Silicon Times Report "The Original Independent OnLine Magazine" (Since 1987) March 14, 1997 No.1311 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 FAX: 904-268-2237 24hrs STReport WebSite http://www.streport.com STR Publishing's FTP Support Server 10gb - Back Issues - Patches - Support Files (Continually Under Construction) ftp.streport.com Anonymous Login ok - Use your Email Address as a Password STReport published with MS Office 97 & Adobe Acrobat Pro 3.0 Featuring a Full Service Web Site http://www.streport.com Voted TOP TEN Ultimate WebSite Join STReport's Subscriber List receive STR through Internet STReport delivered to you every Saturday Morning! Toad Hall BBS 1-617-567-8642 03/14/97 STR 1311 Celebrating Our Tenth Anniversary 1987-97! - CPU Industry Report - IE 4.0 Overview - HP SureStore DAT8 - UUNet & ISDL - Pentium II RSN - UUNet goes Overseas - CeBit 97 NEWS - WebMaster Degree? - Shareware Listings - Frankie's Corner - People Talking - Classics & Gaming HP STEALS SOME OF NCs' THUNDER UMAX Plans First Wintel PCs 120MB Floppy Drive Shown 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 Adobe Acrobat Pro 3.0 Please obtain the latest issue of Silicon Times Report (STReport -STR) from either our Web Site or FTP Site. 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 actively participate. 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 1987-1997 Florida Lotto - LottoMan v1.35 Results: 03/08/97: 3 of 6 numbers, no matches From the Editor's Desk... Mid March and its cold up north again and the weather is laced with freezing rain and snow. Not here. Its in the mid seventies to mid eighties. Last Saturday night I was at the NASCAR Raceway, Pecan Park, gawking at the Hobby Stock and Grand American Class Cars literally fly. Soon, there'll be one out there with STReport's Name on it and a Mariano behind the wheel. The Mariano Racing Team is about to become a reality. My four sons are forging ahead with their plans. The motor and transmission are complete. To the tune of almost four thousand dollars for the motor and three thousand for the Transmission and related components. Who said racing is not expensive? The Car, to be number 35, is a Buick Regal. The brand is nowhere near as important and the body style and weight. It going to be fun and I might add that anyone, from a single individual to the larger corporations out there that would like to assist these young men and at the same time, gain a prominent name placement on the car or, in our Booster Brochure need only get in touch with me. This week, Hewlett Packard, one of the more reliable names in the computing community, has introduced a newer SureStore DAT Tape Backup Drive. STReport has Two of their Tape 6000 models, one an internal and the other, an external. They've been in constant use on two of our larger, beta testing systems and have on many more than simple one occasion "saved the day". I need not tell you about the problems that can arise when a rather cranky piece of beta software is installed. The HP SureStore Tape 6000's have proven themselves to be ultra reliable hardware products. The NEW HP Tape Backup are covered elsewhere in this issue. It's a lock they'll be just as reliable and more than likely faster and and smoother in their operations. Check out the informative article. Ps: Lloyd's BACK!! Of Special Note: http://www.streport.com ftp.streport.com STReport offers so much more in the way of serving the Networks, Online Services and The Internet's vast fast growing site list and userbase. We now have our very own fast WEB/FTP Sites 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. (WE agree) So, as of October 01, 1995, you'll be able to download STReport directly from our very own FTP SERVER & WEB Site. While there, be sure to join our STR AutoMailer list. STReport, produced and published by STR Publishing Inc., Silicon Times Report, on a weekly basis, reaches more than 200,000 readers including industry influential readers from around the globe. Additionally, STReport is offered in more large corporate Intranets than any other publication of its kind. STReport's managing editors DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU! Ralph F. Mariano, Publisher - Editor Dana P. Jacobson, Editor, Current Affairs - Classics & Gaming Section Editors PC Section Mac Section Shareware Listings R.F. Mariano Help Wanted Lloyd E. Pulley Classics & Gaming Kid's Computing Corner Dana P. Jacobson Frank Sereno STReport Staff Editors Michael R. Burkley Joseph Mirando Victor Mariano Allen Harkleroad Vincent P. O'Hara Glenwood Drake Contributing Correspondents Jason Sereno Jeremy Sereno Daniel Stidham David H. Mann Angelo Marasco Donna Lines Brian Boucher Leonard Worzala Please, submit ALL letters, rebuttals, articles, reviews, etc., via E-Mail w/attachments to: Internet rmariano@streport.com STR FTP ftp.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 British Royals Get Web Site The British royalty now has a seat in cyberspace. Queen Elizabeth II has inaugurated the royal family's web site on the Internet. A home page called, "The British Monarchy, The Official Web Site," opens at http://www.royal.gov.uk with a color photograph of the queen's imperial crown. The Associated Press notes Web surfers can see the royal family tree, get answers to frequently asked questions and read articles about the crown jewels and other subjects. "There are many unofficial web pages about the royal family, including some satirical and even obscene ones," AP observes. "A palace spokesman has described the official site as an attempt to 'make the monarchy more accessible.'" UUNET Goes Overseas Net company UUNET Technologies Inc. this week is launching its Web hosting services in Britain and Germany and is expected to soon expand throughout Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan and Taiwan. Paul Hoffmann, UUNET's manager of business development, told Patricia Willens of the Reuter News Service the company, a unit of WorldCom Inc., has purchased or bought a stake in several service providers in a race to stay ahead in the fast-growing Web hosting market. Web hosting firms provide businesses with the services and network facilities for creating and managing Web sites. "Localized Web hosting speeds Internet service internationally," says Willens, "because it eliminates the delay associated with having to update Web sites via crowded overseas network connections to the United States." Hoffmann told the wire service, "We really think big companies, small companies, medium companies are going to be looking for a Web service provider. There is just going to be no other choice." Reuters says UUNET currently provides Web hosting for customers like True North Communications Inc., the SciFi Channel of USA Networks and The Motley Fool investor service. Hoffmann said he was expecting to get global business from between about 10 percent and 20 percent of UUNET's existing domestic cusomers as well as from new clients. Digital Offers Voice Plug-In Digital Equipment Corp. is offering Digital Voice Plug-in, a free browser plug-in that allows users to record and send voice e-mail directly from a Web page. According to Digital, the tool works with the most e-mail and audio applications. No additional software is necessary. Since it functions as an element of a Web page, rather than as a separate application, Web publishers can place Voice Plug-in wherever they want feedback. Digital notes that the software allows visitors to immediately "speak their mind" about what they see with a simple, intuitive, graphical user interface that makes talking much easier than typing. The e-mail address and other parameters can be customized by the Web page. As a result, recording and sending a complete message can take as little as three mouse clicks. A free download of Voice Plug-in is available at http://interface.digital.com/voice. Requirement include a sound card-equipped PC, Netscape Navigator or Gold 3.xx and Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0. Support for Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator is planned for the next release, scheduled to become available in the next few months, says Digital. Voice Plug-in was designed as a part of the Speech Interaction Project at Digital's Cambridge Research Laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "This is part of a larger strategy for Digital," says Chris Weikart, the software's primary developer. "Our goal is to build an infrastructure for deploying speech applications over the World Wide Web." The lab intends to enlist Voice Plug-in users in an effort to build the world's first Web-speech database, something Digital views as an essential first step toward deploying speech across the Web. Packard Bell Adopts 56K Modem Packard Bell NEC Inc. says it will incorporate 56K bps U.S. Robotics modem chip sets into future Packard Bell and NEC brand PCs. U.S. Robotics' x2 technology, built into modem chipsets manufactured by Texas Instruments Inc., willbe incorporated into both desktop and notebook models, says the Sacramento, California, computer maker. The high-speed modem-equipped PCs are expected to be available in the second quarter of this year. Packard Bell NEC is the second-largest PC supplier in the U.S. and the No. 3 supplier worldwide. The company is the No. 1 supplier of home computers worldwide. "With the need for speed in today's Internet environment, Packard Bell NEC chose U.S. Robotics and Texas Instruments, two world-class companies, to bring innovative, high-speed modem technology to its Packard Bell and NEC PC customers as quickly as possible," says Beny Alagem, chairman, president and CEO of Packard Bell NEC. "We will make an enhanced Internet experience available to the greatest number of people worldwide through our established leadership in the home PC marketplace." Netscape Adding Push Technology The next generation of Netscape Communications Corp.'s corporate computing software will be built around new "push" technology that sends data to a user's desktop so the users don't have to retrieve it themselves. In The Wall Street Journal, reporter Joan Indiana Rigdon this morning characterized the move as Netscape's "latest effort at technological one-upmanship against Microsoft Corp.," noting, "Among other things, Netscape said its new desktop browser, code-named Mercury, will feature an electronic agent -- a preprogrammed software element -- that can automatically retrieve not only data, but certain faxes and voice-mails. And, the new server software, code-named Apollo, will be able to 'push' many types of data to user's desktops." Netscape officials told the paper both products will include more security, so companies would have a standard way to give each other access to certain parts of their databases. "That would allow a retailer, for instance, to search a supplier's inventory for new items," Rigdon reports. In general, notes the Journal, analysts are lauding Netscape's plans, saying the new software is a significant improvement over its current products, the Netscape Communicator browser and the SuiteSpot server. "But," the paper adds, "analysts fear that as both Netscape and Microsoft emphasize push, each company will have to integrate more tightly their server and browser software. As that happens, it could be difficult for a Netscape browser to view content sent from Microsof's server software and vice versa." Both firms are "stumbling over themselves to convince customers that there is no schism, since each one is using so-called open standards that the other is free to follow." Nonetheless, the companies' standards often conflict with one another and "as the software becomes more complex, the companies will be less and less likely to adopt all of each other's innovations," the paper says. Toshiba Unveils Equium PCs Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. has introduced its first line of business-oriented desktop PCs. The new Equium systems, based on Pentium MMX processors, are equipped with 32MB of EDO RAM, 12x CD-ROM drives, a Universal Serial Bus and built-in 100MB Ethernet communications support. Hard drive capacities range from 2.1GB to 4.3GB. Graphics support includes 3D acceleration and full-motion video at 30 frames per second. "In designing the Equium line, we carefully evaluated the needs of our customers in an office environment. knowing that desk space is at a premium, we created the 5160D, 5200D and 6200D compact desktop computers with significant expansion capabilities in a case that is physically strong enough to support a large monitor," says Peter Ashkin, general manager of Toshiba America's Computer Systems Engineering Division. "In addition, all components selected for the Equium line underwent an extensive battery of tests to assure that the Equium line met the same high standards for quality and reliability as Toshiba's notebooks." Toshiba's first business desktop PCs follow the September 1996 release of the company's Infinia home PC line. UMAX Plans First Wintel PCs Macintosh clone maker UMAX Technologies Inc. is planning a spring launch for a family of high-end PCs based on Pentium MMX technology. The UmaxPC series will feature a 166MHz or 200MHz processor, a 3D video accelerator, a 3D sound system, an Internal 33.6K bps DSVD modem and an optional 17- or 21-inch monitor. The tower-style systems will also offer 2MB of EDO RAM, a 12x or 16x CDROM drive and a 2.1GB hard drive. No prices have been announced. Vincent Tai, president of Fremont, California based UMAX Technologies, says the company "recognizes that there is a group of users out there looking for Windows-based high performance workstations for both graphic and business applications." WinCE Availability Expanded In a move designed to bring the Windows CE operating system to a broad spectrum of products -- from factory robots to consumer electronics products -- Microsoft Corp. says it plans to expand the availability of Windows CE to embedded systems manufacturers. The software giant notes that for the first time, embedded systems manufacturers will be able to acquire a Windows-based portable operating system, opening up their products to hundreds of thousands of developers already familiar with programming for Windows. The new licensing program follows Microsoft's continuing efforts to deploy Windows CE in targeted product categories, such as mobile computing and consumer entertainment products. The first of these products, the Handheld PC, was introduced in November 1996. "Following the successful launch of the Handheld PC using Windows CE, we have received increased interest from additional companies wanting to develop products using the operating system," says Harel Kodesh, general manager of Microsoft's consumer appliance group. "Licensing Windows CE allows a broad range of dedicated devices to be developed in a manner that allows manufacturers to adapt Windows CE to the particular requirements of their product design and to bring that product to market quickly." U.S. Robotics Makes Cable Deal An end-to-end system for providing Internet access over cable television networks is being introduced by modem maker U.S. Robotics Corp., designed for rapid deployment, as well as long-term flexibility for cable operators. The Reuter News Service quotes U.S. Robotics officials as saying the new Cable Access Business Unit provides operators with a new way to deliver data over cable quickly and cost effectively and will be demonstrated next week at a National Cable Television Association Cable 97 trade show in New Orleans. The business unit currently is in talks with cable operators and expects to begin technical and field trials this summer, with widespread cable access system availability to follow in the fall, Reuters says, adding the two-way cable access system is expected to be available in early 1998. Robotics Chairman/CEO Casey Cowell told the wire service, "With the introduction of our new cable access system, we offer a head-end solution that is based on our proven Total Control network platform. Further, our approach is desiged to eliminate the inhibitors to a mass market for cable modems and establish a true retail environment. This strategic approach dramatically reduces capital costs at every point in the network and makes cable Internet access a far more practical reality." Pentium II Almost Ready Intel Corp. says its new Pentium II processor will soon debut in high-end PCs. "Between now and the end of June, we will be launching the Pentium II," Intel product manager Tim Miller told the Reuter News Service at the CeBIT computer trade fair in Hannover, Germany. The chip -- which combines Intel's MMX multimedia technology with the company's existing Pentium Pro processor -- will run at speeds "well above" the current top speed of 200MHz, Miller told Reuters, adding that the Pentium II will debut in PCs geared for producing 3-D graphics, complex simulations and special effects for movies. 3.24GB Hard Drive Unveiled Hitachi America, Ltd., says it has developed the industry's highest capacity slimline hard drive. The Brisbane, California, company notes that its DK226A-32 drive delivers 3.24 GB of storage in a package not much larger than an audio cassette tape. The DK226A-32 sets a new standard for capacity and performance in the slimline notebook disk drive market," said Werner Glinka, director of marketing for the storage products group of Hitachi America. "It is the kind of drive that top-of-the-line mobile systems manufacturers need to differentiate their products in a crowded marketplace, and we expect that it will be designed into the industry's leading notebooks during the second half of 1997." Sample quantities of the DK226A-32 are set to become available in April, priced at $595 for a single evaluation unit. 120MB Floppy Drive Shown At the CeBIT 97 trade show in Hannover, Germany, OR Technology Inc. has demonstrated a 120MB slim-line floppy drive. The Campbell, California-based company notes that its new a:drive is capable of reading and writing standard 1.44MB and 720KB floppy disks while offerin 80 times the storage capacity and five times the performance of conventional floppy drives. "This demonstration marks an important milestone in the development of the slim-line a:drive," says John Haughey, president and CEO of OR Technology. "I'm pleased with our progress and confident in our ability to bring this product to market on schedule." The unit, which fits inside standard PC drive bays, is set to ship this summer for $149. Disks will be priced at $19.95 each. JTS Introduces MMX-ready Hard Disk Drives for Pentiums HANNOVER, GERMANY (March 13) BUSINESS WIRE -March 13, 1997--CeBIT--JTS Corp. (ASE:JTS), a world leader in the development of hard disk drives, Thursday announced the availability of the Champion family of 3.5-inch Fast ATA-3 hard disk drives with capacities of 3.0 gigabytes (GBs), 2.5GBs, 2.0GBs, and 1.7GBs. Targeted toward the Pentium-based desktop PC market, the Champion family is MMX-ready offering the capacity, speed and sustained data flow needed to support full-screen, full-motion video for multimedia applications. "The high-performance Champion family sets new industry benchmarks for value and quality in the desktop performance market segment and puts JTS in direct competition with industry leading hard disk drive manufacturers," said Tom Mitchell, president and chief executive officer of JTS Corp. "The Champion family is key to expanding the OEM customer base for our desktop products and an important component in our distribution strategy." The Champion family is ideal for use in Pentium PCs and is MMX-ready, supporting sustained data transfers of 3MB/sec. It features embedded servo to eliminate data flow interruptions and enable high-speed video and audio data transfer. JTS' new hard disk drives are ideal for video conferencing, games, digital recording and other high-performance multimedia applications. They were designed to provide the features needed for today's Pentium-based applications and to support MMX-based applications. The Champion family offers disk rotation speed of 5400RPM, 256K cache buffer, access times below 12msec, advanced PRML read channel and Fast ATA-3 performance allowing for transfer rates of 16.6MB/sec. The drives also incorporate industry-leading triple burst on-the-fly ECC (Error Correction Code) to increase data integrity at high throughput rates and embedded servo to eliminate te need for thermal recalibration. Embedded servo allows continuous throughput of data making the drive ideal for MMX and multimedia applications, while the low acoustics provide whisper-quiet operation. "These products strike a balance between cost and performance for hard disk drive storage, allowing JTS to meet the needs of a broad range of desktop PC customers," said Phil Devin, vice president, storage research, Dataquest. The Champion family incorporates the advanced Adaptec chipset, including an integrated IDE controller and embedded DSP. Key advantages of the Adaptec chipset include more powerful ECC capability and overall improved throughput. Like all JTS hard disk drives, the Champion family is encapsulated to lock in quality, protect against handling and ESD damage, improve drive reliability and provide for easier installation. This unique feature gives the installer the ability to handle the drives on all surfaces without touching the PCBA. This technology also reduces electromagnetic radiation interference to and from the units. The MTBF is an industry-leading 500,000 hours and each drive is backed by a three year warranty. The high-capacity Champion family of hard disk drives is shipping to several PC original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and also is available through JTS' worldwide network of distributors. Estimated street price is expected to be below $299 for the 3GB C3000-3AF. Server Makers Face Price War The PC server market is beginning to experience many of the same price pains experienced by the PC desktop market in recent years, according to new research from International Data Corp. The Framingham, Massachusetts-based market research firm notes that the PC server market's maturity and a trend toward commoditization has begun to erode manufacturers' once safe havens of profitability. It notes that the server market has entered a new phase where the low end is being swallowed up into price turmoil. IDC predicts that early 1997 will be a hotbed of activity when Intel onceagain opens the doors on price reductions. It believes this action will usher in a round of cuts as vendors vie for price leadership. The researcher also expects that Pentium Pro shipments will continue to grow, forcing vendors to start weaning off Pentium-based servers. Bill Would Keep Net Tax-Free Legislation to keep the Internet free of state and local sales taxes as well as taxes for hooking up to the global computer network is heading for introduction in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. To be offered by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Rep. Chris Cox (R-California), the bill also calls on the Clinton administration to develop a comprehensive plan to address the issue of electronic commerce taxes, the Reuter News Service reports. An official in Cox's office told the wire service the bill is "aimed at ensuring the continued technological development of the Internet by protecting both Internet users and electronic commerce conducted over the Internet from burdensome state and local taxes and foreign tariffs." As reported, the Clinton administration last November said no special taxes should be imposed in cyberspace. It also said in a report that the Treasury Department is not considering any new type of value added tax, "bit" tax, or other new excise tax on electronic commerce. Reuters notes, "Businesses, meanwhile, are struggling with a variety of tax proposals from state and local governments that would affect cyberspace." IBM, Robotics Hit With Modem Suit IBM Corp. and U.S. Robotics Corp. have been named in a patent infringement suit filed by General Patent Corp. International of Monsey, New York. The suit aims to enforce four of GPC's patents, which cover "smart connectors" in PC Card modems and related computer communications devices. Alexander Poltorak, GPC's chairman and CEO, says other companies have also been notified of infringing activities. "More litigation may be necessary if companies decide to test GPC's conviction in enforcing its intellectual property rights," notes David Fink, GPC's attorney. "I hope that infringing companies will respect the patents and license the technology without litigation," says Poltorak. IBM and U.S. Robotics had no immediate comment. Vandals Hack NASA Web Site NASA's Internet site was invaded by vandals this week who a political manifesto, forcing the U.S. space agency to take the site down temporarily. Reporting from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Reuter News Service says a group calling itself H4G13 left a message online claiming responsibility. Brian Dunbar, NASA's Internet services manager, told the wire service the group berated officials for jailing well-known crackers and promised to launch an attack on corporate America for commercial use of the Internet. The online message from the group added, "During the next month, we the members of H4G13 will be launching an attack on corporate America. All who profit from the misuse of the Internet will fall victim to our upcoming reign of digital terrorism." Reuters says the message was up for about half an hour and the site (http://www.nasa.gov) was operating as usual this morning. The wire service says this is the first invasion of the site, which is located at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. NASA officials added they will move the public Web page, at to a new server. Widespread Security Losses Found A new computer security poll finds that three out of four organizations surveyed have suffered financial losses from security lapses. The study, conducted by the San Francisco-based Computer Security Institute, notes that the cause of the losses included fraud, theft of proprietary information, sabotage, computer viruses and laptop thefts. The CSI survey was comprised of questions submitted by the San Francisco office of the FBI's international computer crime squad. CSI says 26 respondents reported a total of $24.8 million in losses due to telecommunications fraud; ú 22 experienced $21 million in losses from theft of proprietary information; ú 26 reported nearly $4.3 million from sabotage of data or networks; ú 22 declared nearly $4 million from unauthorized access by insiders; ú 22 lost $2.9 million from system penetration by outsiders. Computer virus infestations resulted in nearly $12.5 million in losses for 165 respondents. Laptop theft was responsible for $6.1 million in losses for 160 respondents while employee abuse of Internet privileges caused more than $1 million in losses to 55 organizations. Nearly half of the respondents, 49 percent, reported some form of intrusion or unauthorized use of computer systems, compared to 42 percent last year. ACLU Weighs Net Suit in Florida The American Civil Liberties Union may file suit in Orlando, Florida, over the Orange County Public Library's policy to block sexually explicit Internet sites on public access computers. Librarian Dorothy Field told United Press International the sites were blocked in November after parents and other patrons complained the pornograhic pictures could be seen across the room. She said she believes hard-core pornography has no place in a library supported by taxpayers. She says she does not intend to change the policy. However, the ACLU's Florida executive director cited First Amendment concerns and said if the policy is not scrapped, her organization will file suit in a few months. UPI quotes the ACLU's Robyn Blumner as contending the library is supposed to be providing information to the public, but in this instance is spending public resources to restrict information. "Blumner maintains that the policy is inappropriate because the library loans books with graphic sexual material," UPI reports. "Field agrees the facility loans materials containing pictures of nudes, but says they are not pornographic." The wire service adds the library's screening software does not block pictures of simple nudity. Meanwhile, the American Library Association says about 44 percent of the nation's libraries offer some Internet access, but it is not known how many have instituted similar blocking policies. Texas Passes Net Porn Bill In Texas, the state Senate has passed a bill that targets computer pornography. Reporting from Austin, United Press International says the measure by state Sen. J. E. "Buster" Brown of Lake Jackson "would clarify and update language in the state's child pornography laws to include advancements in computer technology." UPI says the bill would: ú Create a new definition of visual material, specifically including disks or other physical medium that allows an image to be displayed on a computer or video screen. ú Cover images transmitted by telephone line, cable, satellites or other methods. Brown told the wire service child pornography "is a horrible exploitation of children, no matter what medium is used." Firms Form Software Alliance A drive to make it easier for their software products to work together and help corporations to run their networks of computers more smoothly is being launched by four major high-tech companies. Officials with the four -- IBM, Sun Microsystems Inc., Oracle Corp. and Netscape Communications Corp. -- told The Associated Press they aim to develop common technical standards for developing software that would work across any computer operating system. "The initiative," says AP, "takes aim at arch rival Microsoft Corp., by far the dominant maker of operating systems for personal computers. The four companies are trying to keep Microsoft from extending that dominance to the computer networks that run large corporations and the Internet." AP says the idea is to prevent Microsoft "from dictating the underlying standards for developing software so it runs best on Microsoft operating systems, forcing corporations to buy software and computers based on those systems." Most Americans Resist Technology Three out of five Americans who use some form of communication technology tell pollsters they see themselves as resistant or hesitant toward such technology. The new survey released this week by MCI polled 1,000 people to gauge their attitude toward such technologies as the Internet, electronic mail, paging services and cellular telephones and found: ú 68 percent of the respondents said they did not use the technologies. ú And of those who used them, 59 percent described their attitude as either "hesitant-prove it" or "resistant and frustrated." United Press International reports the poll was conducted by MCI One along with clinical psychologist Michelle M. Weil, who treats techno-phobes in her Orange, California, private practice. "Many adults," says Dr. Weil, "formed their attitudes about technology more than a decade ago, when technology was difficult to use. Their attitudes about technology have not kept pace with changes in technology. Techno-phobes are unaware that technology has become easier to use, more affordable and more relevant to everyday living." MCI says its survey also found more than one-third (39 percent) of the non-users said they will be using one or more of the technologies by 2000. Non-users said they would use these products for "business purposes" or to "stay in touch with family and friends." Weil told the wire service, "Many are taking this stepbecause they believe they must, not because they want to," adding the key to overcoming techno-phobia is figuring out which tools make sense in a person's life and will give them more control and, ultimately, more enjoyment. "The enjoyment part of the equation may sound a bit far- fetched if you're techno-phobic today," she said, "but once you start using these tools, you'll be amazed by the benefits they provide in terms of access, efficiency and saving time." PCs and Game Consoles Compete New research from IDC/LINK reveals that home penetration rates for PCs and video game consoles are running neck-and- neck in the U.S., while in Europe the PC is typically the platform of choice and in most of Asia/Pacific video games are more popular. In fact, notes the Framingham, Massachusetts-based market researcher, many consumers in search of the ultimate gaming experience haven't been content to stick with just one video game system and consumers in many countries who have invested in one of the two platforms are also more likely to own both. "Based on price issues alone, one would expect higher income PC owners to have disproportionately purchased the relatively low price console systems, and that is the case in all countries except for China and Japan," says Richard Zwetchkenbaum, director of IDC/LINK's new media consumer research. "In Germany, for example, where entertainment is the number one reason for buying a first computer, PC owners are nearly four times as likely as the total population to own a video game console." In two highly entertainment-oriented countries -- China and Japan -- consumers who have made the commitment to computers tend to be PC-centric in their gaming pursuit, and less likely to own generally popular video game consoles, notes IDC/LINK. Still, in both of these countries (as well as the U.S. and most of Asia/Pacific), video game console owners are much more likely to own a computer than is the general population, suggesting consumers of game systems will pay the price to consume many gaming technologies and extend their entertainment experiences. 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 (Costs 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 Shareware Treasure Chest STR Feature "The Latest & Greatest" Shareware Treasure Chest By Lloyd E. Pulley lepulley@streport.com I'm back!! After taking a two month sabatical in order to have a triple bypass heart operation, I finally feel organized and coherent enough to give this column another try. (Note: I call the time that I took off 'medical leave', Ralph calls it 'goofing off'. ) For you who have never had bypass surgery, it's not something you want have done - if you have a real choice about the matter. But if you don't have a choice (which I didn't - not if I wanted to keep living), it's not like it was in the old days. Today there's an average 95-96% survival (from surgery) rate. Not only can it keep you alive (I've met people who had bypass surgery 20+ years ago and are still going strong), it can greatly improve your quality of life. This column is going to be larger than normal (probably about twice its normal size). I might have taken a two month sabatical, but the software developers didn't. While there's no way that I can catch up with everything I've missed in the last 2+ months, I can attempt to catch up with the last couple of weeks. ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price HotDog 32-Bit 3.0.21 3/13/97 4.30mb Shareware $99.95 A really good editor. It has a ton of features like floating toolbars, long file names, Style Sheets, Dynamic Dialogue Builder, Dynamic Button Builder , Massive Plug-In Support, On-the-fly Image Conversion, Create Gif89a Animations, and much more.. Download Site - http://www.sausage.com/hotdog32.htm ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Pegasus Mail 2.53 beta 3/4/97 1.7mb Freeware A really good E-mail program that's free. It has a lot of nice features like a spelling checker, mailing list support, and much more. Download Site - http://www.pegasus.usa.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Space Explorer 4.0 3/8/97 1.0mb Shareware $25.00 The ultimate disk usage program. Features include runs on Windows 95 and Windows NT 4, create/save folder lists using Explorer-like window, see folder sizes in Explorer-like tree (which you can drill down, save and sort by name, nominal size, allocated or wasted (slack) space or date), multithreading support (view one group of folders while other groups are being analysed; and set thread priorities), see folder sizes in pie charts, bar charts, line charts, and spline charts (and change their colours, patterns, and fonts!), View, rotate, and print 3D charts, highlight trees that exceed a certain size, UNC support, MDI support, Drag/drop support Explorer, launch from Windows Explorer menu, Lots of customizable options, Install/uninstall, full context-sensitive Help. Download Site - http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/praful/spaceexplorer.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Blood 03/07/97 17.00mb Shareware Blood will immerse you in a world of horror unlike any you've experienced before. Brace yourself for a nightmarish battle against the bloodthirsty minions of an ancient, forgotten god bent on wiping humanity from the face of the earth. As a former member of the Cabal, you have a good idea of what you're up against, and the odds aren't in your favor. But the hunger for revenge can be a powerful ally--and you've got some old debts to settle. (It's a pretty nifty 3D shooter). Download Site - http://www.blood.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Turbo Launch 32-bit 4.0 beta build 349 03/09/97 .26mbShareware $20 It's a fully configurable tool-bar style application that can be set up to run many programs and perform certain pre-programmed actions. Like a toolbar, pictures are used to distinguish what a button is configured to run. TurboLaunch uses the best icon automatically, but you have complete control and can change the icon to whatever you want! The buttons on TurboLaunch are easy to configure! By dragging and dropping programs, files, shortcuts, or folders, you can instantly configure that button to run the dropped object. You can also configure buttons manually by specifying their command, parameters, working folder, and window style. You even have the ability to assign a shortcut key (hot key) to any button, allowing you to quickly run that button! Download Site - http://www.owt.com/users/rsavard/software.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Cookie Crusher 32-bit 1.01 03/07/97 1.90mb Shareware $10 On the World Wide Web, 'cookies' can generate profiles of your visiting habits. Many sites now utilize cookies and their use is expanding. Most web users, when alerted to this, are very concerned about their browsing privacy. Internet experts and analysts recommend against accepting cookies. Protect yourself with Cookie Crusher! Cookie Crusher will automatically reject cookies before they hit your hard drive. This true 32 bit program is fully compatible with Netscape Navigator/Communicator and Microsoft Internet Explorer under both Windows 95 and Windows NT. Download Site - http://www.thelimitsoft.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price NearSite 32-bit build 545 03/07/97 .84mb Shareware $49.95 A new offline web reader. Keep you favourite Web pages and sites close at hand and up-to-date with NearSite's Autobrowse. Capture a slice of the Internet ready for off-line browsing whenever you wish. NearSite retrieves your favourite Web sites, automatically and as often as you like. And NearSite won't waste time grabbing information you already have. NearSite asks whether Web pages have been updated before using your on-line time to refresh them. As you browse NearSite stores the Web pages you view, including images, sounds, video and other files. You can look at these pages again, anytime - even when not connected to the Internet. NearSite's Cache Explorer makes it quick and easy to locate the information you're looking for in your off-line cache of Web pages with powerful search and sorting facilities. Download Site - http://www.nearsite.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Intel Internet Video PhoneBeta 1 3/6/97 3mb Freeware The Intel Internet Phone is the world's first standards-based, audio web phone. It's easy to use, offers outstanding audio quality, and was designed to work with either Microsoft Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Requires a Pentium processor. Download Site - http://www.intel.com/iaweb/cpc/iivphone/index.htm ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Graphics Workshop for Win95 32-bit 1.1x Beta 8 3/09/97 1.00mb Shareware $40 It's a powerful Windows-based graphics viewing, manipulation and management package. The latest release has new features including TWAIN support, a slide show, password-protected images, Windows 95 long file name support, move and copy, PNG support, MPEG viewing, QuickTime viewing, direct uudecoding, multiple image and interlaced GIFs, conversion to CDR, improved colour reduction and much more. Download Site - http://www.mindworkshop.com/alchemy/gww.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Internet Neighborhood 32-bit 1.0 3/10/97 1.00mb Shareware Internet Neighborhood is a Windows 95 Shell Extension which is used for browsing remote FTP sites as if they were directories/folders on your local computer! With KnoWare's Internet Neighborhood, there's no longer any need for those 'Explorer Like' applications and utilities; It's all integrated into your existing namespace. Why launch a separate application to browse a remote FTPsite, download the file, close the application, then run Explorer? Simply launch Explorer directly, browse your way through the Internet neighborhood, then drag-drop the files/application directly into your file system. Download Site - http://www.knowareinc.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Microsoft ActiveMovie for Internet Explorer1.0 3/6/97 600kb Freeware An easy-to-use graphical authoring tool for creating .asf files; these files are specifically tailored for low bit rate networks, such as the Internet. Download Site - http://www.microsoft.com/imedia/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price DDClip Audio and Video Editor2.1 3/7/97 2612kb Shareware DDClip is professional non-linear non-destructive multitrack real-time audio and video editor for Windows95/NT. It allows mix in real time up to 16 CD quality audio tracks on your PC with any sound card (each audio clip has volume and balance profile). DDClip is especially effective for video clips scoring, creating audio commercials, synchronizing voice with music. Download Site - http://www.softlab-nsk.com/Pro/DDClip.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Security Breach Fix for MSIE3.0/3.01 3/5/97 300kb Freeware If you're running Internet Explorer 3.0 or 3.01 for Windows 95 or NT 4.0, you can now download a code fix for the security breach discovered this week. Even though no customers have reported any problems related to the security breach, Microsoft strongly recommends that users download the fix to protect their computers. A malicious coder could potentially take advantage of the breach to access a user's PC. Download Site - http://www.microsoft.com/ie/default.asp ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Loki Diary 32-bit 1.16.02 3/08/97 3.40mb Freeware Loki Diary is a Visual Basic 4.0 program for keeping a diary or journal with a little something for everyone. Designed to be easy to use, it features a calendar for quick navigation, a rich text editor, options to print any range of dates, with the ability to search the entire diary for keywords, and security functions that support an Access95 compatible database. Download Site - http://hudson.idt.net/~lokidog/index2.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Dots 1.1 3/7/97 61kb Shareware $5.00 This is a computer version of the pencil and paper game of Dots, where players compete trying to close boxes in a field of dots. This version sports a nice computer AI, and the ability to player human vs. human, human vs. computer, or computer vs. computer. Special "real paper" backgrounds! Download Site - http://pw2.netcom.com/~baren/index.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Auto-Bot 32-bit 1.0c4 3/08/97 2.00mb Freeware Auto-Bot will download your waiting email, setting your system clock to the Internet time, and (for the power users), executing timed telnet sessions. This is just the start, with more actions coming in future releases. Download Site - http://www.starbase21.com/winsock.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price My Yahoo News Ticker 1.4 Build 15 3/08/97 .27mb Freeware A new program that delivers news, sports, stocks, weather etc to your desktop. It resides directly on your Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 task bar and works with existing applications, including screen savers. It uses the preferences you've established in your MyYahoo! account to do this. Download Site - http://www.netcontrols.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Eudora Pro 3.0.1 3/08/97 3443kb Demo This program will update Eudora Pro version 3.0 or higher to version 3.0.1. Eudora Light 3.0.1 2/16/9 74207kb Free Beta This is the final version of Eudora Light 3.01. New features like filters, Capability-Enhancing Plug-ons, Drag & Drop Capabilities, and Floating Dockable Mailbox Window. Download Site - http://www.eudora.com/win301b.htm ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Vinnie's Tomb, Chapter One - The Road To Vinnie's Tomb (for lack of a better title)BETA 4.0 3/3/97 7500kb Freeware Vinnie's Tomb is the first game in an exciting new trilogy. Everyone in the world knows about the legend of Vinnie's tomb, except for the people who don't know about it. You'll meet bizarrely sketched creatures and pick up desirable objects during your quest to find Vinnie's Tomb. It's a role playing game that includes an original soundtrack and dialogue. Download Site - http://www.skylinc.net/~reldni/default.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Desktop Goodies3.0 3/8/97 1830kb Shareware $10.00 Desktop Goodies puts an icon in the system tray. Clicking on it gives you access to 4 programs. Conversion Tables converts most measurements. CountDown is a timer that counts down to 0:00 time, then plays a Wave file. Reminders will let you know of upcoming events for the next 7 days and will also keep track of the time and date that your computer starts up. Sticky Note is a scratch pad to jot down quick notes and memos. Download Site - http://www.tbaytel.net/rgrau/rgrau.htm ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Let It Ride for 95 1.31 2/20/97 1111kb Shareware $10 Let it Ride for 95 is an incredibly exciting and popular poker game played in many casinos. The object of the game, as with any poker game, is to get the highest poker hand you can (so you can rake in the cash). The computerized version is great for entertainment, practicing your strategy, or just plain saving money! Download Site - http://www.mediaspark.com/silverdisc/letitride/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price ClipPlus 1.0 3/7/97 161kb Freeware ClipPlus is a Windows95 clipboard enhancement utility. With ClipPlus you are no longer to a one Clip limit in the windows clipboard. You can easily save all your favorite clips for access from any windows program. Real handy for surfing the net, chatting, programming and MORE! Download Site - http://www.teleport.com/~menglish/clipplus.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Amanda's Yahtzee 95 1.0 3/7/97 888kb Shareware $5 A commercial quality Yathzee game for all those people who are tired of downloading bad Yathzee games. True sounds, true rolling of the die, amazing graphics and many, many options. Download Site - http://www.concentric.net/~Tclemens/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price TurboZIP 1.1 3/7/97 1696kb Shareware TurboZIP (tm) is a ZIP and e-mail file manager. The intuitive and versatile interface makes zipping, unzipping, encoding, and decoding files as easy as it can be. More importantly, it provides essential supporting tools so you can fast view, print, search, and launch files within ZIP archives without first unzipping the archive or having to have the programs that created them. TurboZIP also creates customizable SFX (Self-extracting EXE) for unlimited redistribution. You can include personal message to the SFX recipients for them to read before extracting the files. In addition, TurboZIP Auto Backup (tm) effortlessly saves your critical work in industry standard ZIP archive format. It is the ideal archive organizer for those who love to download files! Download Site - http://www.turbozip.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price TextPad 2.3 3/7/97 949kb Shareware $27.00 TextPad is the most powerful and flexible text editor on the market. Clean and uncluttered, the interface does not get in the way. Yet hiding just a few mouse clicks away are powerful search and replace, macro commands, and a highly customizable interface. When you need more than notepad can offer, TextPad is the obvious next step. Download Site - http://www.textpad.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Wyvern Solitaire 1.01 3/5/97 1200kb Shareware Wyvern Solitaire is a high quality solitaire game with a clean graphic interface, customizable MIDI music and standard or Vegas scoring. Registration is free (with shipping and handling) and the registered version can play with any of hundreds of downloadable deck styles and any MIDI files. Download Site - http://www.4wyvern.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Polyview 32-bit 2.90 beta 0 3/09/97 1.40mb Shareware $20 PolyView is a BMP, GIF, JPEG, photo-cd, PNG, and TIFF graphics viewer, file conversion, and printing utility for Windows NT and Windows 95. PolyView features fast image rendering, panning, and zooming that is optimized for Windows 95 and Windows NT. PolyView is a 32 bit application that uses multithreading to enhance usability and allow time consuming operations, such as image file reading and writing, to be performed in parallel with user interface operations. PolyView's multithreaded nature also allows the reading and writing of multiple image files at the same time. With its image appearance manipulation, copy and paste facilities, and DDE execution capabilities, PolyView is an excellent companion to your favorite Web browser. Download Site - http://www.netins.net/showcase/polybytes/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price WinDownload 32-bit 2.7 3/10/97 1.20mb Shareware $10 WinDownload is a great utility that lets you schedule the download of selected files. WinDownload is a 32 bit, multi-thread application which can maximize bandwidth on any size pipe. Drag and drop a shortcut from Internet Explorer or Netscape and keep browsing. You can download the files on demand or schedule them to download anytime you want. Copy and paste a valid URL from any file or copy shortcut from your browser or add a new URL manually. Download Site - http://mason.gmu.edu/~rmcclana/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Freeloader Gold 2.5 3/10/97 3.00mb Free FreeLoader downloads Web sites for you and saves them on your hard disk. FreeLoader's caching feature automatically converts downloaded Web page links from HTTP addresses to paths that work on your hard drive. You choose how much hard drive space you want to allocate to caching. Downloading goes on in the background, so you don't waste time waiting on the Web. Download Site - http://www.freeloader.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Mail Express 97 32-bit build 97.3.10 3/10/97 1.00mb Free A nice email client that features: *comes with a built-in spell checker so you do not need to purchase Microsoft Office just to send email without errors *RTF (Rich Text Format) Mail Message format. We acheived this by combining the MicroSoft RTF standard with HTML, and Plain Text (non formatted text). By doing this you are empowered to write email in different fonts, and your recipient will receive that message exactly as you sent it *CyberCreek RSR (Rapid Send Receive) allows simultaneous sending and receiving of email. Featuring Email with inline Images, Video, WAV and other OLE objects! Download Site - http://www.cybercreek.com/ccme/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price DayCare2.1 3/10/97 5300kb Shareware $39.95 Home DayCare management system. Tracks children, guardians, shots, expenses, scheduling, activities and produces numerous reports. Very thorough and useful. Download Site - http://www.boundarylight.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price EZ Loan Manager 97 4.12 3/7/97 1417kn Shareware $5.00 EZ Loan Manager 97 for Windows 95 provides the simplest tool for you to evaluate and manage your loans and mortgages. With its easy and flexible interface, EZ Loan Manager is just for you, whether you have a fixed, adjustable or biweekly loan, or like to save interest money with early extra payments. If you pay your loan early, EZ Loan Manager will show you how much interest you will save. This is a maintenance release with improvement in inputting loan information. Download Site - http://gsanet.com/www/Joy/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Numerology Star Reader 8.0 3/10/97 707kb Shareware $15.00 Numerological.. Astrological.. Past Lives Readings.. Love Spells.. Finally you can unlock all the secrets to your past, present and future! Numerology Star Reader 8.0 gives you the ability to read your Numerological and Astrological predictions for any day in any year! It also interprets over 1000 dreams, superstitions, and any name! Many leading past lives interpretation techniques were incorporated to bring you interpretations of your deja vu, dream, vision or any other paranormal experiences! Download Site - http://www2.pitnet.net/numer/numer.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Wallaby 4.0 3/10/97 1800kb Shareware $19.95 Wallaby for Windows '95 is the fastest, easiest and best way to zip and unzip in Windows '95. But thats not all - Wallaby can also create Self- Extracting EXE's - perfect for an installation/distribution, it also has a unique "Favourite Folders" which will seek out and locate your files. Wallaby is also tightly integrated with the Windows '95 shell, right-click any folder or drive and in minutes it will be compressed. Download Site - http://www.ez-soft.com/gma.htm ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price ARITEK Sketchpad 1.01 3/9/97 2884kb Shareware $29.95 Conceptual design of a house. Snap rooms together to create the basic house shape. Quickly move, replace, or change the shape of rooms. Overlap rooms, and the program will automatically clean up the corners. View in plan view, or fully rendered 3D. Output to CAD via DXF/DWG or create VRML file of interior and exterior walls. Although designed for conceptual design of houses, this program can also be easily used to layout space in existing facilities -- such as commercial office buildings. Developed by ARITEK using the cornerStone CAD developement Toolkit. 32-bit shareware for Windows 95, using Watcom's 32-bit development system. Download Site - http://www.aritek.com/sketch.htm ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price After Dark Online 32-bit 2.0 beta 3/10/97 3.0mb Freeware After Dark Online is a collection of screen savers that bring news and information from top sources on the Web directly to your desktop. Get news from sources you know and trust: DBC Financial News, Sports Illustrated Online, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Journal Interactive Edition, and ZD Net Computing Central.After Dark Online also gives you stock quotes and sport scores. Best of all you customize the news you want, and you determine how often the news is updated. Download Site - http://www.afterdark.com/index.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Microsoft Netshow 32-bit Player 2.0 beta 3/11/97 1.00mb Freeware NetShow is the easiest, most cost-effective way to stream audio, illustrated audio, and video across intranets and the Internet. Normally, a user has to wait for an entire file to be transferred before using networked multimedia content. Streaming lets users see or hear the information as it arrives, without having to wait. Unlike other streaming products, NetShow lets content providers generate compelling productions in which audio, graphics, video, URLs and script commands can be synchronized based on a timeline. Download Site - http://www.microsoft.com/netshow/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price WinPack 32-bit 1.40 3/11/97 .84mb Shareware WinPack32 Deluxe supports Zip, Gzip, Arj, Lharc, Tar, Unix Compress (with LZW option) Zoo, UUEncode, XXEncode, Binhex 4.0, Mime, and Base 64. You can create as well as extract from any supported format. Features include, ability to view any file type within an archive, archive conversion, built- in self-extractor, drag-n-drop, recursive subdirectories, multipart archive support, subarchive support, disk spanning, self-extracting disk spans, zip decryption and encryption. Download Site - http://www.retrospect.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone 32-bit 1.6.0 3/11/97 2.50mb Freeware Internet Gaming Zone is Microsoft's online FREE gaming software/service. You can play games such as Hearts, Bridge, Spades, Chess, Checkers, Go, and Reversi. It's not all board and card games though, you can also play most of MS's new games like MS Golf 3.0, Hellbender, Monster Truck Madness and Close Combat. It also has ZoneLAN, which allows players to use multiplayer games requiring the IPX protocol. (Like what Kali does). Download Site - http://www.zone.com/home.htm ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Wake Me Up! 1.51 3/11/97 167k Freeware Wake Me Up! is a simple application which acts as an alarm. Instead of the usual beeps or messages, you can wake up to a music CD (via Windows95 CDPlayer) or MP3s (via Winplay3). Waking up to a CD is simple, just make sure you have the Windows95 CDPlayer and a CD in the CD-ROM drive and set the time and you're off. Waking up to MP3s is not much harder. Just specify the path to Winplay3, make the playlist of the songs you would like to hear (not even Winplay3 does this!) and set the time and you'll be waking up to your very own MP3s! Download Site - http://sciborg.uwaterloo.ca/~djduong/kinezosoft/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Digital Voice Plug-in 32-bit 1.11 3/12/97 678k Freeware The DIGITAL Voice Plugin allows you to record and send audio email directly from a web page. The use of industry standard protocols ensures that most people can receive and play these messages with the software they already have. If you publish web pages, the DIGITALVoice Plugin can be a great way to gather voice comments about your work! Note: Only works with Netscape Navigator or Gold 3.0 (beta 5 or newer). Download Site - http://interface.digital.com/voice/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Peak Net.jet 32-bit 1.5 3/12/97 3.00mb Shareware $29.95 Peak Net.Jet will dramatically speed up your browsing when you are visiting new sites that contain reading material or articles that you spend some time reading. You will find that as you read through different articles on a site, the new pages you go to will load into your browser as if they were already in cache. This is because Peak Net.Jet loads all available links so that it appears to anticipate where you are going to go next, and gets that page ready for you to read. If you are used to browsing with graphics turned off, you are going to see very large performance gains using Peak Net.Jet. Note that as the amount of graphics on a site increases, the effectiveness of Peak Net.Jet will decrease. This is the nature of the Internet. Download Site - http://www.peak-media.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Ooze 1.3 3/9/97 1269kb Shareware $15.00 Ooze is a simple yet challenging mind game, where two players (human or computer) test each others' wits and foresight by moving small glops of ooze on grids of varying shapes. Ooze features detailed graphics and animation, computer players of varying intelligence, numerous boards to play on, and saving of high scores. Download Site - http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~josh/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Personal Stock Monitor 2.0.1 3/11/97 1300kb Shareware $25.00 This little application brings time delayed stock quotes to your desktop. (There is a delay of approximately 10 to 15 minutes). Has alarms when stocks reach new highs. Download Site - http://www.clark.net/pub/aivasyuk/psm/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Dynamite Joe 1.1 3/11/97 1409kb Comercial Demo $39.00 You are Joe, alias Boom-Boom Joe or The Explosive, better known as DYNAMITE JOE. You've been rotting for 3 years in the slammer already, and the pressure has been building up. You've had enough: it's time to break loose and escape from this lousy stinking rotten jail. You dig your way through the underground using existing tunnels, or make your own as you go. Nothing resists you and you may even find treasures buried in this barren soil! On your way you will collect keys for opening the door to the next level. The door is in the top right corner, below the key counter. Obviously the wardens and police forces will do everything to catch you, dead or alive. Download Site - http://www.c2v.com/c2vgamdj.htm ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Amazing JPEG Screen Saver for Win 95 1.53 3/9/97 150kb Shareware $14.95 The Amazing JPEG Screen Saver for Windows 95/NT is a true 32-bit screen saver that lets you have your favorite JPEG images FLOAT across the screen. Supports 256 color and true color displays. Great for CORPORATE LOGOS, family pictures, and anyone with A LOT of images! Options include different image movements, image resizing, auto changing images and much much more. Download Site - http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/esmsoftware/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Streaming Shockwave 32-bit 6.0b5 Plug-In 3/12/97 2.60mb Freeware Macromedia Shockwave gives you fully interactive multimedia clickable and dynamic animations, graphics, text, and audio from directly within your web browser. Install Shockwave and get immediate access to: ú Thousands of cool web games ú On-demand, streaming audio ú Live concerts and radio ú The latest interactive news, sports, and information. This new version also streams the animations/movies to your computer instead of having to wait for the whole thing to download first. Download Site - http://www.macromedia.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Teleport Pro 32-bit 1.28 Build 254 3/12/97 1.57mb Shareware $39.95 Teleport Pro is a fully automated, multithreaded, link-following, file- retrieving webspider. It will retrieve all the files you want and only the files you want from any part of the Internet. Teleport Pro can --- Create an exact duplicate, or "mirror" of a website, complete with subdirectory structure and all required files, Completely download a website, enabling you to "offline browse" the site at much greater speeds than if you were to browse the site online, and Search a website for files of a certain type (and even size). Download Site - http://www.tenmax.com/pro.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Hot Spot 32-bit 2.1 3/12/97 .05mb Shareware $10 CT HotSpot is a small utility with which you can create 2 hotspots - 1 to turn your screensaver on, and the other to turn it off. This can be quite useful when downloading a large file or doing a tape backup. Having a screensaver come on during these activities can wreck havoc with your computer and your files. Run the CT HotSpot Setup program to define your preferred hotspots first. Then put the CT HotSpot program in your StartUp folder, restart Windows, and you're in business! You will see a little flag pop up when your screensaver is disabled, letting you know that CT HotSpot is doing what it's supposed to be doing. As long as the cursor is parked in the appropriate corner, your screensaver cannot come on. Simply moving the mouse will restore your screensaver settings. Of course, CT HotSpot will also set up a corner to start your screensaver, which can be pretty handy if your boss walks in on you in the middle of a solitaire game, or if you want to impress your friends with your latest screensaver "find". Download Site - http://members.aol.com/ron2222/hot.htm ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Hanes T-Shirt Maker & More 1.0 3/12/97 1344kb Shareware Design great looking tshirts and other neat stuff right out of your computer. Hundreds of clipart graphics, templates and fonts--or import your own photos or art. Preview the tshirt, mousepad or other item right on screen. Then print it out and iron it on for a long-lasting great looking shirt. A special transfer paper is required but is available in numerous stores and on the net. Download Site - http://www.hanes2u.com/ ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Icon Obtainer 1.0 3/12/97 138kb Shareware $1.00 Allows you to view and save Icons contained in dll and exe files. Also converts bitmaps to icons. Download Site - http://pw2.netcom.com/~brianrus/index.html ------------ Name/Version Release Date Size Price Quarterdeck CleanSweep 3.0 3/13/97 7.73kb Commercial Demo Quarterdeck's demo version of their Win95 cleanup and desktop management software. CleanSweep tidies up your hard drive by clearing away that digital mess. It tracks down disk junk of every type - duplicate files, redundant DLLs, orphan files, even infrequently-used files, quickly and easily. Download Site - http://www.qdeck.com/qdeck/demosoft/CleanSwp/ ------------ Internet Explorer 4.0 Overview Internet Explorer 4.0 is the open, integrated suite of Internet software that provides end users, MIS managers, and content/software developers the premier Internet client and basic collaboration solution. The vision behind IE 4.0 is to completely integrate the Internet and the PC to provide the easy, personalized, and complete way to get the most out of the Internet. There are four key areas of innovation in Internet Explorer 4.0 that deliver the comprehensive solution we think of as the "Web PC". These are: ú Best Browser ú Complete Communication and Collaboration ú Personal Information Delivery ú True Web Integration In making dramatic technological advances in each of these 4 key areas, we have set core functionality requirements in the areas of easy control and administration, improved performance over IE 3.0, faster delivery of cross platform versions for Mac, Windows 3.1, and Unix, and great compatibility with existing Internet standards. To more fully understand the IE 4.0, please read the IE 4.0 Technical White Paper. The rest of this document highlights the initial progress made in each of the features and functionality named above. Best BrowserCore to the having a great Internet experience is the browser. With IE version 3.0, we delivered the best browser on the market in large part due to significant advancements in usability - via an innovative user interface - and support for viewing great content - via leading support for Java, ActiveX, and HTML. In Internet Explorer 4.0 we aim to continue providing the best browser by innovating in the area of usability via offline browsing and IntelliSense-like features. We also support the most advanced HTML authoring capabilities via support for Dynamic HTML. Key areas of improvement in providing the Best Browser: ú Ease of Use Innovations and Personalization Improvements ú Ability to view the widest set of Internet content - especially Dynamic HTML ú Offline Browsing ú Performance Enhancements ú Security Ease of Use Innovations and Personalization Improvements Based on significant usability studies and customer feedback, we have added IntelliSense-like features in the browser as well as tuned the execution of common tasks such as searching. The net result is that users are dramatically more productive and surfing is a lot more fun. Key Features Search Bar A search bar in the browser view stays open while the user selects the search results, allowing perusal of the search hits without ever hitting the back button. AutoComplete Similar to the IntelliSense technology implemented in Microsoft Office products, Internet Explorer now helps users fill in the URL being typed into the address bar. Clicking the right mouse button in the address bar brings up a shortcut menu with other variations on the main URL that the user previously visited. Offline browsingThe browser is now architected to easily read Web pages stored in the user's cache. Combined with the personal information delivery capability described later, this makes it easy to surf your favorite Web sites easily and inexpensively when not connected to the Internet. Improved Favorites Favorites are now "smart": they inform the user with a red visual (a "Gleam") on the icon when a favorite site has changed, even indicating via a Tooltip the exact site change. Other enhancements to Favorites include: ú Thumbnail views in the Smart Favorites dialog box quick visuals of a site ú Better organization of Smart Favorites via Drag & drop in the Favorites menu ú Navigation History on Back and Forward Buttons ú Right-click on the forward or back buttons to see a "history": select one to quickly jump back or ahead to pages previously viewed. Improved Printing Richer printing functionality that includes background printing of documents and intelligent frameset printing options that allow printing all or one frame on a page. Ability to view the widest set of exciting Internet contentInternet Explorer 4.0 continues in the tradition of providing the broadest and best support of Internet content standards. With the Dynamic HTML, users now have a faster, more exciting, and more functional way to view and interact with Web sites. In the next release, IE 4.0 will support the latest improvements to Java as well. Key Features Dynamic HTML This exciting new technology enables the creation of totally interactive multimedia titles and Web page applications, and allows better Web page manipulation and control via HTML and scripting. The effect of these new applications will be to redefine the Web experience for developers and users. This new experience is possible because all HTML page elements are now exposed via an Object Model. This allows content authors to create richer Web pages that dynamically change the display or content of a page entirely on the client machine, without requiring a trip to the server for a new page reload or refresh. The specification for Dynamic HTML is currently in draft format with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Dynamic Styles HTML authors can dynamically change the style (element attributes or CSS1 styles) of every HTML element in a document. Positioning Ability to position HTML elements in x- y-coordinates, and z-plane, as specified in the W3C Working Draft on Positioning HTML with Cascading Style Sheets Dynamic Content Authors can dynamically change the content of an HTML page based on mouse events or other user interaction. Filter, Transition, and Animation Controls Multimedia controls enable the creation of captivating visual effects to elements in a page or to the entire page without scripting. Data Awareness Internet Explorer 4.0 incorporates several features to integrate data with native HTML elements, including automatic generation of table rows from data records and data-bound form fields. ActiveX Support Internet Explorer 4.0 now supports OC96 ActiveX controls, components that are faster, smaller, and more integrated than ever before. This improves ActiveX functionality to benefit both Web surfers and Web developers. These new features include: ú Windowless Controls Allows creation of transparent and non-rectangular controls, which combined with 2D placement enables authors to overlap controls on a page. ú SBindHost service Internet Explorer's supports for SBindHost service allows controls to download additional data asynchronously, providing better performance for controls that want to download images, or other complex data. ú Java Support Java support in Internet Explorer 4.0 continues on Microsoft's commitment to deliver the fastest, most robust, best-of-the-breed JavaT development tools and Java run-time implementation available Full ActiveX integration ActiveX and Java Beans components can now inter-operate, allowing developers to access the functionality of an ActiveX control from a Java Bean and vice versa. ú Extended Object Model The Internet Explorer 4.0 object model is now exposed through Java libraries, allowing Java developers to manipulate the Web page dynamically. ú New multimedia class libraries All the functionality of DirectX media and DirectX foundation is provided as cross-platform Java class libraries, enabling developers to manipulate and animate a full set of media types. ú Internationalization support Unicode support simplifies developing worldwide applications because of its support for multilingual display and input, and an easy resource format that facilitates localization. ú Java AFC Support (Coming Soon) Upcoming releases of Internet Explorer 4.0 will support new Java Application Foundation Classes (AFCs), providing a complete set of building blocks for developers to quickly create commercial-quality, cross-platform Java applications. ú Active Script With its support for ActiveXT scripting, Microsoft Internet Explorer provides fast, comprehensive, language-independent script handling capability using VBScript, JScript (100% JavaScript Compatible), or the scripting language of the developer's choice. ú Multimedia Exciting multimedia effects can be implemented against text and other objects in a Web page, or to transition from one page to another. These new controls include: Graphic and Animation Effects ú Sprite Creates animated images. ú Structured Graphics ú Provides high quality, lightweight scalable, rotatable graphics. Effects Alters the appearance of any item on a Web page by applying a graphic filter. ú Path Easily moves objects across a two-dimensional path. Music Effects ú Interactive Music Control The Microsoft Interactive Music Control is a lightweight control that provides dynamic musical accompaniment and software wavetable synthesis. ú Mixer Mixes multiple wave files together dynamically. ú Page Effects ú Sequencer Easily controls timing of events on pages. TransitionsAlter the appearance of any item on a page, or the page itself, over time. ú Behaviors ú Applies high level behaviors to controls and Dynamic HTML elements. Hot spot Establish regions of the screen that can process mouse clicks. Offline Browsing SupportInternet Explorer 4.0 can automatically switch between online and offline modes to allow fast and cost-efficient surfing of Web sites stored in your local cache. With the information delivery feature described in the next section, this provides users an easy way to view their favorites from a laptop on a plane or when commuting in to work for example. Performance Enhancements Internet Explorer 4.0 provides technologies that will make the user's experience faster and more efficient than other Web browsers do today. Key Features ú Dynamic HTML; Dynamic HTML lets Web authors create even richer, interactive pages than was possible with HTML 3.2 and CSS1, while reducing bandwidth issues at both the client and server because content is created in lightweight HTML. It also allows the client to respond more quickly because fewer trips are needed to access the server for page refreshes, and reduces server traffic because fewer calls are received by the server. ú Java Just-In-Time compiler; Java applets run faster than ever before. Plus, support for an open, backwards-compatible compression technology means that classes download to your computer faster. Version checking ensures you don't have to reload class files every time, and that older class libraries don't install over newer versions. ú Basic Performance Improvements; Continuous performance improvements throughout the development cycle concerning how pages are downloaded and displayed will increase the browsing speed of Internet Explorer 4.0. Security Support for the Internet security standards available today is important, and Internet Explorer is a safe, secure browser supporting SSL and PCT. In addition, Internet Explorer provides an extensible architecture that supports the best and broadest range of security enhancements of any browser, including Authenticode and the CyptoAPI. Many of these features introduced in IE 3.0 continue to be the most advanced way to safely and securely surf the Internet. Key Features Microsoft Authenticode Support When users download a piece of signed code to their computers, Authenticode verifies that the code hasn't been tampered with. In addition, Authenticode technology irrefutably identifies the publisher of the software. Microsoft Wallet Microsoft Wallet lets you store important, private information in a secure central location such as credit cards, electronic drivers license, ATM cards, and electronic cash.CryptoAPI 1.0 CryptoAPI provides the underlying security services for secure channels and code signing. Using the CryptoAPI, developers can easily integrate strong cryptography in their applications.NTLM Challenge/Response Secure Channel Services via SSL and PCTTransport Layer Security (TLS) (Coming Soon)Personal Information Exchange (PFX)"Cookie" PrivacySOCKS Firewall SupportPlatform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) Code Sandbox Complete Communication and CollaborationThe second major area of functionality and design in IE 4.0 is in the area of communication and collaboration. The collaboration term and market is broad and Microsoft sees two distinct areas into which users fall. The first segment which appeals to 80-90% of all computer users is "basic" communication and collaboration which consists of functions such as email, newsgroup reading, chat, internet telephony, etc. The second segment is "full-scale" collaboration which is a much narrower market normally found within corporations and consists of advanced features like groupware, forms applications, workflow and routing, etc. For the latter, Microsoft offers a complete solution via Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Exchange server. IE 4.0 targets the former segment and provides an unmatched solution in terms of completeness and best of breed over rival solutions such as Netscape Communicator. In particular, Microsoft offers a better email, newsgroup reading, authoring and conferencing solution compared to alternatives, and uniquely provides video conferencing, application sharing, broad and multi-casting of media and a personal web server. Additionally, Microsoft innovates by allowing the user to use any of the `suite' of applications or substituting and upgrading to more powerful options providing by products such as Front Page or Microsoft Outlook. IE 4.0 also provides best implementation of Internet standards protocols such as MHTML, S/MIME, IMAP4, LDAP, H.323, T.120, ASF, and natively integrates into the Windows Taskbar to provide the easiest way to access applications. Each application also shares a common look and feel and Toolbar making it easy to learn other applications once you have learned the first. Key areas in the Complete Communication and Collaboration area: ú Messaging - Outlook Express ú Conferencing and Application Sharing - NetMeeting ú Broadcasting - NetShow ú Authoring - FrontPad Publishing - Personal Web Server and Web Publishing Wizard Messaging - Microsoft Outlook Express The Internet Explorer 4.0 suite includes rich tools for on-line communication, with a full featured email and news reading client called Outlook Express, and support for the latest protocols such as IMAP4, LDAP and S/MIME. Key Features ú LDAP Support Full LDAP directory service support gives access to a virtual Internet White Pages and makes it easy to find anyone on corporate LDAP servers, or to use the built in support for Four11, InfoSpace, Bigfoot, or WhoWhere to locate anyone on the Internet. IMAP4 Compliant When email is stored on an IMAP4 server, this enables users to get their email from any computer connected to the network running Outlook Express. HTML View and Edit Users can edit, send and receive full Web pages from the Internet or intranet, and the message contains the full Web page. S/MIME Support Support for Secure MIME enables users to encrypt and digitally sign messages, as well certify senders with digital certificates. Integration Outlook Express is tightly integrated with the rest of the Internet Explorer Suite, making it easy to use together and switch between applications seamlessly. Productivity Enhancements Users can create multiple, hierarchical folders, and drag and drop them any way they like. Auto-add builds the Address book on the fly so that all important email addresses are saved easily. Support for multiple mailboxes makes it one simple step to get email from multiple service provider accounts. Inbox rules have been enhanced so users can forward, move, or copy messages automatically. Internet Conferencing and Application Sharing - Microsoft NetMeeting 2.0, Beta 2Microsoft NetMeeting delivers a complete Internet conferencing solution providing a real-time communications client, and an open, extensible platform supporting standards-based (T.120 and H.323) audio, data, and video conferencing functionality. Support for standards also provides compatibility with third party standards-based communications applications. Key Features Video Conferencing NetMeeting supports using a video capture card and video camera to send video during a conference (using the industry-standard H.323 protocol), enabling the other participant in a conference to see you for face-to-face communications over the Internet or Intranet. Multipoint Data Conferencing A comprehensive suite of tools for collaborating and sharing information with multiple conference members in real-time using ITU T.120 protocols. Tools include: ú True application sharing to share an application on your machine with others ú Whiteboard to share graphics or draw diagrams ú Text-based chat to send messages or take meeting notes or action items ú Binary file transfer capability to send files to conference members. Internet Telephony/Audio Conferencing NetMeeting lets users can collaborate with voice, data or video conferencing capabilities over the Internet or intranet in real-time using communications standard H.323. Broadcasting - NetShow 2.0, Beta 2 Microsoft NetShow brings rich broadcasting to the Web, enabling Web surfers to view and listen to live or recorded broadcasts without waiting for downloads or slowing down network performance. NetShow is both client and server software that extends the power of broadcasting to Internet Explorer 4.0. It includes audio, illustrated audio and video on demand and live IP multicast audio, video and file transfer. Key Features Client Component Designed for Internet Explorer 4.0 The NetShow client is an Active X control included in Internet Explorer 4.0 that allows the user to play back multimedia content without a long wait for file download. Standards-based NetShow supports a variety of network transports and protocols including TCP, UDP, and RTP-IP. Also, NetShow supports H.323, and includes G723 and a H323 codec. Broadcast TV metaphor for publishing and receiving content Allows publishers to deliver content organized into Channels and Shows. This is just like on TV: e.g. MSNBC is the Channel and the MSNBC 10 p.m. News is a Show. On the client site, the NetShow Program Guide provides an intuitive user interface to enable Web surfers to find Channels and Shows delivered on a specific site, just like an Electronic Program Guide. Streamed, synchronized illustrated audio NetShow provides on-demand content streaming to users, enabling content providers to create sophisticated productions that use graphics, slides, photographs and URLs synchronized with the audio stream. Live multicast audio By allowing many users to `tune into' a single multicast transmission, network managers are able to dramatically reduce the load placed on their networks when large numbers of users want to listen to live events. Live multicast files Multicast file transfer can be used to dynamically change large quantities of data on Web sites to be simultaneously distributed to many users. High quality, standards based audio and video codec NetShow includes new standards based codecs (MPEG 2 layer 3, and MPEG 4) for enabling the delivery of higher quality audio and video content over dial-up base speed up to broadband speed. In addition, NetShow supports all ACM and VCM codecs. This means that every ACM and VCM codec can be used with NetShow - in fact NetShow ships with more than 15 different codec schemes from different vendors. Customers can choose the best codec for a specific type of applications and network bandwidth. Simple tools to create content NetShow comes with simple, starter tools that enable corporate content developers to stream illustrated audio. Files in WAV, AVI, QuickTime, PowerPoint, JPEG, GIF and URL formats can all be used to generate illustrated audio. You can also leverage all the existing multimedia authoring tools to get your content ready to stream! Authoring - FrontPad FrontPad is a WYSIWYG HTML editor based on the full-featured FrontPage 97 that provides easy to use HTML editing capabilities, allowing even novice users to create Web pages easily. Key Features Personal Home Page Wizard Create your own home page! This wizard takes you step-by-step through the process. Java, JavaScript, Plug-In, and ActiveX Support FrontPad supports top Internet technologies to make your pages more engaging. Publishing Users and small business want an easy way to publish Web pages on intranets or the Internet. These tools make creating a personal Web site easy with a few simple steps. Key Features - Personal Web Server Integration The Personal Web Server turns a Windows 95-based personal computer into a low-volume Web server, integrating with the Windows 95 taskbar and Control Panel while integrating well with Windows 95 security model. Easy to install, use and manage Personal Web Server installs easily and includes an intuitive HTML-based administration utility that also supports full remote administration. Standards-based technology PWS fully supports existing standards such as CGI and includes the open Internet Server API (ISAPI) extension to the Win32r API that is up to five times faster than CGI-based applications. Key Features - Web Publishing Wizard Direct support for standard protocols: FTP, UNC, HTTP Post Support for third party services: AOL, GNN, Sprynet and Primehost Support for system-independent protocols: CRS FrontPage Extended Web Personalized Information Delivery The third major feature area of IE 4.0 is Personal Information Delivery. Pull/Push solutions are numerous today, but users still lack for a complete, easy solution that integrates the best of each option. IE 4.0 innovates in this area by providing an open, extensible architecture that allows any information delivery system to plug-in regardless of its proprietary protocol. Thus IE 4.0 users can receive the broadest set of information be it a Web page, software applet, or email message. Moreover, IE 4.0 provides a low cost and proven solution via the shipment of a webcrawler application that can turn any Web site into a Channel publisher - unlike other solutions which require the purchase of an expensive server software solution. And consistent with the usability strides in other areas of the product, IE 4.0 provides an easy method to setup and schedule information delivery tailored to the user's needs. Key areas in Personalized Information Delivery: Premium Channels Subscriptions Take the Web With You Offline Premium Channels (Coming Soon) Not in the Platform Preview release, but coming soon, IE 4.0 Channels give content providers an opportunity to truly innovate using Internet Explorer's standards-based Web content support, turning a portion of their Web site into a dynamic channel right on users' desktops. Key Features Premium Content (Partners) Users get access to the top IE content provider channels, providing the richest Internet Explorer 4.0 experience available. Customization Use the channel bar to select favorite topics, and Internet Explorer will get the information for the user, to read whenever they want - even while on the road and offline. Active Platform Support When viewing Premium channels, see the most interesting, interactive content available, as they are specifically designed for Internet Explorer 4.0 with support for Dynamic HTML, ActiveX, and Java. Subscriptions Today users spend too much time going back to the same Web sites, to manually determine if the latest information is contained there. Subscriptions solve that problem by providing an information delivery architecture that builds on the basic concept of Smart Favorites. But they go even further than Favorites by delivering Web pages right to the user's PC, for when the user has time to read them, providing a perfect vehicle for off-line reading. Subscriptions include an easy to use interface for scheduling, notification and delivery options. Subscriptions are a boon for Web Masters, because the architecture for subscriptions allows any server to be subscribed to, without any changes needed on the server to support this functionality. And it's a win for users, because creating subscriptions are easy and they're free! Key Features Creating Subscriptions Users can subscribe to any Web site via a check box option called Subscribe to Site in the Add to Favorites dialog box, enabling IE to display the Subscriptions dialog box for setting user preferences for scheduling, notification and delivery options. Scheduling Page Downloads Once in the Settings Option of the Subscription Dialog box, users can choose to schedule when they want IE to retrieve the information they have subscribed to, based on daily, weekly or custom schedule options in the Subscriptions dialog box. Notification of Subscription Updates & Delivery Mechanisms Users have a number of options concerning how they want to be notified of changes that have occurred on the site, including a visual on the subscriptions icon in the Task Bar or email notification. For delivery, Internet Explorer supports caching of the data on the local hard drive with a number of different options including number of Web pages deep, maximum file size, options for including images. In a future release Internet Explorer 4.0 will support delivery of entire Web pages in an Outlook Express Mail Message. Take the Web with You Offline Users can obtain access to the latest Web information, even when the user is traveling on the road and does not have access to an Internet connection thanks to Internet Explorer 4.0's innovative scheduling and caching features. Key Features Offline Reading Once users receive the subscribed site or page, they can "unplug" from the Internet and still work with the data. Maximizing Internet Connect Time The computer can automatically download the content users want at scheduled intervals, saving on connect time they might use aimlessly searching for the information they want. True Web Integration The final area of innovation in IE 4.0 is the ability to provide True Web Integration with the operating system. This concept embraces the importance of integrating Web tasks into a proven and popular user interface design that leverages current investments in training and solves key customer problems that exist today. As the Internet clearly advances to permeate all aspects of the user's basic computing experience, the ability to natively integrate IE 4.0 features into the OS is win for users. Rather than layer additional functionality on top of the operating system and changing the user interface, True Web Integration, provides users a single easy way to access information - be it on the local machine, the LAN, or the Internet. Moreover, integration of the Internet into the OS shell means users can create their own customized personal workspace or "newspaper" if you will that gets updated and works seamlessly with user-created information. In IE 4.0 Platform Preview, we make this an installation option so that users who don't have the system resources or aren't ready to upgrade their OS shell can do so at their own pace. The key areas of innovation in True Web integration are: Single Explorer Your "Start" for the Web Active Desktop Single Explorer With a Single Explorer application, the process of finding information is unified in one utility to universally view local, network, intranet, and Internet data. Key Features: Consistent Navigation Users can now browse their local hard drive or the network the same way they browse the Web. Context-Sensitive Toolbars and Menus The user interface detects the type of information presented in the current view, whether it is HTML or local files and folders, and automatically adjusts the toolbar accordingly. Browser Enabled Everywhere Single Explorer provides the ability to view multiple types of content in any folder, be it files and folders or HTML. Global Favorites With new Global Favorites, users can keep track of any folder, file, or server along with their favorite Web sites, allowing seamless navigation from local to Web content. Web View Web View extends the original views in Windows 95 (Large Icons, Small Icons, List, Details) with a fifth unique view which can represent any folder as a Web page. This allows users to browse local or network folder as if they were browsing the Web. Customize this Folder Wizard Enabling a custom Web View of a folder, IE 4.0 comes with a step-by step wizard that walks the user through the process of creating a custom view of a folder on their PC. Access it from the View menu in any Windows folder view. "Start" for the Web With Internet Explorer 4.0, Windows is now "Web savvy", and is enhanced to support Internet functionality in a number of ways. The Windows Taskbar now includes commands users need to access Web site such as and Address bar and Quick Links for quick access to the Web. The Start Menu has equally been enhanced for the Web and sports items like your favorites, enhanced search and find as well as the ability to drag and drop arrangement of menu items. Key Features: Start Menu does Web Tasks New commands for Favorites and an updated Find command called "Find.On the Internet" are on the Start Menu, making it easy to get to sites users visit all the time. Windows Taskbar extensibility The Taskbar has become open and extensible in Internet Explorer 4.0, with a default address bar for entering URLs, and custom toolbars that can be created simply by dragging a folder or Web site window to the edge of the screen. Start Menu Customization Internet Explorer 4.0 allows users to customize the Favorites menu, the entire Programs menu, and even the top of the Start Menu with drag and drop. Active Desktop Just like the Taskbar and the Start Menu have been updated to be Web Savvy, so too has the Windows desktop. It now becomes your personal, customized Web page: it supports HTML content, and can support drag and drop of Web components that update automatically. As you visit your favorite Web sites, you can easily add components from the site to your collection on the desktop. Key Features Desktop Hosts HTML, ActiveX, Java The Active Desktop extends the existing user interface by enabling users to view and host Web components directly in the desktop. Screensaver The Active Screen Saver displays favorite Web sites with live links to Web pages. Predefined Ticker (Coming Soon) Internet Explorer 4.0 provides a predefined, customizable scrolling ticker on the Active Desktop, notifying users whenever favorite Web sites have changed. UUNET Details Nationwide Deployment of IDSL Technology New Preferred Access(SM) Service Delivers Affordable Leased Line Internet Access To Small and Mid-Sized Businesses FAIRFAX, Va., March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- UUNET Technologies, Inc., the world's largest provider of Internet services and a subsidiary of WorldCom, Inc. (Nasdaq: WCOM), today announced the deployment schedule for its new Preferred Access service, a dedicated Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service that delivers leased line performance for Internet access at about half the price of a fractional T1 line. UUNET is the first Internet Service Provider to make this type of service commercially available nationwide. The new service will address the needs of LAN users in small and mid-sized businesses or branch offices of large corporations in the United States by providing a cost-effective, dedicated Internet connection for mission critical applications. Preferred Access, initially based on UUNET's IDSL technology, allows an ISDN router to connect to the Internet with the application flexibility and stability of a leased T1 line. While traditional ISDN and analog dial-up Internet access can support web browsing and email use, they are not designed to support Internet applications which require full-time, dedicated access. Such applications include remote LAN access and web hosting. IDSL, on the other hand, supports the full array of Internet applications. Another benefit of the IDSL technology is that the connection can be monitored end- to-end. This means higher reliability with proactive troubleshooting by UUNET, as well as the ability to gather traffic statistics to help small companies plan for growth. "The innovative approach of UUNET and WorldCom, along with telecommunication deregulation, is making leased line performance and flexibility available at a substantially lower cost," said Alan Taffel, vice president of marketing and business development at UUNET. "Preferred Access 128 provides real value to the end-user; the connection uses a simple data-grade copper loop, bypasses switched voice networks, and avoids the congestion and limitations that have plagued many dial and ISDN Internet connections." The IDSL service will be supported in 117 cities throughout the US. Deployment will occur in stages. The first phase of deployment has already begun in Northern California. Over the next 90 days there will be a total of 25 cities throughout the State of California placed into service. By the end of the third quarter of this year an additional 92 cities across the country will launch the IDSL service. Additional cities will be deployed thereafter. Preferred Access will give small businesses an uncomplicated upgrade path to higher bandwidth. Initially UUNET will offer Preferred Access 128, a dedicated, monitorable service which supports data transmission at 128 Kbps. In the future, UUNET will also offer Preferred Access 768, based on HDSL technology, offering bi-directional 768 Kbps bandwidth. By changing only the customer premise router, qualified companies can move to the higher bandwidth service. As with all UUNET connections, Preferred Access 128 receives monitoring, proactive troubleshooting, and UUNET's business-class customer support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Installation coordination, including local loop provisioning, is handled by UUNET. About UUNET Technologies & About WorldCom, Inc. Headquartered in Fairfax, Va., UUNET Technologies, Inc. is the world's largest provider of Internet services, offering a comprehensive range of access options, World Wide Web hosting services, security products and consulting services to businesses, professionals, and on-line service providers. The company's network is comprised of Points of Presence (POPs) throughout the United States and in Canada, Europe and the Asia- Pacific region, as well as connections to Internet service providers around the world. Founded in 1987, UUNET is recognized as the first commercial Internet service provider. UUNET is a subsidiary of WorldCom, Inc. (Nasdaq: WCOM). UUNET's World Wide Web address is http://www.uu.net. WorldCom is a global business telecommunications company. Operating in more than 50 countries, the company is a premier provider of facilities- based and fully integrated local, long distance, international and Internet services. WorldCom subsidiary, UUNET Technologies, Inc., is the world's largest provider of Internet services. WorldCom's World Wide Web address is http://www.wcom.com. The common and depositary shares of WorldCom trade on the Nasdaq National Market (U.S.) under the symbol WCOM and WCOMP, respectively. EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed Edupage Contents Battle Over Top-Level Domains Heats Up Study Warns Shortage Of Tech-Savvy Workers Looms Cigarette, Tobacco Internet Ads Attract Children Microsoft, Netscape Compete Over Dynamic HTML 56-Kbps Modem Race Flat-Rate Net Pricing AOL Says It Got Incorrect Stock Info From S&P Vandals Crack Into NASA New Security Flaws Found In Explorer Software Piracy Computer Crimes Pervasive Swedish Cracker Disrupts Florida 911 Systems HP Steals Some Of NCs' Thunder DEC Rolls Out Millicent Schools Offer Webmaster Degrees Apple May Reconsider Licensing Fees Does Net Improve Learning In Primary Grades? Study Says No. Live Video On CNN Web Site High Tech Jobs Fun & Games On The Net Spring Cleaning Time For Some Web Sites News Link Site Sued Over Hot Links WebTV Solves The Churn Problem Teledesic Moves To Resolve Spectrum Dispute Microsoft Wants To Standardize Internet Broadcasting NCAA Gives FBI Info On Web Site Vandalism Canadian Immigration Rule Change For Skilled Foreigners Teleglobe & Ameritech Strike Deal Microsoft Teams Up With Intel, Cisco Internet Usage Has Double BATTLE OVER TOP-LEVEL DOMAINS HEATS UP A group of six small Internet service providers and three independent businesses, calling themselves Enhanced Domain Name Service (eDNS), is challenging the current domain name infrastructure administered by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. eDNS has proposed that it maintain the Internet's root servers, including the current domains and the ones it will create, leaving registration authorities in charge of administering the root system and allowing an unlimited number of registrars to create an unlimited number of top-level domains. eDNS's founder says his plan "ensures lower registration costs and better service through competition," but some observers have noted that running the same address on different root servers could cause chaos in e-mail delivery and Web access. "I'm in favor of free markets, but this is not a place you can have competition," says one independent consultant. "You have to respect the bounds of that technology." eDNS is already operating five root servers, but only about one-half percent of the Internet currently recognizes eDNS's root servers. (Communications Week Interactive 7 Mar 97) STUDY WARNS SHORTAGE OF TECH-SAVVY WORKERS LOOMS A report by the Information Technology Association of America warns that one out of every 10 jobs requiring information technology skills is going unfilled due to a shortage of qualified workers. The association surveyed 2,000 large and mid-sized companies and found at least 190,000 unfilled information technology jobs. The report cited a decline in college graduates with degrees in mathematics or computer science. "It's like running out of iron ore in the middle of the Industrial Revolution," says the association's president. A VP for Cap-Gemini America, a U.S. consulting company, predicts that if the trend continues, U.S. companies will opt to send more of their work overseas where they can find eligible job candidates. For a copy of "Help Wanted: The IT Workforce Gap," check out . (Chronicle of Higher Education 7 Mar 97) CIGARETTE, TOBACCO INTERNET ADS ATTRACT CHILDREN A study of 300 Web sites conducted by the Center for Media Education over a six-month period found that tobacco and alcohol companies are targeting consumers between 10 and 20 years old with their online ads. Citing in particular sites operated by Molsons and Budweiser beer, Malibu Rum, Camel and Lucky Strike cigarettes and Jose Cuervo Tequila, the study's director says: "These are sites that use lots of color, music, interactive games and language that appeals to young consumers in order to promote the idea that drinking and smoking are cool... The Internet is a hot new medium whose users tend to be younger, so your target market is there and the fact that it is unregulated gives these companies a loophole. That is why we feel very strongly that Congress and consumers should take a strong interest in this issue." Alcohol and cigarette manufacturers discounted the findings, calling the study absurd. "There are enough consumers of legal drinking age that no one needs to target underage drinkers," says a spokesman for Jose Cuervo Tequila. (Miami Herald 7 Mar 97) MICROSOFT, NETSCAPE COMPETE OVER DYNAMIC HTML Microsoft and Netscape, already deadlocked in a battle over browser software, have upped the ante with competing standards for a new technology called dynamic HTML, which promises to add pizzazz to Web swites - allowing users to take control of animated figures, for instance, in an online game, or rearrange rooms in an architect's online floor plan. Pages constructed with dynamic HTML will speed up the downloading process for the average PC, because the technology will run on the user's own computer, not on the publisher's servers. With regular HTML, any command that makes a significant change in a Web page means the user's PC has to make a new request for data sent from the server over the Internet. "If widely deployed, this could make 28.8 modems useful again," says an analyst with Zona Research. Microsoft has submitted its dynamic HTML recommendations to the World Wide Web Consortium and says it will follow whichever technology the group chooses. (Wall Street Journal 7 Mar 97) 56-KBPS MODEM RACE Boca Research has begun limited shipping of its Boca 56K Internet Modem and plans to expand into full production later this month. Boca's technology is compatible with the K56flex technology being promoted by Lucent, Rockwell and a group of other communications manufacturers. An alternative technology, dubbed x2, is used in modems made by U.S. Robotics. The Boca modem is expected to retail for $149 to $169. (InfoWorld Electric 4 Mar 97) FLAT-RATE NET PRICING What is the future of flat-rate pricing for Internet access? Whereas America Online recently began offering it, Netcom is planning to drop it and concentrate instead on satisfying heavy Internet users who prize reliability and quality more than flat rates. Forrester Research says that flat-rate pricing will only prove sustainable for very large companies like AOL, which can also bring in ad revenue and make money from online transactions. (AP 7 Mar 97) AOL SAYS IT GOT INCORRECT STOCK INFO FROM S&P While acknowledging that it posted some inaccurate information about Ben Ezra Weinstein & Co., America Online blamed the problem on bad information it had received from Standard & Poor, its stock information supplier. An AOL spokesperson says: "We don't make the stock prices. All the information is computer- translated, and occasionally the information we get is wrong." But the chief operating officer for Ben Ezra Weinstein suggests otherwise: "AOL just acknowledged that they've known about the problem for a few weeks but couldn't correct it until they got a certain software. When I asked AOL to put that in writing, they wouldn't... We believe the problem is with AOL, and we have asked them to fix the problem and provide a screen saying there been errors, and they haven't done either." (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 7 Mar 97) VANDALS CRACK INTO NASA Software vandals cracked their way into the Web site of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, posted a diatribe against commercial use of the Internet, threatened to unleash an electronic terrorist attack against "corporate America" within a month, and demanded the release from jail of some well-known fellow software crackers. (AP 7 Mar 97) NEW SECURITY FLAWS FOUND IN EXPLORER Microsoft confirmed the existence of another security flaw discovered by University of Maryland student David Ross in its Explorer software. The flaw could allow a Web site operator to run programs secretly on someone else's computer, forge e-mail, and do various kinds of damage to a victim's computer. Microsoft says software to repair this flaw, as well as other two other security problems identified by students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and MIT, will be available on Microsoft's Internet site. (AP 7 Mar 97) SOFTWARE PIRACY The Los Angeles District Attorney has charged two Chinese nationalists doing business in California with Piracy of Microsoft software. A police search of the suspects' Monterey Park-based company yielded 23,000 counterfeit copies of Windows 95. (Newsbytes 7 Mar 97) COMPUTER CRIMES PERVASIVE About three out of four of 563 U.S. corporate, government, financial and academic organizations survey by the San Francisco-based Computer Security Institute reported financial losses from computer crimes within the past year. (USA Today 7 Mar 97) SWEDISH CRACKER DISRUPTS FLORIDA 911 SYSTEMS A Swedish computer cracker was able to dial into 11 north Florida 911 systems, tying up lines and harassing operators, the FBI reported Friday. "In a few of them it was just a one-time incident where he would hook up a 911 operator with another 911 operator. In other jurisdictions it was multiple times," says an FBI agent. The man has been arrested and convicted of a misdemeanor in Sweden, because it has no laws that address electronic intrusion. (Tampa Tribune 8 Mar 97) HP STEALS SOME OF NCs' THUNDER Hewlett-Packard has unveiled a new software called TopTools that it hopes will deflate PC critics' charges that full-feature desktop machines are too costly to manage and maintain. That argument has been the foundation on which the NC -- network computer -- is building its case for streamlined machines that rely on connectivity to central servers for applications and file storage. The TopTools software will be installed on HP's new line of Vectra Computers and is the first of several initiatives planned by HP as the company moves toward its goal of unveiling a Net PC -- a less costly PC with a disk drive that's easier to manage -- by the second half of '97. "I wouldn't necessarily call it the first salvo in the NC battle," says an HP general manager. "I think it's the most visible one for sure." TopTools allows network operators to tap into other computers on the network and inventory the system; they can also use the software to switch on networked computers for maintenance and upgrading. "Anything you can do locally on the PC, you can do remotely with TopTools," says HP's PC business unit manager. (Investor's Business Daily 10 Mar 97) DEC ROLLS OUT MILLICENT Digital Equipment Corp. has taken the wraps off Millicent, a software system designed to handle very small monetary transactions on the Internet, enabling vendors to sell items for 10 cents or less. The company is making arrangements with a couple of banks that will serve as "scrip brokers" -- dispensing $5 or $10 of Millicent scrip who can then use it to purchase inexpensive information such as movie reviews, horoscopes, encyclopedia articles, highway traffic reports, stock graphs, or a 10- second use of a computer software application, from online sellers. Digital is currently seeking content providers to participate in a trial program. (Wall Street Journal 11 Mar 97) SCHOOLS OFFER WEBMASTER DEGREES Universities are heeding the call from companies for more qualified techies capable of designing and managing a corporate Web site, and are now beginning to formalize such training with degree programs geared toward producing "Webmasters." Rather than stressing computer science skills, the programs tend to lean toward either library science (with a special emphasis on technology) or graphic media design. Included in the degree programs are courses in such disciplines as organizational psychology, library science, graphic design, and business. For example, Indiana University offers a master's degree in information science, building on the library science program for which it has long been known, and John Brown University is about to offer a bachelor-of-science degree in digital media. Other programs can be found outside the U.S. in Australia and Canada. (Chronicle of Higher Education 14 Mar 97) APPLE MAY RECONSIDER LICENSING FEES With sales of Mac clones rising, Apple Computer is reevaluating the licensing fees it charges companies that build the clones. Clone sales are largely responsible for boosting the Mac share of the U.S. business- computer market from 7.8% in November to 11.2% in January. Currently, Apple earns only about $50 for every Mac clone sold, and a company spokeswoman says Apple will decide in the next few weeks whether to up their fees on the new operating system due out in July. (Wall Street Journal 10 Mar 97) DOES NET IMPROVE LEARNING IN PRIMARY GRADES? STUDY SAYS NO. A survey of 6,000 U.S. teachers, computer coordinators and school librarians found that 86.6% believe that Internet usage by students in grades 3-12 does not help students improve their classroom performance although 76% value the Net as a research tool). The study was conducted by the Market Data Retrieval organization. (USA Today 11 Mar 97) LIVE VIDEO ON CNN WEB SITE On March 24, business cable television channel CNNfn will begin providing full video coverage of two programs on its Web site , and plans call for airing its full lineup live on the Internet by the end of June. (New York Times 10 Mar 97) HIGH TECH JOBS Canada's House of Commons Citizenship and Immigration Committee will begin developing a fast-track immigration process to help ease a shortage of 10,000 skilled workers in Canada's high-tech sector. (Ottawa Citizen 11 Mar 97 C3) FUN & GAMES ON THE NET America Online plans to create an "Internet-based network on the Web"; Sony Corporation is creating an advertising-supported entertainment channel offering online versions of Sony- owned TV game shows such as "Jeopardy"; Microsoft Network is preparing a new season of its "TV channels" format; and NBC is offering several TV spinoffs at . TV executive Brandon Tartikoff, who is leading AOL's entertainment activities, says: "My vision is, ultimately, one-stop shopping for anybody seeking information, entertainment or chat rooms in TV, film and music, the key components of the entertainment world." (USA Today 10 Mar 97) SPRING CLEANING TIME FOR SOME WEB SITES According to AltaVista, which has indexed a total of about 30 million Web pages, five million of them haven't changed at all since early 1996, and some 424,000 pages haven't been updated since early 1995. "People have enough enthusiasm to design the sites once -- but it's not clear that they have the resources to update them regularly," says Louis Monier, the architect of Digital Equipment's search engine. (Wall Street Journal 11 Mar 97) NEWS LINK SITE SUED OVER HOT LINKS A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in New York City accuses Phoenix- based TotalNews of "blatant acts of misappropriation, trademark dilution and infringement, willful copyright violations, and other related tortious acts." The plaintiffs, which include CNN, The Washington Post Co., Dow Jones, Times Mirror and Reuters, are upset that the hot links provided from TotalNews to their Web sites display their content framed by the TotalNews home page and its banner ads. Bruce Keller, an attorney for the plaintiffs calls totalnews.com "a parasitic Web site with no content of its own." However, TotalNews says it's simply providing PC users links to some 1,200 news sources, allowing viewers to compare information from each, and that if the case goes against them, the precedent will endanger the ability of Web site operators to provide hot links to other sites. "Hot links either do or don't violate trademarks. That's not new. Framing is new. And framing and selling ads is pretty damn new," says Keller. (Broadcasting & Cable 3 Mar 97) WEBTV SOLVES THE CHURN PROBLEM While many online services are wondering how to retain fickle customers and make money in an increasingly cutthroat environment, WebTV Networks seems to have solved the "churn" problem -- by making subscribers pay too much up front to even consider leaving. The company boasts an enviable 5% turnover since its launch last November, thanks to hefty investments by customers in equipment needed to use the service. WebTV customers pay $349 for a set-top box that allows them to hook their TV to the Internet, providing them speedy connectivity and good-looking graphics, and another $19.95 a month for Internet access. The company has sold somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 of the units so far. (The Economist 8 Mar 97) TELEDESIC MOVES TO RESOLVE SPECTRUM DISPUTE Teledesic Corp., the proposed wireless communications system backed by Bill Gates and Craig McCaw, is close to resolving a conflict with Associated Communications LLC over which part of the radio spectrum each will use for its service. Under the proposed agreement, which has been coordinated by top regulators at the FCC, Associated Communications will be assigned a new segment of the high-bandwidth share of the spectrum, which would eliminate the conflict in frequencies with Teledesic. (Wall Street Journal 13 Mar 97) MICROSOFT WANTS TO STANDARDIZE INTERNET BROADCASTING Microsoft has proposed a standard format for delivering television-like channels through the next version of its Internet Explorer Web browser, capitalizing on the new strategy of using "push" technology to deliver information to customers, rather than passively waiting for them to retrieve it. A Microsoft VP says the standard would make it easier for other Web site operators to personalize their sites for individual users, and to add animation to their pages: "Internet Explorer 4.0 allows you to take any Web site and turn it into a channel." Netscape is proposing a competing standard, which is incompatible with the Microsoft technology: "Both companies have decided, 'Hey, it's time to batten down the hatches and go into battle mode,'" says a Forrester Research analyst. (Wall Street Journal 12 Mar 97) NCAA GIVES FBI INFO ON WEB SITE VANDALISM The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), victimized by a vandal who cracked into the NCAA's Web site to post racial slurs there, is turning over to the FBI all details of the malicious entry. The Kansas City Star says it has identified the vandal as a 14-year-old high school freshman. (AP 12 Mar 97) CANADIAN IMMIGRATION RULE CHANGE FOR SKILLED FOREIGNERS Canada is conducting a pilot project that should reduce the time required for highly-skilled foreigners in six specific high-tech categories to enter that country. The experiment will end the process under which companies must prove there are no qualified Canadians available to fill key jobs. (Montreal Gazette 12 Mar 97) TELEGLOBE & AMERITECH STRIKE DEAL Teleglobe will soon be providing international calling service to Chicago- based Ameritech Corp. Reuters reports Teleglobe is also negotiating deals with two other regional Bells, BellSouth of Atlanta and Bell Atlantic of Philadelphia. (Toronto Financial Post 13 Mar 97) MICROSOFT TEAMS UP WITH INTEL, CISCO Microsoft, Intel and Cisco Systems have announced they'll be working together to promote the development of multimedia applications, providing technical assistance to software developers and network operators. In addition, the three companies hope to set industry standards for multimedia products. (Wall Street Journal 13 Mar 97) INTERNET USAGE HAS DOUBLED A study by CommerceNet and Nielsen Media Research concludes that Internet use has more than doubled in the last 18 months, from 10% to 23% of all persons in the U.S. and Canada over age 16. A Nielsen executive says: "Not that long ago, the people using the Web tended to be a rather homogeneous group -- young, upscale and rather well educated. The big gains that we're seeing now are coming from outside that group." (Washington Post 13 Mar 97) 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: Oh, try to use an external viewer to read the mail. If you already are, try using the built-in viewer. May or June for TERMite?? Damn. I was hoping it'd be sooner than that. Yes, you can sometimes just pop DRIVEN.PRG and SCC.PRG into the AUTO folder and have it work just fine... I wasn't that lucky though. I assume that you are using a Falcon or a MSTE since you used SCC.PRG (which deals with MODEM2). My MSTE showed _NO_ improvement under HSMODEM until I messed with the configurations. If there was just a full english translation of the german docs, it'd be the best piece of software available today." Mike Myers asks for help with hunting down a program: "I've been looking for a program I once had that shuts down a modem when there's been no activity for a specified time. (I just got a bill for 339 minutes in CIS from the phone company. Anybody recognize it & can give me a name & library?" I tell Mike: "Go to LIB 2 and download DCDDTR.ARC! 339 minutes?? Yikes, that hurts. I thought that there was a later version that actually did a hangup, but I haven't been able to find it, so I must've been wrong. DCDDTR was a Double Click Software "program of the week"... boy, THOSE were the days! " Ben @ TOC Oz. posts this to me: "I noticed you didn't have a chance to upload V1.45 of WebSpace. So I have uploaded it into the telecoms library, (& it actually worked !) I don't know how to give it a commentary, so I didn't. but it is actually better than V1.40, and it is very fast. I tried making my own web page, with forms, and images, and WebSpace eats CAB 1.5 for speed, especially with images. Though the demo is restricted. I soon hope to have a real copy of WebSpace, and will let you know of my progress." I tell Ben: "I thought I _had_ uploaded 1.45, but I guess I messed up. I've been trying to use it to "proof" my own web page as I construct it, but WebSpace seems to be much less forgiving about badly constructed than CAB, because it crashes on something in my main page. You're right though, it does seem faster than CAB on pages that don't break any of the rules." Ben replies: "I found when testing my html document, if WebSpace didn't like it, It usually worked O.K. in CAB. But WebSpace is restricted, and won't link backwards to a previous reference etc. You will also find that TABs, and spacing is weird too. So I ended up doing all the proofing in CAB, and just ran it up on WebSpace to see how it looked, and how fast it was." Joe Villarreal asks Ben: "Did you use Stik with Webspace 1.45GB to connect to the internet? I've been using Stik 1.12 and CAB 1.5 to connect to the internet thru another service. The Webspace 1.45 demo has an option for connecting using Stik or PPP; I thought it was just a demo and you could not actually connect with it." Ben tells Joe: "Yeah that's right, the demo is off line only. I use friends PC's to pick up html files for inspection. OXO have indicated to me that all the restricted portions of the demo, will be fully oprative in the commercial release. In my experiance with commercial demos' the companies who make them, see these demos from the point of view that they are only to give an idea of the functions of the program, and the feel of the user interface. After that point they just release them and forget about them for a while. What I'm saying is I normally take demos with "a pinch of salt", and if they're interesting, I'll take a closer look at the commercial release." A while back, Philippe Bogdan asked about a 25 MHz Stacy he saw advertised for sale. It turned out that it used a T28 accelerator, so Philippe checked with the manufacturer and told us: "I'm afraid I will not have a chance to try the T28... I got this answer from Sonic Solution: "I'm sorry to report that the T28/36 are now obsolete and we will not get any further stock." Thanks for the info anyway. If you find a place that still has the T28 or T38, I'd appreciate if you could send me a note." Simon Churchill tells Philippe: "Thank you for the info, it's a shame really the T28 is a good accelerator. I'm glade I have now got hold of a spare 68000 chip for it. If I blow it then I can replace it. I know the T28 originated from germany, I only know this because my first one went bang just after a year and I had to have it replaced, a couple of call's and a trade price sale for a new one, (As it was out of warrenty) made me a happy chap again. That's why I have got a spare chip. So far this one is working perfectly, as to any idea what german company? I don't know, I've had a look in my bit's but can't find anything." Nils Solberg tells Philippe: "I don't know about 25 mHz Stacys but I can tell you I've been running a Stacy fitted with a T28 accellerator running a 68000 chip at 28 mHz. It flies like s*** off a shovel! Only trouble is that Creator won't run at that speed, and that's my only sequencer. But everything else is fine." Well folks, that's about it for this week. Tune in again next week, same time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying when.. PEOPLE ARE TALKING EDITORIAL QUICKIES HAPPY SAINT PATTY'S DAY TO ALL! STReport International OnLine Magazine [S]ilicon [T]imes [R]eport HTTP://WWW.STREPORT.COM AVAILABLE through the Internet and OVER 250,000 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" March 14, 1997 Since 1987 - Copyrightc1997 All Rights Reserved - Issue No. 1311