InfoWorld articles from June 1993

InfoWorld archives from June 1993

NT's lofty goals force Microsoft to reach out; 'cradle-to-grave' approach needed. (Microsoft Corp.'s Windows NT operating system strategy) (Special Report)
June 28, 1993... When Microsoft Corp.'s long-awaited Windows NT finally arrives later this summer, it will herald the dawn of a new era for the king of shrink-wrapped software and for the PC software industry itself. Getting the world to adopt this brave new...

Visual Basic to star as common macro language; promises tight, easy Windows application integration. (Microsoft Corp. chooses its own Visual Basic development package as its common macro language) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Microsoft Corp.'s surprise choice for its long-awaited common macro language is none other than its own Visual Basic development package. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates will unveil Visual Basic, Applications Edition in New York this week at...

General Magic's PDA interface comes to life with realistic objects. (General Magic Inc.'s Magic Cap interface for hand-held computers)(personal digital assistants) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... General Magic Inc.'s Magic Cap interface takes operations off the desktop and brings them into the Hallway and down Main Street, according to a demonstration the company recently gave on a British Broadcasting Corp. television program. A...

Apple may back away from an open PowerPC architecture.
June 28, 1993... As software developers decide how to support the coming PowerPC Macintoshes, Apple Computer Inc. appears to be retreating from an earlier decision to make the PowerPC an open architecture. When the first Apple PowerPCs ship in early 1994,...

Quattro Pro/Win reaches maturity: combines power and intuitive use. (Borland International Inc.'s Quattro Pro for Windows spreadsheet package) (Software Review) (First Look) (Evaluation)
June 28, 1993... Borland International Inc.'s Quattro Pro for Windows skipped a few version numbers on its way to maturity, but mature it is as it approaches the ripe old age of 1 year. It's difficult to know where to begin with a product that now occupies...

Management architecture to ease data collection on PCs; DMI to track all aspects of LANs. (the Desktop Management Task Force's Desktop Management Interface specifications)
June 28, 1993... Early next year, the least managed devices on a network -- PCs and workstations -- will no longer be unknown entities to network managers. Next month, beta testing begins on a new management architecture that for the first time promises to...

Vendors support cross-platform object spec. (a neutral language standard for creating and distributing applications across multiple platforms will be used in products from third-party vendors debuting in the summer of 1993) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... Third-party developers supporting a neutral language standard for creating and distributing applications across multiple platforms announced plans to deliver products this summer. Earlier this month IBM, Hewlett-Packard Co., and Sun...

Windows to get run-time of Video for Windows. (Microsoft Corp.'s Video for Windows run-time version will be included in future releases of Windows and licensed to third parties rather than sold as a retail product) (At Deadline) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... Microsoft Corp. will soon be pulling Video for Windows from the shelves. The company will wrap the run-time version of the product into a future release of Windows and license the rest to third parties in its developer's toolkit instead of...

IBM Direct runs out of ThinkPad 720C. (orders for IBM's notebook computer outpace inventory) (At Deadline) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... Sales of IBM's ThinkPad 720C have been so brisk that IBM Direct has stopped taking orders for the notebooks, which offer a 10.4-inch active matrix color display. IBM representatives late last week said the company stopped taking orders because...

Oracle sues over cheating charge. (The Standish Group charges that Oracle Corp. cheated on the TPC-A benchmark test) (At Deadline) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... Oracle Corp. found itself in a nasty legal dispute with a research company regarding charges that it cheated on a benchmark. The Standish Group of Cape Cod, Mass., charged last month in its newsletter, The Standish Compact, that Oracle cheated...

Video server ported to NetWare. (Starlight Networks Inc.'s StarWorks video networking software runs under NetWare) (At Deadline)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Starlight Networks Inc. plans to bring its StarWorks video networking software to Novell Inc.'s NetWare environment by developing a NetWare Loadable Module that will give NetWare clients access to the video services. The StarWorks software...

FCC allocates frequencies for data. (the Federal Communications Commission assigns radio frequencies for wireless data communications) (At Deadline) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... The Federal Communications Commission gave its nod to wireless data networks last week, setting aside certain frequencies for wireless data communications. The designated airwaves could be used for portable computers, palmtops, and personal...

Digital World is curiously quiet, but convergence is moving along. (the Digital World conference) (Distributed Thinking) (Editorial)
June 28, 1993... I'm writing this from the Digital World conference, which is in its fourth year in Beverly Hills, Calif. This is a gathering of the leading nerds from Silicon Valley and Hollywood -- it is intended to review the technologies affecting the...

Developers take DOS 6.0 and DoubleSpace to task. (Microsoft Corp.'s DOS 6.0 operating system and DoubleSpace compression utility are flawed, according to small developers)
June 28, 1993... Two small developers say they have discovered evidence of flaws in Microsoft Corp.'s DOS 6.0 and DoubleSpace compression utility that could lead to data loss. Blossom Software Corp., in Brookline, Mass., said last week it has identified a...

Corrections. (to the June 7, June 14, and June 21, 1993, issues) (Correction Notice)
June 28, 1993... In the June 7 product comparison of LCD projection panels (page 70), the phone number for InFocus Systems Inc. is incorrect. The company can be reached at (800) 327-7231. In David Strom's June 14 column ("Internet access services and costs...

IBM leaves compression out of DOS 6.1; PC DOS to be offered with voucher for free SuperStor. (IBM's PC DOS 6.1 operating system will ship without a disk compression utility) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Taking a better safe-than-sorry approach, IBM's personal software products (PSP) division will debut PC DOS 6.1 minus a disk compression utility at PC Expo this week. However, the company will offer users a coupon for a free copy of...

Wireless network links gain reliability, range; vendors offer radio-based devices. (Xircom Inc.'s Netwave cordless local area network technology and radio-enabled PCMCIA cards) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... PC users on the move will find vendors at PC Expo have plans afoot to make communications with central systems less frustrating. Xircom Inc. will debut a new suite of radio-enabled PCMCIA cards that will turn any PCMCIA notebook into a...

IBM premieres 32-bit multimedia presentation packages for OS/2. (IBM's UltiMedia Builder, UltiMedia Workplace, and UltiMedia Image multimedia presentation software packages) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... IBM will use the PC Expo show this week to announce three 32-bit multimedia applications for OS/2 2.1 targeted at desktop users. "What we are trying to do is give users the ability to do multimedia applications on the desktop [just like...

Mainframe automated agent app now supports PCs. (Edify Corp.'s Electronic Workforce agent technology is expanded to PC and client/server applications) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Edify Corp. will announce today that it is expanding its Electronic Workforce agent technology to PC and client/server applications. The software agent previously worked with host computer applications but now uses applications on PCs and...

OS/2 conference to cover working with Version 2.1. (the first OS/2 Professional Interchange Conference in Palm Springs, CA, will run from Oct 17 to 20, 1993) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... OS/2 users will have a conference of their own this fall, with the first OS/2 Professional Interchange Conference to be held in Palm Springs, Calif. The conference, sponsored by OS/2 Professional Magazine, will run October 17 through 20 and...

Sun launches an enterprise 'SWAT team'. (Sun Microsystems Inc.'s SunNetworks service franchise will help corporate customers integrate the company's technologies into heterogeneous, enterprisewide computing environments) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... Sun Microsystems Inc., aiming to become a major player in corporate offices, last week announced a new division to help customers incorporate Sun's technologies into heterogeneous, enterprisewide computing environments. Sun officials said...

Packard Bell-ZDS: good news for users; alliance expected to bring lower prices, full suite of desktops, notebooks. (the alliance between Packard Bell and Zenith Data Systems)
June 28, 1993... The Packard Bell-Zenith Data Systems alliance should make both companies' product suites more attractive to corporate users, according to analysts. Last week the two companies agreed to jointly design and manufacture desktop PCs and...

Microsoft looks for crack in insurance industry's wall. (Microsoft Corp. announces an alliance with Andersen Consulting Inc. and Sterling Wentworth Corp. to develop applications for the insurance industry) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... Microsoft Corp. is trying to crack yet another vertical mainframe-centric market -- the insurance industry -- announcing an alliance with Andersen Consulting Inc. and Sterling Wentworth Corp. The three companies pledged last week to develop...

CompuAdd moves forward under Chapter 11. (CompuAdd Computer Corp.'s product delivery and development will not be affected by its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... Officials from CompuAdd Computer Corp. said the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing will not affect product delivery or development. The company made the filing last week, citing mounting financial liabilities related to the closing of...

Pipeline. (Software)
June 28, 1993... ANNOUNCED Automenu 5.0 sports new graphical look Magee Enterprises Inc.'s Automenu 5.0 now has an new graphical look. The on-line menu utility lets DOS users create menus to access frequently used programs, batch files, or DOS commands...

Improved packages on PC Expo stage; WordPerfect's Presentations 2.0 will support versatile sound card. (WordPerfect Corp.'s presentation software package) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... An additional feature in WordPerfect Corp.'s presentation package may be music to users' ears at this week's PC Expo. The company will provide CD-quality audio for Presentations 2.0 by adding support for the Roland Audio Producer (RAP-10)...

Claris expands FileMaker Pro's compatibility with Mac, PC LANs. (version 2.1 of Claris Corp.'s database management system)(Improved Packages on PC Expo Stage) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Users of FileMaker Pro database software will be able to support more Macintosh and PC LANs when Claris Corp. announces an upgrade this week at PC Expo. With the implementation of the standard NetBIOS application programming interface (API),...

Adobe Premiere offers more for novice, expert. (Adobe Systems Inc.'s Adobe Premiere version 3.0 video editing software package for the Macintosh) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Adobe Systems Inc. released an upgrade of its video editing software package for the Macintosh platform at last week's Digital World, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Adobe Premiere, Version 3.0 extends the capabilities of the program for...

WordPerfect 5.2 for OS/2 to include 32-bit features. (WordPerfect Corp.'s word processing software package) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... WordPerfect Corp.'s WordPerfect 5.2 for OS/2, currently in beta testing, will offer many 32-bit features before the full 32-bit WordPerfect 6.0 is released next year. "Everything that interacts with the Workplace Shell is 32 bit," said...

SPSS doubles chart types, adds customizing tool. (SPSS Inc.'s SPSS 6.0 for Windows statistical software package) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... SPSS 6.0 for Windows has double the number of chart types from the previous version, giving users more choices in how to read critical information. Shipping this week, SPSS for Windows from SPSS Inc. also includes a new Chart Editor that...

Stacker for OS/2 arrives to free up precious disk space. (Stac Electronics Inc.'s Stacker for OS/2 disk compression utility program) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Stac Electronics Inc. recently released its long-awaited version of Stacker for OS/2, designed to give users some much needed hard disk space. The new version of the disk compression program is called Stacker for OS/2 and DOS. Since IBM...

XDB query program mimics interface of IBM mainframe. (XDB Systems Inc.'s XDB-QMT version 3.0 search software for IBM's mainframe-based Query Management Facility) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... XDB Systems Inc. recently shipped XDB-QMT 3.0, which now contains user interface elements licensed from IBM for total compatibility with the IBM mainframe-based Query Management Facility (QMF). XDB-QMT 3.0, which provides experienced QMF...

Norton Commander 4 adds compression support. (Symantec Corp.'s Norton Commander version 4.0 DOS shell) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Symantec Corp. added several features to its Norton Commander DOS shell, including one that lets users copy, move, and delete to and from compressed files. Version 4.0, which is priced at $99, supports PKZip 2.04 compression software and,...

SAS discounts its statistical database apps. (SAS Institute Inc. offers academic customers discounts on its SAS System statistical database software) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... SAS Institute Inc. recently offered academic customers discounts on its SAS System statistical database software. The discount covers the SAS System for DOS, OS/2, Windows, and the upcoming release of the SAS System for Windows NT, which is...

KnowledgeWare ups client/server tool ante at Database World. (KnowledgeWare Inc.'s Application Development Workbench version 2.7.02, Flashpoint version 3.04, and ObjectView version 3.0) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... More pieces of the client/server jigsaw puzzle dropped into place at the recent Database World show this month in Boston. KnowledgeWare Inc. led the event by announcing upgrades to its Application Development Workbench (ADW) and Flashpoint...

InfoWorld closes the Windows and opens reader mail for tips. (Window Manager) (Column)
June 28, 1993... Every so often, I take a break from poking into every nook and cranny of Windows and report on tips sent to me by readers. This week is one of my opportunities to pass along to you those ideas that stand out. NESTING INSTINCT. When the...

Pipeline. (Hardware)
June 28, 1993... ANNOUNCED Dot-matrix printer debuts at PC Expo Genicom Corp. will introduce a serial dot-matrix printer at this week's PC Expo. The printer features 330-character-per-second speeds and supports rear, front, bottom, and manual cut-sheet...

Toshiba portables run real-time video; multimedia systems come with CD-ROM drives and video cards. (Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.'s T6600C portable computer) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... The latest AC-powered portable from Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. packs enough hardware and software to let users run real-time video presentations. However, like similar presentation portables, the T6600C series is no...

Hewlett-Packard, AST go green with 486 lines; PCs will comply with EPA Energy Star power consumption guidelines. (HP's Vectra 486VL and AST Research Inc.'s Bravo LP 80486-based microcomputers meet the Environmental Protection Agency power management guidelines) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... PC Expo will be looking a little green this week, as Hewlett-Packard Co. and AST Research Inc. introduce their energy-efficient systems today. HP's Vectra 486VL series features local bus graphics and a choice of processors ranging from a...

ALR promotes cost efficiency of its energy-saving 486 PC design. (Advanced Logic Research Inc.'s Flyer VL Green 80486-based microcomputer) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... A new desktop system from Advanced Logic Research Inc. claims an energy-efficient design that will yield power savings over five years equal to 20 percent of the computer's cost. The Flyer VL Green complies with federal Energy Star guidelines...

Workstation Technologies offers color video camera and board. (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Color will hit the desktop teleconferencing market in the next two months as Workstation Technologies Inc. prepares its customers with a color camera and board combination. The desktop combination will retail for about $5,000 or $6,000 per...

PC-workstation line blurs; Tatung uses Sparc-like architecture in low-cost box. (Tatung Science and Technology Inc.'s TSTI micro Compstation LC workstation) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... PC users needing a power boost at an affordable price might consider moving up to Tatung Science and Technology Inc.'s latest workstation with a Sparc-like design and 50 MHz of performance. Starting at $3,690, the TSTI micro Compstation LC is...

Mitac notebook has 486DX2/66, local bus; docking stations allow expansion. (Compac Microelectronics Inc.'s Mitac 4021 i/CT notebook computer) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... One of the first notebooks to offer local bus graphics will ship next month from a Fremont, Calif., clone distributor. Compac Microelectronics Inc. will begin shipping the Mitac 4021 i/CT, which includes an Intel Corp. 486DX2/66 processor and...

Optimized drivers boost speed of Storage Dimensions' LAN disk array. (Storage Dimensions Inc.'s LANstor disk array system is enhanced) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Storage Dimensions Inc. last week enhanced its LAN-based disk array system, adding improved NetWare drivers and hiking maximum RAID Level 5 array storage to more than 134 gigabytes per server. The NetWare 3.11 drivers offer substantially...

Cyrix gives 486 hope to 386DXs. (Cyrix Corp.'s Cx486DRx2 clock-doubling, single-chip 80486 processor for 80386DX system upgrades) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Cyrix Corp. last week announced a clock-doubling, single-chip 486 processor for 386DX system upgrades. Using the 386 pin socket, the new Cx486DRx2 processor provides DOS, OS/2, and Windows compatibility without changing the system BIOS. Other...

CompuAdd harvests largest system crop; will bundle most with CD-ROMs. (CompuAdd Computer Corp.'s Centura microcomputer series) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... CompuAdd Computer Corp. last week introduced an extensive line of 486-based PCs, most of which will include a CD-ROM drive. The 47 new Centura models are part of the Austin, Texas-based company's recent efforts to get out of the storefront...

Optical drives support NetWare use; Symmetrical Technologies aims for plug-and-play. (Symmetrical Technologies Inc.'s SpanServer optical disk storage device) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Last week Symmetrical Technologies Inc. unveiled a new version of its SpanServer optical disc storage product. In particular, the company announced support for the Network File System (NFS) protocol, giving Novell NetWare users access to...

Northgate to ship low-cost multimedia PC. (Northgate Computer Systems Inc.'s Superb MM, Superb EL, and Superb XL multimedia microcomputers) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Northgate Computer Systems Inc. threw its hat into the multimedia market with the introduction of a 486 multimedia PC last week. Called the Superb MM, the computer is based on a 25-MHz 486SX and includes 8MB of RAM, a 170MB hard drive, a 3...

Acer ships line of upgradable notebooks. (Acer America Corp.'s AcerNote 750, AcerNote 750c, AcerNote 730, and AcerNote 730c notebook computers) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Acer America Corp. joined the throng of notebook makers with upgradable systems last week. The 486SL-based AcerNote 750 computers come with monochrome or active matrix color displays. The notebooks have 4MB of RAM, expandable to 20MB, two...

Macintosh LC line due for 'all-in-one' system; LC 520 offers built-in CD-ROM, 14-inch monitor, stereo speakers. (Apple's Macintosh LC 520 microcomputer) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... An "all-in-one" Macintosh LC targeted exclusively at the U.S. education market is the first computer to be shipped with a double-speed CD-ROM drive. The education market is very aware of multimedia, said Sharon Pettigrew, manager of business...

InfoWorld, Binar Graphics to show video benchmark beta. (Binar Graphics Inc. and the InfoWorld Test Center create the VidMark specification for determining the quality of video boards) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... With local bus graphics based on the Video Electronics Standards Association Local Bus standard and Intel Corp.'s Peripheral Component Interconnect standard coming on-line, users will need to determine the quality of video boards. In an...

Real-time video checks in at $449; Media Vision card digitizes, compresses video data. (Media Vision Inc.'s Pro MovieStudio video board) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Users who want real-time video capture and compression for less than $500 can now get it from Media Vision Inc. in the form of an add-in board. The company is shipping its Pro MovieStudio board, which was announced last week at Digital...

Pipeline. (Networking)
June 28, 1993... ANNOUNCED Netlink to ship SDLC conversion product Netlink Inc. has announced SDLC Link Server Model 4, a Synchronous Data Link Control conversion product that lets users attach SNA/SDLC devices directly to FDDI networks. The product...

Forms software ported to E-mail on AppleTalk. (JetForm Corp.'s JetForm for E-Mail forms software runs on the Windows, DOS, and AppleTalk implementations of Lotus Development Corp.'s cc:Mail and Microsoft Corp.'s Mail electronic mail systems) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... JetForm Corp. is getting serious about cross-platform support for users of Lotus Development Corp.'s cc:Mail and Microsoft Corp.'s Mail who want to convert the mounds of paper in their offices into electronic forms. JetForm -- which recently...

Proxim boosts performance, security of wireless LAN adapters. (Proxim Inc.'s RangeLAN2 wireless local area network adapters) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... A new line of wireless LAN adapters from Proxim Inc. runs seven times faster, has less interference, and operates over more channels than the company's previous line. The RangeLAN2 family is designed to give wireless LAN access, while the...

Microsoft At Work devices still vapor; despite big endorsements, office automation is years from shipping. (Microsoft Corp.'s At Work office automation operating system)
June 28, 1993... If Microsoft Corp. has convinced you to build an intelligent office, you will have to be smart -- and very patient. More than 60 vendors from every corner of office technology -- PCs, phones, electronic mail, copiers, fax machines, and...

StreetTalk III: one-stop mail management. (Banyan Systems Inc.'s StreetTalk III directory and management services for multiple electronic mail packages) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... Administrators may soon be able to manage multiple electronic mail packages from one console using Banyan Systems Inc.'s StreetTalk III directory and management services. Banyan is working to integrate its technology with offerings from two...

Cisco Systems spells relief for remote access routers; centralized remote site management is the goal. (Cisco Systems Inc.'s CiscoWorks router management software and Cisco 2000 and Cisco 3000 plug-and-play remote access routers) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Cisco Systems Inc. is readying several plug-and-play remote access routers targeted at remote office sites. The company also announced a new version of its router management software, CiscoWorks, which now provides for centralized router...

API to deliver application integration in the mail. (SoftSwitch Inc.'s Open Object Translation Interface application programming interface will be bundled in the next release of the company's Enterprise Mail Exchange messaging backbone) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... In the next version of its messaging backbone product, SoftSwitch Inc. will begin beta testing a component that translates different word processing documents across disparate electronic mail systems. The Open Object Translation Interface...

3Com to boost router administration. (3Com Corp.'s Boundary Routers and NetBuilder II routers will be enhanced) (Brief Article)
June 28, 1993... Following Cisco Systems Inc. announcement of several easy-to-use, low-end routers, 3Com Corp. last week detailed plans to extend the capabilities of its Boundary Routers and NetBuilder II product family. The enhancements -- which will make...

HP debuts low-cost routers; multiprotocol routers handle FDDI and Ethernet. (HP's Ethernet Router LR and FDDI Backbone Router BR) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Next month, Hewlett-Packard Co. will offer low-cost Ethernet and FDDI networking with a pair of multiprotocol routers starting at $7,500 that feature three-year on-site warranties. The Ethernet Router LR and the FDDI backbone Router BR will...

SunNet Manager will support NetWare. (SunConnect and Novell Inc. will integrate the SunNet Manager and NetWare network management systems) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... SunConnect and Novell Inc. are working to integrate their network management systems so IS managers can administer NetWare LANs via SunNet Manager. Once the first release is completed in the first quarter of 1994, SunNet Manager (SNM) users...

Converter links SNA hosts to Ethernet. (Sync Research's MiniSNAC/ENC converter box connects remote IBM hosts to Ethernet local area networks) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Sync Research unveiled last week a converter box for connecting remote IBM hosts to Ethernet LANs. The MiniSNAC/ENC product provides one central point of communication to the mainframe or AS/400 at the home office and to LANs in the main...

DEC rolls out wide-ranging E-mail line. (DEC's new electronic mail products) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Digital Equipment Corp. recently unleashed a set of products that may place the company in the thick of the evolving messaging market. The bulk of DEC's new products will require a VAX or Ultrix machine. Although DEC has hinted it will...

Impala pocket modem offers high speed to go; sends fax and data at 14.4Kbps. (Omron Office Automation Products Inc.'s Impala portable facsimile modem) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Omron Office Automation Products Inc. is shipping a portable high-speed fax/modem for standard and cellular communications. The Impala 14.4K pocket fax/modem, which measures 3.6 inches by 2.6 inches by 0.75 inches, provides throughput of...

Improved OpenMail lives up to its name; HP adds central management of cc:Mail, MS Mail front ends. (HP's OpenMail electronic mail system) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Hewlett-Packard Co. recently rolled out a long string of enhancements to its Unix-based OpenMail system that may secure the company a place as an open and truly client/server messaging provider. One user was impressed with OpenMail's added...

Teamlinks brings Macs into DEC mail services; trio of products offer mail, routing. (DEC's Teamlinks Mail for Macintosh, Teamlinks Routing for Macintosh, and Teamlinks Office for Macintosh client software for the company's enterprise mail services) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... Digital Equipment Corp. is extending its line of Teamlinks desktop client software with versions that let Macintosh clients tap into DEC's enterprise mail services. Shipping July 15 are three Teamlinks for Macintosh products that employ a...

Supra modem is easy on power. (Supra Corp.'s SupraFaxModem 144PB facsimile modem) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
June 28, 1993... The SupraFaxModem 144PB from Supra Corp. provides Apple Computer Inc. PowerBook users with fax and data communications. The V.32bis fax/modem, which is the size of a business card, is completely internal and reduces the drain on battery power...

Divide and conquer with 'brouters' when installing backbones. (LAN Talk) (Column)
June 28, 1993... Last week we looked at wiring a new space from the "inside" perspective. I'd like to turn your attention to a growing issue: It may be time to consider a new backbone design. For years we have addressed the need to expand the LAN/WAN service...

The E-mail is in - the vendor with the best support is.... (the winner of the InfoWorld Corporate Support Alliance poll is WordPerfect Corp., followed by Microsoft Corp) (From the Editor) (Editorial)
June 28, 1993... . .OK, I know the suspense is just killing you. Who, you ask, won the InfoWorld Corporate Support Alliance poll for the vendor with the best support? I'll tell you . . . in just a bit. First let me explain what we're doing for those of you...

Longing for the days when computer programming was fun and unvisual. (Peer to Peer) (Column)
June 28, 1993... Chuck Larrieu became interested in computers about the time computers became personal. He makes a living supporting telephone and computer software and hardware for a branch office of a major brokerage firm. Is it just me, or is this not as...

Look Ma, no glasses! 3-D television debuts. (three-dimensional television) (From the Ether) (Column)
June 28, 1993... Unlike President Clinton, who attended Oxford, and 265 years after Isaac Newton, I went to the University of Cambridge, England, in 1991 as a visiting fellow in the Computer Laboratory. I still have my medieval gown, and I'm still following...

UnixWare: bringing shrink-wrapped Unix to the masses. (Novell Inc.'s UnixWare operating system)(includes related articles on the UnixWare architecture's support for multiplatform interoperability, and on M.D. Anderson's use of the operating system) (Enterprise Computing)
June 28, 1993... Novell Inc., through its Univel subsidiary, is attempting to do what no one vendor has managed to accomplish in the last 20 years: create a single, mass-market version of the Unix operating system. Univel's sole product, the UnixWare network...

Uncharted waters pose risk of runaway projects; what you can do to salvage your investment and get development back on course. (MIS project management) (Enterprise Computing/Management)
June 28, 1993... Runaway systems can happen in any company. Take the Midwestern insurance claims company that enthusiastically embarked on a two-year, $5 million project to build a Unix client/server system. Forty MIS staff members set out to design and...

Delcan puts critical cost data in managers' reach; consulting firm's investment in re-engineering pays off with better decision making. (Delcan Corp.'s implementation of a distributed database)(Case Study)(includes a related article on the company's programmer training operations) (Enterprise Computing/Management)
June 28, 1993... Whereas many companies use information technology to automate manual processes, Delcan Corp. of Toronto is implementing a distributed database to provide a business function that didn't exist before. Delcan is an employee-owned engineering...

Perry Mason and E-team on the case of flaky UnixWare installation. (testing network operating systems for enterprise-wide interoperability) (Down to the Wire)(Enterprise Computing/Management) (Column)
June 28, 1993... This week we're starting to test network operating systems (NOSes) for enterprisewide interoperability. We want to find out how file and print services work between dissimilar NOSes. The list includes IBM LAN Server, NetWare 3.11 and 4.0,...

Whether you can get help from Conner is all in the numbers. (Conner Peripherals' hard drive support policy and other topics)(Help Desk)(question and answer) (Enterprise Computing/Management) (Column)
June 28, 1993... Q: I've run out of room on my IBM L40SX laptop's 60MB hard drive. I want a replacement hard drive with at least 120MB. The label on the current drive says it's a Conner CP2067. When I called Conner, a representative said that the drive was...

A nudge from IS could help telecommuting pick up speed. (Civilized Computing) (Enterprise Computing/Management) (Column)
June 28, 1993... Telecommuting is a work style whose time should have come. We are surrounded by gobs of technology that could turn office-chained workers into telecommuters, yet few companies have. Ever the optimist, I still hope that business people will...

Electronic mail recall: Can this feature really save your job? (The Network Curmudgeon) (Enterprise Computing/Management) (Column)
June 28, 1993... You may think I like to moan and complain about every network product, but that's not true: There are lots of things out there that I like. For instance, take an interesting feature that is common to two electronic mail products. The feature,...

16-bit Token Ring workstation NICs: InfoWorld tests 14 network interface cards for speed and flexibility. (includes related articles summarizing the reviews and describing the testing process) (Hardware Review) (Evaluation)
June 28, 1993... Ethernet claims a growing share of the network topology market, in part because Token Ring network interface cards (NICs) typically cost more than Ethernet NICs. The higher performance of guaranteed 16Mb of bandwidth (vs. Ethernet's...

ObjectView joins best of PC GUIs and SQLs; despite lack of data dictionary, it offers superior data choreography, decision support. (KnowledgeWare's ObjectView version 2.1 SQL front end software package)(graphical user interfaces, Structured Query Languages) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
June 28, 1993... Like the roiling confluence of two great rivers, the world of client/server application development encompasses two powerful and often conflicting traditions. KnowledgeWare Inc.'s ObjectView 2.1 does an admirable job of harnessing both by...

Zeos 486DX-33 falls short in technical support; robust desktop computer provides fine speed and expandability at a reasonable price. (Hardware Review) (Evaluation)
June 28, 1993... The Zeos 486DX-33 is a strong performer marred by inadequate technical support. This ISA machine came configured with 8MB of RAM, a 128KB RAM cache, and a 245MB hard drive. This drive is discontinued, and machines now ship with a 340MB drive....

Ventura's PicturePro misses mark on ease of use; Windows image editor has some impressive tools but won't threaten market leaders. (Ventura Software Inc.'s PicturePro version 1.1 image editing software package) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
June 28, 1993... Given Ventura Software Inc.'s position in desktop publishing and in prepress utilities, it is not surprising that the company would move into the image editing market. But Ventura's new PicturePro faces a daunting task scratching out a niche...

InfoWorld guide to reviews.
June 28, 1993... REVIEW SCORING InfoWorld reviews only finished, production versions of products, never beta-test versions. Products receive ratings ranging from unacceptable to excellent in various categories. Scores are derived by multiplying...