MacWEEK articles from February 1994

MacWEEK archives from February 1994

Apple Duo Battery Patch released; extension repairs charging problems. (software patch available on major online services fixes flaws in Apple Macintosh PowerBook Duo 210, 230 and 250 notebook computers) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - Apple last week released an extension that can help PowerBook Duo users suffering from charging problems. The Duo Battery Patch, available this week on the Internet and most major on-line services, is for users of the...

PowerBooks, ARA keep users working despite quake. (firms use Apple Macintosh PowerBook notebook computers, Apple Remote Access software to stay connected after January 1994 Northridge earthquake) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Los Angeles - When last month's earthquake shattered the Southern California freeway system and added hours to the commute time of hundreds of thousands of workers, some companies had fewer problems than others, thanks to their PowerBooks. ...

New acoustic couplers let users connect modems without RJ-11s. (Unlimited Systems' Konexx Koupler 204, Konnexx Konnector 109 acoustic couplers) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... San Diego - It took years for the computer industry to move away from the original modem, a bulky handset cradle that made a 300-bps connection. But, if Unlimited Systems Corp. Inc. has its way, acoustic couplers will be making a comeback...

In Focus LCD panels, projectors play presentations without PBs. (In Focus Systems' PanelBook 530 LCD display, LitePro 540 LCD/projector, LiteShow II electronic presentation manager) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Tualatin, Ore. - In Focus Systems Inc. is encouraging users to leave their PowerBooks at the office when putting on presentations. The company's new LCD panels and projectors have an optional disk drive that can play back presentations...

Avalon PresenterPad turns Newton into TelePrompTer. (Avalon Engineering Inc.'s presentation graphics program for the Apple Newton MessagePad personal digital assistant) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Boston - Avalon Engineering Inc. last month shipped PresenterPad, an application that lets the Newton function as a TelePrompTer and slide coordinator. Announced in August, the $139 program ($89 through the end of this month) takes the...

Debugger helps Newton developers create apps. (Creative Digital Systems' ViewFrame debugging tool for the Apple Newton MessagePad personal digital assistant) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... San Francisco - Creative Digital Systems last month released ViewFrame, a NewtonScript debugging tool that should ease the development burden for programmers working in the Newton Toolkit. ViewFrame lets developers execute NewtonScript...

Utils not Essential for Symantec. (Symantec Corp.'s Norton Essentials utility programs for the PowerBook operating system enhancement discontinued) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - The PowerBook utilities market shrank last month when Symantec Corp. discontinued Norton Essentials for the PowerBook. Symantec Corp., effective Jan. 1, stopped selling the collection of utilities for power...

Wading through incoming data. (intelligent software agents incapable of using same judgement criteria as individuals) (Moving Target) (Column)
February 7, 1994... The room glowed gray in the wash of light from the television. My wife and I sat on our couch, holding hands. But nothing could overcome the sense of doom that had fallen over us. Then, our worst fears were confirmed. The opening theme...

ACI opens 4D to other platforms: new version to span PPC, Sun, Windows. (ACI US Inc.'s 4th Dimension database application development software to support PowerPC microprocessor)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - ACI Inc., one of the few major Mac-only software companies, will break into other platforms later this year with the introduction of its 4th Dimension line for PowerPC Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, Windows NT, Chicago and...

TNT Mac line changes course; models push power, flexibility. (code-name for new Apple PowerPC-based Macintosh microcomputers)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - Apple is reportedly restructuring its second wave of PowerPC-based Macs to provide significant performance improvements over next month's offerings, not only for users of the company's AV technologies but for all power...

Digital to distribute Forte tool kit, ships MS Mail gateway. (DEC introduces Forte Software's Forte cross-platform development programs, introduces its Application Programming Interface driver and gateway, LinkWorks electronic mail software, Polycenter System Census for PC LANs 1.2 network inventory software, and RoamAbout Transport Communications Software protocol converter) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Littleton, Mass. - This week, Digital Equipment Corp. is making tectonic movements toward open systems, and the Macintosh peeks through a few cracks. The company made dozens of enterprise announcements, some of which will interest Mac...

Quark plans PPC-native XPress: speedy new version to include XTensions. (Quark Inc. developing version of XPress desktop publishing software for PowerPC platform) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Denver - Desktop publishers who make the move to a PowerPC Mac can look forward to a native version of QuarkXPress that reportedly runs two to four times faster than the 680x0-based version. Quark Inc. Chairman Tim Gill said his company...

Aldus educates its IntelliDraw with new templates, perspective. (IntelliDraw 2.0 draw software) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... San Diego - Aldus Corp.'s Consumer Division this week will raise the IQ of its "smart" drawing program when it ships Version 2.0 of IntelliDraw. The $199 IntelliDraw incorporates features designed to simplify creation and editing of...

Agfa updates 500-lpi imagesetters. (SelectSet Avantra 20 and 25 imagesetters) (lines per inch) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Ridgefield Park, N.J. - Pre-press enthusiasts have a new set of high-end options as Agfa last month shipped two new 500-lines-per-inch drum imagesetter models and an upgrade to its CristalRaster halftone screening software. The SelectSet...

LFR Mark III film recorder revs up slide shows. (Lasergraphics Inc.'s digital film recorder) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Irvine, Calif. - Graphic artists can produce slide shows of virtual-reality vacations with Lasergraphics Inc.'s LFR Mark III, a new digital film recorder with 8,000 lines of resolution. Released this week for $19,995, the LFR Mark III is...

SummaSketch tablets go cordless. (Summagraphics Corp.'s SummaSketch FX, SummaSketch FX Professional graphics tablets) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Seymour, Conn. - Summagraphics Corp. last month shipped two graphics tablets that offer cordless operation of a cursor or pressure-sensitive stylus. The tablets feature an Apple Desktop Bus interface. > SummaSketch FX, a...

Flying Colors takes off. (Magic Mouse Productions' paint program) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Inverness, Calif. - Flames flicker, rockets flare, water flows and crystals sparkle in Flying Colors, a new program that combines composition and paint features. Available now from Magic Mouse Productions for $79.95, Flying Colors comes...

Creo Platesetter to take Mac docs direct to plate. (Creo Products Inc.'s Creo Platesetter 3244 imagesetting system) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Burnaby, British Columbia - Users will go straight to press with Creo Products Inc.'s upcoming direct-to-plate system. The Creo Platesetter 3244 is due to ship in April for $325,000. It has a capacity of 1,000 plates, supporting up to 10...

QT moves to flip books. (S.H. Pierce & Co.'s FlipBook, Berkeley Voo Doo's FlipPix image processing software creates flip books from Apple Macintosh QuickTime video) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... San Francisco - New applications from S.H. Pierce & Co. and Berkeley Voo Doo let users turn their Mac movies and animations into printed flip books. > S.H. Pierce & Co. is shipping the $89 FlipBook, which creates flip books from...

Aldus makes fourth-quarter gains, acquires video apps from Digital F/X. (fourth quarter 1993 sales up 25 percent from previous year) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Seattle - Fueled by strong sales of its graphics, publishing and productivity applications, Aldus Corp. last week posted big gains in sales and earnings. The company, based here, also acquired two forthcoming video applications from the...

Price cuts pave way for PPC; Apple drops the cost of 660AV, PBs, Duos. (Apple cuts prices in preparation for forthcoming PowerPC-based microcomputers, lowers prices of its Macintosh Quadra 660AV microcomputers, PowerBook 180 PowerBook Duo 230 and Duo Dock notebook computers)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - Consistent with its new business strategy to competitively price products and prepare for its new PowerPC-based Macs, Apple last week cut dealer prices on selected Macs from 5 percent to 29 percent, sources said The...

WordPerfect cuts 1,000 jobs, plans to charge fees for support. (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Orem, Utah - Citing declining software prices and growing industry competition, WordPerfect Corp. last month slashed its work force by 17 percent. The company also announced plans to charge for some technical support. WordPerfect,...

Apple inventory gets back on track; new strategy helps supply meet demand. (focus on end-user sales enables more efficient inventory control, planning)
February 7, 1994... San Francisco - Apple's new sales-tracking system is earning kudos from dealers and analysts, who said that the company's newfound ability to reconcile supply and demand will be an essential component of the PowerPC rollout. George...

Price cuts, new services spur America Online revenue gains. (online information service reports large profit, revenue growth for 1993)
February 7, 1994... Vienna, Va. - America Online Inc. last month reported phenomenal second-quarter sales and profits, results that observers said underscore the significant growth of the on-line services market in 1993. The company, based here, announced...

Pablo reporting tool helps analyze business databases. (Andyne Computing Ltd.'s Pablo 2.0) (includes related article on complexities of building HyperCube data structures) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
February 7, 1994... ... ...................... Score Card: Pablo Andyne Computing Ltd. Version tested: 2.0 List price: $695* Overall value 3 Designed to provide an enhanced perspective on corporate data, Pablo combines...

New LCs debut; Apple plans PPC upgrades for low end. (Apple LC 475, 520, 550 and 575 education microcomputers, PowerPC microprocessor option for LCs and Performa 475, 476 and 550 models and Quadra 605) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - Apple last week released two new LC models aimed at the education market. The company also announced plans to offer PowerPC upgrades for its entry-level, all-in-one LC and Performa lines. The new LC 550 and LC...

Japanese phone company calls on General Magic. (Nippon Telephone and Telegraph Corp. announces equity holding, intention to use Telescript communications application development software for Asian messaging market) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Tokyo - General Magic Inc. last week received an international endorsement of its communications technologies and handheld communicator operating system when Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. announced it will take an equity in the company....

Apple appeals 'look and feel' case. (Jan 1994 appeal filed in 9th Circuit Court of Appeals about decision on Apple's 1987 copyright infringement lawsuit against Microsoft Corp. and HP for copying Apple's graphical user interface) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... San Francisco - The endless copyright debate over the Macintosh interface vis-a-vis Microsoft Windows moved into its next phase when Apple filed an appeal with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals here. In a brief filed on Jan. 20,...

Macromedia Q3 sales increase 18 percent. ($7.9 million for quarter ending December 31, 1993) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... San Francisco - Buoyed by strong sales across its multimedia product line, Macromedia Inc. this month announced an 18 percent increase in revenues and improved profits. The company said sales for its third quarter ended Dec. 31 were...

3Com buys Centrum. (acquires Centrum Communications Inc. in $36 million deal) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Santa Clara, Calif. - 3Com Corp. last month boosted its share of the remote-access market when it anted up $36 million to acquire server vendor Centrum Communications Inc. Centrum, based in San Jose, Calif., sells a line of Unix-based...

IBM will not manufacture Pentium chips: instead will ramp up production of 486. (Intel Corp.'s Pentium and 80486 microprocessors) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Armonk, N.Y. - Firing an early salvo in what may be a chip war, IBM Corp. last week said it will not manufacture Pentium microprocessors but will increase 486 production. Although IBM is hardly abandoning long-time ally Intel Corp.,...

Don't ignore the lion's share. (large installed base of Apple Macintosh microcomputers based on Motorola 680X0 chips will finance Apple's migration to PowerPC platform; developers should remain committed to established platform) (Editorial)
February 7, 1994... Next month the PowerPC-based Macs will arrive. Apple's new computers will become a major focus of the company. What about the lion's share of Apple's machines - those Motorola 680x0 Macs that have served so well for so long? There are...

Old model's gone, but Apple may have turned corner. (1990 business model collapsed in 1993, but internal changes, continued innovation help to stabilize firm's future) (Editorial)
February 7, 1994... I'm no stock-market maven, but I'm bullish on Apple. I don't necessarily mean that the company's stock is likely to recover all the ground it lost last year. Nor do I believe that PowerPC, Michael Spindler or anything else has magically...

Letters. (Letter to the Editor)
February 7, 1994... Developers could make life easier for the humble user I'm getting annoyed at some trends I see in Mac software. First, why are installation disks given such generic titles? Don't developers realize how hard it is to catalog diskettes...

Plan to bring your Mac up to PowerPC speed. (Apple, DayStar Digital developing microprocessor replacement boards to bring PowerPC microprocessor to older Apple Macintosh microcomputers) (The Mac Manager) (Column)
February 7, 1994... You should be planning now for your migration to PowerPC-based Mac computing over the next few years. I've been evaluating prerelease versions of several hardware upgrade alternatives for the current generation of Mac hardware. Here's what I...

DayStar to offer trade-in plan for PowerPC boards. (DayStar Digital Inc.'s plan for PowerPro 601 upgrades from 68040-based DayStar accelerator boards) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Flowery Branch, Ga. - DayStar Digital Inc. is ushering in PowerPC with a trade-in offer on the PowerPro 601, the company's forthcoming PowerPC upgrade card. The trade-in plan, which will be available directly from DayStar for one year...

Cypress PhonePro 1.2 helps pick up the line; program builder lets users create their own telephony apps. (Cypress Research Corp.'s communications application development software) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
February 7, 1994... ... ...................... Score Card: PhonePro Cypress Research Corp. Version tested: 1.2 List price: $349* Overall value 3 PhonePro is a powerful, flexible and creative system for creating...

High Tide's WaterMark Message Central hits close to the mark. (telephone management system creates customized voice-mail, fax-response systems on Apple macintosh microcomputers) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
February 7, 1994... For home offices and very small businesses, High Tide Software's $499 WaterMark Message Central can turn your Macintosh into a voice-mail system with fax capabilities. Any Mac running System 7, with at least 2 Mbytes of RAM (4 Mbytes...

DataScript allows scriptable apps to link up with host databases. (Essex Systems Inc.'s DataScript application development software for Oracle, SequeLink and Data Access Manager/Data Access Language database applications) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Bloomfield, N.J. - Essex Systems Inc. recently shipped three members of the DataScript family of extensions that allow any scriptable application to access host databases through popular middleware. Developed by General Knowledge of...

Passport Encore 3.0: music notation package adds power to interface. (Passport Designs Inc.) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
February 7, 1994... Musicians eager to print the results of their musical efforts have a new comrade in Encore 3.0, Passport Designs Inc.'s MIDI-based music notation application. The $595 Encore is a full-featured scoring program with an excellent interface. ...

Cross-platform documents get interactive; Paige lets developers write to same format. (DataPak Software Inc.'s Paige program development tool) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Vancouver, Wash. - While there has been much ado about cross-platform electronic document models from major vendors - such as Adobe Systems Inc.'s Acrobat - one smaller company said it can help provide similar technology that is fully...

Apple appoints seventh board member. (addition of B. Jurgen Hintz, CEO of Carnaud Metalbox, a French packaging firm) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - Apple last week added a seventh member to its board of directors with the election of B. Jurgen Hintz. Hintz is the CEO of Carnaud Metalbox, a French packaging company. He was previously held the position of executive...

A conversation with Bill Gates. (transcript of interview with Microsoft Corp. CEO available on ZiffNet online information service)
February 7, 1994... Microsoft Corp. CEO Bill Gates reaffirmed his commitment to the Macintosh, hinted at future cross-platform development tools and gave his perspective on the industry in a free-ranging interview with MacWEEK, excerpted last week (see MacWEEK,...

Dynodex address book updated: goes head to head with Now Contact. (portfolio Software Inc.'s Dynodex 3.5 address book software) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Richmond, Vt. - Portfolio Software Inc. next week will go head to head with Now Contact when it releases Version 3.5 of Dynodex with its new DynoFind feature. The company will also raise the price of the address-book program to $69.95,...

Meca, ChipSoft deliver final editions of 1994 tax programs. (ChipSoft's MacInTax and Meca Software's TaxCut tax-preparation programs) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... San Francisco - Just in time for the 1994 tax season, ChipSoft Inc. and Meca Software Inc. last month shipped final editions of their personal tax-preparation programs and extended technical-support hours. Both programs provide an...

Ligature debuts CharacterEyes OCR program. (Ligature Software Inc.'s optical character recognition program) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Burlington, Mass. - Ligature Software Inc. last month announced the $695 CharacterEyes, a cross-platform omnifont optical character recognition program incorporating neural-network technology. CharacterEyes for Macintosh and Windows uses...

Software Architects to ship MultiBus Manager. (hard disk management utility) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Bothell, Wash. - Software Architects Inc. next week expects to release MultiBus Manager, a new $99.95 hard disk management utility supporting SCSI Manager 4.3. MultiBus Manager, based on the company's Formatter1 utility, improves...

For the record. (Correction Notice)
February 7, 1994... The Jan. 24 story on the MacIRMAtrac Coax NuBus card from Digital Communications Associates Inc. (Page 12) incorrectly stated the product's function. The card provides a direct coaxial connection to mainframes. Contrary to information...

LaserJet 4MP: HP's latest printer makes 600-dpi printing personal. (laser printer prints at 600-dot-per-inch resolution) (Hardware Review) (Evaluation)
February 7, 1994... The LaserJet 4MP is the latest in a long line of innovative laser printers to come from printer giant Hewlett-Packard Co. The 600-dpi, 4-page-per-minute printer is priced at $1,729. Aimed at individual users and small workgroups, the 4MP...

Micropolis drives target high-end apps; technology provides higher uninterrupted data transfer. (applications; Microdisk AV LS 3020 and 1050AV and 1760AV LT stackable hard drive systems) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Chatsworth, Calif. - Users with copious storage requirements should appreciate Micropolis Corp.'s release next month of two new high-capacity stackable hard drive systems targeted at high-end multimedia and desktop video applications. ...

Open Sesame! 1.0.2: intelligent agent utility learns your work habits. (Charles River Analytics' task-automation program for the Apple Macintosh) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
February 7, 1994... Ali Baba used the phrase "Open Sesame" to unlock the cave of treasures. Now Macintosh owners can use Open Sesame! to release themselves from the drudgery of their Mac-using rituals. Open Sesame!, a $99 utility from Charles River...

Developers aim to build standards, confidence in RAID technology. (redundant array of inexpensive disks)
February 7, 1994... Santa Clara, Calif. - Improved performance and increased standardization are in store for RAID users as developers here at last month's Storage & Interfaces '94 conference revealed significant progress on standards and advanced technology. ...

Understanding RAID. (redundant array of inexpensive disks storage technology) (includes glossary of RAID terms) (Brief Article) (Glossary)
February 7, 1994... Here's a list of new RAID terminology overheard at last month's conference: > Berkeley RAID. The seven RAID levels as described in 1988 and 1989 papers by University of California at Berkeley researchers. Other developers have added to...

Primera: Fargo offers inexpensive thermal transfer printer. (Fargo Electronics Inc.'s color printer) (Hardware Review) (Evaluation)
February 7, 1994... Users on a tight budget who longingly admire the output of high-end dye-sublimation color printers may find Fargo Electronics Inc.'s Primera an answer to their prayers. The $995 Primera is a compact, low-priced, wax thermal transfer printer...

Omnis 7 upgrade boosts host connections. (Blyth Software Inc.'s multiplatform database, version 2.2) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Foster City, Calif. - Blyth Software Inc. this week will introduce an upgrade to Omnis 7, its cross-platform database, that features new connections to host databases. The database connections allow corporate programmers to write front...

Reviews forum. (Letter to the Editor)
February 7, 1994... Streamline 3.0 review follows bumpy path Your recent review of Adobe Systems Inc.'s Streamline 3.0 (MacWEEK, Jan. 3, Page 91) missed some important points regarding the program. First, Streamline's inability to adjust Bezier curves on...

Spreadware updates statistics tool bars for Excel. (Statistics Menu 3.0 spreadsheet tool bar package for Microsoft Corp.'s Excel spreadsheet program) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Palm Desert, Calif. - Spreadware last month updated its collection of statistics tool bars that add extra number-crunching functions to Microsoft Excel. Spreadware Statistics Menu 3.0 features about 20 new data-analysis routines,...

Medicine turns to the Mac for training, diagnostic tools. (Apple Macintosh microcomputers experiencing increased use in medical industry) (includes related article on remote diagnostics)
February 7, 1994... Fewer specialists and less-expensive medical equipment are two keys to lowering health-care costs. Mac technology is aiding on both fronts. Desktop computers are becoming a key component in the effort to lower this country's $903...

New ATTO control panel speeds accelerators. (ATTO Technology Inc.'s SiliconExpress II A/V audio and video board for dataflow management) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Amherst, N.Y. - ATTO Technology Inc. recently shipped a free control panel that acts as a traffic cop to improve audio and video performance for users of its accelerators. ATTO SiliconExpress II A/V works with ATTO's SiliconExpress II...

SCSI display adapters ship. (MicroMac Technology Inc.'s ScuzzyView-Mono small computer systems interface adapter) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Aliso Viejo, Calif. - MicroMac Technology Inc. recently shipped two new display adapters that connect to the SCSI port. ScuzzyView-Mono, priced at $299, connects any monochrome monitor up to 19 inches to a compact Mac such as the Classic,...

Calendar of events.
February 7, 1994... February 15-17 Networks Expo '94, Boston. Trade show focusing on LANs, wide-area networks, client-server networking and mobile technology. Contact Bruno Blenheim Inc. at (201) 346-1400 or (800) 829-3976; fax (201) 346-1602. 16-18...

Upgrades can get expensive. (hardware upgrades) (Ask David Ramsey) (question-and-answer) (Column)
February 7, 1994... I have received a surprising number of questions of late from people wanting to know how to add a math processor to their Quadra 605 and base-configuration Quadra 610 computers. These computers use the Motorola 68LC040 processor: It's...

Hacking HD SC Setup to meet the needs. (techniques, products to circumvent Apple's hard drive software and to customize Apple's hard drive subsystem in Macintosh microcomputers) (MacInTouch: Bugs & Tips) (Column) (Tutorial)
February 7, 1994... Like the Alarm Clock or Notepad DAs, Apple's HD SC Setup looks more like the '80s than the '90s. Here are some issues, work-arounds and observations. Bugs & Tips Space for rent It seems ironic that customers have to turn to...

What to do with a broken, out-of-warranty PB or Duo. (Apple Macintosh PowerBook or PowerBook Duo notebook computer repair services)
February 7, 1994... Being on the road, Power-Books often need more service than other Macs. Which repair option is best for your company? It should come as no surprise to Mac managers that PowerBooks and Duos are more likely cousins. Their portability leaves...

PowerTalk 1.1 coming with updated Mac OS. (Apple Computer's upgrade to its client software and System 7.5 operating system)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - PowerTalk users should be listening closely to news of System 7.5. In addition to possibly making the client component of AOCE a standard part of the operating system, the system upgrade is expected to include Version 1.1...

Digital delivers range of object-oriented tools. (DEC announces variety of database management, online transaction processing, network management and mobile computing hardware and software products, ports programs to OpenVMS) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Digital Equipment Corp.'s fleet of announcements this week centers on its object-oriented, client-server strategy and tools. The non-Mac news included: > Development tools. Digital ported its client-server Cobol tools, Distributed...

ACI's new 4D Backup saves changes to data. (ACI US Inc.'s integrated backup system for its 4th Dimension data base management system) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - To better secure valuable database files, ACI US Inc. this week will introduce an integrated backup system for its 4th Dimension relational database application. 4D Backup provides full backup and restore capabilities....

Apple preps logic-board, PDS upgrades to PPC. (summary of planned processor direct slot, logic-level microprocessor boards to upgrade Macintosh computers to use PowerPC microprocessor) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - When Apple introduces its Power Macintosh lineup on March 14, it will also make available upgrades to help Mac owners make the leap to PowerPC. Apple will offer logic-board and 68040 processor direct slot card upgrades to...

A measure of what sources said. (Mac the Knife) (Column)
February 7, 1994... All work and no play may be a good way to save for the sunset years, but even hard-working misers benefit from making time for a thorough and honest professional inventory. The Knife may be known for his single-minded dedication to revealing...

PowerPC trips up Vines Mac E-mail. (Apple Computer's PowerPC-based microcomputer, Banyan Systems Inc.'s Mail for Macintosh electronic mail system experiencing compatibility problems) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Westboro, Mass. - Banyan Systems Inc. has discovered that the 680x0 compatibility of the PowerPC Macs is not absolute. Testing at the networking company has revealed that drivers used by Vines Mail for Macintosh don't work on the RISC-based...

PowerPC upgrades are not in the cards for AWS line; Apple days PDS cards are not fast enough. (Apple Workgroup Server computers' performance will not be increased by processor direct slot card upgrades for Apple Macintosh PowerPC microcomputers) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. - For owners of Apple's servers, the move to PowerPC will not be a simple matter of buying a low-cost upgrade card. According to Emilio Robles, public relations manager for Apple's Business Systems Division, ABS'...

IPT building Telescript publishing tools for Unix servers. (Information Presentation Technologies Inc.'s Mobile Shopping Assistant gateway module for AT and T's PersonaLink online information service) (Brief Article)
February 7, 1994... San Luis Obispo, Calif. - If you've got original content on your server, then this year you could be selling it on-line via AT&T Co.'s PersonaLink - as long as your server software is from Information Presentation Technologies Inc. IPT...

StarNine's gateway links PowerShare and Internet. (StarNine Technologies' Mail*Link SMTP for PowerShare electronic mail transfer package) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Berkeley, Calif. - StarNine Technologies Inc. last week shipped the most requested gateway for Apple's PowerShare Collaboration Servers: one that puts groups of Mac users in touch with Internet electronic mail. Mail*Link SMTP for...

LAN file copies fly off the RunWay. (local area networks; RUN Inc.'s file transfer software) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Mahwah, N.J. - Utility developers have worked for years on accelerating file copying, but this month RUN Inc. will ship RunWay, a network product that can increase transfer speeds by 400 percent without compression over existing LANs. ...

Attachmate beefs up CICS Mac-to-IBM host features. (Customer Information and Control System; Attachmate Corp.'s Extra! for the Macintosh 1.3 terminal emulation software) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Bellevue, Wash. - The features headlining in Attachmate Corp.'s new Extra! for the Macintosh 1.3 are aimed at Mac-to-IBM host connections. Priced at $425 per workstation and available now, Version 1.3 extends file transfer and storage...

4-Sight server supports DID router. (CommForce L.C.'s 4-Sight Fax fax server supports Direct Inward Dial; PC-Link Fax software client also introduced) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
February 7, 1994... Irvine, Calif. - CommForce L.C. this month added Direct Inward Dial routing to 4-Sight Fax, its network fax server, and shipped a Windows client. > 4-Sight Fax. When used in conjunction with the $895 Flex Router interface device from...

Slimmed-down MessagePad to beef up RAM, recognition. (Apple Newton MessagePad)
February 14, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. -- Apple's next Newton may look like the MessagePad, but several enhancements, including improved handwriting recognition, will reportedly make using the device a much better experience. The Newton MessagePad follow-up,...

Apple, Insignia pitch PPC bundle with Windows. (Insignia Solutions and Apple agree to bundle SoftWindows emulation software with selected PowerPC Macs)
February 14, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. -- It's unlikely anyone paying attention to the PowerPC hubbub lately hasn't heard Apple and Insignia Solutions Inc. tout the virtues of PowerPC-based Macintoshes with SoftWindows software. Positioned as the cross-platform...

AppleShare utility tracks file moves. (ServerTracker) (Product Announcement)
February 14, 1994... San Francisco -- Server Tracker, a new AppleShare utility shipping this week, lets server security hounds follow the trail of user actions. The program from Santorini Consulting & Design Inc. is the first logger of file activity for...

AppleSearch 1.0 gives users easy access to shared data. (Software Review) (AppleSearch client/server package) (Evaluation)
February 14, 1994... ... ...................... Score Card: AppleSearch Apple Version tested: 1.0 List price: $1,799* Overall value 4 AppleSearch is a powerful, easy-to-use client-server application that lets up to 50...

Managers ponder PPC potential: plan to test systems before buying in bulk. (PowerPC)
February 14, 1994... San Francisco -- Apple's new PowerPC-based machines may not take the Mac world by storm, at least initially, according to network administrators who said they will move cautiously on implementing the new models. Despite Apple's...

Full-screen video, MIDI to debut in QuickTime 2. (Apple QuickTime 2.0) (Product Announcement)
February 14, 1994... Cupertino, Calif. -- QuickTime will move to the big screen this summer with a new Mac version that offers full-screen playback, MPEG and MIDI support, and hooks to interactive television. Apple next month will seed developers with beta...

AppleScript going for a wider audience. (News Analysis )
February 14, 1994... Apple is just beginning to deliver the real goods on AppleScript. The system-level scripting language intended to spawn corporate in-house development wasn't available until the AppleScript Scripter's Kit shipped in December. The kit...

New speakers rock multimedia Macs. (Altec Lansing, Bose, Panasonic ship computer speakers) (Product Announcement)
February 14, 1994... San Francisco -- Multimedia Macs can bop to crisper music, thanks to new speakers from Altec Lansing Consumer Products Inc., Bose Corp. and Panasonic Communications & Systems Co. > Altec Lansing shipped the ACS3, a three-piece speaker...