InfoWorld articles from February 1999, page 5

InfoWorld archives from February 1999

Compaq, IBM make major moves on high-end servers.(Compaq's AlphaServer DS20 )(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Trying to soften skepticism about its commitment to the core technologies acquired from Digital, Compaq this week will introduce a speedy 64-bit server fueled by the Alpha chip, and the company is rebranding Digital Unix to reflect its own...

File compression package circumvents firewalls.(ISV Remote Communications' HyperSpace Data Compression software)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... ISV Remote Communications Inc. (RCI) has developed an application that speeds the transfer of HTML files, but with the unintended consequence of possibly enabling damaging code to pass through firewalls. RCI's HyperSpace Data Compression...

Big Blue lines up queuing.(IBM's MQSeries 5.1 messaging software)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Version 5.1 of MQSeries adds publish-and-subscribe IBM last week rolled out an updated version of its MQSeries messaging software that boasts integrated publish-and-subscribe messaging, ease-of-use features, and performance improvements....

IBM adds to AS/400 server line, enhances OS functions.(IBM's AS/400e 170 servers)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... IBM this month will unveil "bookend" servers to its AS/400e Model 170 line, a new version of the OS/400 platform with a built-in set of clustering APIs, and another series of customizable servers that consolidates the overall line into fewer...

HP, Dell, and Compaq herald Linux hardware, service plans.(HP NetServer LPr to support Red Hat Linux OS )(Company Business and Marketing)
February 1, 1999... Linux continues to gather endorsements from major companies, with Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Compaq confirming plans to offer products and services for the open-source OS. HP last week detailed an agreement under which resellers of the...

Data marts get translator.(Uniscape introduces NetDialect multilingual data analysis tool)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... As part of an initiative to break down the language barriers that complicate international business operations, Uniscape this month will deliver the first of a series of multilingual data analysis tools that will allow business managers to...

Judge grants Microsoft more time.(products must comply with Sun's Java language)(Company Business and Marketing)
February 1, 1999... Microsoft has won extra time from a federal judge to bring "thousands" of products into compliance with Sun Microsystems' Java programming language. Last week's decision by U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte, who is presiding over Sun's...

Financials: Compaq posts strong fourth-quarter figures.(Company Financial Information)
February 1, 1999... Compaq Computer last week announced that for the first time since its 1998 takeover of Digital Equipment, it had year-on-year increases in both net income and revenues for its fourth fiscal quarter, which ended Dec. 31. Following several...

Partnerships: Cisco and USI team on enterprise I-commerce.(Company Business and Marketing)
February 1, 1999... Cisco Systems this week will announce that it is teaming up with USinternetworking (USI) to help create Internet-commerce systems for enterprises. Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) will help enterprises to implement...

Financials: SCO kicks up revenues.(Santa Cruz Operation reports 11 percent revenue increase)(Credit Ratings)
February 1, 1999... SCO announced last week that the company's revenues increased 11 percent year-to-year, to $52.7 million for its first fiscal quarter ended Dec. 31, 1998. Doug Michels, president and CEO of SCO, credited the results to robust sales of...

Restructuring: Inprise divides company into two.(Company Operations)
February 1, 1999... Enterprise software and tools vendor Inprise (formerly Borland) last week announced plans to restructure itself into two separate operating divisions, called Inprise and Borland.com. The move will involve reducing by 20 percent its global...

Hardware is catching up, thanks to software delays.(Technology Information)
February 1, 1999... Feature bloating, delays give hardware an edge A friend of mine who is a huge hardware jock always claims, "Anything you can do in software, I can do cheaper and faster in hardware." Of course, he is always stumped when I ask him to make...

Intel tones down chip ID plan.(Company Business and Marketing)
February 1, 1999... Facing a boycott by privacy groups and the threat of legal action by Arizona state legislators, Intel has announced that it will ship its Pentium III microprocessors with the identification code in the "off" position and offer software that...

Third degree for Microsoft executives.(antitrust case)(Company Business and Marketing)
February 1, 1999... Maritz, Allchin testify in antitrust trial; Microsoft must hand over documents Microsoft's insistence that Intel pull an Internet multimedia software product off the market in 1995, and later give up on Java as a cross-platform...

ORBs pave the development way.(object request brokers)(Technology Information)
February 1, 1999... The arrival of an updated CORBA component specification in March, and the delivery of some new object request brokers (ORBs) will coincide to offer developers an easier time combining objects to build distributed applications. The goal...

Sun dreams of Jini's future.(Company Business and Marketing)
February 1, 1999... Sun officially unveiled its Jini technology last week against a background of support from hardware and software makers in all corners of the technology industry. Sun CEO Ed Zander claimed that Jini will usher in the "post-PC era of plug...

Street Prices.(Industry Trend or Event)
February 1, 1999... Ink-jet printers for the week of Feb. 1 Change from Printer dpi ppm(1) Low...

Safetynet.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Safetynet has released a version of its year-2000 hardware compatibility tool, Yes2K, for the Windows NT platform. Through a native NT device and service, Yes2K NT bypasses Windows NT's Hardware Abstraction Layer to more accurately evaluate a...

Hewlett-Packard.(HP OmniBook XE notebooks)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Hewlett-Packard will announce this week that the company is adding a low-cost series of notebook computers to its product line. Called the OmniBook XE series, the systems will be priced starting at $1,500 with an Intel Mobile Celeron...

Compaq's NT clustering bucks Unix market.(Compaq ProLiant Cluster HA/F500 )(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Compaq added some muscle to its Windows NT-based clustering offerings, unveiling last week a two-node cluster solution that could potentially bump up against a host of Unix-based systems that are currently deployed in many corporations. ...

Use Windows' handy Quick View to look at many types of files.(Product Support)
February 1, 1999... Windows 95 introduced a convenient file viewer named Quick View, but this utility is not well known to many users. If you install Windows 98 from its CD-ROM and select Typical Install, Quick View isn't even loaded onto your hard disk. ...

Management agents get smarter.(Technology Information)
February 1, 1999... The role of agents -- independent programs designed to monitor systems and gather information -- is evolving. Agent technology is now moving beyond system monitoring and measuring to take on pre-emptive network management tasks. Computer...

AT&T hails bandwidth plan.(Company Business and Marketing)
February 1, 1999... AT&T this summer plans to make available its version of converged network services, which the company is calling Integrated Network Connection (INC). The company also will boost intranet and extranet performance with a new offering this...

Novell.(ships Novell SQL Integrator)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Novell last week released Novell SQL Integrator, directory-enabled software that provides transparent access to data, regardless of location or platform. Novell SQL Integrator works in conjunction with NetWare and Novell Directory Services....

Sequent Computer Systems.(Company Business and Marketing)(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... Sequent Computer Systems announced it will incorporate SCO UnixWare source and binary compatibility into Sequent's Dynix/Ptx Unix variant, and change the name of the OS to UnixWare ptx Edition later this year. UnixWare ptx will be compatible...

Cisco adds to its wares for voice and data convergence.(Cisco Systems Catalyst 6000 and 6500 network switches)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Cisco Systems' strategy to bring together voice and data on LANs and WANs advanced last week with the introduction of a multimedia-capable LAN switch line and voice-enabling enhancements to its Catalyst 5000 series switches. The two...

Regulatory Roundup.(Federal Communication Commission determines competition in local telephone market)(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... A telecommunications newsbyte from the United States (Washington) The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that the Federal Communications Commission has the authority to determine what constitutes competition in the local telephone markets...

MCI targets NT sites.(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... VPN plan uses Microsoft protocols MCI WorldCom announced last week at ComNet in Washington its SafeReach NT virtual private network (VPN) service, as well as the expansion of its Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) offerings. SafeReach NT...

Making the most of knowledge assets.(Michael Zisman, executive vice president for strategy at Lotus Development)(Company Operations)
February 1, 1999... Michael Zisman talks about IBM's knowledge management strategy Michael Zisman, executive vice president for strategy at Lotus Development, was recently put in charge of IBM's overarching knowledge management efforts. In an interview with...

GTE and Cisco Systems.(jointly offer IP Fax and Internet Call Waiting services over GTE's Global Network Infrastructure)(Company Business and Marketing)(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... GTE and Cisco Systems last week announced a set of jointly developed IP services that will be delivered over GTE's Global Network Infrastructure. GTE IP Fax offers increased reliability of fax transmissions and features broadcast faxing,...

Motive Communications.(enhances the Motive Duet technical support software)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Motive Communications this week is upgrading its Web-enabled technical support application, Motive Duet, and adding ActiveLink, a feature used to import advice and solutions from vendors and experts. New to Duet is a Self-Service Engine that...

Quintus.(the eContact call-center software for managing all customer communications)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Quintus will announce this week its eContact solution, a call-center suite that routes and manages activity and information across all forms of customer communication, including e-mail messages and phone calls. Using eContact,...

Commerce sites get help with customer service software.(Inference's k-Commerce Support 4.0 electronic commerce software with a customer-support component)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... With the release of its new product line, Inference is using its experience in knowledge management to help Internet-commerce sites deliver better customer service online and offline. Inference's k-Commerce Support 4.0, announced last...

The Web Hotlist.(the services offered at three different web sites)(Company Business and Marketing)(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... Web sites worth checking out NetMechanic - www.netmechanic.com Internet development company Monte Sano Software offers NetMechanic, a service that allows visitors to perform functions such as checking for broken Web links, monitoring...

Online service woes dog vendor sites and hinder Internet sales.(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)(Column)
February 1, 1999... Customer service is a touchy issue -- when it's good, customers take it for granted; when it's bad, they take it personally. That's why I wasn't surprised to hear from so many of you after my last column on the topic. (See "Online...

Online shopping satisfaction up, Visa reports.(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)
February 1, 1999... A January survey of online shopping satisfaction conducted by Visa USA and NFO Research reported that 98 percent of consumers who shopped online during the holiday season were pleased with the experience. The survey also reported that 90...

Gaining trust from online consumers.(a survey on what online customers expect from a commerce site)(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... A Cheskin Research and Studio Archetype/Sapient qualitative study found that a strong brand name and an easily navigable site were essential starting points in gaining the trust of an online consumer. Further, consumers expected a...

Site profile: www.autobytel.com.(Company Business and Marketing)(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... Company: Autobytel.com Inc., Irvine, Calif. Business: Buying service for new and pre-owned vehicles Revenues: $16.5 million for the first nine months of 1998 (according to the company's SEC filings) Traffic: More than 100,000...

Review: Netscape ripe for Web.(Netscape's Enterprise Server 3.6 web server software)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1999... Enterprise Server improves performance and reliability Reliable, scalable, and manageable Web server software is the backbone of any successful intranet, Internet, or extranet operation. Netscape's Enterprise Server 3.6 nicely meets the...

Review: FormFlow 99 creates secure `e-forms' for Web.(JetForm's web-based forms-design software)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1999... Flexible forms can use custom objects JetForm has always offered tools to ease the designing and routing of electronic forms. FormFlow 99 is the first JetForm offering specifically for the Web. The release of FormFlow 99 marks the...

Review: Net-It makes self-serve publishing possible.(Allegis' Net-It Central 3.0 document management software creates low-maintenance web sites automatically)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1999... For overloaded intranet and extranet Webmasters, nirvana might consist of a Web infrastructure that requires hardly any maintenance -- in which end-users contribute content by simply uploading documents in their native desktop format. ...

FORUM TALK.(News Briefs)
February 1, 1999... Is registerware an anti-piracy necessity? These edited excerpts from InfoWorld Electric's forums provide a sample of the lively debate that takes place there. For the full discussions, go to www.infoworld.com and click on the forums...

Businesspeople learn IT rules, others grapple with how to pronounce `Linux'.(Industry Trend or Event)(Editorial)
February 1, 1999... Two weeks ago, I wrote that if the business-IT relationship is a two-sided equation, it is as important for businesspeople to acquire technology skills as it is for IT professionals to develop their business skills. I made a few suggestions...

STC Extends to Vantive.(Software Technologies will support Vantive's front-office software via a DataGateWay)(Company Business and Marketing)(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... Software Technologies Corp. (STC) is adding Vantive's front-office software suite to the list of enterprise applications with which it can interconnect. STC announced in late January that it is beginning to build one of its DataGateWays --...

Oracle, IBM target mid-ERP market.(will offer services combining Oracle Applications with IBM's Netfinity and RS/6000 servers)(Company Business and Marketing)(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... Oracle and IBM are teaming up to offer faster ERP deployment for midsize companies. The package will include Oracle Applications in manufacturing and finance for both process and discrete manufacturers on IBM's Netfinity and RS/6000 servers,...

J.D. Edwards releases OneWorld.(version B7.3.3 of the financial analysis/business management software)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Supply-chain planning, sales configuration, human resources, and customer service are some of the areas into which enterprise resource planning software vendor J.D. Edwards has expanded with the latest release of its OneWorld client/server...

Sales gains portal.(Firstwave Technologies' Netgain sales force automation software adds the Internet Business Center portal)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Firstwave Technologies, in Atlanta, is adding an Internet portal of business information to its Web-based sales force automation suite, Netgain. The Internet Business Center will offer users handy links such as Harris InfoOnline, a searchable...

Integration still a team effort.(Concept Five Technologies helps Amoco with its enterprise application integration efforts)(Company Operations)
February 1, 1999... New brand of application linking tool requires outside help, coding As a buzzword, enterprise application integration (EAI) rivals previous industry acronyms in rate of adoption, lofty single-product claims, and vagueness. However, the...

Remedy upgrades help desk application with Web front end.(version 4 of the Action Request System help desk software)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... The best-informed help desk is no good if users can't get to it. That is why vendors of help desk software are touting greateraccessibility via the Web, better user interfaces, and integration with customer service applications. In late...

Netflix builds business by pushing ERP envelope.(web-based DVD rental firm uses Oracle Financials and Oracle8 to process orders)(Company Operations)
February 1, 1999... In many companies, IT is quickly changing from a cost center and support department to a strategic corporate weapon. At Netflix, a rapidly growing Scotts Valley, Calif.-based start-up, however, there was no need for that change. The company,...

E-mail woes caused by IP address changes require investigation into Reverse DNS.(Questions and Answers)(Column)
February 1, 1999... Question: I have a mature Windows NT Server 4.0 network consisting of 30 clients, which are mostly Windows 98 and a few Windows 95. I have used the mail server program SL Mail for more than a year with no problems. I recently needed to expand...

Beware of the obvious: Ubiquitous SNMP provides a back door to your network secrets.(security weaknesses of the Simple Network Management Protocol)(Technology Information)
February 1, 1999... SNMP has been the staple of distributed network management for more than a decade now. But in its most prevalent form, Version 1 of SNMP provides little in the way of security. In fact, the only thing needed to open up an otherwise secure...

State Snapshot: Massachusetts.(IT job opportunities in the state)(Industry Trend or Event)
February 1, 1999... As economy becomes more diverse, so do job options for IT workers Massachusetts continues to ride a wave of economic growth that started in the early 1990s, and IT professionals are enjoying a robust job market that shows no sign of...

Candid conversations.(Industry Trend or Event)(Abstract)
February 1, 1999... When done right, reference checks are an invaluable hiring aid Mandy Benson, a senior human resources consultant at Burr, Pilger & Mayer, an accounting firm and consultancy in San Francisco, laid out three resumes on her desk. She...

Managers turn away from retention bonuses for Y2K.(Industry Trend or Event)(Abstract)
February 1, 1999... As the deadline for completing year-2000 projects nears, year-2000 specialists continue to rake in rewards from companies that want to make sure specialists stay happy until the projects end. But many companies are moving away from using...

Building trust is a good way to foster cooperation between IS and others.(Industry Trend or Event)
February 1, 1999... MANAGEMENT SPEAK: Our division initiatives will be successful only if we act together across the company, managing cross-organizational dependencies and maximizing the synergy based on the company's broad assets. TRANSLATION: We need to...

Windows controls the corporate desktop, but there is some hope for an alternative.(News Briefs)(Column)
February 1, 1999... I believe Mark Twain said, "Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it." Sometimes I feel that talking about operating systems is about the same. Just two short years ago it seemed like all was said and done in the...

Do vendors' price quotes mean less on the Web than on the printed page?(Pricescan and Buy.com pricing policies)(Company Business and Marketing)(Abstract)
February 1, 1999... It always helps to have a vendor's promises in black and white. But do a vendor's promises mean any less because it appears on a Web page rather than a printed page? That might be a question we will need to ponder more than once before...

Rose is on top of the world about TCI's digital cable; Bobby's not so sure.(Company Business and Marketing)
February 1, 1999... At Rose's suggestion, last week I had TCI install its digital cable service in my home. She's more of a television addict than me (I'd rather be reading a good book) and is also far more excited by new technologies. If you ask me, that's...

Saving face: Microsoft can reverse its fortunes with the DOJ and everybody wins.(Company Business and Marketing)(Abstract)
February 1, 1999... They say you find friends in the most unlikely places. Regular readers of Down to the Wire will tell you that, when it comes to Microsoft, this column is one of the most unlikely places. As Microsoft has been besieged with lawsuits from...

The Internet needs to get its act together -- IOPS is helping but has more to do.(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)
February 1, 1999... People don't ask anymore if I invented Ethernet. Sometimes they ask if I'm that handsome devil of an NFL coach, Bill Parcells. More often they ask, snickering, whether the Internet has collapsed yet. Very funny. Yes, I worried in 1995...

Demo '99: Low-cost infrared device to debut.(Infra-Com Ltd's Red Beamer)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... A small hardware vendor called Infra-Com plans to use next week's Demo '99 conference, in Indian Wells, Calif., as a launchpad for its innovative infrared communication solution. Developed initially for WebTV, Infra-Com's Red Beamer...

Inprise C++ Builder powers up objects.(Inprise C++ Builder Enterprise Edition 4.0)(Abstract)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1999... When one thinks of the C++ language the words "power" and "performance" usually come to mind. The beta version of Inprise's C++ Builder 4 Enterprise maintains all the C++ power and performance you expect while adding useful enhancements that...

IBM VisualAge for C++ boosts tools, speeds compiler.(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... C++ developers are always seeking ways to enjoy the power and performance of the language; yet they also strive to complete their projects in a more timely manner. IBM's VisualAge for C++ Professional 4.0 provides the tools necessary to...

Seagate makes sense of network events.(NerveCenter 3.5)(Abstract)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1999... Network management will always be a necessary evil in the modern enterprise. The more you add to your network, the more you will rely on network management tools to help you keep a finger on the pulse of your mission-critical systems....

Novell fortifies management in NDS for NT.(NDS for NT 2.0 from Novell Inc)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1999... Novell's release of NDS for NT 2.0 remains one of the best tools for reining in mixed NetWare 4.x and Windows NT networks and performing NT domain consolidation. By redirecting the Windows NT domains to Novell Directory Services (NDS) instead...

Netoria's ScheMax raises the value of NDS.(Evaluation)
February 1, 1999... The slogan "one size fits all" does not apply particularly well in the computing world. As powerful as it may be out of the box, Novell Directory Services (NDS) cannot realize its maximum benefit without some customization to the schema --...

Desktop deals - Low-cost desktops.(desktops for $1,800 and under: Compaq's Prosignia Desktop 330, Gateway's E-3200, Hewlett-Packard's Vectra VE8, Micro Express's MicroFlex 350-Plus, Polywell Poly 500AG5/350 desktop computers)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1999... Cooking up PC bargains Our tests reveal you can find bargains for low-cost desktops when price counts but the processor doesn't COMPARED Compaq Prosignia Desktop 330 Compaq Computer Corp. Gateway E-3200 Gateway...