ST Report: 21-Jun-1996 #1225
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 06/30/96-07:50:44 PM Z
From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: ST Report: 21-Jun-1996 #1225
Date: Sun Jun 30 19:50:44 1996
Silicon Times Report
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June 21, 1996 No. 1225
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>From the Editor's Desk...
The political atmosphere this year is a true spectacle of monstrous
negative proportions. How in heaven's name can we as grown adults, citizens
and taxpayers expect the younger generations to do "do the right thing" when
the politicians form the lowest levels to the Presidential Race are acting
like a raft full of anal retentive dolts. They are setting a horrid example
for all youngsters, bridging all social or economic levels. There comes a
time when the general population should and must be heard from.
There was a time, in this country, when a U.S. President was looked upon
with respect, admiration and loyalty. Ever since the vicious assassination
of President John F. Kennedy, there seems to have been a gradual but very
deliberate heightening of disrespect, distrust and apathy toward the Topmost
Office in the US Government.
It all seems to have begun from the disgraceful whitewash banter the
Warren Commission puked out.. to the Nixon Watergate sleeze, the Iran Contra
Reagan/Bush Coverup and now the ugly political shenanigans of WhiteWater
coming from "Jester D'Amato", "Saint Bob Dole", "Slick Willy", "The Vince
Foster MURDER", "WACO", "Beaverton", "Freemen", and this current and very
awful presidential campaign that has yet to address any of the real issues
facing the USA and the World today to the smoke screens of "Billary". this
country's government is obviously in deep trouble. At the very dirty hands
of BOTH the Democrats and Republicans. We, as the ultimate bastion of truth
and the "American Way" must step in and bring horrible Government for the
Feds to our local political hacks back to the basics, back to truth in
government, back to honesty in government and most of all, a return to the
concept that the American Family is the basic building block of our social
structure.
If the USA is ever to return to the moral leadership it once offered its
citizens and the world, the basic building blocks of a successful social
structure must be brought to the forefront of our daily lives once again.
That basic building block has always been THE FAMILY. Why is BIG Government
so interested in becoming the pseudo family for most every child born in the
USA? Must BIG Government have such absolute control over our nation's
children from the womb to the tomb?? Why are we, as a nation, allowing this
garbage to occur?
Solution are in all honesty rare, few and far between. Independence Day
is right around the corner. Do we really have "something to celebrate" or,
are we, as a nation, simply going to "go through the motions" once again?
(Patting ourselves on our Red/White/Blue backs while beneath the pretty
facade, corruption and decay is rampant.) Its up to each and every one of us
to write to our representatives at every level of government and let them
know we are watching them and will not forget them.. come election time. The
BAD Politicians; simply put ..must go.
Government must be brought back to reality. The lack of any
responsible, responsive government in the last four years must stop! Why
must we endure the "show" of goofy political parties battling each other and
making feeble attempts at destroying each other??? Its a sham! A political
SHAM! They're eating up valuable "On the Hill" time that could easily be put
to far more productive and responsive activities dedicated to the betterment
of our society and country. But no.. they must "fight" each other. Folks,
they're playing games at our expense! Write to those who represent you and
tell them "all about it"... They really need to know they are flirting with
political extinction at Election Time. This time, many of us will not forget
when we pull the levers.
Ralph...
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STReport Headline News
LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Reno Advocates Net Security Plan
Attorney General Janet Reno is advancing a plan to establish a new agency
overseeing all digital encryption, saying that would make it tougher for
criminals and terrorists to use the Internet to carry out crimes. Speaking
to the Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco, Reno said her plan
would require people to register with the new agency the secret codes -- or
"keys" -- they use to encrypt message online. Reporting on the speech,
Sandra Ann Harris of United Press International adds, "Federal authorities
could then obtain the information they need to decipher the encryptions
using a court order and secretly monitor electronic communication on the
Internet the same way wiretaps are used to monitor telephone conversations of
suspected criminals."
Reno added, "We look only to make existing law apply to new technology,"
adding new computer programs designed to crack the new complicated
encryptions take too long to be useful to law enforcement. "Some of our most
important prosecutions have depended on wire taps." She also said
registration of keys might end up being a worldwide requirement, since the
Internet is used increasingly for international communication, commerce and
criminal enterprise.
Reno told the group that effectively regulating electronic encryption will
depend be finding a balance between protecting privacy interests while
stopping criminals from cashing in on the new technology. "If we do our job
right citizens will enjoy the Information Age without being victimized" by
high technology, Reno said.
Attorneys General Probe AOL Rate
Amid reports it is the subject of a formal investigation by New York attorney
general Dennis Vacco over how it calculates its bills, America Online has
confirmed it has been talking to several states' attorneys general about its
business practices. New York newspaper Newsday broke the story of the rates
probe in that state, but a representative of Vacco's office told The
Associated Press that, as a matter of policy, the office does not confirm or
deny such investigations.
AOL said in a statement, "It is our understanding that several state
attorneys general have informally inquired into industry practices and AOL
has had dialogue with the New York state attorney general's office with
regard to this informal inquiry." AOL spokeswoman Pam McGraw told the wire
service she could not specify the topics that attorneys general have talked
about with the company and others in the online industry, adding, "It's a
give-and-take situation. They come to us on some matters and we go to them
on others."
AP notes AOL also is a defendant in suits in Pennsylvania and California that
accuse it of rounding up per- minute charges. The suit in Pennsylvania,
brought by First Mortgage Corp. of Ardmore is being settled, representatives
of both sides said.
Pentium Counterfeits Halted
Five people have been arrested in Taipei and charged with making and selling
fake copies of Intel Corp.'s Pentium microprocessors. "After months of
investigation," the Reuter News Service reports from Taiwan, "police raided
a factory in the central city of Chungli on Sunday and found 11 machines used
for making fake Pentiums, the world's most popular microprocessors."
A police official told the wire service, "We first received reports from
Intel back in March that fake Pentiums were circulating in the market, and
we are now investigating to see how many chips the factory has made thatare
still out in the market." He added that only 27 chips were confiscated at
the factory on Sunday, but the police also found an order form for more
chips from a small local computer firm called "Hung Yin." The official said,
"We suspect that the counterfeit factory was run by Hung Yin and there's
still another factory that we haven't uncovered."
Earlier this month, Taiwan customs agents confiscated 10,000 bootleg CD-ROMs
containing Microsoft Corp.'s flagship Windows 95 intended for export to the
United States. Notes Reuters, "Taiwan has been trying to reverse a
reputation for having poor intellectual property protections -- a struggle
that has paid some dividends. On May 1, the United States formally removed
Taiwan from its so-called Special 301 watch list of countries that tolerate
or encourage violations of intellectual property rights."
Net Deadbeats to Lose Domain Names
The company that registers Internet domain names is planning to pull the plug
on customers who haven't paid their bills. On June 24, Network Solutions
Inc. of Herndon, Virginia, will begin suspending the service of customers
who have been sent a final 15-day notice and have not paid for their domain
name registrations. The company says domain names will be restored within
one business day of receipt of payment if payment is received within 60
days. During the 60-day period, the domain name will not be assigned to any
other party.
"We have made every effort to contact these customers and their Internet
service providers to resolve payment problems via repeated invoices, e-mails
and a final 15-day notice," says Don Telage, Network Solutions' president.
"With over 400,000 currently registered domain names and the continuing
exponential growth in use and services on the Internet, our priority must be
to support our paying customers rather than continue protracted attempts to
collect overdue accounts from non-paying customers."
Network Solutions is the Domain Registrar under a cooperative agreement with
the National Science Foundation. The company provides worldwide
registration, online services, database maintenance and help desk support
pertaining to the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and names within the .com,
.org, .edu, .net and .gov domains. Further information on domain
registration policies and procedures can be found on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.netsol.com or http://rs.internic.net/domain-info/fee-policy.htm.
Sun Warns of Use of 'Java' Name
Sun Microsystems Inc. has drawn a line in cyberspace, warning more than a
dozen companies to stop using the word "Java" in their Internet addresses
because the name is a protected trademark for Sun's online programming
language. Business writer Evan Ramstad of The Associated Press notes, "Some
of the companies Sun has warned sell coffee, the thing many people think of
when they hear the word Java. Others, such as retailer Javanco of Nashville,
Tennessee, just happen to have the word Java as part of their name. And
ironically, some of the companies use Sun's Java language to create sites on
the World Wide Web."
Ray Taft, president of Web Planet, a Web consulting firm based in San Jose,
California, told Ramstad, "Sun just doesn't want anybody to dabble in
domains that use that word." (One of Web Planet's web sites has the Web
address of "javacup.com.") AP notes that on its own Web site and in its
warning letters, Sun cites a host of Java-related words it has trademarked,
including Javasoft, Javastation, Ultrajava, Picojava and Javaworld.
"But," says Ramstad, "the extent to which Sun can apply those trademarks in
cyberspace is unclear. If it can prevent coffee shops from using Java in
their Internet addresses, can it also stop hotels on the Indonesian island of
Java from doing so?" On this Sun associate general counsel Anne Gundelfinger
commented, "If the island of Java were to establish a domain name that had
Java in it, no we would not go after that, but if somebody is using Java in
their domain name or otherwise in a way that's likely to cause confusion with
our Java mark, we will police that."
Protestors of the Sun action have been gathering at a site operated by
Portland, Oregon, programmer Jon Batcheller who received a letter from Sun
in mid-May telling him to stop using the "Java" in his address. Instead, he
turned his Web site (located at Web address www.javac.com) into an electronic
rallying point. Batcheller told AP, "I wasn't going to take it without doing
something. To me, it's like Microsoft telling people not to use windows.
Windows is a software program but most people think of windows as something
to look through."
Patent Office Rules in TI's Favor
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has affirmed that Texas Instruments
engineer Gary W. Boone is the inventor of the single-chip microcontroller,
device that revolutionized electronics by putting all the functions of a
computer on a single piece of silicon. The Patent Office ruling is the
outcome of a five-year proceeding to determine whether a highly publicized
patent awarded in the summer of 1990 to Gilbert P. Hyatt, covered an
invention made first by Boone at TI. The patent office proceeding, known as
an interference, focused on who was first to invent the single-chip
microcontroller.
The single-chip microcontroller, also known as a computer-on-a-chip, is a
tiny sliver of silicon containing all the essential parts of a computer.
Single-chip microcontrollers are widely used in computer keyboards, automatic
ignition systems, television and videocassette recorder controls and other
household and industrial applications. Unlike microprocessor chips, single-
chip microcontrollers contain on-chip permanent computer programs that direct
the chip to perform predetermined functions.
"This ruling rightfully establishes Gary Boone and TI as the inventor of the
single-chip microcontroller, settling the broad speculation that followed
after Mr. Hyatt received a patent," says Richard Donaldson, senior vice
president and general patent counsel for TI. "Gilbert Hyatt has absolutely no
claim on the invention." The Patent Office also granted TI's request for a
statutory invention registration, which will officially recognize Gary Boone
and TI as the inventor of the single-chip microcontroller. TI holds several
patents covering the commercial implementation of the computer- on-a-chip,
based on work done by Boone and other TI inventors, resulting from TI's
effort in the late 1960s and 1970s on TI's TMS100 and TMS1000
microcontroller families.
A notice will be attached to Hyatt's U.S. Patent No. 4,942,516 explaining
that his claims for invention of the single-chip microcontroller have been
canceled. "TI has nothing to gain financially now from receiving another
patent on Boone's basic invention of the computer- on-a-chip," adds
Donaldson. "What is important is the Patent Office's confirmation that Gary
Boone and TI were first to invent the computer-on-a-chip." TI says the
ruling will have no effect on its royalties or intellectual property
licensing program.
Apple Tops Multimedia Sales
For the second year running, Apple Computer Inc. has been named the top
vendor of complete multimedia PC desktop systems worldwide with 18.8 percent
of the 1995 market, according to a report from Dataquest researchers.
Reporting from Apple's Cupertino, California, headquarters, the Dow Jones
News Service says Dataquest reported Apple Computer shipped nearly 4 million
of the 20.9 million PC desktop units. The 20.9 million units were slightly
more than double the 10.4 million units shipped in 1994, the wire service
added.
Dataquest also reported the regions outside of North America had the majority
of shipments for the first time ever in 1995, accounting for 52.4 percent of
worldwide shipments, up from 30.9 percent in 1994. These regions include
Europe, Japan and Asia/Pacific.
Gateway Offers Ditto Drive
Iomega Corp. reports that Gateway 2000, the PC direct marketer, has started
offering the internal Ditto Easy 3200 as an installed option in any of its
PCs. The Ditto Easy 3200, a 3.2 gigabyte tape backup drive, supports most
leading QIC tape formats, including Travan, QIC-WIDE and standard QIC
cartridges. "Gateway's offering of the Ditto Easy 3200 is an important step
in establishing the Ditto line as the standard for tape backup," says
Timothy L. Hill, vice president of worldwide marketing at Roy, Utah-based
Iomega. "Their customers will be very pleased that Gateway has made it so
easy to choose an affordable and convenient way to insure the stuff on their
computers."
Gateway 2000, a Fortune 500 company based in North Sioux City, South Dakota,
sells more PC-compatible systems through the direct market channel in the
U.S. than any other PC manufacturer.
Acer Rolls Out Net Computer
The notion of a network computer -- a low-end under-$500 system specifically
designed for the Internet -- generally has been talked up by Oracle Corp.,
but Taiwan's Acer Group has become the first big computer maker to actually
launch an NC. However, if you're in the U.S., don't be rushing off to the
store to look for it just yet. Acer Chairman Stan Shih told Jeffrey Parker
of the Reuter News Service the company initially will not sell the machine
in the huge U.S. market, settling instead for sales in poorer markets.
"Yet in the long run," Parker comments, "Acer's Internet-minded AcerBasic
could bedevil the U.S. giants' symbiotic mainstays -- Intel's speedy Pentium
chips and Microsoft's Windows 95 and Windows NT system software -- jointly
nicknamed the 'Wintel standard.' That's because the AcerBasic does not have
a Pentium processor, Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT. They cost too
much."
Instead, Acer's NC relies on cheaper "Pentium-like" chips made by Intel's
rivals and, says Reuters, "on Microsoft's almost-antique Windows 3.1, which
clings to life even though Microsoft has lavished hundreds of millions of
dollars to promote its fancier successors." Reporting from Taipei, Parker
adds, "Though some new NC will junk Intel and Microsoft altogether, Acer's
Shih says the AcerBasic is less radical and poses no immediate challenge to
Intel/Microsoft market dominance."
Shih told the wire service, "Actually, our approach is still Wintel," adding
AcerBasic's slow 75MHz Pentium clone and Windows 3.1 were "not necessarily
the most up-to-date" but kept its price at $500, a benchmark set by NC
visionary and Wintel detractor Larry Ellison of software maker Oracle. Says
Reuters, "Shih's message: Connectivity is everything, while Wintel
compatibility, long the industry's bedrock, is less important."
As noted, Intel and Microsoft both openly scoff at a $500 network computer,
saying consumers want more than single-function "appliances." But Shih,
whose AcerBasic plugs into any TV set, says Intel will find ithas to make
cheap chips for low-cost NCs. Today's faster Pentium chips alone cost more an
AcerBasic. Says the Acer chief, "Today its best interest is to sell more
high-end (chips), but in the long run, if this is to become a huge market,
Intel is also going have to serve these requirements."
And as far as Windows goes, "Our target (for now) is developing countries, so
DOS and Windows 3.1 is good enough," Shih says. "We support Microsoft, so it
is supporting us in our move to make PCs more popular in developing
countries. And if PCs become more popular, Microsoft will get benefits."
Shih told Parker Acer NCs developed for the United States and other advanced
markets may use Pentium chips and Windows 95 or NT, and will have to cost
"hundreds of dollars more."
IBM Creates Cordless Modem
A cordless modem prototype that operates without a cable link has been
developed by IBM, which says the unit, about the size of a pocket
calculator, allows use of a PC or laptop up to 100 feet from the nearest
phone jack without plugging in. The Reuter News Service quotes IBM
officials as saying the device works with standard PC built-in modems, off-
the-shelf PC cards and external modems, requires no software changes to the
system and supports speeds up to 28.8Kbps.
Bill Pence, director of an IBM Research division, told the wire service,
"We've modified low-cost cordless phone technology and integrated it with
standard analog modems, eliminating cumbersome phone cords." Reuters says a
user connects the modem output to a small cordless remote unit and plugs the
companion base unit into a standard phone jack. Also, IBM says, the
technology can be integrated into next-generation cordless
phones, by adding a jack directly into the phone handset.
CompuServe Unveils 'Smart Rules'
CompuServe Inc. has announced the availability of advanced Smart Rules --
tools that are designed help users customize e-mail and receive online
information anytime, anywhere and on any device. Smart Rules allow users to
set up individual, personalized profiles that automatically filter and send
specific online information to their CompuServe electronic mailbox for
forwarding to their choice of devices. In addition to the traditional
access through a computer, e-mail and online information can be accessed
through any touch-tone phone or sent from CompuServe to a pager and, soon,
to a fax machine.
Users can determine the times they want information forwarded or have data
automatically sent as needed. Smart Rules will allow users to:
z Forward a copy of electronic mail to a pager.
z Periodically receive the status of any five stock issues.
z Receive selected notification of changes in a stock's price.
z Get final sports scores from college and professional teams as they are
reported.
z Read news bulletins and see important stories that relate to selected
stock issues.
CompuServe users will be able to set up and change their profile through an
easy-to use online interface. Future enhancements will include the ability
to get localized traffic updates, travel information, weather forecasts, in-
progress sports scores, lottery information, messages from CompuServe Forum
areas and more.
"This is a major step by CompuServe into the proactive delivery of
personalized information," says Dave Eastburn, vice president of product
management and support at CompuServe. "As part of our on-going Stay In Charge
communications strategy, we are giving our users the broadest, most versatile
array of communication tools in the industry. These tools essentially let
our users create their own personalized electronic information portfolio,
with all the information that is important to them. And they can have it
delivered any time, anywhere and on any device."
"We will make information available on multiple devices through many means of
access, and we will give users the tools to manage the flow of that
information," adds Steve Owens, marketing manager for CompuServe
Communications. "These tools are just the beginning of CompuServe's
development of personalized information services. CompuServe will change the
way people look at information, and we will change their expectations for an
online service."
Today's launch is the latest in a series of announcements by CompuServe that
represent the implementation of CompuServe's Stay In Charge strategy. These
include offering new paging services that allow users to receive e-mail,
stock quotes and sports scores on any pager in the U.S.; the activation of
the CompuServe Communications Card; and upcoming partnerships to extend the
reach of CompuServe communications services.
The Stay In Charge strategy is designed to help mobile professionals and
others keep in touch with crucial information anytime, anywhere and through
any device. The paging services are brought to market in conjunction with
CompuServe's business partners MobileComm, PageMart and PageNet. Users on
these networks will receive paging services at no incremental charge. The
calling card services have been developed with Premiere Technologies and will
be marketed through several soon-to-be-announced business partners aswell as
existing CompuServe and Premiere channels.
Sony Introduces First PC
Japan's Sony Corp. introduces its first personal computer today, a $2,000 to
$3,000 unit powered by Intel Corp.'s top-of-the-line 200MHz Pentium Chip.
The Wall Street Journal reports this morning the system "will offer high-
quality sound and graphics but isn't radically different from other computers
on the market," adding, "Complete with a 28.8-kilobit-per-second modem, the
dark gray computers will provide owners with a direct service line, enabling
Sony staffers to make software fixes over the telephone."
Analyst Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies Research International Inc. told
the paper that while the new computer is a bit more expensive than others,
Sony may emerge as a major factor in the home PC business, noting, "Their
brand name and overall clout in the (retail) channels make them a player."
TI Offers New Notebook Line
Texas Instruments Inc. has launched a new line of mobile computers called the
TravelMate 6000 series, which will be priced from $4,199 to $4,999.
Reporting from Dallas, the Reuter News Service says the series uses Intel
Corp.'s 120MHz and 133 MHz Pentium processors, has a 12.1-inch active matrix
display, the new Zoomed Video port technology and a 6X CD-ROM, and weighs 5.9
pounds.
There are two models in the series:
z The TravelMate 6020 is available this month and has an estimated price
of $4,199. It utilizes 8MB of high speed memory standard.
z The TravelMate 6030 will be available next month and has an estimated
price tag of $4,999. It features 16 MB of memory.
Reuters says both have removable hard disk drives and come with modems and
communications software prefigured for one-click connection to the Internet.
TI Unveils Notebook Accessory Line
Texas Instruments Inc. has introduced Livegear, its new notebook computer
accessories brand. TI says the Livegear line includes products that augment
TI's and other PC maker's notebooks. According to TI, Livegear includes
several product categories: Storagegear, which include CD-ROMs and hard
drives; Performancegear products such as RAM and EDO memory modules;
Powergear accessories ranging from auto adapters to batteries;
Communicationsgear such as synchronized personal organizers, speaker and
answer phone modems and MPEG cards; Totegear, including backpacks, pouches
and briefcases; and Desktopgear, which includes TI's DockMates desktop
docking stations.
"The birth of Livegear accessories gives us the opportunity to provide to the
customer what we know they need: custom product solutions that work together
anytime, anywhere to increase productivity," says Steve Lair, vice president
of worldwide marketing and sales for TI's personal productivity products
unit. "Mobility and connectivity are the heart of our business. Livegear
accessories are the next step in supporting that
end."
CompuServe Has 'Virtual Passport'
CompuServe Inc. has introduced "The Virtual Passport," a technology
initiative that will allow the company to deploy its fee-based services
using Internet technology. The Virtual Passport will also permit other
Internet sites to identify CompuServe members and enable them to use just
one password, such as their CompuServe password, to gain access, often at no
extra charge, to many sites on the Internet.
According to CompuServe, The Virtual Passport also:
z Enables Web sites to verify who is visiting. This means that the extent
of access to specific information on the Web and within a Web site can be
controlled and monitored both by the individual user and the Web site.
z Verifies the authenticity of a Web site for the user, helping to ensure
that a site being accessed is not a fraudulent "copy-cat" or "spoofed"
site.
z Benefits content providers by delivering a large customer base to their
content in a secure, authenticated way.
z Enables small businesses to set up a secure Web site that can be
accessed only by approved, authenticated users, delivering global
networking and communications power to any size business.
"Today's announcement will simplify the Internet by letting users go to many
places with just one password for just one price," says Denny Matteucci,
CompuServe's president of online services. "The Virtual Passport is the next
critical step in the evolution of CompuServe's fee-based services from
proprietary technology to the open standards of the Internet. It will enable
us to control access to content, like CompuServe Forum areas, on the
Internet." The Virtual Passport will also be deployed as part of
CompuServe's Internet-only service, SPRYNET and WOW!, the new home and
family service.
Penril Sells Modem Biz for $120M
For $120 million in stock, Penril DataComm Networks Inc. has agreed to sell
its modem business to computer network products specialist Bay Networks,
leaving Penril with its remote access business. Reporting from
Gaithersburg, Maryland, United Press International reports the deal calls for
Penril shareholders to receive Bay Networks stock worth $10 a share. "Penril
will then distribute shares of Access Beyond to shareholders in a spin-off
transaction establishing Access Beyond as a new, publicly traded company,"
the wire service adds.
Penril Chairman/President/CEO Henry D. Epstein told the wire service, "We
believe these transactions represent a 'win-win-win' situation," adding
Penril shareholders will receive a strong return on investment; Bay
Networks, which will add high-end modem technology; and those affiliated with
Access Beyond, which can establish itself as a prominent player in the
burgeoning remote access market.
Also Penril Vice President Ronald A. Howard, developer of the Access Beyond
concept, said, "Access Beyond will immediately be among the best-positioned
to serve a remote access market that is expected to reach $2 billion by
1999." He added the Access Beyond products will work on any system, making
the lines attractive to customers and resellers.
UPI says that after the spin-off, Access Beyond will designate a new board of
directors and management team with Howard expected to serve as chairman/CEO.
It is anticipated both the spin-off and sale transactions
will be completed by early fall. Meanwhile, at its Santa Clara, California,
headquarters, Bay Networks officials said the deal, which will transfer about
40 employees from Penril, will make it better able to quickly respond to
service providers' requirements, further strengthening the company as the
access leader inthe internetworking market.
President/CEO Andy Ludwick commented, "Owning this technology is critical to
our success in the enterprise segment of the marketplace as well. As our
enterprise customers expand their networks beyond the backbone, we see
similar requirements for high density, extensive scalability, and accelerated
time to market in our dial- up products. Ownership of DSP modem technology
will allow Bay Networks to quickly support new application areas beyond data,
including video, fax and voice."
Nixon CD-ROM Debuts on Anniversary
On the 24th anniversary of the infamous Watergate break- in, Graphix Zone has
released Nixon The CD- ROM, an interactive analysis of one of America's most
controversial presidents. The disc's users can explore a navigable 3-D
"Secret" White House and examine thousands of pages of unpublished documents,
Watergate tape transcripts, interactive timelines, Oliver Stone's Academy
Award-nominated screenplay and create custom searches using a Boolean search
engine.
"While exploring the disc, I saw a memo dated July 16, 1970, which seems to
be the earliest evidence documenting the Nixon administration's intent to
break into the Brookings Institution," notes John Dean, former Nixon White
House counsel and a consultant on Nixon The CD-ROM. "At one point, events got
so out of control that the "plumbers" were talking about renting a fire
truck, setting a fire and going after documents in the Brookings
Institution. Fortunately, that one got called off."
Other Nixon-era figures who contributed to the CD-ROM include Pentagon Papers
leaker Daniel Ellsburg, former Nixon aide Alexander Butterfield (who first
revealed the existence of the White House taping system); former Counsel to
the Senate Watergate Committee Sam Dash; former Watergate Prosecutor Earl
Silbert; Jerry Ziefman, former Counsel to the House Judiciary Committee
(which voted to impeach President Nixon); and former Time Magazine
correspondent Hayes Gorey.
The disc provides online links to a Graphix Zone-managed Nixon Web Site
(www.gzone.com/nixon) containing an interactive Nixon biography and scores of
links to valuable Nixon resource sites on the World Wide Web.
Macintosh Leads in Brand Loyalty
The Macintosh led the personal computer industry in repurchase loyalty again
in 1995, as it did in 1994, according to statistics compiled by market
researcher Computer Intelligence InfoCorp (CII). CII says its repurchase
rate calculations measure the percentage of each brand's users who purchased
a new computer in 1995 based on the same brand they had previously owned.
According to the CII research, about seven in eight of Apple Macintosh users
who purchased a computer in 1995 purchased another Macintosh. Following
Apple were Dell, Hewlett Packard, Acer and Gateway 2000, ranking second
through fifth. IBM, Compaq, AST Research, Packard Bell and NEC completed the
list of top ten brands, in that order.
"In spite of the highly publicized troubles Apple suffered in late 1995,
Macintosh users remained the most loyal users of all PC brands, with
repurchase rates in 1995 nearly identical to what we measured for 1994,"
says David Tremblay, CII's senior industry analyst for PCs. Tremblay adds
that user loyalty is a key to Apple's future. He notes that CII research
shows that Apple has done very poorly in enticing other brands' users to
cross over to Macintosh. "Sales to existing Macintosh users provide a revenue
base to support the company while Apple develops new products in new sectors
of the industry that can provide for its future growth," he notes.
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For Immediate Release
Corel Begins Shipping CorelCADT
Spatial Technology's ACISr Engine Set to Enhance Corel's New Modeling Tool
Ottawa, Canada - June 17, 1996 - Corel Corporation announced today the
release of CorelCADT, a 32-bit design tool that allows easy, accurate
modeling of real world objects in 3D. This powerful application, based on
Spatial Technology's industry-standard ACISr solid modeling system, will give
PC users the flexibility to conceptualize, construct and revise product
models and prototypes.
"We have geared CorelCAD towards the 3D designer who values accuracy and ease-
of-use above all else," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief
executive officer of Corel Corporation. "Whether the user is a professional
using computer models to represent real world objects, or a hobbyist creating
mockups or digital models of their designs, this new modeling tool will add a
whole new dimension to their end result."
"ACIS is the most widely used 3D geometric modeler in the world. Hundreds of
thousands of users already work with PC-based CAD/CAE/CAM software products
based on ACIS. CorelCAD users especially benefit from the automatic
interoperability with this huge community of engineering professionals and
their products," explained Jerry Sisson, president and COO at Spatial
Technology. "ACIS is the standard for 3D modeling because products like
AutoCAD, Microstation Modeler, and now a new generation of lower cost 3D
modeling products like CorelCAD have made it so."
CorelCAD allows the user to create intricate shapes and models based on a
simple to use building block approach. A wide selection of primitive shapes
are available and powerful Boolean operations allow one shape to be added or
subtracted from another. New shapes can be created from the intersection of
two solids, and 3D solids can be created by the extrusion or sweeping of 2D
profiles. Powerful blending capabilities allow the smoothing of edges on the
model, while advanced rendering allows the model to be viewed with realistic
material textures, lighting and shadows. The solid model can be queried and
information such as volume, surface area and center of gravity can be
extracted. CorelCAD takes advantage of many of the user interface standards
used in other Corel applications.
With its native 32-bit architecture, CorelCAD is designed to take advantage
of the speed and memory management enhancements of the Windowsr 95 and
Windows NTT operating systems. Superb drawing management features, print
capabilities, along with dimensioning and 2D drafting features round out the
program.
The CorelCAD box includes:
z CorelCADT
z Corel Print SpaceT: an advanced printing application that allows CAD
models to be printed along with any other type of OLE objects.
z Corel DREAM 3D 6: allows users to import CorelCAD generated DXF files,
position various CAD models and create photo-realistic scenes with advanced
lighting controls.
z Corel MULTIMEDIA MANAGERT 6: allows the user to manage files
graphically, create albums of files and logically group files across
multiple drives or networks.
z Corel SCRIPT: an OLE enabled scripting language that allows users to
automate repetitive tasks by writing macros.
z 7,000 + 2D drafting symbols
600 + 3D symbols
z 750 + 3D models for Corel DREAM 3D
z 200 + house plans
z 750 seamless bitmap tiles for Corel DREAM 3D
z 200 + Corel Professional Photos on CD-ROM backgrounds for Corel DREAM 3D
z 100 sample drawings
z 120 TrueTyper fonts
z Corel House SelectT: allows users to select house plans from the
library based on search criteria such as square footage, number of bedrooms
and more.
z CorelMEMOT: allows users to add notes to Corel Print Space.
System Requirements
Users will require a minimum of a 486-33 (Pentium recommended), 16 MB of RAM
(32 MB recommended), Windows 95, Windows NT 3.51 or higher, VGA display (800
x 600 pixels recommended), CD-ROM drive with 32-bit drivers and a Mouse or
drawing tablet.
Pricing and Availability
Shipping since May 31, 1996 , CorelCAD is available for a suggested list
price of $895 US. Upgrades are available for CorelDRAWT, AutoCADr, Generic
CADDr, CADKEYr, MicroStationr and VisualCADDT users for a suggested list
price of $249 US.
ACIS
ACIS is an object-oriented, boundary representation geometric modeling
toolkit, written in C++, designed for use as the "geometric engine" within
applications. ACIS provides an open architecture for wireframe, surface and
solid modeling. Linear and quadric geometry is represented analytically,
free-form geometry is represented as NURBS. ACIS capabilities can be
accessed through its API. Developers writing in C++ can add, derive or
extend classes. ACIS can be licensed as object code or source code.
Spatial Technology Inc.
Spatial Technology Inc. introduced ACIS in 1989 as the world's first
commercial, object-oriented, 3D geometric modeling toolkit. Since then, ACIS
has become the industry-standard 3D modeling technology. To date, there are
351 ACIS licensees worldwide and 58 commercial ACIS-compatible products,
including AutoCAD Release 13T, AutoCAD DesignerT, AutoCAD Mechanical
DesktopT, MicroStation ModelerT, TriSpectivesT, CorelCADT, and Solid EdgeT.
ACIS is used as the foundation for applications in CAD/CAM/CAE, animation,
architectural engineering, virtual reality, entertainment, multimedia,
education, industrial design, geophysical modeling and architectural design.
For more information, visit Spatial Technology on the internet at
http:/www.spatial.com/spatial.
Corelr Click & CreateT Set to Make
Multimedia Presentations
Come Alive
Ottawa, Canada - June 17, 1996 - Corel Corporation has begun shipping Corelr
Click & CreateT, an easy and powerful multimedia authoring tool to be used in
the development of CD-ROM games, corporate presentations, interactive
training and educational materials, multimedia titles, screen savers and much
more. Shipping since May 31, Corel Click & Create is available for a
suggested list price of $695 US, with competitive upgrades available for $249
US.
The authoring program operates under Windowsr 3.1x and Windowsr 95, with a
Macintosh runtime player scheduled for September of this year. The Macintosh
runtime player, which allows distribution and playback of multimedia
applications, will be available free of charge at that time to allow for
cross platform development of titles. Corel Click & Create was developed for
Corel Corporation by UK-based Europress.
"Corel Click & Create is one of the most innovative multimedia authoring
tools on the market," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief
executive officer of Corel Corporation. "Its exceptional ease-of-use, short
learning curve and amazing flexibility will make this package a powerful
addition to anyone's multimedia software collection."
"Corel Click & Create is the result of many years development both in the UK
and France. This development will continue, making Corel Click & Create and
future associated products into brand leaders in this area of the growing
multimedia market," said Michael Meakin, managing director of Europress.
Corel is excited to continue its foray into the realm of multimedia, which is
quickly becoming the most popular way to present all types of information.
Complete multimedia presentations include a combination of static (text and
graphics) and time-based (audio, animation and video) elements. It is
therefore necessary to use a powerful authoring tool to seamlessly combine
text, graphics, video, animation, audio and other multimedia elements into a
single application. Corel's product is designed to do just that and is
geared towards a range of professionals, including multimedia designers,
graphic artists, game developers, corporate executives and training
coordinators.
Corel Click & Create is designed to put the user on the cutting edge of 16-
and 32-bit multimedia authoring with powerful tools and comprehensive
libraries that offer great flexibility. Learning a complicated scripting
language is not necessary with this product. Powerful programming functions
are available through mouse-driven menus that simplify and speed up the
application development process.
Other ease-of-use features include customizable application menus; easily
resizable applications; step-by-step tutorials, online help and example
files; and, animation, picture, morphing and button editors. Support for
DirectX, WinG and multiple palettes are added bonuses.
Users will find this multimedia authoring tool incredibly powerful for a
number of reasons. The package offers, among other features, video game
performance, complete object-oriented development, open-development
architecture, ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) support, specialized game
building tools, as well as drag-and-drop event editing. With convenient
runtime testing features, users can test applications with just one click to
see instant results, and save their projects as stand alone EXE files. A
speed-independent option also allows games to run at the same speed
regardless of the PC on which they are played.
The following items are included in the Corel Click & Create package:
z 210+ fonts
z 1,100+ clipart images
z 250+ video clips & animation files
z 1,400+ sound effects in 8-bit and 16-bit WAV files
z 100+ graphics-packed libraries including complex 3D images
z 100+ pre-made transition effects including wipes and dissolves
z 150+ background images in BMP file format
z musical clips in midi and WAV files
z 7 multimedia examples
z 6 game examples
z 5 screen saver examples
z 3 step-by-step tutorials
Technical Support
Corel will provide Corel Click & Create customers 30 days of free technical
support on a toll-line (613-728-1010) from the first phone call and paid for
support on a toll-free line for any support requirements following this time
period. For further information on paid for support, call the toll-line
number.
Development and System Requirements
Minimum system requirements for Windowsr 3.1x include IBM PC or compatible
386 33 (486 33 recommended), 4 MB of RAM (8 MB of RAM recommended), CD-ROM
drive, 3 MB of hard disk space (12 MB recommended), and a VGA (24-bit video
card and 16-bit sound card recommended). Minimum system requirements for
Windowsr 95/Windows NTT include IBM PC or compatible 486 33, 8 MB of RAM (12
MB recommended), a two-button mouse, 6 MB of hard disk space (12 MB
recommended), CD-ROM drive, and a VGA (24-bit video card and 16-bit sound
card recommended).
Europress
Europress is a family owned company, dedicated to good business practice and
the maintenance of high standards. These principles and the quality of its
products have brought Europress many successful partnerships worldwide, and
made it the UK's leading producer of educational software. The company's
product line is divided into five ranges - education, lifestyle, multimedia,
bookshelf and productivity. Europress retains intellectual rights to Click &
Create and will also continue to market its games creation package, Klik and
Playr, which is now available in 35 countries and 14 different languages.
Europress maintains a home page at http://www.europress.co.uk.
Corel Corporation
Incorporated in 1985, Corel Corporation is recognized internationally as an
award-winning developer and marketer of productivity applications, graphics
and multimedia software. Corel's product line includes CorelDRAWT, the
Corelr WordPerfectr Suite, Corelr Office Professional, CorelVIDEOT and over
30 multimedia software titles. Corel's products run on most operating
systems, including: Windows, Macintosh, UNIX, MS-DOS, OpenVMS and OS/2 and
are consistently rated among the strongest in the industry. The company ships
its products in over 17 languages through a network of more than 160
distributors in 70 countries worldwide. Corel is traded on the Toronto Stock
Exchange (symbol: COS) and the NASDAQ--National Market System (symbol:
COSFF). For more information visit Corel's home page on the Internet at
http://www.corel.com.
EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
Edupage
Contents
Who Owns The "Image" Of A Building?
Wireless E-Mail With An Attitude
Comcast, Cox Invest In @Home
The Enemy Inside
Laptops As "The Sole Machine"
Virtual University Moving Ahead
Coupons Online
Texas Instruments Has Notebook
Ambitions
AOL Denies Report Of New York State
Investigation
Wired: Business Or Hobby?
Gleick On Digital Cash And Non-
networked Hotdogs
Freedom Of Information
Dallas Is Laughing, But The Times
Owns The Joke
Resolution Urges Congressional
Internet Use
Compaq, Toshiba Battle For King Of
The (Laptop) Hill
Sony's PC. Think ... Purple
Autodesk Wins Piracy Settlement
Software For Rent On Cheap Terminal
AT&T Launches Business Service On
The Net
Verifone Offers Internet Payment
System
Students Fund More Campus Kiosks
Andersen, BBN Team Up On Internet
E-Mail While Driving Is On The Rise
Communications From The Electric
Company
Founder Of SGI And Netscape Starts
Health Service On Net
Internauts Anonymous
PC Makers Want To Trim Costs By
Trimming Bundles
IBM Ponders Unbundling Notes
Electronic Copyright Compromise?
Outsourcing Boom
New Software Lets You "Ask The
Wizard"
Laptop 54, Where Are You?
Acer's Stand-Alone Internet Computer
Intel Ventures Into Internet Content
Agreement
Samsung Gets License Digital's Alpha
Chip
Cultural Notes On Automated Banking
WHO OWNS THE "IMAGE" OF A BUILDING?
In a precedent-setting intellectual property dispute, the Rock & Roll Hall of
Fame & Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, is suing a photographer for infringing its
trademark by selling posters made from his photo of the architecturally
distinct museum. Photographers, artists, filmmakers, and publishers are
concerned about the implications of allowing trademarks for buildings, but
lawyers for the museum argue: "If we lose our rights on posters, we'll lose
it on T-shirts and hats." Trademark protection generally is intended to
prevent someone from copying a building's distinctive shape (such as that of
the famous McDonald's golden arches). The issue is whether the
photographer's profits from the poster are due mainly to his own creativity
as a photographer or rather to the beauty and fame of a building designed
by others. (New York Times 16 Jun 96 p1)
WIRELESS E-MAIL WITH AN ATTITUDE
RadioMail Corp. now includes "agent" software with its wireless news and e-
mail service, allowing users to launch Web "agents" that are programmed to
seek out and download only the information that has been specified. The
service runs on a variety of wireless networks, including Motorola's wireless
service and RAM Mobile Data. (Investor's Business Daily 17 Jun 96 A8)
COMCAST, COX INVEST IN @HOME
Comcast Corp. and Cox Communications have agreed to buy a stake in Tele-
Communications Inc.'s @Home cable online access venture, giving them the
option of launching similar services in their own markets. "It validates
once again the seriousness of these guys going after the online marketplace,"
says a Forrester Research analyst, who adds that a nationally branded
service would provide stiff competition to telco offerings. (Broadcasting &
Cable 10 Jun 96 p52)
THE ENEMY INSIDE
The CEO of CheckPoint Software Technologies, which markets Firewall-1, one of
the leading Internet firewalls, thinks companies worry too much about
outside crackers, and not enough about corrupt employees. "It's ironic,
because 80% of security breaches are internal. Companies doing intranets
will realize that internal security is more important than perimeter
defense. The outside world seems scarier, but the inside world is more
dangerous." (Information Week 3 Jun 96 p12)
LAPTOPS AS "THE SOLE MACHINE"
With more and more corporations deciding they can't afford two expensive
machines per employee -- a laptop and a desktop PC -- companies are
replacing obsolete desktops with a laptop that does everything, and the
laptop market is thriving. Analysts predict 28% growth in laptop sales this
year, twice the growth rate of desktop PCs, and the Giga Information Group
estimates laptops will garner a 35% share of all PCs sold by the year 2000.
"The notebook used to be a complementary product," says a Texas Instruments
VP. "Now, it's the sole machine." (Business Week 17 Jun 96 p134)
VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY MOVING AHEAD
The Western Governors' Association is hammering out details on its proposed
"Virtual University," and is expected to endorse the creation of a central
governing body and a system of local "franchises" for participating states
at its annual meeting this month. The group has hired the National Center
for Higher Education Management Systems to come up with a viable assessment
system, to ensure that students have mastered the subject matter of the
courses they take. The Center is also examining licensing and accrediting
laws in various states that will participate in the venture, to determine how
college credit can be awarded and transferred. In addition, the Western
Interstate Cooperative for Education Telecommunication has produced a
prototype of a "virtual catalogue," which will interview prospective students
on their interests and equipment availability, and then list the courses or
products that match their needs. (Chronicle of Higher Education
14 Jun 96 A30)
COUPONS ONLINE
In case you're not getting enough coupons bundled in with your Sunday paper,
now there's a Web site that offers coupons from supermarkets and
manufacturers, weekly grocery store sales, recipes and electronic shopping
lists. "I don't think primary grocery shoppers are on the Internet right
now, but some statistics show that young adults are spending more time on
computers and the Internet," says the marketing company's president. <
http://www.supermarkets.com/ > (Tampa Tribune 15 Jun 96 B&F1)
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS HAS NOTEBOOK AMBITIONS
Texas Instruments is offering two new Pentium-based notebook computers with
12-inch color monitors. Texas Instruments is now seventh in the notebook
computer market and wants to move up to No. 2 or No. 3 by the end of the
year. A company executive says: "We're on everybody's radar screen now. A
year ago, we were just a speck." (Wall Street Journal 14 Jun 96 B3)
AOL DENIES REPORT OF NEW YORK STATE INVESTIGATION
America Online has denied a story reported in various new media saying that
the company is the target of a probe by New York state attorney general's
office because of allegations that it has been overbilling its customers.
(Atlanta Journal-Constitution 14 Jun 96 F3)
WIRED: BUSINESS OR HOBBY?
Financial analysts are not of one mind when it comes to evaluating the
Initial Public Offering being made by Wired Ventures, the owner of Wired
magazine and various Internet-focused activities. Although the valuation is
17.9 times the company's revenues for last year and the company continues to
post losses, Wired Ventures is felt by analyst Richard Shaffer to "have done
well at positioning itself in the middle of the Internet hype because it's
caused a lot of the Internet hype." Another analyst, Tony Perkins, is more
skeptical: "The bottom line is if you're doing $7.5 million in revenues and
you're losing $3.5 million, you're still pursuing a hobby, not a business."
Shaffer's view of that issue is that Wired "has real advertisers, real paying
subscribers, and an audience. There is a real business there; it just
doesn't happen to make money." (New York Times 14 Jun 96 C6)
GLEICK ON DIGITAL CASH AND NON-NETWORKED HOTDOGS
Writing about digital cash, Internet entrepreneur and author James Gleick
says that "as money enters a new age, so does counterfeiting. The ultimate
threat is the perfect copy -- the virtual coin that proves mathematically
identical to the real thing. If money is a string of bits, then someone,
somewhere, can make a perfect copy, and another and another. An arms race
is already raging between those working to armor-plate digital cash with
doubly and triply secure cryptography and those working to pierce the armor.
Security experts assume that nefarious characters, in search of an unending
stream of money, are already investing millions in the next stages of
research and development." His advice for the moment: "For now, if it's not
too inconvenient, why not reach into your pocket for a few last vestigial
dollar bills, make sure you have exact change for the bus and buy yourself a
secret, non-networked hotdog." (New York Times Magazine 16 Jun
96 p26)
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
Congress will soon be considering a bill requiring federal agencies to
provide records online "so that agencies use technology to make government
more accessible and accountable to its citizens." The bill would allow the
information requester, rather than the federal agency, to choose the format
for releasing information. (Computer Industry Daily 17 Jun 96)
DALLAS IS LAUGHING, BUT THE TIMES OWNS THE JOKE
The New York Times says that, with the advent of e-mail, office jokes "can
spread like lightning, from desk to desk, city to city. Within minutes,
Dallas can be laughing at the same joke that doubled-over New York. These
are the jokes we want to hear." Send your office jokes to
onthejob@nytimes.com but understand that "submissions become the property of
The Times and may be republished in any medium." (New York Times 16 Jun 96
p11)
RESOLUTION URGES CONGRESSIONAL INTERNET USE
A resolution introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last week by
Rep. Rick White (R-Wash) and Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va), and in the Senate by
Sen. Larry Pressler (R-SD), is intended to promote lawmakers' use of the
Internet to communicate with constituents, make information more accessible
to voters, and induce Congress to work with the Internet community to find
out more about Internet-related issues. "We need to bring Congress online
for the 21st century," says White. "The Communications Decency Act is a
pretty good example of what can happen when Congress passes laws on something
it knows little about." White predicts that when Congress revisits the Act
next year, "a more educated Congress will develop a solution that protects
our children and protects our free speech." (BNA Daily Report for Executives
14 Jun 96 A1)
COMPAQ, TOSHIBA BATTLE FOR KING OF THE (LAPTOP) HILL
Compaq Computer has just introduced three new portable computer models in a
move to oust Toshiba from its top spot in the laptop market. Meanwhile,
Toshiba is racing ahead with five new models of its own. Toshiba's market
share was about 20% the first quarter of this year, with Compaq a trailing
No. 2 at 9%. In addition to plans for more aggressive product roll-outs,
Compaq will copy Toshiba's strategy of marketing its laptops through
retailers, a move that's been successful for Toshiba. (Wall Street Journal
18 Jun 96 B6)
SONY'S PC. THINK ... PURPLE
Sony, the electronics industry giant, is re-entering the personal computer
business with two Pentium-chip- based PCs accented in purple trim and
equipped with 16 or more megabytes of main memory, hard drives of 2.1
gigabytes, and 28,800 bps modems. Made in collaboration with Intel, the
machines will have high-quality video and audio capabilities and will be
priced in the $2-3,000 range. (San Jose Mercury News Center 18 Jun 96)
AUTODESK WINS PIRACY SETTLEMENT
Autodesk Inc. has settled with Westech College, a California trade school
operator, for more than $220,000 after Westech admitted that it used a
single copy of AutoCAD to make more than 75 illegal copies that were used on
three campuses. Autodesk says it's recovered more than $20 million in piracy
penalties since 1989. (Investor's Business Daily 18 Jun 96 A8)
SOFTWARE FOR RENT ON CHEAP TERMINAL
Wyse Technology is demonstrating its belief in the inexpensive Internet
device concept, converting an existing line of terminals into $500 machines
that consumers can use to rent software by the hour or cruise the Internet.
The software programs, available for about $1 an hour, are not transferred to
the user's terminal -- instead they reside on the servers operated by the
user's Internet service. Modem connections are too slow for games and
other software that relies on speed, but Wyse's senior VP thinks the concept
has merit: "We're breaking new ground. The economic model for this will
get worked out over the next few months." A Zona Research analyst notes the
approach, if successful, could be emulated by other terminal makers: "This
is something that will generate a lot of interest in the software
community." (Wall Street Journal 17 Jun 96 B2)
AT&T LAUNCHES BUSINESS SERVICE ON THE NET
AT&T's newest service, the AT&T Business Network, debuted yesterday on the
Web, targeting managers, entrepreneurs and professionals with links to more
than 1,000 business-related sites and other online information. "Business
users tell us that while they sense the Web's immense potential, they are
frustrated with inconsistencies, inefficiencies and lack of business focus,"
says the president of AT&T New Media Services. The new service will be free
with revenue initially generated through advertising. Over time,
subscription or other fees will be charged for additional services.
(Investor's Business Daily 18 Jun 96 A9)
VERIFONE OFFERS INTERNET PAYMENT SYSTEM
VeriFone Inc., which makes credit-card processing technology, has lined up
Wells Fargo, Royal Bank of Canada, Discover & Co., and Novus Services, a
unit of Dean Witter, to use its new payment software to encrypt credit card
payments over the Internet. Wells Fargo is already using proprietary
software from CyberCash to process Web-based payments, but notes the
VeriFone product is more comprehensive and is based on the SET (secure
electronic transaction) standard. (Wall Street Journal 18 Jun 96 B4)
STUDENTS FUND MORE CAMPUS KIOSKS
Seniors at the University of Colorado have elected to spend their class gift
funds on additional information kiosks to be placed around the campus for
accessing transcripts and financial aid records. The $22,000 fund will be
matched by the University of Colorado Foundation to purchase at least 40
computers -- the University has three kiosks on campus now. "We wanted to
find a gift that students are going to see every day, and to demonstrate
what really happens when you give a gift back to the school after you
graduate," says one recent graduate. (Chronicle of Higher Education 21 Jun
96 A17)
ANDERSEN, BBN TEAM UP ON INTERNET
Andersen Consulting and BBN Corp., one of the largest business Internet
access providers, have formed a joint venture to design and sell Internet-
based services to large corporate customers, such as airlines, who require
large-volume transaction processing services. (Wall Street Journal 18 Jun 96
B4)
E-MAIL WHILE DRIVING IS ON THE RISE
Computing and driving is on the rise in California, and the California
Highway Patrol warns the practice is potentially dangerous. "There's
nothing specifically in the vehicle code that says you can't compute while
driving," admits one officer, but with studies showing cell phone use raising
the chance of an accident by 34%, they're suggesting people leave their
laptops switched off while at the wheel. Still, some habits are hard to
break. "I do my Radio Mail at 80 mph," says Andrew Seybold, editor of an
industry publication. "I go from appointment to appointment catching up on
e-mail and phone calls while I drive. By the time I'm at my next
appointment, I'm caught up." (St. Petersburg Times 17 Jun 96 p14)
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE ELECTRIC COMPANY
Southern Company, owner of Georgia Power and other Southeastern utilities
companies, has won approval from the Federal Communications Commission to
provide telecommunications service through the company's fiber optic system.
A Southern Company executive says: When you deliver electivity you have to
deliver information. So, for example, we have a large fiber-optic system in
place that we use to control the flow of electricity. It has excess
capacity." The company has no immediate plans to enter telecommunications
but wants to be prepared. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 18 Jun 96 E1)
FOUNDER OF SGI AND NETSCAPE STARTS
HEALTH SERVICE ON NET
Jim Clark, who founded the successful companies Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI)
and Netscape Communications, has created a new Net-based business called
Healtheon, which will use the World Wide Web to help companies manage their
employee health plans. Clark said: "We are providing a standard health care
community interface, using the Internet as a medium, and providing services
to health care providers." (New York Times 18 Jun 96 C4)
INTERNAUTS ANONYMOUS
The Canadian Medical Association Journal reports that "Internet addiction
disorder" (IAD) has entered the medical lexicon and quotes University of
Pittsburgh researcher Kimberly Young as saying IAD is as real as alcoholism.
Young describes the social problems that parallel other addictions, including
loss of control, cravings and withdrawal symptoms, social isolation, marital
discord, academic failure, excessive financial debt, and job termination.
(Toronto Globe & Mail 15 Jun 96 A1)
PC MAKERS WANT TO TRIM COSTS BY TRIMMING BUNDLES
With profit margins on PCs at a perilously low point, computer makers are
looking for ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality. Compaq, Packard
Bell, Acer America and NEC all have announced they plan to cut back on their
software bundles this fall, noting that much of the software isn't used
anyway. "The bundling craze was a reaction to the need to target those
first-time buyers," says an Apple Computer manager. "Now we're seeing the
market mature a little bit." Customer surveys have show that most people
typically use fewer than 10 of the up-to-60 programs pre-installed on their
new computers, discarding the rest. (St. Petersburg Times 19 Jun 96 E6)
IBM PONDERS UNBUNDLING NOTES
IBM, in a potentially risky move, is considering unbundling the features in
Lotus Notes and possibly licensing them to other companies in an effort to
set a standard for "groupware" software products. The company is in
discussions with Netscape on a variety of issues, and a Netscape senior VP
says that although talks have not focused on licensing a key Notes
technology called replication, "if Lotus were to propose such a thing it
would be evaluated seriously." The replication feature ensures that when
databases are linked, and information in one is changed, a similar change is
made on all computers on the network. (Wall Street Journal 19 Jun 96 B12)
ELECTRONIC COPYRIGHT COMPROMISE?
Yale University Associate Librarian Ann Okerson offers a suggested compromise
between the recommendations of the Lehman Commission's recently issued white
paper and the desires of the higher education/librarian community. The
National Information Infrastructure Task Force's Working Group on
Intellectual Property Rights, as the commission is officially known, has
suggested that any information residing in a computer's memory for any
length of time is "fixed" for the purposes of copyright, which could
conceivably make even the brief perusal of a Web page without prior approval
of the Web page's owner a copyright violation. "One way around these
controversies might be disarmingly simple. The commission emphasizes
technological aspects of `transmission' and `fixation,' but many critics have
found those discussions imperfect precisely on technological grounds. A
more thorough analysis of the range of technological possibilities for
transferring files -- including cryptographic methods that effectively limit
the number of permanent copies produced -- might make the Lehman approach
more useful than it now seems likely to be." (Scientific American Jul 96
p80)
OUTSOURCING BOOM
A recent study by California research firm Input predicts Internet-related
outsourcing services will grow from less than $1 billion last year to $9
billion by 2000. Included in the Net outsourcing services were such things
as Internet and intranet server management, firewall security services, and
maintenance of Web page content. The overall market for information
technology outsourcing is expected to rise from $19 billion last year to $42
billion by 2000. (Investor's Business Daily 19 Jun 96 A6)
NEW SOFTWARE LETS YOU "ASK THE WIZARD"
SystemSoft's SystemWizard self-help software enables users to trouble-shoot
many of their PC problems without have to resort to an afternoon on hold
with a computer company's help desk. The software automatically detects,
diagnoses and corrects common PC problems. SystemSoft has agreements with
AST Research and Digital Equipment Corp. to begin shipping SystemWizard with
their PCs by the fourth quarter of this year, and Lotus Development Corp.
and Microsoft are working with SystemSoft to enable SystemWizard to answer
questions about Windows and Lotus Notes. "The PC industry can't keep putting
head count on the phone, because it is just sucking the life out of the
industry's profitability," says a Dataquest analyst, who estimates that
SystemWizard could help reduce help-desk calls by 20% to 30%, saving as much
as $1 billion a year. (Wall Street Journal 19 Jun 96 B12)
LAPTOP 54, WHERE ARE YOU?
Over the last two years, the FCC has purchased 200 laptops at a per-unit cost
ranging from $2,455 to $6,149. But a recent audit of the agency's entire 307-
laptop population found that, based on a 54-laptop statistical sample, six
were not located, one was reported stolen and 11 were "not physically
produced for verification," resulting in a 33% "where-the-heck-are-they"
result. (Multichannel News Digest 17 Jun 96)
ACER'S STAND-ALONE INTERNET COMPUTER
Acer Inc. has come out with its own version of the $500 network computer
called AcerBasic. The machine is targeted at the lower income population
unable to pay $1,500 or more for a personal computer, but unlike similar
products on the market or the drawing boards, AcerBasic can function as a
stand-alone machine. Acer's position is that other NCs, when not connected
to larger computer servers, "are essentially useless." (Investor's Business
Daily 19 Jun 96 A7)
INTEL VENTURES INTO INTERNET CONTENT AGREEMENT
Intel Corp. will buy a 4.5% stake in CNET, a closely held company that
provides MTV-style reports on technology-related subjects to cable
television and the Web. The two companies will collaborate on a new Web
site, although other details about the venture were unavailable. The
agreement represents Intel's first foray into the Internet content business,
a move that has caught the attention of industry observers. Intel, however,
is downplaying its actions, noting that it's invested in "dozens" of
technology start-ups over the years. "Intel is looking to showcase the most
innovative technologies," says a company spokesman. "We are doing this as a
facilitator, and not as an owner of content." (Wall Street Week 20 Jun 96
B6)
SAMSUNG GETS LICENSE DIGITAL'S ALPHA CHIP
Digital Equipment Corporation is licensing Samsung Electronics the right to
make and market Digital's 64-bit Alpha microprocessors, which are expected
to have increasing sales in conjunction with the growing market for
Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. (New York Times 19 Jun 96 C2)
CULTURAL NOTES ON AUTOMATED BANKING
Interac says that Canadians are heavier users of debit cards than Americans,
with each debit card in the U.S. used about 3.5 times, while per-card usage
in Canada was 15.2. The average Canadian used an automated banking machine
41 times in 1994, compared with 31.8 times for Americans and 22.1 times for
British citizens. (Toronto Financial Post 20 Jun 96 p7)
Edupage is written by John Gehl (gehl@educom.edu) & Suzanne Douglas
(douglas@educom.edu).
Voice: 404-371-1853, Fax: 404-371-8057.
Technical support is provided by the Office of Information Technology,
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ISDN Info Series STR Infofile
>From Compuserve's ISDN Forum.
MORE ISDN FACTS EXPLAINED
by Ray Oschger
The specifications for ISDN allow for up to 8 circuit and/or packet switched
devices to be connected to a single ISDN BRI. These devices must be
connected on the S/T side of the interface. This type of setup is referred
to as a Point to Multipoint environment. Only one NT1 is allowed to be
connected to a BRI so if you have a TA with a built-in NT1 (such as a BSPro)
you will not be able to establish a multipoint environment.
Each circuit switched device on the S/T bus has a unique identifier referred
to as a Service Profile ID (SPID). The SPID must be entered into each
terminal before it is connected. When the telco switch senses the presence
of the terminal it requests the transmission of the SPID and uses the
information to initialize the terminal and establish a dialog with it on the
D-channel. There are parameters which are set on the telco switch which
control the number of circuit switched devices which can be connected on a
given BRI. The majority of telcos limit you to only two devices.
This two device limit probably was imposed because, until recently, the
NORTEL DMS-100 switch was not capable of supporting more than two circuit
switched devices on a single BRI. The Lucent 5ESS and the Siemens EWSD have
been able to support up to 8 devices on a BRI provided that they were allowed
to do so by the telco. NORTEL has released a new version of switch software,
NA05, which will support 8 circuit switched devices on a BRI and it is
possible that the telcos will begin to offer such support in the future.
So. let us assume that someone will let you do it.
ISDN is a time division multiplexed service which provides 144kb to the user.
The 144kb is divided into two B-channels of 64kb which can be used for
circuit switched voice or data calls and a 16kb D-channel which is used for
signaling and can also be used for X.25 packet data service. Each of the 8
devices can contend for the two B-channels but only two of the devices can
be active in a circuit switched mode at one time. A B-channel remains
dedicated to a specific terminal until it is released by that terminal.
It is important to understand that these terminals are not extensions as in
the analog world. Each terminal must use a B-channel to operate. You cannot
have more than two terminals active in a circuit switched mode at any one
instant. The wiring setup is very simple and can be done with "two for one"
RJ45 connectors plugged into each terminal. The connections between the NT1
and the first terminal and the subsequent daisy chained terminals can be
made with standard twisted pair RJ45 cables. (Do not use flat cable.) Plug
the single jack of the two for one connector into each of the terminals
except for the last one. Now connect the NT1 to the first terminal, the first
terminal to the second, and so on.
The S/T bus is a true bus and there are timing and termination considerations
just as their are on a LAN. There are two configurations which can be
supported. The first, called a short passive bus, supports a total wire run
of up to 200m between the NT1 and the last terminal. The second, called the
extended passive bus, allows a total wire run of up to 500m between the NT1
and the last terminal but requires that all terminals be located within 50m
of the end of the run. A 100 ohm termination must be set at the NT1 and at
the last terminal for each of these configurations. (NT1s have built-in
terminating resistors which can be set by DIP switches, some terminals also
have switchable terminating resistors. If the terminal does not have an
internal resistor you can purchase an external terminating resistor with
RJ45 connectors for about $12.00.)
Timing is also a consideration and is set on the NT1 using a DIP switch. (The
Tone Commander NT1 is the exception as it has circuitry to automatically
sense and set the required timing.) Timing should be set to "fixed" for the
short passive bus and "adaptive" for the extended passive bus. If timing and
terminations are not set properly you will see some random problems creep in
over time and eventually one or more of the terminals will cease to work.
This problem is caused by "timing slip" on the NT1 and is cured by unplugging
and reconnecting the terminal. Better to do it right the first time. About
95% of the "strange" problems that I am called in to resolve are related to
timing and termination issues.
All 8 of the terminals can simultaneously use the D-channel for data
transmission if they are equipped to do so. They will share 14 to 16kb
(depending on the signaling load which has priority). Each device can operate
up to 9.6kb and contention is managed by the NT1. D-packet is a great way to
provide long duration but low traffic connections. It is under used in the
current ISDN environment.
Hope the above provides the information you need.
Raymond Oschger & Associates
ISDN Related Consulting Services
847-292-0192 (Chicago)
How Secure are Your ISDN Calls?
ANNOUNCING THE LAUNCH OF THE 7800 ADVANCED
ISDN ENCRYPTION DEVICE FROM DATA TELEMARK GmbH
Vocality, the UK distributor of specialist ISDN and satellite technologies,
announce the launch of the D.I.C.A. 7800 Encryptor from innovative German
ISDN and satellite specialists, DTM Data TeleMark GmbH. Targeted at
corporates as well as government organisations who use the ISDN network for
the transmission of private information, the 7800 provides a secure
encryption facility allowing complete security over the ISDN network.
The D.I.C.A. 7800 allows users to encrypt B-channel information of any ISDN
BRI (Basic Rate Interface) regardless of the application. Supplied in pairs,
each device presents two BRIs and is installed between an ISDN Terminal
device and an ISDN network interface (NT). Configuration can be set to allow
the use of randomly allocated encryption keys, which are different for each B-
channel whilst D-channel information is transmitted transparently.
Supplied with one of two available cryptographic algorithms, the 7800 offers
FEAL 16X (16 bit key) or DCA 32 (DTM Crypto-Algorithm, 32 bit key). A special
toolkit offers the ultimate of flexibility allowing an integration of
customer specific, private encryption algorithms. In a time of rapid
increase in public awareness of information security, the 7800 provides the
user with peace of mind that the information they are transmitting is
strictly for intended eyes only.
For more information, contact Julian Bashford at Vocality on +44 (0) 1494 485
021 or e-mail 100416.172@compuserve.com
WS_FTP95 PRO
Reprinted with Permission
Previously Published in
cIEx. The Official Online Magazine of Club IE.
by David Boles
June 18, 1996
Every Power User I know uses John Junod's excellent dedicated FTP program --
Ws_ftp32 -- for moving files on the internet. The reason for this is simple.
Ws_ftp is quick and easy to use. The good news is that there's a updated
Windows 95 specific, high-octane version of Junod's program distributed by
Ipswitch called WS_FTP95 PRO!
This new version of a web standard leaves no file unturned: client/host-
host/client transfers are faster, the program is a "true" Windows 95 re-build
instead of a port over from 16 to 32-bit, and the great sound effects that
create a Pavlov's response for web-o-philes are unchanged. As you can see
below, the beloved interface hasn't changed. It's the guts that have been
fueled and fired up for faster transfers and interaction with your system.
Here's the file view you've come to know and love. If you don't use WS_FTP
for your transferring files on the internet, then you're working too hard to
get information exchanged up and from the internet.
There's a "lite" version of the rebuilt application called WS_FTP95LE that
you can use, but the "Pro" version (selling for ~$30) gives you a great suite
of helper applications to help you work better and faster on the internet.
The Pro version of WS_FTP95 includes support for Ping, Whois, Trace Route,
Lookup and Finger.
Here's a peek at how the Whois client looks and works under WS_FTP95 PRO.
I've done a Query on "boles.com" and I'll touch the OK button when I'm ready
to look up my domain with the InterNIC.
As you can see below, almost instantly, Whois returns the domain registration
information on file with the InterNIC. This is a handy tool to find out who
owns a domain. Or, if you want to register a domain yourself, you can use
Whois to see if someone snatched it up before you.
If you'd like to download WS_FTP95 PRO and try it out, you can visit Ipswitch
at http://www.ipswitch.com
If you want immediate contact information, here's the About screen from the
WS_FTP95 PRO Trace Route applet.
I couldn't do business on the web without WS_FTP95 PRO. If you haven't tried
it yet, give WS_FTP95 PRO a shot and then tell me what you think.
Copyright c 1996 by David Boles
Kids Computing Corner
Frank Sereno, Editor
There are always a few great games in the works around here. As soon as we
can, we will share any info, screen shots, press releases or demos we can get
our hands on from the producers and artists. If you would like to see some
of the amazing games that are currently available, check the What's Hot page.
Here is a partial list of some of the games we will be releasing during the
next few months. Click on the game logos for more details.
NORAMLITY
Because no one should have a thought of their own.
SHATTERED STEEL
Lanois 3, OREC and Planet III must be defended against deadly robotic alien
enemies. Fail, and Earth is the next target for destruction.
JETFIGHTER III
Global Peace Through Deadly Force.
DRAGON DICE
Search the worlds of dark forces, fantasy, extraordinary characters,
fantastic battles, fascinating places, happenstance, magic, chance and
illusion.
FRAGILE ALLEGIANCE
In the year 2380, Sector K240 was made available for colonization by
Tetracorp. The Empire must expand...
MAX
The mechanized commander must colonize, defend, and if he must, destroy...
MUMMY TOMB OF THE PHARAOH
Survival depends on outmaneuvering your adversaries and untangling the
mysterious secrets of the Egyptian afterlife.
PRISONER OF ICE
Board the H.M.S. Victoria for a voyage to places beyond your wildest
imagination!
REALMS OF THE HAUNTING
A macabre and brooding fantasy in the Realms of Sheol(Hell), Hellud (Earth),
Raquia (Spirit) and Arqua (Divine)
SHADOAN
Seek glory in the wondrous world of imagination and legend.
STARFLEET ACADEMY
Are You Bold Enough?
Descent Win95
LOADED
Revenge, corruption mean that big guns get Loaded for the Sega Saturn!!
CASPER
Coming soon for the 3DO!!!
BLOOD & MAGIC
Prepare for sweeping tales of enchantment and conquest in the most popular
fantasy world of all time... TSR's Forgotten Realms
Knight's Chase.
Most battles lines are drawn over a distance .... Yours spans time.
U.S.C.F. Chess
The only chess program advanced enough to offer players an official USCF
National Rating.
Interplay targets edutainment market
with launch of Brainstorm tm line.
Interplay's newest division kicks off
with sponsorship of major U.S.C.F. CHESSathon
Irvine, California - Long seen as a forerunner in the software gaming
industry, Interplay Productions announced today that it is actively pursuing
the growing children's market with the release of five titles this Fall under
the new BrainStorm tm line. The first titles to be released under BrainStorm
include three brand-new releases, ChessMates tm , Learn To Draw tm and
Flipper tm , as well as two upgrades: Mario Teaches Typing 2.0 and Mario's
FUNdamentals tm . BrainStorm, Interplay's newest division, will kick off as
the proud and only sponsor of the United States Chess Federation's annual
Charity CHESSathon being held June 1, 1996 in New York City.
"Interplay has had a foot in this market for many years with its Mario
Teaches Typing series - a frequent top 10 best-seller," explains Trish
Wright, vice president of marketing at Interplay. "We feel we can bring more
to this market by introducing BrainStorm - a dedicated line of children's
titles that build and enhance skills in an entertaining fashion. Our
development strategy, going forward, is to take complex fundamental skills
and break them down into fun yet easy-to-master pieces. BrainStorm's current
lineup is very exciting and very unique, and its future lineup will have some
very pleasant surprises."
Showing proof of its commitment to the education of children, BrainStorm is
the proud sponsor of this year's U.S.C.F. Charity CHESSathon being held
Saturday, June 1 high atop the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York
City. The event will be comprised of nearly 2,000 children playing chess
against dozens of the best chess players in the world. The event is a
simultaneous exhibition in which each master plays up to 30 kids
concurrently. ChessMates will be the only featured software title on display
at this year's CHESSathon which is expected to draw several thousand
spectators. All titles in the BrainStorm line will be hybrid CD-ROM tiles for
PC computers supporting Windowsr 3.1, Windows '95, and Macintosh computers.
BrainStorm will launch an additional 3-5 titles throughout 1997.
The goal of BrainStorm is to create products that build valuable life skills
and lead children on a path of developing self-esteem, logic, problem-solving
capability, creativity and a sense of wonder. While primarily targeting those
in the 6-11 age range, focus groups have consistently shown high levels of
interest among adults as well as children in terms of mastering chess,
drawing and typing in particular.
The package design for the BrainStorm line will have a very distinct line
look for maximum shelf presence. Packaging is streamlined and brightly
animated to catch the eye of both the parent and child. Each package will
have four large, bright screen shots and a simple checklist of product
features and of what the child will learn from using the title. "We worked
with parent-and-focus groups to discover packaging hot buttons," adds Wright.
"Parents will be able to easily pickout a BrainStorm title with our consumer-
friendly line look."
BrainStorm will be branded with a strategy and focus similar to Interplay's
#1 MacPlay brand. BrainStorm will be supported by a comprehensive marketing
program which includes broad-based advertising, demo days at retail outlets
nationwide, cross-promotions, a dedicated website, dedicated scholastic
programs and much more.
ChessMates tm , endorsed by the United States Chess Federation, uses fun and
innovative technology developed from the ground up to teach children both the
fundamentals of chess in addition to its in-depth strategies. Highly animated
and colorful to keep the child's attention, ChessMates features Wigby tm the
magical wizard, who comes to life as teacher and guide along with lively and
entertaining chess pieces, allowing kids to experience in a fun, lighthearted
way how to search out and find the next "right" strategic move that will
allow them to play Chess at progressively higher levels.
Learn to Draw(TM) is the only completely interactive instructional program
that teaches kids to draw with easy step-by-step instructions. Learn to Draw
develops visual and motor skills as well as building confidence and self-
esteem in a supportive and encouraging environment. Players can draw on the
screen with the mouse or draw using pen and paper with up to 12 in-depth art
lessons. Pictures can be colored on screen, or printed out in color or black
and white. After mastering the basic drawing concepts, the program leads
young artists to experiment with the basics to create a "modern" piece or to
develop their own original look. Children will also learn about fascinating
animals, geography and cultures of Africa in addition to picking up a few
words of Swahili.
Flipper tm is an interactive storybook based on the recently-released MCA
feature film Flipper starring Elijah Wood and Paul Hogan. This is the tale of
a rebellious teenage boy, Sandy, who learns some valuable lessons about life
thanks to a feisty orphaned dolphin. The title Flipper, featuring actual
movie footage, offers children a variety of fun and educational activities.
An interactive animated book assists in building reading skills. In the title
section, kids can put together a jigsaw puzzle, match wits with Rusty the
Pelican in a game of concentration, put together a coloring book, and build
fun crafts with a marine life theme. Children will also learn about
environmental issues and the fascinating marine wildlife that inhabits the
world ocean all in a fun-to-learn environment.
Mario Teaches Typing tm is the sensational four-level sequel to the award-
winning original title. All-new animations and an interactive screen combine
to make this title more exciting and fun for students. New features include
an on-screen magical keyboard with color-coded keys and fingers, the ability
for students to choose or create their own lesson plans, and a lesson editor
which enables parents and teachers to control all aspects of the lesson and
generate reports and certificates of completion.
Old favorites such as Checkers, Backgammon, Go Fish, Yacht and Dominoes come
to life in Mario's FUNdamentals tm . Featuring the well-known and well-loved
Nintendo characters, this title helps children develop problem-solving and
critical thinking skills and works to increase attention spans through its
use of lively, entertaining animation's.
Founded in 1983, Interplay Productions is a company dedicated to
manufacturing and distributing a wide range of award-winning entertainment
and educational software designed by gamers, for gamers. Interplay releases
products through its Interplay, MacPlay, VR Sports and Shiny Entertainment
divisions and its affiliated labels for personal computers as well as leading
console game platforms. In addition, the company's OEM division represents a
wide variety of publishers software to the OEM community for hardware
bundling. More comprehensive information on Interplay and its products is
available through the company's worldwide web site at
http://www.interplay.com.
Portable Computers Section
Marty Mankins, Editor
Creative Introduces Complete Line of Sound Blaster Speakers
Family Of Multimedia Speakers Designed To Enhance Creative's Total
Entertainment Solution
Milpitas, CA, June 11, 1996-- Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ: CREAF) today
began shipping Sound Blasterr Speakers, a complete line of speakers designed
for multimedia and gaming enthusiasts. The Sound Blaster family includes
four price competitive speakers, each designed to fit the diverse needs of PC
users. Sound Blaster Speakers combine with Creative's sight, sound and
communications products to deliver the total entertainment solution for the
PC.
"Our goal is to provide our customers with the ability to turn their PCs into
an entertainment center that can deliver awesome audio performance," said
Craig McHugh, vice president and general manager of Creative Labs, Inc. "Our
Sound Blaster Speakers enhance the user experience with our industry standard
Sound Blaster multimedia solutions."
Pricing and Availability
Sound Blaster SBS380, CS200 and CS46 Speakers are available immediately and
are priced at approximate street prices of $99, $59, and $14 respectively.
The Sound Blaster SBW500 Subwoofer is priced at an approximate street price
of $99, and will be available at the end of July.
Features and Benefits
Sound Blaster SBS380 Speakers:
z 2-way 10 watts per channel RMS multimedia speakers with Creative's 3D
Stereo Enhancement Technology.
z Volume on/off switch, balance control, separate bass and treble
controls, headphone jack
Sound Blaster CS200 Speakers:
z Full range 5 watts per channel RMS speakers with Creative's 3D Stereo
Enhancement Technology
z Volume on/off switch, separate bass and treble controls
Sound Blaster CS46 Speakers:
z Full range 3" passive speakers
z Compact design for easy portability
Sound Blaster SBW500 Subwoofer:
z 25 watt per channel RMS
z Volume on/off control to adjust bass levels
All Sound Blaster Speakers are magnetically shielded to protect computer
equipment and include all necessary cables and adapters.
Creative Ships Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP
The First Complete High-Speed 33.6 Internet Solution
First Instant Solution To Provide Web Space For Home Page Creation, And Web
Site Designed Specifically For Internet Blaster Customers
PC EXPO, NEW YORK -- June 17, 1996 -- Creative Technology Ltd., (Nasdaq:
CREAF) today enhanced its Internet product offerings with the introduction
of Internet BlasterT 33.6 PnP, the first all-in-one 33.6 Kbps Internet
solution. Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP is a fast, powerful and comprehensive
Internet solution that provides instant and easy Internet access for the
beginner interested in exploring the Net, or users seeking faster
connectivity.
Creative's Internet Blaster includes a 33.6 Kbps/V.34 Plug and Play modem;
Microsoft Internet Explorer; Netspeak's WebPhone; SoftQuad's HoTMetal Light;
and SpryNet from CompuServe. It also includes 5MB of free space on the WEB
for home page creation, as well as voice and communications software, that
will make it the most comprehensive Internet solution available in the
marketplace.
"Our relationship combines the industry's leading access, hardware and
software offerings to make getting onto the Internet easy," said Craig
McCallum, vice president and general manager of CompuServe's Internet
Division. "Creative's retail expertise and brand recognition increases our
ability to deliver our superior service, support and access to a growing
number of consumers."
Pricing and Availability
Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP is available at an estimated street price of $129,
and begins shipping at the end of June through Creative's extensive network
of distributors and retailers.
"With Internet Blaster, we're making it easy for our customers to access the
Internet and create their own content." said K.S. Chay, president, Creative
Technology Ltd. "We built a solution that takes the guesswork out of the
technology and simplifies the installation and creative process - making the
Internet experience instantly rewarding."
Internet Blaster Home Page
In order to make the Internet experience as rewarding as possible, Creative
has also established the Internet Blaster Home Page, a special World Wide
Web site designed specifically for Internet Blaster customers. This provides
users with instant access to the latest technology upgrades, "hot tips,"
"cool links," and access to Creative's award-winning home page, the Creative
Zone. "Internet Blaster combines the very best in access, home page design,
communications technology, and includes a specially designed home page that
introduces the user to the exciting world of the Web," said Micah Stroud,
product manager for communications at Creative Labs. "With the Internet
Blaster Home Page our goal is to create an on-line community where customers
can obtain current information, up-to-date software and a launching pad to
explore the Web."
Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP Features And Benefits
Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP is a high-speed Plug and Play internal modem that
includes:
z 33.6 Kbps/V.34 Plug and Play performance making it one of the fastest
modems available
z 5MB of free space on the NET for home page design
z Direct access to Creative's Internet Blaster Home Page designed
specifically for Internet Blaster customers
z Microsoft Internet Explorer (Windows 95) for Web browsing, e-mail and
FTP.
z Netspeak's WebPhone for making toll free calls on the Internet
z SoftQuad's HoTMetal Light 2.0 for easy home page creation on the Net.
z SPRYNET for quick and easy Internet access
z SuperFax 6.0 software for fax management and communications
z 100 percent Plug and Play design
z Designed for Windows 95, Windows 3.1 and DOS 5.X systems
z Free trial memberships to on-line services such as America Online and
CompuServe
Creative Teams with Industry Leaders
to
Offer High Speed 33.6 Internet Bundle
Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP is First Complete Internet Solution Product to
Include Microsoft Internet Explorer
PC EXPO, NEW YORK - June 17, 1996 - In its commitment to offer powerful, high-
value, easy-to-use Internet technology, Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ:
CREAF), today announced that it is bundling software from many leading on-
line technology companies in its newly announced Internet BlasterT 33.6 PnP.
Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP combines Creative's high speed plug-and-play modem
with Internet and communications software tools from some of the biggest
names in the industry including Microsoft Corp., Spry, Inc., NetSpeak Corp.,
SoftQuad, Inc. and Pacific Image Communications, Inc.
Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP is Creative's first product focused specifically
for people who want a complete easy- to-use Internet package that includes
all the tools needed to get on-line. The company's current product line,
which includes sight, sound and communications technology, has been used in
the Internet environment since the Internet first became popular.
"Already a leader in the telephony market with our modem-based products,
Internet Blaster is a natural extension of Creative's popular, industry-
leading technology," said Craig McHugh, vice president and general
manager at Creative Labs. "Our long-standing relationships in the industry as
underscored by today's announcement, give us the ability to bundle popular,
industry leading software with our technology to provide the consumer with
the best Internet experience possible."
Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP--announced today--is the only Internet solution
product that offers users all the hardware and software they need to connect
to the Internet. Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 is the preferred browser in
this total solution and Creative plans to upgrade to Internet Explorer 3.0
when the final product becomes available later this year. Internet Explorer
2.0 offers easy Internet access and use, high performance and advanced
security. In addition, Microsoft Internet Explorer is compatible with all
major Internet standards.
"Microsoft Internet Explorer puts users a step ahead on the Internet by
enabling exciting, active content," said Brad Chase, general manager in the
Internet platform and tools division at Microsoft. "By having Internet
Explorer be the default browser for Internet Blaster, Creative and Microsoft
now deliver easy access to the exciting possibilities of the Internet."
Complete Software Bundle
Creative has bundled the leading Internet software tools in Internet Blaster
to give the user a robust, easy to use experience with the Internet. They
include the following:
z Internet Blaster users will be able to easily access the Internet with
SPRYNETT software, one of the leading Internet access services and software
for the home and business markets. SPRYNET gives users 5 MB of disk space
for building their own home page, unlimited pricing plans and 24-hour on-line
technical support.
z Customers can take full advantage of the Internet with WebPhoneT from
NetSpeak Corp. WebPhone is a professional Internet telephone with integrated
voice mail. This powerful home and business product provides telephone
quality, real-time, full duplex, point-to-point communication over the
Internet and other TCP/IP- based networks. Using WebPhone, customers can talk
to anyone without incurring long distance charges.
z In addition to Internet services and access, Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP
gives users the ability to create personalized home pages with HoTMetaL
LightT 2.0 from SoftQuad, Inc. HoTMetaL Light enables users to easily create
and publish hypertext-linked Web documents with easy-to-use markup tools and
powerful word processing features.
z Internet Blaster 33.6 PnP also features SuperFax 6.0 from Pacific Image
Communications. This versatile fax and data software provides a wealth of
features to make PC communications simple. SuperFax 6.0 includes fax
broadcasting, a phonebook, fax viewer, TWAIN support and SuperTerminal for
high speed data transfer.
Creative Technology Extends Industry Leadership
In Desktop Videoconferencing
Company Drives Standards, Outlines Strategy
for
Business and Consumer Markets
PC EXPO, New York -- June 18, 1996 -- Creative Technology Ltd. (Nasdaq:
CREAF), the world's leading provider of multimedia peripherals for the PC,
is extending its leadership role in desktop videoconferencing by driving
industry efforts to set standards and produce interoperable products.
Creative is committed to delivering products that interoperate with other
systems and adhere to standards such as H.324 for POTS (plain old telephone
system), H.320 for ISDN (integrated services digital network), T.120 for data
conferencing, application sharing and future standards that work over
multiple mediums.
Creative continues to drive market and technology development as a member of
the International Multimedia Telecommunications Consortium committees that
recommend standards, by designing test suites and by chairing on-going
interoperability testing for H.324. Creative is committed to producing
standards-based product that is targeted at business and consumer markets.
Creative's current success in the POTS videoconferencing market is a direct
result of its ability to deliver low-cost, high-performance products that
are easy to use and provide a rewarding end-user experience.
"To date, desktop videoconferencing solutions have been targeted primarily at
corporate markets," said Barry Raskin, director of marketing for ShareVision
at Creative Labs, Inc. "Creative believes that the next wave of growth will
occur in the small and home office market for users wishing to improve
communications with their corporate customers/ partners, and in the home in
the form of easy-to-use, value-priced video telephones or the PC that can be
enjoyed by family and friends."
Creative plans to leverage its videoconferencing expertise and channel
presence in delivering easy-to-use videoconferencing solutions at aggressive
price points to these emerging markets. Our standards-based initiatives
underscore our commitment to spurring market growth and providing maximum
long-term value to our customers.
Commitment to POTS
Creative played a key role with its participation in the Study Group 15 --
the committee responsible for the ratification of the H.324 standard for
videoconferencing over POTS. Creative has been contributing to the ITU
(International Telecommunications Union) committee that adopted the standard
in March 19, 1996. Creative's commitment to the POTS standard continues with
the on-going interoperability testing most recently hosted by Creative and
Intel last week.
Creative Chairs POTS Activity Group For The IMTC
Creative has been playing a key role in chairing the IMTC's POTS activity
group -- the group responsible for the interoperability testing of H.324
products. The testing sessions are designed to ensure that videoconferencing
products from all vendors can connect to each other over standard telephone
lines using the H.324 standard. The ultimate goal is to provide the same
worry-free connections end users experience with the telephone today.
Creative has spearheaded this effort -- teaming with other industry vendors -
- with the intent of preparing for the anticipated explosive growth in home
videoconferencing over the next several years.
ISDN Strategy
Creative plans to leverage its strengths by producing complete, all-in-one
solutions that meet customer expectations both at home and at work. As ISDN
increases in popularity for use in the home and small office, Creative plans
on producing high-quality, consumer-priced ISDN videoconferencing solutions
that focus on performance and ease of use. Creative is partnering with a
number of industry leaders to provide the best ISDN package, including the
desktop tools, connectivity and support.
"At Creative we believe that offering the customer -- either a business or an
individual -- the smoothest and most affordable path to desktop
videoconferencing is the key to expanding the market as a whole," said Sim
Wong Hoo, chairman and chief executive officer of Creative Technology Ltd.
"Videoconferencing is no longer the communications solution of the future,
it is the requirement of the present. Creative is proud to take the lead in
helping to bring videoconferencing to the mass market. Whether for business
or consumer use, whether through a POTS or an ISDN connection, we will
provide the right solution."
Convergence of Technologies
Carving out a leadership role in videoconferencing was a natural process for
Creative as the industry converges around the company's three areas of
expertise: sight, sound, and communications. By combining these three
strengths into its video conferencing products, Creative is able to deliver
cost effective, industry standard solutions.
Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995:
The future product availability dates, future financial guidance and other
non-historical information contained herein and/or in the accompanying
conference call are subject to the attached cautionary statements which are
provided pursuant to The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Creative Technology Ltd. is the world's leading provider of advanced
multimedia solutions for personal computers, including sound, graphics,
communications and video conferencing products. The company's Sound Blaster
technology has been accepted as the worldwide standard sound platform for
PCs, and the company's global distribution network is the most extensive in
the multimedia industry. Creative is focused on enhancing the overall user
experience by providing powerful, enabling, high-value technology for the
mass market. Sound Blaster is a registered trademark and Blaster is a
trademark of Creative Technology Ltd. All other products mentioned herein
are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized as such.
Safe Harbor for Forward Looking Statements:
Except for the historical information contained herein and in the
accompanying conference call on today's date, the matters set forth herein
and in the accompanying conference call (including our guidance on future
revenues, margins, expenses and earnings) are forward looking statements that
are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward looking
statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others: potential
fluctuations in quarterly results due to the seasonality of Creative's
business and the difficulty of projecting such fluctuations; reductions in
the cost of products sold by Creative; the short product cycles that
characterize most of Creative's products; the increasing proliferation of
sound functionality at the chip and OEM level; Creative's reliance on sole
sources for many of its chips and other key components; the timely ramp,
delivery and market acceptance of new products, including Creative's
graphics accelerator, video conferencing, CD-ROM drive and communications
products; the availability of operating capital and capital to refinance
Creative's outstanding long term debt on acceptable terms; the volatility of
share prices for companies in Creative's industry and the effect on those
prices of events beyond Creative's control; and the other risk factors
described in Creative's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission
over the past twelve months.
Dave Gurney PR Contact: David Jones
Chairman and CEO SoftQuad Inc.
SoftQuad Inc. (416) 239-4801
Brad Chase PR Contact: Kathy Gill
General Manager in the Internet Platform Waggener Edstrom
and Tools Division (503) 245-0905
Microsoft Microsoft Corp.
Bob Kennedy PR Contact: Robin Rednor
President and COO NetSpeak Corp.
NetSpeak Corporation (407) 998-8728
Craig McCallum PR Contact: Tamese Robinson
Vice President and General Manager CompuServe Internet
Div.
CompuServe Internet Division (206) 957-8288
CONTACT INFORMATION
Theresa Pulido Karen Gordon
Creative Labs, Inc. Copithorne & Bellows
Atari: Jaguar/Computer Section
Dana Jacobson, Editor
>From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
It continues to be fairly quiet on the Atari front these days. I wish that I
had more hours in the day to peruse all of the Internet sites and see what's
going on all over the world with regard to new programs, discussions, and
other projects. So much going on in the real world that it leaves little
time these days to devote to various interests. Now, if I can only hit the
lottery and take some time off to smell the roses...
A few people have asked me about the progress of the BBS, since we've been
trying to switch over to "new" software. Well, there's been a SNAFU and
we're still wading through tons of red tape with the Boston Computer Society,
not to mention the political games going on during this time of leadership
changes. In other words, we're still waiting to get approval for the
requested new hardware. In the meantime, we're running Toad Hall on two
systems (two phone lines) using two different BBS programs. We haven't been
able to really work on new additions to the new system due to the hard drive
storage restraints currently available to us. But, we're still having fun.
Oh well, it will all come together soon enough, one way or another. Drop by
sometime and join us Toad Hall is the largest and longest running Atari
support system in the New England area (and maybe the northeast!). The
numbers are (617)567-8642 and 569-2489. We're always open!
There isn't going to be a Jaguar section this week. Frankly speaking, other
than a few reviews in various stages of completion, there isn't a whole lot
going on...still. And, even though I've thought it over a number of times in
the past months, I see very little happening for the future.
There are a number of games (don't ask me how many) that are completed,
officially and unofficially. But, they aren't being released. The bottom
line is money. If there's no money to be made releasing them, they aren't
going to be released. So, if this is true (and I have no reason to
disbelieve it), what's going to happen to Atari Corporation once the merger
with JTS becomes reality? Good question? Got an answer? I don't. But, I
can only speculate that "support" for the Jaguar will continue for a time
longer (sell existing stock, license a few games, etc.), but beyond that?
The info that has been publicized by Atari is that Atari and JTS will still
continue as independent entities after the merger. But, if Atari isn't
publishing any more games, what will they do? Food for thought stock up on
the Rolaids, though.
We're considering taking another look at existing games and re-reviewing many
of them with a fresh look (and longer playing time), taking some polls, and a
variety of other articles. So, while the Jaguar has slowed down
tremendously, we'll be doing what we can to keep things moving. Stay tuned!
It's our understanding that AEO publisher and editor Travis Guy was married
this past Wednesday. Our congratulations to the newlyweds!
Until next time...
DIGITAL PRESS RELEASE:
Triple SSS Shareware
Triple SSS Shareware is a new Public Domain/Shareware service, specializing
in the Atari 8-bit computer. The Atari 8-bit line includes such models as the
Atari:
400/800/1200XL/600XL/800XL/65XE/130XE/800XE/XEGS
All of our disks will work with a "stock" 1050 disk drive. We endeavor to use
high quality 5.25 inch disks which are new out of the box. However, we
reserve the right to use previously formatted disks when necessary.
Whatever brand disk we use, you can be assured that your disk will arrive
with a clean new disk jacket.
With the departure of "Bellcom" from the 8-bit Atari market, a void was
created. Triple SSS has been created to not only meet, but EXCEED Bellcom's
high standard of service. Bellcom was considered one of the best Public
Domain Shareware services ever to enter the Atari 8-bit market. How is Triple
SSS better?
We are glad you asked!
Triple SSS feels that the major strength of the Bellcom library was
reliability. Each program was tested and documented well. However we also
feel that the quality of the offerings in the Bellcom library was much lower
than the Triple SSS library. Only the highest quality programs make it into
the Triple SSS library. Most, if not all of the offerings in our library
could be considered "commercial quality".
Triple SSS is operated on a part time basis by two Atari 8-bit enthusiasts.
Therefore, you can be assured that Triple SSS will be around, regardless of
the level of sales. Bellcom on the other hand, was a "one man show" who
required a certain level of sales to continue. Our costs are lower with the
advent of Internet technology. We do not print up catalogues on paper at this
time. We hope to spread by word of mouth and the Internet.
Triple SSS has always felt that the reason people use a Shareware service is
convenience. They do not want the hassles of downloading and copying disks.
We hope to fill a need with only the highest quality Shareware/Public Domain
software. Triple SSS means: Shareware, Software, Support!
For an Email Catalogue, send your request to af332@freenet.hamilton.on.ca
TOAD COMPUTERS ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL
RELEASE OF "BIRD OF PREY" CD ROM
It takes real Falcon enthusiasts to create a Falcon-only CD, and no doubt
about it, Matt Norcross and Scott McConnell are the ultimate Falcon
enthusiasts. They use every aspect of the Falcon, from its MIDI and digital
recording capabilities using Cubase Audio to its graphics and animation
features using Apex Media. These two are uniquely qualified to give you a
complete and comprehensive collection, and this is exactly what they have
done in "Bird of Prey," their first CD-ROM for the Falcon030.
Matt and Scott, who front the band "Any Questions?" and are owners of the
industrial-music oriented Floating Fish Studios (which, in character as Ttam
Troll and MC2P4, they will proudly tell you stands in the shadow of Three
Mile Island's cooling towers), have spent the last six months collecting,
collating, and sorting Falcon software from diverse sources. And being
observant of what has already been done in terms of Falcon-only CD's (All
Things Falcon, Transmission), they felt it was particularly important to put
together a disc that was up to date, avoided duplication of others' efforts,
and was application-heavy and light on filler, like graphics files and MOD's.
Files come from diverse sources, but particularly from GEnie, their own BBS,
and other files they have hand collected from sources around the world. They
didn't see any point in creating yet another disc that includes a copy of the
Umich/Merit Falcon archive, so files from this source have been kept to a
minimum.
Again, the focus was really to provide a wide variety of files (some of which
are very hard to find) that can help someone really get to know and use
their Falcon030 to its fullest -- much the way Matt and Scott havetried to
do themselves.
This limited-edition disc includes professionally produced full-color
printing (in jewel case) and a two color silkscreen. At just $29.95, it's
truly the best disc for getting the most out of your Falcon030.
>From the liner tray of "Bird of Prey":
This CD ROM contains what we at Floating Fish Studios consider to be the very
best public domain and shareware software available for the Atari (and C-
LAB) Falcon030 today. You have at your fingertips, "the ultimate Falcon
collection!" These files have been collected from around the world and are
now assembled, for you, on this one CD ROM. In addition, you will find
pictures, films, and information regarding Floating Fish Studios and the band
"Any Questions?". We hope the software and examples on this disc will be
helpful in the exploration of your Falcon030 and your owncreativity.
What's On Here? What's NOT on here?
- The Ultimate Falcon Collection - Duplicate Files
- Complete Web Browser Package - Packed, Uncompressed Software
- Commercial Software Demos - Tons of GIFs
- Falcon Demos - Tons of FLIs
- Falcon Games - Tons of MODs
- Every Falcon Utility Known - Long, Boring File Descriptions
- Only TOS 4.0x Friendly Software - Useless Garbage
"The Floating Fish Studios 'Bird of Prey' CD ROM is the ultimate Falcon
collection.
This disc is filled with software that no Falcon user should be without.
Over 649MB of pure excitement waiting to be unleashed! Over 21,000 files!"
There's no denying that the Floating Fish Studios "Bird of Prey" CD ROM is
the Ultimate Falcon Collection! Explore for yourself and we guarantee you'll
learn something new about your Falcon030!!
$29.95 -- "BIRD OF PREY" CD ROM -- In stock now!
Dealer inquiries invited; dealer and quantity pricing available. Another
quality product, published by Toad Computers: America's Atari Source!
David Troy --- ToadNet Information Services [dave@toad.net]
Toad Computers, Inc (800) 448-8623 Orders
America's Atari Source (410) 544-6943 Info
WEB: http://www.toad.net/ (410) 544-1329 FAX
FTP: ftp://ftp.toad.net/ (410) 544-6999 BBS
STReport's "Partners in Progress" Advertising Program
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EDITORIAL QUICKIES
Talk about strange calls the tech support folks endure.. Get this!
Caller: "Hello, is this Tech Support?"
Tech Rep: "Yes, it is. (asked for name/number/system) How may I help you?"
Caller: "The cup holder on my PC is broken and I am within my warranty
period. How do I go about getting that fixed?"
Tech Rep: "I'm sorry, but did you say a cup holder?"
Caller: "Yes, it's attached to the front of my computer."
Tech Rep: "Please excuse me if I seem a bit stumped, it's because I am. Did
you receive this as part of a promotional, at a trade show, how did
you get this cup holder? Does it have any trademark on it?"
Caller: "It came with my computer, I don't know anything about a
promotional. It just has '4X' on it."
At this point the Tech Rep had to mute the caller because he couldn't stand
it. The Caller had been using the load drawer of the CD ROM as a cup holder
and broke it off the drive...OOPS!
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STR OnLine! "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" June 21, 1996
Since 1987 Copyrightc1996 All Rights Reserved Issue No. 1225
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