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Randys Rumor Rag 1992 04
RAndY's RumOR RaG
April 1992
WINDOWS NEWS
Microsoft says they're ready to ship between 1.5 million and
2 million copies of Windows 3.1 when the shipping date arrives. In
an unusual arrangement, Microsoft has shipped 1 million copies
directly to Federal Express for April 6th delivery. When that date
comes, the equivalent of 15 Boeing 747's will deliver about 200,000
copies to users who preordered from Microsoft. They also plan to
ship six foreign language versions at the same time.
Interestingly, the package now says "operating system", as opposed
to the previous "graphical environment".
---------------
You may have heard about the feud between Microsoft and
Digital Research. Microsoft is refusing to help DRI make DR-DOS
compatible with Windows 3.1. The word is that DRI/Novell have
programmers in England working on a graphical operating system
(Windows clone). Microsoft is concerned that this clone will come
to market before they can get Windows NT out. I don't think they
should be too concerned given the track record for DRI.
---------------
Pundits are wondering why Microsoft shipped the new PowerPoint
without traditional beta testing like their other recent products.
The common opinion is that they didn't want any leaks, but some
suspect that the product may be weak and unimpressive.
---------------
WordPerfect is expected to ship WordPerfect Mail for Windows
this quarter. The company has also previewed a future Windows-
based WordPerfect Office. A portion of Office for Windows that is
already in working order is called Notify, an events applications
that alerts other users if incoming and outgoing messages as well
as appointments via audio or visual alarms.
An announcement date has not yet been set.
---------------
Within 30 days of the shipping of Windows 3.1, Hewlett-Packard
will send out version 4 of NewWave. Look for additions to its
"agents" feature including a forms-type interface option for agent
tasks and the ability to link more than one agent task.
---------------
Still waiting for Quattro Pro for Windows, but beta testers
say it's getting closer. Testers report that it could be a
powerful opponent to 1-2-3 and Excel with drag-and-drop
functionality, easy to understand notebook metaphor, and
compatibility with existing 1-2-3 formats.
---------------
Expect to see an enhanced 32-bit video controller soon from
Western Digital. This is not a board, but a GUI accelerated
desktop VGA controller, a result of extensive cooperation between
Western Digital and Microsoft.
---------------
Inset Systems is introducing HiJaak for Windows ($249). This
utility lets users manipulate graphics and offers conversion
capabilities. The software uses OLE technology and users can
easily incorporate its capabilities into other applications.
Included are vector-to-vector and vector-to-raster conversions for
15 different vector graphics formats. The Multiple Document
Interface allows simultaneous viewing of multiple images.
---------------
The announcement should have been made by the time this is
published and the product is expected to ship late this spring -
Procomm Plus for Windows. (YES!) The product will have all the
functionality of the DOS version with enhancements such as more
powerful keyboard mapping and the ability to view GIFs as you're
downloading.
---------------
June is the expected shipping date for Microsoft's long-
awaited Windows database program, Cirrus.
---------------
NEWS IN YER FACE
Intel's CEO Andrew Grove recently referred to AMD's share of
the 386 market as "mice *!#@".
---------------
With Apple picking its distribution partners, look for one of
them to be a major retailer with the motto of "Where America
Shops."
---------------
During Intel's recent announcement for their clock doubler
chips, a short film drew audience hisses when Bill Gates appeared
in the film.
---------------
Borland will soon introduce a $69.95 videotape aimed at mass
marketers called Learn Programming Today.
---------------
Microsoft is in the process of setting up toll-free hot-line
support in at least four Latin American countries where it has
subsidiaries.
---------------
This June, Compaq will be introducing a line of low-end
systems, but don't expect to see a non-Intel processor. Big boy
Intel has allegedly given Compaq irresistible pricing to make sure
they keep this big customer.
There will be two product lines; desktop PC's that are
different from their DeskPro line and notebook computers that look
different than their LTE line. The will not have a modular design
like the PS/1. They will use 1024x768 VGA adapters from Western
Digital.
Both lines will feature preloaded software like Windows 3.1
and several popular applications.
---------------
Dealers are angry at Microsoft's current DOS 5 promotion.
Major newspapers have carried advertisements for the DOS 5 package
at $49.95. With already low profits, dealers are not pleased.
Some have speculated that the reason for the promotion is that
Microsoft is clearing out inventory in anticipation of a DOS 5.1
release. A Microsoft spokesman said "There is no plan to introduce
DOS 5.1. We're not trying to clear out inventory."
Since July, 2.7 million users have bought the DOS 5 Upgrade
package.
---------------
Look for the cost of 3.5 disks to go up. Consumers are buying
them up at an astonishing rate and manufacturers have been caught
off-guard. The shortage is expected to last for 4-6 months.
Ingram Micro (a large software/hardware distributor) has seen a
200% growth in sales of 3.5 disks from the first quarter of 1991
through February of 1992.
---------------
Apple plans to enhance their new System 7 operating system to
allow future migration to RISC hardware platforms. This would put
Apple in the client/server market and give integrators new options.
---------------
Intel has announced LANProtect, a network anti-virus
application that stems from a joint effort with Trend Micro
Devices. The product is a NetWare Loadable Module that resides on
a server and continuously scans incoming and outgoing files using
a proprietary prescan protocol stack to detect any virus activity.
---------------
Be careful about mixing the Norton Speed Disk defragmentation
utility with DR DOS SuperStor. Although DR DOS' documentation
warns against using third-party optimizers, I've heard reports
where Speed Disk trashed an entire disk leaving only unmovable
files and unloadable programs.
---------------
Beta testers for Borland have been wringing their hands
recently because Borland has been promising Paradox for Windows for
weeks, and no disks yet. Philippe has promised they'll be out by
the end of March.
---------------
Silicon Graphics announced an agreement to acquire Mips
Computer Systems (big RISC maker). This is a $400 million deal
which increases concerns about Mips' ability to keep its design
open as well as whether Silicon Graphics will be seen as having an
unfair advantage in the ACE consortium. ACE members Compaq,
Digital Equipment, and Microsoft have endorsed the deal.
This deal gives Silicon Graphics access to Mips' OEMs and
RISC-based workstations which are defined by ACE specifications.
This also gives Silicon Graphics a way out of its traditional
scientific and technical market and into the growing client/server
market.
---------------
INTEL NEWS
There's a lot happening with Intel right now. Expect to see
the introduction of the 25/50 and 33/66 486 doubler chips by the
time you read this. The official name for these dual speed chips
is 486DX2. Enhancements through retail channels will be carry the
Overdrive moniker. As a retail product, Intel plans to provide
both the chip and a chip puller.
Sometime this summer, Intel is scheduled to release the P5 or
586 processor. This chip will have a 64-bit architecture including
a 64-bit external bus. Initially, the 586 will have a 66mhz clock
speed and perform at 40 MIPS. It will have two identical
processing units and two banks of cache memory (kind of like two
486 chips). (Because of the two processing units, the chip will be
able to execute two instructions simultaneously.)
The 586 will be binary compatible and have 5 to 7 times faster
floating performance, and provide error correction and fault
tolerance.
Along with the P5, Intel is getting a dual P5 module ready
which will be a small add-in board with two P5 chips for multi-
processing systems. The dual P5 module will be available next
year.
Not one to be sitting idle, Intel is already working the P6 or
686.
---------------
While I'm talking about the 586, Intel is looking for a
release early next year of a low-end 32-bit version of the 80586
processor which could plug directly into 486DX sockets. They're
also launching an aggressive single-chip upgrade program to allow
486-based systems to be upgraded to a range of performance levels
in the 5868 family by simply swapping chips.
This lower cost 586 will allow 486 systems running Windows to
have the equivalent of two processors running applications
simultaneously. Performance is estimated at three times that of
the 486DX-50.
---------------
LOTUS NEWS
Sometime this spring, Lotus will take on Microsoft in the
software bundling game with the introduction of SmartSuite. This
package will contain Freelance Graphics, Ami Pro 2, cc:Mail, and an
upgraded 1-2-3/W with new audio training materials and merged
documentation. Suggested price will be $895. The original ship
date was January, then they delayed it until mid-April, but now
it's anybody's guess.
Meanwhile, it looks like Lotus is taking some cues from
Borland. They are planning a performance upgrade for 1-2-3 for
Windows this spring, then another release with built-in groupware
capabilities later in the year.
---------------
LOW-END NETWORK
Microsoft is once again taking a stab at Novell, this time
with a low-end peer-to-peer Windows designed to battle NetWare Lite
and LANtastic.
This is an alternative Windows known as Sparta. It will
include electronic mail, group scheduling capabilities, and a real
time chat feature. Users can designate a directory as sharable and
other users can access files in that subdirectory. The program
only requires 10K to 20K of RAM.
Windows Sparta will work with network adapters that conform to
the Network Device Interface Specification. Sparta will not
replace Windows, but users who want to network their PCs would buy
it instead of Windows 3 or 3.1.
Microsoft also has asked hardware developers to simplify
networking under Windows by building Ethernet and Token Ring into
PC motherboards. Microsoft also discussed the availability of low
cost hub cards and the redesign of printers, modems, and upgrade
kits to help make Windows network-ready.
Availability of Sparta is scheduled for the end of 1992.
---------------
PARADOX 4 COMING SOON
While we're waiting for the Windows version of Paradox,
Borland continues work on the DOS product. Paradox 4 has not yet
gone into beta testing, but will add support for memo fields,
optimized query performance, and event trapping. It will also read
more data formats including DBF files. Query performance will be
boosted by 35%-40% and possibly more in some multiuser situations.
Beta copies should ship soon and the product is expected to
ship by late June.
---------------
QUATTRO PRO 4
This latest version of Borland's Lotus killer is now shipping.
Gone is the mouse menu on the right side of the screen, and it's
been replaced with a Speedbar (similar to Excel). My only
complaint is that you still have to load your mouse driver before
starting the program. I suggest that Borland and others take a cue
from WordPerfect's DOS program (among others) that have mouse
support built in.
Finally included are auditing tools, a part of Quattro Pro
that has suffered in the past.
Particularly impressive are new graphing tools which let you
change the way your data is analyzed without returning to the
spreadsheet and manipulating your data. For example, if you have
a sheet with daily totals entered, you can switch between analyzing
the numbers on a monthly basis, quarterly, weekly, or whatever
without going back to your worksheet and messing with the numbers.
The WYSIWYG tends to extract a price in performance. This was
first noticed on Version 3 and it's better with Version 4. But,
the screen just "looks funny" to me for some reason.
Graphing is good with the addition of something called a
Bubble graph. Who dreams this stuff up?
Borland is finally shipping the software on high density
disks; others please take notice. Of course, Lotus compatibility
seems well done.
As I've said in the past, if you have to use a DOS-based
spreadsheet, go with Quattro Pro.
---------------
PROFESSIONAL TOOLKIT FOR VISUAL BASIC
As you read this, Microsoft should be shipping a set of add-
ons to extend interface control and programming options for Visual
Basic.
Included are support for OLE, multiple document interfaces,
and multimedia and pen interfaces. This stand-alone product will
carry a suggested price of $299, but for a limited time will sell
for an introductory price of $99. It will also be bundled with
Visual Basic for $495 (list price).
Several shrink-wrapped applications developed with Visual
Basic are also going to be released soon, but Microsoft is tight
lipped. Microsoft has already used Visual Basic in internal
development including Project 3.
---------------
NEW AST MULTIPROCESSING BOX
You remember AST? They're the guys who sell proprietary
hardware at outrageous prices.
They've been recently showing off their new MicroFrame, a
multiple processing computer. According to AST, users will be able
to swap RISC and Intel processors as the main CPUs.
They say that this is a machine that will be "support-
intensive" and some sort of reseller rights are being contemplated.
The computer will run up to four processors and include error
correction code, Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks (RAID)
hardware and redundant power supplies.
Initially, AST will release the box using Intel 486-50
processors, and RISC configurations will follow only if the market
demands them (and if more RISC software becomes available).
The processor boards tie into a common 64-bit backplane. Said
a spokesman, "the system is designed around a series of cards.
There is no motherboard." The machine is designed with an EISA I/O
bus that ties into the backplane and includes five SCSI channels.
To permit processor interchangeability, AST is planning to
implement Extended BIOS. The BIOS will initially support SCO MPX
and eventually other multiprocessing operating systems. There are
plans by AST to support Windows NT, since Microsoft is expected to
include multiprocessing technology in that product.
The machine is expected to be available in June with an entry-
level price of about $25,000.
---------------
OS/2 NEWS
Jeez, now I've got to devote a section to OS/2 - where is the
world going?
Anyway, it looks like the shipping version of OS/2 2.0 will be
on 20 disks!! Just to get 1 million copies out the door is going to
take 20 million disks!! I hear that you can expect to see an OS/2
2.1 shortly after the release, hopefully free. The 2.1 release is
expected to feature more condensed code.
IBM will begin electronic distribution of OS/2 2 to customers
and distributors on March 31 with shrink-wrapped retail copies
shipping in the following two weeks.
Windows support will only be on machines with VGA, SVGA and
XGA support will follow later, as will the 32-bit graphics engine
developed by Micrografx. The later update will also feature
support for Windows 3.1. The upgrade is expected to be provided by
IBM this summer in a Corrective Service Diskette (I love these IBM
monikers).
---------------
At the IBM introduction of OS/2 on April 6th (who picked that
date?), Lotus will demonstrate 1-2-3 for OS/2 2.0. They will also
announce their intentions to deliver 32-bit versions of Ami Pro,
Freelance Graphics, and cc:Mail for OS/2 this year along with a 32-
bit Notes for OS/2 scheduled for a year end release.
IBM is also working with Lotus to preload 1-2-3 on PS/2
computers along with the OS/2 operating system (they must have huge
hard drives). (DeScribe is negotiating with IBM on a similar deal
with their 32-bit version of their word processor due out April 1.)
This version of 1-2-3 will feature SmartIcons, the same Solver
as 1-2-3/G, Datalens access to OS/2's database manager, and a draw
layer that lets users annotate and create charts right on the
spreadsheet.
---------------
One of my suppliers has a service where I can call on the
modem and order products. I can also check inventory to see if
something is in stock or get an updated price.
About a week before the release date for Windows 3.1 and OS/2
2.0, I called and checked on stock quantities. Windows 3.1 was
backordered over 14,400 copies and OS/2 was backordered less than
100. Hmmm...
Current OS/2 users will get a free upgrade, Windows users will
pay $49, and DOS upgrades will be $99. Suggested retail price will
be $195.
---------------
MICROSOFT BUYS FOX
You've read about it in the papers and seen interviews on TV
concerning the proposed acquisition by Microsoft of Fox Software.
The outspoken Mr. Gates of Microsoft said that Fox's FoxPro
line of xBase development tools were "the most undermarketed
products in the PC software business".
After news of the proposed acquisition hit the streets,
Borland's stock dropped $7.25 while Microsoft's rose. (On the day
of the announcement, Philippe Kahn said that Borland's new Paradox
products could ship as late as August.)
This has got to be egg on the face to Philippe & Co. and when
asked why Borland didn't buy FoxPro, Dave Fulton (President of Fox)
said, "Borland didn't approach us".
The immediate plans are to drop the Fox corporate name, boost
international sales of FoxPro, and extend the product's presence in
the Macintosh markets.
This puts Microsoft in a strong position in the relational
database market. Users familiar with Fox products say that if
Microsoft takes advantage of FoxPro's fast technology, it could
threaten Borland's database market. Insiders wonder about
Microsoft's coming Windows database product, Cirrus, in light of
Fox's soon to be released FoxPro for Windows.
=================================
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RAndY's RumOR RaG is published on a monthly basis by AINSWORTH
COMPUTER SERVICES and is available on various BBS's, GEnie, and
America Online as well as in Modem News.
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Opinions expressed are those of the author. Comments should
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