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Silicon Times Report Issue 1241
Silicon Times Report
The Original Independent OnLine Magazine"
(Since 1987)
October 11, 1996 No.1241
Silicon Times Report International OnLine Magazine
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10/11/96 STR 1241 The Original Independent OnLine Magazine!
- CPU Industry Report - SEGA Troubled? - S. Cray Dies
- Lexmark Optra C - HP LaserJet 6 Ships - N64 Sold Out
- Caldera Updates - Dole WebSite - Frankie's Corner
- Internet II On - HP 1600cm - Dana's Tidbits
Mac Awareness Campaign
CA to Acquire Cheyenne
LAPTOPS RISKY AT 30,000 FEET?
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Florida Lotto - LottoMan v1.35
Results: 10/05/96: 2 of 6 numbers, no matches
From the Editor's Desk...
This is one of those quiet weeks, where you know there's all sorts of
great things on the horizon but its just not quite ready to divulge. Comdex
is promising all sorts of wonderful new goodies from the very basic software
packages to the most sophisticated of hardware setups. I know of a number of
new goodies that are about to hit <wink>.. We'll tell you all about them the
moment we have the green light. In the meantime some very real and terrific
products are going to become available at some surprisingly affordable
numbers.
Take advantage of the new model and package announcements. You can own
last year's models at a fraction of their cost last year. Stay tuned.. we'll
be showing a bunch of them... Joe Mirando is still fighting that pesky bug..
He'll be back next week.
Ralph....
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STReport Headline News
LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Computer World Mourns Seymour Cray
The computer industry today mourns the death of Seymour Cray, who pioneered
use of transistors in computers and later became the father of supercomputers
developed to run business and government information networks. Cray died
yesterday of complications from severe head and neck injuries suffered in a
three-car traffic crash. His Jeep was hit by another car Sept. 22 and rolled
three times.
Cray took a sudden turn for the worse Friday after being listed in critical
condition earlier this week at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs. He is
survived by his wife, Geri Harrand, two daughters, a son, a sister and five
grandchildren. Memorial services in Colorado Springs and Chippewa Falls have
not been scheduled.
"In a world where time is measured in increments faster than the blink of an
eye, Cray's benchmark achievements were accompanied by painful setbacks,"
Associated Press writer Jennifer Mears commented this morning. "Still, Cray
spent 40 relentless years searching for a scientific Holy Grail, the world's
fastest supercomputer."
For many years, Cray Research was the U.S. leader in supercomputers,
multimillion-dollar machines used for sophisticated tasks like forecasting
weather or building bombs. In fact, "There wouldn't really be a
supercomputer industry as we know it except for Seymour Cray," said Larry
Smarr, director of the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the
University of Illinois. "I really think his achievement was the creation of
computers that were essential for solving the nation's grand challenges."
Cray's work was used in physics research and weapons development. One
computer he developed was used to simulate nuclear experiments, which helped
eliminate the need for physical tests, noted John Rollwagen, who worked with
Cray for 14 years at Cray Research Inc. "He provided so many of us -- maybe
without even knowing it -- such a wonderful opportunity of working with and
developing this important technology," he added.
However, the end of the Cold War diminished the demand for the massive
machines, while advances in computer technology were allowing smaller
computers to reach the processing speeds of supercomputers.
"That meant tough times for Cray," noted Mears. "In 1995 he was forced to
close the doors of his 6-year-old Cray Computer Corp. after the Cray-4, which
cost about $360 million to build, failed to entice a single buyer."
Undaunted, last August he opened SRC Computer Inc., a Colorado Springs-based
company that employed five. The mission, simply, was to "build computers."
Born Sept. 28, 1925, in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Cray began nurturing a
passion for science as a youngster, collecting chemistry and radio sets in
his basement. In 1950, Cray graduated from the University of Minnesota in
Minneapolis with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. He obtained a
master's degree in applied mathematics the following year.
Cray began his career at Control Data Corp. in the late 1950s, developing one
of the first computers to use radio transistors instead of vacuum tubes,
which weighed tons and sapped huge amounts of electricity. The transistors
allowed for the miniaturization of components. He also invented RISC,
Reduced Instruction Set Computing, a technology that allows desktop computers
to process tasks more quickly.
In 1972, Cray left CDC and founded Cray Research Inc. in Eagan, Minnesota,
where, four years later, he unveiled the Cray-1 supercomputer. It was 10
times faster and more powerful than any machine on the market. He topped that
with the Cray-2 in 1985, which was 10 times faster than the Cray-1.
Microsoft Aligns With WebTV
Microsoft Corp. says it has formed a strategic relationship with WebTV
Networks Inc. to cooperate in the development of technologies for delivering
Internet content to television. Microsoft also says it has taken a minority
equity position in WebTV Networks. As part of the association, Microsoft and
WebTV Networks will collaborate on the development of technologies and
related standards for delivering Internet browsing for display over
televisions. WebTV Networks intends to integrate elements of Microsoft
Internet Explorer technology, adapted for television display by Microsoft,
into a future release of the WebTV browser system. The WebTV browser featured
in several current and planned Internet TVs and terminals.
Microsoft and WebTV Networks will also work closely with each other, and with
additional third parties and standards organizations, to promote the results
of their collaboration as accepted extensions to current Internet standards.
"WebTV Networks has clearly established its leadership in delivering Internet
content through the television," says David Cole, vice president of
Microsoft's consumer platforms division. "Microsoft's relationship with
WebTV Networks demonstrates our commitment to adapting Microsoft Internet
Explorer to provide consumers access to the Web through a broad range of
communication and entertainment devices. We are confident that we can combine
the advantages of Microsoft Internet Explorer with the innovations of WebTV
Networks to deliver a compelling Internet experience over the television."
AT&T, Microsoft Court the Net
AT&T and Microsoft Corp. are packaging each other's Internet products, a move
analysts say gives Microsoft a leg up in its Web browser battle with Netscape
Communications Corp. Users of Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system will
get the firm's Internet Explorer 3.0 when they sign up for AT&T's Internet
access service, AT&T WorldNet Service, writer Therese Poletti of the Reuter
News Service reports.
She quotes AT&T as saying it designated Internet Explorer 3.0, the latest
version of Microsoft's software for accessing the Web, as the default browser
for WorldNet. Before yesterday, AT&T was offering Netscape Navigator as the
sole browser software for WorldNet. "AT&T will still offer Navigator, but
customers will have to specify it when ordering the Internet service,"
Poletti says, adding, "The move was seen as yet another blow to Mountain
View, California-based Netscape, which has asked the Justice Department to
investigate Microsoft's Internet marketing tactics and whether they violate
the software giant's 1994 consent decree with the department."
Wall Street isn't happy. Netscape stock dropped $3 yesterday to $45 on the
Nasdaq. And Microsoft Vice President Brad Chase, a general manager in
Microsoft's Internet division, hinted at more deals with other online
services and Internet access services but declined to be specific. Reuters
quotes industry sources as saying Prodigy is expected to announce a similar
deal next week, though that is unconfirmed. Chase also said Internet
Explorer's market share has doubled since the company unveiled Version 3.0
six weeks ago, jumping from 5 percent to 10 percent of the market, to 10
percent to 20 percent.
"As part of its deal with AT&T," the wire service reports, "Microsoft will
offer WorldNet software bundled with Windows 95, and WorldNet will appear as
an icon in the software's online services folder when users start up their
new PCs. Most computers with Windows 95 delivered during the upcoming holiday
season were expected to include WorldNet." Meanwhile, analysts told the wire
service that even as Microsoft makes inroads in the browser market, Netscape
still retains a dominant, growing stake in the arena for Internet server
software, which functions as printing press and warehouse for Web pages.
Steve Harmon, senior investment analyst at MecklerMedia Internet Consulting,
commented, "Microsoft has been pretty aggressive about going after every
partner Netscape has." But he pointed out that the browser, or client,
software is just the front door to the server software -- which is generating
revenues. "Netscape is the leader in server software," he said. "While the
client wanes, the server market is going strong."
Allegro, Software Pub to Merge
Struggling industry veteran Software Publishing Corp. of San Jose,
California, is being gobbled up by a newer, smaller firm, tiny Allegro New
Media Inc., a Fairfield, New Jersey, company that had only $1.4 million in
sales last year. The deal calls for Software Publishing shareholders to
receive 0.26805 shares of Allegro common for each Software Publishing they
hold, "and," says Computergram International this morning, "reflecting the
discrepancy in size, Software Publishing holders will end up with 45 percent
of the enlarged Allegro."
CI notes Allegro was last heard of when it announced plans to acquire Nashua,
New Hampshire, desktop publishing and graphics company Serif Inc. in April.
The newsletter says Software Publishing, which has made several rounds of
layoffs this year, now becomes a subsidiary of Allegro, but continues to
operate under the Software Publishing name, and key officers will become
Allegro officers.
CA to Acquire Cheyenne
Computer Associates International Inc. says it plans to acquire Cheyenne
Software Inc. for $1.2 billion in cash or $30.50 per share. Both boards
have approved the deal. CA says it intends to retain all of Cheyenne's
employees, adding that Cheyenne will operate as a CA division. "We are
extremely excited by the synergistic nature of this acquisition," says CA
Chairman and CEO Charles B. Wang. "Cheyenne is the recognized leader in
storage management solutions for the Windows NT and NetWare environments. The
addition of its product suite will strengthen our efforts in the desktop and
LAN environments."
"This is a tremendous opportunity for our clients, business partners,
employees, and shareholders," adds Cheyenne Chairman and CEO ReiJane Huai.
"CA's unparalleled development and support capabilities and financial
resources will now be available to our clients, along with Cheyenne's award-
winning solutions in storage management, anti-virus, and communications
software."
HP Unveils New Printers
Hewlett-Packard Co. today introduced its first LaserJet 6 Series printers,
the LaserJet 6P and 6MP, as well as two new color ink-jet models. The new
laser printers, which replace the LaserJet 5P and 5MP models, offer new
performance enhancements at lower prices than their predecessors. The
LaserJet 6P and 6MP are expected to sell for less than $800 and $950,
respectively. The laser printers offer an 8-page-per-minute (ppm) print
speed, a 600 dots-per-inch (dpi) output resolution and several paper-handling
capabilities. For Windows 95 users, the LaserJet 6P and 6MP provide a simple
software interface that provides real-time printer-status messages and makes
it easy for customers to access printer features. The LaserJet 6MP offers the
same features as the HP LaserJet 6P, plus compatibility across Macintosh and
Windows PostScript environments.
The DeskJet 690C and DeskJet 693C ink-jet printers are designed to produce
photo-quality color images. Both models generate documents at up to 5 ppm for
black and 1.7 ppm for color. An HP Printer Toolbox feature gives users on-
screen information about printing functions, as well as instructions for
solving common printing problems and for performing tasks such as printing
envelopes and banners. The DeskJet 693C printer, which comes with the HP
home project kit, is expected to sell for $349. The DeskJet 690C printer,
which is identical to the DeskJet 693C, is packaged without the home project
kit and is expected to sell for about $329.
Epson Has Improved Digital Camera
Epson America Inc. is hoping to make an impact in the burgeoning digital
camera market with its new PhotoPC 500, an enhanced version of its original
PhotoPC. The unit is set to ship in November for $499.
Compared to the earlier model, the PhotoPC 500 is smaller and offers improved
optics, increased storage capacity and a red-eye reduction flash. The PhotoPC
500 also has an optional $199 PhotoView color liquid-crystal display (LCD)
monitor that lets users preview, playback and perform other functions.
The PhotoPC 500 has the look and feel of a traditional 35mm film camera. The
product weighs less than 1 pound and measures 6.5 by 3.25 by 2 inches. The
PhotoPC 500 takes pictures in 24-bit color (16.7 million colors). Users can
choose between high- and standard-resolution settings of 640 by 480 and 320
by 240, respectively. The PhotoPC 500 stores up to 30 high- or 60 standard-
resolution images. Optional PhotoSpan memory modules increase total storage
capacity to 100 high- or 200 standard-resolution images.
Net Responds to Dole's Web Page
The Net's credibility as a political force got another boost last night when,
as the last word in the first televised presidential debate of the campaign,
Republican Bob Dole plugged the online address of his campaign's home page on
the World Wide Web. Saying he wanted to direct his two-minute closing
statement "to the young people of America," Dole spoke out against drug
abuse, then said, "If you really want to get involved, just tap into my home
page: www.dolekemp96.org."
The Net responded. The Associated Press reported this morning that in the
hour after Dole's invitation to visit his Web site, "it was downright
impossible to do so: It seemed too many other people were trying." The wire
service reports, "Viewers who immediately went to their keyboards were
rewarded with the page's initial text, and sometimes some partial graphics,
before eventually receiving a 'time out error' -- typically associated with
heavy usage. But after the logjam cleared, it was possible to zip onto the
site, which allows visitors to choose from a number of graphically rich
options, including a chronological database of Dole's recent speeches."
Meanwhile, the 90-minute prime-time debate also increased online activity at
the Clinton-Gore site (www.cg96.org) and the Perot venue (www.perot.org), and
in real-time chat rooms in political sites all around the Web. Before Dole's
Web remark at the end of the evening, the Internet and computers were
mentioned three times during the debate:
ú In his opening statement, President Clinton said, "Most important, let's
make education our highest priority so that every eight-year-old will be able
to read, every 12-year-old can log on to the Internet, every 18-year-old can
go to college."
ú Later, in response to a question about difference between himself and
Dole, Clinton renewed an education promise he's made on the stump, namely,
"hooking up all of our classrooms to the Internet by the year 2000."
ú And Dole, in discussing his proposed 15-percent across-the-board tax
cut, noted that for a family making $30,000 a year, it would amount to
$1,261. Maybe to some, he said, "that's not a lot of money, but people
watching tonight with a couple of kids, a working family, that's four or five
months of day care, maybe a personal computer, it may be three or four months
of mortgage payments."
Mac Awareness Campaign Unveiled
Apple Computer Inc. has unveiled a new communications campaign aimed at
promoting third-party software titles for Mac OS, the Macintosh operating
system. The campaign, dubbed "All Great Software Wears this Face," is
designed to raise the visibility of third-party software for the Mac OS by
making it easier for customers to identify, locate and purchase Mac OS
software products through various distribution channels.
Apple says the campaign is primarily designed to address issues surrounding
what are called "hybrid" CDs.
Hybrids account for a large percentage of overall Mac OS software titles, but
may not be sold in the Mac OS section of a software retailer, potentially
creating the perception that there are fewer software titles for the Mac OS.
Hybrid CDs are also the fastest growing type of CD distribution in the
software industry. Trade associations and other organizations that monitor
the software industry are just beginning to implement mechanisms for tracking
these products.
"The main issue surrounding hybrid CDs is that, although they contain a Mac
OS version, they are often times stocked only in the Windows section," says
Jonathan Fader, director of Apple's developer marketing group. "When
customers walk into their favorite software retailer, their perception may be
that there are fewer products that run on the Mac OS. In fact there are
actually more, they're just not all in the Mac section. In partnering with
retailers, our goal is to show customers that these titles exist throughout
the store."
The campaign's in-store merchandising will include banners, posters and floor
decals. Displays in the Mac OS section of selected retailers will identify
the hottest new software to hit the market for Macintosh computers. Brightly
colored pamphlets will offer customers peel-off notes containing descriptions
of the hybrid issue and how to identify all software that runs on the Mac OS.
Additional tote boards, shelf cards, and labels will help shoppers pinpoint
Mac OS software titles outside of the Mac section. All collateral will sport
the Mac OS logo and the tag line "All Great Software Wears this Face". The
campaign will be reinforced by targeted advertising in major publications,
says Apple.
Microsoft Lobbies FCC on TV Rule
The Federal Communications Commission is being urged to accommodate Microsoft
Corp. and its industry allies by altering planned technical standards for
digital television broadcasting. The New York Times reported this morning
Microsoft is arguing in its lobbying to the commission that the standards
could hamper the computer industry's future use of the broadcast spectrum.
The Reuter News Service reports the television industry has rejected
Microsoft's arguments, saying the standard would enhance the computer
industry's entry into broadcasting by digitizing transmissions and allowing
data to be sent while video was played. The Times says the debate is over
whether the 18 video formats specified in the standard should be retained.
Execs Just Say No to Buzzwords
Is talking the talk turning off the customers? Some leading computer industry
spokesmen admit they use too many buzzwords. Not only that, some even
acknowledge they build complicated products that are not always useful in
everyday life. Reporting from Lake Buena Vista, Fla., writer/columnist
Russell Blinch of the Reuter News Service says a blue-ribbon panel from
Silicon Valley and elsewhere has agreed that building easier-to-use products
is the best way of bringing more people into the new digital world.
Still, the panel says consumers have all too often been bombarded with
needless software updates while being distracted by competing software "wars"
waged by the big computer players. Gateway 2000 Chairman Ted Waite told the
wire service, "People do want more stability and things have to become more
simple," adding consumers have every right to be frustrated with personal
computers that have become difficult to use and cost too much to maintain
because of their complexity.
Reporting to an annual Gartner Group computer conference, the executives said
consumers at home and at work are confused by a huge selection of products.
Said Vice Chairman Gary Fernandes of the consulting firm EDS Corp., "We are
tyrannized by the amount of choices out there. The product life cycle is
getting smaller and smaller. ... We have technical clutter. We speak in
buzzwords and acronyms."
Blinch says the exec acknowledged there has been too much emphasis on the
various competing operating software "platforms" available while the market
was also being hurt by software updates that in fact offer very little in
useful new features. The industry also needs to drop the jargon and speak
clearer so consumers can make proper choices.
Meanwhile, Apple Computer Chairman/CEO Gilbert Amelio said all the attention
focused on the so-called "browser wars" -- that is, whether Microsoft Corp.
or Netscape Communications Corp. offered better software to cruise the
Internet -- was really a waste of time. Browsing, he said, is essentially an
unproductive activity and companies really need to focus on making products
that make the Internet a useful tool for people to find information and to
communicate. Said Amelio: "Right now browsing has a negative productivity
factor, instead of a positive one. The question is how do we get people more
productive."
Linux & Caldera STR Infofile
Caldera Ships Caldera Solutions CD
(Online catalog available)
Scott Dowdle - Great Falls, Montana - Linux OS User dowdle@icstech.com
CD-ROM Contains Inter/intranet Solutions from Caldera and Other Industry
Leaders Provo, UT October 7, 1996 Caldera , Inc. today announced the release
of the Caldera Solutions CD containing Inter/intranet software from Caldera
and its Independent Vendor Partners (IVPs). These best-of- breed products
range from graphics development tools and web site builders to databases,
scheduling/task management programs and other applications that may be
downloaded for a fee. The Caldera Solutions CD will ship with all Caldera
system software products and be made available to all registered Caldera
customers.
"Caldera customers wanted the best industry applications and development
tools ported to Caldera's Linux- based environment," said Ransom Love, vice
president of marketing and sales for Caldera, Inc. "The Caldera Solutions CD
coupled with Caldera Network Desktop (CND) provides resellers, ISPs (Internet
Service Providers) and their customers with a complete set of Linux-based
applications for customized turn-key solutions. In turn, the Caldera
Solutions CD program provides third-party developers with instant access to
the global Linux channel."
The Caldera Solutions CD includes the following products and company
information:
ú ADABAS D (Database) Software AG
ú ASWedit (HTML Editor) AdvaSoft
ú CIOS (Caldera Internet Office Suite) Caldera, Inc.
ú CorelDraw 3 (graphics package) Corel Corporation
ú Crisp (Text Editor) Vital
ú Cyclom -Ye/PCI (PCI RISC-based multi serial board) Cyclades
ú EditTable & ChartObject (graphics development tools) INT (Interactive
Network Technologies)
ú FlagShip 4.4 (applications development language and database) WorkGroup
Solutions
ú Labtam X-WinPro (enables Windows based PC's to become fully-functional
remote/networked Caldera Workstations that can run CND and many host-based
applications simultaneously) Labtam Finland Ltd.
ú MetaCard 2.0 (GUI development and multimedia authoring tool) MetaCard
Corporation
ú Metro-X (X-Server) MetroLink
ú Motif (Full Motif Development Libraries) MetroLink
ú NetCat Product Suite (Interactive Inter/intranet catalog ordering and
quotation system) DynamicWeb
ú PartitionMagic (hard-disk manager) PowerQuest
ú Starter Kit (web site builder for commerce and information exchange on
Inter/intranets) Stallion Technologies Inc.
ú Stronghold : The Apache -SSL-US (secure web server product) Community
ConneXion
ú Synchronize (scheduling and task management) CrossWind Technologies,
Inc.
ú X11 PrintManager (printing for X11 environment) Ematek
The Caldera Solutions CD may be obtained by calling (800) 850-7779 or by E-
mail to: orders@caldera.com. Product specific news releases may be obtained
from Caldera's web site at http://www.caldera.com/ or from the individual
product vendors.
Caldera AE Announces New Caldera OpenLinux
(COL) Platform and Three-Tier Product Strategy
New Technology and Stratified Products to Ship in 4th Quarter 1996 and
Throughout 1997
Provo, UT October 9, 1996 Caldera Inc. today announced the development and
implementation of Caldera OpenLinux (COL), a new 32-bit, Linux 2.x-based
platform for extending local area networks (LANs) to the home, branch
office, remote user, Inter/intranet and embedded systems. To extend the LANs
in an economical and easily managed way, COL technology will be offered in
three product stratifications; base, workstation and server. Caldera the
leader in commercial Linux-based system software debuted COL this week at
UNIX Expo in New York.
"Caldera first met customer demand for commercial Linux solutions by
combining Linux technologies with enterprise standards like NetWare and
Netscape Navigator ," said Ransom Love, vice president of marketing and sales
for Caldera. "From the best of these and other technologies have evolved the
Caldera OpenLinux platform and stratified products. Caldera product
offerings will now be based on the COL platform with complete stratified
solutions for workgroup and network/server environments."
The secure, peer-to-peer COL platform first evolved from the synthesis of
Caldera's existing Linux-based technologies and those acquired from
Lasermoon of Wickham, England, pioneers of the Linux migration towards
X/Open standards and other certifications. The efforts of the Linux System
Technologies (LST) of Erlangen, Germany, completed the evolution of COL by
integrating the Caldera and Lasermoon technologies with additional Internet
technologies and LST's Linux 2.x-based products. COL is the official upgrade
path for Lasermoon customers.
Certification
Currently, Caldera is working with the Linux community in making COL
compliant and certified with industry standards like POSIX.1 (FIPS 151-2),
Single UNIX Specification APIs and X-Open branding. These additions will be
in future releases of COL stratified products when the enhancements have been
integrated by key Linux developers. All of the work for standards compliance
will be freely contributed back to the Linux community.
Languages
Caldera is committed to providing products for the global Linux market. COL
stratified products will ship with an installation localized into English
and German. Additional components of the product will be localized into
English, French, German and Spanish. Caldera also plans product localization
for the Japanese and Chinese markets.
COL base
The COL base product includes the following:
ú Linux 2.x (multi-tasking, multi-user, 32-bit kernel with firewall
facilities and comprehensive system utilities open source code included on CD-
ROM)
ú LookingGlass (graphical user interface with icon bar, drag and drop,
comprehensive file typing and user-defined configuration, etc.)
ú Netscape Navigator 2.02 (the widely popular client software for
enterprise networks and the Internet)
ú X-Inside 1.3 (accelerated X-Window system with more than 400 graphical
drivers)
ú CrispLite (powerful, graphical text editor)
ú Caldera Solutions CD (fee-based, commercial, Linux-based software
applications from Caldera and other industry leaders)
ú ... and other technologies
The COL base product provides Linux users and first time UNIX buyers with a
comprehensive UNIX system that can run on Intel-based PCs including laptops
with 16 MB of RAM. COL will be made available to hardware and software OEMs,
Channel Partners and be the industry- standard platform for ISVs porting
applications to Linux. The Caldera Solutions CD allows resellers and Linux
users to purchase and install from the CD-ROM Linux- based software
applications to facilitate the creation of customized solutions..
COL workstation
Plans for the COL workstation product include:
ú COL base product (Linux 2.x, LookingGlass, X-Inside 1.3 and CrispLite,
etc.)
ú Netscape Navigator 3.0 Gold (Java , news reader and authoring tools)
ú NetWare Client and NetWare Administration Enhancements (Increased and
enhanced NDS, bindery and print administration utility. Enhanced GUI desktop
utilities, tightly integrated with the Looking Glass desktop)
ú Market-leading, commercial, secure, web server (a complete solution for
creating and managing web sites plus, the development and deployment of live,
network-centric, media-rich applications for the Inter/intranet)
ú Caldera Solutions CD
ú ... and other technologies
COL workstation is the Inter/intranet workstation solution providing client
and server capabilities for NetWare, UNIX and Windows NT in conjunction with
full Inter/intranet, authoring, publishing and browsing capabilities. All
services on the local network may be extended down-the-hall, to-the-home or
around the world across a high-speed connection by simply adding a frame
relay or ISDN commodity card to Intel-based PCs. COL workstation is the
second-generation solution for Caldera Network Desktop (CND) customers and
replaces CND.
COL server
ú COL workstation product (Linux 2.x, Netscape Navigator 3.0 Gold, NetWare
Client Enhancements, commercial, secure, web server etc.)
ú Novell Cross Platform Services (NCPS) (includes license for Novell
Directory Services (NDS) and five-user NetWare File and Print )
ú Caldera Solutions CD
ú Novell GroupWise (Caldera has contracted to include a five-user license)
ú ... and other technologies
The COL server is designed for the workgroup and small office environments
that need to fully utilize all systems. The COL server combines a complete
applications server with all necessary Inter/intranet technologies enabling
an organization to publish and interoperate with the Internet in a secure
fashion. The COL server complements all NetWare, UNIX and Windows NT
environments.
Future Development and Internet/Linux Community Funding
Caldera will continue to collaborate with developers in the Internet and
Linux communities to develop and refine technologies that add the specific
functionality requested by Caldera's customers. In addition, Caldera will
provide a percentage of net revenues from COL-based products back to the
Internet and Linux communities through funding for future technology
development.
Customer Support
Support for the COL base product will be Internet-based, using the WWW and
FTP. In addition to the Internet-based support, support for the workstation
and server products will include free thirty-day installation support as
well as fee-based, per incident support calls.
Pricing
The COL base product is scheduled to ship in November, 1996 for a suggested
retail price of $59 US. The COL workstation product will ship for a
suggested retail price of less than $300 US. The COL server product will
ship for a suggested retail price of less than $1500 US.
Promotions and Upgrades
Until December 31, 1996, current registered CND users and those who purchase
and register CND between now and December 31, or while supplies last, may
purchase COL workstation for $59 US. The COL base product is not an upgrade
to CND. Users of the COL base product will be provided an upgrade to both
COL workstation and COL server when these products ship. Until December 31,
1996, current users of any Linux operating system (WGS LinuxPro, Red Hat,
Slackware, Yggdrasil Plug and Play Linux, etc.) may upgrade to the COL base
product for $45 US. Proof of usage may be presented to any Caldera Channel
Partner or Caldera, Inc.
Caldera, Inc. designs, develops and markets a line of full-featured,
economical system software for the Internet, by the Internet, providing
stable, high-quality alternatives to NT , Sun Solaris and SCO UNIX. Caldera
uses its own technological and marketing resources to leverage technologies
including the Linux operating system created by independent developers
worldwide. For more information, visit the Caldera web site at
http://www.caldera.com/.
Caldera is a registered trademark; and Caldera Network Desktop, Caldera
Solutions Partners CD, Caldera OpenLinux, Caldera OpenDOS and Caldera
Appends are all trademarks of Caldera, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark,
in the United States an other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open
Company Limited. All other products, services and publications are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Caldera is a registered trademark; and Caldera OpenLinux, Caldera Network
Desktop, Caldera Solutions CD and Caldera OpenDOS are trademarks of Caldera,
Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark, in the United States and other
countries, licensed exclusively through X/OPEN Company Limited. Netscape
Communications, the Netscape Communications logo, Netscape and Netscape
Navigator are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation. All other
products, services, companies and publications are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.
Caldera Press Contacts:
Lyle Ball Nancy Pomeroy
lyle.ball@caldera.com nancy@caldera.com
Tel: (801) 377-7687 x305 Tel: (801) 377-7687 x206
U.S. Navy Selects Microsoft Internet Explorer as Primary Browser
Microsoft Internet Technology Now Available to
More Than 600,000 Navy Users Worldwide
REDMOND, Wash. - Oct. 2, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced that the U.S.
Navy has selected Microsoftr Internet Explorer as the Web browser for its
Navy Internet Kit (NIK). Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.1 for the
Windowsr operating system version 3.1 will be included in the NIK, a set of
innovative tools custom-designed to help Navy personnel communicate and
connect to and use the Internet. As part of the kit, Microsoft Internet
Explorer will be made available to more than 600,000 users worldwide. In
addition, the Navy plans to distribute Microsoft Internet Explorer for the
Macintosh, Windows 95 and UNIX platforms at a later date.
Microsoft Internet Explorer, available today for Windows 3.1, Windows 95, the
Windows NTr operating system and Macintosh platforms, is the Web browser that
puts users a step ahead on the Internet. Microsoft Internet Explorer is
optimized for each platform, delivering great performance to users.
"Like many customers, the Navy wanted advanced browser capabilities for its
entire range of users," said Brad Chase, vice president in the Internet
platform and tools division at Microsoft. "Microsoft's focus on delivering
versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer that are optimized for each platform
gives the U.S. Navy what it asked for - great performance and advanced
capabilities on the computers its personnel use today. We're proud to be part
of the U.S. Navy's technology arsenal."
The optimum performance, small size and customization capabilities of
Microsoft Internet Explorer were key determining factors in the Navy's
decision to upgrade the Navy Internet Kit with Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Microsoft Internet Explorer will allow the Navy to preconfigure the browser
with a long list of "must have" Web site addresses, including links to
popular Navy sites, the U.S. Congress and the executive branch. The
integration of Internet technology into the NIK enables the exchange of
information between ship and shore facilities across the nation and
worldwide.
All versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer are available for no-charge
download (other than the cost of online connect time, if any) from the
Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/ie/.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products
and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of
making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full
power of personal computing every day. Microsoft, Windows and Windows NT are
either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United
States and/or other countries.
EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
Edupage
Contents
Seymour Cray Dies
Casie Goes To Bat For Online
Advertising Standards
AT&T, Microsoft Sign Quid Pro Quo
Agreement
Olivetti Abandons PC Business
Internet Rationing Hits Higher Ed
Graphical Interfaces Pose Obstacle
To The Blind
"Strong Brands Are Essential On The
Web"
Internet Suppression In Burma
Kodak May Buy Wang's Imaging
Software Business
Internet II Gets The Green Light
Castanet, Intermind Speed Up
Downloads
NII Protection Act Passes Senate
Supreme Court Considers FCC's "Must
Carry" Rule
AOL And MSN Consider Flat-Rate
Pricing
Web Graphics Get A Face Lift
Vendors Line Up Behind JavaTel
"A List" For Internet Service
Providers
Administration Reverses Itself On
Digital-TV Plan
New Version Of Microsoft Network
Web Surfing On The Go
CAI To Buy Cheyenne
Iran Wary Of World Wide Web
Hughes Launches DirecPC
California's Go-It-Alone Approach To
Distance Learning
Are Laptops Risky At 30,000 Feet?
Clinton's $500-Million Internet
Expansion Plan
Intranet Used To Ease Mainframes
Into 21st Century
Netscape Says Browser War
Unimportant
IBM's Global Campus Network
MicroTouch Wants To Reach Out To
Consumers
FedEx To Carry New Package:
Electronic Services
SEYMOUR CRAY DIES
Supercomputer pioneer Seymour Cray, who was critically injured in an auto
accident two weeks ago, died Saturday morning in a Colorado Springs hospital
at age 71. Cray once recalled that an engineer at his very first job taught
him to put his intuition to work. "I thought, 'Wow, here's something new.' So
I put away my circular slide rule, and after that I usedintuition," he said.
"That was my very first lesson. The site
< http://pro.med.umn.edu/bmec/hoff/hoff_sc.html > is one of a number of
sources on the Web providing information about Seymour Cray and the
companies he created. (Washington Post 5 Oct 96) CASIE GOES TO BAT FOR
ONLINE ADVERTISING STANDARDS A trade association for advertisers and
advertising agencies called Casie (the Coalition for Advertising Supported
Information and Entertainment) is proposing standards for the sizes and
layouts of ad banners and buttons. The group says standardization will
reduce production costs, simplify the process of creating ads, and make it
easier to compare ad rates. (New York Times 4 Oct 96 C5)
AT&T, MICROSOFT SIGN QUID PRO QUO AGREEMENT
AT&T says it will make Microsoft's Explorer browser software easily available
to AT&T WorldNet subscribers, in exchange for Microsoft including a WorldNet
desktop icon in its next version of Windows 95 operating software. The move
signals an about-face for AT&T, which had launched its Internet access
service using Netscape's Navigator browser. MCI and America Online both
recently defected to the Microsoft camp as well after initially forging
relationships with Netscape, and Prodigy Services and Sprint are said to be
considering similar moves. (Wall Street Journal 4 Oct 96 B2)
OLIVETTI ABANDONS PC BUSINESS
Olivetti S.p.A. is selling off its personal computer business, reversing its
previous intention to retain the PC division of the company until it had
restored it to profitability. By the end of next year, Olivetti will also
sell off its share of Omnitel Pronto Italia, the mobile phone company which
it owns with various other partners, including Bell Atlantic. (New York
Times 4 Oct 96 C1)
INTERNET RATIONING HITS HIGHER ED
Some universities are finding they need to set limits on students' use of
public workstations or campus phone lines to make their availability more
equitable. The University of Pennsylvania has established a number of
"express" phone lines, which limit users to 15-minute online sessions. All
other lines have a one-hour limit for people with 28.8-kbps modems and two
hours for those with slower models. "It's unpopular, but so is any form of
rationing," says Penn's vice-provost for information systems. Meanwhile, MIT
is considering installing "Quickstations" designated for short tasks, such
as checking e-mail, and Brown University students must use a password to
gain access to computers in some public labs, a precaution against suspected
use by students from nearby schools. (Chronicle of Higher Education 4 Oct 96
A23)
GRAPHICAL INTERFACES POSE OBSTACLE TO THE BLIND
Dan Wakefield, a government computer specialist who is blind, says that
things have never been worse for blind computer users, because the Internet,
which started out as a "life-saver" for blind persons, has become
predominantly graphics-oriented and mouse-driven rather than keyboard-driven.
But some recent developments offer promise of improving this situation:
Microsoft has released an Active Accessibility applications development kit
and has provided a text-only option in its new version of Explorer;
Netscape's version of the Navigator browser for IBM's OS/2 Warp 4 will offer
speech-recognition capabilities; PWWebSpeak 1.2 from Productivity Works in
Princeton, N.J. provides a Web browser that understands HTML; and Nynex
Information Resources has a text-based version of its Web directory <
www.bigyellow.com >. (Computerworld 30 Sep 96 p16)
"STRONG BRANDS ARE ESSENTIAL ON THE WEB"
The executive VP at Turner Broadcasting Sales points out that name
recognition is important for success in new media: "Strong brands are
particularly essential on the Web." Meanwhile, Time Inc.'s Pathfinder
president notes: "There's a continuum from content and brands to marketing.
There's no `there' there, with millions of people just milling around." The
Web is "a different experience for each person using it." Pathfinder soon
plans to switch to a subscription-based format to capitalize on its ability
to deliver those individual experiences. (Broadcasting & Cable 30 Sep 96
p29)
INTERNET SUPPRESSION IN BURMA
In an attack on the country's political dissidents, the military regime in
Burma has outlawed the unauthorized possession of a computer with networking
capability, and prison terms of 7 to 15 years in prison may be imposed on
those who evade the law or who are found guilty of using a computer to send
or receive information on such topics as state security, the economy and
national culture. (Financial Times 5 Oct 96)
KODAK MAY BUY WANG'S IMAGING SOFTWARE BUSINESS
With its microfilm and microfiche business under pressure from technologies
that can transfer images directly onto a computer without needing to be
placed on film, Eastman Kodak has begun negotiations to buy Wang's document
imaging software unit, which produces imaging software bundled with the
Microsoft Windows 95 and NT operating systems. It also produces document
handling software that manages the workflow of graphical information between
different parts of an organization. One industry analyst said that the move
would benefit Kodak because "film-based information is a dying business."
(New York Times 4 Oct 96 C16)
INTERNET II GETS THE GREEN LIGHT
Computing officials at 34 research universities have agreed to work together
to build Internet II, a nationwide computing network that will operate at
speeds several times faster than today's Internet. The universities have
pledged to create a new organization, financed by membership fees, which will
help to fund the effort. Partners in the effort will include computer and
telecommunications companies, in addition to the higher education community.
The new network will be used only for communications between the campuses
that choose to participate -- all messages heading toward other locations
will still use the Internet. Educom VP Mike Roberts notes that the plan
calls for involving as many corporate partners as possible: "The challenge
here is not to invent it, but to integrate it." He adds that Internet II
would solve the current "chicken-and-egg" problem, here the
telecommunications companies are reluctant to invest in the next generation
of network technology until there is a critical mass of potential users.
(Chronicle of Higher Education 11 Oct 96 A29)
CASTANET, INTERMIND SPEED UP DOWNLOADS
Marimba Inc. is introducing software called Castanet which speeds up the
process of downloading files from the Internet by making it possible to
download only the updated portions of textual or graphical information, and
to do so on a "time release" basis, making it an efficient way for an
organization to distribute new versions of software to its workers during
off hours. Castanet currently works only with Java programs but will be
extended to work with other programming languages as well. (New York Times 7
Oct 96 C5) Meanwhile, Intermind Corp. is also unveiling its version of
software that allows users to set personal preferences for information they
would like to receive from specific Web sites. The data could then be
retrieved automatically by their computers at designated intervals. (Wall
Street Journal 7 Oct 96 B9)
NII PROTECTION ACT PASSES SENATE
The NII Protection Act (S 982) has passed the Senate and a companion bill has
been introduced in the House. The Senate bill's sponsor, Sen. Patrick Leahy
(D-Vt.) says the bill is intended to provide better protection for computer
systems from "hackers, high-technology criminals and spies." The legislation
marks a shift in focus away from protecting the computer system itself and
toward protecting the information on that computer. Under the Act, it would
be unlawful merely to "obtain information" without authorization from a
computer or computer network. The bill would give prosecutors considerable
leverage in prosecuting cases of computer network trespassing. (BNA Daily
Report for Executives 4 Oct 96 A34)
SUPREME COURT CONSIDERS FCC'S "MUST CARRY" RULE
The Supreme Court has begun hearings on the FCC's "must carry" rule, which
stipulates that cable operators must carry most over-the-air stations rather
than only those stations the cable owners select on their own. The
government is arguing that the rule is necessary to maintain a "robust array
of quality programming" because without the rule, broadcast stations denied
a place among cable offerings will lose advertising revenue and wither away.
The cable operators are arguing that the rule limits their free speech
because it precludes them from using certain channels for programs of their
own choice. The Justices seem to be sympathetic to the position of the
cable operators. (New York Times 8 Oct 96 A22)
AOL AND MSN CONSIDER FLAT-RATE PRICING
America Online and Microsoft Network are considering adopting the same
pricing strategy. AOL now charges its subscribers $2.95 an hour for time
spent online over the basic service agreement ($9.95 a month for 5 hours or
$19.95 a month for 20 hours). The company recently acknowledged in a filing
with the Securities and Exchange Commission that its customer retention rate
has suffered because of competition from Internet service providers that
offer flat-rate pricing. (Wall Street Journal 8 Oct 96 B8)
WEB GRAPHICS GET A FACE LIFT
Members of the World Wide Web Consortium have endorsed the Portable Networks
Graphics specification, enabling Web users to enjoy truer colors and faster
downloading of graphics. Currently, the colors are determined by what type
of PC is doing the browsing, but the new standard will enable graphic files
to be seen exactly as intended, regardless of the hardware used.
(Investor's Business Daily 7 Oct 96 A8)
VENDORS LINE UP BEHIND JAVATEL
Six hardware and software companies have signaled their support for Sun
Microsystems' Java Technology Toolkit, or JavaTel, a cross-platform product
designed to link any telephone, appliance or networked computer to any Java-
based application. IBM, Intel, Lucent Technologies, Nortel and Novell have
said they'll support the standard, and more companies are reportedly ready
to join the pack, according to Sun's director of market strategies and
technologies. JavaTel will offer software developers and device
manufacturers a uniform interface for driving basic telephony functions,
such as call setup, disconnect, hold and call transfer. A series of JavaTel
Extension Packages will deliver interfaces such as advanced call control,
media services, terminal management, call center management and mobile
services. (Interactive Age Digital 4 Oct 96)
"A LIST" FOR INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
The Washington Post reports that the automobile industry is unhappy over the
uneven performance of many Internet service providers, and is gearing up to
establish some accountability through a consortium of companies that will
rate providers against a set of performance standards. The Automotive
Industry Action Group will publish its findings periodically, and only those
that make the grade will be certified to participate in an Internet-based
computer network for the industry. "Industries change best when their
consumers push them to change, and we need to get this Internet industry to
change," says a technical support specialist at Chrysler. Industry analysts
say the automobile list could gain the influence of a sort of "Consumer
Reports" on the Internet, and eventually could serve as the benchmark for
people seeking good service. The first certifications could be completed by
the middle of next year. (St. Petersburg Times 7 Oct 96 p15)
ADMINISTRATION REVERSES ITSELF ON DIGITAL-TV PLAN
Backing away from the digital TV conversion plan it offered just three months
ago, the Clinton Administration shows signs of heeding complaints from
Silicon Valley and Hollywood that the plan unwisely favors TV technology over
computer technology and would result in TV screens poorly shaped for watching
films. (Wall Street Journal 8 Oct 96 B10)
NEW VERSION OF MICROSOFT NETWORK
Microsoft is introducing version 2.0 of its commercial online service called
Microsoft Network (MSN). The network will emphasize entertainment as well
as stock-trading, shopping, and other transaction services. (New York Times
7 Oct 96 C5)
WEB SURFING ON THE GO
AT&T's Wireless Services unit will offer a portable PocketNet Phone that
provides Web access, fax and e-mail capabilities. It contains a custom-
developed browser for viewing Web pages, and will be priced around $600 when
it hits the shelves later this year. (Investor's Business Daily 7 Oct 96 A8)
CAI TO BUY CHEYENNE
Software giant Computer Associates International, which supplies software to
manage enterprise-wide computer ystems, is planning to buy Cheyenne, which
makes software for managing data stored on networks and specializes in
products for Microsoft's NT operating system. Cheyenne also sells antivirus
software. (New York Times 8 Oct 96 C1)
IRAN WARY OF WORLD WIDE WEB
With access to the Internet increasing in Iran, the government there is
trying to centralize all access through the Ministry of Posts and
Telecommunications in order to ban sites of the Mujahedeen Khalq and other
opposition groups, as well as sites of the B'ahai religion, pornography, or
"Western propaganda." A senior Iranian official says: "There is stuff on
the Internet that people have access to that is as offensive as 'The Satanic
Verses' and it is updated every day. We believe a certain level of decency
must be provided." (New York Times 8 Oct 96 A4)
HUGHES LAUNCHES DIRECPC
Satellite giant Hughes Electronics Corp. is launching its high-speed,
satellite-to-home DirecPC service, offering Internet users download speeds
more than 10 times faster than is possible using standard telephone lines.
Initially, the $699 hardware packages, which include a 21-inch-wide
elliptical dish and related equipment, will be available only in California
CompUSA computer stores, but eventually the DirecPC kit will be sold in more
than 100 CompUSA outlets nationwide. Monthly service charges can range from
about $40 to $130 a month, plus Internet access charges. "We are the ideal
choice for people who regularly download large files and can't wait for
future technologies because they need greater speed now," says DirecPC's head
of marketing. (Wall Street Journal 10 Oct 96 B5)
CALIFORNIA'S GO-IT-ALONE APPROACH TO DISTANCE LEARNING
Stating it wants to do its own thing, the state of California has announced
its intention to create a rival organization to the widely publicized
"virtual university" under development at the Western Governors Association.
"California is uniquely positioned to become a world leader in the
development and distribution of college-level software, courses and
programs, with its outstanding institutions of higher education, its thriving
technology and entertainment industries, and its aggressive international
state marketing programs," says California Governor Pete Wilson. Unlike the
Western Governors' "virtual university," the California entity would not
seek separate accreditation authority. (Chronicle of Higher Education 11 Oct
96 A34)
ARE LAPTOPS RISKY AT 30,000 FEET?
A new report by RTCA Inc., a nonprofit group that advises the airline
industry, recommends tougher restrictions on the use of portable electronic
devices during "all critical phases of flight." Some experts are even
calling for a complete ban on all devices during flight. Currently, the
Federal Aviation Administration leaves that decision up to individual
airlines. In addition, the report recommends a total ban on all devices that
transmit radio waves, such as a pager that automatically acknowledges receipt
of a message by sending one back, or a laptop equipped with a wireless
modem. Studies have shown that some
of the strongest electromagnetic fields
come from laptop computers, as the shielding that protects against unintended
radio emissions tends to deteriorate over time. A laptop with a 90-Mhz
microprocessor can leak radiation at that frequency as well as at higher, so-
called harmonic frequencies, interfering with a plane's navigation and
communications capabilities. (Business Week 14 Oct 96 p90)
CLINTON'S $500-MILLION INTERNET EXPANSION PLAN
President Clinton is getting ready to propose a five-year, $500-million
Internet expansion plan to help 100 universities and other institutions to
access the Internet at speeds 100 to 1,000 times faster than is currently
possible. The plan is designed to promote experimental use of new computer
networking technologies. (Washington Post 10 Oct 96)
INTRANET USED TO EASE MAINFRAMES INTO 21ST CENTURY
A U.K. consulting company called the PHD Group is using a network solution to
overcome the "millennium problem" that faces organizations relying on
mainframe software, which -- unless recoded at great expense -- will cause
havoc with various date-dependent calculations (such as mortgage payments).
Generally, such software uses a two-digit format (to save computer memory)
and so can not identify what century a given date is in. The PHD Group's
solution is to connect the mainframe to an organizational intranet and change
dates on the intranet. (Financial Times 10 Oct 96)
NETSCAPE SAYS BROWSER WAR UNIMPORTANT
With the large Internet service providers continuing to abandon the Netscape
Navigator browser software in favor of Microsoft's Explorer, Netscape chief
executive James Barksdale is downplaying the importance of the browser wars
and arguing that the more important contest is over the server software used
to run organizational intranets. Prodigy has just announced its commitment
to the Explorer software, as has AOL, AT&T WorldNet, Netcom, and MCI. (New
York Times 9 Oct 96 C1)
IBM'S GLOBAL CAMPUS NETWORK
IBM has established a Global Campus Network linking more than 30 universities
worldwide, giving students access to electronic application procedures and
using Lotus Notes to link students with off-campus experts in various
disciplines. Among the initial group of participating schools are the
University of Minnesota, Rutgers University, the University of Nebraska and
the California State University system. Non-U.S. participants include
universities in Canada and Latin America. Eventually the network will be
used to offer programs to off-campus students and those living outside the
U.S. (Wall Street Journal 10 Oct 96 B7)
MICROTOUCH WANTS TO REACH OUT TO CONSUMERS
MicroTouch Systems, which makes touch-screen products for kiosks and video
games, is expanding its horizons with a new business unit focused on
developing and marketing consumer-oriented products. The first product is an
electronic white board dubbed Ibid. Ibid works like an ordinary white board,
and uses standard white board markers, but its output can be sent to a PC, a
printer or a network. The technology is not new, but MicroTouch's board is
priced aggressively at $500, while rival products run about $2,000.
(Investor's Business Daily 9 Oct 96 A6)
FEDEX TO CARRY NEW PACKAGE: ELECTRONIC SERVICES
Shipping giant Federal Express will offer software called BusinessLink
designed to allow companies to buy and sell goods over the Internet, as well
as to pay for the purchases and arrange for delivery. The company's
announcement mirrors recent announcements by AT&T, IBM and Microsoft on their
intentions to provide business-oriented electronic commerce services. (Wall
Street Journal 9 Oct 96B3)
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.
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Memory Lane
Last Week's picture was of Charles Cherry, formally of Atari Corp. under
Antonio Salerno. Charles was the front man.. for a short while, he handled
all the problems Salerno and Leonard created.
He was correctly identified by Matthew Shore of California.
ú Each week, we'll present a different new photo for our readers to
identify.
ú Tell us who or what is in the photo.. then send us your answer to;
photo@streport.com
ú The first correct entry will be published in the following week's issue
along with the new photo to be identified.
ú An extra week.. Nobody identified this guy..
Optra C STR Infofile
Introducing the Optra C color laser printer by Lexmark
Introducing the Optra C color laser printer by Lexmark, the newest member of
the Optra family and the first complete desktop color network printer.
Complete because Optra C brings you the future of network printing today. Now
you can have photographic-quality printing with color, plus complete
networking support and industry-leading network printing management software.
The Optra C is available in both a standard configuration and PRO model
featuring extended memory and connectivity. The standard Optra C is
configured for typical office printing, while the Optra C PRO is easy to
network and ready for complex graphics printing. In 600 x 600 dpi resolution
mode, Lexmark applies advanced screening techniques to deliver results you
might expect to find in higher-priced color printers. These include
ColorGrade, which ensures vibrant color even in areas of fine detail, and
Stochastic screening, which minimizes annoying bands and distracting
patterns.
Don't Just Imagine It In Color ---- Go For It!
Now that it's affordable, color is everywhere! Don't be left behind. The
Optra C allows your workgroup to do everything they always did in black and
white ---- letters, charts, graphics, presentations and reports ---- but with
the full impact of color.
Looks That Get Noticed
Optra C prints a rainbow of color in 600 x 600 dots per inch and continuous
tone, with user-adjustable gloss levels. In 600 x 600 dpi mode, Lexmark
applies advanced screening techniques to deliver results you might expect to
find in higher-priced color printers. For printing complex images, especially
photographs, continuous-tone screening renders smooth, subtle color and tonal
transitions, while maintaining the deep, rich colors that coexist in some
images.
Perfect Color, Every Time
The Optra C's high-performance drivers allow color correction for different
output results. So the color you want is the color you get. Display lets you
match output to the color you see on your monitor. Vivid boosts your color
overall, and is a natural choice for printing transparencies. And SWOP lets
you simulate the output of a printing press. Optra C supports major color
management standards, including Apple ColorSync 2.0, Windows 95 ICM, Agfa
FotoTune, and the Pantone Calibrated solid color simulations.
Print On Plain Paper And Transparencies
Photographic-quality results are achieved in monochrome and color on many
common office papers in letter, legal, A4 and B5 sizes. And Automatic
Environment Monitoring and Calibration adjusts for temperature and humidity,
ensuring consistent color every time.
So Easy To Use
Some color laser printers make replacing supplies a chore ---- but the
integrated design of the Optra C makes supplies changes fast and simple. All
four toner colors are packaged in "easy install" cartridges, not bottles that
can spill easily. And because they're installed at the front of the printer,
you'll replace them quickly, giving you more time to enjoy your colorful new
world!
Laser ----- The Performance Class For Networks
The Optra C color laser is ideally suited to the demands of your busy
network.
Speed
This printer won't keep your workgroup waiting. A high-powered RISC processor
delivers the speed capabilities you demand ---- up to 12 pages per minute
monochrome and 3 pages per minute color.
Paper Handling
A 250-sheet universal tray plus a 100-sheet multipurpose tray is standard.
You can add an optional 250-sheet second tray for even more flexibility and
convenience.
Toner
Laser-printed text and images are not only great-looking, they're durable,
too. Toner won't smear or run if it gets wet.
Reliability
The Optra C is engineered for high volumes ---- up to 15,000 pages per month
duty cycle.
Advanced Memory Management
Optra C requires less memory than competitive color lasers thanks to
Lexmark's RAMSmart advanced memory compression. Most of your typical office
print jobs will print flawlessly with the standard RAM. Memory upgrades are
available in increments up to 64 MB.
Connecting is Easy
Lexmark is the network printer company. So it's no surprise that Optra C is
born to network! Like every member of Lexmark's award-winning network printer
family, the Optra C offers exceptional compatibility with today's popular
software, hardware and networking operating system environments. Optra C has
PostScript Level 2 and enhanced PCL 5 with color emulations standard. It
supports Windows, Macintosh, DOS, UNIX and AIX/6000. And it is plug-and-play
enabled for Microsoft Windows 95. What's more, two MarkNet XL internal
network adapter slots give you virtually unlimited connectivity support. An
Optra C can be set up to receive print jobs from virtually any workstation on
your local area network. Now everyone can access the power of color!
Take Control With MarkVision
As easy as it is to connect your Optra C to a network, Lexmark makes it even
easier to control your network-attached printers ---- with MarkVision.
MarkVision is industry-leading network printer management software that
brings Lexmark's bi-directional communications technology to life. Whether
the printer is in another building or across the country, MarkVision gives
you real-time alert notifications and remote printer management capabilities.
You can even reconfigure the printer and update the printer's flash or hard
disk memory option remotely. MarkVision also makes it easy to do job
accounting. You can print out lists of user names, printer locations, job
duration, capabilities used, number of pages printed and the nature of any
problem encountered and export the data to a Lotus 1-2-3 or Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet.
Network Connectivity - Network Support
ú MarkNet XL Ethernet 10BaseT and 10BaseT/10Base2 internal network adapter
options
ú MarkNet XL LocalTalk internal network adapter option
ú MarkNet XL Token-Ring internal network adapter option
ú Coax/Twinax internal network adapter options for SCS and IPDS
ú Simultaneous network operating system protocol support
ú Novell Netware, TCP/IP, EtherTalk, TokenTalk, Microsoft LAN Manager,
Windows NT Server, IBM OS/2 LAN Server, IBM AIX/6000, Banyan Vines, UNIX
ú Banyan Vines
ú EtherTalk
ú IBM AIX/6000
ú IBM OS/2 LAN Server
Connectivity
ú Optra C
ú Bi-directional IEEE 1284 parallel port standard
ú LocalTalk port standard
ú RS232/RS422 serial port standard (25 pin D-shell female)
ú Two Internal Option Ports for Ethernet, Token-Ring and Hard Drive
options
ú All ports simultaneously active
ú SmartSwitch automatic emulation sensing
ú ECP enabled for high speed parallel communications
ú Optra C PRO
ú Same as Optra C with addition of a standard Ethernet (10Base2/10BaseT)
internal network adapter occupying one 10P slot
Technical Specifications
Technology
ú Color laser
ú True four-color process (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black)
Resolution and Print Quality
ú Continous tone and 600 x 600 dots per inch *
ú ColorGrade advanced screening
ú Stochastic screening
ú Color correction for display matching, vivid output or SWOP (press)
simulation
ú Adjustable gloss levels
ú Automatic temperature and humidity monitoring and recalibration
Color Management
ú ColorSync 2.0 compatible
ú Windows 95 ICM compatible
ú Pantone Calibrated solid color simulations
ú Agfa ColorTags for Agfa Foto Tune
ú PostScript Level 2 device independent color support
Processor
ú 25 MHz AMDr 29030 full 32-bit RISC processor with external Level 2 cache
Print Speed
12 pages per minute monochrome
3 pages per minute full color
1.2 pages per minute color transparencies
1.3 1.8 pages per minute monochrome transparencies
1.4 Actual throughput is dependent on computer, application, file complexity
and network traffic
Memory
ú 8 MB standard, upgradable to 64 MB
ú RAMSmart Intelligent Memory Management with job overlap processing
ú Configurable I/O buffer size
ú Optional flash memory modules for storing fonts, forms and macros
ú Optional hard drive for storing fonts, forms and macros
Memory and Storage Options
ú 4 MB, 8 MB, 16 MB and 32 MB printer memory
ú 1 MB, 2 MB and 4 MB flash memory
ú 100 MB Optra Hard Drive
Compatibility
ú Macintosh, IBM PC/compatibles, UNIX and RISC System/6000
ú PostScript Level 2 emulation standard
ú Enhanced PCL 5 with Color emulation standard
ú Drivers for Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, Macintosh System 7
(LaserWriter 8 and QuickDraw GX), OS/2 and top DOS applications
ú Windows 95 plug and play
Communications
ú MarkVision Printer Management utilities for Windows 3.1x and Macintosh
ú Bi-directional status feedback
ú Interactive setup and configuration
ú Job statistics
ú Network Printing Alliance Protocol 1.0 compliant
Font Selection
ú 39 scalable fonts (PostScript Level 2): Courier, Helvetica, Helvetica
Black, Helvetica Light, Helvetica Narrow, Times New Roman, SymbolSet, ITC
Avant Garde Gothic, ITC Bookman, ITC Zapf Chancery, ITC Dingbats, Century
Schoolbook and Palatino
ú 45 scalable fonts (PCL 5e)
ú 2 bitmapped fonts (PCL 5e)
Paper Handling
ú Standard 250-sheet feeder and 100 sheet multipurpose tray
ú Optional 250-sheet feeder
ú 100-sheet output capacity
ú 16 to 28-lb. (60 to 90 g/m2) bond
ú Sizes: letter, legal, A4 and B5
ú Use only Lexmark Optra C transparencies
Maximum Printable Area
ú 13.42" (341 mm) length
ú 8.25" (209.4 mm) width
Size/Weight
ú 21.3"W x 22.8"D x 18"H
ú 110 lbs.
Acoustics
ú 53 dBA operating
ú 33 dBA idle
Maximum Duty Cycle
ú 15,000 pages per month based on a single month
Printer Supplies
ú Cyan, magenta, yellow and black toner cartridges (4,000 pages at 5%
coverage, maximum 5,500 pages) Photoconductor Kit (7,000 pages color to
35,000 pages, based on use of color per page)
ú Fuser Oil (10,000 pages)
Environment
ú Operating Temperature: 15.5 to 32 degrees C (60 to 90 degrees F)
ú Humidity: 10% to 80% RH
ú Altitude: 0 - 2134 m (7,000 ft.)
Warranty
1. One year LexOnSite Warranty
2. Lexmark Extended Warranties available
Special Notice!! STR Infofile File format Requirements for
Articles
File Format for STReport
All articles submitted to STReport for publication must be sent in the
following format. Please use the format requested. Any files received that
do not conform will not be used. The article must be in an importable word
processor format for Word 7.0.. The margins are .05" left and 1.0" Monospaced
fonts are not to be used. Please use proportional fonting only and at eleven
points.
ú No Indenting on any paragraphs!!
ú No Indenting of any lines or "special gimmickery"
ú No underlining!
ú Columns shall be achieved through the use of tabs only. Or, column
format in Word 6-7 Do NOT use the space bar.
ú No ASCII "ART"!!
ú There is no limits as to size, articles may be split into two if lengthy
ú Actual Artwork should be in GIF, PCX, JPG, TIF, BMP, WMF file formats
ú Artwork (pictures, graphs, charts, etc.)should be sent along with the
article separately
ú Please use a single font only in an article. TTF CG Times 12pt. is
preferred. (VERY Strong Hint)
If there are any questions please use either E-Mail or call. On
another note. the ASCII version of STReport is fast approaching the "end of
the line" As the major Online Services move away from ASCII.. So shall
STReport. All in the name of progress and improved readability. The amount
of reader mail expressing a preference for our Adobe PDF enhanced issue is
running approximately 15 to 1 over the ASCII edition. Besides, STReport will
not be caught in the old, worn out "downward compatibility dodge" we must
move forward. However, if the ASCII readership remains as high, rest
assured. ASCII will stay. Right now, since STReport is offered on a number
of closed major corporate networks as "required" Monday Morning reading.. Our
ascii readers have nothing to worry themselves about.
Many grateful thanks in advance for your enthusiastic co-operation and input.
Ralph F. Mariano, Editor
STReport International Online Magazine
HP MODELS STR Infofile
HP STILL HAS WORLD'S FASTEST, MOST ADVANCED
COLOR INKJET PRINTERS FOR THE OFFICE
Performance, Print Quality, Paper Handling and Networking Features Redefine
Corporate Inkjet Printing
- the HP DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM workgroup printers.
Advances in speed and print quality make the DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM
printers the first inkjet printers truly designed to handle the rigorous
everyday black and color printing demands of small to midsize workgroups
(one to 10 users). Extensive paper handling and advanced networking
capabilities add to the printers' value in shared office environments.
"The DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers are affordable black and color
workhorses with the speed and expandability to keep up with demands," said
Ray H. Brubaker, general manager of HP's San Diego Printer Division. "On the
desktop for power users or networked for departments, these printers make it
as easy to print persuasive color documents as it is to print black only.
They are perfect for any office environment."
The DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers complement HP's Color LaserJet printer,
which is designed for higher-volume, larger workgroup environments. The
DeskJet 1600C printer, designed for Windows and DOS environments, is
expected to sell for about $1,399. The DeskJet 1600CM printer is expected to
sell for about $1,999 and is equipped with an HP JetDirect network print-
server card, Adobe(tm) PostScript(tm) Level 2 and additional memory for
Macintosh and mixed network environments. The DeskJet 1600C printer can be
upgraded to the full capabilities of the DeskJet 1600CM printer.
PERFORMANCE
Both printers offer a variety of modes for various levels of speed and print
quality:
Black text Color
EconoFast mode up to 9 ppm up to 4 ppm
Normal mode up to 9 ppm up to 2 ppm
Presentation mode up to 9 ppm up to 1 ppm
The DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers use the same processor that is used
in the HP LaserJet 4 Plus printer -- the Intel 32-bit RISC i80960KB -- for
consistent performance in demanding workgroup environments. The printer's
first-page-out speed is rated at 13 seconds for black printing, which is in
the same range as the LaserJet 4 Plus printer.
Advances in the black print cartridge also contribute to the DeskJet 1600C
and 1600CM printers' exceptional performance. A large print area and fast
firing frequency enable the print head to print up to three lines of text
simultaneously.
PRINT QUALITY
The DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers feature four separate ink cartridges --
black, cyan, magenta and yellow -- with integrated print heads. The black
print head in the DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers is the most advanced in
the industry, with true 600 x 600 dots-per-inch (dpi) resolution and
approximately three times the number of nozzles as previous DeskJet printers
for precise black-ink placement.
The black print cartridge uses an improved formula of pigment- based ink that
produces the blackest, most professional-looking text and graphics available
in an inkjet printer. The newly formulated black ink also provides improved
waterfastness and lightfastness.
The DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers have an enhanced heating system that
ensures that black and colored inks dry quickly to produce flat, dry, ready-
to-go output on plain and glossy paper and transparencies. The heater also
controls the ink as it hits the page, providing consistent, outstanding print
quality - even on inexpensive recycled paper. HP's Resolution Enhancement
technology (REt) provides crisp edges and smooth curves on black text.
SUPERIOR COLOR ON PLAIN PAPER
The DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers are ideal for color printing on any
type of plain paper, from inexpensive recycled papers to thick bond paper.
HP's ColorSmart software enhances output quality by making color printing
easier than ever. In much the same way that the automatic settings on 35mm
cameras take the effort out of producing great-looking photographs,
ColorSmart software analyzes the elements of each document and automatically
adjusts the output to provide the most vibrant color possible. Advanced
users can
set ColorSmart on "manual" so that they can manipulate individual color
settings.
COST PER PAGE
A page of black text with 5 percent page coverage costs 1.5 to 3 cents to
produce, depending on print mode, which is comparable to LaserJet printers.
The cost of a color page at 15 percent page coverage is 3.3 to 6.5 cents,
depending on print mode. Printing in EconoFast mode can reduce the cost of
each page by as much as 50 percent for both black and color.
PAPER HANDLING
The printers' flexible and convenient paper-handling capabilities are
designed for the demands of shared workgroup environments. he DeskJet 1600C
and 1600CM printers come standard with a 180-sheet input tray and a 100-
sheet output tray that can handle A-, A4-, letter- and legal-size paper. An
optional 500-sheet paper feeder installed beneath the printer provides a
total input capacity of 680 sheets. With two input paper sources, users do
not need to pause to change trays for print jobs that require different kinds
of media, such as letterhead, labels and transparencies. The printer also
has a single-sheet, manual feeder for envelopes and other media.
The printers support a maximum duty cycle of 12,000 pages per month to
provide higher-volume black and color printing in the corporate workgroup
environment.
CONNECTIVITY AND EASE OF USE
The DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers are easy to attach directly to a
network for faster performance, location flexibility, remote manageability
and low cost per user. The DeskJet 1600CM printer comes with a JetDirect
print-server card for Ethernet and LocalTalk networks. The DeskJet 1600C
printer also can be connected to virtually any network by adding an optional
JetDirect card. The DeskJet 1600CM printer's Ethernet connection supports
more than 13 network operating systems concurrently and enables automatic
switching between protocols for easy installation and seamless compatibility
in mixed-network environments. JetDirect cards also are available for Token
Ring networks.
The printer gives users status messages remotely when it is attached to a
network through a JetDirect print server. Either printer can be installed
and managed remotely via HP JetAdmin software for network administrators.
JetAdmin software is an icon-based network-printer management tool that
increases productivity in network printing environments by providing simple
installation, configuration, troubleshooting and management of printers
connected to networks with JetDirect print servers. JetAdmin software will
be integrated into Microsoft(R) Windows 95 and IBM OS/2 LAN Server and is
currently available for Windows 3.1, HP-UX(1), SunOS and Solaris network
environments.
The DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers are equipped with a high-speed, HP Bi-
Tronics parallel interface that provides bidirectional communications and
data-transfer rates of up to 200KB per second for faster printing from a PC.
The Bi-Tronics parallel interface also makes the printers ready for
Microsoft's Plug-and- Play when Windows 95 ships. HP's new printer driver
software for Windows 3.1 provides an automated Windows installation program
and remote status-feedback capabilities. Within any Windows application,
users can choose to be alerted when the printer needs attention, with
messages such as "change yellow ink cartridge" or "add paper." The printer
also will stop printing automatically if any cartridge runs out of ink.
LANGUAGES AND MEMORY
The DeskJet 1600C printer is equipped with Enhanced HP PCL 5 with color for
LaserJet printer compatibility with most DOS and Windows applications. For
compatibility with Macintosh and mixed environments, the DeskJet 1600CM
printer also includes Adobe PostScript Level 2 and automatic language
switching. Both printers are equipped with HP's Memory Enhancement
technology (MEt), which effectively doubles standard printer memory and
allows more complex graphics to print without adding memory. The DeskJet
1600C printer comes standard with 4MB of memory, expandable to 100MB. The
DeskJet 1600CM printer comes with 6MB of memory, expandable to 70MB.
ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
The DeskJet 1600C and DeskJet 1600CM printers have earned the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star designation for low power
consumption. Both include manuals and packaging made of recycled paper, and
all plastics in excess of 100 grams are marked for recycling.
AVAILABILITY AND WARRANTY
Both printers are now available through HP-authorized dealers and
distributors.
The DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers sold in the United States come with a
limited, one-year Express Exchange warranty that includes courier delivery
of a replacement printer. HP SupportPack, an optional two- year Express
Exchange warranty, is $150.
HP DESKJET 1600C AND 1600CM PRINTERS PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL NUMBERS
DESCRIPTION MODEL NUMBER
HP DeskJet 1600C printer C3540A
HP DeskJet 1600CM printer (mixed C3541A
environment)
HP DeskJet 1600C/CM Introduction Date July 10, (US) 1995
HP DeskJet 1600C/CM Introduction Date March 1, (Europe)1995
HP DeskJet 1600C/CM Introduction Date July 10, (Asia) 1995
HP DeskJet 1600C Introductory List Price $1699 (US):
HP DeskJet 1600CM Introductory List Price $2479 (US):
SERIAL NUMBER LOCATION
Facing the back of the printer, the serial number is located on the right
side of the printer, right of the power socket.
PRINTER DESCRIPTION
HP DeskJet 1600C printer is a plain paper, drop-on-demand thermal inkjet
printer that is network-capable for DOS, Windows, HP UNIX, SunOS, and
Solaris environments. The HP DeskJet 1600C printer advances the standard of
black and color mid-range mainstream printing set by the HP DeskJet 1200C
printer by offering improved black print quality, faster black and color
throughput, media handling flexibility, enhanced usability, and a new
contemporary HP DeskJet family design. The HP DeskJet 1600CM is a network-
ready PostScript printer for DOS, Windows, Macintosh, OS/2, and UNIX
computers.
PRINTER FEATURES
The HP DeskJet 1600C printer produces high quality, black (600 by 600 dpi)
and color (300 by 300 dpi) printing on a variety of paper types. The printer
also complies with the U.S. Government's "Energy Star" program that reduces
the amount of power consumption during idle time.
Other features include:
ú ColorSmart technology that makes color printing simple and easy.
ú Memory Enhancement technology (MEt) that allows most large, complex
files to print within base memory.
ú Networking capability for easily shared, cost-effective color. The HP
DeskJet 1600CM comes standard with Ethernet, LocalTalk, and Centronics
interfaces. Optional HP JetDirect Print Servers are available for the HP
DeskJet 1600C. JetAdmin and JetPrint network management tools are standard
with JetDirect Print Servers.
ú Multi-platform printing - Automatic I/O switching between Centronics and
the network interface.
ú HP LaserJet 4 Plus printer compatibility, including typefaces, margins,
memory, and optional HP JetDirect Print Server interface cards.
Printer languages - including HP PCL 5C (with HP-GL/2 extensions), HP PML, HP
PJL, and optional Adobe (TM) PostScript (TM) Level 2 Languages.
Adobe PostScript Level 2 is standard on the HP DeskJet 1600CM and is
available as an accessory upgrade for the HP DeskJet 1600C. Both the
PostScript upgrade and the fully configured PostScript product come with
environment drivers for Windows, Macintosh, and Macintosh QuickDraw GX.
Automatic language switching between PCL 5C and Adobe PostScript.
Environment drivers for Microsoft (R) Windows provide printer control and
status feedback at your computer, TrueType and ATM support, color matching to
the screen, and PANTONE (R)* color matching (when printing a PANTONE color
using an application that is Pantone certified).
The DeskJet 1600C Control Panel - a DOS printer-software utility that allows
DOS users to control the printer defaults from the computer.
The DeskJet 1600C Status Monitor for Windows - a printer software utility
that lets you know the status of your printer without leaving your computer
screen. (Available for printers that are directly connected to a computer.)
Out-of-ink sensing and automatic suspension of printing to prevent wasted
paper.
HP JETDIRECT PRINT SERVERS
HP JETDIRECT CARDS HP PART NUMBER
HP JetDirect card for Ethernet J2550A
(10Base-T)
HP JetDirect card for Ethernet J2552A
(10Base-T and 10Base2 [Thin Coax])
and LocalTalk (DIN-8)
HP JetDirect card for Token Ring J2555A
(DB9, RJ45)
HP JetDirect interface software for J2374B
HP-UX systems
HP JetDirect interface software for J2375B
SunOS and Solaris UNIX systems
RECOMMENDED CABLES
HP IEEE-1284 A-B Parallel Cable, 2m C2950A
(Bidirectional Centronics interface cable)
HP IEEE-1284 A-B Parallel Cable, 3m C2951A
(Bidirectional Centronics interface cable)
Macintosh Serial Cable 92215S
Macintosh Network Cable Kit 92215N
FONT INFORMATION
Printer languages: PCL 5C and PostScript Level 2.
The standard HP DeskJet 1600C printer contains 35 Intellifont and 10 TrueType
typefaces. If you have PostScript installed in the printer, you can also
access 35 Adobe Type 1 typefaces. All of these internal typefaces are
scalable. It is not possible to access Intellifont or TrueType typefaces
from PostScript, nor can
you access Adobe typefaces from PCL.
MEDIA SPECIFICATIONS
Paper sizes Letter-size (8.5 by 11 in)
Legal-size (8.5 by 14 in)
A4-size (210 by 297 mm)
Paper weight 16 to 24 lb (60 to 90 g/m2)
(printer)
Paper weight 16 to 36 lb (60 to 135 b/m2)
(optional sheet
feeder)
Label stock LaserJet and DeskJet
Envelopes U.S.: #10 International: DL and C5
Printable width (8 80 characters at 10 cpi
inches) 96 characters to 12 cpi
MEDIA HANDLING
Automatic and manual feed for paper, film, and labels; manual feed for media
listed below and envelopes.
Input tray capacity: 180 sheets of plain paper, 100 sheets of film
Output tray capacity: Up to 100 sheets of plain paper
Optional Paper Tray: 500-sheet optional input tray, supports letter,
legal, and A4 paper only.
Sizes Paper: Letter, A4, and Legal
Envelopes: US Commercial #10;
European DL & C5
Types Cut-Sheet plain paper (all sizes above) Transparency
film, Cut-sheet special and glossy paper, envelopes and
LaserJet-style sheet labels (Letter/A4 only)
Weights Paper: 16 to 24 lb (60 to 90 gm2)
Envelopes: 20 to 40 lb (75 to 150
g/m2)
Optional Paper Tray Handles paper 16 to 36 lb (60 to 135 g/m2)
INK INFORMATION
Four high-capacity print cartridges, 42cc ink per cartridge:
Print Cartridge, 51645A black
Print Cartridge, 51640C cyan
Print Cartridge, 51640M magenta
Print Cartridge, 51640Y yellow
Out-of-ink sensing stops printing and notifies user when a cartridge is out
of ink.
MEMORY INFORMATION
3 SIMM slots for memory and PostScript modules.
PRINTER MEMORY SIZE
HP DeskJet 1600C 4 MB, expandable to 100 MB; up to 70 MB with
PostScript upgrade installed.
HP DeskJet 1600CM 6 MB, expandable to 70 MB
PERFORMANCE
Intel 32-bit RISC processor
12000 pages per month duty cycle
Engines speeds given below vary by content of files and software
application.
ITEM SPEED
Engine Speed (letter-size, text)
EconoFast print mode 9 pages per minute
Normal print mode 9 pages per minute
Presentation print mode 9 pages per minute
Engine Speed (letter-size, mixed text and graphics
EconoFast print mode 4 pages per minute
Normal print mode 2 pages per minute
Presentation print mode 1 page per minute
Engine Speed (letter-size, full-page graphics)
EconoFast print mode 2 pages per minute
Normal print mode 1 page per minute
Presentation print mode 1/2 page per minute
Transparency, glossy 1/3 page per minute
Form feed rate 8 second per 11-inch page
PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Width 20 in (482.6 mm)
Depth 17.5 in (444.5 mm) with tray
12.0 in (304.8 mm) without tray
Height 11.25 in (285.8 mm)
Net Weight 27 lb (12.25 kg)
ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Source Voltage 100 to 240 vac +/- 10%
Current (maximum) 250 watts
Frequency 50/60 Hz
Standby with EnergyStar ON 45 watts
ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATIONS
Operating range, printer Mechanical and electrical:
59 to 95 degrees F (15 to 35 degrees
C) at 20% to 80% RH
With pens and media:
59 to 95 degrees F (15 to 35 degrees
C) at 20% to 80% RH
Optimal print quality and media
handling:
59 to 95 degrees F (15 to 35 degrees
C) at 20% to 80% RH
Operating range, print 5 to 40 degrees C cartridges
Non-operating range, -40 to 149 degrees F (-40 to 65 printer
degrees C) at 5% to 95% RH
Non-operating range, -40 to 149 degrees F (-40 to 60 print
cartridges degrees C)
Humidity, paper 20 to 80% RH 59 to 95 degrees F (15 to 35
degrees C)
Humidity, film 20 to 80% RH 59 to 95 degrees F (15 to 35
degrees C)
WARRANTY
One-year HP Express Exchange warranty (U.S. only), featuring overnight
product replacement. HP SupportPack and other service contracts available
at time of purchase. One-year HP Standard Exchange outside of U.S.
SAFETY CERTIFICATIONS
The HP DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers conform to the following:
Safety EN60950 (1992)/UL1950 (1993)/CSA 22.2 No. 950 (1993)
NOM-0190SCFI-1993/IED 950+A1 (1991) +A2 (l993)
EMKO TSE(74SEC) 207/94
EMC EN 55022 (1988)/CISPR 22 (l993), Class B (1)
IEC 801-2 (1991)/prEN 55024-2 (1991), 3kV CD, 8kV AD
IEC 801-3 (1984)/prEN 55024-3 (1992), 3 V/m
IEC 801-4 (1988)/prEN 55024-4 (1992), 0.5kV SL, 1kV PL
FCC Part 15 Class B/DOC B/VCCI-2
The HP DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM printers comply with the requirements of the
Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC and EMC Directive 89/336/EED, and carry the
CE marking accordingly. HP FIRST #: 2864
Adobe (TM) is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated which may be
registered in certain juristictions. Microsoft (R) is a U.S. registered
trademark of Microsoft Corp.
* Panton, Inc's check-standard trademark for color.
PostScript (TM) is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incoporated which may be
registered in certain jurisdictions.
(1)HP-UX 9.X and 10.0 for HP 9000 Series 700 and 800 computers are X/Open(tm)
Company UNIX 93 branded products. X/Open is a trademark of X/Open Company
Limited in the UK and other countries. UNIX is a registered trademark in the
United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open
Company Limited. Copyright Hewlett-Packard Co. 1995 This information is
subject to change without notice and is provided "as is" with no warranty.
Hewlett-Packard shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, special,
incidental or consequential damages in connection with the use of this
material. HP is the world's leading supplier of hardcopy products that set
the standard for technology, performance and reliability. HP LaserJet and
DeskJet printers are the world's best-selling printers that range from high-
speed network devices for workgroups to inexpensive desktop products for the
home. HP has sold more than 30 million printers worldwide since 1984.
Other market- leading HP products include DesignJet large-format printers and
plotters, ScanJet scanners, OfficeJet printer-fax-copier devices and HP FAX
facsimile machines. Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer
of computing, communications and measurement products and services
recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 98,600 employees
and had revenue of $25 billion in its 1994 fiscal year.
Kids Computing Corner
Frank Sereno, Editor
The Kids' Computing Corner
Computer news and software reviews
from a parent's point of view
Animation Hangman
Windows CD-ROM
$14.95
ages 8 and up
N-TK
Memorex Entertainment Series
18000 Studebaker Rd
Suite 200
Cerritos, CA 90703
310-403-0043
http://www.mrxsoftware.com
Program Requirements
OS: Windows 3.1
CPU: 386 or greater
HD Space: 10k
Memory: 4 MB
Graphics: 640 x 480, 256 colors
CD-ROM: Double-speed
Audio: 8-bit sound card
Other: mouse
reviewed by Frank Sereno
Animated Hangman is an updated single-player computer version of the classic
children's game. This time-tested family favorite has been enhanced with
more than 250 animated clues featuring rendered 3-D graphics. For ease of
use, the program supports the autoplay feature of Windows 95 and offers a
very user-friendly interface.
If you have never played Hangman, it is a word puzzle game. Blank lines are
placed on a piece of paper representing each letter in a word or phrase.
Each time you guess a letter in the word, your opponent will fill it in the
blank(s) it occupies in the puzzle. If you guess a letter that isn't in the
puzzle, the opponent then draws a portion of a stickman hanging from a
gallows. If you guess too many wrong letters, the stickman is completed,
thus he is hanged and you lose. Usually players will take turns guessing or
creating puzzles. Animated Hangman provides all the puzzles so you just need
to solve them.
The program has two playing modes. Before you guess letters to solve the
puzzle, you are shown a clue in the form of a computer animation. Sometimes
the clues are difficult to decipher, but the pencil and paper version is
usually played with no hints or clues. You can solve individual puzzles by
playing Standard Hangman or you can accept the challenge of Multiple
Puzzles. In Standard Hangman, you can make up to ten incorrect guesses
before you will lose that individual puzzle. After each word, your stickman
is removed from the gallows and you start fresh. In Multiple Puzzles, the
stickman remains hanging as he is after each word puzzle is solved. Your
task is to solve as many consecutive puzzles as you can before the stickman
is completed and is hanged. The program maintains a Hall of Fame featuring
the top ten scores.
Animation Hangman has a great price and is a wonderful bargain. It is a very
simple game, but it is fun and challenging for all. As an added bonus, it is
an entertaining way for children to learn spelling and problem solving
skills. Animated Hangman is a delightful diversion and an excellent addition
to your home's entertainment library.
Create-A-Book Kit
Hybrid Format CD-ROM
$24.95
ages 6 and up
PrintPaks, Inc.
P.O. Box 10266
Portland, OR 97210
http:www.printpaks.com
Program Requirements
IBM Macintosh
OS: Windows 3.1, Windows 95 OS: System 7.0.1
CPU: 486SX/33 CPU: 68020 or PowerMac
HD Space: 10 MB HD Space: 10 MB
Memory: 8 MB Memory: 8 MB
Graphics: 640 by 480 with 256 colors Graphics:
256 colors, 13" monitor
CD-ROM: Double-speed CD-ROM: Double-speed
Audio: 8-bit Windows compatible sound card
Other: mouse, ink jet printer Other: Ink jet
printer
review by Frank Sereno
Perhaps you've been trying to encourage your children to become more creative
by doing crafts? Maybe you have been looking for a great rainy day project
to share with your youngsters? PrintPaks offers a wonderful solution with
the Create-A-Book Kit. This fun and educational program will allow your
family to create great-looking books in a matter of minutes. The fantastic
interface will teach young children the intricacies of the program quickly
and easily.
The host, Max, will lead you through the construction of the books. The
program comes with enough supplies to make three twelve-page booklets.
Create-A-Book Kit features dozens of graphics to illustrate your pages. It
also includes a feature-laden paint program for creating original art and
also allows the importation of graphics in several file formats including
Photo CD, TIFF, JPG and BMP.
You can choose from three types of pages: story, scrapbook and activity. The
story pages provide a large number of templates that you can fill with text
and graphics. The scrapbook and activity pages are ready to print, but few
allow the user to add graphics or text. You can use any combination of the
three page types when assembling a book.
Create-A-Book features a terrific interface. Each step of the project is
carefully documented in clear, concise text. If a user is too young to read
the directions or responds better to oral direction, he can hear Max explain
the steps by clicking on the host's nose. It even uses graphics to explain
the process of loading your printer's feeder and how to select the correct
printing options. It's very hard to make a mistake. If you follow the
directions, you should obtain very professional looking results.
I do have some complaints about the product. Despite the large number of
graphics, I don't feel that enough of them are relative to one another to
make for a good story. For example, there were only two or three pictures of
jaguars. In my opinion, it would be hard to write a story specifically about
jaguars. I also feel that the program should have included more scrapbook
and activity pages. This would add the program's replay value and it would
make additional books more interesting.
Refill kits cost $15 and that is very expensive. It is fairly easy to
substitute your own raw materials to make satisfactory books. All you need
is some 8.5 by 14 inch paper, a paper punch, some heavy construction paper,
some string or thread, and some buttons. If you were giving books as gifts,
you may want to consider purchasing refills kits, but for use in your own
home you can make very satisfactory books with your own supplies.
All in all, Create-A-Book Kit is a good product. It does have the added
benefit of educational value in that it sparks children's creativity. The
activity pages provide educational content also. But best of all, this is a
program that can get the entire family involved in an activity. The family
that has fun together, stays together. Add some fun to your family's
activities with PrintPaks' Create-A-Book Kit.
Gaming & Entertainment Section
with Atari User Support
Editor Dana P. Jacobson
From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
This past week, Don Thomas, formerly of Atari and now with Sony, wrote an
extremely poignant letter and posted it online. Knowing that Don is
currently writing a book, it almost seems that this letter would be
appropriate for the book's epilogue. If you don't read anything else in this
issue, read that letter which has been re-printed later on in this section of
the magazine. There have been a number of responses to Don and I am in the
process of contacting some of the authors so I can re-print some of them here
in the following weeks.
Don gives a very quick historical depiction of Atari's birth to their recent
merger, and subsequent silence/demise. Atari burst onto the scene with the
2600 and faded into, it appears, oblivion. Oblivion came fairly quietly;
that was Atari's forte over the years. The difference today is that there
won't be another success, or disappointment.
Until next time...
First Opinions of Atari Computing Magazine...
From the Usenet, by Tony Greenwood:
Got my copy at the ATARI show in Birmingham, I was pleased to see that they
quickly sold out of that days allocation, Don't suppose late arrivals would
agree, but it has to be a good sign when you can shout "Sold out". As
promised, 60 pages, all Black and white, but quality B/W, for example the
cover page took 2 days to render, suffice to say, it wasn't just thrown
together, the whole thing looks and feels very professional.
Contributors and actual team include, M.Kerslake,Joe Conner, Al Goold, Denesh
(Danny where were you at the show?) Bhabuta, Martin Milner,Graeme Rutt, Kev
Beardsworth, Harry (Cider Drinker) Sideras and many many more well known
ATARI names, there's only a couple I didn't personally recognize. The
exclusion of Frank Charlton was glaring?
Nice touch was a very large and graphical addition by Vic Lennard wishing the
magazine every success (Same to you Vic!). Three full pages of news
was...News?, this is quite rare in a magazine as they are usually a good
month behind, yet ninety percent of the news I read was just that. A letters
page in the first issue, well why not :), This looks like it will be the
liveliest addition to the magazine. Maggie diskzine get there own section
(How did you swing that one Chris<G>) and each issue of AC will feature an
article from one of their back issues, Chris is one of the best writers I
have come across and no matter the subject, he can make it good reading.
Ho dear, the very next page see's A message and Three articles from Issue #2
of the excellent ATARIPhile, Personally I read all the diskzines and readable
releases I can find on the ST, so in my humble opinion I would not be too
pleased reading so many articles I have already read in Diskmagazines for
free?, Full credit has been given to the diskmagazines for these articles
etc, but..... Anyway as I was saying, There is also a Q & A section in this
issue, with the contributors this magazine boasts then I cannot see any
question going un answered :), we can all learn from other people's questions
so this makes a good read.
There are of course advertisements from various companies, these are well
laid out and in my opinion just the right amount, you are not hit in the face
every other page with a full page advert, there are not too many, and not too
few, just right. :) The magazine does not waste space, no gaping white
squares that could have been filled with text, all the space on every page
seems to have been used to its greatest potential.
Articles, some great reading here, quite a lot in helping keep the ATARI
community together, Three pages starting with "STAG NIGHT" take us through
everything you need to know about user groups, featuring STAG,WSAUG and WAG,
with hefty (and quite rightly to) references to AAUG the Association of ATARI
User Groups. "ON THE NEST" takes us through everything you need to know
about joining the BBS network of systems, mainly NeST, reason enough alone
for getting a Modem, if you have a local BBS that carries NeST then use it!
There are of course lots more articles, all of interest to the majority of
ATARI users, by no means for the techies only.
Reviews, Alright this was/is one of my main reasons for subscribing to the
magazine, I have to admit to having been a little worried on this front, for
some reason ATARI World has been used a lot in pre-comparisons, With Joe
Conner doing the honors this made me even more worried as he has a self
confessed biased towards GEM based products, where personally I hate GEM.
Worried for nothing, I was more than pleasantly surprised at the amount of
software reviewed, the way it was reviewed and the various types of software
reviewed, no preferences by anyone here, From serious GEM applications to
simple games, there are all there, I give the magazine one hundred percent
marks for there direction in software reviewing. Ok....I will be back for
more, and will re-subscribe, it is definitely worth the money and worth
waiting for, a good read.
Announcement of NetBSD/Atari 1.2
I originally tried to post this to the atari.announce group, but the
moderator seems to be unreachable....
I am happy to announce the release of NetBSD/Atari-1.2
What is NetBSD?
NetBSD is a Berkeley Networking Release 2 (Net/2) and 4.4BSD-Lite-derived
system. It is a fully functional UN*X-like system which runs on several
architectures and is being ported to more. NetBSD, as the name implies, is a
creation of the members of the network community and without the net it's
likely that this release wouldn't have come about.
I didn't know that it existed for Atari! That might well be possible.
Although it has been available since May 1995, this is already the second
'official' release of NetBSD that incorporates support for the Atari
platform!
What hardware does it support?
Currently NetBSD/Atari runs on the TT030 and the Falcon. Supported devices
are:
1. - The built-in SCSI host adapter
2. - Should support most SCSI disks/tapes/CDROMs/MO drives.
3. - The built-in video controller
4. - The built-in (720Kb/1.44Mb) floppy drive
5. - The serial2/modem2 ports
6. - The Falcon FX memory expansion
7. - The atari keyboard & mouse
8. - The centronics parallel printer
9. - FPU-emulation.
10. - X11R6 - mono & colour. Although not hardware, I think it's worth
mentioning.
What's different with respect to the 1.1 release?
Apart from lots of bugfixes and enhancements to the general system, some new
atari specific features were added:
1. - Support for SCSI MO-drives
2. - Parallel printer support
3. - Bootblocks
4. - Support for multiple keyboard layouts
Where can I get it?
The 'home' site of NetBSD is: ftp.netbsd.org . The NetBSD/Atari-1.2 release
can be found in the directory: /pub/NetBSD-1.2/atari . The installation guide
can be found in 'kernels/INSTALL'. It contains all information necessary to
get you started, like which files you should fetch to start installing the
system. ftp.netbsd.org will probably be pretty busy after the 1.2 release,
but it's always possible to get the distribution at a mirror site.
The following sites spring to mind:
ú ftp.uni-regensburg:/pub/NetBSD-1.2
ú ftp.funet.fi:/pub/unix/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.2
Where should I go for more info?
If you want more information about NetBSD, for instance general info on
NetBSD, mirror sites, mailing-lists and so forth, visit our www server at
http://www.netbsd.org . One mailing list is of special importance to
NetBSD/Atari, the 'port-atari' list. On this list, you can ask questions that
are specific to the Atari port of NetBSD. To subscribe to this list, send
email with body text "subscribe port-atari" to: majordomo@netbsd.org.
I should probably also mention that you can get help by sending a body text
"help" and an overview of the available lists with "lists".
Good Luck,
Leo.
Phoenix-The Fall & Rise of Home Videogames
Besides Zap, the Rise and Fall of Atari, you might take a look at Phoenix,
The Fall & Rise of Home Videogames by Leonard Herman. This is a comprehensive
book covering the beginnings of video games (Spacewar) all the way up to
Atari and Nintendo and a lot of stuff in between. It's also fun to read. The
book itself goes up to 1993 but you can get supplements that bring it all the
way up to 1995. You can get it from Rolenta Press, P.O. Box 3814, Union, NJ
07083-1891. Email: 72750.2244@compuserve.com or Rolenta@aol.com. It probably
sounds like I'm connected with the company, but I'm not. It's just a great
book.
Rick Murray
rmurray@net-link.net
CONTACT:
Roberts, Mealer & Co./PR Leilani Smith/Brian McVicar Phone: 714/957-1314
Fax: 714/957-0805
lsmithrmc.xo.com
bmcvicarrmc.xo.com
JTS Corp. Announces South American Distribution
SAN JOSE, CALIF. (Oct. 7) BUSINESS WIRE -Oct. 7, 1996--JTS Corp. (AMEX:JTS),
a world leader in the development of ultra-slim hard disk drives and portable
storage solutions, on Monday announced distribution agreements with South
American distributors FutureTech and MarkVision. The agreement calls for
FutureTech and MarkVision to distribute JTS' full line of 3.5-inch and 3.0-
inch hard disk drive storage products. "By working together with South
America's premier distributors, JTS will achieve a heightened channel
awareness, widespread product access and improved customer service in key
Latin American markets," said Tom Mitchell, president and chief executive
officer of JTS Corp. "We're pleased to have the support of FutureTech and
MarkVision as we enter our most innovative year ever in terms of new product
offerings."
JTS' current products include a family of low profile, high capacity 3.5-inch
disk drives designed for desktop applications and JTS' Nordic line of ultra-
thin, high capacity 3.0-inch disk drives for mobile computing with z-heights
as thin as 10.5mm. JTS' products are encapsulated to lock in quality while
allowing for ease of installation. This encapsulation technology has allowed
the company to achieve field return rates approximately 300 percent lower
than industry averages.
"The strengths of JTS and its innovative products and our access and
knowledge of the South American hard disk drive market is a winning
combination," said Lou Leonardo, president of FutureTech and MarkVision. "We
are pleased to provide the high quality JTS product family to our growing
customer base." "With FutureTech and MarkVision, JTS has created an
unstoppable South American distribution network," Mitchell added. "We are
very excited to be working together."
JTS Corp., with headquarters in San Jose, was founded in 1994 to design,
manufacture and supply enhanced-capacity hard disk drives for the notebook
and desktop personal computer market. JTS offers an innovative line of ultra-
slim 3.0-inch disk drives that provide higher capacity and lower cost per
megabyte than competitive alternatives in the portable computer markets. The
president and chief executive officer of JTS, Tom Mitchell, was formerly the
president and chief operating officer of Conner Peripherals and co-founder,
president and chief operating officer of Seagate Technologies. The company
currently employs more than 4,300 people worldwide. For more information,
contact JTS Corp. at 166 Baypointe Parkway, San Jose, Calif. 95134. Phone:
408/468-1800. Fax: 408/468-1619.
Entertainment Section
Nintendo 64 Sells Out?!
PSX Crash Bandicoot!
Telegames To Publish 4
New Jaguar Games!?
Goodbyes? And more...
From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is!
Although not officially announced by Telegames, we've learned that they will
be releasing four new Jaguar games in late November: Towers II, Breakout
2000, Zero Five, and one other title (Skyhammer?). We know that Towers II is
a definite and I'll go out on a limb and state that I believe that the two
other announced titles will also likely appear. Since I don't definitely
know the fourth title yet, I won't comment on that one. We'll keep you posted
on these (and other?) new games as we learn more.
In the meantime, the Nintendo 64 seems to be doing quite well these days. I
still think that Nintendo is shooting themselves in the foot with limited
quantities of the console in the United States; and, only have two games
available for it now, and likely no new games to arrive until after
Christmas. Shades of Atari holiday seasons!
I've started receiving Sony PlayStation press kits recently. The first
"batch" of info that I have pertains to "Crash Bandicoot," the new action and
adventure platform game. Reading about this game reminded me of the Jaguar's
"Rayman;" it certainly sounds as exciting. I'm looking forward to seeing
this one although I'm not much of a platformªgenre enthusiast. In this issue,
I've included a lo
t of information about this game and hope that you enjoy
reading about it. Bandicoots? Amazing, but this is a real creature! Look
it up in your Funk & Wagnalls!
Until next time...
Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News!
Sold Out: Nintendo 64 Flies Off Shelves
Interactive Week Online (October 3, 1996) - Consumer demand for Nintendo
America's next-generation video game system exceeded even the lofty
expectations of its manufacturer, as the initial shipment of 350,000 N64 game
machines flew out of retail stores in the product's first three days of
availability. Widely anticipated in the U.S. market for more than a year,
the 64-bit game machine made its debut Sunday. More than 175,000 of the $199
game systems were sold on the first day of availability, according to
Nintendo officials. Based on the initial response from U.S. consumers,
Nintendo is projecting it will sell more than 1.5 million units before the
1996 holiday season. In July, Nintendo was projecting U.S. sales of about 1
million units in the first nine months of availability.
Nintendo America's chairman, Howard Lincoln, said he is optimistic that the
parent company, Japan-based Nintendo Co., can meet the increased demand. In
addition to hardware units, Nintendo resellers sold about 350,000 copies of
the Super Mario 64 software title. The game machine was released to the
Japanese market earlier this year, where consumers bought more than 800,000
units the first month it was available. Nintendo can be reached at
www.nintendo.com
Contacts:
Molly Smith
Sony Computer Entertainment America
415-655-6044
Samantha Sackin
Fleischman Hillard, Inc.
213-629-4974
Introducing "Crash Bandicoot(tm): Ready To Save the World
FOSTER CITY, Calif. Marking the one year anniversary of Sony Computer
Entertainment America's introduction of the PlayStation game console, is the
nationwide launch of "Crash Bandicoot." Developed exclusively for the
PlayStation game console, Crash Bandicoot is the premiere title for the
system's fall line up, that will include more than 150 titles in time for the
holidays across all genres, including platform, sports, action, fighting,
puzzle and role playing games.
"Crash Bandicoot is the game that will bring the PlayStation game console to
the mass market consumer," said Andrew House, vice president of marketing,
Sony Computer Entertainment America. "With its brilliant graphics, unique
characters and solid gameplay, "Crash Bandicoot" is going to be the start of
a whole new PlayStation gaming revolution." Enhancing the gameplay
experience are a number of factors that make "Crash Bandicoot" a standout
title: a humorous storyline; lush, organic 3D environments; multiple camera
perspectives; fully modeled and texture mapped cartoon characters; music and
sound effects created by professional movie effects editors; and controls
that feel as solid as the best action games around.
The game starts off with our hero, Crash, a peaceful, ground dwelling
bandicoot living on a small, three island chain off Australia being captured
and brainwashed by the evil Dr. Neo Cortex. It's all part of the doctor's
plan to turn the island's animals into an army of super intelligent, devoted
followers who will help him and his assistant Dr. N. Brio, take over the
world. When Dr. Cortex's plan backfires, all of the animals become raving
lunatics. Crash changes too ª but into a crazy, lovable character. Upon
realizing the doctor's plan, Crash sets out on a rescue mission to defeat
Cortex and save his girlfriend, Tawna, who is next in line for the
experiment.
"Crash Bandicoot" was produced by Universal Interactive Studios, Inc. (UIS),
created and developed by Naughty Dog, Inc., an independent development
company working at the UIS headquarters on the Universal Studios lot in
Universal City, California, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment
America. Crash, an original character with a distinctive spirit and sense of
zaniness, was created by Universal Interactive Studios, Naughty Dog, Inc.,
and leading Hollywood animators, Joe Pearson and Charles Zembillas.
"Technologically, the PlayStation is the only gaming platform that could do
justice to our concept and design for "Crash Bandicoot," said Rob Biniaz,
chairman, Universal Interactive Studios. "We are extremely
pleased that this key product for us will receive the benefit of Sony's
formidable marketing and distribution strength." In a classic fight of good
versus evil, gamers must guide Crash Bandicoot on his dangerous journey
through an amazing 3D world using every ounce of skill, courage and luck they
have to dispatch the doctor's horde of mean and deranged henchmen with
frenetic spins or jump attacks.
There are also moving platforms, dropping bridges and trampolines to
negotiate; bonus items that will gain extra lives and special powers to
collect; and secret gems to unlock hidden levels. Gamers who survive the
journey and reach the castle must be prepared for a final showdown with Dr.
N. Brio, Cortex's right-hand man - who's capable of morphing into the Brio-
Monster and the evil one himself, Dr. Neo Cortex.
"Crash Bandicoot" includes all the favorite features gamers love, including
power ups, hidden bonus levels, moving platforms, chasms, disappearing
bridges, fiendish traps, and secret pathways and shortcuts. Gamers will
experience the true sensation of a fully animated cartoon world come to life.
Universal Interactive Studios, Inc. is a subsidiary of MCA Inc., a unit of
the Seagram Company Ltd., a global beverage and entertainment/communications
company. UIS develops and publishes videogame software for a variety of
platforms based on both original concepts and MCA-owned motion picture and
television properties.
Sony Computer Entertainment America, a division of Sony Interactive
Entertainment Inc., is based in Foster City, California. The company markets
the PlayStation game console for distribution in North America, publishes
software for the PlayStation game console for the North American market, and
manages the U.S. third party licensing program. Sony Interactive
Entertainment Inc. is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.
CONTACT: Nancy Tully
Acclaim Entertainment
516.656.5000
Acclaim Entertainment Announces Alliance With Ocean
GLEN COVE, N.Y. (Oct. 7) BUSINESS WIRE - Oct. 7, 1996 -- Acclaim
Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKLM), one of the world's largest publishers of
interactive entertainment, today announced that it has entered into a one-
year agreement with Ocean, Europe's leading developer of interactive games,
to publish and market Ocean's PC and video games. The two companies will
focus on games for the Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn and PC hardware
platforms to be distributed in the North American market.
One of the first Ocean titles Acclaim will market is Tunnel B1, an action-
packed first-person "shooter" game in which the pilot of the B1 craft
navigates through enemy strongholds to eliminate the "ultimate weapon." In
previewing Tunnel B1, Next Generation Online wrote, "Spectacular lighting
effects and smooth gameplay make this title stand out." Reviews have called
it the "most frantic and compulsive video game ever created" and compared it
to other top-selling games by commenting, "Doom meets Wipeout down a dark
back-alley." Tunnel B1 is expected to ship in November for the Sony
PlayStation, Sega Saturn and PC-DOS.
"The teaming of Acclaim and Ocean brings some of Ocean's hottest titles to
the North American market more quickly through Acclaim's extensive
distribution network. Both companies also will benefit from the synergy of
our combined marketing efforts. This exciting partnership also will enhance
the Acclaim line of titles for the PC platform, and we look forward to a
robust relationship," Jim DeRose, president and chief operating officer of
Acclaim's North American operations, said. Ocean is part of the French-based
Infogrames Entertainment SA. Its U.S. subsidiary, Ocean of America, has its
headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and is a leader in the U.S. interactive
home entertainment market.
"We are very pleased to partner with Acclaim in publishing our exciting new
line for the upcoming year. This important strategic alliance will enable
Ocean to remain concentrated on developing the best content both in Europe
and at our U.S. company in San Jose, dovetailing our products with the
strength of Acclaim's operation in the North American market to achieve
maximum sales," David Ward, Ocean chairman, said. Ocean, founded in 1983,
together with its U.S. subsidiary Ocean of America, Inc., develops and
publishes interactive entertainment software for all Nintendo, Sega and Sony
hardware systems as well as high-profile games for PC and Macintosh personal
computers.
In April, Ocean merged with the leading French interactive company,
Infogrames Entertainment SA, Europe's top games publisher. Recently released
titles include EF2000 flight simulators and Worms. Acclaim Entertainment,
Inc., a leading worldwide publisher of software for Nintendo, Sega, Sony and
personal computer hardware systems, also publishes comic books under a
variety of imprints. In addition, Acclaim develops coin-operated arcade and
ticket-redemption games; operates blue screen and motion capture studios;
and, through A.D.I., globally sells and distributes products from a variety
of entertainment software publishers including Interplay, Marvel, Pulse
Entertainment and Take 2. Acclaim also has a joint venture with Tele-
Communications, Inc. for electronically distributed interactive
entertainment. This press release contains forward-looking statements.
There are certain important factors that could cause results to differ
materially from those anticipated by the statements made above. Such risks
and uncertainties include, among other things, the growth of the installed
base of 32-bit and 64-bit gaming and PC systems, the timely availability and
acceptance of Acclaim's future products for such systems, the competitive
environment in the consumer software and related industries, the management
of inventories and growth, and other risks and uncertainties that may be
detailed from time to time in Acclaim's reports files with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
LSI Debuts DVD Chip
MILPITAS, Calif., Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Advanced chip design specialist LSI Logic
Corp. reported Monday it has developed a chip for the fledgling digital video
disc market, joining Toshiba and Hyundai. The product will be shipping in
volume to LSI Logic customers during the second quarter. DVDs, also called
digital versatile discs, are optical discs with seven times the capacity of
a CD-ROM that can be used to store high-quality video, music and graphical
material.
The first DVD products were expected to hit stores this fall at price tags as
little as $500 but the question of rotecting the movie and music industries
from widespread copying has not been resolved. LSI said the chip combines
nine separate core areas, with more than 2 million transistors and 45
memories. "With its high resolution, high storage capacity and affordable
price, DVD will truly have a profound impact on the digital electronics
industry for years to come," said Wilfred J. Corrigan, chairman and chief
executive. "Just as audio compact discs with their improved sound quality
changed the music business, DVD will change how video is stored, ultimately
replacing the VCR."
Corrigan said the by rapidly developing cost-effective DVD products, LSI will
help play a significant role in accelerating the widespread adoption of DVD
products. LSI has already supplied chips for other prominent consumer
electronics categories such as digital set-top boxes for EchoStar's satellite
TV system, digital video cameras, and 32-bit video games, including the Sony
PlayStation.
The company said the chip will be able to play back movies with high clarity
and superior picture and bring multimedia capabilities to the personal
computer. Dataquest has estimated shipments of DVD players and drives are
expected to reach sales of more than 33 million units by the year 2000.
"Crash Bandicoot" Fact Sheet
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America
System: PlayStation game console
Available: Now
Price: $59.95 MSRP
Category: 3D Action Platform
Rating: KA (Kids to Adult)
# of Players: 1
Skill Level: Intermediate
Target Audience: Primary, Males 12-24
Secondary, Males & Females 8-11, 25 and up
Peripheral Support: Memory Card (optional)
Game Storyline:
On a small, three island chain off the southeast coast of Australia, a
maniacal scientist has set up his headquarters. Bent on world domination,
Dr. Neo Cortex has determined that his goal can be accomplished with the help
of an army faithful only to him. Cortex, with the help of Dr. N. Brio,
decides to brainwash the various creatures indigenous to the islands so that
they have not only super human intelligence, but also absolute devotion.
Two diabolical machines are created...the EvolvoªRay and the Cortex Vortex.
The EvolvoªRay gives the animals superior brain power. The Cortex Vortex is
supposed to make them allegiant only to Dr. Cortex, but it doesn't work
right. Instead of being devoted geniuses, the animals become raving
lunatics.
While each attempt has been a failure, his greatest failure is Crash
Bandicoot, who realizes that what the doctor is doing to the animals is
wrong. Cortex is so frustrated with the crazed bandicoot that he boots him
out of the castle. Crash washes up two islands away, confused, but with
resolve. His girlfriend Tawna is scheduled to be the next experiment. He
must get back to the castle, defeat Dr. Cortex and save Tawna.
Game Play:
Gamers guide Crash through beautifully rendered, 3D environments. Players
are challenged in more than 30 levels, utilizing controls that provide
movements in all three directions. Enemies are eliminated by using a
frenetic spin attack or by jumping on them. Powerªups can be obtained during
the journey including invincibility. Join forces with AKU AKU, the village
witch doctor. Not only will he use his magic experience, he'll also
transform into a magical orb that circles Crash, protecting him from damage.
Negotiate Crash down pathways that include many fiendish traps and other
familiar platformªgenre hazards. A number of obstacles get in your way,
testing your skills. Collect bonus items like fruits and characters to gain
extra lives and special bonus stages.
Key Game Elements:
Crash Bandicoot redefines the category as it pushes the absolute limits to
deliver a truly revolutionary platform game experience exclusively for the
PlayStation game console. Face the challenge of maneuvering in all three
dimensions as you guide Crash across three beautifully rendered islands, 30+
levels, three different perspectives and controls that feel as solid as the
best action games around. Find all your favorite features including hidden
bonus levels, moving platforms, chasms, disappearing bridges, fiendish traps
and secret pathways and shortcuts.
Hilariously rendered characters with real personalities, music and sound
effects scored by professional movie effects editors and digitized speech add
to the fantasy of this cartoon world leaving you wondering ª is it real?
Experience the sensation of a fully animated cartoon world come to life.
Enormous levels, unbelievable graphic detail, realªtime lighting and flood
with obstacles means it's good looking, with great sound and packed full of
solid gameplay.
Character "biography":
Crash Bandicoot: Our hero, Crash, is a superªevolved bandicoot that is both
lovable, brave, funªloving AND totally confused. A peaceful bandicoot that
was snagged in the prime of life by Dr. Neo Cortex and subjected to the
Evolvo Ray and Cortex Vortex, Crash is willing to put his life on the line to
rescue the love of his life, Tawna. To rescue her and win her affections, he
will swim any river, climb any mountain and fight any number of foes to reach
her side. He also wants to save the world.
Tawna: Tawna is a female bandicoot with both the intelligence and allure to
attract Crash and serve as a worthy subject for the evil Dr. Neo Cortex. She
hates the laboratory and is pinning her hopes on Crash to save her from the
Evolvo Ray and Cortex Vortex.
Dr. Neo Cortex: Dr. Neo Cortex is a mad genius intent on nothing less than
total world domination! He is motivated by the desire to take vengeance on
humanity that has always spurned and humiliated him. Ruthless and obsessive,
Dr. Cortex will go to any lengths to see his schemes realized. Possessed
with a tremendously high I.Q., he is constantly infuriated by the inferior
mentality of his underlings. A lifelong loner, the closest thing to a human
friend is his assistant and childhood associate, Dr. N. Brio, whom he treats
with the contemptuous affection of a master to a pet (when he's not screaming
at him).
Dr. N. Brio: A calm center in the vortex of insanity that is Castle Cortex,
Dr. Brio is a man of few words, but with great devotion to his "master." As
Dr. Cortex's chief assistant and fall guy, Dr. Brio is the closest thing the
madman has to a friend. Logical and deadpan to a fault, devoid of normal
human emotions, he is the logical "voice of reason" (if doctors bent to
brainwash animals have reason), to Dr. Cortex's manic highs and lows. He was
instrumental in developing the Evolvo Ray, but its continued malfunctions are
not his fault and are more likely the result of the egomaniacal Dr. Cortex's
tampering with the original design.
Jaguar Online STR InfoFile Online Users Growl & Purr!
Ralph, Steve, and all others interested.....
I talked to Peter Curry today to get an answer concerning the
announcement and here's what I found out. There's basically two
announcements. The first one is the fall in price of the Jaguar system to
$59.95 with Wolf 3D. The second announcement comes from Telegames that they
will be releasing a total of four new Jaguar titles including Zero Five,
Breakout 2000, Towers II and an unknown title. This announcement from
Telegames is not yet official. The tentative release dates for all four
games is late November. The reasoning for releasing the four simultaneously
is for economy's [sic] of scale purposes.
Hope this helps.
-Steve
Gameware Express
Don Thomas "UpFront" STR Focus
Did you hear anyone say "Goodbye"?
by Donald A. Thomas, Jr. (10/4/96)
It's odd to imagine an institution, which was as big and as powerful as Atari
once was, to have been shut down in recent days. The real amazement for me is
that it was all accomplished without a measurable flinch from within or
outside the gaming industry. I can understand that gamers wanted to push Pong
out the door early in the timeline. I can appreciate that the classics such
as Missile Command and Asteroids do not push 32-bit and 64-bit systems to any
technological limits. I know all these things intellectually, but the heart
cannot face the truth that the world and the corporate machine known as Atari
could not find an amicable way to coªexist.
On Tuesday, July 30, 1996, Atari Corporation took each and every share of
it's company (ATC), wrapped them all in a tight bundle and presented them to
JTS Corporation; a maker and distributor of hard disk drives. On Wednesday,
the shares were traded under the symbol of JTS. Within a few weeks, the
remaining staff of Atari that were not dismissed or did not resign, moved to
JTS' headquarters in San Jose, California. The three people were assigned to
different areas of the building and all that really remains of the Atari
namesake is a Santa Clara warehouse full of unsold Jaguar and Lynx products.
It was only as long ago as mid '95 that Atari executives and staff believed
things were finally taking a better turn. Wal*Mart had agreed to place Jaguar
game systems in 400 of their Superstores across the country. Largely based on
this promise of new hope and the opportunities that open when such deals are
made, Atari invested heavily in the product and mechanisms required to serve
the Wal*Mart chain. But the philosophical beliefs of the Atari decision
makers that great products never need advertising or promotions, put the
Wal*Mart deal straight into a tailspin. With money tied up in the product on
shelves as well as the costs to distribute them to get there, not much was
left to saturate any marketplace with advertising. While parents rushed into
stores to get their kids Saturns or PlayStations, the few that picked up the
Jaguar were chastised by disappointed children on Christmas day.
In an effort to salvage the pending Wal*Mart situation, desperate attempts to
run infomercials across the country were activated. The programs were
professionally produced by experts in the infomercial industry and designed
to permit Atari to run slightly different offers in different markets. In
spite of the relatively low cost of running infomercials, the cost to produce
them and support them is very high. The results were disappointing. Of the
few thousand people who actually placed orders, many of them returned their
purchases after the Holidays. The kids wanted what they saw on TV during the
day! They wanted what their friends had! They wanted what the magazines were
raving about!
In early 1996, Wal*Mart began returning all remaining inventory of Jaguar
products. After reversing an "advertising allowance" Atari was obligated to
accept, the net benefit Atari realized was an overflowing warehouse of
inventory in semi-crushed boxes and with firmly affixed price and security
tags. Unable to find a retailer willing to help distribute the numbers
required to stay afloat, Atari virtually discontinued operations and traded
any remaining cash to JTS in exchange for a graceful way to exit the
industry's back door.
Now that JTS has "absorbed" Atari, it really doesn't know what to do with the
bulk of machines Atari hoped to sell. It's difficult to liquidate them. Even
at liquidation prices, consumers expect a minimal level of support which JTS
has no means to offer. The hundreds of calls they receive from consumers that
track them down each week are answered to the best ability of one person.
Inquiries with regard to licensing Atari classic favorites for other
applications such as handheld games are handled by Mr. John Skruch who was
with Atari for over 13 years.
In spite of Nintendo's claim that their newest game system is the first 64-
bit game system on the market, Atari Corporation actually introduced the
first 64-bit system just before Christmas in 1993. Since Atari couldn't
afford to launch the system nationwide, the system was introduced in the New
York and San Francisco markets first. Beating the 32-bit systems to the punch
(Saturn/PlayStation), Atari enjoyed moderate success with the Jaguar system
and managed to lure shallow promises from third-party companies to support
the system. Unfortunately, programmers grossly underestimated the time
required to develop 64-bit games. The jump from 8-bit and 16-bit was wider
than anticipated. In addition, Atari was already spread thin monetarily, but
were required to finance almost every title that was in development.
After the initial launch, it took Atari almost a year before an assortment of
games began to hit store shelves. Even then, having missed the '94 Holiday
Season, many of the planned titles were de-accelerated to minimize problems
caused by rushing things too fast. Consumers were not happy and retailers
were equally dismayed. The few ads that Atari was able to place in magazines
were often stating incorrect release dates because that information changed
almost every day although magazines deadline their issues up to 120 days in
advance.
It was in 1983 that Warner Communications handed Jack Tramiel the reins of
Atari. By this time, Atari was often categorized as a household name, but few
households wanted to spend much money on new software and the systems were
lasting forever. No one needed to buy new ones. That, combined with Warner's
obscene spending, amounted to a *daily loss* of over $2 million. Atari was
physically spread all over the Silicon Valley with personnel and equipment in
literally 80 separate buildings; not considering international offices and
manufacturing facilities. Mr. Tramiel took only the home consumer branch of
Atari and forced Warner to deal with the arcade division separately. Within a
few years, Jack took the company public, introduced an innovative new line of
affordable 16-bit computers and released the 7800 video game system.
To accomplish these miracles for Atari, Jack implemented his "business is
war" policies. While people who publicly quoted his statement often felt that
policy meant being extremely aggressive in the marketplace, the meaning
actually had closer ties to Tramiel's experience as a concentration camp
survivor. Of the 80 buildings in Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and Milpitas, almost
every one of them were amputated from Atari's body of liabilities. The
people, the work, the heritage, the history were fired or liquidated. Those
who survived were unsympathetically required to fill in the gaps and while
most tried, few actually found a way to be successfully do what a dozen
people before them did. Atop the mountain, Jack pressed with an iron thumb.
All Fed/Ex mailings were required to be pre-approved by one of a handful of
people. "Unsigned" purchase orders went unpaid regardless of the urgencies
that inspired their creation. Employees found themselves spending valuable
time trying to find ways around the system to accomplish their jobs. Many of
them lost their jobs for bending the rules or never finding a way to make
things work. As horrible as it all sounds, it actually was the only way to
protect Atari as a company and give it a chance to survive, as it did and did
very well.
Jack's introduction of the 16-bit computer was initially hearty in the United
States but it went extremely well in Europe. Europeans were not accustomed to
"affordable" technology and although the Atari computers were not IBM
compatible, it didn't matter because people could afford them. Jacks' private
laugh was that the computers were sold at prices much higher in Europe than
Americans were willing to pay. As a result, most of the machines made were
being shipped to European destinations to capture the higher margin. This
enraged the people in the United States that had been Atari loyalists. While
waiting months for stores to take delivery domestically, international
magazines were touting ample supplies. Those in the know within the U.S.
became dismayed. The remainder never knew Atari was slowly abandoning the
value of Atari's name recognition as it became easier and easier to forget,
some assuming Atari had long filed for bankruptcy.
On a technical level, Atari 16-bit computers were designed beyond their time.
For less than $1,000, consumers could enjoy "multimedia" before the phrase
was ever really widely used. The icon-based working environment proceeded
Windows popularity although the essential attributes of the two environments
were very similar. MIDI was built-in and became an instant hit in the high-
end music industry. Tasks were activated and manipulated with a mouse and the
system accepted industry standard peripherals such as printers, modems and
diskettes.
With all the genius that went into the technology of the machines, very
little of equivalent genius went into the promoting and marketing the
machines. Mr. Tramiel was the founder of Commodore Business Machines. When he
introduced the PET computer in 1977, Jack discovered he didn't have to call a
single publication. Instead they all flocked to his door demanding an
opportunity to see the product. News magazines. Science Journals. Business
newsletters. Newspaper reporters. They were all there with microphone, camera
and pen in hand. And they kept coming back. Adding a switch, announcing a new
4K application or signing a new retailer were all big stories the press
wanted to handle.
Today, a new video game announcement may generate a request from any of the
dozens of gaming magazines for a press release, but a lot of costly work has
to be done to assure fair or better coverage. Editorial people are literally
swamped with technical news. Samples are mailed regularly to their attention.
Faxes fly in through the phone lines and e-mail jams up their hard drives. It
takes a lot to grab their attention.
While Atari retained hopes to be successful with the Jaguar, Atari's
marketing people were fighting established standards in the industry with
severe handicaps. Since cartridges (the Jaguar was/is primarily a cartridge-
based system) were so expensive, editorial people were required to return
them before new ones would be sent. Editorial people like to assign review
projects. So finding cartridges they sent out was not always easy to do.
Additionally, reviewers often love their work because they get to keep what
they write about.
Regardless, the few magazines willing to cover Atari products were more often
turned away because of a lack of programmable cartridges or any number of
other indecisive barriers. In-store signs and posters were sometimes created,
but many retail chains charge premiums to manufacturers that want to display
them. Some direct mail campaigns were implemented, but Atari often could not
afford to keep those things being advertised on schedule. Therefore, the
advertisements were published and distributed, but the product was not
available. Clearly, Jack's experience with the world beating a path to the
door of a company making a better mousetrap no longer applied. The world had
revolved a few times beneath him and he never noticed. The tactics used to
successfully sell Commodore computers were simply antiquated notions from the
past. Meanwhile, Sony launches the PlayStation with over $500 million in
marketing funds. Today, the PlayStation is considered the most successful
next-generation gaming machine throughout the world. Sony bought the market.
Tramiel's Atari never learned how to do that. Actually, they never could
afford it anyway.
After the 1990's got underway, Europe as well as the rest of the world,
discovered that IBM-compatible computers were becoming more powerful and more
affordable. The world always did want computers at home just like in the
office and companies like Dell and Gateway exemplified the industry's trend
toward home-based office computers. As a result, companies like Commodore,
Atari and Next couldn't compete any longer. While the dedicated user base of
each of them felt abandoned by these companies having to leave the computer
market, the inevitable prevailed. Commodore jumped ship, Next changed
business goals completely and Atari invested what they had left in the Jaguar
game system. Even today, Apple is kicking and screaming. As good as Apple was
at creating a huge niche for themselves, they focused more heavily on
education. When kids grow up and get jobs, they want business machines. IBM
was always the business standard.
When one examines the history of Atari, an appreciation can grow for how many
businesses and people were a part of the game over the years. Chuck E. Cheese
Pizza was started by Atari's founder, Mr. Nolan Bushnell. Apple Computer was
born in a garage by ex-Atari employees. Activision was founded by Ace Atari
programmers. The list goes on and on. But for some pathetic reason Atari's
final days came and went with no tribute, no fanfare and no dignified
farewells. Why? Where did all the talent go? Where are all the archives?
Where are the vaults? Where are the unpublished games and where are the
originals of those that were? Why has no company stepped forward to adopt the
remaining attributes Atari has to offer? Where are the creditors? What has
happened to all the properties and sites? Where are the databases, warranty
cards, promotional items, notes on meetings, unanswered mail? Who owns P.O.
Box 61657? Who goes to work in Atari's old offices? Where do consumers have
their systems fixed? Who is publishing new games? Who still sells Atari
products? Why are there still a lot of people talking about Atari on-line?
I'm an ex-Atari employee and proud to have been. I'm still an Atari devotee
and proud to be. To me, these are questions which all deserve an answer, but
who will ask them? The best people to ask these questions are those who have
exposure to the public. If you believe Atari left us without saying goodbye,
contact Dateline at dateline@nbc.com. If you REALLY believe, then send this
article to 10 of your friends in e-mail. AND if YOU REALLY, REALLY believe,
mail a few to newspapers or other news programs. A letter in your own words
would be great! I'd spend money for a thorough retrospect on Atari. Wouldn't
you?
Wouldn't it at least be nice to say "Goodbye"?
--Don Thomas
75300.1267@compuserve.com
Permission is granted to freely reprint this article in it's entirety
provided the author is duly credited.
Publisher Note:
Don, Sometimes. just saying "goodbye" is one of the hardest things in life to
do. Lord knows .if it was easy, I would've said goodbye at least eight years
ago. As I am sure many others will agree. But I am not saddened by Atari's
demise. After all, the memories are wonderful (well, most anyway. a few
creeps tried to make them otherwise). I'll always have a fond thought or two
about my Atari years. you see, its where it all be
Next!
by Bill Kunkel
Report from the Front
As the city of games begins to dig out from beneath the rubble created by the
long-delayed launch of the N64 into the next generation wars, I am forced to
contemplate an extended engagement involving three fronts. Since it's often
difficult to tell the players without a scorecard, let's look at both the
valiant dead and the still surviving forces in this epic struggle for
supremacy at the next level of electronic gaming.
System: CD-i
Manufacturer: Phillips
Status: Deceased
Strengths: Surprisingly, has not begun to stink, despite the fact that it's
been dead for over a year. This was the first army to launch a next wave
assault.
Weaknesses: They are dead, cut down like the first troops hitting the beaches
at Normandy as competitors step over the inert corpse, they collect its
dogtag and move on.
System: : 3DO
Manufacturer: Matsushita, Others
Status: Comatose; Medics offer no hope for recovery
Strengths: Fascinating concept and Trip Hawkins writes one hell of an IPO. It
was an easy system to develop for; and had nice controllers. May have sired
an heir in the M2 that may succeed where its parent failed.
Weaknesses: All sorts of problems including failure to get development tools
distributed in a timely manner. But, hey, who wants to beat a horse on life
support. The fatal flaw in the entire 3D paradigm was Trip Hawkins naive
belief that they could develop hardware which could not be trumped for at
least five years. Unfortunately, a major programming development occurred
within six months of the 3DO's launch and was partially responsible for the
system's early obsolescence.
System: Jaguar
Manufacturer: Atari Corp.
Status: Missing in action, presumed dead
Strengths: The system was actually built on a fairly sound technological
basis. There was actually some genuine enthusiasm for the system in game
magazines and many in the industry were rooting for an American-based company
to get back into the hardware fray.
Weaknesses: When the people who own the company are clueless, foolish, and
arrogant, you've got a hard row to hoe.
System: Saturn
Manufacturer: Sega
Status: Alive, but seems about as healthy as Boris Yeltsin
Strengths: Brilliant multi-processor technology. A good, balanced, software
line with strong sports titles and two strong holiday lead-ins: NiGHTS and
the next-gen Sonic entry. And, of course, Sega's greatest strength: it can
not only recognize a good game when it sees one, but can generate enough
first rate software on its own to keep the hedgehog running.
Weaknesses: The multi-processor technology has been extremely difficult for
third-party developers to crack. Probably, however, the biggest strike
against the Saturn, was Sega's ill-advised and failed attempts to upgrade its
successful Genesis system to next-gen quality. Between the Sega CD and 32X,
Sega turned off so many gamers, that it lost its edge in the next gen war.
Right now, despite the fact that the Saturn has more quality games than the
PlayStation, momentum is clearly swinging away from Sega. (Note: In its
ubiquitous, and extremely unimpressive Crash Bandicoot ads, Sony ignores Sega
entirely and goes after Nintendo.)
System: PlayStation (PSX)
Manufacturer: Sony
Status: Alive, growing, not thriving
Strengths: As stated above, right now, the PlayStation is kicking the
Saturn's butt at retail in both the US and Europe. Momentum and perception
are illusive qualities, but Sony is a powerful company with a lot of leverage
among retailers.
Weaknesses: Almost no truly exciting games are available for this system--
unless you're a devotee of 3-D fighters. Very poor catalog selection, not
nearly enough sports, puzzle, and RPG titles. You cannot remain successful in
the US without a killer sports line. (Look at the edge that EA Sports gave
the Genesis before the games became available on the SNES.) Sony's main
defect, however, is its almost total dependence on third-party developers;
while Sega and Nintendo can reliably produce their own first-rate software,
Sony has to pray that its third-party creatives deliver the goods. Also, the
TV marketing stinks.
System: Nintendo 64, N64
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Status: Newly delivered, somewhat smallish, but makes enough noise for an
infant twice its size
Strengths: The Nintendo name. Skillful marketing, probably the best in the
business right now. And, of course, Myamoto-san.
Weaknesses: How about $US70 cartridges for a start? Then there's the fact
that there is [sic] only two games, and the company will be lucky to get
another five out before Christmas. Nintendo has actively discouraged third-
party developers, and this company has never been able, unlike Sega, to
generate large quantities of software. Then, too, there's the fact that
Nintendo will try to sell a peripheral drive for the N64 (non-CD based, it
runs on heavy water or something) about six months to a year down the road.
This means consumers will have to shell out another $US150 or so, and may
very well be perceived by the parental end of the customer base as something
as a scam. Unless Nintendo finds some way around these problems, this system
is going to be in trouble.
Final prognosis
As we can see, even the most well-situated combatants are waging war atop a
shifting and uncertain landscape. Then, of course, there's always the
possibility of yet another player showing up with an even bigger gun.
Reporting from the front, Bill Kunkel, over and out.
STReport Confidential
News, Tips, Rumors, Exposs1, Predictions
- San Jose, CA. SEGA'S HARDWARE DAYS NUMBERED!
As usual, our Super Snoop has uncovered something many would rather not
read or hear. But. get this, Sega is about to go software only. PC gaming
Software at that. Seems they feel the real BUX are in that direction. It
all sounds far too familiar. Another long time gaming console company went
basically the same route. and then on to oblivion. Anybody recall the Atari
story?
- San Francisco, CA SCAMS AND SCHEMES ABOUND AROUND ATARI CADAVER!
It's a sad thing to see happening. but our snoop has found a number of
"so-called" great deals surrounding the now, very dead Atari Jaguar "64bit"
game machine. Seems a few "wise entrepreneurs" are trying to sell a "package
deal" to the consumers. It goes something like this;
ú A combo package of the Jaguar and a (1) game ($US 59.95!!) that was
originally released on the PC platform years ago. The game Wolf 3d, is a
decent enough game but its as old as the characters it portrays. Most
industry observers call the Jaguar Platform like it really appears. "Dead,
but with an occasional nerve spasm" that has no hope to offer..
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EDITORIAL QUICKIES
ATTENTION: VIRUS ALERT VIRUS ALERT VIRUS ALERT
Federal Bureaucrat Virus -- Divides your hard disk into hundreds of little
units, each of which do practically nothing, but all of which claim to be
the most important part of the computer.
Dan Quayle Virus -- Their is sumthing rong with your compueter, ewe just
can't figyour out watt.
Politically Correct Virus -- never calls itself a "virus," but instead
refers to itself as an "electronic micro-organism."
Ross Perot Virus -- Activates every component in your system just before the
whole thing quits.
Mario Cuomo Virus -- It would be a great virus, but it refuses to run.
Oprah Winfrey Virus -- Your 2000 MB hard drive suddenly shrinks to 80 MB,
then slowly expands back to 200 MB.
AT&T Virus -- Every three minutes it tells you what great service you're
getting.
MCI Virus -- Every three minutes it reminds you that you are paying too much
for the ATT Virus.
Ted Turner Virus -- Colorizes your monochrome monitor.
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STR OnLine! "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" October 11, 1996
Since 1987 Copyrightc1996 All Rights Reserved Issue No. 1241
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