ST Report: 6-Mar-98 #1409
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 03/17/98-04:57:45 PM Z
From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: ST Report: 6-Mar-98 #1409
Date: Tue Mar 17 16:57:45 1998
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March 06, 1998 No.1409
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Florida Lotto - LottoMan v1.35
Results: 03/01/98: three of six numbers with no matches
>From the Editor's Desk...
It that time again. this has been a very quiet week. other than
Senator Orrin Hatch trying to make a name for himself. I have
watched this particular politician in operation for almost ten
years now. Ask Ollie North about him. I might add; I find his
antics amusing and at the same time pitiful. Here's a man who has
obviously enjoyed the benefits of a good education yet he
seemingly throws it all to the wind in his very obvious
"politiking". Why this man and a few of his cohorts seemingly
refuse to attack the real issues hurting this country's young is
beyond me. Hatch and friends have been aware of the dangers of
poisonous foods, DRUGS, tobacco, patent medicine and quack
Doctors for years yet they are consistently soft spoken when it
comes to talking about or doing anything real about it or the
USDA & FDA. They can however, jump Bill Gate's bones about the
obvious successes of Himself and Microsoft.
Microsoft. once thought of as a "flash in the pan".. by the
pinstripes at IBM. Ironic isn't it? Gates kept right on going.
Today, the efforts of Gates and Microsoft both directly and
indirectly feed hundreds of thousands of the world's population.
Yet Hatch and Co., feel compelled to try to hurt the wonderful
opportunities Microsoft offers to all who are interested. Maybe
"hizzoner" is concerned Microsoft may make too many millionaires
and there won't be any "dolts" left to do his bidding? I pray to
the heavens above the good voters in the wonderful State of Utah
send this misinformed, grandstanding politician a loud and clear
message stating that "they like many of us enjoy making more than
just living." Its sorta like having the bonds of mortal servitude
removed and this guy looks like the "black suited beast" (Simon
Ligree) who's trying to make it all go back the way it was.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not against a strong trust busting
government. But it hurts when you see the super giants in
agriculture, telecommunications, catv, construction, garbage
removal, etc., left alone to continue to plunder and pillage.
Sen. Hatch. my good man perhaps you could tell us and the rest of
the country exactly who is the driving and controlling force
behind the trash removal and reclamation conglomerate called
BFI??? They're in almost every city in the nation!! If that's not
a HUGE MONOPOLY.. Sen. Hatch, BFI DWARFS Microsoft.. why is it
you don't have the principals of BFI in front of you and the
Nation while you put on your show?? Oops, I mean investigation
into a possible monopoly? How about Senator?? Wanna take on the
Bull by the Horns?? Try ConAgra. Bechtel oh, I could go on and on
and name a few others. But BFI and perhaps ConAgra would be great
for openers. Senator Hatch??? Oh, Senator Hatch??? Hmmm.
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LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Wang Buys Olivetti Unit
BILLERICA, Mass., Mar. 2 (UPI) -- Wang says its has acquired the
wholly-owned information technology solutions and service
subsidiary of Olivetti S.p.A. for approximately $390 million.
Wang said it will expand its presence in key European and Asian
markets through the addition of Olsy's strong local operations.
The Olivetti Group will retain an interest in network solutions
and services and become Wang's largest shareholder at 18.6
percent following the issuance of shares in connection with the
transaction.
Under the agreement, expected to close before the end of March
1998, Wang will buy from Olivetti 100 percent of the Olsy Group,
in exchange for 8,750,000 common stock equivalents at $27.875 a
share. Wang will also buy 5 million stock appreciation rights
(SARs), which gives Olivetti value for the increase in the market
price above $30 per share at any time from March 2001 to March
2005.
Wang will also pay $70 million in cash at the closing, subject to
adjustment based on the consolidated net equity of Olsy as of the
closing date. Under the agreement, Wang will also acquire a 19.9
percent stake in Olivetti Ricerca, the Italian consortium
supplying R&D services to both the IT and telecom sectors.
Texas Instruments To Sell Acer All TI-Acer Stake
Texas Instruments and Acer Inc. announced that TI will sell all
its stakes in Texas Instrument-Acer Inc to Acer. Under the
agreement, Acer will continue to run the current operations of TI-
Acer, which will be renamed Acer Semiconductor Manufacturing
Inc., Acer said in a statement. TI currently holds a 33.34% stake
in TI-Acer, a joint venture set up by TI and Acer in 1989. Acer
did not reveal the cost of its acquisition. Local press said the
current share price of the unlisted TI-Acer is $34-35 per share.
Microsoft: Some Curbs on Internet Content Providers
Microsoft Corp. said it does restrict some Internet content
providers on its homepage from paying to be posted on the site of
rival web browser maker Netscape Communications. "There is, in
the platinum agreement...there is a period of time which if you
are in our channel guide then you are restricted from paying to
be in the Netscape channel guide during that period of time,"
Microsoft chief executive Bill Gates said.
At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on competition in the
software industry, Gates was questioned repeatedly about whether
Microsoft placed restrictions on the Internet content providers
it did business with. Gates said a person clicking on one of
those providers in the Microsoft channel guide would arrive at a
page that made reference only to Microsoft's Internet Explorer
browser. But beyond that single page, a content provider was free
to promote the Netscape Navigator browser on its site or exploit
any of the features contained in other browsers.
Hacker Crashes Thousands of Windows Computers
An unknown hacker caused thousands of Windows-based university
and government computers to crash on the eve of Senate testimony
by Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates, authorities said
Wednesday. The Monday night attack affected nine of NASA's 10
major offices and universities, including the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology and the University of California at
Berkeley. "Basically, what happened is it locked the system,"
said a spokesman. While the attack did not cause any significant
loss of data, users were confronted with the so-called "blue
screen of death," which appears with an error message when
Windows crashes. The only solution was to restart the computer.
Computer Crime Getting Worse According to Watchdog Group
Computer crime is booming and few people are doing enough to
protect themselves against assaults ranging from stolen laptops
to high-tech Internet heists worth millions, a watchdog group
said Wednesday. In its third annual survey, the Computer Security
Institute said 520 specialists polled at U.S. corporations,
government agencies, financial institutions and universities
reported that the wired world was becoming increasingly
dangerous. "Sixty-four percent of respondents report computer
security breaches within the last 12 months," the survey said.
"This represents a dramatic increase of 16% over the 1997 survey
results."
Industry Coalition Wants Relaxed U.S. Encryption Rules
Companies and advocacy groups launched a broad media and lobbying
campaign Wednesday to oppose strict U.S. export limits on
computer encryption, an increasingly critical technology that
scrambles information to enhance security. Americans for Computer
Privacy said they opposed new limits on computer data-scrambling
technologies and sought relaxed exports. "We would not turn over
the keys to our front doors to the government. Why should we have
to turn over the keys to our computers?" said the legal counsel
to the group. He said the Clinton administration indicated it
would discuss encryption with the group.
CA to let Computer Sciences tender expire
Software maker Computer Associates International Inc. said
Thursday it would let its $108-a-share tender offer for Computer
Sciences Corp. expire as scheduled on March 16. CA Chairman
Charles Wang, in a letter to CSC Chairman Van Honeycutt, said CA
would have been willing to offer up to $114 a share, but CSC
refused to negotiate. Wang accused CSC of waging "a campaign of
unlawful roadblocks and baseless mudslinging lawsuits" against
CA.
Wall St. stocks tumble by close as Intel spooks
Stocks tumbled Thursday after an earnings warning from tech giant
Intel Corp sent a chill through Wall Street. Although investors
were relieved that today's dent in the market's record-breaking
gains was less-than-expected, analysts warned that more red flags
about profits were likely. The Dow closed off 95 points at 8444.
On the NYSE, declines trounced advances by three-to-one on volume
of 646 million shares. Technology-laden Nasdaq fared worse than
the Dow, shedding 48 points, or 2.72%, to close at 1711. The long
bond, fearing a stronger-than-expected non-farm payroll number
tomorrow, shed 19/32 to yield 6.06%. The dollar ended New York
trade at 1.8333 marks, up from 1.8105 at the open. The greenback
was higher at 127.76 yen, off a high of 127.94 but up from 127.35
at the open.
Clear Channel to buy More Group
Clear Channel Comm. has agreed to acquire British outdoor
advertising company More Group PLC for about 446 million pounds
(US$735.7 million). Clear said it is offering 1,042.5 pence for
each More share, which closed at 834 pence Wednesday. More
employs over 1,000 people in 22 countries and operates 90,000
fixed advertising panels worldwide.
Attacks on public radio threaten Hong Kong freedom
Demands by pro-Beijing politicians to stifle free speech on Hong
Kong public radio pose a threat to the territory's media
independence and its "one country, two systems" autonomy from
China, political analysts said Friday. The government-funded but
proudly independent broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong was
shaken Thursday by a stormy debate that arose after political
king-maker Xu Simin, at a parliamentary meeting in Beijing,
attacked RTHK as anti-government and a remnant of British
colonialism. Analysts said the fact that the question of Hong
Kong freedoms was raised in Beijing and went unprotested by the
territory's China-appointed leader Tung Chee-hwa could be seen as
a threat to the two-systems arrangement.
Senator Hatch not through with Microsoft
Microsoft CEO Bill Gates has finished his congressional
testimony, but Sen. Orrin Hatch - who chaired the hearing Tuesday
- is still looking closely at the Redmond, Wash. software giant.
The Utah Republican asked Gates for a letter that will help open
the door for Senate Judiciary Committee investigators to talk to
many of Microsoft's customers, and Gates agreed. In addition,
experts say the hearings may have an effect at the Justice
Department's antitrust division, which is considering bring broad
new charges against Microsoft. The letter Hatch requested is
needed because Microsoft has nondisclosure agreements with its
customers preventing them from disclosing confidential materials.
Xerox to acquire XLConnect, parent for $415 million
Xerox said it is buying XLConnect Solutions and its parent
company Intelligent Electronics in an all-cash deal for $415
million, capturing a slice of the fast-growing information-
technology services field. Xerox will pay $20 a share for the 20%
of stock that is publicly held in XLConnect, and will buy INEL,
which holds 80% of XLConnect, for $7.60 a share. The deal would
be neutral to Xerox's earnings in 1998, and positive from 1999.
Intel names chips for low-cost PCs
Intel Corp. announced a brand name for its upcoming processor
targeted to the low-cost PC market: Celeron. Last month, Intel
said it would introduce a processor, using the same Intel P6
architecture on which the Pentium II processor is based, aimed at
what Intel calls the "basic PC" market. Intel said the first
Celeron chip will be announced in April, with systems available
for purchase by mid-year. Intel has not had a big presence in the
fast-growing low-cost arena. Intel said its Celeron processor is
targeted at PCs costing between $800 to $1,200, which provide a
base level of functionality with limited expandability.
Hungarian government seeks to tap mobile phones
Hungary's government, stung by public calls for better security
after a spate of murders in Budapest, said Thursday it would
ensure mobile phone taps were part of a planned package of anti-
crime measures. Hungarian police have complained for years their
fight against organized crime was hampered by the fact many
suspects communicated with mobile phones in calls that could not
be traced without the help of the mobile phone providers. The
companies have said they would let government agencies tap mobile
phone conversations but were unwilling to pay for installing the
necessary equipment.
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Where is a COP when you Want one?
an opinion by R.F. Mariano
This came through the Email last week in a blanket forward... The
lowlife that's doing this should be ..thrown under the jail.
***
From: CFL ID Sales [Fakeidsales@mindless.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 1998 2:49 AM
To: Fakeidsales@mindless.com
Subject: Create A New Identity
WHY PAY OVER 50 DOLLARS FOR A FAKE ID???
Many people believe that it is very difficult to make a good fake
ID. This is absolutely not the case. I've made a countless number
of ID's in the past. It's VERY easy to do. Now that I'm 21 and I
no longer need ID's, I want to show YOU how to do it. I want YOU
to have as much fun
I did.
I want YOU to be able to get into clubs.
I want YOU to be able to buy beer and liquor at will.
I want YOU to be admired by your peers.
I want YOU to have an amazing money making oportunity.
When I made ID's, I charged my clients anywhere from 40 to 100
dollars for each ID they wanted made. Sure, there were other kids
around that charged less, but my clients wanted a QUALITY product
so that they wouldn't have to worry about being rejected by
bouncers or clerks. Guess how much it cost me to make each ID....
2 Bucks!!!! I had a lot of money in high school, a lot more than
my friends who were busting their butts for 5 or 6 dollars an
hour at some lame job. I've had my fun, now it's YOUR turn. I'm
going to give you the tools that you need to do what I did.
The FAKE ID BIBLE is the manual I've written that outlines over 5
different methods of making fake ID. The instructions are simple
to follow, and the book is fun to read. Most importantly, I
GUARANTEE your success. I WANT YOU TO SUCCEED.
To order the FAKE ID BIBLE, send a check or money order for 19.95
to :
CFL ID Sales
Dept. 2
PO Box 63700
Tallahassee, FL 32313
Email FakeID@mindless.com
Please state your date of birth with your order, you must be over
18 to purchase "The Fake ID Bible"
I thank you, and hope you look forward to all the fun you'll have
with your new ID's
Disclaimer- CFL Sales Assumes no responsibility for the actions
of those who purchase "The Fake ID Bible". "The Fake ID Bible" is
intended as a tool for Liquor license holders so that they may be
more familiar with the various types of ID cards being produced.
"The Fake ID Bible" is not intended for use with any State or
Government documents.
****
Disclaimer?? It's a twisted load of hot air trying to offer
justification for breaking the law and encouraging others to do
the same. I cannot believe this junk is permitted to go on. You
know there will be some fools and some youngsters that'll "go for
this nonsense". It, in turn will give cause to some poor hapless
store clerk being grabbed for selling beer or cigarettes to
minors. Or, better yet. a kid getting drunk and driving the
family chariot through someone's front room. I'd hate to think of
the dire consequences if the kid was in a serious collision
involving injuries or death.
Why are clowns like the fecal matter that sent the above out
allowed to continue? Is the almighty buck that important to the
ISP this sleaze is operating through? I hope not. This is so
obvious yet here, in Jacksonville Fl., they can go to the extreme
of setting up a guy for having alleged kiddie porn on his hard
drive. Here's an easy one for law enforcement. the above has even
given a postal address. What's your take on this trash?? Let's
hear from you!
EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
Edupage
Contents
New Interagency Center To Protect Networks Culprits Of Pentagon Computer
Break-Ins Caught
Federal Gov't To Spend $50-Million On European Privacy Rules Will
Digital Libraries Challenge U.S. Practices
AOL Teams Up To Wire Europe FTC Conducts Internet Privac Survey
Working To Solve The Information Gap IRS Likely To Fall Short Of Y2K Fix
Newton Falls To Earth Europeans Tell U.S. To Include Them
In Internet Planning
Gates Says Government Actions Hampers Computer Sciences Seeks "White Microsoft's Ability To Innovate Knight"
Microsoft Softens Position Where Is A Fancy Laptop Just
Another Bag? On Delta Airlines
Olivetti Sells Computer Services Subsidiary High-Tech Partnerships Urged
To Wang
UPS Gets Into Electronic Shipping Lucent Technology Speeds Data Over
Light
Computer Sciences Sues To Block Bid Cell Phones Can Interfere With Auto
Systems
Girls Will Be Girls Chip-Tracking Device Could Foil
Thieves
Federal Prosecutors Indict Internet Corporate Web Sites Need Broad
Gambling Operators Appeal
NEW INTERAGENCY CENTER TO PROTECT NETWORKS
Computer experts from the U.S. Defense and Justice Departments
and the Secret Service are combining their efforts to fight
electronic break-ins and sabotage of the nation's telephone
systems, electric utilities and digital networks. Attorney
General Janet Reno unveiled the new National Infrastructure
Protection Center, which also will work closely with private-
sector technicians, on Friday. An FBI survey last year found that
businesses had lost more than $100 million due to computer-based
sabotage and fraud. (Wall Street Journal 27 Feb 98)
CULPRITS OF PENTAGON COMPUTER BREAK-INS CAUGHT
The vandals responsible for hacking their way into 11 military
computer systems and a number of university and federal research
facilities (including Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Brookhaven
National Laboratories, UC-Berkeley and the MIT fusion labs) have
been identified as two Northern California teenage boys and some
friends. On the advice of FBI agents, the Internet service
provider used by the boys continued to allow their break-ins
while their activities were surreptitiously monitored: "We
decided to take a little risk. We let them play for a little
while. We gave them enough rope and let them hang themselves."
(Washington Post 28 Feb 98)
FEDERAL GOV'T TO SPEND $50-MILLION ON DIGITAL LIBRARIES
The U.S. government plans to spend $50 million over four or five
years as part of its new Digital Library 2 project. The original
Digital Library project started in 1994 with about half that
amount of funding. The leader of the University of Illinois'
digital library project notes that online technology is
developing so rapidly, that proposals will have to "sound very
grand and flaky" in order not to become obsolete before the five
years is up. Federal agencies involved in the Digital Library 2
project include the National Science Foundation, the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Library of Congress, NASA,
the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National
Library of Medicine. (Chronicle of Higher Education 27 Feb 98)
EUROPEAN PRIVACY RULES WILL CHALLENGE U.S. PRACTICES
The European Union Data Protection Directive, which takes effect
October 1998, will force U.S. companies doing business in Europe
to change the way they handle routine data collection procedures.
For instance, companies will need to get consent from their
European employees before including them in corporate e-mail or
phone directories, and in extreme cases, it may become illegal to
carry a laptop computer containing a database with personal
information on Europeans to the U.S. or other countries that are
deemed to lack "adequate" guarantees of privacy protection. The
directive mandates that any personal data obtained by a company
may be used only for the purposes for which it was collected
unless consent is granted by the consumer for broader usage. If
the data is misused in any way, governments will be able to seek
injunctions, fines, and even criminal sanctions, and the
individuals affected may sue for damages. (CIO Enterprise 15 Feb
98
AOL TEAMS UP TO WIRE EUROPE
America Online is forming alliances with French
telecommunications company Cegetel and French cable firm Canal
Plus SA to work with AOL and partner Bertelsmann AG in targeting
the European Internet market. The alliance will give AOL a more
solid position in France, where its major competitor is the giant
France Telecom SA. "Beating the telecoms is the issue for AOL,"
says a Dataquest analyst, "but it could prove near impossible."
Under the new arrangement, AOL will have 200,000 subscribers in
France, almost twice as many as France Telecom. (Wall Street
Journal 27 Feb 98)
FTC CONDUCTS INTERNET PRIVACY SURVEY
The Federal Trade Commission is surveying 1,200 commercial Web
sites to determine their policies for disclosing, collecting and
using personal information; in a separate effort, the Commission
is investigating whether sites are honoring their stated
policies. The FTC can bring legal action against companies that
fail to follow their posted policies. (New York Times 28 Feb 98)
WORKING TO SOLVE THE INFORMATION GAP
An increasing number of publications have been pointing out the
growing disparity between the information-rich and information-
poor. A good example is the new book by Fred T. Hofstetter
("Internet Literacy"), a guide to using the Internet; Hofstetter
says: "Because the Net cannot see racial differences, age, sex,
or physical handicaps, it doesn't discriminate. Except, perhaps,
against the unconnected, because in an information society, to be
cut off from the Internet is to be disenfranchised." ("Internet
Literacy," Irwin McGraw-Hill)
IRS LIKELY TO FALL SHORT OF Y2K FIX
The Internal Revenue Service says its mainframe hardware and
software probably will be Year 2000-compliant, but it hasn't
developed a fix for its desktop PCs yet. Of the agency's 88,000
computer programs, 13,000 have been retired, and 40,000 have been
fixed, leaving 35,000 scheduled to be upgraded by January 1999. A
large percentage of the agency's mainframes are being replaced as
part of the effort, but that still leaves about 1,000 mid-size
computers and 130,000 PCs to bring into compliance. An anonymous
congressional source says the picture is still pretty bleak,
noting that IRS refund checks come from the Treasury, where "none
of the mission-critical systems have been fixed yet." (TechWeb 27
Feb 98)
NEWTON FALLS TO EARTH
Saying it wants to focus all its efforts on extending the
Macintosh operating system, Apple is giving up on its Newton
handheld computer, as well as the eMate laptop computer that had
been designed with the education market in mind. Although the
Newton had to suffer such indignities as lampoons in the
Doonesbury cartoon strip, it is credited with leading the way for
a number of today's handheld devices based on Microsoft's Windows
CE software. Referring to 3Com and other companies that
manufacture such products, industry analyst Ira Machefsky says:
"All of these guys benefited from Apple's mistakes." (San Jose
Mercury News 27 Feb 98)
EUROPEANS TELL U.S. TO INCLUDE THEM IN INTERNET PLANNING
A meeting of the European Union concluded with a warning that
Europe does not want to be excluded from planning the future
direction of the Internet; the warning was in response to an
American "green paper" that proposed a new arrangement for
managing domain names on the Internet (such as ".com", ".org.",
and adding new ones). The EU said the U.S. proposals would "in
the name of the globalisation and privatisation of the Internet,
seem to consolidate permanent U.S. jurisdiction over the Internet
as a whole." (Financial Times 27 Feb 98)
GATES SAYS GOVERNMENT ACTIONS HAMPERS
MICROSOFT'S ABILITY TO INNOVATE
Microsoft chief executive Bill Gates says that if the Justice
Department prevents the company from adding new features to its
Windows software, Microsoft will lose its ability to remain a
technology industry leader. Gates argues: "It's hard to say that
you're going to compromise on your ability to innovate in
Windows. If I can't put Internet support in Windows, then Windows
will fail. If I can't put speech recognition into Windows,
Windows will fail. You know, our path is to make Windows better.
If we can't innovate in our products, then you know we will be
replaced." (Washington Post 3 Mar 98)
COMPUTER SCIENCES SEEKS "WHITE KNIGHT"
After officially rejecting a hostile takeover bid by Computer
Associates International, Computer Sciences Corp. says it will
"explore and consider all alternatives available to the company
which may provide greater value to stockholders" than CA's $108-
per-share offer. The company says it will entertain offers for an
acquisition, a merger, or another other arrangement with a third
party or "white knight." Computer Sciences is also considering
offering additional shares to the public or taking on debt, both
of which would make it more costly for Computer Associates to
pursue a deal. (Wall Street Journal 3 Mar 98)
MICROSOFT SOFTENS POSITION
Microsoft says it is revising agreements with about 12 U.S. and
30 European Internet service providers to allow them advertise
and promote browsers other than Microsoft's own Internet
Explorer. A company spokesman explained: "This change makes sense
from a business perspective, and if it helps to alleviate any
potential government concerns, then it's a change we're happy to
make." (Washington Post 2 Mar 98)
WHERE IS A FANCY LAPTOP JUST ANOTHER BAG?
ON DELTA AIRLINES
Delta Air Lines will begin counting laptop computers as carry-on
baggage covered by its two-bag limit per passenger rule. The
change, which does not apply to the Delta east coast shuttle,
will take effect 15 April of this year. (San Jose Mercury News 3
Mar 98)
OLIVETTI SELLS COMPUTER SERVICES SUBSIDIARY TO WANG
Olivettie S.p.A. is selling its computer services unit to Wang
Laboratories for more than $395 million in cash and securities.
The subsidiary, Olsy S.p.A., designs and installs computer
systems for banks and public institutions in Europe. Olivetti has
been following a strategy of shedding businesses not directly
related to its focus on telecommunications. (New York Times 3 Mar
98)
HIGH-TECH PARTNERSHIPS URGED
Speakers at a recent meeting sponsored by the American
Electronics Association and the International Business Forum
urged high-tech start-ups to look beyond traditional venture
capital companies when seeking funding. In addition, to angel
investors, licensing technology, and participating in a
sale/lease-back of property or equipment, companies should think
about partnering with academic institutions. "One of the greatest
resources in technology development is in the universities in
national laboratories," says the director of the Lester Center
for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of
California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business. "They have all
this technology that ends up dying on the shelves." (Electronic
Buyer's News 3 Mar 98)
UPS GETS INTO ELECTRONIC SHIPPING
United Parcel Service of America is teaming up with Tumbleweed
Software and NetDox Inc. to offer secure electronic document
delivery via the Internet. Tumbleweed and NetDox already offer
Internet-based document delivery, but the new service will be
marketed under the UPS name. (Wall Street Journal 4 Mar 98)
LUCENT TECHNOLOGY SPEEDS DATA OVER LIGHT
New optical technology from Lucent Technologies will give fiber
optic networks a boost, moving the equivalent of 90,000 sets of
encyclopedias per second, according to company sources. The
technology, called dense wavelength division multiplexers (DWDMs)
acts like a prism to increase by an order of magnitude the number
of light streams capable of carrying data. In addition, DWDMs
don't need to go through the extra step of translating the light
signal into an electrical signal in order to pass through
switches. "This technology will take off really fast, almost as
fast as Cabbage Patch dolls," says the director of strategy for
Lucent's Optical Networking unit. (Investor's Business Daily 4
Mar 98)
COMPUTER SCIENCES SUES TO BLOCK BID
Computer Sciences Corp. has filed a lawsuit to block a hostile
takeover attempt by Computer Associates International. The suit
accuses CA of illegally obtaining trade secrets about Computer
Sciences, including confidential information about earnings,
sales, profits and financial results, from investment banker
Bear, Stearns. CA calls the allegations "totally unfounded and
without merit." Bear, Stearns was involved in negotiating a
client's withdrawal from a seven-year partnership with Computer
Sciences last year. (New York Times 4 Mar 98)
CELL PHONES CAN INTERFERE WITH AUTO SYSTEMS
Carmakers have known for a while that talking on a cell phone
while driving can cause accidents, but now research shows that
wireless phones can disrupt anti-lock braking and other
electronic systems. For instance, Mercedes Benz warns that the
electromagnetic radiation emitted by the microchips in wireless
phones can disable its Babysmart toddler restraint seat, which
automatically switches off the passenger side air bag when a
child is sitting up front. "As far aswe know, no injury or death
has resulted from interference between wireless phones and other
radio-frequency emitting devices," says an AT&T Wireless Services
spokeswoman, but some late model owner's manuals contain special
warnings regarding the problem. (USA Today 4 Mar 98)
GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS
Computer software designer Brenda Laurel says character counts in
computer games for girls: "When we asked girls whether they liked
the computer games that were available to them at the time --
this research was happening between 1992 and 1995 -- their
responses were typically negative. And when we asked them why,
the reason was typically because they were 'boring.' I had
expected a different answer. I had expected to hear 'they're
creepy' or 'they're violent.' When we probed on that, the reasons
we heard were that the characters are not interesting -- in fact
the characters are so uninteresting that you can't even make up
stories about them. You can't fantasize a life for one of the X-
men, for example." (New York Times 5 Mar 98)
CHIP-TRACKING DEVICE COULD FOIL THIEVES
The Electronic Industries Association has adopted technology from
Data Matrix that enables chipmakers to mark each semiconductor
with a microscopic code that identifies the vendor and includes
individual serial numbers. Chip thieves won't be able to remove
the code without ripping off the casings, which in most cases
would destroy the chips. The new technology won't wipe out the
black market for stolen chips, but will give honest makers of PCs
and other electronic devices a way of checking to make sure the
chips they use are legitimate. (Business Week 9 Mar 98)
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS INDICT INTERNET
GAMBLING OPERATORS
Federal prosecutors in New York indicted 14 operators of offshore
companies for using phone lines for the purposes of illegal
gambling activities. All 14 are American. The government says it
is not charging bettors for using the sites but hopes that the
indictment will serve as warning that such activities are
illegal. (New York Times 5 Mar 98)
CORPORATE WEB SITES NEED BROAD APPEAL, SPEEDY GRAPHICS
A recent report by Shelley Taylor & Associates, based in Palo
Alto, Calif., says that only three of the 100 Web sites it
inspected -- those of AT&T, Bell Atlantic and Sun Microsystems --
managed to serve the needs of diverse groups, including
investors, customers and potential employees. Most corporate Web
sites focused too narrowly on one type of visitor, tarnishing the
company's image in the eyes of other visitors. The group also
found that many of the Web sites were painfully slow and badly
organized, and that information took far too long to download.
Often these negatives are the result of trying too hard --
packing the Web site full of glitzy graphics that may impress a
few visitors with time on their hands, but annoying hundreds of
others. (The Economist 28 Feb 98)
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Hello?? Is anybody out there?? Frank will be back next week.
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preference for HTML as opposed to our Adobe PDF enhanced issue is
running approximately 11 to 1 over the PDF edition. Cited are
size, graphic quality and speed of download. I might add
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STReport International Online Magazine
Version 1.51
A conversational review..
By Ralph F. Mariano
What do you mean what the heck is a conversational review?? To
put it bluntly, I HATE reviews that are clogged with Techno-
Jargon. So, what I do is talk about the product, my experiences
with the product, my observations of the product being put to use
by others and finally, a summation of all interested parties'
opinions and impressions of the product. I used to do the dry,
overloaded types of reviews. Soon I discovered they were boring
me to tears. Naturally, they had to be doing the same thing to
our readers. So, here goes.
During the course of my everyday travels, to my various accounts,
I have been constantly hearing about the need for a program that;
z Had a sophisticated calendaring solution. Integrated yet
would be configurable for selected individuals
z Offered Daily Planning for individual people on the intranet
z Had "PopUp" notification of phone messages with archiving
and post it type notes that could be sent across the net to
selected individuals.
z Was fully networked
z Would offer Group online discussions
z Would have Email distribution
There is so much to cover with this program that I am planning to
do this in informative, easy reading segments. Probably five or
six. OfficeTalk is a program that meets every one of the needs
mentioned above. Now comes the good part. The Office Talk
evaluation package is geared to shine with as little as two or,
up to as many users as your network can handle. Each of the areas
mentioned above will be covered in detail as go along.
It has logins for each and every person on the net and of course,
passwords too. You also have a "supervisor" mode which allows for
as many as deemed needed to offer supervisory skills. Next Week
we shall begin our graphical coverage. by that I mean "screen
shots of each area we are discussing. They say one picture is
worth a thousand words. (who is "they") .. See you next week.
Classics & Gaming Section
Editor Dana P. Jacobson
dpj@streport.com
>From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
Well, it's been a fun-packed week! No, definitely no "whining"
this week about the weather or other problems. It's just been one
of those weeks - not bad but not terrific either.
The good news is that our puppy (did I mention his name is
"Butkus", named after the football player due to his largess)
"survived" puppy class this past Monday. And actually, so did all
of the owners! No catastrophes, so that was a plus! He did okay,
but he should have "performed" better. At least we hadn't been
banned from attending again!
The industry news segment of STReport is still a problem, but
slowly being resolved. My original online source has drastically
changed its format (hence the assumed reason behind my access
problems lately). What used to be a daily listing of 6-10 top
stories has turned into a listing of three or four hundred
articles - all plastered with copyright and no re-print clauses.
Even if the "Fair Use" laws allow us to still use these articles
(we don't take credit for the stories), the work involved to sift
through these articles is immense. So, we're working toward
various other online sources providing text articles. One
potential source was passed along to me just yesterday, hence the
reduced section this week. We hope to get this segment back in
action soon.
In the meantime, the single Atari-related news bit comes from the
Usenet, from a voice from the past, with a humorous [typical]
announcement.
Until next time...
Hiya Dave.... How you IZ?? Ralph...
"Dave" Retires Again
From: David Small <dsmall@well.com>
Date: 3 Mar 1998
Hiya. I'm 39 now, and as I did when I was 29, I'd like to go
ahead and announce my retirement (again). I always wanted to do
this. Of course, last time I announced this, I got bored within
two months and did a Mac emulator.
But for a few glorious days here, I'm retired. Until.
<grin>
Dave Small
p.s. There is another Dave Small who does a lot of computer Net
work. dsmall@well.com is me. dms80111@aol.com is me (okay, okay,
check out incomplete but working http://members.aol.com/~dms80111
for pictures of the now 6' 2" Eric and Jamie...
Anywho, if you could not email the other Dave Small, I may live
to reach 40.
Gaming Section
"Crash Bandicoot"! Ubi Soft News!
Playstation Ads! Sony Web Site!
And More!
Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News!
PlayStation's Crash Bandicoot Franchise Success Story
FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (March 3) BUSINESS WIRE - March 3, 1998 - 5
Million Units Sold of Crash Bandicoot and Crash Bandicoot 2:
Cortex Strikes Back. In less than two years since Crash
Bandicoot(TM) first debuted exclusively for the PlayStation(TM)
game console, Sony Computer Entertainment's popular videogame
icon has hit legendary status by selling 5 million units,
becoming one of the most successful character-based PlayStation
franchises in the world. In addition to these staggering
worldwide sales figures, Crash Bandicoot is the only franchise in
PlayStation history to have both the original game and its sequel
surpass the one million-unit mark in North America.
The following is a breakdown of Crash Bandicoot and Crash
Bandicoot 2:
Cortex Strikes Back(TM) life-to-date sales figures as of February
27, 1998:
Crash Bandicoot (released in 1996)
-- North America: 1.5 million units
-- Japan: 610,000 units
-- Europe: 725,000 units
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (released in 1997)
-- North America: 1 million units
-- Japan: 800,000 units
-- Europe: 340,000 units
"The phenomenal worldwide sales of the Crash Bandicoot series
clearly illustrates that this franchise is one of the most high-
profile and successful character-based properties among
videogames today," said Andrew House, vice president, marketing,
Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Crash's popular appeal to
next-generation gamers of all ages continues to grow as
PlayStation's unmatched leadership in the videogame industry also
escalates."
The evolution of the Crash Bandicoot franchise is due to the
combined talents of Universal Interactive Studios, Inc. (UIS), a
division of Universal Studios, and Naughty Dog, Inc., a Santa
Monica, Calif. based game developer. Their partnership with Sony
Computer Entertainment America brings consumers the hottest
character-based PlayStation franchise.
"The Crash Bandicoot franchise assembles some of the best
Hollywood talent in a variety of fields," said Mark Cerny,
president, Universal Interactive Studios, Inc. and producer of
the Crash Bandicoot series. "With Crash 2, celebrated actor
Clancy Brown -- best known as Kurgan in the film 'Highlanders'
and a regular star on the hit television show, ER -- lent his
vocal talent for the infamous character, Dr. Neo Cortex; an
encore performance by Mark Mothersbaugh -- of Mutato Muzika(TM)
and founding member/lead singer of the band Devo -- provided a
hit musical track; and Hollywood animator Charles Zembillas, as
well as Joe Pearson, teamed up in the development and creation of
the Crash Bandicoot character and supporting cast."
"We are extremely proud of Crash Bandicoot's phenomenal success
to date," said Jason Rubin, president, Naughty Dog, Inc. "With
the first Crash, we were largely focused on creating a game whose
character -- Crash Bandicoot -- would stand up to the challenges
of other videogame icons, popularized by his quick wit and charm.
We also wanted to captivate audiences by delivering a game that
provided compelling graphics, state-of-the-art 3D action,
multiple challenges and fun. Crash 2 brought different challenges
and opportunities, as the phenomenal success of the first Crash
reached stellar status as one of PlayStation's best-selling
platform titles of 1996. Thankfully, we were able to deliver the
type of sequel that consumers wanted."
The popular Crash Bandicoot franchise has also shown its vast
entertainment and marketing appeal, with Crash Bandicoot 2
recently appearing on such hit television shows as FOX's "90210";
on the backs of more than 33 million boxes of Post brand cereals;
and also in nationally award-winning print and television ads.
The Sony Web Site Takes Over #1 Entertainment Site Position
The Sony Web site has become the #1 entertainment Web site and is
#16 among all sites accessed from home PCs, according to the
January 1998 report from Media Metrix, the PC Meter Company and
leader in new media audience measurement, it was announced today
by Sony Online Ventures Inc. (SOVI). The Sony Web site (located
at www.sony.com) also achieved top rankings within the news,
information and entertainment category among key audiences,
including the much-coveted female demographic.
This latest rise in rankings can be attributed to several
factors: the success of Sony's online entertainment network, The
with its new fall/winter programming such as College JEOPARDY!
Online; increased traffic to other Sony Web sites; and new online
and print advertising campaigns. "The latest rankings prove that
Sony has delivered on providing a fun, entertaining experience
online, and, in a short time, has clearly become an entertainment
leader on the Web," said Lisa Simpson, Senior Vice President,
Sony Online Ventures Inc. "With `The Station' in particular,
we've combined branded content and high entertainment value to
attract both the core online and mainstream consumer audiences,
including women of all age groups."
The Sony Web site experienced a nearly 60% growth in audience
reach (from 4.9% in December 1997 to 7.8% in January 1998), and
increased unique users by 1.1 million, rising to 2.9 million,
making it one of the fastest growing sites within the news,
information and entertainment category, as well as on the Web
overall. The Sony Web site also ranked first among the top 10 in
its category reaching the elusive female demographic including
ages 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, and total overall female audiences. The
site was also #1 among males ages 18-24 and #5 among females ages
55 and over.
SOVI reports that The Station added more than 90,000 new members
in January, one of its highest registration rates to date. And
The Station, along with sites for Sony Music Entertainment, Sony
Pictures Entertainment and Sony Electronics, Inc., each
experienced an approximate 20% increase in traffic in January
1998, contributing to an upward trend for the Sony Web site. In
fact, Media Metrix reports an 80% growth in the Sony Web site's
audience reach since October 1997.
A large contributor to this success has been the continually
growing traffic on The Station@@sony.com, which offers strong
branded entertainment content such as JEOPARDY! Online and Wheel
of Fortune Online. Since October, The Station has added the
College JEOPARDY! Online tournament; Tanarus, its first
subscription-based game; and game shows from BoxerJam
Productions, the first third-party content to appear on The
Station.
The Media Metrix reach measurement is based on the percent of
unduplicated Web-active individuals that visited the Sony Web
site from a home PC at least once in a given month. Each reach
point increase represents a significant increase in the number of
visitors to the Sony Web site.
With its patented PC Meter technology, Media Metrix has developed
the standard for measuring real-time, actual usage of the entire
digital universe, including the World Wide Web, proprietary
online services,computer software, hardware and other new
interactive applications.
UK's Europress Teams With Germany's Ubi Soft
STOCKPORT, CHESHIRE, ENGLAND, 1998 MAR 4 (Newsbytes) -- By Sylvia
Dennis, Newsbytes. Europress, the games and educational software
company, has announced it is partnering with Ubi Soft in Germany.
The aim of the linkup is to give both software houses a stronger
position in the European software industry, officials claim.
Under the terms of the contract, Ubi Soft Entertainment will
distribute local (German) language versions of Europress' range
of entertainment packages in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland,
extending the Europress range, it is claimed, across the whole of
Europe.
New titles due to be released from Ubi Soft Germany through the
Europress linkup, include a plane racing game called Plane Crazy,
and a futuristic motorbike game called XLR8 and Rally
PlayStation. Becky Walker, German territory manager at Europress,
claims that Ubi Soft is a key partner for the important German
speaking territories. Europress appears to be going through a
period of partnering with foreign country specialists to gain
access to new markets, Newsbytes notes. Last month the software
company entered the Chinese arena, courtesy of a joint venture
with Beijing Wave Info-Tech, a Chinese firm.
Known as Europress China, the new division has been created with
the support of the State Science and Technology Commission of
China and will allow, for the first time, a British software
publisher to enter the Chinese market with a wide range of
software. At the time, Michael Meakin, managing director of
Europress and chief executive of the new venture, said that the
deal is the first real joint venture partnership to have been
established between British and Chinese companies in the software
industry. Europress' Web site is at
THQ Slams New "Ray Tracers" Combat Racing Game
CALABASAS, CALIF. (March 5) BUSINESS WIRE - March 5, 1998 - With
the smell of burnt rubber, THQ Inc. has driven "Ray Tracers" onto
store shelves in the United States. The new 3-D combat racing
game, developed by Taito Corp. for use with the Sony PlayStation,
has been shipped to retailers for a suggested retail price of
$49.95.
In "Ray Tracers," destructive driving is the only way to
successfully complete your missions. Players speed through six
courses, including sewers, underground tunnels, treacherous
canyons and grassy retreats, battering and battling enemy
vehicles and clever bosses for points and survival at every turn.
"'Ray Tracers' is the latest Japanese game THQ has identified as
having the potential to do well in the U.S. market," said Brian
J. Farrell, president and chief executive officer, THQ. "We hope
this will mark the beginning of another successful relationship
for THQ with a top Japanese developer like Taito."
Playing "Ray Tracers," gamers speed along the streets of Rain
City in one of four racing cars with Cyndy Gibson to help her
complete her revenge against Kaiser and his Black Kaiser gang who
murdered her scientist father. The four race cars of the Tracer
Team feature armor and speed enhancements, and represent the only
challenge to Black Kaiser's reign of destruction.
Compete in either Chase mode or Time Attack mode. To begin,
players select their identity from the Tracer Team roster. Choose
Spanker (Jalta "The Blood Red Stallion" Lang), a maniac behind
the wheel who was lured to the team by the promise of driving the
baddest car on the streets; Hawk (Sleoteel Raze), a driver
desperate to avenge the death of his girlfriend at the hands of
Kaiser himself; Lynx (Asuka Saito), a precise, technical driver
in search of her missing sister; or Buffalo (Raymondo Blody), a
former soldier discharged for misconduct, who knows nothing but
fighting.
In Chase Mode, challenge the Black Kaiser armed racing gang to a
test of speed and survival. Help Cyndy and Team Tracer stop Black
Kaiser by colliding into and destroying their vehicles. Gamers
must catch up to the Black Kaiser gang's vehicles and destroy
them before time runs out by smashing them with their vehicle. A
powerful Boss that requires many more hits than the standard
enemy cars waits at the end of each level. The Time Attack mode
allows enthusiasts to choose a racecourse, and an optional rival
car in a race against the clock. Each of the modes features a
gear shift select option which enables the player to shift gears
manually or automatically.
Extensive TV Advertising Campaign for PlayStation Launched
FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (March 4) BUSINESS WIRE - March 4, 1998 -
Tomb Raider's Popular Videogame Heroine Lara Croft Stars in New
PlayStation Campaign. Fueled by a record-breaking year for the
PlayStation(TM) game console, including millions of new
PlayStation(TM) fans across the nation, Sony Computer
Entertainment America today launched a multi-million dollar
television advertising campaign to further spread the news about
its value-priced "Greatest Hits" series.
Tomb Raider, the most recent addition to the "Greatest Hits" line-
up, will be featured, along with its virtual star Lara Croft, in
the new PlayStation national TV campaign, which kicks-off this
month. The campaign includes network television placements during
"3rd Rock from the Sun," "The X-Files," "Seinfeld" and "The David
Letterman Show;" syndicated programs, "The Simpsons," "Married
with Children," "COPS," and "Martin;" as well as buys on cable
stations in more than 50 major markets across the country.
The "Greatest Hits" Series features a distinctive roster of
PlayStation titles that have already proven to be all-time
favorites among consumers and carry a MSRP of $24.99, with many
retailers advertising product at $19.99. Among the 22 titles in
the series are: Crash Bandicoot(TM), Jet Moto(TM), NFL
GameDay(TM), Twisted Metal(R), NHL FaceOff(TM), Tekken(TM),
Battle Arena Toshinden(TM), WarHawk(TM) and new inductee, the
original Tomb Raider(TM).
"Supporting PlayStation's phenomenal success in 1997, this TV
campaign for the Greatest Hits line is just a small example of
what we have to offer in 1998," said Andrew House, vice
president, marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Lara
Croft's appeal has already attracted to the PlayStation a broad
range in consumers of all demographics. What better star to
promote the value of the Greatest Hits Series than one of the
videogame industry's most popular heroines."
Playing off the vast appeal of the Lara Croft character, the ad
begins with unique role-reversal as a father drags his son out of
bed and to the local mall to purchase a PlayStation game console
and a couple of popular "Greatest Hits" game titles like Crash
Bandicoot and Jet Moto. As the ad unfolds the ironic twist
regarding the father's true motivation is revealed -- he wanted
to get a glimpse of the girl of his dreams, Tomb Raider's Lara
Croft, at an exclusive autograph signing. In the end, both the
father and son leave the mall with what they wanted, Lara Croft,
some "Greatest Hits" game titles and a PlayStation game console.
In September 1997, Sony Computer Entertainment America signed an
exclusive deal with Eidos Interactive for the Tomb Raider
franchise, featuring leading character Lara Croft, to be
exclusive to the PlayStation for game consoles. The first product
released under this agreement was Tomb Raider 2 in November 1997.
Analysts Forecast Big Growth Year For Console/PC Market
Mar 4, 1998 (MULTIMEDIA WIRE, Vol. 5, No. 42) -- The installed
base of 32- and 64-bit game consoles is nearing mass-market
numbers after strong sales in 1996-1997, and it's against that
multisystem platform base that analysts are predicting a big
growth year for interactive game software. "We're forecasting a
55% jump in console revenue (32- and 64-bit software) to $3.4b,"
says David Cole, an analyst with DFC Intelligence. DFC is
forecasting console sales of $3.6b in 1999.
The PC market, typically characterized by slower, steady growth,
will climb to $1.7b in 1998 sales, a 21.4% bump, Cole says. The
U.S. interactive entertainment market as a whole reached a record
$5.5b in sales last year (MMW, Jan. 27). PlayStation and N64 are
forecast to sell about 12m units worth some $1.4b in the U.S.,
based on an estimated $120 average cost per unit. 1998 is going
to be a good software year because hardware has done so well the
last two years, agrees James Lin, an analyst at Wedbush Morgan
Securities. "The Sony [SNE] PlayStation has tremendous legs. Sony
has put about $100m into marketing the platform, and that
investment is paying off."
N64 sales volume has created a much more "visible" market for N64
software, but on the consumer and developer side, Lin says. A
visible hardware base creates more excitement in the market.
"Having two systems out there doing well, plus the sub-$1,000 PC
adds up to another great year." Even Electronic Arts [ERTS] is
jumping on the N64 bandwagon in 1998 because the company sees the
growth in the segment, says Rob Fagin, an analyst with
Oppenheimer & Co.
One area worth watching is whether N64 or PlayStation will emerge
as the clear market leader, or if they'll continue splitting the
market, analysts say. Earlier this year, Sony said PlayStation
controls 49.2% of the North American console market (MMWire, Jan
29). Both systems appeal to different market segments. The
PlayStation appeals to the 20-something marketplace and N64 to
the pre-teen crowd. "The question is whether Nintendo can appeal
to an older audience and PlayStation can make inroads into the
younger gamer segments," according to Cole.
ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
Compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@streport.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Our friend El Nino has graced my
part of the country with above average temperatures. Although
many are simply content to enjoy the early springtime weather, I
can't help wondering what price we will end up paying for it. You
seem as in many other areas, we rely on reservoirs for our water
supply. Although the overall amount of precipitation may remain
the same (and even that remains to be seen), a good winter's snow
is much more beneficial for reservoirs because it is not 'time
released' as rain is. Normally, when winter gives way to spring
and the snow melts, it does so fairly quickly. Much less moisture
is lost to evaporation and absorption into the ground. The ground
quickly becomes saturated and the excess runs off into our
reservoirs and goes a long way toward sustaining us through the
rest of the year. We have had little snow here this year and
reservoirs are not expected to be at their usual level for the
foreseeable future.
I realize that when compared to the west and southeast we have
little to complain about, but that's my point. There is no such
thing as isolation anymore. We are all irrevocably intertwined
with everything else. Lest this sound like a poem from the early
1970's, remember that the phenomenon known as El Nino is half way
around the world from Connecticut (the state in which I live) and
yet we have felt the effects well enough that I have taken the
time to write about it here.
Interestingly enough, I see the same type of effects in the
computer world. What catches on with one platform sooner or later
carries over to others. Just about everyone these days knows
about hypertext, or at least understands the principal. Hypertext
is what allows you to click on a word or picture on the world
wide web and magically be transported to another 'page'. Many
people think that this wondrous ability was born when Microsoft
released their help file creator. Others remember farther back to
the Macintosh. Very few remember back even farther when a program
called Zoom Racks was released on the Atari ST. That's right,
hypertext was seen on the Atari first! From what I've heard, the
author even had copyrights to 'hypertext', but Apple decided that
they wanted it for their own and the author was without the
resources to wage a protracted court battle (Apple's favorite
kind at the time). It just goes to show... what goes around comes
around.
You didn't actually think you'd get away without hearing a sermon
from me twice in a row, did you? <grin> Well, let's take a look
at what's going on over at Delphi.
>From Delphi's Atari Advantage Forum
"Earl 5" asks for information:
"I am giving my Atari ST to a friend who wants to know if you can
access the www with it. I doesn't have a HD anymore and only 1
meg
RAM. So he would have to run it from a floppy, is it possible. I
haven't used my ST for some time now."
Greg Evans tells Earl:
"Yes, it's probably possible but ugly. CAB (the browser) relies
on having a cache for fast www page access so that would be
fairly
crippled on a floppy."
Earl asks Greg:
"Where could one pick up this CAB program you mentioned, just in
case he decides to add a HD?"
Our own Atari Editor Dude, Dana Jacobson tells Earl:
"CAB and STiK and various CAB modules can be found right here.
Just check out the Recent Arrivals Database and do a search with
the Keyword: CAB"
Greg Evans jumps back in and adds:
"Grab the demo of CAB 2.0 here on Delphi. It works with frames
(though doesn't allow resizing) and the only thing not working in
the demo are hotlists. The current version 2.5 is faster and
handles frames better."
Jim Collins of chroMAGIC Software tells Earl:
"I believe a working demo of CAB 2.0 is available here on Delphi.
If not, then you can get it from my web site
http://www.chromagic.com/ . It is functional, but it has an "ad"
that pops up and the hotlist isn't save-able, at least that's
what I remember about it. You will also need to get a copy of
STik or STing which ARE available here on Delphi. STik currently
support SLIP only and STing supports SLIP and PPP. The current
commercial version is available from many retailers. It offers
some advantages over the demo of the 2.0 version and comes with
it's own SLIP/PPP driver. For more info on the commercial
version, check out my website as I have an entire page devoted to
CAB 2.5 with links to the page of the author of CAB."
Earl tells Jim and Greg:
"The problem is that I access Delphi thru my Internet ISP which
is quite different and I don't seem to be able to access the
files database that way. I do have NetTerm, but don't have the
foggest idea how to set it up for delphi. Sometimes progress
works in reverse. :) Was wanting to check a previous message from
someone wanting to sell his hard drive...haven't figured out how
to do that either...I have asked Dana to help me in this area."
On the subject of viruses, "Turbo" Nick posts:
"With the prevalence of viruses (on other platforms), it's
tempting to think of the whole thing as part of a racket worthy
of C_____, the villain of the latest James Bond movie ("Tomorrow
Never Dies"). In the movie, he talks with one of his underlings
about a s/w package his outfit is releasing that's full of bugs,
forcing users to upgrade for years (forever?). He could just as
easily (and perhaps more appropriately given his insidiousness)
plotted to release software viruses upon the world, and then
clean up selling the anti-virus program(s)."
We don't know of anyone like that, do we? <grin> Meanwhile, Al
Horton asks for info:
"I had a customer ask me about what programs that he will need to
access the Internet on his ST. Could someone please list the
programs and versions of what a person needs to access the
Internet (and perhaps a REAL short note on what each program does
or is needed for)? The computer setup would be: 1040STe with
4megs, SC1224 monitor, Megafile 30, Supra 14.4 Modem, TOS 1.62."
Since I've been doing quite a bit of digging on the subject I
tell Al:
"First, you need a browser. The best option out there is CAB
(Crystal Atari Browser). The are two versions available in the
library here... Version 1.5, which is freeware now, and the demo
version of CAB 2.0 which allows you to do everything the
commercial version (2.5 and up) does, except that it displays a
30 second message when starting and quitting. The commercial
versions can be purchased from several vendors including
chroMagic. Next, you need the TCP/IP and dialer software.
In my opinion, the best option right now is STinG by Peter
Rottengatter. It handles both SLIP and PPP protocols, whereas
STiK handles only SLIP at the moment. Both of these packages
include a dialer program. They are also both shareware/freeware.
The latest version of STinG is 1.12. Now that you've got CAB and
STinG, you need the 'overlay' file that transfers info between
the two. This is CAB.OVL it simply goes either in the CAB folder
or the CAB\MODULES folder and does its job without any further
intervention on your part. The current version is 1.2805 and
should also be available here.
Once you get used to the WWW, you soon want to explore the other
options on the internet. NEWSie handles email (works great for
accessing my email here), UseNet NewsGroups, and FTP (File
Transfer Protocol). I'm very happy with NEWSie and highly
recommend it. The current ersion is 0.86 and is available here.
Once you get connected to the 'net, the first place to stop is
Mille Babic's home page at: http://hem1.passagen.se/atari Setup
of CAB is fairly easy, STiK setup is moderately easy, and STinG
can be a bear. There are folks here who have spent months messing
with it and never had any luck. Once all the programs are
installed and configured, it's a really slick setup. I have a
friend who was president of our User's Group for years, but
decided to jump ship to the powerMAC a few years ago. I showed
him STinG/CAB/Newsie a while back and he was blown away. Guess
Its him, huh? <G>
Oh, you might want to know a few things about CAB... Version 1.5
(the free one) doesn't handle frames. The version 2.0 demo does.
Version 2.5 (the most current here in the U.S.) is nice, but
there is a version 2.6 available in Germany now, with 2.7 on the
way. 2.7 will allow the use of cookies. Unfortunately
upgrades/updates to CAB are not free. My recommendation is to
start with the demo version (2.0) and see what it includes and
what it can do.
I'm sure that there'll be question a-plenty. This forum has some
of the best folks to ask, so don't be shy." Having finally run up
against a brick wall on my own, I ask for help with fonts:
"Does anyone know if it's possible to use any of the fonts that
were usable with Warp9 under NVDI? I've got several 'FNT' fonts
that I had grown quite used to with Warp9, but they don't load
under NVDI. Is there any way I can convert them? It was my
understanding that the Warp9 fonts were standard GEM format and I
thought that NVDI would just pick 'em right up and use 'em
without any trouble.... WRONG. frown"
Greg Evans jumps in and tells me:
"The Warp9 fonts are Degas fonts, not GDOS. I think Degas Elite
came with a program to convert the FNT fonts to GDOS format.
Anyone with a copy of DE can probably do the conversions for you.
Did you use these for your desktop? I can't remember what Warp9
did with fonts."
"BlackJ" asks:
"Are ther any graphic card for the ST computers, cuase I would
like to get more than 4 colors using CAB. You got to think though
all that dithering has got to be extremly processor intensive."
Jim Collins tells BlackJ:
"Yes, there are several different graphics cards that have been
manufactured over the years. However, they are all fairly pricey
and hard to find now. Installation also varied between the
different machines ranging from extremely difficult (i.e. trace
cutting and other hacking/slashing) to simple "plug in cards".
You are correct about dithering. The dithering process is a
significant load on the processor. Running CAB in true color does
noticably increase the speed of the graphics display.
Unless you run into a really good deal (i.e. finding a used card
or complete system with card at a rummage sale at a near giveaway
price or some similar good deal), it would probably be cheaper
and easier to get a used Falcon and have a Nemesis board
installed. It would certainly be EASIER to find a used Falcon and
locate a Nemesis than finding working cards for the older
systems. I have had MANY calls lately from people looking for
graphics cards and they all tell me they have been looking and
looking but not finding anything available.
Nima Montaser at Homa Systems House has different Nova cards in
stock every now and then. However, if I remember correctly, he
only had Falcon Novas available the last time I checked. You can
E-Mail him at nima@magmacom.com or call him at +1-613-722-0901.
It can't hurt to check out what he currently has available."
BlackJ tells Jim:
"ouch.... I figured as much though. However a falcon or clone
costs just about as much as a pc or mac though. 'Cuase the
cheapest Flacon I ever seen was like 800 bucks."
Jim tells BlackJ:
"I have seen clean used Falcons complete with 14 Megs of RAM and
an internal IDE drive sold for quite a bit less than that. If you
look around and find someone dumping an entire system, you can
often buy the guy out and then sell of the extra software and
peripherals you don't want and, in some cases, end up with a free
computer. Two of my friends have done this during the past year
or so. One of them ended up having his Falcon cost about $15
after he sold the extras and the other ended up MAKING about $50
+ keeping the Falcon after selling the extras. As always, your
mileage may vary."
Well folks, that's it for this week. Tune in again next week,
same time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are
saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
EDITORIAL QUICKIES
Sorry for being late.. the WEB
Server bit the Bullet.... And
of course, following true to
Human Form, the Backups were
five weeks old. But, we're here
and all is well. The crew
worked at it for over seventeen
hours straight to get things
back on track.
Best experienced with
Click here to start.
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