] and IBM [IBM] unveiled their entertainment CD-ROM line-up, all of which have titles
targeting girls.
At the May 28th- 30th expo held in Atlanta, all of these companies continue to develop new titles that
span a wide subject area. Below, a sampling of companies and their new titles, as well as a
retrospective view from industry leaders on how the category has changed and the new challenges facing
marketers.
Purple Moon
This Mountain-View California-based girls' multimedia and entertainment company continues to roll out
new titles at a feverish pace (S2K, 6/25/97, 9/3/97). It also continues to develop excellent marketing
strategies and partnerships marketing agreements. The company announced at E3 the launch of four new
titles and accompanying marketing strategies/partners:
* "Secret Paths to the Sea" (SRP, $29.99, July 1998)
* "Rockett's Secret Invitation," (SRP, $29.99, Aug. 1998)
* "Rockett's Adventure Maker," (SRP, $29.99, Sept. 1998)
* "The Starfire Soccer Challenge," (SRP. $29.99, Oct. 1998)
In conjunction with "Secret Paths to the Sea," Sea World, part of Busch Entertainment in Clayton, MO.,
will sponsor an area on Purple Moon's Web site and a contest, and give away a free trip for four and
other prizes. It will also sell the CD-ROM at four of their aquatic theme parks. (Summer 1998)
Day Runner will give away free a purple student planner, a Purple Moon pencil and stickers of Purple
Moon characters when consumers purchase selected Purple Moon CD-ROMs. Retailers such as Staples, Office
Depot. (Back-to-school 1998)
Richardson, Tx.-based watch and accessories company Fossil is making a limited edition Purple Moon
watch with a purple band and a company logo on the face. Available free with purchase of selected
Purple Moon titles. (Holiday promotion 1998)
Purple Moon officially is linked to Hawthorne, Calif.-based American Youth Soccer League. More than
250,000 girls ages 6 to 16 are affiliated with AYSO. Purple Moon and AYSO will launch AYSO's first
girls soccer initiative, "Girls PLAYSOCCER" with Purple Moon as its exclusive sponsor. Included are a
national girls tournament, newsletter, direct mail campaign and sampling at local events. (Starting in
1999)
Still under wraps: A national promotional campaign featuring Purple Moon characters and some well-known
friends.
"We've watched the [girls] market explode since last year," says Kathleen Watson, marketing director,
Purple Moon. In the girls category, retailers are really focusing on the viability [of the category]
and we've seen them build specific sections for girls titles. Mattel has focused on a certain genre and
they've done a great job but then there are folks like us. We are providing a different experience for
girls. I think there's room for a lot of companies - it's a matter of delivering entertaining and
relevant content. And you have to be aggressive with your marketing strategy," looking for grass roots
initiatives to support national efforts.
Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive continues to launch titles for kids starting at age 3 all the way to age 18 (S2K,
7/9/97) . Some are line extensions, such as "Monopoly World Cup '98" and "Tonka Workshop Interactive
Playset." Two new titles are designed for girls: "Girl Talk," for girls 8 to 12, and "My Little Pony,"
for girls ages 3 to 7. Other titles leverage well-known traditional game titles, such as "Stratego,"
"Operation," "The Game of Life" and "Clue."
"I think the edutainment category does not exist," says Tom Dusenberry, president, Hasbro Interactive.
"It has divided itself into children's education software and children's entertainment software. The
[entertainment category] has become very brand driven, with a premium on quality. You can't just put
anything out there anymore. It has to be rich and deep and entertaining. Development costs are
definitely escalating, and there's a lot of pressure to reach the mass market. Twenty-nine dollars
seems to be the threshold for that market. [On the emerging girls' category] the question is, is there
a Barbie category or a girls category? So far, no other product has shown the ability to have the same
mass market success." Dusenberry projects sales of 100,000 units for HI's "Girl Talk" and just under
that for "My Little Pony."
IBM Consumer Division
IBM Consumer Division continues to leverage its partnership with Binney & Smith's Crayola brand by
rolling out three new multimedia titles for kids ages 5 to 12 (S2K, 6/23/97). The three titles are all
creativity tools. The "Crayola Paint 'n Play Pony" is targeted to girls and allows them to design and
care for a virtual pony, horse or unicorn.
* "Crayola Make a Masterpiece," (SRP, $19.95, Summer 1998)
* "Crayola 3D Castle Creator," (SRP, $19.95, Summer 1998)
* "Crayola Paint 'n Play Pony," (SRP, $19.95, Summer 1998)
Susan Gluck, General Manager, East Coast Multimedia Studio, IBM, says, "I think there has been
tremendous price pressure. It's a business trying to evolve from early adopters to the mass market. The
price points have been too high for a mass market public. We think $19.99 for the Crayola brand is a
digestible price point."
Mattel Media
Mattel Media led the girls' software category last year with ten of the 20 top-selling girls titles in
the 4th quarter of 1997, according to Reston, Va.-based industry tracker PC Data (S2K, 2/18/98,
1/21/98).
It expects to repeat that performance with the launching of the following CD-ROM titles in 1998:
* "Barbie Digital Camera + CD-ROM" (SRP, $64.99, 5+, Fall)
* "Barbie Riding Club" (SRP, $34.99, 4+, Fall)
* "Detective Barbie" (SRP, $34.99, 5+, Fall)
* "Barbie Jewelry Designer" (SRP, $34.99, 8+, Sept.)
* "Barbie Nail Designer" (SRP, $19.99, 5+, Sept.)
* "Fashion Magic Tattoos Kit" (SRP, $29.99, 6+, Oct.)
* "Fashion Magic Hair Wear & Charms Kit" ($29.99, 8+, Oct.)
* "Fashion Magic Tank Top Kit" (SRP, $34.99, 8+, Oct.)
* "Hot Wheels Stunt Track Driver" (SRP, $34.99, 4+, Fall)
* "Hot Wheels Collector's Guide" (SRP, $44.99, 6+, summer)
* "Uno Card Game" (SRP, $19.99, 5+, Fall)
"Within the last year, we have looked for ways to further segment and way to expand into natural
places," says Lauren Berzins, senior product manager, Mattel Media. "Our new line-up will appeal to
girls with different interests in different age groups. We're offering [a range] of price points, from
$19.99-$64.99. People are amazed that we can bring out Barbie Digital Camera for such a low price. The
value is there and if it's not, we'll have to respond."
Rayman Reigns in New Fast-Paced, Plot-Driven Adventure
ATLANTA (May 27) ENTERTAINMENT WIRE - May 27, 1998 - Ubi Soft's Rayman 2 Reprises Role for
Thrill-Seeking, Blockbuster Character Rayman
Let go of reality, Rayman's back! Ubi Soft's much-loved prankster Rayman returns in Rayman 2, a
huge-world action adventure game that will tilt gamers on their axis with more than 40 hours of
gameplay for PC CD-ROM, Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64.
In Rayman 2, our whirling-dervish hero Rayman confronts his wackiest adventure ever when Robot pirates
imprison him and his friends in a strange intergalactic zoo. Rayman escapes, but must free his friends
and collect all the ingredients for a miraculous soup that opens the doors toGreat Power. Only then
will the mysterious robot pirate guild be defeated. But robot pirates aren't the only enemies players
will encounter. There are Two-Footed Missiles, Zombie Chickens and Piranhas to avoid on the way to
battle the thunderous end-level bosses.
Rayman 2 will spin Rayman's fans into a myriad of new adventures with blinding 30-images-per-second
speed, a host of new enemies circulating and percolating under a suspenseful plotline, 75-minutes of
heart-pounding original music, and all the stunning, whimsical environments you expect to find in
Rayman's 3D world. But gamers better pace themselves, Rayman's incredible mobility, unusual powers and
trademark humor need to go the distance when battling enemies who have fierce AI to thwart them at
every turn.
Rayman's Greatest Hits in the U.S. for Sony PlayStation hasn't gone to his head, but he has some new
surprises in store for his fans. In Rayman 2, our hero develops new powers and relies on the powers of
his friends to make headway against his evil foes. The magician gives Rayman new powers to move forward
in his quest; Clark helps Rayman with his force; the beautiful Ly with her dexterity; and Globox brings
rain on a sunny day. And Rayman's magic fist is a tremendously versatile power -- practically a
character of its own, so gamers should brandish it with care!
There's really nothing Rayman can't do in his latest adventure. He walks, runs, climbs, swims, swings
from vines, slides on ice, and uses his hair to fly like a helicopter. Rayman also uses his magic fist
as a torch and grapnel, to grab objects flip levers, tap enemies on the back to surprise them and then
pop them head over heels. He's a real life superhero with a sensitive side, quick to reveal a vast
range of expressions and touching humor which give him a lifelike quality, complete with emotional
understanding.
"We're thrilled to bring back Rayman, the extraordinary Super Hero that struck a universal chord with
gamers worldwide, causing the game to reach Greatest Hit status for the Sony PlayStation," said Yves
Guillemot, president, Ubi Soft. "Rayman 2 will have him showing off on all the platforms with even more
action and adventure than before!"
Rayman 2 will be available in Winter 1998 for Nintendo 64 and for the PC CD-ROM with a system
requirement of Pentium-based 166 computer with 3D card. 3D sound is available with the Maxi Sound
Dynamic 3D card. The game is also scheduled to release in Early 1999 for Sony PlayStation.
Activision Signs Deal With Marvel To Develop Original X-Men
Agreement Brings Marvel Comics' Renowned X-MEN to Life In True 3-D
SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Marvel Comics' world renowned mutant franchise the X-MEN
will return to the gaming scene in full force when Activision, Inc. introduces the first X-MEN 3-D
fighting game for the PlayStation game console. The title is expected to be released in early Spring
1999.
The power of Marvel's X-MEN continues to captivate consumers worldwide. Since their introduction 35
years ago, the X-MEN have become the most successful comic book property of all time, selling
approximately 30 million comic books each year. For six straight seasons -- from October, 1992 to
January, 1998 -- the X-MEN dominated the Saturday morning airwaves on the Fox Kids Network. Currently,
the X-MEN animated television show is syndicated nationally with a clearance of 86% of the U.S. TV
market.
"The X-MEN are some of the most popular and recognizable Super Heroes ever created," states Robert
Kotick, Chairman and CEO, Activision, Inc. "Now, for the first time, fans of these superhumanly
powerful mutants will be able to fight oppression and persecution in visually stunning real-time 3-D
environments. Activision's commitment to high-quality production values and compelling gameplay will
showcase Marvel's renowned classic characters to their full potential."
"Marvel is looking forward to a long and prosperous alliance with Activision," stated Joseph Calamari,
President and COO, Marvel Entertainment Group. "I am confident that the X-MEN 3-D game is the first of
many exciting platforms which Marvel fans can look forward to as a result of this relationship."
"I am thrilled that Marvel and Activision are forging ahead with this project," commented Kenneth
Abrams, Vice President, Consumer Products, Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. "Activision's top-notched
development and distribution capabilities, combined with the X-MEN's strong appeal across demographics
will result in a first-class product. Fans will be pleased!"
In Activision's upcoming X-MEN game, menacing Mojo has challenged the deadly Apocalypse to a battle to
end all X-Battles -- a clash sure to cause the destruction of all who embody the X-gene. Featuring a
state-of-the-art engine, unique gameplay, visually stunning special effects and a rich storyline, the
game will challenge players to master the moves and abilities of multiple Marvel Super Heroes.
Konami of America, Inc. Brings Spawn Comics Characters to Game Boy and Color Game Boy
Exclusive Worldwide Licensing Agreement Formed between Konami of America and Todd McFarlane Productions
(REDWOOD CITY, CA) Konami of America, Inc., leading developer of electronic entertainment for the home
video game and coin-op markets, announces its exclusive licensing agreement with Todd McFarlane
Productions.
Under the new agreement starting June 1, Konami of America has been awarded exclusive rights to produce
video games for the Game Boy and new color Game Boy platforms, utilizing the characters from the
popular Spawn comic. The agreement was negotiated by Terry Fitzgerald, president of Todd McFarlane
Entertainment and Kazumi Kitaue, managing director of Konami Co., Ltd. Konami expects that its first
Spawn title will be out later this year.
Our partnership with Konami in the development of a Spawn Game Boy title excites everyone in the
company, notes Fitzgerald. We look forward to producing a great game for all of our fans worldwide.
We're very excited that Konami is teaming up with Todd McFarlane Productions and its fantastic
creations, said Jon Sloan, Konami marketing manager. The Spawn characters are amazingly popular
worldwide and Konami is proud to be providing fans of the series with these products. As fans
ourselves, it's an excellent opportunity for us to bring movement and action to an already well-known
genre.
The McFarlane group of companies includes McFarlane Toys, McFarlane Design Group, Todd McFarlane
Productions and Todd McFarlane Entertainment. For more information on the McFarlane companies, visit
http://www.spawn.com/ Shipping products worldwide, McFarlane Toys produces Spawn and KISS action
figures, along with figures based on non-licensed characters and licensed characters, including the
X-Files and Species II. The Spawn Comic Book Series is the number one selling comic book in North
America.
Midway Signs Kordell Stewart for NFL Blitz
CORSICANA, TEXAS (May 26) BUSINESS WIRE - May 26, 1998 - Midway Home Entertainment today signed Kordell
Stewart, quarterback of the AFC Central champion Pittsburgh Steelers, to the NFL(R) Blitz(tm) team.
Stewart steps into the starting lineup as official spokesperson for the highly anticipated arcade-style
football game expected to be released in September for the Nintendo(R) 64, PlayStation(R) game console
and PC platform.
Stewart will report to NFL Blitz training camp at E3 in Atlanta for an autograph and photo session on
Thursday, May 28 from 2 to 3 pm in the Midway Home Entertainment booth (No. 3816, West Hall). In
addition to making guest appearances at trade shows and special events, Stewart is featured prominently
in the multi-million dollar advertising campaign.
"We are thrilled to have an athlete of Kordell's ability and reputation as the official spokesperson
for NFL Blitz," said Paula Cook, director of marketing at Midway Home Entertainment. "Kordell plays
football like gamers play Blitz -- fast, aggressive and sometimes over the top."
Based on Midway's arcade hit, NFL Blitz is packed with everything fans love about NFL football, without
the stuff that slows you down... No Refs. No Rules. No Mercy. The game boasts seven-on-seven football
action with easy arcade-style controls in an "everything goes" version of the NFL. An officially
licensed LAYERS INC. product, NFL Blitz features all 30 NFL teams, each comprised of seven of the best
offensive and defensive players from each team. With graphically detailed tackle animations and killer
artificial intelligence, NFL Blitz sets the standard for football video games.
Additional NFL Blitz features include:
* -- Two game modes: Arcade and Season
* -- Game Editor for player customized gameplay
* -- "Hurry-up" offense to increase speed of gameplay
* -- 18 offense plays and 9 defensive plays
* -- Five difficulty levels
"Combining bone-crunching tackles, spectacular catches and dancing in the end zone, there is no other
football game like Blitz. I love this game!" said Stewart. "With no penalties, no substitutions and
nowhere to hide, Blitz is more than a game -- it's an NFL highlight film."
Kordell Stewart, who is considered one of the most exciting players in the NFL, earned the nickname
"Slash" by playing quarterback/wide receiver/running back. In 1997 he led the Pittsburgh Steelers to
the AFC Central Division championship while passing for over 3000 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Infogrames Entertainment Inc. Introduces First Two Games
SAN JOSE, CALIF. (May 27) ENTERTAINMENT WIRE - May 27, 1998 - In its first move as one of Infogrames
Entertainment Inc.'s labels, I-Motion is releasing two new games into the PC interactive software
market: "Outcast" and "Hexplore," previewed at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Atlanta.
The I-Motion label joins Infogrames' growing roster of product lines, which include Ocean,
action-adventure titles for teens and young adults; Looney Tunes, character-based titles for the whole
family; and flight simulations from DID and other developers.
"I-Motion has a proven track record having already made a name for itself in the industry with 'Alone
in the Dark,'" explained Ray Musci, president Infogrames Entertainment. "The I-Motion label enables us
to capitalize on the momentum this title has enjoyed on a global level and we expect to see our
upcoming titles have a terrific run." Under a cloak of exclusivity, Infogrames is previewing the
"Outcast" title in a private demonstration suite separate from the main booth and off the trade-show
floor. An action-adventure title scheduled for release in the third quarter, "Outcast" is a hero-based
odyssey taking players through a black hole into a parallel universe in a battle for survival.
"Hexplore," which debuts this summer, is a role-playing title transporting players to the year 1000 AD
where dark sorcerers are searching for a book that reveals the location of the fabled Garden of Eden.
ASC Games Announces New Comedic Water Combat
DARIEN, CONN. (May 27) BUSINESS WIRE - May 27, 1998 - So you want to be the master of the seven seas?
Join master powerboat racer Ebony Justice and his gang of sinister scoundrels this November in the
PlayStation game, DEAD IN THE WATER from leading publisher and developer ASC Games. In this rip-roaring
3D water combat racing title developed by Player One, players engage in unforgettable water battles to
eliminate competitors with customizable water crafts and weaponry in one incredible tournament for the
championship title.
"DEAD IN THE WATER stands out as one of the first water-based, 3D combat racing title to hit the
market," says David Klein, president and COO of ASC Games. "With its humorous characters loaded in
attitude and pure combat racing action, DEAD IN THE WATER is so tongue-in-cheek and gameplay-packed
that players will immediately be hooked."
In DEAD IN THE WATER, players may choose from some of the most clever and notable characters ever to
star in the gaming arena and their highly stylized hovercrafts, customizable hydrofoils or sleek racing
boats loaded with weaponry. Leading the pack of master powerboat racers is Ebony Justice, and he's
ready to conquer the tumultuous water-based raceways in his converted Cadillac boat complete with fuzzy
dice, an impeccable wardrobe and his deadly Disco Fever ray gun.
For the grand prize, players must overcome master powerboat racers including Vicki Vein, the gothic
mistress of the high seas, and the former Military Admiral, Sgt. Steel, who was fired for nearly
starting World War III. Sgt. Steel loves live targets and his hovercraft is equipped with a huge tank
cannon. Players will ultimately face the king of evil and uninvited competitor, Dr. Graves. He is after
your dead body, and his death ray must be avoided and overcome in order to prevail.
DEAD IN THE WATER's tracks and battlegrounds are filled with secret routes, twists and turns that send
players spiraling up in the air and diving down underwater. Players use weaponry and pull stunts to
gain advantages over the other competitors on over nine waterways that simulate the waters of the Hong
Kong Harbor, Grand Canyon, and the Everglades. Along the way, players will encounter several obstacles
and find random pick-ups that can aid you on your quest to avoid being caught DEAD IN THE WATER.
New PlayStation Game Consoles to Include Dual Shock Analog Controller
ATLANTA (May 27) BUSINESS WIRE - May 27, 1998 - Addition of Dual Vibration Controller Provides Added
Value and Unrivaled Gaming Experience for Millions of New PlayStation Owners
Sony Computer Entertainment America announced today at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3Expo) that
its best-selling PlayStation game console hardware will now include the new Dual Shock Analog
Controller, an advanced dual-vibrating controller, as the standard pack-in peripheral. Available from
June 16, the PlayStation/Dual Shock pack is expected to retail for $149.
In addition to the inclusion of the Dual Shock Analog Controller, the PlayStation hardware is equipped
with "Sound Scope," a visual imaging program feature which allows consumers to generate on-screen
kaleidoscope patterns when playing audio CDs. On the heels of a similar announcement today from Sony
Computer Entertainment Europe, and previously released in Nov. 1997 through Sony Computer Entertainment
Inc., the PlayStation hardware now has been standardized for consumers worldwide.
"With an unprecedented user base exceeding 10 million units in North America, the $149 price point has
allowed us the flexibility to move PlayStation into the mass market," said Kaz Hirai, executive vice
president and chief operating officer, Sony Computer Entertainment America.
"And now we are further adding value to the PlayStation hardware package with the inclusion of the
revolutionary Dual Shock Analog Controller. As the quintessential controller for PlayStation gamers,
this new pack-in gives millions of first-time PlayStation consumers the ability to experience true
next-generation gaming at its finest."
Completely redefining how PlayStation gamers interact with and play videogames, the Dual Shock Analog
Controller's key features include a unique contact-sensing dual vibration feature which shakes or
"vibrates" upon impact throughout gameplay offering totally immersive and realistic gameplay; bigger
rubber-coated shoulder buttons and refined dual thumb sticks for more precise control and
maneuverability; as well as three different modes, including Analog and Digital Modes offering full
compatibility with all PlayStation game titles.
The Dual Shock Analog Controller is compatible with a wide array of PlayStation's new first- and
third-party 1998 title introductions, and in digital mode with PlayStation's extensive library
offering, which includes more than 400 titles in the action, adventure, platform, role-playing games
(RPGs), head-to-head combat, sports, rhythm-music, and puzzle-solving categories.
"Since the PlayStation's launch in September 1995, this is the first time we've ever introduced a new
peripheral as a pack-in with the PlayStation game console," added Hirai. "We believe that the Dual
Shock Analog Controller not only provides PlayStation gamers added value, but the best quality of
gaming they won't find anywhere else."
The first 1998 titles to fully utilize the features of the Dual Shock Analog Controller are two of the
blockbuster entertainment releases for PlayStation, Gran Turismo, the most advanced and highly
realistic racing simulation game, and Tekken 3, the acclaimed arcade fighting franchise from premiere
PlayStation developer Namco Hometek, Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Expands the PSX
ATLANTA (May 27) BUSINESS WIRE - May 27, 1998 - Price and Release Date for PDA Revealed at the
Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3Expo) Sony Computer Entertainment America announced today the details
of its revolutionary, miniature gaming and information unit (code name Personal Digital Assistant or
PDA) that integrates the technology of the PlayStation game console and a handheld unit into a single
gaming experience.
Initial release of the PDA unit in Japan is expected for 4th Quarter 1998 and in North America by
spring of 1999. The unit is expected to retail in the US for $30.
"We have redefined videogaming and the portable entertainment market with the development of the PDA,"
said Ken Kutaragi, chairman and chief executive officer, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. "As
an extension of the PlayStation gaming experience, the Personal Digital Assistant introduces the idea
of collective videogame play between multiple players independent of the game console in the home."
The unit, developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., plugs into the existing memory card slot on
the PlayStation game console and stores information from PDA-compatible PlayStation software.
Applications downloaded from the PlayStation to the PDA also can be used separately thereby enabling
the user to extend their PlayStation gaming experience anywhere, including outdoors.
One of the unit's most interesting features is its (IrDA standard) infrared communication capability.
This innovation allows two PDA units to exchange information, such as stored game data, remotely,
without using the console as the bridge. Communication between other devices with infrared functions
will also be made possible depending on application software.
Examples of possible applications for the PDA include the ability to develop real-time role-playing
game (RPG) communities by downloading a character from a PlayStation game, play with or nurture the
character on the PDA and then put the enhanced character back into the game via the memory card slot on
the PlayStation game console.
The PDA could also enhance gameplay for sports gamers with the ability to create new sports leagues and
conduct player and league trades.
In addition to its gaming capabilities, possible applications include a message exchanger and a clock
function that runs programs such as personal schedulers or calendars. The PDA potentially will support
software that utilize the flow of time or change in the season.
Sony Computer Entertainment has already commenced development of software for the PDA unit. In
addition, third party developers have already committed to developing titles and applications to
support this new peripheral. Sony Computer Entertainment expects as many as 12 titles available for the
PDA at launch.
The PDA's overall specifications are as follows:
* CPU: 32-bit RISC processor ARMT7T CPU
* Memory: SRAM 2K bytes/Flash RAM 1 megabit
* Graphics: 32 x 32 dot monochrome LCD
* Sound: Dynamic Speaker (10-bit PCM)
* Switches: 5 input buttons/1 reset button
* Screen: Black and White
* Other: Bi-directional infrared communication (IrDA),
* LED, calendar function, clock, battery
Sierra Sports Delays Two PC Titles
May 21, 1998 (MULTIMEDIA WIRE, Vol. 5, No. 98) -- Divisions of Cendant Software tend not to rush games
to retail. Cendant unit Sierra Sports plans to delay until 1999 the next version of Baseball Pro and
NASCAR, which will launch simultaneously with the PlayStation version, MMWire has learned.
Blizzard Entertainment, another Cendant unit, delayed Starcraft several times. The game has been atop
the sales charts since it shipped a few months ago.
Sierra Sports' Baseball Pro '99 would have shipped this month or next, Sierra Sports Director of
Marketing Sean Gleason says, but the company opted to build the game from the ground up. It's now
expected in March '99. NASCAR 3 will ship for PC and PSX in Q2 '99.
Separately, Sierra Sports, on schedule, plans to ship Grand Prix Legends in August, Golf Pro '99 in
September, Football Pro '99 in October and Basketball Pro '99 in November.
ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
Compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@streport.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Normally we'd be looking at posts from Delphi this week since we looked
at the UseNet NewsGroups last week, but things have been kind of slow in the messages bases lately. So
we'll be looking at the UseNet again this week.
By the way, did you former Atari owners now using PCs for internet access... did you know that you can
join in chats and message bases on Delphi without paying a dime? I guess that, since the internet has
broken down borders, I should say without paying a dime, shilling, franc, mark, rupee, or peso.
Anyway, all you need is an internet connection and a browser that recognizes and supports cookies. You
do need to sign up, but there is no money involved. The sign-up is pretty much so that Delphi can show
its advertisers (yes, there are advertisements, but they're not all that intrusive... all in all, a
much better implementation than those two 'special access program only' services) that their ads really
are reaching lots of people. A side benefit is that Delphi will automatically forward email sent to
your new Delphi account to your ISP account. That's a really nice touch if you ask me.
Unfortunately for us Atari-only users, there aren't any browsers available at the moment that support
cookies, although CAB version 2.7 will.
Accessing Delphi's conferences also used to require a JAVA-enabled browser, but they've changed that
and now all you need is cookie support.
The Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi really is a wonderful place. I've been there for a long, long time
and although I was usually one to lurk rather than participate I learned a lot there just by reading
what others had to say.
There is a weekly Atari conference (which is sometimes jokingly called the "Weakly Atari Conference")
which is held on Tuesday evenings at 10:00 eastern time. It's always a good time filled with
reminiscing about old times, catching up with old friends, getting help with current problems, and
looking to the future to see what might lay ahead for us.
I would also like to point out that Delphi was the first service to offer free access. Who says that
old dogs can't learn new tricks? <grin>
Well, let's get on with all the chatter from the UseNet...
>From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
Cory Bonnett asks for help with copy protected software:
"I have a copy of CD Recorder 2.0 that uses the original disk for copy protection. You can run the
program, updates, etc. from the hard drive but the program needs the original Soundpool disk in the
floppy drive of my 030 in order to run. Needless to say, if this program disk ever becomes corrupted
I'm outta luck for a few weeks until Soundpool provides me with a new one upon return of the old (now
bad) disk. How can I make a backup FOR MY OWN USE, NOT TO PIRATE, in order to protect myself?"
Claes Holmerup tells Cory:
"You can't copy it. I've tried copying it for the same reason you want to, but no program I've tried so
far has been able to copy it. Not even on Amiga or PC. However, I've been using CDRecorder 2 since it
was released (can't remember when, but it was about two or three years ago) and have never had any
problems with the disk. You can copy all the files to your harddisk and then only the copy protection
is read from the disk when you start the program, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you want to
be on the safer side, there is also a version which has the copy protection on a cartridge - but then
you would probably need a cartridge expansion to switch between the different cartridges..."
Chris Hegarty tells Cory:
"It *MAY* be possible to use the 'dd' command under unix on a PC or workstation if you can find a mate
with one to create an image to recreate the disk whenever you want or straight to another disk: If the
machine uses linux and has 2 floppy drives use this with the original in drive 1 and copy in drive 2: $
dd if=/dev/fd0 of=/dev/fd1 To make an image file in the home directory: $ dd if=/dev/fd0
of=~/Image-of-disk To copy this back to disk: $ dd if=~/Image-of-disk of=/dev/fd0"
Max Lubrich adds:
"You could try an analog copier, like the Blitz cable, which requires two diskdrives and a special
program. There are (were) similar solutions on other platforms as well. You could also ask a crafty
hacker to crack the program for you. You needn't worry about the legal implications of such actions.
Once you're the owner of this software you can do whatever you want to it. Just remember what John
Lennon did with his Rolls-Royce... In fact you can make 10.000 copies for your amusement, but if you
start reselling it, well, then I don't know..."
Steve Stupple adds his own experiences:
"Copyright laws are complicated, some times hypocritical and contradictory. I had a disk sent me,
Microprose Soccer, and it had a bad disk. I contacted Microprose and they refused me consent to
actually make the disk good by copying another copy of the disk (both originals) on the the duff one.
On the other hand when you buy a product, you in a way buy the copyright to use that product.
The right to make a back-up of software that you use on a regular basis is a very strong point. Most
serious applications take note of this and allow backups to be made for personel use. I have come
across some games that write to a protected disk, and the disk cannot be backed up by traditional
methods. I was playing a game, adventure type, had to have a write enabled, copy protected B disk; I
can see the game in my head but can't grasp the title. Anyway something happend during the game that
completely corrupted the disk beyond recovery.
Because of the state of computer games being very old and deleted from the publishers catalogue, I
prepared to make BACKUP copy of ANY software on condition that you have the ORIGINAL DISK & MANUAL
etc... I will NOT REMOVE the protection. If a friend wants a copy, then they should buy a copy for
themselves." **Now, there are probably more than a few of you out there asking "Why did he just spend
so much time talking about one program?"
It's not the program I wanted to drive home a point about, but the situation. Most of our favorite
programs are still sitting there on the original disks. These disks ain't gonna last for ever, and when
they finally go, we'll have a hard time finding replacements for them. I'm a firm believer in the idea
that if you buy a piece of software you have a right to use, not the media. I've gone to great lengths
(mostly with less than satisfactory results) to try to ensure that I can use my favorite software as
long as possible. I think you should to. As the comedian Norm Crosby said, "A word to the wise is
deficient".
Let's move on to hard drives now. Harry Sideras posts:
"So what kind of SCSI hard drives are people buying now that are compatible with ST's or TT's. I've
seen some 3 or 4Gb Quantum Fireball SE and Stratos drives at reasonable prices. Are these usable
internally with a TT? In principle, can the internal SCSI bus of a TT be used with SCSI 3 hard drives?
Ultra? Wide? Ultra&Wide? Can anyone recommend a brand of drive currently available in a size of 2Gb or
higher?"
Kevin tells Harry:
"If the internal TT bus is anything like the stacy or mega ste it is very fussy as to what drives it
will read big or small!!"
Harry replies:
"Well, it's not [like the STacy or MegaSTE] <grin> The internal is a direct SCSI connection - no host
adaptor required. But I don't know whether it's as picky with respect to parity or non-parity as the
MSTe etc. What I don't know is whether it links direct to Ultra and/or Wide SCSI 3 drives."
Dennis Bishop tells Harry:
"I was Given the 550meg scsi drive I have in my TT/030 and I would formatt and partition it and reboot
and the TT would NOT even know it was there! I ended up calling seagate and yes, I had to turn parity
OFF to get it to work."
Malcolm Cooke adds:
"Some of the TTs have active termination on the internal bus. I have the same problem with some HD they
work with an external drive plugged in but not alone. The advice I got from the maker of HD Driver is
the the bus need a small mod to make one of the pins active on the port with power aparantly a very
simple job this cures the problem!"
Paul Womar adds info about using ultraSCSI and SCSI-wide:
"Ultra will be fine, I'm not sure about wide, the connectors are 68 pins so you'd need an adaptor at
least and I'm not sure if they would work even then."
Jim DeClercq adds this:
"When my last hard drive died, I looked in Computer Shopper, and, with irrelevant iterations, ordered
from Mega Haus, which used to do business as Drive Haus, in Texas, USA, the smallest (1.2G) drive that
was Ultra and not by Quantum, and that has worked fine, and has a five-year warranty that I will
probably collect on, since this TT030 is on its third one."
On the subject of running Atari MIDI programs on an emulator, Patrick O'Melia asks:
"Does anyone know if Atari Emulators will run Midi Software successfully on a Mac or PC emulating an
Atari? I'm specifically interested in trying to run KCS on another platform."
Hallvard Tangeraas tells Patrick:
"Check out the "Operating systems/emulation" section of my "Atari launchpad" web page ( for information
on MagiCMac, MagiC-PC and several others. As far as I know, most MIDI software made for the Atari ST
won't work on any emulated systems as they rely too much on the Atari hardware. I'd stick to my Atari
for MIDI purposes if I were you and use one of the MagiC multitasking operating system variants for
other things on a Mac or PC. By the way, nothing beats an Atari ST for MIDI sequencing! It's got one of
the best and tightest MIDI timings around for any platform!"
In answer to the question 'How practical is it to use an ST for web browsing', Max Lubrich posts:
"[It's] Not very practical compared to a PC or Mac. But it can be done. If you're on a null-budget and
want to use the ST for this, then OK. The best browser/modem combination? CAB is a usable browser. You
can use almost any modem there is. Don't go under 14.400 bps. A hard disk is strongly recommended.
MagiC does wonders too. You could consider a RS232 speedup to 38.400 bps with a simple hardware
modification. And an overscan would enhance the resolution for you. Try Lacescan. Although my heart
beats for Atari machines I can't recommend any (even souped up) ST computer over the ordinary and very
cheap PC systems for this task. A TT with a graphics card is the least one can use satisfactorily for
browsing the Internet. Some Falcons are OK too. If you like Telnetting for your Internet needs, then
I'd recommend Connect, a real non plus ultra! In that case an ST becomes interesting again..."
Charles Silver tells Max:
"Well, I agree with some of your advise, but not all. Sure, if you have a 1040 STf it's best to have a
good/big HD and the serial port upgrade. Mainly, you need a mono monitor in high rez. Surf'in in
black/white isn't the best, but it's OK. Some prefer it. The main problem is that some Web sites are
using plug in's that MAKE us use a PC/Mac. http://www.msn.com/ requires Shockwave's FutureSpash
Animator, thus the problem. This is a direct attempt to make Surfer's convert. It's a deliberate move
to force people into the Gate's family. They could've had their Web site more friendly to other browers
by having alternative's. But no! "My way" or the highway is off limits is their message. Bottomline:
you can Surf the Net with a 1040ST and get good results. A cheap PC is still a cheap/junk machine. It
will crap out soon. If you get a PC, you might as well get a good one, though it will be outdated
quickly. If you want a Mac, get a G3. It's all relative."
Well folks, that's about it for this week. Tune again next week, same time, same station, and be ready
to listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
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