Silicon Times Report The Original Independent OnLine Magazine" (Since 1987) December 06, 1996 No.1249 Silicon Times Report International OnLine Magazine Post Office Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32221-6155 R.F. Mariano, Editor STR Publishing, Inc. Voice: 1-904-292-9222 10am-5pm EST STReport WebSite http://www.streport.com STR Publishing Support BBS THE BOUNTY INTERNATIONAL BBS Featuring: * 5.0GB * of File Libraries Mustang Software's WILDCAT! Client/Server BBS Version 5 95/NT STReport published with MS Office 97 & Adobe Acrobat Pro v3 Featuring a Full Service Web Site http://www.streport.com Voted TOP TEN Ultimate WebSite Join STReport's Subscriber List receive STR through Internet MULTI-NODE Operation 24hrs-7 days Analog & ISDN BRI Access 904-268-4116 2400-128000 bps V. 120-32-34 v.42 bis ISDN V.34 USRobotics Courier Internal I-MODEM FAX: 904-268-2237 24hrs Toad Hall BBS 1-617-567-8642 12/06/96 STR 1249 The Original Independent OnLine Magazine! - CPU Industry Report - HyperSnap Overview - CIS XMAS - Net Pizza Service - PCS Shakeout - Lexmark Offer - Smart `Putes Ahead - Sprint in `NET Fray - MCI UG Done - SONY PSX TOPS! - People Talking - Dana Reporting MOTOROLA SCRAPS PDA PLANS MTV GREEDY?? Wells Fargo Hunts Crooks on Net STReport International OnLine Magazine Featuring Weekly "Accurate UP-TO-DATE News and Information" Current Events, Original Articles, Tips, Rumors, and Information Hardware - Software - Corporate - R & D - Imports STReport's BBS - The Bounty International BBS, invites all BBS systems, worldwide, to participate in the provision and distribution of STReport for their members. You may call The STReport Home BBS, The Bounty @ 1-904-268-4116. Or obtain the latest issue from our WebSite. Enjoy the wonder and excitement of exchanging all types of useful information relative to all computer types, worldwide, through the use of the Internet. All computer enthusiasts, hobbyist or commercial, on all platforms and BBS systems are invited to participate. ** WEB SITE: http//www.streport.com ** CIS ~ PRODIGY ~ DELPHI ~ GENIE ~ BIX ~ AOL IMPORTANT NOTICE STReport, with its policy of not accepting any input relative to content from paid advertisers, has over the years developed the reputation of "saying it like it really is". When it comes to our editorials, product evaluations, reviews and over-views, we shall always keep our readers interests first and foremost. With the user in mind, STReport further pledges to maintain the reader confidence that has been developed over the years and to continue "living up to such". All we ask is that our readers make certain the manufacturers, publishers etc., know exactly where the information about their products appeared. In closing, we shall arduously endeavor to meet and further develop the high standards of straight forwardness our readers have come to expect in each and every issue. The Publisher, Staff & Editors Florida Lotto - LottoMan v1.35 Results: 11/30/96: 2 of 6 numbers, no matches From the Editor's Desk... Eleven more shopping days. another year for STReport. Seems like only yesterday when Rex Reade submitted his very first article. Remembering is neat.. the article was about Word Perfect and the Atari userbase. That a long time ago. Here we are fast coming upon another Christmas Season. Lord knows, many, many things I never would have believed have dramatically changed. Yet in all the change, some troublesome, I still find myself counting all my blessings. The Holiday season to some is a very trying time in their lives that returns year after year to haunt them. Perhaps, those of us among the more fortunate should be more involved helping the less fortunate. Think about those in your own towns and cities. Forget the "glory hounds" that are crying for us to feed and clothe the less fortunate in other countries. After having discovered that 80% of the monies given to those crying for that money never benefits those its intended for. Let's take care of the less fortunate at home first. and then we can look to those abroad who are in need. We all see them, read about them and now, we have the chance to do something right in our own towns and cities. Ralph... Of Special Note: http//www.streport.com STReport is now ready to offer much more in the way of serving the Networks, Online Services and Internet's vast, fast growing site list and userbase. We now have our very own WEB/NewsGroup/FTP Site and although it is in its early stages of construction, do stop by and have a look see. Since We've received numerous requests to receive STReport from a wide variety of Internet addressees, we were compelled to put together an Internet distribution/mailing list for those who wished to receive STReport on a regular basis, the file is ZIPPED, then UUENCODED. Unfortunately, we've also received a number of opinions that the UUENCODING was a real pain to deal with. So, as of October 01, 1995, you'll be able to download STReport directly from our very own SERVER & WEB Site. While there, be sure to join our STR AutoMailer list. STReport's managing editors DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU! Ralph F. Mariano, Publisher - Editor Dana P. Jacobson, Editor, Current Affairs Section Editors PC Section Mac Section Special Events Section R.F. Mariano J. Deegan Lloyd E. Pulley Gaming & Entertainment Kid's Computing Corner Dana P. Jacobson Frank Sereno STReport Staff Editors Michael Arthur John Deegan Brad Martin Michael R. Burkley Paul Guillot Joseph Mirando Doyle Helms John Duckworth Jeff Coe Steve Keipe Victor Mariano Melanie Bell Jay Levy Jeff Kovach Marty Mankins Carl Prehn Paul Charchian Vincent P. O'Hara Contributing Correspondents Dominick J. Fontana Norman Boucher Daniel Stidham David H. Mann Angelo Marasco Donna Lines Ed Westhusing Glenwood Drake Vernon W.Smith Bruno Puglia Paul Haris Kevin Miller Craig Harris Allen Chang Tim Holt Ron Satchwill Leonard Worzala Tom Sherwin Please submit ALL letters, rebuttals, articles, reviews, etc., via E-Mail to: CompuServe 70007,4454 Prodigy CZGJ44A Delphi RMARIANO GEnie ST.REPORT BIX RMARIANO AOL STReport Internet rmariano@streport.com WebSite http://www.streport.com STReport Headline News LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS Weekly Happenings in the Computer World Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson North Carolina Enacts Cyber Sex Law A new state law making it a crime for anyone to use cyberspace to lure children into sex has gone into effect in North Carolina. Computerists face up to five years in prison if convicted of trying to solicit a child online for unlawful sex acts. Reporting from Charlotte, North Carolina, the Reuter News Service comments the law "goes a step beyond existing laws that make it a crime to take indecent liberties with a minor." Peter Banks, a director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, told the wire service, "It's a good law. It clearly defines the different types of behavior we don't wantaimed at our children." U.N. Tackles Net Copyright The United Nations is turning its attention to modernizing copyright legislation for the Information Age, with an emphasis on efforts to stamp out online piracy. Reporting from Geneva, Associated Press writer Alexander G. Higgins says the 160-nation U.N. World Intellectual Property Organization, which oversees the billion-dollar world of copyright and patent protection, is hosting a three-week conference on how to catch up with sweeping changes in computers, the Net and music recordings. The conference was organized, Higgins said, "after it became obvious that something had to be done to protect authors' and performers' rights in a world when the latest song or computer program can be downloaded in seconds." Delegates are working on the first major revision of international copyright law in 35 years, with three treaties to rework, including literary and artistic works, the rights of performers and producers of "phonograms" (now most commonly CDs and audio cassettes) and producers of databases. "The biggest question to be resolved," says AP, "is how to protect rights in an era when national borders have been made irrelevant by the Internet." Watching from the sidelines, of course, are the music and publishing industries, which see fortunes at stake in an area that is difficult to regulate. But of course, adds reporter Elif Kaban of the Reuter News Service, "Once the new treaties are accepted, then the question will be enforcement. In the multi-media world of Internet and its 'copyright havens,' officials acknowledge there will be huge technical problems in enforcing copyright legislation." After new treaties are passed, distribution of copyrighted work will be illegal, but, adds Reuters, "new mechanisms will be needed to catch the uploaders, say officials, who hope that national governments will pass laws accordingly." BSA Says Clinton Going Wrong Way In a letter to Vice President Al Gore, the Business Software Alliance says it believes the Clinton Administration is "headed in the absolute wrong direction" in its data encryption policies. Communications Daily notes this morning the White House is beginning thisweek to circulate proposals for comment, with the goal of implementing them by January 1. As reported earlier, the package includes proposals to transfer export authority of encryption products to the U.S. Commerce Department from the State Department, along with new rules on export of high-end encryption products. However, in his letter, BSA President Robert Holleyman told Gore that apparently "significant backtracking has occurred" since the administration announced its new policy October 1, and so, "We seriously doubt that the regulations will work, meet computer user demands or be accepted by the private sector unless the Administration radically changes its approach immediately." Without change, Holleyman said, encryption export policies will fail as did the administration's policy on the so-called "Clipper Chip" for digital telephony. CD quotes Holleyman as saying the administration should make a distinction between terms "key recovery" and "key escrow," which currently the administration proposal uses interchangeably. Says the newsletter, the "ability of (a) purchaser or user of (a) product to recover data is different from having (a) third party keep (the) key, BSA said." The trade group says it also opposes having the government dictate milestones for company-specific encryption plans and that the interim export relief promised by the administration "doesn't appear to give that much relief," says the newsletter. Wells Fargo Hunts Crooks on Net Wells Fargo has come to cyberspace to stage its latest stand against the bad guys, displaying "Wanted" posters on the Net with rewards of $1,000 to $5,000. "Wells Fargo has no tolerance for crooks. Never had. Never will," says the introduction to the California bank's site on the Internet's World Wide Web (http://www.wellsfargo.com). The bank, which a century ago earned a reputation for doggedly pursuing stagecoach robbers, provides a series of small photographs of suspects online, most taken from fake driver's licenses used in transactions. "Clicking on a small photo yields a bigger picture, the price Wells Fargo has put on the suspect's head and brief details of the crime, usually involving bad checks or other fraud," notes Associated Press writer Michelle Locke, who adds, "Two pictures on the November posting are stamped with the word 'Arrested.'" The sites says tipsters can call 1-800-78- CRIME to give information anonymously. The web site quotes from the bank's 1870 policy that vowed "never to abandon or relax the pursuit of anyone who committed a criminal offense against" the bank. Also online, history buffs can call up reproductions of 1870s-era wanted posters, complete with yellowed, curled edges. Microsoft Re-Sparks Controversy Complaints from rivals about antitrust issues have been renewed in the wake of actions by Microsoft Corp. to attempt to control what computer users see when they first turn on their machines. Writing in this morning's Wall Street Journal, reporter David Bank says the software giant has renegotiated licensing agreements with several major personal-computer makers, "inserting language that blocks them from using Microsoft's dominant Windows operating system unless they ensure that Microsoft's screen comes on when users boot up." Bank notes that initial screen traditionally has been of secondary importance. "In the past," he notes, "some computer makers themselves have created their own introductory screens to walk first-time users through set-up procedures and simple tasks on their new computers." However, in the future, when more users will be online, "the screen could become a valuable port of entry into cyberspace and be used to extract tolls or steer customers into particular areas." Noting that now some 90 percent of the world's PCs run Microsoft operating systems, Microsoft "is in position to shape the port of entry for millions of users into a world of customized sports highlights, streams of movie previews and click-to-buy merchandising sites across global networks," Bank observes, adding that competitors like Netscape Communications Corp. are "also angling to control the portal." New terms were inserted into Microsoft's licensing agreements with IBM and other PC makers as the contracts were renewed in the past several months covers both the current Windows desktop and the Internet-enabled "active desktop" that Microsoft has said it will deliver next year. Vice President Steve Ballmer of Microsoft's sales and marketing unit notes at least one computer maker had objected to the new clause. Says Banks, "With Active Desktop, Microsoft is moving away from the familiar user-interface of icons and folders and toward a screen that will more resemble a television tuner. 'Channels' will be used to receive news, sports, weather and entertainment programming, along with corporate information. Microsoft is in the unique position of providing both the desktop distribution platform and, through its MSNBC joint venture and its Microsoft Network, the programming to be delivered." Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department has declined comment on the development. Microsoft current is under an antitrust investigation by the Justice Department because of complaints about its practices in marketing its World Wide Web browser, Internet Explorer. However, Palo Alto, Calif., attorney Gary Reback, who represents Netscape and other Microsoft rivals, told the Journal several computer makers have provided U.S. investigators with copies of the new licensing agreements for review. Reback added, "Here's a situation where somebody could make something better that's highly useful, but Microsoft by dint of its monopoly in the operating system is able to retard it. If Microsoft is going to have a shell on top of Windows, then why can't others have a better shell on top?" MTV Wants Fees for Net Access Quietly, the MTV Networks unit of Viacom Inc. has begun demanding online services pay multimillion dollar fees or risk having their customers blocked from viewing the music television network's site on the Internet's World Wide Web. In The Wall Street Journal, reporter Thomas E. Weber characterizes this as a "new, controversial approach to generating revenue from a Web site." Adds Weber, "Few sites charge for access, and those that do solicit fees from individual users -- not the companies that sell access to the Internet. Most sites offer free access and seek revenue from advertisements displayed to visitors. By targeting the online services themselves, MTV is promoting a business model similar to that of the cable-television industry." In other words, this makes Internet service providers comparable to the local cable operators, who typically pay a fee to include the MTV music channel on their networks, due regardless of how much time an access provider's customers spend at the sites. "If MTV succeeds in eking out the fees from online companies, it could set a precedent for the industry," says Weber, adding, "In the hotly contested market for Internet access, companies are seeking ways to distinguish themselves from competitors. MTV is betting that some companies will seize the opportunity to offer such an added feature." President Kevin O'Connor of Double Click Inc., a New York concern that sells advertisements on behalf of independent Web sites, told the paper, "This is a pretty radical approach. I've got to give them an `A' for creativity." Meanwhile at MTV, Vice President Matt Farber said access providers have been receptive enough to entertain the idea, that "we are in very deep discussions with many Internet-service providers." Still, Weber says skeptics doubt many service providers will agree to MTV's terms, noting profit margins "are under pressure" throughout the industry now that flat-rate price plans, in which customers receive unlimited access to the Internet for a monthly fee, have become standard. "Paying fees to MTV -- and, potentially, a host of 'me-too' sites - would further eat into profits," says Weber. At CompuServe, a chilly reception greeted the idea. Spokeswoman GailWhitcomb is quoted in today's Journal as saying, "Why would we pay for a free Web site?" Nonetheless, she said CompuServe is holding "conversations" with MTV on the subject. Epson Flees Disk Drive Business Japan's Seiko Epson Corp. is set to stop selling 3.5-inch floppy disk drives after severe competition eroded profit margins despite the growing demand. It now will put all its efforts into its famous printers. Computergram International reports the company made a million drives a month in China until late 1995, rivaling Teac Corp. and Mitsumi Electric Co., "but it has already suspended output of 3.5-inch floppy drives, and will end sales by March." CI says Epson was licensed to manufacture Iomega Corp's Zip drive last year and consigned manufacture of up to 400,000 month to a Philippine firm since summer 1995, "but it sees little profit in Zip now Matsushita Communication Industrial Co. is making Compaq Computer Corp.'s 120Mb drive." Monorail Ships Sub-$1,000 PC Monorail Inc. says it has begun shipments of its $999 home PC. The company, based in Atlanta, says the Monorail PC combines the latest in multimedia and home PC technologies at a price tag that's affordable to most U.S. families. The system is equipped with 16MB of RAM (expandable to 80MB), a 1GB hard drive, a 75MHz microprocessor (factory upgradeable to a 133MHz or 200MHz processor) and a 33.6K bps modem. Other features include a 16- bit Sound Blaster-compatible audio system, a 4X CD-ROM drive, a 10.4-inch integrated flat-panel color display and game and video ports for connecting joysticks and external video monitors. The PC comes bundled with Windows 95 operating system and Internet software. The Monorail PC is manufactured in Kansas City, Missouri, and will be available at CompUSA stores. "There is a large group of people who once believed that they could not afford a PC but still want to bring the educational and entertainment benefits of PCs and the Internet to their families," says Larry Mondry, executive vice president of merchandising for CompUSA. "At $999, the Monorail PC offers our customers a full- featured, easy-to- use and affordable home computer." Net Fax Software Debuts Infotrieve Inc. believes that its new InfoDoc software will change the way businesses fax documents. The new product shifts faxing from regular phone lines to the Internet. According to the Los Angeles-based company, InfoDoc connects any fax machine to the Internet without using a fax server, saving users the phone charges associated with standard fax transmissions. "The average Fortune 500 company spends about $15 million per year on telecommunications charges for faxing, 48 percent of which are intra-company transmissions," says Infotrieve president Joseph Bashoura. "I believe we can save each and every one of those companies millions of dollars per year." InfoDoc installs as a printer on the Windows desktop, allowing users to send a document from Windows applications directly to any Internet address. More details, including pricing, are available on Infotrieve's Web page (http://www.infotrieve.com). Cyber Pizza Service Delivers Pizza lovers can now cure their cravings via the Internet. Over 1,000 pizzerias in Boston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle are taking and delivering orders from customers through a new service introduced by Seattle-based CyberSlice Inc. At the CyberSlice World Wide Web site (www.cyberslice.com), customers can find lists of local pizzerias complete with full menus and discount specials. CyberSlice immediately responds to individual customer requests and serves up lists of pizzerias that are able to deliver at that moment in time and to the customers specific address. For example, consumers entering the site at 1:00 a.m. may see a list of only one or two neighborhood pizzerias that are able to serve them. Consumers entering the site at 6:00 p.m. may see ten or twelve local pizzerias that are open and ready to take their order. Two years ago, Tim Glass, president and co-founder of CyberSlice, was inspired by the movie, "The Net." In the film, actress Sandra Bullock orders a pizza online without getting up from her computer. "Millions of people order pizza every day and we're about to change that whole experience," says Glass. "Have you ever flipped through the phone book for your favorite pizzeria only to find it's closed, doesn't deliver or the staff is too hurried to discuss the menu or specials? CyberSlice takes the guess work out, giving consumers more choice and value than traditional phone ordering. We took a simple idea and built an entertaining and enjoyable Web destination, while staying focused on customer service and satisfaction." Poll: PCs Help Kids Do Better A new poll, sponsored by printer maker Lexmark International Inc. supports the widely held belief that home computers help students do better in school. According to the survey, conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide, nearly three-quarters of parents (72 percent) agree that using a PC has helped their children become more creative, and nearly half (48 percent) say their children would not do as well in school if they did not own a personal computer. Another 43 percent indicated that their children's grades have improved through use of a computer printer. The survey also finds that home computers bring kids and parents closer together. Sixty-eight percent of the respondents report using a computer to help their kids with homework and 65 percent report running educational programs/CD-ROMS. Parents also report that computer ownership has also caused their children to spend less time watching television (42 percent). "Just as the hearth acted as the focal point for the American family in the 19th century, and television was in the 20th century, computer units are rapidly becoming the centerpiece for the American family in 21st century," says Nick Tortorello, senior vice president of Roper Starch Worldwide. "The wide variety of print applications now available to students and their parents provides an ideal forum for the sharing of ideas and the creation of new and interesting projects for school and home," notes Susan Gauff, Lexmark's vice president of communications. "The falling prices and increased features of today's computers and color printers means that students can easily afford products that will allow them to create whatever they can imagine." PDAs Come Into Their Own After ridicule from computerdom for several years now, PDAs have come into their own as one of the hotter computing items of the current Christmas season. Business writer Catalina Ortiz of The Associated Press notes the hand-held personal digital assistants initially didn't live up to their hype as the industry's next wave, because their power and memory were feeble, and their ability to communicate with other computers was limited. However, this year, "sales have been terrific," says Larry Mondry of the Dallas-based CompUSA retail chain. "We expect that this will be one of the absolute, technologically oriented, must-have products for Christmas." Industry observers tell Ortiz hardware and software advances that narrow the gap between promise and performance are making hand- held computers more attractive to consumers and businesses. "PDAs still must become easier to use and communicate better if they are to catch on with the general public," Ortiz notes, "but they have come far, analysts say. ... Since their introduction in the early 1990s, PDAs have developed into a wide variety of devices ranging from souped- up electronic organizers costing $300 to miniature PCs with price tags nearing $1,000." Most in the $500 to $800 range send and receive electronic mail and faxes, run basic applications, surf the Internet and exchange data with desktop personal computers. A few models incorporate a cellular phone. Stats from the World Market Strategies Ltd.-PDA Inc. of San Francisco suggest the U.S. hand-held computer market reached 908,000 units and $1.9 billion in revenues last year. It is expected to hit 1.25 million units and $2.5 billion in sales this year. And the firm forecasts nearly 1.7 million units sold and revenues of $3.2 billion in 1997 and 3.6 million units and $4.67 billion in sales by 1999. 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 LEXMARK OPTRA C COLOR LASER PRINTER For a limited time only; If you wish to have a FREE sample printout sent to you that demonstrates LEXMARK Optra C SUPERIOR QUALITY 600 dpi Laser Color Output, please send a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope [SASE] (business sized envelope please) to: STReport's LEXMARK Printout Offer P.O. Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32205-6155 Folks, the LEXMARK Optra C has to be the very best yet in its price range. It is far superior to anything we've seen or used as of yet. It is said that ONE Picture is worth a thousand words. The out put from the Lexmark Optra C is worth ten thousand words! Send for the free sample now. (For a sample that's suitable for framing, see below) Guaranteed. you will be amazed at the superb quality. (Please.. allow at least a two week turn-around). If you would like a sample printout that's suitable for framing. Yes that's right! Suitable for Framing. Order this package. It'll be on special stock and be of superb quality. We obtained a mint copy of a 1927 COLOR ENGRAVER'S YEAR BOOK. Our Scanner is doing "double duty"! The results will absolutely blow you away. If you want this high quality sample package please include a check or money order in the amount of $6.95 (Exp, S&H only) Please, make checks or money orders payable to; Ralph Mariano. Be sure to include your full return address and telephone number . The sample will be sent to you protected, not folded in a 9x12 envelope. Don't hesitate.. you will not be disappointed. This "stuff" is gorgeous! 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 COMPUSERVE HELPS CENTREPOINT ***** Go: UKSANTA ***** CompuServe have decided to join forces with Centrepoint, the youth homelessness charity. This very special, exclusive screensaver, developed especially for CSi members will cost just you just $1, with every cent going to Centrepoint. So *please* download this screensaver. It will only cost you $1, but the benefits will be felt by many hundreds of young people aged 25 and under, tonight, tomorrow night and well into the New Year. CompuServe and Centrepoint wish to thank G-media for their time and effort in developing this screensaver. This screensaver requires 3.1x, Windows 95 or NT 4 To install, run XMAS96.EXE, select the screensaver from the control panel and enjoy. About CentrePoint: As the cold winter starts to set in, homeless people are at the forefront of everybody's minds, but in fact Centrepoint's projects are open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Centrepoint is one of the UK's leading youth homelessness charities, working to ensure that no young person - aged 25 and under - is at risk because they do not have a safe place to stay. This may sound like a huge task, but since it was set up in 1969, it has kept growing and developing services to respond to the increasing crisis of youth homelessness. When it was first opened, in the basement of a church in Soho (London) , it was done so with support of the local community and the approval of Westminster Council's pest control department! They intended to stay open just over the Christmas period. But the need continued and Centrepoint's doors have been open ever since. Today, Centrepoint runs a range of hostels and emergency shelters, many with training opportunities all over London, including the first ever employment agency set up to help homeless people find jobs. We also work with local agencies all over the country, helping them to develop projects to respond to the needs of homeless young people in their areas. Centrepoint takes a very long term view to the problems faced by young people today, which is why we are working within schools to prevent children from becoming the next generation of people sleeping on the streets. So where do the 3,000 young people that Centrepoint sees every year in London alone, come from? Before 1988, when there were changes made to the benefits system, many of the young people that Centrepoint saw had come to London to find work. Now, the young people that are turning to Centrepoint are much younger and more vulnerable. Many have left local authority care, have been forced out by family arguments or poverty, or have suffered physical, verbal or sexual abuse. Once homeless, with no way to get a job or any benefits, they find it very hard to find somewhere affordable to live. The saying - 'no home no job, no job no home' - really is true. But no home also means, no education, no training and no safety - it's hard to go to college or get further education when living on the streets. The work that Centrepoint does is vital, because the young people we can help today, will not be on the streets tomorrow. EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed Edupage SPA GUIDELINES FOR ELECTRONIC SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION A Software Publishers Association working group, representing some of the world's largest software publishers, has released a set of guidelines to assist publishers in developing electronic software distribution (ESD) networks. The guidelines establish industry-wide standards for the protection of the customers and the software publisher in ESD transactions. (Heller Report Nov 96) Meanwhile, the SPA has also been waging a campaign targeting Internet service providers (ISPs), urging them to agree to a "code of conduct" and accept responsibility for links to Web pages where pirated software can be downloaded. After strong protests from ISPs, SPA changed its code to suggest that ISPs could do the software community a service by running JavaScript messages across their screens warning users against violating copyright laws. (Information Week 18 Nov 96 p10) PCS SHAKEOUT With the launch of digital personal communications services (PCS), traditional cellular companies are going to face increasing competition in their markets. PCS companies are offering cheaper rates and such features as paging, caller ID, voice mail, call forwarding and smooth data communications. So far, PCS rates are running 15% to 20% lower than cellular in the same markets, and at the same time scrapping annual contracts and offering the first minute free on incoming calls. Rates could go even lower as PCS operators begin to compete against each other, which spells good news for consumers. Analysts estimate that about 16% of Americans currently own a wireless phone, and predict that in the next decade, that number will rise to 40% to 50%. "As more carriers enter, wireless prices will fall and it will become more and more attractive as a replacement to wired phones," says the CEO of PrimeCo Personal Communications, which started operations in November. (Business Week 2 Dec 96 p103) ACADEMICS PROTEST ENCRYPTION RESTRICTIONS Many computer science professors are concerned that language contained in a recent order transferring control of encryption export from the State Department to the Commerce Department will prohibit them from teaching cryptography to students from foreign countries. Specifically, the section that prohibits "the export of assistance (including training) to foreign persons," has them worried. The White House has said the new order is not intended to change U.S. policy on teaching encryption methods, but the director of the Cyberspace Policy Institute at George Washington University wants more reassurance: "This new order complicates things tremendously. The existing rules were ambiguous enough that people were nervous about teaching foreign students, and it's even harder to know what the rules of the game are now because there are new players involved at the Commerce Department." (Chronicle of Higher Education 29 Nov 96 A24) APEC EDUNET Secretary of State Warren Christopher announced that the University of Washington will become the center of a new Asia- Pacific network called APEC EduNet, formed to link universities via the Internet. Ron Johnson, the University of Washington's vice president for computing and communications, says the network will extend the electronic laboratory concept and will be the first virtual learning project to be such a large, transcontinental scale. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer 23 Nov 96 A1) < http://www.apec.org > AT&T AND MCI RAISE LONG-DISTANCE RATES Following the lead of AT&T, which has raised basic rates by 5.9%, MCI is raising rates by 4.9%. Industry analyst Brian Adamik says that the "carriers are bulking up before a possible price war" that could come when a larger number of competitors begin fighting for long- distance market share. (Atlanta Journal- Constitution 30 Nov 96 C1) DO-IT-YOURSELF SUPERCOMPUTER Two University of Tokyo researchers unhappy with the performance of off-the-shelf supercomputers decided to build their own. The result is what they claim is the world's fastest supercomputer, capable of zipping through 1.08 trillion floating point operations per second. The only catch is that the machine was designed to do one specific calculation only -- the force of gravity exerted on one heavenly body by another. To speed things up, the scientists designed the equations necessary for the calculations into the hardwire circuits in an integrated processor. They then had 1,692 of the custom chips manufactured and wired them together into what they call the GRAPE-4 (for GRAvity PipE no. 4). The project took two years and $1.5 million to complete, but the researchers say that they can now simulate the evolution of a star cluster with 32,000 bodies in just three months - a project that previously would have taken five years with an ordinary supercomputer. (Popular Science Dec 96 p32) AT&T OFFERS CALL-BACK SERVICES TO CALLERS IN JAPAN Since long-distance phone rates are more competitive in the U.S. than in Japan, a call from the U.S. to Japan costs less than a call from Japan to the U.S. In order to compete for the Japan- U.S. phone business, AT&T is offering a "call-back" service that will give corporate customers in Tokyo an automatic dialer that will recognize a call from Japan and, in a single step, return the call immediately. An executive of KDD, Japan's principal international telephone company, says the approach is "unfair" but acknowledges that it is not illegal. AT&T had itself once fought against call-back services, but decided to adopt them after both the United Nations and the U.S. Federal Communications Commission declared the service legal, which meant that AT&T's competitors would be offering them. (New York Times 28 Nov 96 C15) NEW AOL PRICE LEADS TO BUSY SIGNALS Introduction of America Online's new flat-rate pricing plan resulted in such an increase in customer activity that the system was overloaded yesterday by the eight million individual sign-on sessions, the most ever recorded by the company. Wall Street viewed the enthusiasm favorably, and AOL stock rose almost $5 a share. A company executive says there will be sporadic system slowdowns at peak times for at least the next month, because "we're going into territory that nobody on the planet has ever been before." (New York Times 3 Dec 96 C2) COPYRIGHT IN CYBERSPACE A three-week-long meeting in Geneva of the World Intellectual Property Organization, a United Nations agency, is considering international rules extending copyright law to cyberspace. The draft treaties would ensure that electronic transmission of any copyrighted work is subject to the same rules on authorization and royalty payments that apply to "hard copies" and would protect databases, even where copyrighted material is not involved, that represent a substantial investment of resources. (Financial Times 2 Dec 96) INFORMIX TOUTS "UNIVERSAL SERVER" SOFTWARE Informix Corp. is rewriting the rules in database technology with its "Universal Server" software -- a new way of combining complex types of data such as Web pages and video images with the huge repositories of text and numbers contained in relational databases. After purchasing Illustra Information Technologies last year, Informix used Illustra's expertise in storing data in object format, resulting in the new design of an "object- relational" database. This approach makes it easier for other software companies to create "datablades" -- components for particular types of data that plug into a central database, similar to razor blades snap into a razor. Trial versions of the new software are being tested by 30 companies, and the final version should be shipped by the end of the year. (Wall Street Journal 2 Dec 96 B4) BRAINY NEW COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY Australia-based Formulab Neuronetics Corp. has developed a new computing technology that mimics how the human brain works, capable of performing complex functions much more cheaply than today's machines. The Neuronetics technology is designed to excel at recognizing patterns in objects, or performing several calculations simultaneously. Formulab plans to release the new design early next year as a package including Windows-compatible programming language, a plug-in circuit card for PCs and a $6,000 hexagon-shaped computer. The technology could, for instance, be used in supermarket scanners to distinguish products that must be weighed, eliminating the step of keying in a code for types of fruits or vegetables. (Tampa Tribune 3 Dec 96 B&F4) MOTOROLA SCRAPS PDA PLANS Motorola is abandoning its pursuit of the personal digital assistant market, concentrating instead on building devices suitable for corporate users. Its Marco and Envoy PDAs have proven too heavy and expensive to successfully compete in the mass consumer market. The company will instead use its wireless data technology to complement Microsoft's new Windows CE operating system, which will run on hand-held PCs made by Compaq, Casio and NEC Corp. (Wall Street Journal 3 Dec 96 B13) CITIBANK HAS GLOBAL PLANS FOR PC-BASED BANKING Citibank is developing a PC-based banking system for 19 countries in Asia, the Middle East and eastern and central Europe, as part of a strategy to develop into a global brand. The service will initially be offered in Taiwan in Chinese and English languages. (Washington Post 2 Dec 96) MCI COMPLETES INTERNET UPGRADE MCI has completed its $60-million upgrade to the Internet backbone, adding approximately 13,000 ports and effectively quadrupling speeds from 155 mbps to 622 mbps. MCI, estimating that Internet traffic is growing at about 30% a month, plans to double its backbone capacity next year. (Broadcasting & Cable 25 Nov 96 p62) VIRTUAL REALITY FOR THE MASSES Synthonics Technologies Inc. has developed a process for creating photo-realistic three- dimensional images without using a CAD or 3-D rendering tool. The technique requires taking at least two photographs of any object from different angles, digitizing the photos, and drawing lines between congruent spots on the different views. The PC-based software (called "Rapid Virtual Reality") does the rest. (PC Magazine 17 Dec 96) SEND MONEY SEND MONEY SEND MONEY SEND MONEY A market research study done for Hotwired says that banner advertising on the World Wide Web influences people because, like radio and TV advertising, it stimulates awareness and affinity for a brand, and is effective even if computer users decide not to "click here" for further information. While acknowledging that "the industry in general may be getting a little tired" of banner advertising, a director of the study group points out that "people are staring at a fairly confined space and actively looking at something of interest. The banners have their attention, so if there's any relevance, they will affect the way people think." (New York Times 3 Dec 96 C5) SMARTER COMPUTERS AHEAD Microsoft CEO Bill Gates sees much smarter computers on the road ahead: "If a human assistant works for you over a period of years, your efficiency in working with him gets dramatically better and he can anticipate your interests and you can use shorthand ways of communicating. With a computer today, even if you use it for a couple of years, you are basically working with it the exact same way. It's not learning in the way a human assistant would. On the simplest level, the next generation of computers would learn the kind of information you like to see. They're going to know how you are reacting to things, and essentially put together, for example, the kind of newspaper that meets your interests." (Investor's Business Daily 3 Dec 96 A8) FEDERAL CIO REINS IN GOV'T TECHNOLOGY SPENDING Sally Katzen, administrator of the office of information and regulatory affairs at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, is taking on the task of making sure that the $25 billion a year that the government spends on information technology buys equipment that actually improves agencies' functions. Up to now, the U.S. government has spent about $200 billion on a variety of technology projects, many of which are hopelessly obsolete by the time they're completed. "Troubled information- systems projects are not unique to government," says Katzen. "The private sector has as much difficulty as the government in bringing in projects on time and on budget. However, the thing the private sector is good at is stopping projects that are ill- conceived or unfeasible sooner rather than later... The old procurement rules led to these huge projects in which products to be delivered are five or six years down the road. When technology changes as quickly as it does, a project that does not have deliverables for several years makes no sense." (Investor's Business Daily 4 Dec 96 A6) COMPAQ EYES DELL'S LUNCH No. 1 PC-seller Compaq Computer wants to make sure it maintains its top-of-the-heap position, and is testing a built-to-order PC program for large corporate customers, a la Dell Computer Corp. Dell is famous for its direct-sale, just-in-time computer manufacturing strategy that has netted it an increasing market share in the corporate arena. Compaq will begin testing the new program early next year, and plans to add services that will lower the cost of PC ownership for corporate customers, such as asset management, leasing, disposal and help-desk support. (Information Week 25 Nov 96 p22) STRETCHING BANDWIDTH Imedia Corp. has developed new data-compression software it says is capable of squeezing up to 24 digital TV channels into the space now used by one analog channel. Theoretically, the new technology would allow cable companies to deliver dozens more channels without having to spend millions of dollars upgrading their systems. "We're excited about the potential," says a Tele- Communications Inc. VP. "We're hoping for 18-to-1 compression." Time Warner has also expressed an interest in the software. Imedia's StatMux ("stat" for "statistical and "mux" for "multiplexing") splits video segments up into different-sized packets, transmits them in the most bandwidth-efficient manner, and reassembles them seamlessly at the other end. Current industry products that use statistical multiplexing technology deliver only a 20% to 30% increase in capacity, but Imedia's product is significantly more sophisticated, says Time Warner Cable's chief technology officer. (Wall Street Journal 4 Dec 96 B1) IS APPLE ALL THAT IT CAN BE? Sources close to Apple Computer and Be, Inc. say that Apple is determined within the next few either to acquire Be outright or at least license rights to the BeOS operating system. So far, Apple has refused to accept Be's asking price of $100 million. (San Francisco Chronicle 5 Dec 96 D4) MICROSOFT WANTS TO WIN SHELL GAME Microsoft has inserted language into new licensing agreements with IBM and other PC manufacturers requiring that Microsoft's own screen (rather than some other introductory screen) appear first when is system is turned on, in order to "make sure customers get what we think of as the Windows experience." A lawyer representing Microsoft rivals such as Netscape (which recently demonstrated a screen "shell" called Constellation) says: "Here's a situation where somebody could make something better that's highly useful, but Microsoft by dint of its monopoly in the operating system is able to retard it. If Microsoft is goving to have a shell on top of Windows, then why can't others have a better shell on top?" (Wall Street Journal 5 Dec 96 B6) SPRINT JOINS INTERNET FRAY Sprint Corp. is rolling out its consumer Internet service, making it available to the 80% of the U.S. population that lives within local calling range of its network. The Internet Passport service will feature both Netscape's Navigator and Microsoft's Explorer browsers, and will be priced at $19.95 a month or $1.50 an hour. Sprint is entering the cutthroat consumer market just at a time when some existing commercial services are having a difficult time, but hopes to differentiate itself through new mass-market online offerings. (Wall Street Journal 4 Dec 96 B8) UC COMPLAINS SPRINT SERVICE IS TOO SLOW University of California campuses at Berkeley, Davis, San Francisco and Santa Cruz are complaining that Sprint is delivering slow and somewhat unreliable Internet service, as a result of capacity limitations at a major switching point in Northern California. "We believe that Sprint could have done better, can do better, and our expectation is that they will do better," says Stuart Lynn, associate VP for information resources and communications for the university system. Sprint says it's working on the problem, and that the campuses should be seeing faster service shortly. (Chronicle of Higher Education 6 Dec 96 A30) PAY-PER-USE COMPUTING BRANCHES OUT USA Technologies of Wayne, Pa., is moving pay-per-use computing out of libraries and hotels and into bookstores and mail- services stores. The company's PC Express service allows users on the run to swipe a credit card through a reader device attached to an IBM-compatible PC to access the Web, e-mail, and word processing applications. USA Technologies is also packaging the PC stations with fax machines and copiers. The company currently has more than 50 PC Express stations installed throughout North America. Costs run about 15 to 25 cents per minute. (Investor's Business Daily 5 Dec 96) AU FRANCAIS: I'M A RAMBLING WRECK FROM GEORGIA TECH ... Georgia Tech Lorraine, the European platform of the Georgia Institute of Technology, is being sued in France for having its home page presented only in English and not in French. In France, the law requires that goods and services be offered in French in addition to any other languages in which the offer is made. (Le Monde 2 Dec 96) < http://www.georgiatech-metz.fr/ > Edupage is written by John Gehl (gehl@educom.edu) & Suzanne Douglas (douglas@educom.edu). Voice: 404-371-1853, Fax: 404-371-8057. Technical support is provided by the Office of Information Technology, University of North Carolina. EDUPAGE is what you've just finished reading. To subscribe to Edupage: send a message to: listproc@educom.unc.edu and in the body of the message type: subscribe edupage Marvin Minsky (assuming that your name is Marvin Minsky; if it's not, substitute your own name). ... To cancel, send a message to: listproc@educom.unc.edu and in the body of the message type: unsubscribe edupage... Subscription problems: educom@educom.unc.edu. EDUCOM REVIEW is our bimonthly print magazine on learning, communications, and information technology. Subscriptions are $18 a year in the U.S.; send mail to offer@educom.edu. When you do, we'll ring a little bell, because we'll be so happy! Choice of bell is yours: a small dome with a button, like the one on the counter at the dry cleaners with the sign "Ring bell for service"; or a small hand bell; or a cathedral bell; or a door bell; or a chime; or a glockenspiel. Your choice. But ring it! EDUCOM UPDATE is our twice-a-month electronic summary of organizational news and events. To subscribe to the Update: send a message to: listproc@educom.unc.edu and in the body of the message type: subscribe update John McCarthy (assuming that your name is John McCarthy; if it's not, substitute your own name). INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE The CAUSE organization's annual conference on information technology in higher education is scheduled for the end of this month in New Orleans. The conference will bring together administrators, academicians and other managers of information resources. For full conference information check out or send e-mail to conf@cause.colorado.edu. ARCHIVES & TRANSLATIONS. For archive copies of Edupage or Update, ftp or gopher to educom.edu or see URL: < http://www.educom.edu/>. For the French edition of Edupage, send mail to edupage-fr@ijs.com with the subject "subscribe"; or see < http://www.ijs.com >. For the Hebrew edition, send mail to listserv@kinetica.co.il containing : SUBSCRIBE Leketnet-Word6 or see < http://www.kinetica.co.il/ newsletters/leketnet/ >. For the Hungarian edition, send mail to: send mail to subs.edupage@hungary.com. An Italian edition is available on Agora' Telematica; connection and/or free subscription via BT- Tymnet and Sprint (login: Hi everybody, We are pleased to announce the addition of a new CDROM to our range of popular multimedia CDs for the ATARI platform (see below for PR): Please check out our web page for more details and pricing information. http://www.magmacom.com/~nima November 30, 1996 Press release: Homa Systems House is proud to announce the addition of yet another exciting CD to its range of supported multimedia CD-ROMS. World War II is a CD with over 2000 historical events and chronicles. The events range from the declaration of war and the evacuation of Dunkirk, to air battles and naval blockades. With ACM, all the events are linked to their associated picture,video and sound clips ; all accessible through the easy to use and fast user-interface provided by ACM. Features: All the photos and sound clips are "LINKED" the their appropriate articles Powerful Search feature allows searching the entries for any keyword(s), You may specify a searching criteria such as; - Event description - Place of the event - Date - Associated sound,video or picture - Photos are viewable on any ATARI computer at 2, 16, 256, 15/16 bit colors - Sound clips can be played on ATARI STE or better - Video support (68030, Falcon or graphics cards only!) - Save and Print - Fully multitasking Interface: - One main window - 4 TEXT windows with BOLD and Italicized text effects, where necessary - One picture window - One tools window which allows picture selection, sound selection, - reference selection, and ... - Modern 3D interface on computers with at least 16 colors - Flying dialog boxes System Requirements: Any ATARI Computer with 4 Megabytes of RAM, Hard disk and a monitor capable of at least 640x400 in monochrome. Recommended system: TT030/FALCON 030 with 8/16 Megs of RAM and resolution of 800x600 (or higher) in 256 colors (and a hard disk of course). World War II is copyright of LivingMedia by IMSI -- Nima Montaser Homa Systems House email: aa414@freenet.carleton.ca http://www.magmacom.com/~nima JTS CORPORATION REPORTS RECORD RESULTS FOR THIRD QUARTER SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- JTS Corporation (AMEX: JTS) today announced record results for the third fiscal quarter ended October 27, 1996. Revenue from the Company's disk drive operations rose to $32 million, from the $16 million of revenue from disk drive operations for the immediately preceding quarter, and the $1 million of revenue from the sale of disk drives in the third quarter of the previous fiscal year. The operating loss incurred by the disk drive operation was $11 million for the quarter, compared with an operating loss of $21 million incurred in this year's second fiscal quarter. On July 30, 1996 JTS Corporation and Atari Corporation merged and the current quarter represents the first time the merged company is reporting financial results. Prior to the merger, Atari's business had been downsized considerably. The net loss and operating loss for the combined Company was $125 million and $123 million respectively for the quarter, including a previously disclosed $110 million non cash charge for in-process research and development resulting from the merger. In addition, $2.9 million of expenses included in the current quarter represent amortization of other intangibles arising from the merger. "We are extremely pleased with the results for the third quarter," said Tom Mitchell, President and Chief Executive Officer of JTS, "particularly in regards to the speed with which the company has continued to ramp disk drive production and shipments. JTS met the aggressive targets we outlined recently, and we expect to continue to meet our targets for higher product shipment levels going forward. I am also pleased to report that the Company introduced four new 3-inch drive models during the quarter, including the industry's first ultra slim 1GB drive, as well as new 1.2GB, 1.4GB and 1.6GB 3-inch drives." During the quarter, JTS increased production at the Company's Madras, India factory, with shipments of drives to leading PC OEM's reaching 230,000, primarily consisting of 3.5-inch drives. The Company is currently manufacturing 25,000 drives per week, and expects to hit a production rate of 50,000 drives per week by the end of the current fiscal quarter. Since beginning initial product shipments of 3.5-inch drives in October of 1995, JTS has reported dramatically increasing quarter-over-quarter revenues from sales of hard disk drive products, growing from $1 million for the first quarter of shipments, to $12 million in the next quarter, to $16 million for each of the next two quarter's shipments, to the current quarter's shipments of $32 million. "We remain on track to double revenues in the fourth quarter ending February 2, 1997 from revenues for the third quarter just ended, and expect to ship $100 million in disk drive products for the first quarter of the next fiscal year, assuming the successful completion of additional working capital financing," said Mitchell. In November, JTS completed a $15 million private financing involving the sale of its Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, which are non-voting shares convertible into JTS common stock. The shares also carry an annual dividend rate of five percent. "We anticipate revisiting the capital market early next year to secure the additional working capital funding necessary to meet our targeted expansion plans," said Mitchell. JTS Corporation, with headquarters in San Jose, Calif. was founded in 1994 to design, manufacture and supply enhanced- capacity hard disk drives for the notebook and desktop personal computer market. JTS offers an innovative line of ultra-slim 3.0- inch disk drives that provide higher capacity and lower cost per megabyte than competitive alternatives in the portable computer market. The president and chief executive officer of JTS, Tom Mitchell, was formerly the president and chief operating officer of Conner Peripherals and co-founder, president and chief operating officer of Seagate Technology. The company currently employs more than 5,800 people worldwide including manufacturing facilities in Madras, India. JTS CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS For The Quarters and Nine Months Ended October 27, 1996 and September 30, 1995 (Amounts in Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts) Unaudited Quarter ended Nine Months Ended October 27, September 30, October 27, September 30, 1996 1995 1996 1995 Net Sales $33,265 $4,062 $35,056 $11,824 Cost of sales 34,877 12,081 39,122 18,534 Gross Profit (Loss) (1,611) (8,019) (4,065) (6,710) Write off of in-process R&D 110,012 -- 110,012 -- Amortization of existing technology 1,962 -- 1,962 -- Research and development 5,711 1,742 6,263 4,552 Selling, general and administrative 3,916 4,040 5,705 12,587 Total operating expenses 121,601 5,782 123,942 17,139 TOTAL OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) (123,212) (13,801) (128,007) (23,849) Exchange Gains (Loss) 66 1 (604) (2) Other income (expense), net (824) 171 3,707 1,174 Interest Income 53 730 673 2,536 Interest expense (1,276) (569) (2,415) (1,740) TOTAL OTHER INCOME(EXPENSE) (1,980) 333 1,362 1,968 NET INCOME (Loss) ($125,193) ($13,468) ($126,646) ($21,881) NET INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE ($1.20) ($0.21) ($1.55) ($0.34) Number of shares used in computations 104,088 63,642 81,599 63,642 SOURCE: JTS Corporation Newsbytes NewsReel STR Feature 12 Years Ago This Week MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1996 DEC 4 (Newsbytes) -- By Nick Gorski. Twelve years ago these Newsbytes stories were filed: AT&T Gets Tough; A Jolly Christmas?; Digital Deli; and Love, Not War. These stories were taken from the extensive archives at the Newsbytes Website at http://www.newsbytes.com A Jolly Christmas? One analyst is predicting that high-end computers, and mainly Apple computers, will enjoy the healthiest Christmas sales season ever as people turn away from low-end machines. Ken Lim of Dataquest (San Jose) says fewer low-end computers (namely Commodore and Atari) will be sold this year compared to last as people opt for more expensive, versatile machines. "People are now ready to buy in that price range and are becoming aware of what a computer is and can do, and they want a lot more than a video game player," he says. He adds that people mainly buy home computers for educational purposes and Apple has "10 times the educationalsoftware of any other manufacturer." Entertainment Section GameDay 97! PSX Games Tops! Konami News! Game Violence! And more! From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is! Well, we're a few days away from seeing a couple of more games released for the Jaguar. It's been ages since we've seen anything come out; let's hope that holiday sales are positive and that this will help generate more interest in more games in 1997. We can only hope but at this stage of the game, I'm not going to bet the farm. Let's look forward to Towers II and Breakout 2000; I know that I am. Lots more PlayStation news this week! Gameday 97 is out for you football fans, among other games. You have to give Sony credit for doing it right. Nintendo has been quiet and a couple more games have entered the market with little fanfare. It should be interesting to learn which company has the best holiday sales this year! Until next time... Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - Latest Gaming News! Sony Computer Entertainment America Scores Big in Toy Test FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (Dec. 2) BUSINESS WIRE -Dec. 2, 1996--The results of the seventh annual Toy Test sponsored by "CBS This Morning" revealed that the PlayStation(TM) game console and PlayStation video games are in high demand. According to the more than 3,000 program participants who tested a number of games for a three-week period, PlayStation game console was selected as the gaming platform of choice, with six games available exclusively for the PlayStation game console voted the most popular video games for theChristmas selling season. Sony Computer Entertainment America is proud to announce the following PlayStation video games that received top honors in the CBS program: - Crash Bandicoot(TM), published by Sony Computer Entertainment America; - Tekken 2(TM), published by Namco Hometek; - Project: Horned Owl(TM), published by Sony Computer Entertainment America; - Star Gladiator(TM), published by Capcom Entertainment; - Tobal No. 1(TM), published by Sony Computer Entertainment America; - Twisted Metal 2(TM), published by Sony Computer Entertainment America. "The annual CBS Toy Test is an integral part of our market research program," said Andrew House, vice president, marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "It is obvious from the results of the '1996 CBS Toy Test' that PlayStation is the video game system of choice. Whether its sports, fighting, racing or action, PlayStation offers more quality titlesthan any other platform." Consumers can obtain the full results of the CBS Toy Test through the Worldwide Web at http://www.cbs.com/toytest; or write to Toy Test, P.O. Box 821, Bellevue, WA 98009. PlayStation Software Selling at Unprecedented Rate FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (Dec. 3) BUSINESS WIRE -Dec. 3, 1996--Sony Computer Entertainment America announced today that software for the PlayStation game console is selling at an unprecedented rate of six titles to each PlayStation sold. This 6-to-1 ratio represents an all-time high for the U.S. video game industry. "There are a number of factors that directly contribute to the unparalleled sales success of the PlayStation software," says Andrew House, vice president, marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "The huge number of both currently available and forthcoming games, the competitive price point of CD-based software, and the superb quality of the games all combine to make the PlayStation an incredibly attractive purchase for the video game player." According to Electronics Boutique's November 19 top ten video games sales list, six of the top ten games listed were PlayStation software titles. Electronics Boutique also reports PlayStation software is outselling other 32-bit system software by a 20-to-1 margin. In addition, the October TRSTS Report states 42 of the top 50 software spots are dominated by PlayStation software titles. There are currently more than 150 titles set for the PlayStation game console, with a total of 200 expected by the end of this year. Never before has a video game console had this much quality software available in the first year of the system's life. Consumers are able to buy PlayStation software titles in such large numbers due, in part, to the fact Sony Computer Entertainment America can release modern, CD-based titles for a significantly lower price than cartridge-based systems which rely on older, more expensive and out-dated silicon chips. The additional benefits of CD-ROM are that it also has a greater capacity for memory storage, which means longer and more "realistic" games, and also the ability to play back genuine music and voices instead of simplistic computer-generated sounds. Twisted Metal2, NFL Game Day '97 and NHL Face Off '97 lead the way in quality games produced by Sony Interactive Studios America for Sony Computer Entertainment America. Licensed Sony Computer Entertainment America games such as Crash Bandicoot and Tobal No. 1 further expand the status of PlayStation games. Lastly, the total dominance of sports software for the PlayStation game console make it the system of choice. All genres of games -- from fighting and racing, to sports and arcade -- are represented in the incredible number of available titles. Whatever experience a gamer is looking for, it is available on the PlayStation game console. NFL GameDay '97 to Hit Retail Shelves Tomorrow (Dec. 5) FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (Dec. 4) BUSINESS WIRE -Dec. 4, 1996--Sony Computer Entertainment America announced that its highly anticipated NFL GameDay '97, exclusive to the PlayStation game console, will be available on retail shelves across North America tomorrow, December 5. The award-winning original NFL GameDay was one of last year's best-selling PlayStation software titles, and the enthusiasm from game reviewers,consumers and the retail community suggest that this year's version will be another blockbuster hit. "NFL GameDay '97 is the most advanced and realistic football video game ever created," said Peter Dille, senior director, product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "The enhancements to NFL GameDay '97 are amazing and really show off the PlayStation's horsepower. We're hearing constant feedback from the interactive press that this is the best NFL football video game ever created." While those same enthusiasts magazines have stated that the original NFL GameDay reset the bar for "next generation" football video gaming - with features such as Icon Passing -- NFL GameDay '97 raises it again with the best of advanced features. Players can now choose their preferred passing interface -- Icon Passing, Advanced Passing Meter or the all-new Total Control Passing. Total Control Passing allows gamers, for the first- time ever, to lead, and over- or under-throw a receiver based on the coverage. Players can also opt to use a no huddle offense, choose between infinite camera angles or even raise or lower the computer's I.Q. -- affecting the computer's ability to respond to the play calling tendencies of the game player. NFL GameDay '97 has all the features necessary to create the most realistic football video game available: more than 1,500 players from the NFLPA; real NFL uniforms -- both home and away -- with actual player numbers; all 30 NFL teams and their stadiums faithfully recreated in stunning 3D; and a playbook containing 500 real NFL plays. In addition, for the most accurate movement ever seen in a video football game, NFL GameDay '97 features the motion-capture animation of the Oakland Raiders' All-Pro wide receiver, Tim Brown. Some of the animations include forearm shivers, shoulder charges, one-handed catches, spins, stiff- arms, hurdles and many more. What further makes NFL GameDay '97 the most realistic playing video football game is its artificial intelligence--the computer's brain. Players on the field "think," react and perform as they do in the NFL. For example, defensive backs take appropriate pursuit angles to catch and tackle the ball carrier; defensive fronts attack the offensive line with stunts and swim techniques; and offensive guards and tackles that counter by pulling and trapping. As part of Sony Computer Entertainment America's $50 million marketing campaign, NFL GameDay '97 has a dedicated television ad that began airing on November 16. For Immediate Release December 3, 1996 KONAMI OF AMERICA, INC. BRINGS ALL-NEW 3D VERSION OF CLASSIC CONTRA TO 32-BIT HARDWARE This Mega-Hit Legacy Is Now Available on Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn (BUFFALO GROVE, IL)--Konami of America, Inc., leading developer of electronic entertainment for the home video game and coin-op markets, is shipping Contra--Legacy of War, the first real two- player 3D action/adventure title available for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn, according to Andrew Donchak, consumer division president. Having sold nearly four million units since the game's introduction in 1987, the Contra series has become synonymous with blast-a-minute fun that puts the gamers' strategy and fighting skills to the ultimate test. Now Konami brings Contra--Legacy of War to the 32-bit format, introducing beefed-up, militaristic fighting challenges for the advanced Contra combatter. The title features unique, 3D texture-mapped environments giving gamers endless scenarios in which to blow away the enemy. The Sony PlayStation version offers an added value to gamers with its special 3D film-type option providing an intense, lifelike combat experience when viewed through the 3D glasses that are bundled with the product. "All-in-all, Contra--Legacy of War takes our action-packed classic to the next level, bringing with it the same ingenuity and Konami quality that Contra fans have come to expect. We've added some really terrific, technological advances to make it the action combat title on the market," states Donchak. Players choose from four unique Contra--Legacy of War fighters, including a super cyborg female and a sleek, paramilitary steel robot. A fully loaded arsenal is stocked with weaponry, such as machine guns, homing lasers, bullets and rockets, grenades, flame-throwers, bombs and more. "Two-player simultaneous play adds to the excitement and challenge of this Contra game and really gets the adrenaline flowing in the heat of battle," states Mark Porwit, vice president, planning for Konami of America. "Gamers have been clamoring for this title since the 32-bit hardware began shipping, and I'm here to tell you that the ultra-action intense gameplay will not disappoint as anxious Contra fans storm the aisles for this in-demand game." Gamers test their Contra-- Legacy of War mettle, fighting it out through three levels of difficulty and taking on their enemies in all kinds of terrain, including the city, the jungle and even more far- out locations. Porwit adds, "It's classic Konami Contra, with the added graphics and 3D elements that really pump it up to the next generation of fighting action." Konami of America, Inc. is a leading developer of electronic entertainment properties, specializing in the home video game and coin-operated markets. In addition to the Konami Sports Series, which includes The Final Round, NBA In the Zone, NFL Full Contact, MLBPA Bottom of the 9th, International Track & Field and Goal Storm, Konami's consumer titles include Castlevania and Contra among other top sellers. Konami's coin-op legacy includes such hits as Crypt Killer and Run and Gun 2. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Internet at http://www.konami.com. Konami of America, Inc. is a subsidiary of Konami Co., Ltd., a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan. For Immediate Release: December 3, 1996 KONAMI SETS NEW HARDWARE STANDARD WITH THE JUSTIFIER LIGHT GUN The All-New Justifier Adds Bang to the PlayStation Gamers' Arsenal (BUFFALO GROVE, IL) --Konami of America, Inc., the leading developer of electronic entertainment for the home video game and coin-op markets, is setting a new standard for gaming accessories with the shipping of the "Justifier?" in November. The "Justifier" is the new light gun peripheral officially licensed for the Sony PlayStation, according to Andrew Donchak, consumer division president. "Konami of America is excited to bring this officially licensed Sony PlayStation gun accessory to its gamers," states Donchak. "The "Justifier" will give shooting-game fans a realistic perspective of the arcade experience. The accuracy of the aim and the arcade-like feel this gun creates is like nothing ever seen or felt before. Konami isespecially pleased to provide all gun-game fans with this new accessory that we know they'll enjoy." With true arcade-style features, the "Justifier" boasts smooth trigger action and has the feel and look of an arcade game gun. The "Justifier" will be compatible with all Sony PlayStation gun games as well as the Konami gun games Lethal Enforcers I & II and Crypt Killer. Konami has combined the rough, crime-fighting action and gritty, gun-filled feuds of both original Lethal Enforcers I & II coin-op series on one CD. Lethal Enforcers will provide pure excitement. Crypt Killer's gruesome elements and amazing 3D gargoyles, zombies and skeletons come to life in this conversion from console to CD. The CD version of Crypt Killer brings the shooting action to life. Konami of America, Inc. is a leading developer of electronic entertainment properties, specializing in the home video game and coin-operated markets. In addition to the Konami Sports Series, which includes The Final Round, NBA In The Zone, NFL Full Contact, MLBPA Bottom of the 9th, International Track and Field and Goal Storm, Konami's consumer titles include Castlevania and Contra among other top sellers. Konami's coin-op legacy includes such hits as Run and Gun 2, Crypt Killer and the Lethal Enforcer series. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Internet at http://www.konami.com. Konami of America, Inc. is a subsidiary of Konami Co., Ltd., a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan. Japanese Games Publishers Team To Fight Piracy HONG KONG, 1996 DEC 2 (Newsbytes) -- By Mahlon Campbell In one of the biggest actions of its kind in Hong Kong, Japanese computer games manufacturers have served 43 writs against distributors and retailers for selling illegal copies of software. Sega Enterprises Ltd., Koei Co. and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., took civil action in response to growing software piracy in Hong Kong. They said the pirates were selling pirated software for Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation systems at a tenth of the price of the official product. "We are not prepared to be the victims of this continued and blatant criminal activity," said Kiichi Nishikura, general counsel of Sega. Company officials declined to say how much money has been lost, but noted that 90 percent of games sold in the Hong Kong market are fakes. "The investigators had confiscated CDs worth HK$1.2 million," said Shin Loo, a lawyer with the firm, Baker & McKenzie. The companies would not elaborate on this figure, nor reveal how much each company is spending for the joint civil action. The software in question is that published by Koei for Sega Saturn games machines, as well as software published by Koei, SCEI and other companies for use in Sony's PlayStation video-game machines. The companies had united to fight the pirates because evidence had been uncovered that showed software pirates were themselves establishing alliances, said Kiichi Nishikura. He added that Nintendo Company Ltd., was expected to join the three soon. The games are selling in Hong Kong for between HK$30 and HK$40 compared with the HK$300 to HK$400 the official versions cost. Pirated software is estimated to have up to a 90 percent share of the market in the country, Nishikura said. The companies are taking action against retailers located in seven arcades: the Hi-Tech Computer Centre, Ho Kong Commercial Centre, Kwai Chung Plaza, Lik Sang Plaza, Oriental 188 Shopping Centre in Wan Chai, Smiling Shaukiwan Plaza and Tsuen Fung Centre. With counterfeiting so ubiquitous in the computer games industry, the three competitors decided for the first time to cooperate in the battle, company officials said. "The illegal software dealers who steal our products for their own personal gain should pay," said Sega's Nishikura. Sales of illegal software deprive legitimate traders in Hong Kong of resources to develop and market new games, he said. Companies like Sony, Sega and Koei spend million of dollars manufacturing software, but counterfeiters copy these same products for a few hundred dollars. Sega games sell at a street price of HK$ 300 to $400, while the same illegal games cost only HK$30 to 40. "We can't compete with these products," said Nishikura, adding that the illegal market sometimes forces software companies into bankruptcy. The process of watching the market and copying popular games has increased in sophistication. "In the past, the counterfeiters were loners, but now they are in syndicate. This is because of the international connections they have round the world," Loo said. Counterfeited titles include Virtua On and Sonic the Hedgehog from Sega; and Arc the Lad and Jumping Flash from SCEI. Popular software from Koei includes Romance of the Three Kingdoms, parts 4 and 5, and Air Management 96. Newsbytes visited Oriental 188, where most of the customers were youngsters. Some shop owners admitted that they had been visited recently by the police but claimed that they were never shut down. The three companies filing suit said they will work closely with the Customs and Excise Bureau, the Hong Kong Police and other Hong Kong government agencies. "The Bureau needs to take a more aggressive stance and devote more resources to stamp illegal retail trade." Nishikura added. No one from the Bureau could be reached for comment. Group Says Games Too Violent A watchdog group has told Congress that while video and computer game industries are doing a good job rating their products, many of the games still are too violent for children. Speaking at a news conference at which the National Institute on Media and the Family released a report on games, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D- Connecticut, commented: "Too many games now on the market this holiday season are more violent, more antisocial and generally more disgusting than ever. The gift these products give is to communicate the unadulterated message that killing is cool and viciousness is a virtue." Writing for the Reuter News Service, reporter Robert Green quoted Lieberman as saying manufacturers often try to promote the games by stressing how violent they are. The senator cited an ad for the computer game Duke Nukem, made by GT Interactive Software, which said, "Smell steaming entrails as Duke's new microwave cannon fries and explodes those alien bastards." Meanwhile, the group's report said most companies were using a uniform rating system for all games, but that many retail outlets sold or rented games to anyone regardless of the ratings and many clerks did not understand the system. A dozen video games were cited by the group -- Doom, Fighting Vipers, Killer Instinct, Krazy Ivan, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Mortal Kombat, Primal Rage, Resident Evil, Revolution Z, Street Fighter 11, Virtual Cop and Virtual Fighter 2 -- as containing excessive violence and other questionable content. The group also listed these 10 violent computer games popular with children: ATF, Crusader No Regret, Daggerfall, Doom, Duke Nukem, Mech Warrior 2, Mortal Kombat, Pray for Death, Quake and Warcraft 2. The report urges parents and others to use the ratings when buying games for children. Ratings designate games that are suitable for young children, preteen-agers, teenagers up to and over the age of 17 and adults only. Entertainment Online STR InfoFile Online Users Growl & Purr! [Editor's note: I saw this item on CompuServe and thought it amusing. I guess I'm not the only one that finds it amusing that Nintendo only has a few games available for the holidays. I still cannot fathom why consumers are buying the hype! BTW, I only included the relative portion; the others were boring!] Beanie Boy Announces His Crispy Toy Picks For '96! DANA POINT, Calif., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- PANGEA Toy Network, the only cyber site featuring ToyTainment, and their ever- smiling mascot, Beanie Boy, have issued "Beanie Boy's Crispy Toy Picks For '96!" Beanie Boy has been hard at work all year testing the toys and games that will ultimately land on boys' and girls' wish lists. Beanie Boy also enlisted the help of several million cyber-savvy ToyNetters who frequent PANGEA Toy Network on America Online! It was tough narrowing down the list of contenders, but Beanie Boy kept his propeller spinning overtime to make his final selections. Best Video Game System With Less Than Four Games to Play: Nintendo 64. Includes: 3-Grip Controller With 3-D Joystick. $199.99. Nintendo ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'! PEOPLE... ARE TALKING On CompuServe Compiled by Joe Mirando CIS ID: 73637,2262 Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Here we are, coming up to Christmas. There's talk of snow in the forecast, the stores are filling up, and I'm even thinking about doing some of my shopping early. None of this has anything to do with using Atari computers but, heck, I think it's worth mentioning. It's a wonderful time of year. Except for the snow. And the crowds. And the slippery roads. But other than all that, it's a great time of year. Well, since I've got nothing of any real worth to say this week, let's take a look at what's going on right here on CompuServe. From the Atari Computing Forums Myles Cohen tells us: "...[I still have my Mega STE] and I love it dearly and use it mostly... I just purchased a TT and find it to be more machine than I am used to or need...it's a powerful brute and I'm a bit scared of it...I still don't know the difference between TT ram and regular ram...or even why they are separate animals... It won't run all the things that my MSTE will...Progs and Accs thst I have grown used to...and I find that I use and prefer the Mega...as the TT gathers dust...but I don't want to sell it because I intend to conquer the the beast someday... Still...the WEB seems to be the place to be and maybe with your program and the TT...I can get on it at last..." By the way folks, it's not my program, I just found it on the internet and uploaded it to CompuServe. Charles Harrison asks: "Can anyone help me? I have a few music files created on an Atari in C-Lab Notator's *.SON format. I do not now have access to the program, but wish simply to convert these files to a format ( preferably a MIDI format ), readable by PC software such a MPLAYER.EXE. Can anyone either; a) Point me in the direction of a cheap/free conversion program b) Convert the files for me c) Or lend me a copy of the program so that I can either resave them in the right format or play them back while recording them into my PC soundcard? For the latter option, I would be willing to leave a cheque as deposit, suitably reimburse any expenses, and for any of the options it's got to be worth a bottle of something hasn't it? " Myles Cohen tells Charles: If you E-mail them to me...I'll use my copy of Notator to turn them into MID files for you..." Gary Partington asks: "Can anyone tell me where to find QUICKCIS in the libraries?" Sysop Jim Ness, the author of QuickCIS, tells Gary: "QuickCIS should be in the Telecom library - #2. Please understand that the program has not been updated in about three years, so there are some flaws in it. Several members still use it, but have to bend over a bit to make it do what they want." While on the subject of QuickCIS, Mark Showalter posts: "I am having a problem with QuickCIS on my atari 1040ste: when it tries to dial, my modem goes " click " & I get a " NO CARRIER " on the screen. I've tried to change the initial & phone string with no change. Any ideas? I got a few other suggestions, but none that have helped so far. Is there also a more updated programme available that will allow off-line preperation for e-mail & downloading?" Jim Ness tells Mark: "Tell me exactly what you have in your Init String and your Dial String." Mark Replies: "My initial styring is: AT&F1 which is for a US robotics sportster modem. I assume QUIckCIS sends a cr after that, I don't klnmow. My dial string: ATDT8405900. Is thios what you wanted to know? If not, I'll try to get more info: I did check the version & it's , I think v.1.72 beta 3. Does that sound right?" Jim tells Mark: "Try changing it temporarily to just AT and see what happens. QuickCIS does send the CR. Your dial string is fine. Make sure there are no space characters anywhere in there. Also, click on the Speed button to choose a slower modem command speed. This tells QuickCIS to send the AT commands at a slower rate. Newer modems shouldn't need this help, but who knows...?" Mark tells Jim: "I still cannot get Quickcis to do more than " click " & then display " NO CARRIER " . Have you any more thoughts on this, or perhaps can you recommend another program that can do the same. Also, is there an up-dated program for Atari to access CompuServe? Especially for off-line prep to do e-mail & post messages?" Jim tells Mark: "I don't know of any other Atari program that will automate CompuServe access. Sorry." The problem with a program like QuickCIS, in my opinion, is that it does too much for you. You get used to not having to think about how to do things. If you don't know how to do something yourself, you are going to have trouble understanding how a program does it. Remember folks, as Frank Lloyd Wright said, "God is in the details". Mark Kimball posts: "I recently tried using a disk-formatting program called "twister" that is supposed to improve access time by "skewing" the sectors on each track. But the program consistently returns errors when I try it on my Mega4. Is there any other formatting program for the Mega4 that offers improved disk-access time? That is known to work?... Actually, my machine IS a Mega STe. Regarding upgrading TOS, is that still an option in these days of no Atari Corp?... I'll check the version# of the TOS I have. Does 2.0.6 "twist" floppys? The main reason I'm investigating this is that I noticed that some disks load much faster than the ones formatted on my machine. Perhaps they are some "special" format..." Albert Dayes tells Mark: "It could be "special format" aka twisted or it could be fast-bit being set which does not clear all of memory before loading the program. It also depends on how large the program you are loading/running too." Hubert Paulig asks: "Is there any way to use the atari-programm calamus and others dtp-programs on PC's ? Please help!" Richard Rives tells Hubert: "Calamus will work with Gemulator (the TOS emulator for PC's). Also there is a Windows95 version of Calamus out now, available from MGI software." James Spielman tells us: "I recently grabbed a Mega ST2 (unfortunately without a keyboard; see my post in Community Square!) and was wondering in what ways it differed from the 1040ST, other than the included 2meg o' RAM. I pulled it apart to see what's what, and noticed a 64 pin connector (J15) about smack in the middle of the m/b (just behind the CPU). What might this be used for? Also, there's a switch on the back (in the removable "panel") that connects to a group of six, Intel EPROMs(?) marked "LO"/"HI", 0 through 2. Any ideas of the function of this switch and/or the chips? Another, 24 pin connector (J17), sits right in front of the hdd connector. Function? As far as markings on the m/b, in the center is: - C100501 - -001 - REV.1.0 And toward the front: - MEGA.ST - CA200092-(and a blank white block) - assyno I also noticed a small card stuck into a chip socket with the copyright date of "1989 JR1". Between the two chips on this card is the print: - ST4096C(c) 1989 John Russell Innovations What might that be? This machine has obviously been opened before as the Atari tape seal had been poked through to reach the screw. I connected it to a monitor and powered up. It booted to the desktop just fine, but with no k/b it's hard to delve much farther!" Bill Anderson tells James: "Now that I've had a chance to refresh my memory, on your Mega2, J15 is the Megabus internal expansion port. Some of the devices made for this port include: graphics boards, math co-processor, and the Mega Talk board. The switch connected to the 6 EPROMs is most likely for selecting 2 different versions of TOS (the operating system), the EPROMs contain the OS. Probably TOS 1.0 and TOS 1.04. Alot of people did this for downward compatibility. On second thought, TOS 1.02 is what normally came with the Megas. J17 is the same thing as your DMA (HDD) port. With it, you could install an inte rnal hard disk by using the ICD "AddSCSI Micro" product. If you do this, I think you can no longer attach anything else to the external connector. I believe that JRI made memory expansion products (RAM). Your Mega2 could be a 4 meg machine. Sounds like you got a good one!" Sysop Bob Retelle tells James: "TOS only comes in two versions... the original setup used 6 ROMs, and the newer setup uses 2 ROMs. I'm not sure what the switch in your Mega is intended to be used for. I tried a DEKA keyboard interface when they first came out, intending to write a magazine review... but I sent it back rather than write up my experiences which seemed worse than normal. Perhaps by now they've improved the unit, or possibly it works better with newer PC keyboards... at any rate, yes.. you're right, it would let you use a PC keyboard to replace the normal Mega keyboard, even though its original purpose was to provide a detached keyboard for the one-piece STs. Have you contacted Best Electronics for a new Mega keyboard..? They have a very good selection of Atari pieces and parts.. (408) 243-6950" Well folks, that's about it for this time, tune in again next week, same time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying when... PEOPLE ARE TALKING EDITORIAL QUICKIES "Tis the Season, you need no other reason. Help the needy and please be speedy. Once you start it'll warm your heart You'll be glad to know you've done your part." STReport International OnLine Magazine [S]ilicon [T]imes [R]eport HTTP://WWW.STREPORT.COM AVAILABLE through the Internet and OVER 200,000 BBS SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE All Items quoted, in whole or in part, are done so under the provisions of The Fair Use Law of The Copyright Laws of the U.S.A. Views, Opinions and Editorial Articles presented herein are not necessarily those of the editors/staff of STReport International OnLine Magazine. Permission to reprint articles is hereby granted, unless otherwise noted. Reprints must, without exception, include the name of the publication, date, issue number and the author's name. STR, CPU, STReport and/or portions therein may not be edited, used, duplicated or transmitted in any way without prior written permission. STR, CPU, STReport, at the time of publication, is believed reasonably accurate. STR, CPU, STReport, are trademarks of STReport and STR Publishing Inc. STR, CPU, STReport, its staff and contributors are not and cannot be held responsible in any way for the use or misuse of information contained herein or the results obtained therefrom. STReport "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" December 06, 1996 Since 1987 Copyrightc1996 All Rights Reserved Issue No. 1249