ST Report: 6-Feb-97 #1306
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 02/13/97-10:40:35 AM Z
From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: ST Report: 6-Feb-97 #1306
Date: Thu Feb 13 10:40:35 1997
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- CPU Industry Report - Apple to Ship Newton - Browser for Blind
- Feds OK Bell Merger - EggHead Reorganizes - ISPs BACK X2
- Apple Fails to Gain - ACTIVE Platform - Foot Mouse
- Junk Email NG! - People Talking - Classics & Gaming
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>From the Editor's Desk...
I've still got one of the worst head colds I've had in years and its
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STReport Headline News
LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Strong Encryption Exports OK'd
The U.S. Commerce Department has announced it will allow three companies to
export those stronger systems of data encryption. "I'm happy that we've
been able to do this within the first month without rancor or difficulty,"
Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration William Reinsch told
Aaron Pressman of the Reuter News Service.
As noted, until this year, encryption programs, which scramble information
and render it unreadable without a password or software "key," were
classified as munitions and stronger programs could not be exported.
However, a controversial new Clinton administration policy, which that took
effect Jan. 1, specifies companies may receive permission to export
stronger programs if they agree to incorporate features within two years
allowing the government to decode encrypted messages by recovering the
software keys.
As noted, the policy is being widely criticized as not relaxing the export
limits enough and some companies feared the requirement for a two-year plan
would substantially delay export approvals.
Reinsch told the wire service the quick approvals should quell some of the
criticism and encourage more applicants, adding, "As a result of this, you
will have more companies taking it seriously and we will expect more plans
over the next couple of months." The government did not name the companies
given permission to export stronger, 56-bit programs, but Glenwood,
Maryland- based Trusted Information Systems acknowledged that it was one of
the three.
Upgraded Encryption Software Ships
Pretty Good Privacy Inc. has released PGPmail 4.5, an upgraded version of
its powerful encryption software for sending private encrypted e-mail
messages and files over the Internet and corporate intranets. The San
Mateo, California, company notes that in addition to operating as a
stand-alone e-mail encryption application, PGPmail 4.5 is available as a
plug-in for Eudora and Netscape Mail. In the latter version, the program
allows users to encrypt, decryp, sign and verify e-mail messages from the
Eudora and Netscape Mail toolbars.
PGP encryption technology uses public key cryptography to scramble e-mail
messages and ensures that they can only be read by the intended recipients.
PGPmail 4.5 allows each user to generate a public key (which can be
distributed openly) and a private key (which is never shared). The public
key is used to encrypt messages to a recipient; the private key is used to
decrypt those messages. PGPmail can also be used to encrypt contents of all
word processing and spreadsheet software.
"E-mail runs naked on the Internet," says Tom Steding, president and CEO of
Pretty Good Privacy. "By integrating PGPmail 4.5 with two of the most
widely-used e-mail programs, we're making private, secure e-mail easily
accessible to many millions of Internet users." Pretty Good Privacy's
original PGP e-mail encryption product was developed and distributed as
freeware in 1991 by Philip Zimmermann. The company's encryption software is
now used by millions of individuals and corporations, and has since become
the de facto standard for private digital communications. PGPmail 4.5 is
available for purchase from the Pretty Good Privacy Web site (www.pgp.com)
by credit card as well as a variety of online payment methods including
CyberCash, and DigiCash.
Feds Approve Bell Merger
A merger of Baby Bells SBC Communications Inc. and Pacific Telesis Group
has been approved of by the federal government. PacTel operates in
California and Nevada; SBC's customers are in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri,
Oklahoma and Texas. This is the first big local phone companies that have
gotten such permission, notes Associated Press writer Jeannine Aversa,
adding, "In taking the action, the Federal Communications Commission
rejected arguments by long-distance companies AT&T Corp. and MCI
Communications Corp. and others that the combination would harm
competition."
The $16.7 billion deal -- combining two of the seven regional Bell
operating companies that were spun off in the 1984 breakup of AT&T -- will
serve the public interest, the FCC says. In November, the Justice
Department had cleared the deal which still needs approval from California
regulators. SBC and PacTel announced their plans to merge last April,
around the same time Bell Atlantic Corp. and Nynex -- also spun off in the
AT&T breakup -- stated their intentions to combine in a $22.7 billion deal.
Aversa says a law enacted last February deregulating the telecommunications
industry is fueling consolidation.
Editor Note: Here we go again! At the mercy of a Monolithic Bell Monster
Monopoly.
Apple Cuts Costs, Lays Off Staff
Facing sagging sales and tougher competition, computer Apple Computer Inc.
is cutting prices up to 27 percent across much of its product line and
laying off an undetermined number of employees as it undergoes a further
restructuring. The price reductions for Power Macintosh and Performa
personal computers follow similar cuts last fall, says business writer
Catalina Ortiz of The Associated Press, who adds Apple also cut prices for
its servers, machines that manage networks of computers.
Apple regularly adjusts prices, but, says Ortiz, "the breadth of the cuts
and their coming shortly after previous reductions suggest demand remains
disturbingly sluggish." Adds President Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies
Research International in San Jose, California, "What that's telling me is
that even after the last price cuts Apple is still suffering from image
problems." AP says the cuts also could further erode profit margins for
the Cupertino, California, company, which lost $120 million for the
October-December quarter on weak consumer demand.
Says Ortiz, "The company, a third of the way into Amelio's three-year
recovery plan, already has warned of further restructuring and possible
layoffs. Amelio, in an interview published Friday in USA Today, confirmed
the layoffs would occur as Apple tries to cut costs 20 percent." AP quotes
analysts as predicting layoffs of 2,000 to 3,000 of Apple's 13,500
employees worldwide. The company cut 1,500 jobs last year.
Apple Doesn't Disclose Layoffs
Apple Computer Inc. has outlined part of its latest restructuring plan, but
the struggling computer maker declined to disclose how many employees will
lose their jobs. "Executives said that and other details of its
reorganization were still being worked out and wouldn't be announced for
another month," reports business writer Catalina Ortiz of The Associated
Press.
Apple has said layoffs will be part of its makeover and industry analysts
are predicting cuts of up to 3,000, or a fifth of Apple's work force.
"Apple also has not yet decided," says Ortiz, "whether to shed or scale
back on such money-losingbusinesses as its Newton hand-held computer and
Pippin, a combination game player and Internet surfer being sold in Japan."
What Apple does say about its second structural shakeup within a year is
that it is consolidating its product development, marketing, sales and
operations. Previously Apple's business units resembled separate companies
with their own marketing and technology activities. Meanwhile, Apple's new
sales division will emphasize the consumer, publishing and education
markets, areas in which Apple remains strong despite its declining overall
market share, AP reports.
Also, Apple says co-founder Steve Wozniak will return to the company as an
adviser to chairman/CEO Gil Amelio, a position already held by Apple's
other co-founder, Steve Jobs. As advisers, both are part of the company's
decision-making executive committee, the wire service reports.
Gates Baffled by Apple Strategy
Bill Gates says he wants Microsoft Corp. to maintain existing ties with
Apple Computer Inc. but that he is confused by the struggling computer
maker's strategy for its core technology. Speaking in Frankfurt, Germany,
where he is traveling in connection with a new product launch, Gates told
Mark John of the Reuter News Service he is not devoting time to considering
how the two companies might collaborate more closely, "thus," comments
John, "appearing to pour cold water on recent speculation of closer links
between the two."
Said Gates, "I am very interested in continuing to work with Apple as we
have done through history, but I am confused by the Apple operating system
strategy ... and have decided not to worry about the future" in this
respect. Not long ago, The New York Times was reporting Apple was
considering forging closer ties with Microsoft and with its chipmaker Intel
Corp., noting Gates recently visited Apple headquarters in Cupertino,
California, and had an hour-long meeting with Apple Chairman Gilbert Amelio
and Apple co-founder Steven Jobs.
To Reuters, Gates confirmed he had met Jobs since the recent purchase by
Apple of Jobs' NeXT Software Corp firm, but did not say what had been
discussed at any meetings. Gates said the situation facing Apple --
struggling to maintain sales against the domination of the Microsoft-Intel
standard in the world personal computer market - - is "very challenging,"
adding, "People like Apple, and would like them to succeed. But that
doesn't mean they will succeed."
Apple Suspends Exec Bonuses
Apple Computer Inc. will suspend its executive bonus plan until the
computer maker returns to profitability, Chairman/CEO Gilbert Amelio has
told company's annual meeting. Reporting from Apple's Cupertino,
California, headquarters, the Reuter News Service quotes Amelio as saying,
"Let me assure you that my highest priority is to get this company in the
black as early as possible."
He told shareholders that when he took over at the helm of the troubled
computer company one year ago, it faced five crises, which he has sought to
address. "We were broke," he said, adding financial liquidity was so tight
the company barely had enough reserves to manage its daily business.
Reuters notes the decision to suspend the bonus program comes after Apple
revealed some executives received substantial bonuses last year when Apple
reported an unexpected fourth quarter profit.
"The payout," said the wire service, "was the result of a change in the
compensation plan which allowed the executives to receive bonuses based on
the company's fourth quarter results rather than the full year's." As
reported, Apple has outlined part of its latest restructuring plan, but the
struggling computer maker declined to disclose how many employees will lose
their jobs.
Editor Note: Ex-Atarians and Amigans. does this Apple thing sound like
you've "lived it" before?
California Strengthens Net Sex Law
A bill that would make it a crime in California for adults to use the
Internet for the purpose of seducing a minor has been introduced by a state
legislator. From Sacramento, California, the Reuter News Service reports
State Assemblyman Steven Kuykendall's bill also would make it a crime to
distribute "harmful" material to children on the Internet. In a statement,
Kuykendall said, "Sex offenders need to be punished, and sex offenders who
use the Internet to find their next victim are no different."
The Republican state legislator said federal law already recognizes these
offenses but current California law does not, adding Florida has conformed
to federal law and several other states were considering similar measures.
Said Kuykendall, "The ability to find and punish Internet pedophiles is
limited for police if a state does not have a law addressing this type of
crime," adding the measure would not censorInternet users, but would make
it easier for police to pursue and jail people who misuse the network to
entice children.
Apple Vows to Ship Newton Products
Despite published reports that it's planning to sell its Newton personal
digital assistant operations, Apple Computer Inc. say it intends to ship a
pair of Newton-based portables this quarter as previously announced. The
Apple eMate 300 and MessagePad 2000 are expected to be on the market by
next month. The eMate 300 is a low-end mobile computer that features
multi-platform desktop and network connectivity for education. With a
battery life of up to 28 continuous hours before recharging, the eMate 300
makes it possible for students to work for long periods of time wherever
they want, notes Apple.
The MessagePad 2000 is a handheld mobile computer for business
professionals that provides desktop connectivity to both Windows and
Macintosh computers. Core applications, including e-mail, Web access and
personal productivity programs, are built into the unit. The 1.4-pound
MessagePad 2000 features the 160MHz StrongARM processor, making it one of
the fastest handheld computers on the market. The system is so power
thrifty that four AA batteries can provide three to six weeks of typical
usage, notes Apple.
Egghead Reorganizes, Shuts Stores
Egghead Inc. has announced a reorganization that includes the closing of 77
of its 156 Egghead stores and reducing the number of markets in which the
company operates stores from 54 to 24. The computer products retailer says
the closings will take effect immediately. Egghead is also substantially
reducing its headquarters staff, closing its Lancaster, Pennsylvania,
distribution center and offering for sale certain real estate assets,
including its headquarters building in Spokane, Washington.
Egghead notes that the reorganization is expected to cut headquarters and
distribution expense to about $16 million on an annualized basis from about
$35 million in fiscal-year 1997, excluding discontinued operations. The
compny also reports that CEO Terry Strom, Senior Vice President Kurt
Conklin and Senior Vice President Ron Smith will leave the company after
assisting with the reorganization. Strom will continue to work with Egghead
as a consultant. George P. Orban, Egghead's chairman, will become the
firm's new CEO.
For the third quarter ended in December, Egghead earned $1.5 million, or 9
cents a share, compared with a loss of $941,000, or 5 cents a share, in the
year-ago quarter. Sales fell to $113.2 million from $121.7 million and
same-store sales fell 8 percent. Egghead's smaller stores have failed to
keep pace with computer superstores, particularly those operated by
CompUSA. Egghead is gradually adding larger format stores. Our objective
this coming fiscal year is to reduce our operating losses, improve our
business processes and devote our resources to creating a foundation for
renewed growth," says Orban.
Samsung Bids to Buy AST Research
Majority investor Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is offering to acquire the
rest of AST Research Inc. for $469 million in cash and assumed debt.
Samsung, based in South Korea, says it made the proposal in a letter to the
struggling computer maker's independent directors. Under the plan, Samsung
would purchase the 51 percent of AST it does not already own for $5.10 a
share. The Reuter news service notes that the move marks the latest effort
by Samsung to assume control of AST. Despite substantial financial support
from Samsung, AST's losses have been growing. For the fourth quarter ended
Dec. 31, AST lost $68 million, or $1.18 a share. That compared with a net
loss of $128.6 million, or $2.88 per share, which came after a $13 million
restructuring charge. Fourth quarter revenues slipped to $611.4 million
from $612.9 million.
For all of 1996, AST's losses widened to $417.7 million, or $8.22 a share,
from a loss of $263.2 million, or $7.01 a share, in 1995. Revenues fell to
$2.10 billion from $2.35 billion. "It is apparent that in order for AST to
continue as a viable competitor in the intensely competitive PC industry,
significant further support from Samsung will be necessary," states
Samsung's letter. "The acquisition of 100 percent ownership of AST by
Samsung would give AST direct access to Samsung's resources and would
provide AST with the best reasonably available way to return to
profitability." AST says it has formed a special committee to review the
bid and consider other possible options.
Kodak Ships New Digital Camera
Eastman Kodak Co. says its Digital Science DC50 Zoom Camera is now
available in the U.S. at an expected retail price of $699. The Rochester,
New York, company also announced that it will discontinue manufacturing its
Kodak Digital Science DC40 Camera by theend of the first quarter. Kodak
notes that the DC50 provides fast access to digital pictures that can
easily be inserted into standard desktop software applications.
The camera features a 3x zoom lens; "good," "better" and "best" picture
modes; PCMCIA removable storage cards and 1MB of permanent internal memory.
"Our decision to discontinue production of the DC40 is part of ongoing
effort to continually refresh our product portfolio and give our customers
a complete solution at an attractive price point," said Cliff Trott,
Kodak's chief marketing officer for digital and applied imaging.
New Chip Promises Faster Downloads
A new digital signal processor chip introduced today by Texas Instruments
may provide a long-awaited solution to the Internet bottleneck. The chip,
which operates at 1.6 billion instructions per second, can power a rapidly
emerging high-speed method to connect to the Internet. For example, a file
that currently takes 10 minutes to download will take less than five
seconds. "Texas Instruments' new technology will enable us to continue
leading the revolution in Internet access," says Dale Walsh, vice president
of advanced development at U.S. Robotics, which will use the chip with its
new 56K bps line of x2 modems.
"With this chip, not only will more users be able to log on to the
Internet, but they will also be able to download files 120 times faster
than today. The World Wide Web will no longer be the World Wide Wait."
Digital signal processors (DSPs) are powerful, specialized semiconductors
that are ideal for very fast, math-intensive computing. They are used in a
variety of consumer electronics such as cellular phones, pagers, hard disk
drives, modems, digital satellite systems and audio/video equipment.
In addition to increased speed, the new chip, dubbed the TMS320C6201 will
open the door to products that allow callers to use one phone line for
regular voice telephone calls and data calls at the same time, eliminating
the need for a separate modem line. For example, while one faily member is
using the home computer to send and receive data on the Internet, the same
person or other family members can still make and receive voice phone calls
on the same line. "We believe that DSP technology, like this TI chip, will
have a profound effect on the way we communicate, both at work and at
home," says Joseph Grenier, vice president of market research firm
Dataquest. "The impact of DSP technology and what we call the coming DSP
revolution, can be likened to what the Pentium did to desktop computing."
More information about TI's new chip is located on the Web
at:www.ti.com/sc/C6x.
Foot-Operated Mouse Unveiled
Hunter Digital has released a foot-operated mouse. The Los Angeles-based
manufacturer says its NoHands Mouse eliminates the repetitive, time-wasting
keyboard-to-mouse hand movements found with traditional hand-operated mouse
units. The new device features two interchangeable pedals that sit on the
floor. One pedal controls cursor movement and speed while the other
controls the "clicking" function. "A large percentage of carpal tunnel
cases are hand-mouse related," says a Hunter spokesman. "The NoHands mouse
helps avoid carpal tunnel by moving the mouse function to a more solid
joint: the ankle." The NoHands Mouse is compatible with Windows, Windows
95, OS/2 and Macintosh mouse drivers. More information is available on
Hunter Digital's Web site at www.footmouse.com.
ISPs Back x2 Access
U.S. Robotics Inc. reports that 70 percent of Internet Service Provider
subscribers worldwide now have access lines that support the firm's new 56K
bps x2 technology. The Skokie, Illinois, company says that in the past
month the number of ISPs supporting x2 has more than doubled, and that x2
support is now available to more than 18 million subscribers worldwide.
"Our coverage of the market with x2 will be tremendous," predicts John
McCartney, president and chief operating officer of U.S. Robotics. "The
clear majority of subscribers worldwide will access ISPs that support x2
technology, and we're continuing our momentum in the market with new ISPs
coming on board every day." The first x2 modems are scheduled to ship
within a few weeks. A list of ISPs supporting x2 can be accessed on U.S.
Robotics' Web site at http://x2.usr.com/leaders/index.html.
Browser for Blind, Disabled Tested
A Web browser designed for blind and other disabled people is being tested
on the Internet's World Wide Web. The software -- pwWebSpeak, made by The
Productivity Works of Trenton improves on existing programs that read
computer screens aloud, says Associated Press writer Linda A. Johnson, who
adds, "I enables blind and other disabled users to browse through the
headings and highlighted hyperlinks on a Web page, finding what they want
and jumping from page to page like a sighted person."
And for those with limited vision, the program can display text in large
type. Its developers say it should help people with dyslexia, learning
disorders and dexterity impairments such as multiple sclerosis. The
program works with most existing hardware for speech synthesis, but can be
used with a much-cheaper software synthesizer called SoftVoice, Johnson
reports. Charges for pwWebSpeak vary from $250 for commercial users to $125
for government, education and nonprofit agencies. Individual disabled
people can get it free, but are asked to pay $50 for software support.
A new upgrade integrates access to "Real Audio 3.0," which allows people to
catch broadcasts of news programs, live concerts, college football games
and more through the rapidly growing number of Real Audio sites, according
to Productivity Works senior vice president Mark Hakinnen. Two more
upgrades, both with SoftVoice integrated, are due late next month,
pwReader, designed for dyslexics and people with some vision, integrates
Microsoft's Internet Explorer to display Web graphics; pwWebSpeak-PRO
allows voice commands to run the software.
The latter lets users give complex commands by voice, such as telling the
computer to display a particular newspaper's front page, said Productivity
Works executive vice president Ray Ingram. Versions for foreign languages
will be available over the next couple of months, starting with Finnish,
French, German, Italian and Spanish, AP reports. A sample copy of
pwWebSpeak and more information are available from The Productivity Works'
Web site at http://www.prodworks.com or by calling (609) 984-8044.
Hard Drive Market Set for Growth
The hard drive industry is preparing for strong growth in 1997, following
on the 106 million units shipped worldwide in 1996, according to industry
totals compiled by TrendFOCUS Inc., a Palo Alto, California, market
research firm. U.S. companies maintained a dominant 86 percent share of
the market, but Japanese and Korean companies are challenging for market
share, finds TrendFOCUS. Fueled by PC shipments, a strong upgrade market
and booming sales of network servers and workstations, the demand for disk
drives is spiraling upward.
"Last year, the disk drive industry further solidified its electronics
industry position, by providing more storage capacity at lower prices,"
says John Donovan, vice president of TrendFOCUS. "No other technology has
provided a more definable, cost-effective enhancement to computers like the
disk drive." Average storage capacities skyrocketed last year, notes
TrendFOCUS. "Entering 1996, the average desktop PC drive stored 875MB. At
year's end, the average capacity was 1.4GB, a 60-plus percent improvement
-- at even lower prices than 875MB drives were sold," says Donovan. "Unlike
new processors or monitors, disk drives offer higher capacities and
performance at steadily lower prices with each new generation."
Industry-standard formats won out handily. TrendFOCUS notes that 3.5-inch
drives, the desktop PC standard, withstood a resurgent 5.25-inch effort.
The same was true in the portable market. 2.5-inch drives dominated the
portable storage market, and 3-inch drives were a non-factor in 1996. "But
with at least three suppliers entering the 3-inch segment, 2.5-inch drives
will be challenged in 1997," added Donovan. Removable hard drives, sold
primarily by Iomega and SyQuest Technology, posted outstanding gains in
1996, finds TrendFOCUS. Aggressive marketing and lower prices will broaden
demand for removable drives in the late 1990s.
Seagate Technology regained the top market position via its acquisition of
Conner Peripherals early in the year. Quantum was the second largest
supplier, but Western Digital made the most significant market share gain.
"But while U.S. suppliers dominated, non-U.S. suppliers again made
impressive gains," says Donovan. "Fujitsu, Toshiba, Samsung and others are
investing and will challenge U.S. suppliers across the product spectrum."
"The 1997 outlook is very strong. PC growth will be stellar again in 1997,
thanks to wider adoption of multimedia, large software suites and a healthy
upgrade mrket. Storage demand from servers and workstations is booming, the
convergence of the PC with entertainment is boosting storage needs," says
Donovan. "We expect the drive industry to grow even faster in 1997 to more
than 130 million units."
Windows Gains Ground in Schools
New market research suggests PCs running Microsoft Corp.'s Windows software
are gaining ground on Apple Computer Inc.'s Macintosh as the favored
computer in grade schools. According to the Reuter News Service, the
survey by International Data Corp/LINK reports grade schools said 56
percent of the new computers they plan to buy during the 1996-97 school
year will run Windows software. The rest, 43 percent, would be computers
from Apple.
"Traditionally," notes Reuters, "Apple has been the teacher's pet among
educators because of its easy-to-use computers. Microsoft, which has been
coveting Apple's dominance of the educational market, launched an
aggressive marketing campaign last summer aimed at schools to convince them
to switch to PCs running Windows 95." And now the IDC/LINK report finds
that based on Microsoft's foray and concerns about Apple's financial
future, schools said for the first time they plan to buy more Windows-based
PCs than Macs.
Said analyst William Ablondi, "There's no question about it, school
purchases are shifting to PCs running Windows. Parents have a lot of
influence over what goes on in the schools, and more and more want their
children to learn what they are using in the workplace." Nonetheless,
Apple spokeswoman Carleen LeVasseur told the wire service the report is
inconclusive because it does not measure what schools actually bought,
adding, "This report is doing nothing to suggest a change in the market
share." She pointed out that in the same report, IDC/LINK found 55 percent
of the school districts said they plan to buy Apple computers in the school
year. The rest said they planned to buy Windows machines.
Students Embrace PCs and E-Mail
New research from IDC/LINK finds that the rapid growth of elecronic
communication in corporate America may be just a taste of things to come if
the behavior of today's college students is any indication. Whether for
school work or leisure, the majority of college students are now active
users of PC-based e-mail, says the Framingham, Massachusetts, market
researcher. It notes that roughly 9.1 million students are regular e-mail
users and fully 6.1 million could be considered "e- mailaholics," sending
and receiving messages almost every day.
E-mail and PC use are among the fastest growing parts of the U.S. college
market for technology, according to IDC/LINK. Student spending on advanced
technology products exceeded $10.2 billion in 1996, with purchase plans for
1997 at record levels. IDC/LINK says students at both two-year and
four-year schools now have extraordinary access to personal computers. As
recently as two years ago, computer use was often oriented toward students
in math and science courses who could only find PCs in campus computer
labs. Today, the school's network is used by all students for tasks as
diverse as group assignments, class registration, and most important of all
- e-mail. For those without PCs, computers are often available throughout
the campus -- from the library to mail centers to student lounges.
School instructors are also relying on new technology to support classroom
work. Raymond Boggs, who directed the higher education research project,
says about 40 percent of students obtain class assignments electronically
and nearly as many submit material electronically. "The electronic campus
is a reality in more and more schools," says Boggs. "And schools are
realizing they need to offer a comprehensive networking environment to be
competitive."
Phones Jammed by Net Surfers?
Growing interest in Internet use is jamming America's telephone networks,
making busy signals more common for anyone who uses a phone, says an
associate professor at Michigan State University. In fact, says
telecommunications expert Robert LaRose, in some West Coast areas phone
users must redial 15 percent of their calls, adding, "It will get worse.
The local telephone loop is the bottleneck. There are not enough switching
points for the incoming calls."
Speaking with United Press International, LaRose says local phone companies
are being pressured to expand, although they'll likely seek higher rates to
cover the costs. UPI says LaRose foresees phone companies asking
regulators to dump the exemption to phone-access fees currently enjoyed by
Internet providers, adding phone companies were not prepared for the sudden
growth in Internet use. He said each computer-Internet link occupies a
phone line for an average 20 minutes -- sometimes all day -- while the
average talking phone call lasts three minutes.
Group Expands Net Addresses
The number of available online addresses has been dramatically increased by
an international Internet group that also has moved to quell disputes over
the use of trademarks in those address names. The International Ad Hoc
Committee -- including members of Internet standards-setting bodies and
legal and communications experts -- is proposing seven new "top-level
domains" (the last block of letters at the end of every Internet address).
Reporting from Washington, Aaron Pressman of the Reuter News Service says
that if the plan is adopted, Net surfers will see addresses ending in
".web," ".store," ".info," ".firm," ".arts," ".rec" and ".nom," joining
other existing top-level domains such as ".com," ".edu," ".gov" and ".org."
"Each new domain reflects a particular type or category of Internet site,"
notes Pressman. "For example, 'rec' would be for sites emphasizing
recreation and entertainment, while 'nom' would be for those desiring
individual or personal nomenclature."
Noting the group received more than 4,000 comments from around the world,
Donald Heath, president of the Internet Society and chair of the ad hoc
committee, told the wire service, "We are very pleased with the acceptance
and broad consensus that we have achieved in this process. To attain its
fullest potential, the Internet requires true self-governance." He told
the wire service the plan should be approved by Internet standard setters
within a few weeks, allowing new domains to come online about three months
later.
Notably, the plan also includes provisions to resolve disputes arising from
use of trademarked names as Internet addresses, including complex disputes
in which both parties may have a legitimate claim to an Internet address.
Pressman says that under the committee plan:
z Anyone applying for an Internet address will have to agree to resolve
disputes through online mediation under the rules of the World Intellectual
Property Organization.
z Mediation will be provided by panels composed of international experts
on intellectual property, trademarks and the Net. Challenges initiated
within 60 days of an address registration would be resolved within 30 days.
z All challenges and proposed decisions would be made public and time
allowed for comment before a final decision was rendered.
Also, the plan calls for setting up as many as 28 competing registration
firms to distribute new Net addresses, all operating under the auspices of
a Council of Registrars, to be established as a non-profit association in
Switzerland. At present, only one firm -- Network Solutions Inc. -- hands
out addresses in the most popular domains, charging $100 for a two-year
registration.
At its Herndon, Va., headquarters, Network Solutions, which registers over
80,000 new Internet addresses a month, had no comment on the plan, but
spokesman Christopher Clough raised doubts about its viability, saying,
"We're concerned with the stability and integrity of the registration
process." If you want to check out the complete proposal yourself, see the
document
posted on the World Wide Web:
(http://www.iahc.org/draft-iahc-recommend-00.html).
Courts Rule Against E-Junk Mail
Two federal court rulings have come down against Cyber Promotions Inc., a
Philadelphia company accused of sending electronic junk over both
CompuServe and America Online. In Columbus, Ohio, a federal judge has
barred Cyber Promotions from sending unsolicited e-mail advertisements to
CompuServe's 5 million subscribers.
Also, a federal judge in Philadelphia forbid the bulk e-mailer from
falsifying return e-mail addresses, which kept America Online members from
blocking the unsolicited messages. A CompuServe spokesman told The
Associated Press that unsolicited e-mail concerned members because they
have to take the time to sift through the junk mail while paying for their
time online.
And an AOL official told the wire service the order in that case will
prevent Cyber Promotions from circumventing a tool available to its members
designed to block junk e-mail. CompuServe sued Cyber Promotions last year,
saying its host computers were bogged down with junk e-mail, and that
subscribers were complaining about having to sift through their electronic
mailboxes while the meter was running on their accounts.
U.S. District Judge James L. Graham wrote in a 32-page order, "CompuServe
is entitled to restrict access to its private property," adding the order
will remain in effect until the case is decided at trial or settled. Three
months ago, a federal judge in Philadelphia hearing a case involving Cyber
Promotions and AOL ruled that junk e-mail is not protected speech under the
First Amendment, and that AOL had the right to block its delivery to
subscribers. Graham cited that ruling in rejecting Cyber Promotions' First
Amendment claims.
Net Draws Viewers From TV?
Computer industry executives are saying that while the Internet is drawing
many viewers away from their TV sets, the Net will have to become more like
TV if it wants to boost its mass appeal to consumers. Reporting from the
World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Michael
Shields of the Reuter News Servce added, "In any event, the two media are
converging rapidly in a trend that will accelerate when digital
broadcasting replaces the dominant analog television system around the
world."
Speaking in a panel discussion at the gathering, Chairman Michael Dell of
Dell Computer Corp. noted, "We recently completed a survey of our
customers, who told us in the consumer segment that they prefer to be on
the Internet than to watch television at home." And President Raymond Lane
of Oracle Corp. predicted the distinction between TV and the Internet soon
will start to blur, adding, "There will be a convergence in the next couple
of years, maybe sooner than that."
Lane said this will lead to customized newspapers and video called up at
the touch of a button as a powerful rival to television. "This is a slowly
adapting marketplace," he said, "but I think broadcast television, as
alternatives for profiling and customization are offered, will diminish."
On the same panel, chief technology officer Eric Schmidt of Sun
Microsystems Inc. said the breakthrough will come when digital broadcasting
puts television on the same technological footing as computers.
"At the point when the television signal that the average person gets is
digital," Schmidt said, "there is tremendous leverage to browsing the
Internet model and the digital bits that you see on your screen. What I
worry about is that we will hit a limit in our industry in the number of
people to whom it makes sense to be online. To get to the 70, 80, 90
percent kind of market that television has, we are going to have to have a
model that looks a lot more like television and a lot more like
entertainment than any of us have seen so far."
Meanwhile, Lane said he was a bit more skeptical of forecasts that the
Internet could crowd out television in the battle for consumers, adding,
"The consumer is slow to adapt, always. You can push the cost down and
simplify things, but consumer behavior is very, very difficult to change.
This is going to be a very predictable and relativel slow-growth rate for
our industry." And on the hardware front, Lane sees a trend toward
affordable computers rather than high-powered machines. "I am much more
optimistic you will start to see very simple, low-cost devices," he said.
"You don't need the complexity if you just have a limited set of tasks, if
you do e-mail all day or are connected to a local area network."
Corporations Embrace Net E-Mail
Internet e-mail software exploded onto the corporate messaging scene in
1996, with new users growing at a rate of 727 percent, compared to 46
percent for the total market, according to new research from International
Data Corp. Eleven million of the corporate messaging market's 36 million
business users used Internet e-mail software according to IDC's preliminary
estimates. The growth and advent of open e-mail standards slowed the growth
of traditional e-mail products and vaulted Internet vendors, such as
Netscape, to the top of the user market. IBM's Lotus division had a great
year as well by incorporating Internet standards into its products.
The Internet was the fastest growing e-mail market segment, with LAN e-mail
growing by a comparatively modest 16 percent to 17 million new users
worldwide. Unix, mid-range, and mainframe e-mail segments experienced
declines in the number of new users. The top e-mail software vendors,
based on new users worldwide in 1996, were IBM/Lotus with 27 percent,
Netscape with 17 percent, Microsoft with 11 percent, QUALCOMM with 9
percent, Novell with 7 percent, Software.com with 4 percent, and
Hewlett-Packard with 4 percent.
"In 1996, rapid adoption of Internet e-mail software occurred at the same
time as LAN e-mail software vendors raced to implement open Internet
standards," says Mark Levitt, research manager of IDC's electronic
messaging program. "This led many user organizations who were anxious to
move to next generation platforms featuring improved interoperability,
scalability, manageability and functionality to slow the evaluation and
deployment of new e-mail software. With a critical business application
such as messaging, users preferred slowing down the process rather than
moving too quickly and risk betting on the wrong horse."
A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N
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A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N
The Momentum Builds
By Brad Silverberg
Within the last couple of years, the tremendous
opportunities afforded by the Internet have energized Microsoft and
awakened us to possibilities we hadn't before imagined -- ways we can use
Internet technologies to transform how people use their computers, increase
their productivity, and work together in new ways.
Of course, the Internet also is a stage for some relatively wacky ideas
(such as The Pink Floyd Laser Moonshot) and bizarre performances (check out
Mr. Showbiz's take on Dennis Rodman). But we at Microsoft have learned that
creating breakthrough software products requires that a certain minimal
percentage of the people we hire qualify as "very strange." I could tell
you about the programmer who forgot to wear shoes for an entire year, or
the group manager who kept an Elvis shrine and a gargantuan green lizard
named Igweena Athena Iguana in his office -- quite against company rules, I
assure you, in the case of the reptile. But I digress.
A Drumbeat of Announcements
This revolution inside Microsoft has led to a spate of Internet-related
products and partnerships, which are now being announced almost daily. Just
within the last month, for example, we released Internet Explorer 3.0 for
Windows 3.1, and MCI joined Arthur Andersen, Sprint PCS, and Compaq
Computer Corp. in naming Microsoftr Internet Explorer 3.0 as their browser
of choice, along with Coopers and Lybrand, one of the world's largest
professional services firms. Then Microsoft and PointCast announced an
agreement that will bring Internet broadcasting to millions of computer
users worldwide. Last but far from least, we released Internet Explorer 3.0
for the Macintoshr at a gala event at MacWorld Expo in San Francisco, and
Apple Computer announced that they would be shipping Internet Explorer 3.0
along with the Macintosh operating system. Whew!
We are making so much Internet news so often these days that we've had to
create a whole new Web page just to hold it all, and we've got three shifts
of hard-working editors rapidly writing releases to keep up with all the
activity.
Open Standards, Java, and the W3C
Over the years, companies have come to rely on various operating systems,
programming languages and technologies to solve all kinds of business
problems. Open standards -- broadly agreed to and implemented by many
companies -- function as a kind of Rosetta Stone amid this complexity; they
enable different computer systems to share and process information
effectively, regardless of where it is stored or how it was created.
Microsoft's tools are based on open standards and protocols. Our products
and technologies are designed to work well across different computer
systems (like Macintosh, UNIX, and Windowsr), using open Internet protocols
and specifications. While we adopt and embrace technologies created by
others, we also offer core Microsoft technologies as open standards to be
owned by the Internet community.
For example, last October we handed over control of Microsoft's ActiveXT
technology to The Open Group, a software industry standards body. When we
invented a new way of bringing Web pages to life, known as dynamic HTML,
our first action this fall was to seek its approval and adoption by the
World Wide Web Consortium (also known as the W3C), a standards-setting
body. And since we licensed JavaT from Sun Computer Company last year we've
created the very fastest, slickest implementation of Java on both Windows
and the Macintosh, and the most popular, widely used Java development tool
in the industry.
The key to Microsoft's success on the Internet can be summed up thus:
"Innovate based on open standards."
Microsoft's Active Platform
The Active Platform spans the whole range of Microsoft technologies and
products, from the server to the desktop, from the browser to the service
provider, from the traditional developer to the Web site builder. At the
heart of the Active Platform is bringing client/server and Web technologies
together to help developers build the next generation of Internet
applications. Both the client and server work together, fully implementing
the same standards-based technologies, to build these applications.
The following diagram shows how this works.
You can build powerful Web applications using all the basic technology
that's both at the heart of the Web and the foundation of the Windows
operating system. For example, an airline could create a site designed to
help you look up the status of your frequent flyer program miles. You could
ask the application questions like, "How many miles will I have in my
account after my Christmas trip?" or "Do I have enough miles built up to
pay for a free flight to visit my grandmother?"
The server could then deliver a Web page to your browser that is created
from information in the airline's database. An application like this would
use HTML to display information on both the client and the server, software
objects to make development easy, scripting to control the objects and
display of information, and basic system services from both the client and
server.
Active Client
With Microsoft's Active Client technology, HTML, the language of the Web,
has become the language of the desktop as well. We try to do a world-class
job of supporting and extending the HTML standard, to provide access to the
richest and broadest set of information on the Internet, and we enable
users to apply the inventions and innovations of the Web to enhance their
experience of their own personal computers.
Client-side scripts written in a variety of languages like VBScript and
JavaScript or JScriptT can be used to create the most flexible and dynamic
pages. ActiveX components like Java applets and controls created in Visual
Basicr or Visual C++r can bring Web pages to life with all the
extraordinary capabilities of the personal computer, easily scripted by
site builders.
Active Server
Microsoft's Active Server technology brings all the capabilities and
standards of the Internet to the server as well as the client. So HTML
pages can be created "on the fly" by the server and sent out to clients.
The types of ActiveX scripts and components that can run in your browser
can run on a Web server as well. This offers a new set of opportunities for
developers to create Web applications in more efficient and powerful ways.
And finally, these new Active applications can take advantage of system
services that offer dozens of imaginative capabilities, from connecting to
every conceivable type of information provider to delivering a truly
personalized experience of the Internet, from providing utterly reliable
security to enabling users to shop as safely in the virtual world as in any
physical bazaar.
Brad Silverberg is senior vice-president at Microsoft in charge of the
Applications and Internet Client Group.
c 1997 Microsoft Corporation
EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
Edupage
Contents
Domain Registration Plan Drops 60-Day Waiting Period
Appeals Court Overturns NBA Data Decision
Satellite Loss Scrambles Distance Education
Japan Experiments With Internet Smut Filters
IRS Computers "Do Not Work In The Real World"
America Online Not Yet Off Hook
Another Apple Reorganization Coming Soon
ChinaByte Has Big Initial Success
The No-PC Connection
TI's New Chip Handles Many Tasks At Once
Cronkite Is (Almost) Spitting Mad Over Internet Prank
Let It Be....SoftwareNovell Targets Borderware
Netscape's Navio Plans
Nintendo And Sony In Close Game
Gates Says Old Laws Are Good Enough For The Net
Culture Clashes On The Internet
Gates And Grove On Government's Role In Technology
Apple Needs "A Short List," Says Amelio
The Eyes Have Had It
Internet II Update
University Network Is Not "Public Forum"
Look Out -- Here Come More Domain Names!
NY Att'y General Opposes Nynex-Bell Atlantic Merger
Tax On Audio Tapes
Prodigy Finds Its Voice
America Offline
Apple: Out Of The Sand And Off With The Gloves
DOMAIN REGISTRATION PLAN DROPS 60-DAY WAITING PERIOD
The International Ad Hoc Committee likely will adopt a plan to create new
generic top-level domains for nternet addresses without including a
provision that would require a 60-day waiting period before a domain name
is assigned. As an alternative, the Committee is considering new options
for avoiding potential trademark disputes generated when names are
assigned on a first-come-first-served basis, including a requirement that
registrants agree to participate in a voluntary mediation service in the
event of any disagreements. (BNA Daily Report for Executives 28 Jan 97)
APPEALS COURT OVERTURNS NBA DATA DECISION
The Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York has overturned a lower
court decision, which prohibited Motorola and Stats, Inc. from
disseminating real-time NBA (National Basketball Association) scores and
statistics over hand-held pagers. The NBA had previously claimed that the
companies' unauthorized use of information about the basketball games was
"stealing" valuable league property. The NBA plans to appeal the latest
decision. (Wall Street Journal 31 Jan 97)
SATELLITE LOSS SCRAMBLES DISTANCE EDUCATION
The recent failure of AT&T's Telstar 401 satellite has upset budgetary
plans for many institutions that offer distance learning classes, as
universities scramble for replacement time in the high-priced spot market.
Telstar 401 was known as the "educational neighborhood satellite," and was
expected to function until 2007. AT&T now says it's hoping to convert
another satellite, Telstar 402R into an education-oriented replacement,
depending on the successful positioning of another satellite scheduled for
launch in May. The failed satellite was used by the Public Broadcasting
Service, Lehigh University, the National Technological University, the
University of South Carolina, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the
University of New Mexico, PBS systems in Florida, Georgia and Louisiana,
and many others. (Chronicle of Higher Education 31 Jan 97)
JAPAN EXPERIMENTS WITH INTERNET SMUT FILTERS
Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry and the Electronic
Network Council, chaired by NEC Corp., are working together to develop
filtering systems that will deny access to crime, sex and violence- related
Internet sites. They also plan to experiment with "smart" chips that
automatically block access to objectionable sites, unless the user enters
a special password. Separately, the Ministry of Posts and
Telecommunications has urged Internet providers to prepare their own
Internet rating guidelines, similar to the U.S. Platform for Internet
Content Selection (PICS), and has also recommended using filters to
eliminate electronic smut. Japanese officials emphasize that the
government "is not in the position to force the use of the filtering
system," on Internet users, and that it supports "total" freedom of
information. (BNA Daily Report for Executives 30 Jan 97)
IRS COMPUTERS "DO NOT WORK IN THE REAL WORLD"
An Assistant Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service has conceded to a
panel created by Congress that a $4-billion computer systems modernization
project has failed, that IRS computers "do not work in the real world,"
and that the agency is incapable of bringing its computer capabilities up
to the right level because it lacks the "intellectual capital" for the
job. He proposed contracting out the processing of paper returns filed by
individuals and abandoning a "big bang" approach to systems modernization
in favor an incremental, piecemeal one. Though characterizing the systems
as "dysfunctional," the administrator told that panel that the IRS "is
wholly dependent on them." (New York Times 31 Jan 97)
AMERICA ONLINE NOT YET OFF HOOK
Although America Online has agreed with 36 state attorneys to compensate
subscribers for their difficulties in using AOL after the company built
subscriber levels beyond what its network could handle, some customers are
planning to proceed with class-action lawsuits claiming that poor service
from the company caused them to lose business opportunities. But an
America Online spokesperson says that, under the Terms of Service usage
contract, "that kind of damage isn't the responsibility of AOL."
(Washington Post 1 Feb 97)
ANOTHER APPLE REORGANIZATION COMING SOON
Apple Computer is planning a reorganization that will focus on three core
markets (apparently publishing, education, and either the Internet or
consumer), and that will include laying off as many as 3,000 employees.
The company has also announced price cuts of up to 27% on Power Macintosh
and Performa computers and network servers. (San Jose Mercury News Center
1 Feb 97)
CHINABYTE HAS BIG INITIAL SUCCESS
ChinaByte, the new Chinese-language Web site created as a $2.5-million
joint venture by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., the Chinese Community
newspaper People's Daily, and the Ziff-Davis computer magazine publishing
company, has been inundated in its first two weeks of operation, with more
than a million "hits." A ChinaByte executive explained: "All these
computer-literate Chinese on the Net have never had anything to access
before, so they keep coming back." (Financial Times 31 Jan 97)
THE NO-PC CONNECTION
For consumers who want to check out the Internet, but aren't ready for the
care and feeding of a full-fledged PC, iPhone offers connectivity in the
familiar shape of a telephone. Developed jointly by Cidco and InfoGear,
the phone contains a 7.4-inch backlit VGA monochrome touch screen large
enough to view a whole Web page. The device comes with a small slide-out
keyboard for composing e-mail messages and costs about $500. (Business
Week 3 Feb 97)
TI'S NEW CHIP HANDLES MANY TASKS AT ONCE
A new digital-signal processor developed by Texas Instruments can handle
1.6 billion instructions per second, about 40 times the processing power
of a comparable chip found in a computer modem. Though the new chip
doesn't move information faster, it allows more information to be exchanged
simultaneously, says a TI spokesman. For instance, if the chip were used
at a telephone switching center, it could manipulate 24 calls at once, an
operation that usually requires 24 chips. The new chip will enhance the
performance of CD-players, wireless phones, digital cameras and other
electronic devices. (Wall Street Journal 31 Jan 97)
CRONKITE IS (ALMOST) SPITTING MAD OVER INTERNET PRANK
Idly surfing the Internet several months ago, famed TV newsman Walter
Cronkite searched on his name and found a home page created by an Internet
applications developer in Ohio who wrote an untrue account of meeting a
tipsy, cursing Mr. Cronkite accosting the developer in a restaurant and
spitting in his food. The man has closed down the site and said that "it
was never my intention to hurt anyone." Cronkite, who had considered
suing the developer, calls the home page "scurrilous" and says: "I don't
think I've ever spit in my life." (New York Times 1 Feb 97)
LET IT BE....SOFTWARE
Be Inc. is getting out of the hardware business, ending production of its
BeBox PC in favor of focusing on Be's software and operating system
development. The decision was based in part on the inherent conflict the
company experienced in marketing its BeOS to the Power Mac community while
at the same time trying to compete with its own machines. "With the
advent of multiprocessing Power Macs from Apple, Power Computing, DayStar,
and others yet to come, we've been able to run the BeOS on some pretty
impressive hardware," wrote Be's Alex Osadzinski, in a recent letter to
BeOS developers. "It's very hard, actually impossible, for a small, 50-
person company like Be to keep up with the hardware engineering resources
of the entire Power Mac market." Warranties on all BeBoxes now owned will
be honored, the company says, and releases of the BeOS for the next year
will continue to support the BeBox. (InfoWorld Electric 31 Jan 97)
NOVELL TARGETS BORDERWARE
Novell sees a bright future in the "gray" area where corporate intranets
connect to the Intranet, says its President, Joseph Marengi: "We're calling
that zone the border -- and we'll have BorderWare, (which) will provide
significant intranet performance increases. The problem is, employees are
accessing the Internet from different points and typing up bandwidth. But the
network could start working from a single point, getting all the information
down into this incredibly fast, specialized engine that shoots it onto the
Internet. Then employees could continue to work at local-area-network
speeds and let this device in the middle do all the work for them."
(Investor's Business Daily 4 Feb 97)
NETSCAPE'S NAVIO PLANS
Netscape's Navio division, a joint venture with seven electronics and
computer companies, including Nintendo and Sony, will soon see its TV
Navigator software incorporated into Zenith Electronics television sets.
The company has ambitious plans to launch a new product every three months,
with possibilities including a phone browser that connects to global
telephone directories, a gas pump that includes a readout showing local
traffic conditions, and a ticker that runs on your TV set showing the
current prices of your stock portfolio. "It will take about two more
years to start in full swing," says Netscape chairman James Clark.
(Business Week 10 Feb 97)
NINTENDO AND SONY IN CLOSE GAME
Nintendo has caught up to Sony in the market for next-generation video game
players, with each company selling between 1.3 million and 1.4 million of
their newest players in the U.S. during the 4th quarter. During the same
period, Sega sold between 500,000 and 600,000 comparable units. The
Nintendo product in this competition is the Nintendo 64 system based on
the 3D graphics chips from Silicon Graphics. (Wall Street Journal 3 Feb
97)
GATES SAYS OLD LAWS ARE GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE NET
Microsoft's Bill Gates: "It's always surprising how old concepts carry
over into the new medium. It's overly idealistic to act like, Oh, the
Internet is the one place where people should be able to do whatever they
wish: present child pornography, do scams, libel people, steal copyrighted
material. Society's values have not changed fundamentally just because
it's an Internet page. Take copyright. Sure, there should be some
clarifications about copyright, but the old principles work surprisingly
well in the new medium. Anybody who says you have to start over -- I
don't agree with that." (George Feb 97)
CULTURE CLASHES ON THE INTERNET
At a session of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the issue
of censorship on the Internet was debated from East/West perspectives,
with the Eastern view represented by such countries as Singapore, Iran,
and Egypt. Denmark foreign minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen said, "Whenever
you want to stop the free flow of information, you must ask yourself what
is possible. The usual answer from politicians is we need international
rules. I say, forget it. It won't happen." Iranian mathematics professor
Mohammed Lasijani countered: "In the west, the issue is sometimes how to
globalise liberalism: how to export an ideology. I am not a liberal, and
I do not believe liberalism is the only way to a decent life." (Financial
Times 4 Feb 97)
GATES AND GROVE ON GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft's Bill Gates and Intel's Andy Grove told the World Economic Forum
audience in Davos that governments have a role to play in increasing the
spread and use of new technology -- not as an active player but simply as
a role model. They want the government's role to be improving the
education system, using new technology internally, and making sure the
proper infrastructure is in place, rather than directly funding research
or legislating its use. (Toronto Globe & Mail 4 Feb 97)
APPLE NEEDS "A SHORT LIST," SAYS AMELIO
Apple CEO Gil Amelio says that one year ago the company was facing five
separate crises: a cash crisis, a quality crisis, an operating system
crisis, a culture crisis, and a fragmentation crisis, but that in the past
year it's made "major progress" in solving all of them except the
fragmentation problem. "We've got to get this entire organization focused
on doing a very short list of things and nothing more." One goal he wants
Apple to focus on is the development of "a machine that runs more
application software than any other machine around. That doesn't mean we
will run Windows. It means we will be implement those programs." (USA
Today 4 Feb 97)
THE EYES HAVE HAD IT
Tenax Software Engineering has come up with a new tool for managing
information overload -- its Cornix Java applet allows you to read Web
pages with "ease and comfort at speeds of up to 1,000 words per minute."
The Cornix applet displays the text of a Web page one word at a time in 100-
point type (almost 1- 1/2 inches high), eliminating the side-to-side eye
scanning that can cause eye fatigue. Tenax reports that most people
double their reading speed almost as soon as they start using Cornix, with
average person, reading about 240 words per minute, increasing to nearly
500 wpm. Tenax claims some enthusiastic readers have even reached "warp"
speeds of 8,000 or so wpm. (Information Week 27 Jan 97)
INTERNET II UPDATE
The 98 colleges and universities that have signed on as charter members of
the Internet II project may be enjoying the initial fruits of their labors
as early as six months from now, when the first of the high-speed
connections is projected to be up and running. Participants have pledged
to spend about $50-million on the project, and President Clinton has
promised to ask Congress for $100-million in his FY '98 budget, which he
will release this week. Although Internet II managers have asked
participants initially to pledge $500,000 a year for the next three years,
some institutions will have to spend much more to upgrade their information
infrastructures on campus, and most acknowledge that the total cost likely
will be much higher. Internet II Steering Committee Chairman Gary
Augustson says he wouldn't be surprised if a few of the charter members
eventually choose to play a less active role in the project: "Universities
ought not to be reluctant to sit back and let somebody else die for their
country." (Chronicle of Higher Education 7 Feb 97)
UNIVERSITY NETWORK IS NOT "PUBLIC FORUM"
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma has ruled that
the University of Oklahoma's policy of granting full Internet access only
to students who declare, with the click of a mouse button, that they're 18
years old and have a legitimate academic purpose for accessing the
material, does not violate the First Amendment's free speech guarantee.
It also ruled that the University did not violate a professor's First
Amendment rights when it blocked campus access to sex-related newsgroups.
According to the judge, the University's two-tiered policy, which allows
full access to a selected menu of newsgroups, and restricted access to the
full menu of the Internet, was legal because, "The OU computer and Internet
services do not constitute a public forum. There was no evidence at trial
that the facilities have ever been open to the general public or used for
public communication." The court said therefore that the university did
not violate the professor's First Amendment rights by dedicating the
university's computers to academic and research purposes. (BNA's
Electronic Information Policy & Law Report 31 Jan 97)
LOOK OUT -- HERE COME MORE DOMAIN NAMES!
The Internet Society's International Ad Hoc Committee has mandated the
creation of seven new Internet domain names, including ".firm" for
businesses, ".store" for retailers, ".web" for businesses related to the
Web, ".rec" for entities dealing in recreational activities, ".info" for
purveyors of information, and ".nom" for users desiring personal
nomenclature. Adding to the confusion, there will now be 28 new companies
registering addresses, a huge leap from one -- Network Solutions Inc. --
which has handled all Internet domain registrations up until now, under
contract to the National Science Foundation. "Network Solutions had a
monopoly; this creates competition," says Donald Heath, president of the
Internet Society. The new names should be in place by the end of the
year, says Heath. (Wall Street Journal 6 Feb 97)
NY ATT'Y GENERAL OPPOSES NYNEX-BELL ATLANTIC MERGER
New York Attorney General Dennis Vacco has voiced his opposition to the
proposed merger between Nynex and Bell Atlantic, warning the move "may
adversely impact competition in New York telephone markets." Vacco's
comments may be considered in an advisory capacity only, but may help to
influence whether the New York Public Service Commission decides to bless
the union. Meanwhile, Nynex CEO Ivan Seidenberg disagrees with Vacco's
opinion: "We think the attorney general is dead wrong on three counts: The
law, the facts and what's good for New York." (Wall Street Journal 6 Feb
97)
Editor Note: The NYSAG should ask about the planned Merger between NYNEX
and Southern Bell.
TAX ON AUDIO TAPES
A plan by Canada to impose a special tax on blank audio tapes has emerged
as another potential trade dispute with the United States, because Canada
plans to use funds from the tax to bolster Canadian radio artists.
Whereas the U.S sees films, television, books and sound recordings as
commercial products with no cultural components, Canada remains committed
to indigenous cultural development and worries about American omination of
the Canadian market. (Toronto Financial Post 5 Feb 97 p5) Canada's
Heritage Minister says that Canada's strong music industry is the result
of 25 years of Canadian protectionist policy that have nurtured the
success of Canadian performers. (Toronto Globe & Mail 6 Feb 97 A12)
PRODIGY FINDS ITS VOICE
Prodigy Services has licensed voice-compression software from Voxware to
provide its subscribers with voice transmission capabilities. The company
plans to have the new system implemented by April. (Investor's Business
Daily 5 Feb 97)
AMERICA OFFLINE
America Online subscribers trying to log on during a two-hour period early
Wednesday evening experienced what a company spokesman called a "hiccup"
which gave them the message: "The system is temporarily unavailable.
Please try again in 15 minutes." The system malfunction was apparently
caused by the installation of a software upgrade. (Atlanta Journal-
Constitution 6 Feb 97)
APPLE: OUT OF THE SAND AND OFF WITH THE GLOVES
Apple CEO Gil Amelio told company shareholders: "As most of you know, I've
dealt with troubled companies before. I am well acquainted with what it
takes to bring them back to health. When I joined Apple, I said the
journey back would take about three years. Today, we're about a third of
the way there. We're working hard to move faster, but unfortunately there
are no shortcuts, no magic bullets." He's asked Apple employee to do
three things: "Manage the fundamentals to keep us on a firm business
footing; focus on the strategic core of our business so we concentrate our
efforts where we can make a difference and win; and attack the
competition. We're taking our heads out of the sand. We're taking the
gloves off. And we're ready for action." (San Jose Mercury News Center 6
Feb 97)
Edupage is written by John Gehl (gehl@educom.edu) & Suzanne Douglas
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Kids Computing Corner
Frank Sereno, Editor
fsereno@streport.com
The Kids' Computing Corner
Computer news and software reviews
from a parent's point of view
In the News
Hi there gang! This week's news is that The Kids' Computing Corner is
holding another drawing to give away a program. We have a copy of the
Macintosh version of Titanic: An Adventure Out of Time that will be awarded
to a lucky winner via a random drawing. Entries will be accepted through
12:01am Thursday, February 20 and the winner will be announced in the
February 21 edition of the Silicon Times Report. To enter, all you need to
do is send an e-mail to me with the word Titanic in either the message body
or the subject header. My e-mail addresses are fsereno@streport.com and
fsereno@matrix.uti.com. The winner will be notified by e-mail and the
prize will be shipped as soon as I have the winner's address. The staff of
STR Publishing is not eligible for this contest.
Go West
The Homesteader's Challenge
CD-ROM
Ages 8 and up
Brighter Child Interactive
150 E. Wilson Bridge Road Suite 150
Columbus, Ohio 43085
(614) 847-8118
http://www.brighterchild.com
Program Requirements
IBM Macintosh
OS: Windows 3.1 OS: System 7.1
CPU: 486/66 (Pentium recommended) CPU: 68040 or
PowerPC
HD Space: 250 MB full, 1MB minimum HD Space: 1 MB
Memory: 8 MB Memory: 8 MB
Graphics: 640 by 480 with 256 colors Graphics:
256 colors, 13" monitor
CD-ROM: Double-speed CD-ROM: Double-speed
Audio: SB compatible sound card
Other: mouse Other: mouse
review by Angelo Marasco (amarasco@nlenx.com)
Go West is a wonderful role-playing educational game produced in
partnership with the Plano, Texas School District. It provides
entertainment while teaching decision-making, money management, mathematics
and history. I was thoroughly impressed with this program.
The program opens with a documentary about the immigrants who poured into
the U.S. from the Old World during the late 1800's. In Go West you play
the role of one of these immigrants. After a short time in America you
decide to take advantage of the land giveaways in Kansas and become a
homesteader, farming your own 160 acres. You pack up your wife and
daughter and take the train to Longview, Kansas. To keep your homestead
you must farm it for five years and build a house and well on the property.
On your way to Kansas you decide what your ultimate goal will be: to become
a successful farmer, a businessman or a politician.
The first thing you'll learn when you start your homestead is that
neighbors supported neighbors while trying to make a life in the New World.
Your neighbors immediately help you to build a house and to put in the well
and put a windmill over it to pump water. For the rest of the scenario
your neighbors are available with tips and advice to help you meet your
goal.
You spend the rest of the game striving for your goal, running your farm,
supporting your family and dealing with the historic pressures of the
period from 1880 to 1919. During this time you have three more children.
You will watch them grow up and, depending on the child, get married, go to
school, get involved in political movements and go to war.
During the game you will personally experience the advances, political
movements, good times and bad times that this tumultuous thirty-nine-year
period had to offer. Let me give you a few examples of what I'm talking
about. In farming your method of plowing and harvesting will change from
horse-drawn plows and sickles to tractor when steam powered tractors become
available. The prices you'll receive for your crops will vary as the
nation experiences droughts, recessions, abundant harvests and world war.
You will also experience the adversarial relationship of farmers against
railroads that own the grain elevators and pay you low prices while they
make a killing on your crops. You will become involved in farmers'
political parties that were formed because of this problem. While farming
your land you'll find yourself dealing with occasional grasshopper swarms
and prairie fires that destroy your entire crop and with cattle that wander
into your fields and destroy large parts of your crop. You will also watch
your little town of Longview grow into an almost bustling mini-city. At
times you'll be asked to take part in decisions that will affect the town
and its people.
During the scenario you'll be making other decisions that will affect your
personal wealth. A few years into the game you will meet a wagon driver
from a nearby town who is willing to haul your grain to that town's grain
elevator. That grain elevator is always willing to pay a few more cents
per bushel for your grain. In times when the nation is experiencing good
harvests that few cents per bushel can represent as much as double what the
grain elevator in Longview is paying. The catch is that the driver charges
a fee to haul your grain. On top of that, if the driver gets caught in a
rainstorm then part of your crop may be damaged causing a lowered return.
So to decide whether to ship your grain by wagon you have to add up your
bonus for selling at a higher price, subtract the cost of shipping, then
decide if it is worth the risk anyway. The pressure is almost real at
times!
With your profits you will buy livestock, seed, hire help to work your
fields and make contributions to different needs in the community.
Eventually, when the time comes, you will buy a car, a Kodak camera and new
furniture for your home.
Besides the excitement of all this, the program is loaded with features.
You can make extra money by answering trivia questions about the period
that come up occasionally. This money can come in really handy during
tight times. The Longview Bank is available to make loans when you need
extra capital and to collect money that might be coming to you from
relatives or from the grain elevator out of town. When your neighbors
gather outside the general store, you can join them and learn about local,
national and international events that affect your life on the farm.
You'll usually also find a newspaper with articles that tell about these
same events. Reading the newspaper gives you the info you need to answer
some trivia questions. In what seems to be a bug, trivia questions
regarding events in later years come up during earlier years when you are
unable to read about them yet. On top of all this, there is a family album
in the house where children can select photos and write their experiences,
a sort of farmer's journal.
I was a little disturbed by what may be some bugginess in Go West. The
screen that pops up with trivia questions was very seriously messed up.
It looked as if the programmers tried to fit more text onto the screen than
there was room for. Answers did not line up with their letter selections
and overlapped which made it very difficult to select the correct answer to
a question, if you could read the answers at all. I also ran into a
recurring error with a "Player Director 4.0" (I have no idea what this is!)
when attempting to take a loan at the bank or collecting my funds from the
bank teller. These errors shut down my children's games several times when
they ran out of money and were unable to borrow to continue. An attempt to
contact Brighter Child on its web site with this problem brought no
response from the technical assistance people there. That's disappointing,
especially when you consider that the suggested retail price for this
program is $40. I'd expect no response if the retail price were $10. I
hope that Brighter Child is aware of these bugs and is working them out.
Despite the bugs, Go West is a great program. Graphics and sounds are
excellent. Some images have a nearly three-dimensional effect to them.
Sounds are all clear and most are believable. The voices are varied and
pleasant. They all have accents that speak of the varied backgrounds of
their owners, from Kansas drawl to Southern drawl, Swedish, Irish and Dutch
accents and Midwestern twang. The point is that nearly every one of your
neighbors came from somewhere else and the voices do a good job of making
that point.
The program interface is also excellent. There are no pull-down menus to
confuse younger children. Everything takes place by clicking on icons or
on the images on the screen. It takes a little while to get accustomed to
what the program expects of you. However, once you explore everything and
get the hang of it, you're in for a great time.
Play value of Go West is also very high. It's tough to shut this program
down because you are always curious about what is around the next corner a
few months down the road. The manual says that a thirty-nine-year scenario
can take ten to twelve hours. Take it from me that is an understatement.
I spent well over fourteen hours completing my scenario. My children are
still involved in their own scenarios after more than a week and my
thirteen-year-old is only twenty years into her scenario. I really believe
that when they finish, they will want to start over. My eight and ten year
olds have failed a few times each but show no signs of becoming
discouraged.
Educational value gets a perfect rating from me. I can't think of a better
way to learn about something than to experience it firsthand. While you
may not really be living the farmer's life in Go West, something about
making his decisions and experiencing the events of his life as if they
were your own experiences makes it a lot easier to understand the personal
impact of these events. You live the joy of a good harvest and high crop
prices. You feel the unfairness of low crop prices. There is a feeling of
vindication when you first sell to the other grain elevator for a higher
price after listening to your local grain elevator operator grovel for your
business. There is a certain feeling of being really modern when steam
tractors and cars come on the scene or rural free delivery of mail begins.
You feel the agony that comes from world war and from the global influenza
epidemic of 1918 to 1919 that wiped out more people than the war.
Without the bugs I ran into, Go West gets a perfect bang for the buck
rating from me, even at $40. My boss tells me that the street price for
this program should be closer to $30. That's a great price for this much
educational and play value. It's possible to play the game with the bugs
in it, but even at $30 I don't think you should have to. I'm keeping my
fingers crossed that Brighter Child is working on this one right now and
won't be releasing copies of Go West without these wrinkles ironed out. A
perfectly working copy of Go West is worthy of being added to your
educational software collection and will add a lot to it. Go get yourself
one!
Editor's note: I don't know if this price is good nationally or not, but a
local Babbages here in the Chicago area was selling Go West and Message in
a Fossil for only $9.99. Other retail and discount outlets were selling it
at $30 or more. Both programs are excellent and are unbeatable bargains if
you can find them for $10. Check your local Babbages!
NCAA Championship Basketball
GTE Entertainment
http://www.im.gte.com
Program Requirements
OS: MS-DOS 5.0
CPU: 486DX2/66
HD Space: 20 MB
Memory: 8 MB
Graphics: 640 x 480, 256 colors
CD-ROM: Double-speed
Audio: Sound Blaster compatible sound card
Optional: joystick, keyboard supported
review by Jason Sereno (jason.sereno@mules-ear.com)
NCAA Championship Basketball is a new release from GTE entertainment. This
program consists of 64 NCAA division 1 teams. It follows the team you pick
through an entire season and hopefully to the national championship. This
road to glory will not be easy though. You will have to draft your own
players after you have selected your team, and try for a good pick. You
will also have to battle with the games less than great graphics. (You
might be thinking that this is so only on my computer, but my uncle ran the
game on his computer and the graphics were still average at best.)
The start up screens on this game are very eloquently done, however I did
not care much for the interface. You have to return to the bottom of the
screen every time you want to go forward or back a screen. Besides that,
the graphic logos are very well done. There is even a special graphic for
each team. For instance, Kentucky has a Wildcat, while Notre Dame has
their cheerleaders and leprechaun.
The courts are done beautifully also. Every one of the 64 teams has their
own floor that has its own characteristics. You can also see the
reflections off the floor when you are playing. The stadium also comes
alive. When an opposing team shoots free throws when it is a close game,
you will see signs and hear people yelling at the shooter. Even the band
chips in when the drummer builds up the tension with his playing.
In contrast to the court, the players' images are very poor. This game
features Silicon Graphics 3-D animation with over 100 player moves and more
than 4,500 animation frames. It's not so much the animation that his bad,
more the actual appearance of the player himself. Some centers seem to be
as tall as the basket sometimes. Frequently, I found my self wondering why
a player's arm was so huge. It turned out that the player's arm and head
were so close together that you couldn't tell when the arm ended and when
the head began.
This game gives you the ability to recruit seniors from high schools all
over the nation. Most of the time you can find a good player that wants to
go to your college. If you waste all you time on him though, you might be
missing out on other players that would have gladly gone to your college,
but were grabbed by others instead. This option does make the game more
fun. After you have your team, you can also edit your player's name,
number, skin color, and dribbling hand. You cannot edit his ratings or his
abilities, like some basketball games. Before you purchase this game, you
should also know that no player's name can be given by the NCAA. If you
want a real team or conference with real players, you better be ready to do
a lot of player editing.
The sounds in the game are a well organized for the most part. Sometimes
however, the crowd will be dead and all of the sudden they rise to their
feet on a basket. The announcer in the game gets somewhat annoying, and he
doesn't really have a lot of variations to his speech. He does a choppy
introduction that is obviously only different words put together to form a
paragraph and it doesn't flow very well. During the pre-game and half time
show, the jazzy music gets very repetitive and almost obnoxious at times.
Perhaps the biggest letdown is gameplay. The players move well enough,
it's just that it seems you cannot steal a pass, even if you are right in
front of the receiver of the pass. There are also too many missed lay-ups
and open shots, on all levels of difficulty. You would think that someone
that has been playing basketball their whole life could make a five foot
layup. There are a few different kinds of dunks, but they get repetitive.
The camera angles stay the same for the most part. As you bring the ball
up the floor you will often get called for charging, because you are not
able to see what is in front of you, and sometimes you cannot even see
yourself. The only time the camera angles ever change is when you bring
the ball up the floor and when you penetrate to the basket. Also, when you
go to the three-point line in the corner, there is often no way to make a
three. It seems that you cannot get behind the three-point line when you
shoot.
I was very disappointed in this game. With all of the hype surrounding it,
I thought that this was going to be a milestone in sporting games history.
Essentially I think that NCAA Championship Basketball really is just NBA
Live 96 the college version. The graphics are mostly the same. Just take
away the players from NBA Live 96 and put in no-name college athletes with
a new drafting/recruiting system and you have NCAA Championship Basketball.
The Internet Phone Connection
by Cheryl Kirk
Published by Osborne
a division of McGraw Hill Corporation
Suggested Retail -- $29.99
http://www.osborne.com
Review by Donna Lines
If you are at all curious about Internet Telephony, or have the need to
keep in touch with someone via the Internet, this book is a must-read.
This book will introduce the average computer user to the world of voice
communication through the Internet.
Cheryl writes in clear, concise language. She explains the nuts and bolts
of Internet Phoning with accounts from her own personal experience (and
that of her father, the "human guinea pig") with a dash of humor. I found
the book to be very readable and the tips right-on.
Included with the book is a CD ROM with more than a dozen fully functional
Internet Phoning programs for both the PC and Mac. Some are the "lite"
versions of the product while others are freeware or shareware. She
reviews each program so you can read up on it before you load it on your
PC. If you want to strike out on your own and purchase Internet phone
software, Cheryl provides in-depth reviews on many products from first hand
experience. The programs included on the CD ROM are indicated by a CD
icon. There is enough variety that you should be able to find a software
program that will work with your particular PC configuration with the
features that you find important.
Cheryl even provides a chapter on installing and configuring software for
your PC. If you would like to make sure your installation was done
correctly, Cheryl invites to you call her up to test it out. She also
tells you how you can find others to talk to on the Net.
In yet another chapter she reviews telephony related products that will
make Internet telephoning more enjoyable, such as microphone headsets,
multimedia keyboards, video cameras, and video phones.
If you are ready to explore the latest use for the Internet, then this book
is for you.
Word Smart
Win/Mac Hybrid CD-ROM
street price $30
for ages 12 and up
The Princeton Review
2315 Broadway
New York, NY 10024
1-800-546-2102
http://www.review.com
Program Requirements
IBM Macintosh
OS: Windows 3.1, Windows 95 OS: System 7.0
CPU: 486SX/33 CPU: ?
HD Space: 2.5 MB HD Space: 2.5 MB
Memory: 8 MB Memory: 8 MB
Graphics: 640 by 480 with 256 colors Graphics:
256 colors, 14" monitor
CD-ROM: Double-speed CD-ROM: Double-speed
Audio: 8-bit Windows compatible sound card
Other: mouse required, printer optional
review by Frank Sereno (fsereno@streport.com)
Have you or your child ever wished that you had a more colorful repertoire
of words? Increasing your vocabulary can be very time consuming and
difficult. It's a very daunting task if you have no direction or guidance.
Word Smart by The Princeton Review makes learning new words as fun as
reading an interactive novella.
The game is set in Hollyword, a fictional movie-making city. You are a
fledgling director attempting to make your first film. Your task is to
successfully negotiate the five steps in film-making (at least according to
this program). You must seek out a writer to create a script, find a
producer to give you plenty of cash, hire a star for your cinema
masterpiece, form an allegiance with an editor and then finally impress the
critics to receive rave reviews.
To succeed at each step, you must complete five vocabulary quizzes. You
will be presented with a short passage from a story with the new vocabulary
words highlighted in the text. Each passage will have eight or more words
to learn. You can usually discern the meanings of the words from the
sentence context, but you can get a quick definition of the word by
clicking on it. You can click on the glossary to get a more detailed
definition complete with synonyms and antonyms. When you are ready, click
on the "Quiz Me" icon to take the test. To keep things interesting, the
quiz will vary the questions from definitions, synonyms and antonyms of the
word.
You must complete five quizzes to satisfy each section. If you miss some
words, you will have to learn them before you move on. Occasionally the
program will toss out a pop quiz on words you have missed in previous
rounds to reinforce your comprehension. Once you complete your movie, you
will be rewarded with some film clips from Mel Brooks' classic film, The
Producers.
I found this to be an interesting and entertaining program. If you are
looking for arcade thrills, you won't find them in Word Smart. But the
text passages are fun to read and when put together make an intriguing
short story. The program makes learning news word a rewarding experience
and the short video sequences with the writer, producer, etc., were funny.
You get a chance to learn a little bit about the film business.
If your child is planning to go to college, a strong vocabulary is a must
for taking college entrance exams such as the SAT, ACT, GRE and others.
Even during junior high school, an expansive vocabulary is essential for
higher academic achievement. As adults, our linguistic skills determine
not only our ability to communicate, but it has a direct bearing on the
employment we can garner and the salaries we will earn. Becoming a
wordsmith is an arduous task, but Word Smart makes it an enjoyable labor.
Featuring eight skill levels and more than 1600 vocabulary words, this
program will help you and your child grow. This program is backed by a 30-
day moneyback guarantee and offers exceptional bang for the buck. If you
are serious about improving your vocabulary, you must give Word Smart a
try.
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Many grateful thanks in advance for your enthusiastic co-operation and
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STReport International Online Magazine
Red Hat Linux - Release 4.1 STR Infofile
Red Hat Linux - Release 4.1for Intel, Alpha and SPARC !!
Continuing the great Red Hat tradition of always going that extra liter of
carbonated caffeine delivery fluid, just for you...This is an update to the
award winning Red Hat Linux Release 4.0
(InfoWorld's 1996 Desktop Operating System of the Year), incorporating
many improvements, fixes, and additional features.
Help feed our caffeine habits by downloading it
from:ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/redhat-4.1
or by purchasing a CD-ROM product! See the attached press release for
details and ordering information, or order now at http://www.redhat.com,
(888) RED-HAT1, (919) 572-6500, or (919) 572-6726 (fax).
February 3, 1997
Durham, NC -- Red Hat Software, Inc. is pleased to announce the
availability of Red Hat Linux release 4.1 for Intel, Alpha and SPARC
computers. This is the only synchronized release of the Linux operating
system for these three platforms, and represents a huge leap in reducing
your administrative and support costs for your heterogeneous network.
This release builds on Red Hat Linux 4.0, which was the 1996 Desktop OS of
the Year according to InfoWorld Magazine.
NEW FEATURES IN RED HAT LINUX 4.1
Modular 2.0.27 kernel.
One kernel for all hardware, support for much more hardware (including the
Backpack CD- ROM!) Kernel is distributed as an RPM package (on Intel and
SPARC). This means that to upgrade the kernel you only need to upgrade
the kernel RPM package, which is just a single command.
Only one installation floppy!
Two for PCMCIA and FTP installs.
Both floppies are included in the Official Red Hat Linux/Intel boxed set
product.
Easier installation.
Smarter network configuration with bootp support, NFS mounts (share/usr
between machines, for example).
New version of RPM.
RPM 2.3 includes dependencies, improved PGP/MD5/size signature capability,
verify scripts, shared NFS mounts.
Improved X Windows support.
XFree86 3.2 supports more cards (including Matrox and #9 Imagine cards),
with better acceleration. Easier X Windows configuration. Just pick your
video card and monitor from the provided lists and you are done. Latest
MetroLink X server 3.1.2 (Only available with the Official Red Hat
Linux/Intel boxed set.)
Expanded Red Hat Linux User's Guide.
250 pages of installation and configuration information. Rewritten
installation chapter is more readable than ever. Expanded coverage of the
control-panel tools, including the new network, user/group, and printer
tools. Covers basics and configuration of PAM security architecture.
Includes MetroLink X server configuration information. The User's Guide
is now available via FTP under the same terms as the LDP documentation; it
is also browsable on our web site!
Improved network configuration.
New graphical network configuration control panel tool. Allows for simple
configuration of PPP and SLIP network connections. Makes it simple to
move your machine between networks, add ethernet cards, etc.
Updated Control Panel Tools
In addition to the new network configuration tool, the user and group
configuration tool has been rewritten, the printer tool has been reworked
for simpler configuration.
Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM).
New version of PAM, 0.54, is used throughout for increased system security
and configurability. Shadow password support and other authentication
schemes (including beta version of "long" passwords, MD5 passwords,
radius, and more). PAM is now covered in the User's Guide.
New Version of Red Baron secure web browser.
Red Baron 3.1 supports forms, frames, SSL, SET. Faster than Netscape!
(Only available on Official Red Hat Linux/Intel boxed set.)
Sun's Java Development Kit
JDK 1.0.2 now ships with Red Hat Linux/Intel.
New glibc for Red Hat Linux/Alpha
The new version of glibc includes support for NIS.
Upgrades and Fixes.
GCC 2.7.2.1, XFree86 3.2, Tcl/Tk 7.6/4.2, tetex 0.4 (LaTeX 2e, June 1996)
Over 100 updated packages, and 21 new packages. The full package list is
available at http://www.redhat.com. Many security fixes and bug fixes --
most of which are not shipping with other UNIX/Linux systems.
New Price on Alpha and SPARC
The price for the Alpha and SPARC versions has been lowered to $49.95!
FEATURES OF RED HAT LINUX 4.1
Installation
Our third generation installation system is easier to use than ever. By
presenting simple fill-in-the-blank forms, and applying intelligent
automation to network, package, and module configuration, the system
relieves you of the most tedious and most troublesome aspects of
installation. Installation is supported via CD-ROM, NFS, FTP, hard drive
partition, and has seamless PCMCIA support.
Package Management
The RPM package system is designed to be powerful yet easy to use. These
design features, along with smart config file handling across package
upgrades, "shared" file handling, documentation searching support, package
installation via FTP, dependencies, and powerful querying, make RPM the
most advanced package system available.
With our graphical package manager Glint you can track every package
installed on your system, and all packages available on the CD-ROM. You
can examine package descriptions and file contents before you install
them. With a few mouse button clicks you can install, uninstall, list and
verify all installed packages. No other installation system comes close.
Configuration Tools
The Red Hat control panel tools cover configuration of your network,
printer, filesystem, users and groups, SysV init, time and date, and
modem. PPP and SLIP configuration has never been easier!
Compatibility between Linux Platforms
The Red Hat Linux 4.1 for Intel, Alpha and SPARC products are built from
the exact same source packages. This ensures maximum ease of software
portability between machines running Red Hat Linux regardless of the
underlying hardware architecture. In addition, your investment in
configuration of Red Hat Linux will pay off on all three platforms.
License Terms
Red Hat Linux is distributed under the terms of the GPL, and is freely
available from our FTP site, and dozens of mirrors. The Red Hat Linux
User's Guide is also available freely, under the terms of the LDP license!
STANDARDS, TESTING, AND RED HAT LINUX
Red Hat Linux continues to track both Linux and UNIX industry standards
closely. Red Hat Linux conforms to the Linux File System Standard
(FSSTND), and tracks many other Linux and UNIX standards.
Testing is probably Linux's greatest strength and the origin of its
remarkable stability for most applications, and Red Hat Linux benefits
from this. The truly open development model followed by Linus Torvalds
and the Linux development community allows new releases of the kernel,
components, and distributions to be tested by hundreds of thousands of
users. Their access to everything at little or no cost, including full
source code, from many sites on the Internet enables anyone to contribute
to further development by not just reporting bugs but contributing
patches.
Red Hat Linux depends on this open development model. We post Red Hat
Linux as "freely redistributable" software for free download off of many
sites on the Internet, and we are grateful for the valuable assistance we
receive.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has decided to
stop charging for their POSIX Conformance Test Suite 151-2, in hopes that
the POSIX standard may be more broadly applied. Red Hat Software applauds
the move, and has obtained the suites for consideration. We would
encourage all Linux developers to take advantage of this development.
Comments and questions can be directed to Martha Gray
gray@sst.ncsl.nist.gov at NIST.
A STABLE SOFTWARE PLATFORM AND A RAPIDLY EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY
Red Hat's software packaging scheme (RPM) provides the reliable and
consistent installation on a stable environment that ISV's are looking
for, and yet allows for a flexible environment for further Linux
development.
RPM's advanced software packaging features enable RPM packaged software to
be installed easily and correctly on any Red Hat Linux platform. Running
older software versions on a new release of Red Hat Linux is generally
reliable and trouble free.
FREELY REDISTRIBUTABLE SOFTWARE
Red Hat Linux is released as freely redistributable software under the
terms of the GPL. This allows anyone to use Linux without restriction and
to contribute to Linux development. It also prevents anyone or any
corporation from restricting access to Linux or Linux source code.
Commercially licensed software can be ported to Linux while maintaining the
license terms that the author uses for any other platform.
RPM - RED HAT PACKAGE MANAGER
After installing Red Hat Linux once, you will never need to reinstall Linux
again! Our RPM packaging system is sophisticated enough to allow
upgrading to new Red Hat Linux releases without reinstalling your system -
no partitioning, no backing up all your files, no headaches.
Red Hat Linux 4.1 is built on a third generation packaging system called
RPM. The RPM system features include smart configuration file handling
across package upgrades, "shared" file handling, documentation searching
support, and package installation via FTP. You can install, uninstall,
query, verify, and upgrade individual RPM packages.
RPM is also a powerful software building tool. It supports reliable,
reproducable builds on mulitple platforms.
The Red Hat Software web site, http://www.redhat.com, contains more
information on RPM and the RPM-HOWTO, which describes how to use RPM and
build your own RPM packages.
A graphical package management tool called GLINT allows you to quickly and
easily manage and track your system. It displays a hierarchy of packages
represented by individual package icons, and displays progress meters
during installation.
We are releasing RPM under the terms of the GPL and we would like to
encourage everyone to use it to package their software. You can get RPM
separately from Red Hat Linux from our FTP site.
PRISTINE SOURCES
An important element of the design of Red Hat Linux is our commitment to
the concept of "pristine sources". Our RPM source packages include
pristine, untouched sources, as well as patches and a control file which
defines the building and packaging process. It enables us to work with
other members of the Linux development community easily and effectively by
clearly separating and documenting the code that they contribute from any
modifications that are required by Red Hat Linux.
FTP AVAILABILITY
Red Hat Linux is available for the Intel, Alpha, and SPARC on our FTP site:
ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/redhat-4.1
Many sites mirror the Red Hat FTP site, and may give you much better
performance. A list of these mirrors is at:
ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/MIRRORS
(Note that the Metro X server, Red Baron and Grail are not available via
FTP. These packages are only available with the full boxed set product.)
RED HAT SOFTWARE WEB SITE
The Red Hat Software web site, http://www.redhat.com, contains a wealth of
helpful information, as well as a web-based ordering system for all our
products.
Of particular interest is the support section of the web site, which
includes archives of our mailing lists, errata, Red Hat TIPS, the LDP
documentation, and lots more. See http://www.redhat.com/support.
UPGRADING AND EXCHANGE POLICIES
All previous releases of Red Hat Linux (2.0, 2.1, 3.0.3, 4.0) can be
upgraded in place (without reformatting or repartitioning). For those who
want to upgrade, but do not want to purchase the full boxed set, the Red
Hat Linux Archives 5 CD-ROM set is the right choice. Red Hat Linux for
the Intel and Alpha are both available on the Archives (Metro X, Red Baron,
and Grail are only available with the full boxed
set).
Exchange and upgrade policies for those who purchased 4.0 recently are best
addressed by the vendor of your product. If you purchased it directly
from Red Hat Software, contact the sales office at:
phone: (800) 454-5502
(888) RED HAT1
(919) 572-6500
fax: (919) 572-6726
email: sales@redhat.com
The sales folks have the answers and will be able to help you.
PRODUCTS AND ORDERING INFORMATION
+ Official Red Hat Linux/Intel Boxed Set $ 49.95
+ Official Red Hat Linux/Alpha Boxed Set $ 49.95
+ Official Red Hat Linux/SPARC Boxed Set $ 49.95
+ Red Hat Linux Archives 5 CD-ROM set $ 29.95
+ Red Hat Motif CD-ROM with Motif User's Guide $149.00
+ Red Hat Linux Library CD-ROM $ 29.95
+ Red Hat Linux User's Guide (236 pages) $ 14.95
+ Dr. Linux 1,700 page reference book $ 39.95
All prices are in US dollars.
You can order on the web at http://www.redhat.com or by calling Red Hat
Software at (888) RED-HAT1 or (919) 572-6500. We accept Visa, Mastercard,
Discover and American Express cards.
We only ship via FedEx. Shipping cost for single copies of Red Hat Linux
is $8.95 in the US for FedEx Economy, $14.95 for FedEx Standard Overnight.
For other shipping prices please contact our sales office (or check the
web site - it'll compute the shipping price
automatically).
Resellers are encouraged to contact the following distributors for
information and volume pricing on Red Hat products.
Red Hat Software, Inc.
3203 Yorktown Avenue, Suite 123
Durham, NC 27713
Phone: (919) 572-6500 or (888) RED-HAT1
Fax: (919) 572-6726
Email: sales@redhat.com
Frank Kasper and Associates
7351 Washington Ave South
Edina, MN 55439-2407
Phone: (612) 942-0566 or (800) 869-7667
Fax: (612) 942-5039
Red Hat Software, Inc.
(888) RED-HAT1 -- (919) 572-6500 -- (919) 572-6726 (fax)
http://www.redhat.com -- sales@redhat.com
Classics & Gaming Section
Editor Dana P. Jacobson
dpj@streport.com
>From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
Ever have one of those days where you know you have a lot to say but you
somehow can't get your mind to put your thoughts into something cohesive?
Well, that's how I feel at this moment as I put the finishing touches on
this week's issue. I'm at a loss for words this week!
I have been getting a few responses to my inquiries a couple of weeks ago
regarding creating an active list of Atari user groups and bulletin boards.
Still, I know that there are a lot more of you out there. I'll be adding
those groups and BBSs to my web page if you have a web site; and I'll add
links to your page(s). I have to get organized to put this request out on
the Usenet, as well (thanks for the reminder, Frank!). Let's hear from you
all and see if we can generate some more interest for the user groups out
there, as well as for those BBSs that still support Atari users.
So, until I can manage to get my mind more organized and able to connect to
my fingers so I can type up some words of wisdom, let's get to the rest of
this week's issue.
Until next time...
1997 UK Atari Shows STR ShowNews
1997 UK Atari Shows
Atari Computing Press Release
Mike Goodman, the organizer of the successful Atari Shows last September,
has confirmed two Spring Atari Shows will be taking place in April at the
same venues as last time:
- Saturday ta April: National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham - probably in
the Compton Suite.
- Sunday 27th April: Osterley Four Pillars Hotel, London.
- May? Possible Glasgow show although details still have to be confirmed.
Both shows will be open from 10am to 5pm, and most of the exhibitors from
the last shows plan to attend. Mike confidently expects some new
exhibitors, of which more news to follow. Atari Computing have a stand at
both shows, so make a note in your diary to show support for the Atari
scene and tell us face to face what you'd lie to see in the magazine. Even
better bring along some articles or software we can use in the magazine!
Full details will be included in Atari Computing issue 4 but if you'd like
to exhibit or require more details contact:
Tel: +44 (0)1782 335650
Fax: +44 (0)1782 316132
Goodmans, 16 Conrad Close, Meir Hay Estate, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent,
ST3 1SW (enclose SAE for reply). (email fd18@dial.pipex.com)
Please spread this Press Release far and wide:
z BBS SysOps please post this to your local areas...
z If you have Atari Web pages please post this there...
z User Groups, publicize the shows at your meetings and organize car
shares...
z If any of you from overseas are planning to be in England at the same
time as the shows are held, come along and say hello !!! :)
We would love to meet you all !!
Joe Connor
Editor Atari Computing & InterActive
Richard Spowart
felice@rushden.demon.co.uk
Author of the new Maggie Web Pages ....
Newsbytes NewsReel - 12 Years Ago This Week
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1997 FEB 5 (Newsbytes) -- By Nick Gorski.
Twelve years ago these Newsbytes stories were filed: a major coincidence is
found in Apple Stew; Bushnell's Newest; and Computerized Comix. These
stories were taken from the extensive archives at the Newsbytes Website at
http://www.newsbytes.com .
Apple Stew
The imminent departure of Steve Wozniak from Apple is being viewed as a sad
event, indeed, by die-hard Apple fans. As Don Hoeffler of "MicroElectronics
News" suggests, Woz has never received the credit he's due for the success
of the Apple II. Says Hoeffler, "While the Macintosh sold only 14,000 units
in the most recent quarter and the IIe had more than 100,000 on back-order,
it is obvious that Woz and his entire group are more than a little 'PO'd.'
Because Woz is such an iconoclast (read oddball), he has long been shunted
away from public view by the vested interests in the front office. Well,
that won't happen again." (Is the ficle finger of fate responsible for this
item surfacing the same week as the news of Wozniak rejoining Apple? -ed.)
Bushnell's Newest
This energetic entrepreneur, founder of Atari, is back with a few robots.
His new Axlon Inc. has introduced a line of robot stuffed animals which
include a talking teddy bear, a personality-changing creation called, not
ironically, "Personality Robot," and a line of robotic cats and dogs that
are meant to "exist in your environment." (Conjures up images of "Woof,
Woof, I'm Rags" in Woody Allen's "Sleeper," doesn't it?) Said Bushnell to
columnist Jonathan Greer, "We've simulated 80 percent of the actions of
domestic pets. We've fundamentally obsoleted dogs and cats."
Computerized Comix
It's finally happened. Cartoonists at First Comics, Inc. of Evanston,
Illinois, have the first computer-created comic book. Called "Shatter"
(about a 21st Century cop), its illustrations are created on a Macintosh.
The traditional pencil has been traded for a mouse, and each panel is
created, then stored on disk. Color is added later (in the old fashioned
way) by hand. First Comics may be ground-breakers but its not alone. Before
long, DC and Marvel Comics will follow suit...maybe not on a
Macintosh...but something similar. (From tiny acorns, etc, - ed.)
>From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is!
Did you think that in the time that it took for you to get from the Atari
computer section to this one that I'd come up with more to say? I was
hoping that it would happen, but it didn't! <g>
Very little going on in the world of console gaming this week. I guess
it's slow enough that Nintendo released a press release proclaiming itself
the "victor" for top games this past holiday season! Whoever creates these
releases, regardless of company, always seems to manage to find a way to
make themselves the "winner" of something. Never fails...
Well, let's see what we have this week and we hope to have that review or
two that we mentioned last week, next week.
Until next time...
Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News!
Top 5 Christmas Games All From Nintendo
REDMOND, WASH. (Feb. 3) BUSINESS WIRE - Feb. 3, 1997 -- What did video
gamers get for Christmas? In a word -- Nintendo. According to
independent sales data, Nintendo claimed all five top-selling video games
in December for any console or computer system. Three of the games play on
the new Nintendo 64 video game system -- the fastest selling new game
machine of all time -- and two are or the 16-bit Super NES, which has sold
more than 20 million systems in America over the past six years.
The independent sales figures, gathered by NPD Research, listed the holiday
season's top five selling games as follows: (1) Super Mario 64 (Nintendo of
America for the Nintendo 64); (2) Donkey Kong Country 3 (NOA for the Super
NES); (3) Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (NOA for N64); (4) Donkey Kong
Country 2 (NOA for SNES); and (5) Killer Instinct Gold (NOA for N64). In
addition, three other Nintendo 64 titles finished in the top 10: Cruis'n
USA (NOA) (6), Wave Race 64 (NOA) (8), and Mortal Kombat Trilogy (Midway
Games, Inc.) (9).
"As with any entertainment, what matters to consumers is the quality of the
experience," said Peter Main, executive vice president, sales and marketing
for Nintendo of America. "And with the top six selling games -- and 8 of
the top 10 -- there's no question that people voted for Nintendo quality
this past Christmas." December sales are vital to the video game
industry, representing more than a third of total annual revenues.
The fully three-dimensional Super Mario 64 has already been hailed by
numerous game enthusiast magazines as "game of the year," and Next
Generation labeled it the best video game of all time. And the Donkey Kong
Country series is widely considered to represent the best 16-bit video
games ever created.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Unveils Final Fantasy VII
FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (Feb. 5) BUSINESS WIRE -Feb. 5, 1997-- Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc. today announced the North America release date
for Final Fantasy(R)VII, the next installment in one of the most popular
video game franchises in history.
Designed by the industry's premiere software developer, Square Co. Ltd.,
and exclusive to the PlayStation(TM) game console, Final Fantasy VII will
be available nationwide September 7, 1997 (9-7-97). Featuring seamless 3D
gameplay and animation never before experienced in an RPG (role-playing
game), Final Fantasy VII contains hundrds of pre-rendered, computer
generated backgrounds, with 3D battles scenes, vast map screens, and a
complex and engrossing storyline. Final Fantasy VII will be available
exclusively for the PlayStation game console on three CDs, making it one of
the largest and most richly detailed gaming environments ever created.
"In its first weekend, Final Fantasy VII has taken Japan by storm with
sales exceeding 2 million units, making it the most successful PlayStation
video game release of all time," said Shigeo Maruyama, chairman, Sony
Computer Entertainment America Inc. "We expect to see the same kind of
excitement for the title in North America. To that end, Sony Computer
Entertainment America will implement an extensive pre-sell program during
July and August allowing gamers to reserve their copies of Final Fantasy
VII before the official launch date."
In December 1996, Sony Computer Entertainment America agreed to a
multi-title publishing deal with Square Co. Ltd., allowing the company
full North American publishing and distribution rights to Square's
PlayStation product line. Along with the rights to publish the
revolutionary Final Fantasy VII, Sony Computer Entertainment America has
first rights of refusal on four additional PlayStation-exclusive releases,
Bushido Blade(TM), Final Fantasy(R)Tactics, SaGa Frontier(TM) and Tobal
2(TM).
ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
On CompuServe
Compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@streport.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Yes, it's that time again. The
message bases are looking a bit thin again, but at least there's enough
info to make it worthwhile this time. I'm still having problems with CAB,
the Atari Web browser. Every once in a while it (or MiNTnet) decides to
trash the hard drive partition that they both reside on. Luckily, there
is nothing on that partition except for the web browser and MiNTnet files,
and I have the original archives on a different partition so all I have to
do is extract them, modify them, configure them, and test them, and I'm
ready to go. I know, I know, I should get it working and archive THAT so
all I'd have to do is extract and run, but since it's not working exactly
right yet, I figure that by constantly re- doing the configurations I might
discover the root of the problem one of these times.
At any rate, once it works flawlessly, I'll make the 'super-archive'
available to anyone who wants it. I'll keep you posted as to what I find
out. Well, let's take a look at the news, hints, tips, and info available
every week right here on CompuServe.
From the Atari Computing Forums on CompuServe
When Eric Hall asks about how to connect to CIS using an ST and a terminal
program, Curt Vendel tells him:
"Compuserve works with any ASCII based terminal program, set your program
to emulate a VT100 at 7bits Even Parity and your set, you call up and it
asks which service you want, type CIS and return, then your compuserve ID
and password."
Dennis Bishop asks about a problem I've been having a lot recently:
"I have D/L'ed COMA_380.ZIP twice and each time STZIP tells me the file is
bad. Can the Sysop please check that file? Can anyone send me internets e-
mail at starlord@muskrat.com and tell me if there is a FTP point I can get
it from?"
Our own Classics and Gaming Editor, Dana Jacobson, tells Dennis:
"I just checked the Coma file here. As it is, the file cannot be
uncompressed. I loaded the ZIP file into a text editor and saw a header
in there that didn't belong. Delete everything in the first line that
appears in the text editor, up to the "PK" (leave PK in). It will then
uncompress (save/rename the "new" file!)."
Our buddy Albert Dayes asks Dennis:
"What version of ST ZIP are you using? The lastest is v2.6 and is in the
library. Have you tried differenet versions of ST ZIP to see if that
makes a difference? If the file is an old one UNZIP in the library might
work better."
Dana tells Albert:
"The COMA file has a weird header in it that needs to be removed first.
After downloading a number of files from the Internet over the past few
months, I've learned to look for such things when STZIP claims the file
isn't a ZIP file. 99% of the time, there's a header in the file that
doesn't belong there."
Carl Barron asks Dana:
"Is it a macbinary header?? Do the usual remove macbinary header programs
work?"
Dana replies:
"I don't think that it's a MacBinary header, but there was something there
that didn't look right. When you mentioned it wouldn't unZIP, I took a
look at the copy that I downloaded but hadn't checked out yet. Mine was
bad also, but cleaning out the header did the trick."
Sysop Jim Ness posts:
"Both WINZIP and PKUNZIP (PC programs) had no problem unZIPing that file.
I guess STZIP is less forgiving. PKFIX, a utility to fix problem
archives, did see a problem area (it said it was in the directory) and was
able to re-archive the results into a slightly smaller file, which STZIP
should be able to use. I've uploaded the result, so all should be well
now."
Michael Lotosky asks for help in uploading a message with the new whiz-bang
CIS (I refuse to say "CSI") software:
"I am trying to up load a prepared message to the atari forum concerning
Atari soft ware and hard ware. I using Compuserve's 3.0.2 with Win 95. In
the forum message area I do not see any way that I can send a prepared
message. With my old Atari 1040 St it was simple, not now."
Sysop Jim jumps in again and tells Michael:
"I'd suggest that you create your message in Notepad, then mark and Copy
the text, then load CS3 and Paste the text into a new message window."
In our continuing message thread about using CAB (Crystal Atari Browser)
here on CompuServe, Jerry Coppess tells me:
"This is where I am at now. I have a copy of CAB.OVL in the folder with
CAB and in the Module folder (just in case). Assuming I am decyphering
the docs correctly, if you run CAB too soon before logging in it will not
know that you are online. If it does not know that you are online CAB.OVL
is not accessed and it tries to get the info from the drives(LOCALHOST). I
have no idea why drive b:, I don't have a drive b:.
I am fairly sure that I am getting connected now. The modem lights stop
flashing. How long are you waiting after this to run CAB? This is what I
get in the message file:
pppd[7]: Using interface ppp0
pppd[7]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/modem2
pppd[7]: local IP address 199.174.149.223 <29>
pppd[7]: remote IP address 206.175.65.47
The speaker does not work on my Supra modem.(That should be reason enough
to buy a 33.6/56K modem<G>). When I try to access a web site from the
URL,the hotlist or a file I made from the hotlist I get the disk access
message and no modem activity. I am definitly not using FILE option [to
try to access a site on the web]. Try accessing a website while you are
offline. It will load in (or try to) a directory from disk. Checkout the
message in the menu bar. I have been trying to use
http://www.streport.com. and a couple of others.
I'll try again this weekend. Maybe I didn't wait long enough to run CAB.
There is some more info I can get from MINT(?) while it is still running,
that I forgot to get last time." Actually, Jerry's problem has me
stumped. I get the same messages that he gets, and I'm able to get onto
the web and happily cruise around.
Any ideas anyone?
Dick Beebe asks for help for a friend:
"A snail mail friend of mine in the UK (I'm in the US) has recently
acquired a used Atari ST and is in hopes of being able to use CompuServe.
She asked me for advice on what software is needed, and perhaps even what
modem as she doesn't have one. I took a look at the some 350 files in your
library 2, but being totally unfamiliar with the Atari, quickly decided
that wasn't the best route. <g> So, I'm asking for help. What does she
need? Her primary interest was e-mail, but after looking over this forum's
sections, I'm sure she'd want to join here and visit regularly."
Albert Dayes tells Dick:
"All one needs is an external modem, serial cable and software. For
commercial telecommunications software there is Flash II v3.x and Stalker
3.x. But almost any telecommunications software (there are shareware
products in the library like STorm, Freeze Dried Terminal and so forth)
that can emulate a VT- 100/VT-52 terminal will work fine. For modems I
would suggest the 28.8/33K v.34 external modems. The ST may not be able to
handle the highest baud rates but v.34 modems (at least in my experience)
connect to many more modems with less problems compared to the older
modems. Also since it is external you can use it on any computer you have
or get in the future."
Sysop Bob Retelle adds:
"In addition to the info Albert gave, you may be able to help your friend
get started by sending her a floppy disk with a telecommunications program
on it (there's always the "Catch 22" problem of how to get a telecom
program if you don't already have one...). You can download Atari ST
programs with an IBM or Mac style system and then save the programs to an
IBM formatted floppy disk (the Atari ST uses almost exactly the same
floppy disk format as the IBM), as long as you remember to format the
floppy as a *low density* 720K disk.
You can also help by uncompressing the files before putting them on the
floppy if she doesn't already have a selection of file compression
utilities in the Atari format. ZIP files here in our library will unZIP
with the normal PKunZIP utilities, and anything with a .LZH file extender
will uncompress with LHA.EXE on a PC. That way you can download any of the
shareware telecommunications programs Albert recommended from our software
library here and send them to your friend to get her started. Or, if she
prefers, as Albert also mentioned, there are still a number of
commercially available telecommunications programs she may be able to buy
locally. Let us know if she has any problems getting onling with her
Atari..."
Michel Vanhamme adds:
"Also, if she's new to CIS, she should probably GO FEEDBACK and ask to be
put on Old Mail, since I've heard new members are automatically put on New
Mail now..."
Kevin Tekel tells Michel:
"You can do that yourself... just GO NPX32. (It used to be GO OLDMAIL but
they discontinued that.)"
Michel replies:
"Yep, and from what I've read in another forum, they intend to discontinue
NPX32 as well. Apparently they want to have as many people on New Mail as
possible, and in the future you would only have access to Old Mail if you
have a good reason, not having access to a HMI program being considered a
good one."
Kevin Tekel asks:
"What is the latest version of TOS and GEM for the Atari 520ST? I currently
have TOS 1.0 in ROM. (My 520ST has also been upgraded to 1 Mb of memory.)"
Albert Dayes tells Kevin:
"TOS v1.4 is the easiest to get installed into your 520ST and has quite a
few benefits and bug fixes. File access is much improved such as to
compatibility with MS-DOS is much better. You can purchase a 3rd party
board to allow installation of TOS v2.06 in your 520 ST."
Norbert (no last name) asks for help for a family member:
"Hi there, first of all I am not an ATARI user and with this note I want to
help my godfather who is a 70 years old chap. He recently finished his PhD
work on an ATARI ST 1040 FM using the First Word Plus wordprocessor. Now
he has to publish his book and the publishers require an IBM compatible
file format. As he wrote several hundred pages he asked me if I could help
him out. Does some one know a conversion tool to applications like WINWORD
or WORD perfect ??? Any help would be appreciated. I think he got a hint
from someone but this left problems with the footnotes."
Mark Kelling tells Norbert:
"Congratulations to your godfather! I think a word processing program
called Marcel for the Atari ST line is what you are looking for. It will
read in First Word files and can produce RTF output which is readable by
Microsoft Word on a PC. The RTF format will keep all special text effects
like bold, itallic, etc. You can then save the document in whatever Word
format the publisher can accept.
There should be a version of Marcel in the Library here you can download.
If you want to grab a copy for him, use a 720K IBM PC format disk to
download onto. The Atari will read and write to this format disk without
problems. Your other option is to save the document from First Word in
ASCII text format then import it into Word. You will then have to
reinsert any special text effects. Much more work, but still an option!"
John Robinson asks:
"Does anyone know if there is/will be a Mac version of CALAMUS? I bought
MagicMac to run it, (which didn't work), and am now using Quark, which is
not as flexible for my purposes."
Nathan at MGI tells John:
"We do not plan on writing Calamus for the Mac. I figure but the time we
managed to finish it, the Mac too would be finished. There are mac
emulators that work with the Atari version. Many people own and use them.
The rest bought pc's. A few of us still use our TT's et al and an even
fewer own the latest T60 machine out of Europe. Personally, I switched to
a Pentium and the NT version of Calamus."
John replies:
"...So you reckon I have chosen another dying platform! I'm in too deep to
go Windows at this stage, the version of MagicMac I have certainly doesn't
work with Calamus. (the UK distributor blames Calamus). Looks like I will
have to persevere with Quark, at least it has the advantage of being the
package used by all magazines.- we do adverts to place in glossy mags and
so it saves hassle that way. I had hoped with the Mac having 90% (?) of the
pro DTP market it could have been on the cards .......Oh well"
Richard Rives tells John:
"I don't use MagCMac but someone on Genie used it with his Performa. There
are a couple of modules that don't work though (SpeedLine is one). Sorry
but I don't know more."
Nathan comes back and tells John:
"Calamus ABSOLUTELY works with the MagicMac! MGI currently does not have a
U.K. distributor so I assume you are referring to JCA, who occasionally
buys through DMC GmbH out of Germany. There are hundreds of people locally
using MagicMac without a problem. All versions of Calamus worked on the
MagicMac to some extent and Germany sold a special MagicMac version.
Contact your local MagicMac distributor. I'm sure they'll be able to help.
If not, let me know and I'll work out something with you from here.
The Mac, Quark XPress, Illustrator and PhotoShop definitely owned the lions
share of the professional desktop publishing market over the course of the
past 4-5 years. But that really is slowly changing now. The large
corporations here are buying PC's. PhotoShop and Illustrator have excellent
PC versions of their software available. Quark's PC version mostly
resembles a Mac product on a pc though. ;-) Regardless, the times they are
a changing. ;-)
Meanwhile, Calamus definitely works with MagicMac and your Mac is an
excellent computer. I have 3 of them here too."
Well folks, that's it for this week. Wish me luck with CAB and
MiNTnet so that I can send this puppy to whoever wants it. Tune in again
next week, same time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are
saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
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