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Silicon Times Report Issue 1327
Silicon Times Report
"The Original Independent Online Magazine"
(Since 1987)
July 04, 1997 No.1327
Silicon Times Report International Magazine
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I hope everyone had a great fourth. Now, on the fifth, I am able to
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LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Court Decision Spurs White House
Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that tried to
restrict "indecent" communications on the Internet, the White House began
talk yesterday of a "counteroffer" to protect children from cyber-smut.
Speaking with reporters on his flight last night back to Washington from
New York, President Clinton said he will meet next week with computer
industry leaders and advocates for parents and children to develop some
Internet limits that could better withstand a legal challenge.
United Press International quotes the president as saying, "We'll have a
counteroffer." As reported earlier, the Supreme Court ruled as
unconstitutional the controversial Communications Decency Act which would
have levied fines of up to $250,000 and two-year prison terms to those
convicted of distributing to minors indecent or "patently offensive"
materials on the Internet. White House press secretary Mike McCurry told
UPI the President, anticipating the court's ruling, has already planned a
gathering next Tuesday of industry leaders, advocates for children and
parents and other interested parties.
McCurry told the wire service those involved will "talk about ways in which
we might find solutions that will fit within the contours and laws defined
by the court." Meanwhile, industry executives and free-speech advocates
continue to express elation over the ruling. Director Jerry Berman of the
Center for Democracy and Technology told The Wall Street Journal this
morning, "The Supreme Court has written the First Amendment for the 21st
century."
Attorney Bruce Ennis, who represented the 50-odd groups challenging the
law, added the the ruling is "the legal birth certificate of the Internet."
On the other side of the issue, Cathleen Cleaver, director of legal policy
of the conservative Family Research Council in Washington, told Journal
reporters Edward Felsenthal and Jared Sandberg, "Given the open door the
court has given today, there will be efforts to (design) a more carefully
drafted statute to protect children from pornography online."
But the tone of the earlier court opinion made it clear such efforts will
be scrutinized very closely. Said Ennis, "There will be very few ways that
Congress can restrict the growth of the Internet given the breadth of this
decision."
Clinton to Propose Net Tax Ban
Look for President Clinton next week to announce a nine-point plan to spur
electronic commerce around the world by making the Internet a tax-free
zone. Reporting from San Francisco, writer Samuel Perry of the Reuter
News Service quotes Commerce Secretary William Daley as saying the Clinton
administration sees itself and other government leaders as "ambassadors of
electronic commerce around the world." In a speech prepared for high tech
executives in San Jose, California, Daley said, "We must work to ensure the
approach to electronic commerce adopted by other nations is consistent with
the principles and conditions we have cultivated." Perry reports Daley
and the head of a U.S. trade policy delegation, who spoke separately to a
gathering of industry executives in San Francisco, say Clinton will
recommend a tariff-free environment that is flexible on emerging standards.
Daley said parties should be free to negotiate terms according to widely
accepted legal principles, intellectual property rights should be
protected, and privacy must be ensured to enable people to feel
comfortable. Add Reuters, "Sophisticated encryption, to enable security of
data like credit card numbers, is necessary, but extremists must be
prevented from exploiting the ability to encode their data transmissions,
he said. Uniform rules and rights, along with industry self-regulation,
should be primary considerations, while the marketplace should be allowed
to determine technical standards, the commerce secretary added." James
Johnson, who heads the U.S. delegation to the Group of Seven major
industrial countries' electronic commerce policy group, said the White
House will put forward its policy by next Tuesday.
Johnson said the administration reasons that it is difficult to track what
boundaries apply to commerce conducted in cyberspace and that the history
of much of this century has been an effort to reduce global tariffs. The
Clinton administration would make this a key element of its "agenda for
action," he said at a Giga Information Group conference. As reported
earlier, a resolution of the U.S. Conference of Mayors last
week opposed federal legislation to prevent state and local governments
from slapping new taxes on Internet transactions. But Daley says,
"Regulations that are now routinely applied to objectionable content in
broadcasts do not, and should not, apply to the Internet." He argues,
instead, for self-regulation and technical solutions like filters and age
verification. The statement represented an anticipated shift in
administration policy.
Meanwhile, Johnson said Washington considered it critical to seek the
involvement of the computer industry in setting out standards for
electronic commerce, Johnson said, including complex issues of security and
use of cryptography on which the industry and the U.S. government have been
at odds recently.
Net Tax Ban Bill Sidetracked
Federal legislation that would impose a moratorium on new taxes on the
Internet apparently has been seriously sidetracked because of opposition
from state and local governments. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) said his bill,
the Internet Tax Freedom Act, was scheduled for a vote Thursday in the
Senate Commerce Committee, but, writes reporter Aaron Pressman of the
Reuter News Service, "that plan was put on hold indefinitely after several
lawmakers raised objections." A spokesman for Wyden told Pressman, "The
bill has been put on hold. We are going to be talking with our supporters
and getting it ready and doing a bit of fine-tuning." As reported earlier,
the U.S. Conference of Mayors has come out against the measure. Reuters
says the National League of Cities, the Council of State Governments and
other groups also have joined the protest.
Pressman says Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota) "took up the objections
raised against the bill, forcing Wyden to back down." Reacting last
night, President Mark Schwartz of the National League of Cities called the
indefinite delay "an important acknowledgment that the impacts of this
legislation have yet to be fully examined and fairly considered in the
context of crucial issues involving state and local revenue systems."
Schwartz said many governments that rely on traditional sales and excise
taxes fear that their tax base could be eroded as commercial transactions
increasingly move into cyberspace. As noted, the Wyden bill, along with
companion legislation introduced in the House by Rep. Chris Cox
(R-California), would have imposed an indefinite moratorium on new taxes on
electronic commerce.
Now the spotlight switches to the Clinton administration, which last year
urged that no special taxes be imposed on the Internet. The administration
has said it backed the "goals and underlying objectives" of the Wyden
proposal. However, notes Pressman, in a meeting several weeks ago with
state and local officials, Vice President Al Gore said the administration
had not made a final decision on whether to fully endorse the bill. As
reported earlier, word from other administration officials is that Clinton
next week is to announce a nine-point plan to spur electronic commerce
around the world by making the Internet a tax-free zone.
Clinton Report to Oppose Net Tax
Word from Washington is that after a two-year study, the Clinton
administration is set to call for no new taxes or regulations on business
conducted over the Internet. The Washington Post reports this morning the
report, to be released tomorrow by the president, will endorse letting the
private sector largely determine how it will operate in cyberspace. Adds
the Reuter News Service, "In the final draft of the report, the U.S.
government argues for a non-regulatory, market-oriented approach in order
not to hamper development of business on the Internet, which it estimates
could total 'tens of billions of dollars by the turn of the century.'"
The Post quotes the report as saying, "Unnecessary regulation could cripple
the growth and diversity of the Internet. The administration therefore
supports industry self-regulation, adoption of competing ratings systems
and development of easy-to-use technical solutions... to assist in
screening information online." Reuters says the report advocates that
other governments adopt a similar approach toward taxes and content
regulations in an effort to ease electronic transactions across national
borders, adding, "Within the United States, sales taxes, levied by states,
would still apply to goods purchased on the Internet."
Quoting an unidentified senior administration official, The Post says that
after unveiling the report, Clinton is expected to:
ú Issue a series of challenges to federal agencies, Congress and the
private sector to implement specific recommendations.
ú Set up a commission, to be chaired by Vice President Al Gore, to
oversee the effort and ensure its completion by Jan. 1, 2000.
Reuters says the report calls for giving companies and advocacy groups a
chance to devise technologies and practices to control the collection of
information such as names, addresses and telephone numbers from children.
If the issue is not given prompt attention the document urges government
action, according to the newspaper report. The report urged continued
government controls on the export of software with strong encryption
technology.
The administration action comes in the wake of a setback for Net tax
opponents in the U.S. Senate. As reported earlier, federal legislation
that would impose a moratorium on new taxes on the Internet was sidetracked
last week because of opposition from state and local government groups,
including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities and
the Council of State Governments.
Some Praise Feds' New Net Effort
Praise -- and some anxiety -- greet the Clinton administration's new "hands
off" policy for Internet commerce, to be formally unveiled today in the
company of dozens of computer industry moguls in Washington. As reported
earlier, President Clinton is calling for no new taxes or regulations on
business conducted over the Internet, based on a two-year study that
concludes the Internet could provide a huge boost to the U.S. economy if
the government pursues market-oriented policies. Reporter Aaron Pressman
of the Reuter News Service says Clinton will promote the report by issuing
an executive order declaring it official U.S. policy, administration
officials told business leaders this week. Reacting, Chairman Paul Misener
of the Internet Access Coalition told the wire service, "With a few
exceptions, it's an excellent policy. It emphasizes the market's ability to
work out many of these issues."
Says Pressman, "The Clinton report seeks to recognize the Internet's
growing importance and define some of the legal parameters needed to foster
its continued evolution. The report includes recommendations on nine
topics, ranging from taxation and customs to security and privacy, all
issues of grave importance to businesses." Reuters notes commerce over the
Internet is projected to grow from less than $1 billion last year to
perhaps $5 billion to $10 billion by the year 2000. As expected, the
controversial sections of the report deal with security, particularly
protection of privacy and the use of encryption. Privacy advocates praised
the report's recommendations that could lead to new laws preventing
companies from collecting information from children. Director Marc
Rotenberg of the Electronic Privacy Information Center told Pressman, "It's
clear the administration is taking privacy issues more seriously. On the
issue of kids' privacy, they may be prepared to back some legislation."
Where the tensions arise is in the report's reiteration of the
administration's hard line on encryption. Rotenberg argues that while the
government wants to keep strong encryption out of the hands of criminals,
his organization maintains that ordinary citizens need encryption to
protect their privacy, adding encryption can safeguard sensitive medical
records or keep unintended recipients from reading an e-mail message. Says
Rotenberg, "Good cryptography is inextricably intertwined with online
privacy. They've tried to treat the two as being separate." Meanwhile,
some analysts tell Reuters that more direct government involvement may be
required in the future to keep Internet commerce thriving. Says President
Gary Arlen of Arlen Communications, "Commercial interests are going to try
and do all kinds of things to protect themselves. At some point, it's
poppycock to think the government can stay out of it. Governments are going
to have to wind up playing some role as arbiter."
Clinton Asks World for Net Help
President Clinton says he wants the U.S. to work with the World Trade
Organization to create a "free trade zone" for Internet commerce. To that
end, "I'm directing our ambassador for trade, (U.S. Trade Representative)
Charlene Barshefsky, to work within the WTO to turn the Internet into a
free trade zone within the next 12 months," Clinton said yesterday at a
ceremony announcing a comprehensive policy to promote electronic commerce.
As reported earlier, the Clinton administration says business needs a
stable environment free of new taxes, tariffs and burdensome regulation to
allow cyberspace commerce to flourish.
The Reuter News Service quotes the president as saying, "Where government
involvement is necessary, its aim should be to support a predictable,
consistent, legal environment for trade and commerce to flourish on fair
and understandable terms." Clinton also said he will direct U.S. Treasury
Secretary Robert Rubin to negotiate agreements to prevent new
discriminatory taxes in electronic commerce. Reuters says U.S. Commerce
Secretary William Daley and Ira Magaziner, who headed development of the
administration's Internet policy, will lead a delegation of business
leaders to Europe later this month to outline the U.S. vision for
international electronic commerce.
United Press International notes the new policy calls for allowing the
industry to decide its own uniform code for commerce, develop its own
technical systems and strive to ensure the protection of intellectual
properties and copyrighted materials. IBM CEO Louis V. Gerstner told UPI
the new policy clears the way for the information superhighway to become
"the richest, most diverse, borderless, sleepless marketplace the world has
ever seen," adding a tax- and tariff-free Internet will allow students to
access the best information and teachers.
The administration report, "A Framework for Global Electronic Commerce,"
also includes a call for self-regulation of content such as sexually
explicit materials that may not be appropriate for children.
And The Associated Press reports that in the East Room ceremony, the
president also committed the administration to a schedule that would allow
a full array of international online business transactions by 2000.
Government involvement in the venture, he said, should encourage online
commerce to flourish rather than drown in a sea of regulations. Despite
the White House goal of a hands-off, no-new-taxes approach to regulating
commerce on the Internet, some industry leaders tell AP writer Sandra
Sobieraj they remain unhappy that Clinton has moved slowly and has not
budged on the restricted sale of encryption devices.
Dennis Tsu, director of electronic commerce for Sun Microsystems, told AP,
"We don't feel the United States is necessarily in the lead on this." It is
good news, he said, that the task force recommended letting the Internet
industry regulate its own business in cyberspace, but the pace of key
decisions on patents, copyrights, protection for intellectual property and
tariffs were "not happening fast enough." As a result, Tsu said, the
United States risks being locked out of trading blocs, in Southeast Asia,
for example, where more aggressive governments have already moved to
encourage international online business. Meanwhile, a White House
official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Sobieraj such dire
warnings are premature, that the issues are still open in most countries
and that Clinton intends for the United States to be in the lead.
New Copyright Bills Coming
Look for the Clinton Administration soon to propose legislation to Congress
that would implement two international treaties to update copyright laws to
the digital age. Speaking with reporters in Washington, Commerce
Secretary William Daley said, "I would hope that in a very short period we
will have legislation
to put forward." The Reuter News Service notes the treaties agreed to by
the United Nations' World Intellectual Property Organization in December
have to be ratified by the Senate, and implementing legislation has to be
passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Daley told the reporters it is important the U.S. acts on the treaties that
update international copyright laws to take account of new digital
technologies before the end of the year, adding, "Until we act we can't
expect others to." A dispute is brewing between Internet service
providers that do not want to be held liable for third party transmissions
of pirated material and copyright owners who want their works protected,
Daley acknowledged, saying, "There is a great controversy of
content-versus-liability issue that has to be addressed."
Daley is quoted by Reuters as saying the legislation was one of the
department's most immediate challenges in trying to carry out President
Bill Clinton's proposals announced on Tuesday to promote commerce in
cyberspace. He leaves for Germany next week to attend a European
conference on global information technologies being held in Bonn. The
United States will participate only as an observer, but Daley will have a
chance to outline Clinton's vision of cyberspace commerce largely
unfettered by government regulation and taxes.
New York Passes Net Gambling Ban
The state Senate in New York has passed a bill seeking to regulate
out-of-state and foreign companies that offer gambling in New York via the
Internet. In Albany, New York, the bill's sponsors told United Press
International the measure is the first effort to give recourse to people
who fall victim to gambling scams on the information superhighway. "Under
this legislation," says Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, "New York would
become the first state in the nation to protect consumers against Internet
gambling schemes," adding it "recognizes that companies based on the
Internet, like any other corporation conducting business in this state,
must comply with our laws and regulations."
UPI says the measure is a response to increasing reports of people who get
taken in by betting scams that ask for checking, banking and credit card
numbers. Once obtained, the numbers can be used to raid the victims'
financial assets. The bill calls for any company that offers gambling to
New Yorkers to have to register with the state's Department of State. Sen.
Bill Larkin, the bill's sponsor, says the companies would have to provide
the names and addresses of their officers so that scam victims and
investigators could pursue companies who rip-off consumers. "The bill does
not say how the measure would be enforced," UPI adds.
Hackers Scam AOL Users
The National Computer Security Association and America Online Inc. are
warning AOL users of the "significant prevalence" of Trojan Horse programs
that capture and e-mail passwords to hackers for access to victims' AOL
accounts. The NCSA notes that Trojan Horse programs only pose a threat
when a file is downloaded and executed. "In general, users should never run
unsolicited software attached to e- mail or received by any other means or
via any service provider whether they are AOL members or not," warns Peter
S. Tippett, the NCSA's president. "Specifically, AOL users should not run
any programs, such as SETUP.EXE, which are portrayed as applications which
'enhance' the security of your AOL software."
Judge Warns Kevin Mitnick
Notorious computer tweaker Kevin Mitnick has been ordered by a federal
judge to stay away from all computers, cell phones and software when he is
released from prison. Reporting from Los Angeles, the Reuter News Service
quotes U.S. District Court Judge Mariana Pfaelzer as saying Mitnick also is
prohibited from being employed in any job that would allow him to have
access to computers without approval from a probation department officer.
Thirty-three-year-old Mitnick, held in custody since 1995, was sentenced
last week to 22 months in federal prison for possessing illegal cellular
phone codes and for violating his parole. As reported, Mitnick pleaded
guilty last year to one count of possession of fraudulent cellular codes
that he used to illegally access cellular phone networks. The crime
occurred while Mitnick was on supervised release for an earlier computer
intrusion offense. Mitnick faces another 25-count indictment for alleged
computer intrusions and theft of millions of dollars of software during the
2 1/2 year period he was a fugitive, Reuters notes.
Ramsey Files Lost to Malfunction
Authorities in Boulder, Colorado, now say it was a computer malfunction --
not an intruder -- that caused problems in the computer system set aside
for investigators looking into the murder of 6-year-old beauty pageant
winner JonBenet Ramsey. According to The Associated Press, a short-circuit
in the equipment resulted in a power failure that made it appear initially
as if a vandal had broken into the files. The Colorado Bureau of
Investigation said the computer in the "war room" at the district
attorney's office holds information that police share with prosecution
investigators. The child was found beaten and strangled in her family's
basement on
Dec. 26 about eight hours after her mother discovered a ransom note
demanding $118,000. There have been no arrests.
Doctors Blast Net Health Data
"A sea of poor-quality information" is how a team of Italian doctors
describes self-help medical advice they found available on the Internet.
The Reuter News Service says the doctors tested the World Wide Web by
looking for pages advising parents on how to treat a feverish child, "but
they found to their dismay that very few pages offered all the up-to-date
information that parents would need to properly assess and treat such a
case."
Forty-one different Web pages were checked by Dr. Maurizio Bonati and
colleagues at the Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research in
Milan, says Reuters, adding the team used the search engines Yahoo and
Excite.
But, writing in the British Medical Journal, the team said, "Only a few web
sites provided complete and accurate information for this common and
widely discussed condition," and some pages offered misleading information.
For example, some recommended giving ibuprofen to the child, which is not
approved in all countries. Tests on whether ibuprofen is safe for small
children have not been completed. Says the article, "This suggests an
urgent need to check public oriented health care information on the
Internet for accuracy, completeness and consistency."
And Dr. Jeremy Wyatt of Britain's Imperial Cancer Research Fund agreed,
saying in a commentary, "Although the web makes it absurdly easy to
disseminate information, by allowing anonymous authors to conceal
commercial or other conflicts of interest, it does not help readers to
discriminate between genuine insight and deliberate invention. Unless we
evaluate the quality of clinical sites and their effects on users, we risk
drowning in a sea of poor quality information."
Neurodynamics' Witness Technology
Revolutionizes Surveillance and Security Monitoring
ú Neural Networks and Digital Image Technology Combine to Create
Ground-breaking, Cost-effective Security tool Innovative Use of DAT Tape
Technology, and Elimination of Static Imagery
ú Provides Unrivaled Capacity and Unparalleled Effectiveness in a
Flexible Format
ú Three customizable configurations ensure high-quality digital
recording and storage for a variety of situations demanding vigilance and
reliability.
Neurodynamics, Inc., a world-wide leader in the development of neural
network and pattern recognition technologies, today announced the North
American availability of Witness(R), a powerful and cost-effective video
image recording and retrieval system for deployment in security and
surveillance situations, such as banks and ATMs; perimeter surveillance;
remote multiple location monitoring; building compartment supervision; and
access control. Neurodynamics has made Witness technology available in
three different
formats designed for a variety of security situations:
ú Witness, which provides the basis for low-cost, highly effective
digital video surveillance and recording for a wide range of circumstances.
ú Remote Witness, which combines the error resiliency and
high-compression capabilities of Witness in a configuration ideal for
ú off-site locations via a small, stand-alone "Send Station," that
transmits images over unreliable, low bandwidth communication links such as
standard telephone infrastructure.
ú Witness ATM, an option ideal for low-cost, high-quality monitoring of
off-site ATMs, or similar locations, to help prevent fast-growing ATM
crimes such as fraud, vandalism, and robbery.
The escalating phenomenon of ATM crime, where criminals lurk in the
vicinity of cash machines waiting for a victim, has caused a great deal of
public concern. In the past, typical ATM surveillance systems have
provided poor quality visual evidence when such crimes have been committed,
offering law enforcement authorities little or no help. Witness solves this
problem by supplying high quality imagery in an easy-to-use digital format.
Witness uses standard video camera input to capture images, then compresses
and digitally records those mages onto digital audio tape (DAT). Images
are then automatically cataloged with date and time information for rapid
retrieval. A DAT tape's half million image capacity using Neurodynamics
technology gives Witness up to 6 days' worth of continuous recording time
between tape changes -- greater than standard VHS/analog-based recording
systems, and with far fewer tapes required for archiving. And because the
quality of DAT recordings do not deteriorate as fast as VHS/analog
recordings, Witness-captured images represent a better archive resource.
In addition to date and time identification, Neurodynamics' use of
intelligent video motion detection to "filter" images reflecting no
activity means only significant imagery is recorded, rather than wasting
valuable storage space with images depicting no change in status. This
further extends the recording capacity of Witness, resulting in a visual
database packed with quality imagery ready for quick retrieval. And
because Witness can be configured to record at either a higher rate of
speed or at higher resolution under circumstances when more precise
recording may be required, its efficacy as a security and crime-fighting
tool is even greater. These features give Neurodynamics' Witness
surveillance system unrivaled utility in the industry and capabilities far
beyond the reach of standard surveillance systems.
"The implications that products such as Witness hold for the security
industry are tremendous and important," said Jeff Rider, Director of
Technical Services for Comsec Narragansett Security, one of the country's
largest and fastest growing providers of electronic and surveillance
security systems. "Our customers rely on us to supply them with tools that
are both effective deterrents to crime and vandalism, as well as asset
protection and a means of recovery in the event of an incident. The use of
Witness would be a significant and competitive differentiator toward that
objective."
Another advantage to the Witness system is the lack of costly video
infrastructure. Because Witness transmits its video image data over
standard phone lines, eliminating the need for coaxial cabling, the system
is easy and cost-effective to install. This gives Witness a flexibility
unequaled in video surveillance. Covert monitoring can be set-up quickly
and discreetly; video capture units can be moved rapidly to sensitive
areas; and remote monitoring dial-up capability increases effectiveness
without increasing cost. The combination of digital image recording and
potent computer technologies create a list of features that make Witness a
surveillance platform far superior to standard VHS-based systems:
ú Rapid image retrieval based on electronic date & time coding;
ú Storage capacity of up to 500,000 images per DAT tape;
ú Alarm activated dial-up over standard phone lines;
ú Easy integration with existing alarm systems;
ú Minimal tape library storage requirements;
ú Local or remote monitoring capability;
ú Motion or Alarm activation;
ú Low-cost infrastructure; and,
ú Portability.
Furthermore Witness functions intuitively on a PC as a standard Windows(TM)
application. This means costly training and familiarization is minimized,
while maintaining effective system operation. "The Witness image capture
and retrieval system is bringing security and surveillance monitoring into
the digital age," said Peter Riordan, president and CEO of Neurodynamics'
North American operation. "I'm excited that, through this technology, we
are able to provide public and private security concerns with such a potent
weapon."
Neurodynamics is the world's leading recognition company. By exploiting
the most advanced neural network techniques, Neurodynamics produces
operationally proven, high performance solutions to previously unsolved
problems. Applications to Neurodynamics pattern recognition technology
span the strata of industry including law enforcement/security,
manufacturing, distribution, and others. Neurodynamics is active
internationally and has offices in the US and UK, with clients worldwide in
both the private and public sectors.
HP Offers Variable Format Printer
Hewlett-Packard Co. has released its first color ink-jet printer that can
print on various-sized media, ranging from 4-inch by 6-inch post cards to
11-inch by 17-inch (B-size) paper. The HP DeskJet 1000C Professional
Series is available in two versions, each costing about $499. The DeskJet
1000Cse comes bundled with Corel
Print House Select 1.1, MySoftware Inc.'s MyColor Marketing Materials and a
sample pack of 11-inch by 17-inch HP Bright White paper. The DeskJet
1000Cxi includes Corel Print House Select 1.1, Softkey Corp.'s Calendar
Creator and a sample pack of 11-inch by 17-inch HP Bright White paper.
"The DeskJet 1000C printer gives small-business owners an affordable way to
create professional-looking, customized business collateral," says Phua
Han-Tian, general manager of HP's Asia peripherals division. "Now they can
easily print brochures, posters, business reports and newsletters without
always having to run to a service bureau."
Gates Considering Buying CBS?
Word on the street is that Microsoft Corp. chief Bill Bates is considering
a takeover bid for CBS, eying the television network as a colossal boon to
his entertainment holdings. The New York Post reports this morning
Microsoft and Montreal-based Seagram both have made preliminary expressions
of interest in purchasing CBS.
The paper cites sources close to the situation as reporting four Microsoft
executives are examining the books of the network, whose media operations
have an estimated value of $14 billion. The Post notes Microsoft itself is
worth $153 billion and has some $9 billion in cash on hand.
The Associated Press reports CBS' owner, Westinghouse Electric Corp., has
announced plans to split the company's industrial holdings from its
entertainment business. The Post quotes sources close to CBS as saying the
company is not for sale, but that there is impatience among Westinghouse
investors at the company's poor performance, which is blamed on CBS. The
paper says some investors might be receptive to a takeover bid.
As noted, Microsoft has invested $220 million in its MSNBC cable news
partnership with General Electric's NBC, a deal that certainly would be
terminated if Microsoft bought CBS, the Post says.
Acer Sued by Lucent Technologies
Taiwan computer maker Acer Inc. has been named in a patent infringement
suit brought in the U.S. District Court in Delaware by Lucent Technologies
Inc. The Reuter News Service quotes the Lucent as alleging in its suit
that Acer violated eight patents relating to semiconductor manufacturing
technologies, speech and video coding and computer display technologies.
Lucent says the suit affects Acer's desktop and laptop computers.
Chess Champ Wants Laptop Help
World chess champion Garry Kasparov, six weeks after being defeated by
IBM's Deep Blue supercomputer, is proposing that top players be allowed to
use laptop computers to plot strategy during their matches. "Today people
are not only looking for excitement, but also for very high quality play,"
Kasparov told the Reuter News Service at a Madrid press conference. "If a
professional grandmaster is assisted by a small laptop computer, it
dramatically increases the quality of their analysis and game." The
34-year-old Russian noted that just as mathematicians rely on calculators,
laptops should become an acceptable tool in chess. "It doesn't help a weak
player or even an average player but for the good player it opens new
horizons and it could let us play phenomenal games," stated Kasparov.
New News Site Launched
Linking some 150 local newspapers around the country, a new Web site called
NewsWorks is being launched by New Century Network, a consortium of nine
large newspaper publishers. The site (accessible on the World Wide Web at
address http://www.newsworks.com) is the partnership's first product since
it was founded in spring 1995. The Associated Press says the service has
an editorial staff of 18 editors, designers and others who sort through the
day's news and list appealing stories. Readers who click on brief story
outlines are taken to the affiliate newspapers' own Web sites, where the
stories themselves are found.
Editor John Papanek told AP, "The best way to describe it, I think, is a
supersmart newsstand that is able to guide readers to whatever information
they want that has been published in any one of the more than 130 affiliate
newspaper Web sites." He said by year-end he hopes to have close to 200
papers on NewsWorks,
adding that of the 150 current papers -- some Web sites have more than one
newspaper -- about half are not from New Century partners.
Partners in the venture include Advance Publications Inc., Cox Newspapers
Inc., Gannett Co., The Hearst Corp., Knight-Ridder Inc., The New York Times
Co., Times-Mirror Inc., Tribune Co. and The Washington Post Co. Of the
nine, two flagship newspapers -- The New York Times and Gannett's USA Today
-- have not contributed to the site. Both, Papanek said, withheld their
content because they are national newspapers and NewsWorks focuses on local
content. Other papers of those companies, however, are participating.
"In addition to World Wide Web links provided by NewsWorks' editors," says
AP, "the site also contains a search engine that allows readers to
electronically sort though the contents of all 150 newspapers by looking
for specific words or phrases. The project, which employs a total of 50,
can sell both national advertising on the site and local advertising by
individual affiliate newspaper or section."
Telecommuting on the Rise
In a new survey of 106 human resources executives, KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
discovered that one out of four (23 percent) of Fortune 1,000 companies
have employees who regularly telecommute either part- or full-time.
Companies that have telecommuting programs are likely to be larger, with
average revenues of $7 billion, finds the study. The average revenue for
the group surveyed was $5.4 billion. The survey also finds that 53 percent
of those companies with telecommuting programs found increased productivity
and job satisfaction among employees who telecommute. One third (30
percent) of companies with telecommuting programs reported lower real
estate costs and reduced employee turnover. "Telecommuting is being
integrated into major corporations at a greater pace than we expected,"
says Joseph Parente, manager of KPMG Peat Marwick's telecommuting practice.
"Possible reasons could be that the shift toward an information-based
economy and continued technical advancements are allowing companies to have
employees working offsite, whether at home, satellite centers or on the
road."
Small Biz Resists Cyberspace
The vast majority of small businesses are computerized, but most are not
cruising the information superhighway, finds a new study. According to the
study, based on a Gallup poll of 1,000 members of the
National Federation of Independent Business, 77 percent of small businesses
report having computers, but only about 40 percent are online. The study
finds that computer usage among small firms will continue to
grow, although at a slower pace than in recent years. According to the
report, the number of small businesses with at least one computer increased
by about two percentage points per year from 1994 to 1997, about half the
rate of increase logged from 1990 to 1994.
The study also notes that rates of computer ownership, online usage and
e-mail addresses vary significantly according to several factors. Compared
to older business owners, owners under age 55 are more likely to have
computers and be online. Rates don't vary significantly among the younger
age groups. Compared to businesses in rural areas (less than 5,000 in
population), owners in metropolitan areas (500,000-plus population) are
more likely to have computers and e-mail addresses.
The likelihood of firms being online and having e-mail addresses increases
with the number of employees, notes the study. Fewer than one in three (31
percent) of the smallest firms (1 to 4 employees) are online, while 71
percent of firms with 20 or more employees are connected to cyberspace.
Only 19 percent of the smallest firms have an e-mail address. "Online
penetration of the market is still relatively low, and the proportion of
businesses actively using the Internet -- as indicated by having an e-mail
address -- is no more than a quarter of the small-business community," says
William J. Dennis, an education foundation senior fellow at the
Washington-based NFIB.
A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N
LEXMARK OPTRA C
COLOR
LASER PRINTER
For a limited time only; If you wish to have a FREE sample printout sent to
you that demonstrates LEXMARK Optra C SUPERIOR QUALITY 600 dpi Laser Color
Output, please send a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope [SASE] (business
sized envelope please) to:
STReport's LEXMARK Printout Offer
P.O. Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida 32205-6155
Folks, the LEXMARK Optra C has to be the very best yet in its price range.
It is far superior to anything we've seen or used as of yet. It is said
that ONE Picture is worth a thousand words. The out put from the Lexmark
Optra C is worth ten thousand words! Send for the free sample now. (For a
sample that's suitable for framing, see below) Guaranteed. you will be
amazed at the superb quality. (Please.. allow at least a two week turn-
around).
If you would like a sample printout that's suitable for framing. Yes
that's right! Suitable for Framing. Order this package. It'll be on
special stock and be of superb quality. We obtained a mint copy of a 1927
COLOR ENGRAVER'S YEAR BOOK. Our Scanner is doing "double duty"! The
results will absolutely blow you away. If you want this high quality
sample package please include a check or money order in the amount of $6.95
(Costs only) Please, make checks or money orders payable to; Ralph Mariano.
Be sure to include your full return address and telephone number . The
sample will be sent to you protected, not folded in a 9x12 envelope. Don't
hesitate.. you will not be disappointed. This "stuff" is gorgeous!
A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N
Shareware Treasure Chest STR Feature "The Latest & Greatest"
Shareware Treasure Chest
By Lloyd E. Pulley
lepulley@streport.com
------------
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Eudora Pro 32-bit 3.0.3 7/02/97 5.00mb Shareware
This is an update for users of 3.0 or
higher
One of the best email clients around. It features:
*Enhanced message filtering
*Multiple e-mail accounts
*Plug-ins *Stylized text
*"Drag and Drop" support and almost everything else you can think off.
Eudora Lite 32-bit 3.0.2 7/02/97 4.10mb Free
The newest release of one of the best free email programs around.
Powerful Filters, Extended Message Services, Display stylized text, "Drag
and Drop" support, Active hot links and much more.
Home Page Site - http://www.eudora.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
TextPad 32 Version 3.1 RC1 6/27/97 1,191kb Shareware $27.00
TextPad is the most powerful and flexible text editor on the market.
Clean and uncluttered, the interface does not get in the way. Yet hiding
just a few mouse clicks away are powerful search and replace, macro
commands, and a highly customizable interface. When you need more than
notepad can offer, TextPad is the obvious next step. This unlicensed
version is fully functional, with no shareware nags, but will timeout on
1st June, 1997. (Registered users will be able to obtain a free upgrade to
the final release before then.) You are welcome to evaluate it, and we look
forward to receiving your feedback. In particular, we would like to know
about any problems with the Spanish and Italian translations, and with the
features for customizing the keyboard.
Home Page Site - http://www.textpad.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Thumbs Plus 32-bit 3.0g beta 4 6/27/97 2.60mb Shareware $65
ThumbsPlus is a graphic file viewer, locator and organizer which
simplifies the process of finding and maintaining graphics, clip-art files,
fonts and animations. It displays a small image (thumbnail) of each file.
You can use ThumbsPlus to browse, view, edit, crop, launch external
editors, and copy images to the clipboard. You can use drag-and-drop to
organize graphics files by moving them to appropriate directories.
ThumbsPlus will also create a slide show from selected graphics, and
install bitmap files as Windows wallpaper. You can print individual
graphics files, or the thumbnails themselves as a catalog. ThumbsPlus can
convert to several formats, either one at a time or in batch mode. You can
also perform image editing in batch mode. ThumbsPlus will also convert
metafile graphics to bitmaps (rasterize). One important new feature in 3.0g
is the ablity to generate Web pages of thumbnails.
Home Page Site - http://www.cerious.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
GL Version Demo 6/15/97 1,837kb Freeware
A new application for guitar players which will allow you to have guitar
lessons on your PC. The demo version includes one full lesson! ... v1.0
will be out pretty soon and it'll be freeware!
Home Page Site - http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/5102/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Kripter Version 1.00 6/25/97 400kb Freeware
A security utility that allows you to scramble your text with an
infinite variety of personalized key codes. You can even scramble text
twice, using a second key code to scramble already scrambled text. The copy
and paste features allow you to quickly scramble text in your email
messages.
Home Page Site - http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/5043/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Lview Pro 32-bit 2.0 6/27/97 1.30mb Shareware $40
LView Pro is a full featured Image Processor program, that handles the
image formats found on Microsoft Windows environments and Internet Web
pages. You can use LView Pro to view, edit, create, and catalog images for
all your professional needs, and for leisure. LView Pro features image
animation, transparency, interlacing, painting, etc. All you need to create
functional, precise, and perfect looking images, with minimal effort."
"LView Pro is a full featured Image Processor program, that handles the
image formats found on Microsoft Windows environments and Internet Web
pages. You can use LView Pro to view, edit, create, and catalog images for
all your professional needs, and for leisure. LView Pro features image
animation, transparency, interlacing, painting, etc. All you need to create
functional, precise, and perfect looking images, with minimal effort.
Home Page Site - http://www.lview.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
WordSearch Finder Version 1.0 6/15/97 134kb Freeware
Have you ever had school teachers assign word search puzzles and asked
yourself, "What can I learn from this?" I have asked this question many
times and found myself doing hours of busywork. WordSearch Finder allows
you to bypass the unneeded busywork by solving the puzzle for you!
Home Page Site - http://msm.byu.edu/emp/cca/comp.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Auto-Bot 32-bit 1.0c9 6/27/97 2.00mb Freeware
Auto-Bot will download your waiting email, setting your system clock to
the Internet time, and (for the power users), executing timed telnet
sessions. This is just the start, with more actions coming in future
releases.
Home Page Site - http://www.starbase21.com/winsock.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Football Fury Version 1.0 6/25/97 798kb Shareware $12.00
The football strategy game for Windows. Pick your plays from over a dozen
available to get your team into the endzone as soon as possible. Play by
yourself, with a friend, or just watch "from the sidelines" and let the
computer do all the work controlling both teams. You can get up-to-the-
minute statistics on your game, go for a two point conversion, risk an
onside kick, pick any team from the '97 pro football roster etc. An
attractive and easy to use interface makes it quick to learn and enjoy
right away.
Home Page Site - http://www.kagi.com/micromatt/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Streaming Shockwave 32-bit 6.0 release candidate 2 Plug-In
6/27/97 1.30mb Freeware
Macromedia Shockwave gives you fully interactive multimedia clickable and
dynamic animations, graphics, text, and audio from directly within your web
browser. Install Shockwave and get immediate access to:
ú Thousands of cool web games
ú On-demand, streaming audio
ú Live concerts and radio
ú The latest interactive news, sports, and information. This new version
also streams the animations and movies to your computer instead of having
to wait for the whole thing to download first.
Home Page Site - http://www.macromedia.com/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
ChemTool Version 1.02.2 6/26/97 653kb Freeware
Calculates the mass, elemental analysis, isotopic pattern for a given
chemical formula. One can compare a experimental mass spectra with the
simulated pattern. It generates possible chemical formulas for a given mass
within a range of chemical elements. The periodic system of elements is
editable. One can also calculate the amount of chemicals for a given
sequence of reaction equations. It's for the every day synthetic chemical
laboratory work.
Home Page Site - http://casgm3.anorg.chemie.uni-
tuebingen.de/ilmari/CHEMPUTER.HTML
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
PerspectaView 32-bit 1.2. beta 3.0003 plug-in 6/27/97 3.00mb Free
Searching a web site with traditional indexing technology can lead to
information overload with long lists of potentially irrelevant and
unrelated information. The Perspecta SmartContent System is a fundamentally
new approach for adding value to information whereby the user can
dynamically interact with information, organize it according to their own
point of view, and discover related information." It's kind of hard to
explain, but basically it lets you "fly" through information. I saw this
program in action the other night on the Site (that goofy computer TV show)
and it did look pretty cool...
Home Page Site - http://www.perspecta.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Master Converter 32 Version 1.80 6/22/973 58kb Shareware $15.00
Master Converter is a powerful Microsoft Windows utility that can quickly
and easily convert to and from 399 different units in 22 categories. The
categories include: length, area, volume, dry volume, time, speed, mass,
density, force, pressure, energy, power, flow, dynamic viscosity, kinematic
viscosity, temperature, conductivity, thermal conductivity, angle, light,
numbers, and fractions.
Home Page Site - http://www.owt.com/users/rsavard/software.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
301 Scorer for Win 95 Version 2.0 6/15/97 933kb Freeware
Program for keeping score of a dart game of 301. Supports up to 4 players
and has options for starting points and sound. Requires the VB 4.0
Runtimes.
Home Page Site - http://user.mc.net/~scorpion/cheap/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Easy MP3 for Windows 95 Version 2.0 Beta 1 6/27/97 399kb Shareware
$5.00
This very simple Windows95 front-end shell lets you easy convert WAV to
MP3 format and vice versa. This app adds an Convert option to your popup
menus (WAV) and lets you convert your files hidden. It also notifies you
when your convert is done asking you what to do: delete the source, open
the folder or play the output. L3Enc and L3Dec must be installed.
Home Page Site - http://www.mlc.nl/users/rvdplas/plasdev/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Polyview 32-bit 2.90 beta 8 6/28/97 1.40mb Shareware $20
PolyView is a BMP, GIF, JPEG, photo-cd, PNG, and TIFF graphics viewer,
file conversion, and printing utility for Windows NT and Windows 95.
PolyView features fast image rendering, panning, and zooming that is
optimized for Windows 95 and Windows NT. PolyView is a 32 bit application
that uses multithreading to enhance usability and allow time consuming
operations, such as image file reading and writing, to be performed in
parallel with user interface operations. PolyView's multithreaded nature
also allows the reading and writing of multiple image files at the same
time. With its image appearance manipulation, copy and paste facilities,
and DDE execution capabilities, PolyView is an excellent companion to your
favorite Web browser.
Home Page Site - http://www.netins.net/showcase/polybytes/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Wordsearch Mania! Version 2.01 6/29/97 2,811kb Shareware $25.99
Great for teachers and newspaper editors as well as the average word
search solver! Comes with >200 puzzles to solve. Build your own puzzles to
solve, or let the computer build them for you, using its 70,000+ word
dictionary! Never run out of puzzles to solve! Build attractive puzzles
with graphics! Solve puzzles with a time limit! Change the puzzle font!
Circle words in three different ways! Solve up to 10 puzzles
simultaneously! Print puzzles with or without circled answers in any font!
Home Page Site - http://www.crystaltech.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
VDOphone for Win95 2.0.4 6/28/97 2.10mb Shareware $99
Experience the future of communication over the Internet, moving you past
email and Internet phones to a new era of simultaneous two way video and
audio.VDOnet's VDOPhone lets you place a call to, or receive a call from,
any other Internet user with a VDOPhone and transmit two-way COLOR video
and audio, or audio only, over modem connections at speeds of 14.4kbps and
up.
Home Page Site -http://www.vdolive.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Spam Exterminator Version 1.5 6/27/97 990kb Shareware $27.95
Unlimited ways to exterminate SPAM from your e-mail.! In addition to the
included list of 1,500 known Spammers, you can also set any number of
"Rules" that SpamEx will use to weed out unwanted SPAM messages. Optional
retaliation options allow you to reply and report the SPAMer to thier
domain postmaster. Plus, quick mail preview feature allows you to instantly
see if and what mail is waiting for for you before you download it. This is
absolutely the most powerful and easy to use product in it's class. Don't
was
te your time with the others -- arm your self against Spam.
Home Page Site - http://www.unisyn.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Cosmo Player 32-bit 1.0 plug-in Official Release 6/28/97 2.60mb Free
Cosmo Player was the first browser to support VRML 2.0, the industry
standard for 3D worlds on the Web with sensors, scripts and sound. To boost
your way through the infoverse, Cosmo Player has plenty of Silicon Graphics
visual simulation technology packed into it's engine room. Now you can
experience vast 3D universes on your PC without getting bogged down. It has
Spatial audio for presence in the virtual world, Embedded audio and video
to enliven the virtual world, and Constant frame rates for smooth
interaction with large worlds.
Home Page Site - http://webspace.sgi.com/cosmoplayer/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Zip Wizard Pro Version 2.0 6/24/97 820kb Shareware $29.95
Dual mode operation for novices and advanced users. Zip and UnZip
Wizards, IntelliZip technology, Zip List with docked view, home folders,
built in Zip/UnZip with support for disk splitting and encryption. Built in
Zip Pro Navigator-Multiple, Computer views, Zip views, Finder views. Full
click and drag File and Zip management, Click Finder with transfolder
content views.
Home Page Site - http://www.zipwiz.com/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
WorkStation Lock 32-bit 2.3 6/29/97 .25mb Shareware $5
WorkStation Lock provides a simple and inexpensive, but effective way to
password protect your system without involving a screen saver. It is easy
to configure and requires no modifications to your current system
configuration.
Home Page Site - http://posum.com/prods32.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
WarpCycle 2 Version 1.0 6/27/97 688kb Freeware
A game for 2 or 1 players that was inspired by the infamous 'Light Cycle'
game known from the early 80's Walt Disney movie 'Tron'. We decided to
implement some new features to wipe the dust off this old game concept -
for example 45ø turns rather than 90ø, and more...just give it a try!
Home Page Site - http://members.aol.com/bischo6639/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Windows Enforcer 32-bit 4.1 6/29/97 .40mb Shareware $9.95
Windows Enforcer protects systems that are accessible to many people and
require a consistent configuration and a consistent, limited selection of
services. This is accomplished by insuring that specified tasks either
never run or always run. It is easy to configure and requires little to no
modifications to your current system configuration.
Home Page Site - http://posum.com/prods32.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
SafeHouse Version 1.80 6/26/97 953kb Shareware $79.99
Provides transparent "on-the-fly" encryption for your notebook or desktop
personal computer. Using SafeHouse, you can allocate portions of your
existing hard drives to be reserved for encrypted data. SafeHouse encrypted
volumes appear on your PC as another DOS drive letter. All encryption is
performed automatically and transparently on the fly. You can do anything
with a SafeHouse virtual drive that you can do with a normal hard drive;
only that with SafeHouse, the encrypted volumes require password
authentication before the files become accessible. SafeHouse encrypted
volumes can range in size from 1 Kilobyte to 2 Gigabytes. The only
limitation is the size of your hard drive. Volumes are mapped to a standard
DOS drive letter in a single step. Just type your secret password and the
entire contents of your encrypted volume will be instantly available. No
waiting! When you're done, either click the unmap icon or turn off your PC.
Unlike many competing products, protected files are never temporarily
decrypted and stored back to disk, meaning that the secrecy of your data
will not be compromised if you forget to re-encrypt, unmap or unexpectedly
lose power to your PC. Download contains 40-bit encryption and is licensed
for general Internet distribution by BXA. Registered users receive the 56-
bit version by mail.
Home Page Site - http://www.pcdynamics.com/SafeHouse/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
HandyCd Version 4.0 6/26/97 899kb Freeware
This handy, freeware tray cd player now features a program and shuffle
function. Fully compatible with the Windows 95 CD Player. Lots of options,
unbeaten ease of use.
Home Page Site - http://www.cs.vu.nl/~jmulder/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
WinImage 32-bit beta Release Candidate 3.04.3040 6/29/97 .25mb
Shareware $30
WinImage is a powerful disk utility that enables users to make disk image
from floppy, extract file from image, make an empty image, put the image on
blank disk. WinImage also supports many different standard and non-standard
formats, including Microsoft new DMF format.
Home Page Site -
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/gvollant/winimage.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Secret Number Version 1.0 6/29/97 25kb Shareware $7.50
Great game that'll keep you busy for hours! Many Options,
OnePlayer/TwoPlayer, Different Secret Number Ranges, etc. Basically you
just try to guess the "secret" number. Computer generates number
automatically except in two player game.
Home Page Site - http://www.geocities.com/Baja/2857/secret.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
NetLoad 32-bit 3.6e 6/29/97 .36mb Shareware $34.95
NetLoad is a fully automatic smart file transfer system which maintains
remote sites using conventional FTP. Only new or updated files are
transferred, and entire directories and sub-directories are recreated based
on your directory structure. It now includes mirroring of remote sites.
Home Page Site - http://www.aerosoft.com.au/netLoad/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
RInstall Version 3.51 6/30/97 182kb Shareware $20.00
Support Spaces in "Ini" Section, test disk space, delete file, rename
file, Files copy (with expand), Select and Create groupe, Write ".ini"
files, Read ".ini" files in user data, Display "gif" image during install,
Exec programme, Get user data, Uninstall, test file.
Home Page Site - http://www.pratique.fr/~rberthou/us
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
IPage 32-bit 1.0 Official Release 6/30/97 2.40mb Free
With ipage a quick glance of your list of "friends and associates" will
let you know who is online at that moment. Contact any number of friends
and associates and bring them all to a private chat room for group
discussions or just to catch-up. Send links to any Real Media file to
friends and associates and ipage will instantly launch the Real Player.
Home Page Site - http://www.ichat.com/pager/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Space Invaders: The Year We Make Contact Version 2.1
6/30/97 1,024kb Shareware $10.00
A clone of the orginal Space Invaders to Windows 95. Except with better
graphics, sound, and perhaps even gameplay.
Home Page Site - http://home.thezone.net/~jmccarth/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Microsoft Internet Information Server 32-bit 4.0 beta 2
6/30/97 48.00mb Shareware
With IIS 4.0, Windows NT Server is now also the best platform for
building a new generation of Internet-enabled Web applications. IIS 4.0
brings together the integration of the Windows NT Server core system and
networking services, with the complete and easy-to-use Web services of IIS,
and the distributed application infrastructure of Microsoft Transaction
Server. These operating system-level features enable developers to build
applications designed expressly for the network. Applications can be
delivered through a combination of HTML pages over HTTP and ActiveX
components communicating through DCOM over the network. Any browser can
securely and reliably interoperate with any backend data source. Developers
are free to choose the languages, tools, protocols, and architectures best
suited for their applications.
Home Page Site - http://www.microsoft.com/iis/beta/default.asp
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Go!Zilla 32-bit 2.1 6/30/97 .92mb Shareware $15
Go!Zilla is an internet file management and retrieval system. Gather URL
links to files that you want to download by simply Dragging them from your
favorite internet browser. Instantly see file sizes, estimated download
times and network connection performance. You can even add as many
different locations for a single file as you can find or let Go!Zilla do
the work by quickly searching FTP archives. Then when Go!Zilla retrieves
the file for you, it checks all available locations and delivers the
fastest possible connection. Go!Zilla will even resume a failed download
from both FTP and HTTP web sites. Downloads can be started at any time, or
scheduled for later when network traffic dies down.
Home Page Site - http://www.gizmo.net/gozilla/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
FTP OutBox 32-bit 1.50 6/30/97 .27mb Shareware $15
FTP OutBox is a Windows95 FTP uploading client and it is arguably the
fastest FTP uploading program that's currently available in the market.
Unlike all other FTP clients available currently, FTP OutBox does not
require you to run it in order to use it and it doesn't even require you to
logon to the destination host. All that is needed from you is to just
select the files that you want to be uploaded from Explorer and drag-and-
drop them into the FTP OutBox icon on your desktop. FTP OutBox will then
take care of the rest and ensures that your files reach its destination
safely.
Home Page Site - http://home1.pacific.net.sg/~mannfai/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Multimedia Xplorer 32-bit 1.23 6/30/97 .80mb Shareware $20
Multimedia Xplorer is a new, powerful 32-bit application (Windows 95/NT
4.0) for handling most types of multimedia files including images, sounds,
videos and icons. Main idea is to provide ONE application that handles all
these different media types easily, so no need to mess with different
applications. It is designed to be powerful for powerusers and at the same
time it is as simple as possible, so novice users can view and manage files
easily. Multimedia Xplorer has some unique ergonomy features that make it
very handy to use.
Home Page Site - http://www.moonsoftware.ee/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
CMED 32-bit 2.1b 6/30/97 1.40mb Shareware $25
A HTML editor with full support for HTML 2.0, HTML 3.2, Netscape tags,
and Internet Explorer tags.
Home Page Site - http://users.highway1.com.au/~cmathes/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
DriveView Version 1.0 7/01/97 450kb Shareware $13.95
A Windows95/NT utility that provides an easy way to 1) determine how much
free space is left on any drive, 2) provides quick and easy access to any
drive, 3) provides quick and easy access to items on the desktop, and
provides warnings when your main drive (whichever you choose) reaches one
of two warning points. All of this functionality is available directly from
your System Tray. DriveView 1.0 work with any local, networked, or
removeable drive connected to your system! You Control how often it checks
the drives, You Control which drives are included, You control how and when
it warns.
Home Page Site - http://www-personal.umich.edu/~nogard/tlssoft.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
IPSentry 32-bit 2.3.13 7/01/97 4.70mb Shareware $79
PSentry is a Windows NT / 95 utility that will continuously monitor all
your internet and intranet TCP/IP services 24 hours a day, ensuring your
email servers, web sites, ftp servers, news servers, and any other TCP/IP
based services are active and responding. In the event of failure, IPSentry
will notify you (according to the defined schedule) via any or all of
several different methods; PAGER, EMAIL via SMTP, AUDIBLE via .WAV or PC
speaker, Launch external command. Utilize alert frequency scheduling,
machine downtime scheduling and many more feature.
Home Page Site - http://www.crackthecode.com/IPSentry/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Crumbler97 Version 2.0 7/01/97 800kb Shareware $10.00
A Cookie CRUBMLER!! Crumbler97 works in the background, allowing you to
stop pushing NO everytime an Alert comes up that a cookie is being
sent..Heres how it works...Crumbler97 sits in the tray, and,every 45
seconds, it deletes all the cookies in the Cookie Folder. No Mess, no
Bother.
Home Page Site - http://www.scscorp.com/personal/scottmac/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
VoxPhone 32-bit 3.0 beta 1 (Formerly TeleVox) 7/01/97 1.90mb Free
TeleVox provides real-time, high-quality voice connections between one or
more users over IP networks such as the Internet. You can place calls,
conduct conferences of up to five users, or send voice messages to any
TeleVox user in the world for the price of a local Internet connection.
TeleVox 2.5 is in full compliance with the ITU's H.323 standard for call
establishment and data transport, eventually allowing TeleVox to
communicate seamlessly with any H.323 phone.
Home Page Site - http://www.voxware.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
RoundClock Version 1.20 7/01/97 340kb Shareware $10.00
Not just another clock for Windows, it is a real round clock. RoundClock
uses a real round window to display its clock face. RoundClock is highly
configurable, has lots of features like complete alarm functions, and it
runs with both Windows 95 and Windows NT.
Home Page Site - http://www.fkware.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Downtown 32-bit 1.0 7/01/97 1.90mb Free
Downtown is a comprehensive 'push' software product which automatically
delivers the latest information from your favorite web sites right to your
desktop. How it works: You create channels on the Downtown channel bar
(similar to a toolbar) for each of your preferred sites. Downtown
continually searches your channels' sites for new content, automatically
downloads it, and notifies you when new content is available. When you are
ready to view it, you just click the item of interest and instantly access
the associated web pages.
Home Page Site - http://www.incommon.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Voice Clock Version 1.0 7/01/97 322kb Shareware $5.00
Voice Clock is a Windows 95 system tray utility that announces the time
at 15, 30 or 60 minute intervals.
Home Page Site - http://www.coe.uncc.edu/~salanfor/voiceclock.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
WetSock 32-bit 3.0 Official Release 7/01/97 1.10mb Shareware
$12
WetSock shows your current weather conditions and forecasts as an icon on
the tray notification area of the system taskbar.Designed specially for
Windows 95, WetSock will keep you updated about the weather over Internet
without even needing to dial into your Internet Service Provider. If you
periodically dial in for surfing, checking your mail etc., WetSock will
connect to the weather server and get the weather information in the
background , but can also dial in and hang-up by itself. WetSock is a
Winsock compliant weather client for PCs running Windows 95.
Home Page Site - http://www.locutuscodeware.com/wetsock.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
PICSure Version 1.1 7/01/97 1,300kb Shareware $19.95
An image viewer and image file manager for Windows95c. It can be used to
preview, copy, and delete files of five different format types; bmp, gif,
ico, jpeg, and jpg. Images that are too large for the viewing area, can be
seen by using built-in scroll capabilities or forcing them into the viewing
area. It is an excellent tool for just going through your image files, or
arranging them into folders.
Home Page Site - http://207.201.233.107/ztoz/picsure/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Crescendo 32-bit 3.0 beta 4 Plug-In 7/02/97 1.00mb Free
Quite simply, it is a Plug-in for Netscape Navigator browsers that lets
you listen to background music as you browse a web site. Of course, that
depends on the site actually designing background music into its pages.
Home Page Site - http://www.liveupdate.com/crescendo.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Big2 and Friends Version 0.34 7/01/97 315kb Freeware
Play the popular card game Big2 ("Chor Di Dee") against three computer
opponents. Multiplayer version coming soon. Many bugs fixed and new title
graphics (in 3D and in Chinese) added.
Home Page Site -
http://www.loom.com.au/home/alf/programming/big2/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
BackWeb 32-bit 2.1 7/02/97 2.00mb Free
Download BackWeb today and you'll be on your way to getting personalized
information, entertainment, and software delivered automatically to your
desktop. BackWeb makes this possible by sending data to you in the
background, taking advantage of your Internet connection's idle time while
you're connected to the net. This means you no longer have to wait for long
downloads or go out and search for information. You subscribe to the
Channels you're interested in once and from then on information is
automatically delivered to your desktop.
Home Page Site - http://www.backweb.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
DTS Mail Version 2.30 build 121 7/02/97 2,360kb Shareware $30.00
A sophisticated Internet E-mail program that features a Message filter to
help you organize your mail automatically or at the click of a button, Send
and receive files as attachments to messages, Launch attachments with the
associated application, Launch your favorite web browser while viewing mail
with embedded http URL's simply by clicking on the URL, supports voice
messages and more.
Home Page Site - http://dtsoftware.simplenet.com/dtm.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
PureVoice Player-Recorder 32-bit 1.0 7/02/97 1.30mb Free
Introducing PureVoice Technology and its first Internet application: A
Player-Recorder for voice messages that you can use with your email
software. There's a Plug-in specifically for Eudora software, and a
separate application for other email products." The sound quality is about
the same as you'd expect on a standard telphone call and are very small.
PureVoice files can be up to ten times smaller than comparable .wav files.
Home Page Site - http://www.eudora.com/eudorapro/purevoice.html/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
AVI Screen Saver Version 2.50 7/01/97 104kb Freeware
If you have AVI, QuickTime, or MPEG movies, this program will allow you
to create a playlist of those movies to play as your screen saver. Features
include: Random play, Looping, Scaling, Password Protection, Power
Management, Mute, and individual movie settings. (QuickTime requires
QuickTime from Apple; MPEG requires ActiveMovie from Microsoft) All feature
requests from Version 1 have been implemented in Version 2!
Home Page Site - http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~bfcarter/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Microsoft Gif Animator 32-bit 1.0 7/02/97 1.00mb Free
Make your Web sites come alive with motion! "Microsoft GIF Animator is
the fast and easy way to create and customize animations for your Web
sites. No code is required to make your Web sites more eye-catching. And...
it's free. Better yet, GIF Animator is designed to work in tandem with
Microsoftr Image Composer to produce the animations you want. Simply drag
and drop your images from Microsoft Image Composer into Microsoft GIF
Animator and you can create an animation in minutes. Microsoft GIF Animator
creates animations based on the GIF89a file format, which stores timing
information to create the illusion of animation like a cartoon flipbook.
Home Page Site -
http://www.microsoft.com/imagecomposer/gifanimator/gifanin.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Disk Format Quick Version 1.00 7/01/97 241kb Freeware
You need a tool to quickly and correctly format a diskette? Now you get it
with DF. You simply have to right click the small symbol in the task bar,
choose "Format diskette" from the popup menu and you'll get the format
dialog. It's as easy as it looks like.
Home Page Site - http://strebersdorf.ac.at/CMSystems.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
PeopleLink 32-bit 1.06 7/02/97 .53mb Free
A new ICQ clone. "PeopleLink is a new communications service that
combines the interactivity of chat with the selectivity and privacy of
email to create the simplest, safest and most dependable way for you and
your friends and colleagues to connect and communicate online. It
eliminates the clamor of chat rooms and the delay of email by sparking
instant real-time conversation when you choose to be linked, no matter
where you are on the Internet.
Home Page Site - http://www.peoplelink.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Cache Browser For MSIE Version 1.0 7/01/97 1,270kb Shareware $20.00
Easy offline-access to all Web pages that have been cached by the MS
Internet Explorer. Contains the ability to extract entire document trees.
Organizing functions like intelligent domain sorting and deleting
documents. Helps you to keep track of important things in the browser cache
universe.
Home Page Site - http://www.stpt.net/shareware/cbrowser/
EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
Edupage
Contents
Clinton Endorses Market Rule Of The
Net
Case Dismissed Against German Who
Linked To Radikal Web Site
NBC To Offer Digital Info Along
With Shows
Virtual University Goes
International
Online Newspaper Alliance
More Jobs Involved Internet
Activities
Power Computing To Offer Wintel
Machines
Digital Watermarks Embedded In
Playmates
Nielsen Hooks Up With Lucent To
Count Eyeballs
SBC Challenges Telecommunications
Act AT&T Alliance With StetThe
Unlinking Of The Web?Sun Sticks
With UnixHP Eyes $40-Billion
Photography Market
Women Surfing At The Top Of The
Wave
Field Of Schemes
Telecommuter Ranks Expanding
Old PCs Provide "A Trail Of
Intellectual Breadcrumbs"
CLINTON ENDORSES MARKET RULE OF THE NET
The Clinton Administration has endorsed a policy study that says the
Government should refrain from creating new taxes or regulations on
Internet business, and that the private sector should be left alone to
figure out the
rules of cyberspace. The study, prepared by a task force led by Ira
Magaziner, asserts: "Commerce on the Internet could total tens of billions
of dollars by the turn of the century. For this potential to be realized
fully, governments must adopt a non-regulatory, market-oriented approach."
(Washington Post 30 Jun 97) http://www.washingtonpost.com
CASE DISMISSED AGAINST GERMAN WHO LINKED
TO RADIKAL WEB SITE
A judge in Berlin has dismissed a case against a German woman who had
linked her homepage to a Netherlands Web site for the left-wing magazine
Radikal, which the German government has outlawed because it has published
material considered seditious, including instructions for derailing trains.
Because
the judge's ruling was made on very narrow grounds, the decision will have
very little impact on the legal and political questions related to attempts
to regulate content on the Internet. (New York Times 1 Jul 97)
http://www.nytimes.com
NBC TO OFFER DIGITAL INFO ALONG WITH SHOWS
NBC is working with software developer Wink Communications on a new
technology that would enable viewers of NBC's news, entertainment and
sports programs to access further information with a click of the remote
control. Sports event watchers could call up players' statistics and
biographies, for instance, or would-be cooks could order up a recipe
featured on the "Today" show. Commercials aired on the network would come
equipped with their own technology for linking viewers to coupons or
brochures for products. The service will debut in the fall, initially to
about 800,000 viewers with specially equipped set-top boxes. By the end of
1998, the enhanced service will be available to about 4 million viewers.
(Wall Street Journal 30 Jun 97) http://www.wsj.com
VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY GOES INTERNATIONAL
The Western Governors University, a so-called "virtual" university that
plans to begin offering courses electronically next year, reports
"explosive" interest from students in foreign countries and has announced
collaborations with institutions in Great Britain, Canada and Japan.
Britain's Open University, the Open Learning Center in British Columbia,
Canada, and Japan's Suwun and Tokai Universities all are working with WGU,
and university administrators are discussing collaborative efforts with
officials in Mexico and China. "The Western Governors University is
essential to a strong international economy," says a spokeswoman for Mike
Leavitt, governor of Utah and one of the project's co-founders, "because it
provides an unprecedented access to higher education that students in
remote locations just haven't had." (Chronicle of Higher Education 3 Jul
97) http://chronicle.com
ONLINE NEWSPAPER ALLIANCE
The 125-newspaper New Century Network alliance is unveiling its NewsWorks
Web site (www.newsworks.com), which will contain features from individual
newspapers, as well as an overview of national news stories assembled from
various publications. The New Century Network includes Advance
Publications, Cox Newspapers, Gannett, Hearst Corp., Knight-Ridder, the New
York Times Co., Times-Mirror, Tribune Co. and the Washington Post Co.
(Broadcasting & Cable 23 Jun 97) http://www.broadcastingcable.com
MORE JOBS INVOLVED INTERNET ACTIVITIES
A recent study by Buck Consultants found that companies now dedicate an
average of 14 employees to Internet and Web site operations. Most of the
Internet positions surveyed had salaries of $40,000 and above, with at
least one topping $100,000. (Investor's Business Daily 1 Jul 97)
http://www.investors.com
POWER COMPUTING TO OFFER WINTEL MACHINES
Power Computing, the biggest cloner of Apple Macintosh computers, says it
plans to begin selling machines based on the Microsoft Windows/Intel
microprocessor "Wintel" standard sometime in the second half of this year.
"The way you win is by volume, and they would never get serious
profitability on the Mac side because the volume is not there," says an
industry consultant. (Wall Street Journal 1 Jul 97) http://www.wsj.com
DIGITAL WATERMARKS EMBEDDED IN PLAYMATES
In an attempt to put a stop to Net piracy, Playboy magazine is going to
begin placing invisible digital "watermarks" in the images it posts on the
Internet. The magazine will use watermark technology developed by Digimark
Corporation in Portland, Oregon. The digital watermark is a pattern of
pixels concealed in an image and coded with information about the image's
owner and any copyright restrictions placed on its use. Playboy will also
be using Digimark's Markspider, which crawls the Net looking for images
that contain its watermark. A Playboy executive says, "The worm is very
appealing. We try to see who's doing what, where and when to our stuff."
(New York Times 30 Jun 97) http://www.nytimes.com
NIELSEN HOOKS UP WITH LUCENT TO COUNT EYEBALLS
Nielsen Media Research, under fire for perceived inaccuracies in its
current television-ratings system, is working with Lucent Technologies to
develop new ways to count audiences for digital TV and the Internet. Much
of the technology will be developed at Bell Laboratories, Lucent's research
and technology arm. "It's not just doing the basic measurement task, it's
figuring out ways to do it better, faster and cheaper," says Nielsen's
president. The technology will have to accommodate digital television's
hundreds of channels, each one transmitting dozens of programs at the same
time. (Wall Street Journal 30 Jun 97) http://www.wsj.com
SBC CHALLENGES TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT
SBC Communications, one of the six regional Bell operating systems that
provide local telephone services, is suing the federal government to
overturn a portion of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which it contends
is obstructing competition in the long-distance markets by preventing the
Bell companies from competing against the long-distance carriers. The Act
prohibits the Bells from offering long-distance service until they have
opened up their own local monopolies to competition. (New York Times 3 Jul
97)
AT&T ALLIANCE WITH STET
A new alliance between AT&T and Stet, Italy's state-owned
telecommunications company, will make the two companies 50-50 partners in
a venture providing phone services to Latin, where telecom revenue is
expected to grow 70% over the next two years. (USA Today 3 Jul 97)
THE UNLINKING OF THE WEB?
Some companies are concerned about the Web's ability to link any two sites
together, regardless of whether both parties agree to it or not. The
recent lawsuits involving Ticketmaster vs. Microsoft, and six media
companies vs. TotalNEWS.com are just the beginning, say some lawyers, who
predict "link licenses" will become more commonplace in the near future.
"Links establish a connection between two businesses, and people really
want to be able to control that," says an intellectual property attorney.
"A lot of our clients get upset with pornography sites linking to them --
they don't want that kind of connection." Meanwhile, a federal court's
ruling two weeks ago, on First Amendment grounds, that a Georgia law
forbidding use by a Web site of another company's trademark or symbol
could be challenged appears to add some protection to the right to link.
"That isn't to say you can't have some extensions of existing copyright and
trademark protections to the Internet," says an ACLU lawyer, "but it's a
very different matter altogether to say that people can't reference our
site, which is what a link is." (Wall Street Journal 2 Jul 97)
SUN STICKS WITH UNIX
Sun Microsystems has reaffirmed its decision to stick with Unix, saying it
has no intention of offering Microsoft's Windows NT software. "Being an
NT reseller doesn't deliver any value to our customers," says a VP and
general manager for the Solaris group. "We think there's a need for a more
scalable, reliable alternative... Our position on NT is that we're going
to compete with it, and we're also going to interoperate with it. We have
to make sure we interoperate with Microsoft." Sun's Solaris server
software can cost up to twice as much as Windows NT, but NT critics say
the Microsoft product has trouble taking on complex tasks and heavy
traffic, two aspects essential to server activities. And while NT is
winning on volume of sales, a Unix server can accommodate many more
processors than an NT server, says an IDC analyst. (Investor's Business
Daily 3 Jul 97)
HP EYES $40-BILLION PHOTOGRAPHY MARKET
Industry observers say Hewlett-Packard's entry into the digital camera
market is a back-door approach aimed at turning its gear into the "home
digital darkroom" of the future -- promoting its printers as the
replacement for old-fashioned film developing. Next year, HP will debut a
printer that can download pictures directly from a digital camera -- no PC
needed - and future plans call for a "digital mailbox" specially designed
to zap photos and other images to your friends and loved ones via the
Internet. "It will fundamentally change the way people think about
photography," says HP CEO Lewis Platt. Kodak CEO George Fisher responds,
"I find the idea that HP is somehow going to take over photography
somewhat humorous. People know what a Kodak moment is, but an HP moment?
I don't think so." (Business Week 7 Jul 97)
WOMEN SURFING AT THE TOP OF THE WAVE
Taken by 16,500 Internet users, the "MCI Great American Net Test"
(cosponsored by the Educational Testing Service) yielded results
indicating that women are superior surfers. Of a possible 100 points, the
average score for men was 78.29 and the average score for women was 79.91.
And women 60 years of age and older scored 71.38, whereas boys 17 and
younger had an average score of only 70.64. MCI executive Vinton Cerf
says: "The actual variation in scores is rather small. What is
significant is that 60-year-old women can keep up with the younger guys."
(New York Times 3 Jul 97) http://www.nettest.mci.com
FIELD OF SCHEMES
Investment watchdogs in two Canadian provinces have joined their American
counterparts in a crackdown on a new breed of investment scams that
include Internet shopping malls. The crackdown and education campaign,
called "Project Field of Schemes," was created because the Internet
increasingly is being used as a hook for scams, mainly because it offers a
broader range of potential victims than senior citizens often targeted by
telemarketers. (Toronto Star 2 Jul 97)
TELECOMMUTER RANKS EXPANDING
A study released Wednesday by Telecommute America, a public/private
telecommuting advocacy group, says the number of U.S. telecommuters has
surged 30% in the past two years, to 11 million. That doesn't count the
people who work at home full-time but have no corporate office. Meanwhile,
one in four Fortune 1,000 companies now have employees who telecommute
either part- or full-time, according to a study released this week by
KPMG. (Tampa Tribune 3 Jul 97)
OLD PCs PROVIDE "A TRAIL OF INTELLECTUAL BREADCRUMBS"
With computers averaging only a three- to five-year life cycle before
becoming obsolete, there are plenty of old PCs cluttering up closets and
garages, but many people find it emotionally wrenching to part with their
outdated machines: "The reason you can't throw it away like an old shoe
box is precisely because you've established a prior relationship with it,"
says an anthropologist at Xerox Corp. Part of the problem is the rapid
pace of technological advancement: "My theory is that these folks are so
giddy with the pace of change that they keep this junk around as a trail
of intellectual breadcrumbs, leading them back to their computing origins,"
says futurist Paul Saffo. Meanwhile, computer critic Clifford Stoll
recycles his machines into other useful household objects -- his one-piece
Macintosh Plus is doing double duty as an aquarium, and the shell of an old
IBM PC is now used as a cat litter box. (Wall Street Journal 2 Jul 97)
Edupage is written by John Gehl (gehl@educom.edu) & Suzanne Douglas
(douglas@educom.edu).
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Kids Computing Corner
Frank Sereno, Editor
fsereno@streport.com
Capitalism Plus
DOS and Windows 95 CD-ROM
Street Price: $49.95?
For the serious strategy gamer
Interactive Magic
P.O. Box 13491
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
(919) 461-0722 (telephone)
(919) 461-0723 (fax)
www.imagicgames.com
Program Requirements
OS: Windows 95
CPU: 486DX2-66
HD Space: ?
Memory: 8 MB
Graphics: 640 x 480, 256 colors
CD-ROM: Double-speed
Audio: 8-bit sound card
Other: keyboard, mouse
Can also run in DOS with a 386DX/33
review by Jason Sereno (jason.sereno@mules-ear.com)
Interactive Magic's latest offering to the strategy-loving gamer is
Capitalism Plus, an upgrade from their very successful Capitalism. This
time the program brings splendid new graphics and a scenario builder along
with an overall sense of realism. Besides just running a business like
some simulation games, Capitalism Plus lets gamers decide what industry to
develop and to choose more than one method to earn an income. If you love
those classic Sim games, then it is time for you to take the next step with
Capitalism Plus.
Capitalism Plus displays new SVGA graphics and larger maps that contain
many detailed cities. In the cities you are able to buy property that may
be rural or urban. All factories and department stores that you build must
be in urban areas while the lumber yards and farms must be built on rural
land. The game explains the operation of the many industries in a detailed
interactive walkthrough that is available for any corporate venture.
After you have chosen a piece of land that fits your location and the price
criteria, you will need to construct your building. After you have decided
upon the type of building, you will set up units inside the building. If
you wish to start a department store, you will need a purchasing unit, a
sales unit, and probably an advertising or even a labeling unit. There are
nine departments represented in three rows of three. If you decide to use
all of your departments, you can use four for purchasing, four for sales,
and one for advertising.
The sales and purchasing units should be joined by a line between the two
boxes to ensure the items purchased are being sold and not left in the
purchasing unit. If you decide to advertise, you will need to link your
advertising department with one of the newspapers or television studios in
the city where you are selling your goods. Advertising is needed to report
new goods or low prices. It may also bring up the brand name's popularity
and consequently increase your sales. You may choose to link your
purchasing department with one of the many factories or sea ports in the
area. To turn a real profit, you could set up your own factory, then sell
your factory's goods to your own department stores.
If you choose to run a factory, you will find the manufacturer's guide
helpful. You will need to see what raw materials will be needed to make a
desired product or find a product that can be made from the cheapest
materials. Two purchasing, a manufacturing, and a sales unit will be
needed to operate a factory. You may choose to manufacture two products
from one set of raw materials. Each operating unit in your facility will
take money from your net profit because of labor costs. If you can produce
more than one product with a smaller number of laborers, you can turn a
larger profit. Call it digital downsizing!
Capitalism Plus contains over 60 products that can be manufactured and
sold. Players can use the research staff to develop new products or
upgrade the technology of existing ones. You will find that if you release
a product before any of your competitors, your sales will sky rocket
because you will have a captive market. Your brand name will become more
substantial too.
However, just when you think that everything is peachy, Capitalism Plus has
random events like strikes, diseases in livestock, droughts, earthquakes,
scandals, viruses, and tornadoes that will alter the play of the game. You
can divert these disasters by manipulating the game options. You can choose
to limit the number of competitors, change the availability of the stock
market, or toggle many other options.
I can't see why anyone would not want to use the stock market in this game,
however. I think it is the best part. In the Stock Market, you can buy
out smaller companies, play the stock market to gain money, or sell stock
to brokers. You need to watch how much stock you own in your company or
you will find that you have lost control of your business when another
player holds more stock than you. You can set dividends for your
investors, too. This is truly a terrific feature in Capitalism Plus.
Capitalism Plus also contains real-world scenarios with accurate money
markets and modeled key financial players. You can also choose to play a
type of game where you have to meet a certain goal. For instance, you
could be given a certain amount of money and then have to gain a net worth
of $500,000,000 in a ten year period. Players can choose to customize the
game with self-made maps and individual variables. This option was very
interesting to me because I was able to generate some maps resembling my
hometown and surrounding area. Players can compete against friends via e-
mail or hot-seat.
Capitalism Plus is a perfect for the player who has been looking for the
quintessential sim game. With numerous options and variables, along with
the variable difficulty settings, you will never tire from playing
Capitalism Plus. The stock market and the scenario builder are two great
features that you won't find in any other business sim. The new SVGA
graphics are a huge plus too. If you want the next generation in
simulation games, then look no further than Capitalism Plus.
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STReport International Online Magazine
Classics & Gaming Section
Editor Dana P. Jacobson
dpj@streport.com
From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
Well, it's the 4th of July already! It's hard to believe it's July
already! Cookouts, the beach, fireworks...
House-hunting update: we put a bid in for a really nice house last weekend,
but we didn't get the house. Offers from three different couples were
rejected in the "first round". The owners apparently were holding out for
their asking price. Personally speaking, it was worth it. Apparently, the
other two couples felt the same - we all counter-offered to the asking
price (we offered $100 more!). We didn't get it, however. Bummed!
Anyway, we've continued the search. We've seen some real shacks and some
nice houses. We're going back this weekend to re-look at two of the nicer
houses and hopefully make an offer for one that will be accepted. Keep
your fingers crossed for us!
Mark Showalter gives us another MIDI primer this week. Musicians should
enjoy it; I have no idea what he's talking about myself! It's an entirely
different world (but I love the results!). So, as the holiday winds down,
as does my vacation, relax and have a great 4th! Be safe if you're
indulging in fireworks and alcohol (don't do both!); and please remember
those designated drivers!
Until next time...
MIDI and Atari
by Mark Showalter
In this article, I'd like to get into midi delay, or echo. There are some
programs that have this feature i.e. Cubase, but many that do not, like
EDIT TRACK, which is what I am currently using. So, here's a way for those
of us who do not have the " push button, get delay " feature.
First, decide what kind of delay you're going for. Long, single repeats;
slap back; multiple timed delays; etc. Let's say you've got a piece going
at 60 bpm, and you want long multiple delays. In this case, I'd first get
the longest tap done first. So, we'll go here for about a beat and a half.
Copy the track you want to delay, preferably to an adjacent track so it's
easy to see what you're working on, and name it "Last Tap", or whatever
works for you. Insert about a beat and a half by whatever time insert
feature you have. In EDIT TRACK there is an insert time feature from the
drop down edit menu. For those of you with hardware sequencers, you may or
may not have this. I have a Brother PD100 sequencer which does not have any
time shift capabilities, so until I got my Atari, I had to do echoes by
hand, which literally took hours for a few measures of delay. I'm not going
to go into hardware sequencers here because this series is devoted to Atari
and midi. You can use whatever loop feature your hardware sequencer has to
help, so just write your work to whatever your sequencer calls the loop
sections. Next, use the time insert to insert a beat and a half on the
copied track. Then, listen to the track to see how it sounds. Remember,
your ear is the only way you can really get delays to work well, so be
careful to listen closely. If it works, next do another track copy for the
inner tap. Now, if the first tap track doesn't work, you have a few
options.
Most software sequencer have a time shift function that is available in
real time. On my sequencer, it's one of the functions on the track list. I
mouse click either right or left to add or subtract ticks from the track.
In general, the more active the piece is, the closer to basic beat
sub-divisions you want the taps to be. If you're going for a really loose
feel, keep the other parts simple and not very active. That way, your midi
delay will be more noticeable and not conflict with the other tracks. Now,
we'll assume you have your last tap just the way you want it. Copy the
track again, label it " Middle Tap ", then time insert a beat, push it
around like with the first until you get it working with your last tap.
Then, copy again if you want, repeat the previous steps. As you go along,
listen to see if you've got the part busy enough. Let's assume that so far,
you've got three taps, and you determine it's enough. Well, now it's time
to fine tune the delay.
Let's say that you just don't like some part, but you're not sure which.
The obvious solution is to mute a part, and see if it makes a difference.
Say, the last tap worked until you finished, now it doesn't. Before you do
anything, try one thing. Does it not work because it's off time, or is it
too loud?
There are many kinds of delays: linear volume; decreasing volume;
increasing volume; and whatever else you can come up with. In general, most
delays work best getting softer with each tap. So, drop the volume of the
last tap to about half that of the original note. I do this by altering the
midi velocity, because eventually, all these notes will be merged into the
same track, and midi volume will not work after they are merged. Also,
using midi volume will increase the CC activity and possibility lead to
midi data jams. Go back and adjust the velocity of the other taps
accordingly. Keep listening to get it as natural as possible. At this
point, it's a good idea to take frequent breaks to insure you're hearing
the part with fresh ears. Now, another problem may be that you're actually
having problems with the sound patch being used: it may simply not work
well because of the delays. So, before you decide to drop the whole idea,
try a few other patches. I've especially found that patches that randomly
pan work especially well with midi delay, just be sure that unless it's the
main part i.e. like the opening bass part on Pink Flood's "One Of These
Days", that it isn't too loud or it will quickly pull the listener away
from the rest of the music and the part will cause boredom to set in. I
have several patches that randomly pan on my JV-880 that work very well
with midi delay, and I often start out with an idea for a delay then build
a piece around it, especially for my New Age projects.
One warning though. Be sure to check your delay taps and see if you're
eating up polyphony on your module. If you have multiple modules, it would
be best, if possible, to have one devoted to the delay part, that way any
cut notes will achier as part of the delays, and won't really be as
noticeable. My JV-880 has a monitor function, so I check the screen to see
how many notes are being used. I have five modules in my rack, so I have
the equipment to spread parts around on. If you only have one module,
listen carefully to see if important parts are being cut off. Also, refer
to my previous article on midi timing problems to help with this article.
One other warning. Be careful not to get Delay happy. It's best to use this
idea sparingly, otherwise the effect will become trite. Remember to keep
the part mixed properly to achieve the desired result without it getting
heavy.
Another interesting possibility is to have the taps being played on another
track, and even another module, using a different patch. This can produce
some startlingly unusual results. My drummer did a percussion track for me
for one of my New Age projects that I ended up using this idea. I took his
percussion track, switched to another track and module, and used a vocal
patch that sounded "Do's". The effect was great and the sound randomly
panned, and with the delays all kinds of interesting chordal shapes formed.
Plus, I doubled the lowest notes on another module with a kind of talking
drum that only responded to occasional notes that fell in the range I had
set up for the module. The overall result was a very active, but extremely
loose piece that works well.
As in most cases, experimenting gives all kinds of results, both for what
is productive, and what is not. Midi delays can either completely change a
piece, or be the starting point for one. If you're just not happy with the
way a piece or a section is going, try to imagine if midi delay might help,
and what part could use it.
Gaming Section
Hercules!
BattleSphere Update!
Matsushita Says No!
Oldies!
And more!
From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is!
Gone fishin' - back next week...
Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News!
Virgin Interactive's Disney's Hercules Action Game
IRVINE, CALIF. (June 30) BUSINESS WIRE -June 30, 1997--Those who thought
the release of Walt Disney Picture's 35th animated feature film Hercules
would quench America's thirst for a true hero, will be in for a high tech
surprise this fourth of July weekend when Virgin Interactive releases its
new Disney's Hercules Action Game for the Sony PlayStation(tm) video game
system.
The new title was developed by Disney Interactive and Eurocom Developments
Ltd.
The first Disney property to be developed for the hugely popular Sony
PlayStation in the United States, Disney's Hercules Action Game allows
gamers to feel as if they are immersed in the movie. To make the game as
close to the Disney film as possible, several of the movie's characters
voiced by Danny DeVito, James Woods, Rip Torn, Matt Frewer of Max Headroom
fame and "BobCat" Goldthwaite, produced separate dialogue for their
characters' roles in the PlayStation game that taunt, tease and challenge
the player throughout the game.
This is the first time a Disney movie voicecast returned to the studio to
produce additional lines for a game based on the specific film. Featuring
more than 10,000 frames of hand-drawn game animation and actual film clips,
Disney's Hercules Action Game, will come to life for gamers at home on
their Sony PlayStation.
"With Disney's Hercules receiving such rave reviews from critics, we are
thrilled to deliver the Hercules action game to PlayStation gamers
nationwide in synchrony with the theatrical release," said Simon Jeffery,
vice president of marketing for Virgin Interactive. "Disney's Hercules
Action Game's combination of intense gameplay, terrific graphics, gigantic
animated foes and hysterical storyline will keep players entertained for
hours on end."
Following the film's storyline, gamers, as Hercules, fight animated enemies
and villains taken from the movie, including the Hydra, a monster with up
to nine huge heads that regenerate if decapitated; the Cyclops, a one-eyed
giant with a terrible temper; and other evil characters a
s they attain
Hercules' one dream -- to become a hero and live on Mt. Olympus with his
father Zeus.
The game design features a sophisticated blending of 2D and 3D object,
real-time generated 3D landscapes and 3D special effect, further absorbing
players into Hercules' plight. For unpredictable gameplay each time the
title is played, Disney's Hercules action game features a "Z" axis so
players can move the main character in and out of the background scenery,
enhancing the 3D effects of the game. The "Z" axis feature also gives
Hercules the ability to dive and jump into the scenery while dodging
obstacles.
The "Hercules" film is the studio's first animated feature to draw its
inspiration from Greek mythology. From the same filmmaking team that
created "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin," the movie takes an irreverent
and hilarious approach to the amazing adventures of the legendary
super-hero, following Hercules on his exciting and dangerous journey form
demi-god to full-fledged deity.
Sierra On-Line's "Betrayal in Antara"; VI's "Hercules"
July 1, 1997 (MULTIMEDIA WIRE, Vol. 4, No. 126) -- Sierra On-Line released
Betrayal in Antara, the follow-up to the role-playing game Betrayal at
Krondor. Players assume the roles of four main characters in a 3D
environment. Published for Windows, the game is priced at $54.95. Virgin
Interactive will roll out its Disney's Hercules Action Game for the coming
Fourth of July weekend. It will be the first Disney property to be
developed for PlayStation in the U.S., the company claims. To make the game
as close to the current Disney film as possible, several of the movie's
characters voiced by Danny DeVito, James Woods, Rip Torn, Matt Frewer of
Max Headroom fame and "BobCat" Goldthwaite, produced separate dialogue for
their characters' roles in the PlayStation game that taunts, teases and
challenges the player throughout the game. This is the first time a Disney
movie voicecast returned to the studio to produce additional lines for a
game based on the specific film.
Matsushita Gives Up Sale of 64-bit Video Game Machines
OSAKA, July 3 (Kyodo) -- Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. has effectively
given up entering the market for the latest generation of home video game
machines, the president of the electrical machine giant indicated Thursday.
President Yoichi Morishita told reporters, "The (64-bit machine) market has
matured, and it is difficult to make a fresh entry." The Osaka-based
Matsushita earlier planned to release a 64-bit game machine by the end of
this year.
"We will continue research and development," Morishita said. But there is
little likelihood of Matsushita using developed technology solely for home
video games, he said, indicating that such technology may be used in
information equipment or other multimedia devices. In 1994, Matsushita
released the first 32-bit game machine of any company in Japan, named 3DO
in Japan and supplied under a licensing agreement with 3DO Co. of the
United States. But the console failed to post strong sales because of
inadequate software titles for the machine.
Matsushita was eventually outpaced by latecomers in the 32-bit machine
market such as Sony Computer Entertainment Co. and Sega Enterprises Ltd.
In the 64-bit machine market, Nintendo led others by releasing a model in
1996. Matsushita until recently said it would go on with its original plan
to release a 64-bit machine as well. Behind the reversal of decision at
Matsushita is intense competition to secure popular software titles,
industry sources said.
SGH Hopes To Breathe New Life Into Old Games Online
Jul 2, 1997 (MULTIMEDIA WIRE, Vol. 4, No. 127) -- SGH Multimedia wants to
revive old game titles by finding new audiences for them online. SGH has
licensed 24 older Atari titles, and will also distribute content licensed
from Activision [ATVI] and Maxis [MXIS], among others, with many titles
coming from the "board game" category, VP Marketing and Business
Development Ned Davis tells MMWIRE. "We see hard-core games as a narrow
niche; card games and board games appeal to the whole family." SGH's Hive
Web site (http://www.sgh-hive.com), launched about a year ago, claims to
have as many as 130,000 regular users. SGH is moving toward the
subscription model, and has partnered with an unnamed telco for
distribution, billing and other services. The service is free now, but
subscriptions are expected to kick in by September. The monthly fee of
$5-$7 will appear on users' phone bill, Davis says. The business model is
designed to pay suppliers a royalty of 15%-30%, based on a percentage of
usage. Dean DiBiase, president and CEO of WorldPlay Entertainment, agrees
that classic-even public domain-content can find new audiences online.
"Introducing older games in a new way, and in an online mode gets people
playing and interacting much faster," he says. "These products can be
easily developed in-house, they never die and you can make a ton of money
because there are no rights payments." WorldPlay has developed board games
around such classics as Spades, Hearts, Bridge, Gin and Backgammon, to be
offered for a premium on AOL and elsewhere. "It's smart to lead a service
with games people see and know immediately; there is a certain demographic
that it appeals to," DiBiase adds. Activision CFO Brian Kelly would neither
confirm nor deny a deal with SGH, but did say that "historically where you
see franchise equity realized is taking content and updating it to current
hardware configurations." That's what Activision did with Pitfall, a title
originally released in 1982. Activision made a 16-bit version for Sega
Genesis and SNES, and now a Win95 version. "It's going to be interesting to
see how taking a game made 10 or 15 years ago stimulates demand by adding
new attributes," Kelly says. He tempers his endorsement of the strategy,
however: "I don't see any huge hidden treasures out there, but there will
be spot demand."!
Jaguar Online STR InfoFile - Online Users Growl & Purr!
Sb: BattleSphere Update
Fm: Larry Tipton 76710,2174
To: All
BattleSphere Update: 6/28/1997
Once again, it's time to go to the 'net for another round of BattleSphere
Updates! It's been a very busy month in the world of BattleSphere, and
excellent progress has been made in many fronts... from bit-banging the
metal of the Jaguar to the hustle and bustle of the Electronic
Entertainment Expo.
As you can see by the incredibly cool screenshots pictured here, Alone
Against The Empires Play Mode is shaping up nicely. The Code for displaying
the Galactic Map could be considered "finished", save for a few additional
features which we thought of after playtesting it. As you can see, the map
presents the player with an enormous amount of detail. Fans of Star Raiders
will notice the influences of that game on our thinking. We've taken some
very diverging paths with our play mode over the venerable old Star Raiders
but we think our elaboration on that theme is what that game's designers
would have done, had they had the kind of hardware which can support it.
The Artificial Intelligence required to handle this play mode has proven to
be a little more complicated than we originally thought, mostly due to the
fact that we've been adding features to the mode as we went along, and
realized other things should be taken into account (Like remembering damage
points for every ship on the map!). But the Invading AI is shaping up well,
and it's incredible to sit back and watch your wingmen take on the invading
fleets while you view the battle from a remote location using the Galactic
Map.
In another front, Tom has just returned from the Electronic Entertainment
Expo, where he diligently worked to raise awareness of 4Play / BattleSphere
/ Jaguar Games by distributing the BattleSphere E3 Promotional Video to key
figures in the industry. Way to go, Tom! The video was painstakingly
created by Mark Santora, who devoted a good portion of his free time to
producing it. 4Play would like to take a moment to thank Mark for his
efforts. (And thanks to Steph for composing the score for the video).
If everything goes well, there should be a nice demo of BattleSphere up and
running at Jagfest, later this month. Hopefully, attendance will be high,
and some good publicity for the Jaguar will be generated by this event. Of
course now that there's a show to go to, all sorts of nasty bugs are
popping up for us to terminate. This happens every time...
Until next time!
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/Thunderbird/bsphere.htm
Sb: Jaguar Joystick?
Fm: Larry Tipton 76710,2174
To: All
Date received: 7/1/97 21:2 from proxy3-ext.prodigy.net
Subject: There Could Be a New Jag Accessory on the horizon....
Stay Tuned....
How many Jag fans out there would like a high quality arcade joystick for
the Jaguar? Well, the company that I am a partner in called Dark Knight
Games, which is currently in the process of making a game for the PC, and
Jag called "Defcon 1" I have convinced to do a limited release of a Jaguar
Arcade Joystick. What I need from you guys is an e-mail with your name,
e-mail address, and whether you would be interested in a Pro model, or a
regular model. Regs should go for $50.00 pros for $69.99. I have to collect
140 names on a petition in order to make this happen. Please note this will
only be a limited release, and there will only be enough Joysticks to
supply the people that sign the petition.
Dave Bell
(ShelShock@aol.com)
JAGUAR WORLD
http://members.aol.com/ShelShock/main.html
A MEMBER OF APS
Affiliated with Dark Knight Games
Subject: Air Cars Mini Review - Msg Number: 119871From: Fred M. Horvat
104020,3022To: ALL Forum: ATARIGAMING Sec: 05-Lynx
Date: 4-Jul-97 20:17
Air Cars Mini Review
By Fred Horvat
As most of you have heard by now ICD has released a limited number of
Midnight Entertainment Group, Inc's 1995 game "Air Cars" for the Atari
Jaguar. The game comes on cartridge with a professional label on the
cartridge. Documentation is in English and about 20 pages thick. It is
printed on heavy stock glossy
paper in black and white. The manual is very complete showing a game play
screen shot, enemies, weapons, power ups, and explaining all of them. No
overlay is included, but an image of one is on the back cover. There is
no box for the game but it comes shrink wrapped in a normal Jaguar game box
insert with the cartridge label facing out acting as cover art. Well
here is a mini review of the game with about 2 hours of playing time so
far.
Story Line :
Story takes place in the future after a nuclear holocaust. Briefly a plot
has been discovered of an organization to take over the world. They have
developed advanced weapons one of them being a nuclear powered Air Car.
Your spies have stolen plans and have built an Air Car. Your mission is to
destroy the 28 known enemy bases with the Air Car.
Support for Pro Controller :
Yes, no mention is made in the manual but the top buttons make mine laying
and smoke screen use very easy in the heat of battle.
Multiplayer / Network Capable :
Yes, and great to say up to 8 players with Catboxes or 2 with Jaglinks. I
tried 2 player with the Jaglink and I'm very happy to report that it never
dropped once during 30 minutes of play. So all the network errors in Doom
are due to buggy code in Doom and not hardware related. Each player is a
different color to help identify a good guy from bad guy on the radar and
on the screen.
Game Play :
Involved is the best word to describe it. Midnight Entertainment Group
has put a great deal of thought into this game. On the surface it appears
to be a run of the mill shoot'em up type game. Granted that's what your
mission is, but from what I found out immediately was that you need to plan
your attacks carefully and that you have to concern yourself with weapon
selection, radar, immediate power ups, saved power ups, and working every
single button on the controller keypad. Your mission is to destroy all
main targets at each base (level) and leave through a teleporter to reach
the next level. There are 3 difficulty setting for the game.
Controlling your Air Car takes practice. Your Air Car speeds up and slows
down at the same rate of speed unless you have a brake power up. So
approaching enemies and buildings you need to start slowing down almost
before you see them. Otherwise you will ram them and take some damage.
Turning the craft you have two options, one of them is normal turning
which is slow and can take a large radius at speed or banked turning which
turns your craft at roughly 45 degree angle for sharp turning abilities.
You toggle between them with the "Option" key on the controller. I found
in my limited playing time with the game the normal setting worked for me
best. It was just easier to see objects upright when trying to fight and
shoot them. With practice I may get the hang of the banked setting. When
engaging enemies you have 2 weapons active at a time. You are defaulted a
Shotgun and Auto Cannon. These are not the most powerful available but do
enough damage with well placed shots to live with. If you have other
weapons available you can toggle them by either pressing the "1" or "3"
buttons to place them on the left or right side of your craft. To fire
weapons press "A" for the right and "B" for the left. To get more
powerful weapons you must destroy enemies and their weapons become
available to you, but you have to get them in under 5 seconds after
destroying an enemy or they are gone. Weapons range from the weaker
shotgun to the destructive tank cannon. Mines and smoke grenades are
available to help screen yourself and slow down or destroy enemies chasing
you. Enemies can be stationary gun placements, slow and big tanks, to
small and fast vehicles. After certain levels there are Bosses to contend
with. I've not progressed far enough in 2 hours to meat one yet. The
device you rely on the most is your radar. Simply put without it your
lost. It gives you tremendous amount of information. Every enemy,
building, power up, or another player is a different color and some of
them flash on the radar meaning something different. In the manual each
color is explained. When an enemy toasts you the view changes into a 360
degree rotating camera view from overheard. This gives you a look of the
surrounding terrain and who blasted you.
Graphics :
From first glance sub par for a 64 bit system. Nothing is overly detailed
pretty much looks like a 8 or 16 bit graphics. Objects appear very plain
looking or somewhat blocky. But not to make excuses for Midnight
Entertainment Group, but this game takes place in the future after a
nuclear holocaust. So how pretty would the landscape be then? The
graphical atmosphere presented is pretty gloomy. You don't get to see to
far in the distance, is it from fog or fall out? I don't know, but that's
why your radar is so important.
Sound :
Thunderous explains it best! I played it through headphones on my Catbox
and explosions are awesome. This is the best sounding Jag game. If
hooked up to the stereo your house will really rock on the foundation. But
the best part is that you have true 3D sound. For those unfamiliar with
this new buzzword it means that you have true 360 degree sound. You know
exactly where enemies are via sound alone. With my headphones I could tell
if I was getting shot from behind, left, or my right. It really adds to
the playability of the game. There is no music during game play, just
intro music.
Overall :
I'm quite pleased with the game. It's a very involved game. Don't
let the graphics fool you. It may be simple looking but this is not a
simple game. You won't blow through this one quickly. Add to the fact
that you and up to 7 others (if you can find them) can play one hell of a
seek and destroy mission. Each player can take a certain area of the base
and destroy it. Only problem I saw when attacking a base together is that
you can easily mistake your partner as the enemy and toast em.
ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
On CompuServe
Compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@streport.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Well, another week has come and gone
and it's time to take a look at what's going on here on CompuServe.
Unfortunately, there isn't too much this week. I hope that it's only
because the days are warm and long now, and not because everyone's loosing
interest. I know, I know, it's bound to happen eventually, but I sincerely
hope that it happens later rather than sooner. I've made so many friends in
the Atari world, that it feels like home to me now, and I've seen some of
the areas devoted to that 'Where Do You Want To Go Today' operating
system... Without singling anyone out (mostly because they are too numerous
to mention), the userbase over there is pretty much like the OS itself...
large portions are simply wasted space. Of course there are brilliant parts
and people, but I've come to know the twists and turns of both our
operating system and our userbase so well that it's all second nature to me
now.
I'd also like to say thanks to the people who wrote in, commenting on
last week's column... Even the ones who disagreed with me. My point was,
is, and ever shall be, not to make you believe as I do, but to get you to
think about things instead to taking them a face value. I guess I
accomplished my mission last week! <grin>
You might remember that last week I mentioned that I'd talk a little
bit about Roswell New Mexico this week. I had hoped that someone would
send me a bit of email with some 'never-before-released-facts', or at
least opinions, but it didn't happen. So I'll just give the facts and my
own little twist, then get to the CompuServe stuff.
For those of you who don't know, Roswell, NM is supposed to be the
place where, fifty years ago, a UFO crashed and the government grabbed it
for study. There are lots of activities planned for this week in Roswell,
but I haven't heard if the aliens have R.S.V.P.d yet. <grin>
Okay, according to the nation-wide scuttle-butt, in either late June
or early July of 1947, an object crashed on a sheep ranch outside of
Roswell and was discovered by a ranch hand. The material strewn across the
ground was said to be a thin, tough metal that could not be torn or burned.
The ranch hand reported the debris to the proper authorities who reported
it to the near-by Air Force base (the only base in the world at the time
with nuclear weapons) which dispatched men to scour the land for the other-
worldly bootie. They also reportedly removed pieces of the debris from
where the ranch hand had placed it for safe keeping. The base public
relations officer was told to put out a press release saying that a 'flying
disk' had been found (the term 'flying saucer' had not been coined yet).
The following day, the statement was retracted and a new release said that
the debris was from a weather balloon. Years later, they said that it was a
secret listening device for checking on Soviet nuclear missile tests.
The story would have ended there but for an interview with the public
relations office in the late 1970's. He made reference to the fact that
the metal that he saw was like mylar, but did not melt when exposed to
flame. From there, it became news again. And, with either the wisdom or
imagination provided by time, more stories were heard about this incident.
Everything from dead and dying aliens to a second craft (but no grassy
knoll) to the shadowy 'men in black' became part of the Roswell story.
My entire reason for mentioning this is that one of the new parts of
'Roswell-lore' is that the parts of the craft that was supposed to have
been recovered were given to selected american companies for the purpose
of reverse-engineering the technology. This is where many of out current
wonders of science were supposed to have come from. Computer chips, lasers,
and stealth technology were supposed to have been just some of the things
gleaned from the alien craft. Hmmm... can you imagine someone dressed all
in black entering the offices of Intel and offering an alien computer chip
to the CEO. Or maybe it was Motorola... yeah, that makes more sense.
Motorola always had a cleaner, more logically designed chip than Intel.
The thing that bothers me most (aside from the fact that there is
absolutely no evidence to support any of it) is that the things that are
supposedly based on alien technology are things that we were already
theoretically close to at the time. In my opinion, a high-tech fuel source
or miracle medicine would have gone a lot farther in 'proving' the Roswell
incident really happened.
Does this mean that I think that earth is the only place in the
universe where life evolved? No. In our own galaxy alone, there are
several hundred billon stars. According to "the Drake Equation" there
should be somewhere on the order of ten thousand technologically advanced
civilizations out there. The problem with the Drake equation is that many
of the variables are unknown. But even if the number of satisfactory stars
with satisfactory planets with satisfactory atmospheres with satisfactory
raw materials is a fraction of a fraction of a percent, there should still
be many other civilizations out there. Perhaps they are, as we are, doing
more listening with their radio telescopes than talking. Or perhaps they
don't want to talk. At any rate, there's a lot more information about
Roswell available on the internet. Check it out.
Okay, let's get to the info available on CompuServe.
From the Atari Computing Forum
Lee at Lexicor Software posts:
"...Lexicor's spin-off company Radiance Software now has a complete
cross-platform 3d Graphic software for UNIX (fujitsu, Sun, HP,
Intergraph, IBM Risc and PC) all will accept Chronos and other
Lexicor application files. Radiance also offers the only VRML
native-fileformat Authoring software for 100% compatabil VRML
internet pages and sites.
All the software mentioned here can be found on the Radiance
Internet site at: www.radiance.com
Any Lexicor application owner can get a direct upgrade to the full
Radiance software line for just a vewe dollars, just mention that
you want the Lexicor UPGRADE.
Lexicor still supports all it's software as well as the entry
applications to the PC & UNIX from Lexicor modeling and animation
software. If Atari owners net work their Atari computers, they can
use both Lexicors original programs right along side of the
Radiance PC and SGI/SUN HP High-end applications, yes you can build
using Cybersculpt and animate them in Ez3D, Softimage etc. Lexicor
was working on this technology way back in the days of the Glendail
shows as many Atari show visitors saw. Now you can in a fashion
upgrade your atari sustem with almost any other Platform and get
the benifits of both.
Try it...you will like it!"
On the subject of floppy drives that won't recognize a disk change and a
program to fix the problem, Sysop Bob Retelle posts:
"I had an external SF-314 drive that for some reason decided not
to recognize disk swaps, and it was a royal pain having to force it
manually to recognize the new disk. Wish I'd had a program like
this one way back then..!"
Dana Jacobson tells Bob:
"Actually, FMC has been around for quite some time if I remember
correctly. I'm surprised it wasn't already here. The program
works great; I used to need it a few years ago myself! <grin>"
Our friend Simon Churchill tells Bob:
"The disk swap problem is mainly caused by the fact a pull up
resistor was put in and it was meant to indicate to the ST a disk
swap, it wasn't up to it so with two drives attached there are two
resistors and twice the problems. As the first resistor was not
quite right over a long life, imagine what two resistors ended up
doing?? A possible cure for a two drive system is to remove one
of these resistors, either that or install that extra util. (Which
sometimes didn't work because of the hardware fault built in.)"
From the Atari Gaming Forum
Thomas Baxter belatedly posts:
"PLEASE ATARI! Do not desert us! I have been using your systems for
13 years and Do not want you to give up on the game market
Some of us still love your games-I have 5 of your systems!!!"
Dana Jacobson, always willing to deliver bad news <grin>, tells Thomas:
"You're a couple of years too late - they already did it. They're
gone."
The Big Kahuna himself, Head Sysop Ron Luks, tells Thomas:
" You are too late. Atari has already given up on the game
market. The company is out of business in case you have not
heard."
Thomas tells Ron:
"Yeah-I knew that but I thought there were still 1 or 2 folk
left...I guess not.
It's kinda sad!"
Former Atari Good Guy Don Thomas tells Thomas:
"There's really only one person left at JTS actively working on
"Atari" matters. He focuses on licenses of old titles, but he also
engages in old shipping matters from time to time too. John Skruch
is a fine individual, but I don't think he has aspirartions to
single-handedly revitalize Atari as a household-product business.
<sigh>"
Larry Tipton posts this...
"BattleSphere Update: 6/28/1997
Once again, it's time to go to the 'net for another round of
BattleSphere Updates! It's been a very busy month in the world of
BattleSphere, and excellent progress has been made in many
fronts... from bit-banging the metal of the Jaguar to the hustle
and bustle of the Electronic Entertainment Expo.
As you can see by the incredibly cool screenshots pictured here,
Alone Against The Empires Play Mode is shaping up nicely. The Code
for displaying the Galactic Map could be considered "finished",
save for a few additional features which we thought of after
playtesting it. As you can see, the map presents the player with an
enormous amount of detail. Fans of Star Raiders will notice the
influences of that game on our thinking. We've taken some very
divurging paths with our play mode over the venerable old Star
Raiders but we think our elaboration on that theme is what that
game's designers would have done, had they had the kind of hardware
which can support it.
The Artificial Intelligence required to handle this play mode has
proven to be a little more complicated than we originally thought,
mostly due to the fact that we've been adding features to the mode
as we went along, and realized other things should be taken into
account (Like remembering damage points for every ship on the
map!). But the Invading AI is shaping up well, and it's incredible
to sit back and watch your wingmen take on the invading fleets
while you view the battle from a remote location using the Galactic
Map.
In another front, Tom has just returned from the Electronic
Entertainment Expo, where he dilligently worked to raise awareness
of 4Play / BattleSphere / Jaguar Games by distributing the
BattleSphere E3 Promotional Video to key figures in the industry.
Way to go, Tom! The video was painstakingly created by Mark
Santora, who devoted a good portion of his free time to producing
it. 4Play would like to take a moment to thank Mark for his
efforts. (And thanks to Steph for composing the score for the
video).
If everything goes well, there should be a nice demo of
BattleSphere up and running at Jagfest, later this month.
Hopefully, attendance will be high, and some good publicity for the
Jaguar will be generated by this event. Of course now that there's
a show to go to, all sorts of nasty bugs are popping up for us to
terminate. This happens every time...
Until next time!
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/Thunderbird/bsphere.htm"
Dave "Snap347" tells Larry:
"Thanks for posting this... I hope they'll show up at MIST Atari
show in Indianapolis the week after. I'm not sure if I'll make it
to the Jag fest."
Tom Harker from ICD and Four-Play tells Dave:
"We will be at both shows with BattleSphere networks. Stephanie
is only going to the Jagfest though and she is worth meeting."
Randy Baer asks:
"Exactly when and where in Indy is Jagfest? I plan on showing up,
but I need details!"
Tom tells Randy:
"The JagFest is in the Chicago suburbs not Indy. It is at the
Ramada Inn at 6600 Mannheim Road, Rosemont, IL. 2 Miles North of
O'Hare Airport. The show is the weekend before M.I.S.T.
This came from the "official JagFest page" at
http://www.geocities.com/broadway/4062/"
Well folks, that's about it for this time. Tune in again next week to
see if any aliens decided to attend the celebration in Roswell. If they do,
you'll see lots of info about it right here! <grin> 'Till then, remember
to always listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
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