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                       PCM Online  December 1994

PRESS BOX Contents:

   []  News Bites: News shorts from across the industry
   []  $$  What a Deal!  $$: Bargains we've stumbled across
   []  Telecom Press Releases: For SysOps and other online enthusiasts

Entire contents copyright 1994 by Falsoft, Inc.

PCM -- The Premier Personal Computer Magazine -- is intended for the 
private use and pleasure of its subscribers, and reproduction by any 
means is prohibited.

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News Bites
~~~~~~~~~~


    >>  PROGRAMMERS: TRY THE "WEB" FOR BETTER SOFTWARE DESIGN  <<

   WEB, the system of structured documentation developed by Donald E. 
Knuth of Stanford University as part of the "TeX" project, has been 
called "one of the best secrets around." To remove the veil of secrecy, 
Micro Programs, Inc., has prepared the Arachnid Package ($62.75) so that 
more programmers can explore the concept of literate programming for 
themselves. The Arachnid Package consists of two books: Weaving a 
Program, and CWEB System of Structured Documentation, plus a free disk 
containing CWEB and WEB examples.
   WEB is a programming methodology that aids in the design of software 
rather than just the coding of it. It is designed to make the process of 
documentation less burdensome. WEB elevates the concept of structured 
programming to another level. It is more efficient than programming 
development processes that involve the use of a program design language 
(PDL) during the design phase -- the product of which is often discarded 
during the actual coding phase. Where the original WEB system produced 
Pascal code, the CWEB in this offering produces C source code. Micro 
Programs, (800) TEX4ALL. 

                                 -=*=-

               >>  FLIGHT PLAN SOFTWARE FOR PILOTS  <<

   MentorPlus Software unveiled FliteStar for Windows, its new flight-
planning software at Oshkosh '94. FliteStar "is the first and only 
flight planner for Windows using Jeppesen NavData." FliteStar for 
Windows allows pilots to open chart windows, profile views, flight logs 
and FAA flight plans at the same time. Changing a route in one window 
immediately updates all other windows. MentorPlus Software, (503) 678-
1431. 

                                 -=*=-

  >>  INTERNET AUTHOR SHOWS HOW "EVERYONE CAN LEARN TO USE UNIX"  <<

   According to Harley Hahn, author of Unix Unbound, a book just 
published by Osborne/McGraw-Hill, everyone can and should learn to use 
Unix. Unix Unbound promises to take readers where no other Unix book 
goes: from the fundamentals to a fuller, more enjoyable understanding of 
one of the most powerful and widespread operating systems in the world. 
Written in Hahn's clear, concise style, Unix Unbound has the same 
irreverent tone that has made his Internet Complete Reference and 
Internet Yellow Pages best-sellers. Unix Unbound covers these topics: 
getting started with Unix; using the C-Shell and Korn shell; sending and 
receiving mail; talking with other people online; using the Unix toolbox 
(filter and redirection); job control; and more. Unix Unbound, 792 
pages, $27.95. Osborne/McGraw-Hill, (510) 549-6600 or (800) 227-0900. 

                                 -=*=-

     >>  SCIENTISTS' CATALOG OF SOFTWARE: PRINTED AND ONLINE  <<

   SciTech reports that, since September 1, 1994, thousands of users 
have browsed its online catalog of scientific software. The Internet 
edition of Software for Science is a graphical Mosaic catalog that 
includes all of the products listed in the paper catalog ($2.95). Users 
who have access to the WorldWideWeb can access the catalog at no charge. 
SciTech's URL is:

           http://www.scitechint.com/scitech/

   What can you find in the catalog? Programs like Mathematica, 
Statgraphics Plus, Maple V -- anything to do with data acquisition, 
analysis, statistics, symbolic computations, equation graphing, 
modeling, IMSL numerical libraries, FORTRAN tools, etc. In all, the 
catalog includes descriptions for more than 1750 products (DOS, Windows, 
Macintosh and UNIX). Call SciTech at (312) 472-0444 or (800) 622-3345, 
or write info@scitechint.com for a free 116-page color-printed copy, if 
you like. 

                                 -=*=-

               >>  CLARION CHANGES NAME TO TOPSPEED  <<

   TopSpeed is the new corporate name for Clarion Software Corp., the 
makers of the Clarion Database Developer. According to Bruce Barrington, 
TopSpeed's founder and president, "The name TopSpeed more accurately 
reflects the core nature of the advanced technology programming products 
TopSpeed develops and markets." It also reflects the merger Clarion 
Software undertook with the Jensen Partners International, who brought 
the TopSpeed compiler technology to the table. The Clarion name will be 
preserved on TopSpeed's newest program, Clarion for Windows. "This name 
change is not marketing hype; the high-speed optimizing compiler 
technology gained in the merger was essential to astonishing performance 
achieved in the soon-to-be-released Clarion for Windows," said 
Barrington. TopSpeed, (800) 354-5444. 

                                 -=*=-

>> INSTANT WINDOWS INTEGRATION FOR DOS AND MIDRANGE/MAINFRAME APPS  <<

   On October 18, 1994, WINGate Technologies announced WinTunnel, a 
product that allows the users of DOS and host legacy applications to 
automatically merge their data with Windows documents of choice -- with 
only the touch of a hot key.
   "WinTunnel comes to the rescue of virtually all vendors and users of 
legacy applications," said Ravi Romano, president of WINGate 
Technologies. "While working in any text screen under Windows, users 
simply press a hot key and produce fully formatted and merged documents 
in industry-standard Windows applications like Word for Windows, 
WordPerfect for Windows, Ami Pro, Excel, Lotus, etc. WinTunnel 
effectively eliminates the need to rekey data. And it's automatic. No 
programming is required."
   For example, a user might make a selection from a Clipper database of 
new customers for the previous month. Then, with the touch of a hot key, 
generate merged thank-you letters automatically for all related records 
in a Windows word processor.
   WinTunnel, which retails for $49.95, supports all industry-standard 
word processors and spreadsheets. The WinTunnel Extension Kit, which 
allows users to build WinTunnel connections to virtually any Windows 
application, retails for $129.95. The Extension Kit is free with 
WinTunnel until December 31, 1994. WINGate, (800) 946-7435. 

                                 -=*=-

      >>  NEW VIDEO IMAGER HAS A BIG EYE FOR SMALL SUBJECTS  <<

   In one position, Fuji's new FV-7 lets you video photographs, jewelry, 
collectibles and other small items. Retractable arms hold the camera in 
position while two daylight-balanced lights illuminate the subject. In 
its other position, the FV-7 grabs images from slides or photo negatives 
(a switch on the camera lets you pick). The FV-7 acts as a simple video 
camera as well: just open the lights, remove the slide tray, and aim. 
The FV-7 is being marketed by Digital Vision as a complement to its line 
of ComputerEyes frame grabbers. The suggested retail price is $999.95, 
but Digital Vision is offering it for $799.95 for now. Sample images 
captured with the ComputerEyes and the FV-7 are available for download 
from DV's tech support BBS: (617) 329-8387 (up to 14.4 Kbps, 8-N-1). 
Digital Vision, (617) 329-5400. 

                                 -=*=-

     >>  U.S. PATENT AWARDED TO "FUZZY-THINKING" SPREADSHEET  <<

   FuziWare, Inc., of Knoxville, Tenn., has been notified by the U.S. 
Dept. of Commerce and Trademark Office that its application for a patent 
for FuziCalc has been allowed. FuziCalc is a "stand-alone Windows-based 
fuzzy number processing tool delivered in the spreadsheet format. It is 
distinguishable from conventional spreadsheets on a core level. Whereas 
in a conventional spreadsheet each cell can contain a numerical value, 
text, or a formula, in FuziCalc each cell can be transformed into a 
fuzzy number or a number which takes on multiple values with relative 
degrees of belief distributed across a range of values. In so doing, the 
invention enables users to perform arithmetic operations extended to 
fuzzy numbers -- a formula which has a fuzzy input will yield a fuzzy 
result. This result may be defuzzified or input into another formula, 
much as in a conventional spreadsheet." Uh-hum. FuziWare, (615) 588-
4144. 

                                 -=*=-

        >>  10,000 COMPUTER PRODUCTS FOR INTERNET SHOPPERS  <<

   Open for business: Software Online's "The Internet Software Store": 
"your high-speed, low-cost software source," which has more than 10,000 
products available, for Windows, DOS, OS/2, Unix, Macintosh and more. 
It's open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, has next-day shipping on all 
in-stock items, sends order confirmations back through e-mail, and 
offers "FREE information on thousands of software products." To find out 
more about that FREE info, send e-mail to sales@softonline.com and put 
SEND INFO in the body of your message. Or call the Brampton, Ontario-
based Software Online at (905) 450-3450. 

                                 -=*=-

           >>  SEC FILINGS INFO FOR WALL STREET JUNKIES  <<

   Disclosure, a provider of global company information, has announced 
it will shortly release "EdgarPlus on CD," a CD-ROM version of its 
"EdgarPlus" database of Securities and Exchange Commission filings. 
That's good news for financial researchers. (The database is already 
available on Lexis/Nexis.) EdgarPlus is a value-added, full-text 
database of public company reports filed electronically using EDGAR, the 
SEC's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system. A 
steadily increasing percentage of companies now submit their SEC filings 
via EDGAR rather than paper. Disclosure, (301) 951-1300. 

                                 -=*=-

            >>  SORT OUT LOAN ALTERNATIVES GRAPHICALLY  <<

   The Windows-based PC-Loan ($59.95) calculates the normal attributes 
of financing alternatives -- the number of payments, the amount of a 
monthly payment, interest rate, total payments, etc. -- based on 
information the user enters. But unlike other loan-analysis programs, 
PC-Loan displays payment patterns graphically. The program also contains 
a Loan Wizard with a unique comparison feature that analyzes and shows 
graphically which loan alternative is superior and by how much. For 
example, it can quickly show the difference between an adjustable-rate 
mortgage and a fixed-rate mortgage, or a low-interest rate versus a 
cash-back deal on a car loan. From 20/20 Software, (503) 520-0504. 

                                 -=*=-

           >>  LEARNING CHANNEL'S "HOME PRO" ON CD-ROM  <<

   Gerry Connell, of the Learning Channel's "The Home Pro," hosts 50 
full-motion video clips that provide answers to home design and 
remodeling question. And that's just a small part of Broderbund's new 
CD-ROM version of its 3D Home Architect ($70), a home-design program for 
do-it-yourselfers. Broderbund, (800) 521-6263. 

                                 -=*=-

               >>  COULDN'T GET ENOUGH OF STARGATE?  <<

   If you're a fan of the recent science-fiction flick Stargate, 
starring Kurt Russell and James Spader, Compton's NewMedia has just the 
thing for you: Secrets of Stargate ($39.95), a CD-ROM program that 
allows users to navigate through a collage of film and video images as 
well as interviews of both stars and filmmakers. With each click of the 
mouse, users will see photos of the creature designs, production stills, 
costume renderings and computerized storyboards. Exploring further, 
users get an inside look at the special effects and an up-close look at 
the development of the sets. Compton's NewMedia, (619) 929-2500. 

                                 -=*=-

    >>  COMPUSERVE MOVES TO FURTHER INTERNET COMMERCIALIZATION  <<

   CompuServe has announced it has joined CommerceNet, a consortium of 
organizations and companies conducting the first large-scale market 
trial of commerce over the Internet. "Joining the CommerceNet represents 
a significant move for CompuServe," said Tim Oren, CompuServe's vice-
president of future technologies, "and it demonstrates our commitment to 
commercialization of the Internet. CompuServe is currently developing a 
wide array of services for the Internet, and our membership in 
CommerceNet will help us in that ongoing effort. Moreover, the 
association with the CommerceNet will give us the opportunity to 
collaborate with other industry leaders to develop technologies and open 
standards for electronic commerce on the Internet." 

                                 -=*=-

               >>  COREL'S GIVING AWAY MONEY AGAIN!  <<

   For the last few years Corel has sponsored prize-studded contests for 
users of CorelDRAW, its premier suite of graphics-design programs for 
Windows. This year Corel's World Design Contest is giving away $2 
million dollars in cash and prizes. There are mini-contests each month, 
from September 1994 to March 1995, in a number of categories. The best 
of show winner takes home $100,000. Only registered CorelDRAW users may 
enter, but they can enter as often as they like until March 31, 1995 -- 
though each entry must be original. Each entry must be accompanied by a 
completed and signed entry form. For info, call Corel at (613) 728-0826, 
Ext. 1609. 

                                 -=*=-

  >>  "VIRTUAL SERVICE DEPOTS" -- THERE'S PROBABLY ONE NEAR YOU  <<

   Mail Boxes Etc., the world's largest franchisor of neighborhood 
retail services, is making its national network available as "virtual 
service depots" to the customers and field officers of major computer 
and home office equipment manufacturers. For less than the cost of 
establishing their own field offices or service depots for repairing 
equipment, a growing number of leading corporations are turning to Mail 
Boxes Etc.'s neighborhood retail centers to "pack and ship" products 
needing repair or replacement. The program has already attracted such 
high-tech corporations as Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, Panasonic and Ricoh, 
among others.
   To use the pack-and-ship service, a customer obtains an RMA number 
from the manufacturer and brings the item to a designated Mail Boxes 
Etc. center. Then manufacturer then faxes a work order to the center, 
which verifies the RMA and custom-packs and ships the equipment. Mail 
Boxes Etc.'s typical arrangement with the manufacturer or service-repair 
facility provides this service at no cost to the customer. 

                                 -=*=-

>>   NEW TECHNOLOGY TO BOOST OPTICAL DISK CAPACITY 10 TO 20 TIMES  <<

   In a breakthrough likely to significantly impact the development of 
multimedia and mass-storage systems, Maxell Corporation of America has 
announced an exclusive new magneto-optical (MO) technology that will 
increase optical disk capacity by 10 to 20 times over current optical 
media.
   Maxell has succeeded in developing the world's first "quadri-value" 
magneto-optical media, making possible the realization of ultra high-
density 3.5-inch MO disks with capacities of 1.3 to 2.6 gigabytes, 10 to 
20 times greater than current disks. Using this new technology, such 
disks will hold data equivalent to 900 to 1800 1.44MB floppy disks on a 
single 3.5-inch optical disk.
   Current MO technology employs two magnetic states corresponding to 
the '0' or '1' digital signals ("upward" or "downward" magnetic 
directions). In a quadri-value system, however, two recording layers 
made of super-thin, semi-permeable film are used, instead of the single 
layer found in conventional media. This makes it possible to employ four 
magnetic directions (upward/upward, downward/downward, downward/upward, 
and upward/downward), instead of the standard two, yielding four digital 
signals. As a result, disk density and storage capacity can be 
dramatically increased.
   At present, a 640MB, 3.5-inch disk system employing a 680 nm laser is 
currently under development at several companies," stated David Berry, 
New Product Development Manager for Maxell. "Using quadri-value 
technology, however, far greater capacities for MO systems should be 
realized in the near future." He added that based on the principles that 
are key to quadri-value, it may also be possible to design MO disks with 
as many as six or eight magnetic values, yielding even more massive 
increases in disk density and storage limits. 

                                 -=*=-

       >>  TOUR THE WILD SIDE OF THE 'NET WITH STEVE RIMMER  <<

   Where can you discuss pagan theology, plot strategies for doing away 
with Barney the dinosaur, locate cheap flights to Bolivia, or find out 
about new CDs before they hit the streets? The Internet, of course! And 
you'll find an offbeat host in Steve Rimmer in his new book, Planet 
Internet ($24.95), published by McGraw-Hill (800-822-8158). In his own 
inimitable and humorous style, Rimmer tells how to plumb the deepest 
recesses of cyberspace, showing readers how to locate newsgroups, 
mailing lists and Net sites for such topics as: online dating, the 
paranormal, Cybersleaze, filthy limericks, exotic pets, the Grateful 
Dead, Cult TV, Church of the SubGenius, Red Dwarf and Spam. 

                                 -=*=-

               >>  100,000 PAGES ON A "CREDIT CARD"  <<

   MRT Micro, of Norway, has launched a powerful new electronic 
publishing media for laptop computers called InfoDisk -- a credit card-
sized PCMCIA Read Only Memory (ROM) card, featuring MRT's MS160 
coprocessor for fast data browsing. The card was developed for 
publishing houses and electronic publishers requiring a non-erasable, 
read-only data storage medium for their reference works, catalogs and 
other records. It can be populated with between 4MB and 100MB of Read-
Only Memory, storing up to 100,000 pages of text on a single unit. 

                                 -=*=-

>>  MUSTANG ANNOUNCES NETWORKING VERSION OF QMODEMPRO FOR WINDOWS  <<

   Mustang Software, Inc., is introducing the first network version of 
its popular QmodemPro for Windows communications software, allowing up 
to five users to simultaneously access the program's data-transmitting 
capabilities. At $399, this network version is priced to allow network 
administrators to minimize setup costs for a five-user license. This 
price is $100 less than five single-user copies of QmodemPro for 
Windows, and the network package includes five user manuals. The 
software takes up 7MB on the file server, but only about 100K is 
required on each workstation. This network version supports Novell's 
Network Asynchronous Communications Service (NACS), which allows users 
on workstations not equipped with modems to access network modems. 
Mustang Software, (805) 873-2500.

                                 -=*=-

  >>  KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPOT COLOR AND COLORED SPOTS?  <<

   Whether you do or don't, if you're one of the growing number of DTP 
users who must get some color experience real soon now, take a look at 
Peachpit Press's latest title: Understanding Desktop Color, Second Ed., 
by Michael Kieran. Although adding color to publications is now 
relatively easy, using color effectively still requires specialized 
skills. That's where Understanding Desktop Color comes in. It's a 
definitive, comprehensive book on desktop color that's for Macintosh as 
well as Windows users, for graphics professionals as well as desktop-
publishing novices. Peachpit Press.

                                 -=*=-

                  >>  PERSONALIZED SCREEN SAVERS  <<

   Personalized screen saver? No problem: you take a photo of yourself 
(or your cat, kid, etc.), scan it, save it, and use it in a Windows 
shareware utility like METZ Corporate Screen Saver. What's that? You 
don't have a scanner? Then you can try the "Personalize It!" service 
offered by a company called Personal Screen Images. How it works: send 
them photographs and payment, and they send you a personalized screen 
saver (and return your photos). The software allows for up to nine 
rotating photos. Personal Screen Images, (800) PC VIEWS. 

                                 -=*=-

         >>  PHONEMAN "ELIMINATES" THE DESKTOP TELEPHONE  <<

   Phoenix Automated Dialing Systems, Inc., has announced the release of 
Phoneman Professional business System Managaer ($695), a series of 
computer telephone integration products for IBM-compatible desktop 
computers. It's a complete hardware/software solution that successfully 
integrates the telephone and the desktop computer. In fact, Phoneman's 
proprietary hardware eliminates the desktop telephone and uses Windows-
based software to manage telephone activity through the desktop 
computer.
   The hardware includes an add-in card, an incoming Caller ID monitor 
box (which fits into a 5-1/4-inch half-height drive bay (or optional 
stand-alone cabinet) and a hands-free headset.
   The software includes a call activity log, call accounting, and a 
personal information manager that can pull up data on the caller if the 
database finds a match with the Caller ID number. 

                                 -=*=-

           >>  CD SOFTWARE SALES UP 421% FROM LAST YEAR  <<

   On November 1, 1994, the Software Publishers Association (SPA) 
released figures from its CD Software Sales Report, which tracks sales 
of software sold on CD-ROM discs. For the second quarter of 1994, total 
sales of reporting companies were $139.6 million, a 421 percent increase 
from $26.8 million in the second quarter of 1993. Unit sales were 3.97 
million, a 257 percent increase from 1.11 million in the prior year's 
quarter. 

                                 -=*=-

               >>  PC TOOLS USERS RECEIVE AN ENCORE  <<

   For PC Tools fans who can't get enough, it's here -- More PC Tools 
($50 to $60 U.S.), a program that complements and upgrades some of the 
programs in the larger PC Tools suites, but does not require them to 
run. "PC Tools users asked for more, and that's just what we've given 
them," said Gary Thomassen, PC Tools product manager. "At the same time, 
because it will sell for about half the price of the full PC Tools 
product, More PC Tools will appeal to new, more cost-conscious buyers 
who want the added system reliability, performance and trouble-shooting 
tools."
   More PC Tools, from Central Point, is designed to improve system 
reliability in both DOS and Windows environments. In addition, by 
including Intel's new Plug-and-Play database, More PC Tools provides an 
improved system-configuration program that enables users to tackle tough 
diagnostic and troubleshooting tasks.
   Other new and improved features include: CrashGuard Pro (with CPR for 
Windows), which helps prevent crashes or, if one happens, recovers data; 
DriveSpeed, which improves IDE hard disk transfer speed 50 percent or 
more; DriveCheck, which checks the hard disk for problems like lost 
clusters and high degrees of file fragmentation; BackTrack, which keeps 
a history of changes made to initialization files; and System 
Information Pro, which troubleshoots and reports on system 
configuration.
   It's interesting to note that Central Point, like Peter Norton 
Computing (of The Norton Utilities), has become just another division of 
the growing software giant called Symantec. 

                                 -=*=-

>>   TIME-WARNER CABLE TO BRING VOICE ACCESS TO INFO SUPERHIGHWAY  <<

   Time-Warner Cable, the nation's second largest cable television 
operator, has chosen BBN HARK Systems Corporation to develop the system 
design for integrating speech recognition into Time-Warner Cable's Full 
Service Network (FSN). FSN is a prototype for future interactive cable 
television services, providing such services as home shopping, 
interactive games and video-on-demand. For example, a viewer will simply 
say, "Go to the Movie Channel," and the set-top converter box will tune 
to that channel.
   Following a field trial involving 4000 customers in Orlando, Time-
Warner plans to eventually offer the service nationally to its customer 
base of 7.3 million. BBN HARK Systems will provide its HARK speech-
recognition software and development services to speech-enable the FSN 
user interface to allow subscribers to interact with their cable 
television system by voice. 

                                 -=*=-

        >>  DATA-TRANSFER SOLUTION FOR CELLULAR CUSTOMERS  <<

   Traveling Software has announced an alliance with U S WEST Cellular 
to provide cellular customers with a tested solution for fast, reliable 
wireless data exchange. U S WEST is interested in the SpeedSync 
technology found in Traveling Software's LapLink for Windows, a program 
that offers file-transfer and remote-control capabilities over a variety 
of connections. SpeedSync speeds file transfers by up to 800 percent, 
which translates into lower connect costs for cellular customers. 
SpeedSync works by recognizing when changes have occurred in a file, and 
then transfers only those changes. "A cellular customer can expect to 
save as much as 88 cents of every air-time dollar using SpeedSync," said 
Mark Eppley, chairman and CEO of Traveling Software. For more info, call 
(206) 483-8088. 

                                 -=*=-

       >>  NEW ONLINE TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR RECREATION SERVICE  <<

   America Online and Turner Publishing, Inc., a division of Turner Home 
Entertainment, announced they will launch a major new outdoor sports and 
adventure travel service on America Online. Scheduled to debut on 
November 21, 1994, the new service, Outdoor Adventure Online (OAO), is 
planned to be the most comprehensive outdoor recreation database offered 
to the general public. Users can access profiles of national and state 
parks; read detailed descriptions of rivers, hiking trails, dive sites 
and ski resorts; and learn about outdoor events worldwide. Those 
planning vacations can select from hundreds of recommended itineraries 
or search a database listing thousands of guide services worldwide. 

                                 -=*=-

          >>  STEPHEN HAWKING'S SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE  <<

   When Stephen Hawking's book A Brief History of Time: From the Big 
Bang to Black Holes sold more than 8 million copies, the publishing 
world took notice. Who would have guessed that so many people would 
purchase a theoretical book about the nature of the universe? Stephen 
Hawking, an engaging writer and thinker with a disarming sense of humor, 
was the perfect guide for a fascinating journey through space and time. 
Now a new mind-expanding experience is in store for Hawking's readers 
and fans, and anyone else intrigued by the secrets of space and time. A 
Brief History of Time on CD-ROM ($59.95) brings the complete text of the 
bestseller to life with interactive animation, dramatic images and film.
   The CD-ROM also offers a simulation in which users can explore black 
holes, roam the subatomic landscape of "Quarkland," and listen to 
theories on space and time from ancient philosophers to modern 
astrophysicists. 

                                 -=*=-

       >>  NEW BOOK PREPARES USERS FOR FUTURE OF NETWORKING  <<

   A new book, Networks 2000: Internet, Information Superhighway, 
Multimedia Networks and Beyond ($24.95), has been released by the 
publishers of LAN Magazine to help network users prepare for the 
complexities of networking in the future.
   Networks 2000 examines how existing network technology can 
interoperate with the expected faster networks, and includes case 
studies of companies that have successfully upgraded their systems and 
meshed cutting-edge network technology with conventional LANs. Miller 
Freeman Books, (800) 848-5594 or (408) 848-5926. 

                                 -=*=-

           >>  WANT WINDOWS TO MONITOR HEAVY MACHINERY?  <<

   If economical production data collection and machine monitoring for 
manufacturing is your aim, you've got it in the Machine Data Transducer 
(MDT -- $195) from Production Process. The MDT is a data collection 
connection that interfaces a PC to a manufacturing machine using 
existing electrical signals. It records production and reject totals, 
cycle time, production rate, setup time, run time, down time and process 
time.
   An RS-232 Interface Module at the PC provides communication with up 
to 250 MDT located 4000 feet distant. Companion DDE Server software 
gathers data for analysis and display by any DDE-compliant Windows 
spreadsheet, database, Man-Machine Interface or SCADA Software. Standard 
PC networks also provide the gateway to enterprise-wide 
MRP/MRPII/MES/JIT systems. If any of the preceding made sense to you and 
you'd like more information, call Production Process at (603) 434-2300. 
(Hey, we just spread the news.) 

                                 -=*=-

            >>  IF YOU WANNA BE NOVELL-CERTIFIED . . .  <<

   . . . check out a new book from Windcrest/McGraw-Hill, the Novell 
CNA/CNE Study Guide ($38.95). It provides test-takers with "all the 
information they need to pass the two primary certification exams 
available through Novell: Certified NetWare Engineer (CNE) and Certified 
NetWare Administrator (CNA)."
   Through the use of hands-on learning techniques and a goal-oriented 
approach to studying, certification experts John Paul Mueller, CNE, and 
Robert A. Williams, CNE, CNI, put readers through their paces. They 
include Novell questions and answers; emphasize the importance of 
learning to look at things from the Novell perspective; explain why a 
given answer is the correct one; and offer a challenging trivia game to 
test the reader's knowledge. A disk is, of course, included. Windcrest, 
(800) 233-1128. 

                                 -=*=-

          >>  "FRIENDLY VIRUS RECOVERS STOLEN COMPUTERS"  <<

   Flash: "CompuTrace Theft-Retrieval System (TM) Uses Friendly Virus to 
Recover Stolen Computers. (Computer secretly calls toll-free number for 
location monitoring.)"
   Using a virtually indestructible virus-like technology, the 
CompuTrace Theft Retrieval System (TRS) hides a transparent sentinel 
program deep in a computer's hard drive. At regular intervals, the 
sentinel uses the computer's modem to report to the dedicated CompuTrace 
TRS toll-free tracking line.
   "Anti-virus programs ignore our sentinel. It remains untouched even 
when you reformat your disk," avows Christian Cotichini, president of 
Vancouver-based Absolute Software, creators and providers of the 
CompuTrace TRS. "The call is transparent and doesn't interfere with any 
work you're doing. If you're using your modem or phone line, the 
sentinel simply waits to make its call until the first opportunity 
arises."
   To subscribe to the CompuTrace TRS, PC owners using DOS/Windows 
simply call toll-free (800) 220-0733. Within minutes, the service 
registers the computer and downloads the sentinel to the hard disk or 
Flash ROM via modem. For those whose computer was bought with the 
sentinel already loaded, the service simply activates the number.
   If the computer should be stolen, the victim is instructed first to 
call the police, and second to call the CompuTrace theft hotline. The 
police report-number and serial number are placed on red alert and 
reported to the Stolen Computer Registry in New York for circulation to 
police forces and computer vendors across North America. Once the 
sentinel reaches the CompuTrace tracking line, the service pinpoints its 
whereabouts and notifies local authorities.
   The cost for the CompuTrace TRS is $49.95 per year. "Many insurers 
are offering reduced premiums to our subscribers," Cotichini said. "In 
addition, if your computer is stolen and not recovered within four 
months, we'll pay your insurance deductible up to $200." For more info, 
call Absolute Software at (604) 730-9851. 

                                 -=*=-

          >>  TEXT-TO-SPEECH NEWS FROM AT&T AND ENTROPIC  <<

   Entropic Research Laboratory, Inc., has been named the first company 
to obtain worldwide rights to market and sublicense text-to-speech 
software from AT&T Bell Laboratories.
   The agreement also calls for both companies to work together to 
enhance the capabilities of text-to-speech technology. The market is 
estimated to be $370 million a year and growing at a 34 percent rate.
   The technology is based on three decades of research by AT&T, and is 
considered to be one of the most intelligible text-to-speech systems 
available. It converts English text into natural-sounding speech with an 
intelligibility rate of nearly 97 percent, according to an industry 
study.
   Entropic intends to develop and market a family of products under the 
TrueTalk (TM) label, and to sublicense the technology to selected 
manufacturers.
   "This agreement allows Entropic to enter the rapidly growing speech 
synthesis market with one of the world's leading text-to-speech 
technologies," said William Livingston, senior vice president of 
Entropic.
   TrueTalk will currently run on Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard and 
Silicon Graphics UNIX workstations, and may also be ported to other 
platforms. 

                                 -=*=-

             >>  CLASSIFIED ADS COME TO THE INTERNET  <<

   The tried-and-true classified ad has advanced to a new order of 
effectiveness, say spokespersons for Comstar Industries, providers of a 
new electronic advertising service now on the Internet. Comstar 
Classifieds allow users to advertise homes, apartments, businesses for 
sale, capital availabilities, cars, boats, equipment, art, antiques, 
guns, collectibles and miscellaneous merchandise just like newspapers 
and magazines do, but in a more dynamic way.
   Buyers, in search of specific items, can define their requirements. 
Selection criteria, specific to their needs, are all part of the 
service.
   Comstar is also opening the service to more than just the usual ads. 
For instance, job-seekers may post their resumes for the benefit of any 
employment agencies that call in. Lawyers, accountants, architects, 
etc., can promote their specialties. Brokers with a truckload of corn, 
or whatever, to sell, may advertise their wares. And buyers will be 
allowed to post their requirements too.
   Access is free to Internet users through December 1994. Here's how to 
log on to Comstar Classifieds:

   1) Set terminal to vt100, n, 8, 1
   2) Type: telnet csii.com
   3) At login prompt, type: star
   4) Follow onscreen directions

   For more information, call Comstar at (908) 685-1900. 

                                 -=*=-

   >>  DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA INTRODUCES QUAD-SPEED MULTIMEDIA KIT  <<

   Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc., makers of the popular Diamond Viper 
and Stealth video cards, announces its new Diamond Multimedia Kit 4000, 
which has a suggested retail price of $499. This kit includes a quad-
speed CD-ROM drive, a 16-bit stereo sound card (Sound Blaster 
compatible), speakers, and 11 CD-ROM titles. The drive has an access 
time of under 200 milliseconds and a transfer rate of 600K/second. The 
48KHz sound card is Wavetable-upgradable. The CD-ROM titles include 
Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia 1995 Edition plus 10 Interplay titles 
(Bard's Tale, Battle Chess, Star Trek 25th Anniversary and Out of This 
World). Diamond Multimedia Systems, (408) 736-2000. 

                                 -=*=-

>>  DISCTEC INTRODUCES FIRST QUAD-SPEED PARALLEL PORT CD-ROM DRIVE  <<

   At the recent Las Vegas COMDEX, DISTEC Corporation announced the 
availability of the RoadRunner Express CD-4X ($499, suggested retail), 
the first external quad speed CD-ROM system with "Plug and Play" 
capabilities. The drive operates on the parallel port of any IBM-
compatible desk-top or portable system, and supports the new Enhanced 
Parallel Port (EPP) and Extended Capabilities Port (ECP). The quad-speed 
mechanism means it can support data transfer rates up to 600K/second.
   "Using an adaptive speed control technique, the RoadRunner Express 
products automatically optimize to the host computer," said Bill 
Hawkins, Director of Engineering. "Additionally, if EPP or ECP 
capabilities are detected, the product will determine if the host has an 
EPP/ECP BIOS; if an appropriate BIOS is not found, we load our own to 
allow users to take advantage of the high-speed standards."
   Says Tom Hunt, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, "The small size 
and light weight of the CD-4X makes it ideal for use on multiple systems 
within an office, or as a portable computer accessory." It measures 6.5 
by 2.4 by 10.25 inches and weighs 3.5 pounds. The user may daisy-chain 
up to eight compatible devices plus a printer. The CD-4X comes complete 
with all hardware and software and is easy to install. The drive is 
compatible with all these: MPC1, MPC2, Photo CD, audio CD and High 
Sierra. 

                                 -=*=-

           >>  . . . BUT CAN YOU BLUFF COMMANDER RIKER?  <<

   Jonathan Frakes (of Star Trek: Next Generation fame), Morgan 
Fairchild and Joe Piscopo provide the opposition, as well as the 
entertainment, in New World Computing's interactive poker title, 
Multimedia Celebrity Poker. This Windows CD-ROM program "allows players 
to test their card-playing skills in a setting that offers nearly all 
the action found in a Las Vegas pit (cigars not included)." Available 
November 21 for a suggested retail price of $49.95, the game features 
irreverent lines and ad-libs as the stars attempt to keep players off 
balance.
   Multimedia Celebrity Poker uses proprietary full-motion video 
technology custom-developed by New World specifically for this title. 
The technique allows players to interact constantly with the 
celebrities, as well as the celebrities with each other. The video was 
filmed in a Hollywood studio during a five-day period, and more than 24 
hours of footage was shot.
   Players join the celebrities as the "fourth" in a game of poker. The 
game proceeds as it would in a real hand of poker, with the dealer 
naming the game and the ante. There are eight variations of poker to 
choose, including five- and seven-card stud, five-card draw and five-
card lo-ball draw. New World Computing, (818) 889-5600. 

                                 -=*=-

           >>  NEW BOOK TO PREVIEW MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95  <<

   In late November, Random House plans to release Windows 95 Revealed 
($19), a book that previews Windows 95, the long-awaited successor to 
the Windows 3.1 operating environment. Written by veteran computer book 
author Jack Nimersheim, Windows 95 Revealed will prepare Windows 3.1 
users for the changes to come. Because just about everything is going to 
change, from the interface design to the way DOS is handled. Nimersheim 
discusses the 32-bit environment, plug and play, the new folders, the 
Explorer (a redesigned File Manager), installing popular software and 
more. Random House, (800) 733-3000. 

-=-------------        -=*=-     -=*=-     -=*=-        -------------=-

$$ What a Deal! $$
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  $$  CANON MAKES AGGRESSIVE PRICE MOVE IN INKJET PRINTER MARKET  $$

   In a strategic move aimed at helping Canon increase its 25-percent 
share of the inkjet printing market, Canon Computer System announced in 
November a major reduction on its acclaimed BJ-200e and recently 
introduced BJC-4000 Bubble Jet printers. The new MSRP (manufacturer's 
suggested retail price) for the monochrome BJ-200e will drop to $269 
(originally $299) with an expected estimated street price of only $229. 
The recently introduced high-speed color Bubble Jet printer, the BJC-
4000, will also feature a new low MSRP of $469 (originally $549) with an 
estimated street price of $399. 

                                 -=*=-

          $$  $499 MULTIMEDIA HARDWARE/SOFTWARE SOLUTION  $$

   Three companies, two U.S.-based and one Canadian, have teamed up to 
offer their three products as one powerful yet value-priced multimedia 
authoring kit -- for only $499. If purchased separately, the three would 
cost more than $950.
   AITech brings its WaveWatcher II to the mix -- an add-in TV tuner 
board with full-motion video capture. A user can freeze, store and 
manipulate images from a laser disc player, VCR, camcorder or broadcast 
TV. The board features real-time capture of up to 30 frames a second and 
supports NTSC or PAL composite video via two inputs. The video can be 
displayed in a movable, scalable and sizable window.
   Ulead's MediaStudio is a collection of multimedia audio/video editing 
and production tools that go to work on captured video.
   Q-Media's Q-Media for Windows, a powerful multimedia authoring tool, 
serves as the trio's integrator. After having captured video with 
WaveWatcher II, editing it and adding special effects with MediaStudio, 
users can turn the video into full-blown multimedia presentations with 
Q-Media for Windows.
   For information, call Q-Media at (800) 444-9356. 

                                 -=*=-

        $$  HOLIDAY SHOPPING? TRY AN OFFICE-SUPPLY COMPANY  $$

   Need to buy a present fast? Interested in something like a gourmet 
assortment of fine cheeses? Fruitcakes, "Tennessee Tipsy Cakes," 
macadamia nut cakes, sinful chocolates? Try an office supply store in 
your area. Or try a mail-order vendor such as the Wholesale Supply 
Company (800-962-9162), which can ship same-day UPS on credit approval. 
For faster delivery, add $3 to your order for two-day FedEx service. 
Wholesale Supply Company's bargains range from the inexpensive 
("Grandma's Fruit Cake," $9.98 per 2-pound bar) to the grandiose (the 
"Grande Assortment," a $40.93 wicker basket bulging with such goods as 
cheeses, Swiss bittersweet chocolate, canned ham, summer sausage, 
Spanish olives, shortbread and more). 

                                 -=*=-

   $$  AMERICA ONLINE INTRODUCTORY OFFER INCLUDES 10 FREE HOURS  $$

   You probably already know about this, though. America Online, one of 
the "Big 5" online services, has poured a ton of money into advertising 
and even sending out Windows interface sign-on disks. (Here at Falsoft, 
we must have received at least five or six of these disks.) If by some 
miracle America Online's marketing blitz passed you by, and you would 
like to test-drive America Online for 10 free hours, call the company at 
(800) 827-6364 and request your free disk. 

-=-------------        -=*=-     -=*=-     -=*=-        -------------=-

Telecom Press Releases
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   ** NOTE: we are publishing these press releases nearly verbatim
   as a service to SysOps and other online enthusiasts. We are not
   responsible for inaccuracies or excessive braggadocio. <G> **

                                 -=*=-

From Solectek Corporation:

         AIRLAN/ACCESS AND AIRLAN/BRIDGE PLUS NOW SHIPPING:
   Completes Solectek's AIRLAN CAN (Campus Area Network) Offering

   Products Permit High Speed, Untethered, Seamless, Wireless, Mobile
                              Networking

   SAN DIEGO, October 18, 1994 -- Solectek Corp., the innovator of 
wireless Campus Area Networking, today announced that AIRLAN/Access and 
AIRLAN/Bridge Plus are now shipping. AIRLAN/Access and AIRLAN/Bridge 
Plus are both integral to Solectek's AIRLAN CAN (Campus Area 
Networking), and complete the AIRLAN suite of wireless products that 
enable PC/laptop users to roam and communicate at full network speeds -- 
tested to be as much as 200% faster than competitive products -- 
throughout the entire campus, regardless of size.
   "With these new AIRLAN CAN product offerings, Solectek can satisfy 
the mobile user's need to communicate wirelessly at full network speeds 
over five doors, five floors, or five miles," said Jim DeBello, 
president and CEO of Solectek Corp. "AIRLAN/CAN offers untethered 
communications with no recurring costs."
   AIRLAN/Access is a wireless access point to a wired LAN that creates 
a 50,000-square foot roaming area, or "cell," for wireless workstations 
in a typical office environment. Multiple AIRLAN/Access units, 
strategically located, enable mobile users to roam seamlessly from 
access cell to access cell. AIRLAN's advanced software provides roaming 
capabilities by automatically switching addresses from one access point 
to another as signals weaken.
   10Base10 and coaxial connectors provide instant access anywhere on an 
existing backbone, enabling any AIRLAN-equipped PC or notebook within 
800 feet to be instantly linked to the network using Solectek's built-in 
configuration software.
   AIRLAN/Bridge Plus is a powerful wireless bridge for linking wired or 
wireless users at full network speeds in separate buildings up to three 
miles apart, or greater distances when using special Solectek antenna 
systems.
   AIRLAN/Bridge includes a new Base Station Protocol allowing multiple 
buildings to be linked through a single unit. AIRLAN/Bridge Plus also 
offers enhanced throughput -- 20% faster than the original AIRLAN/Bridge 
product -- and advanced filtering, with reliable link protocol for 
guaranteed packet delivery. The device outperforms and costs less than a 
T1 bridge and performs up to 40 times faster than leased lines.
   AIRLAN products use Spread Spectrum radio technology, operating 
within 902-928 megahertz. AIRLAN products offer a data rate of two 
megabits per second, and are compatible with Ethernet standards and all 
major LAN operating systems. The entire AIRLAN product family, including 
AIRLAN/Access and AIRLAN/Bridge Plus, is designed to be compatible with 
the upcoming wireless networking standard, and is compatible with all 
wireless products from Digital (formerly DEC) and AT&T GIS.
   AIRLAN/Access is available for $2499. AIRLAN/Bridge is available for 
$5499. Other cost-effective, wireless LAN products from Solectek include 
mobile adapters, AIRLAN/Parallel and AIRLAN/PCMCIA for $699 each, and 
AIRLAN/Internal for desktop machines for $799.
   For more information, contact Solectek's Technical Sales Group at 
(619) 450-1220. 

                                 -=*=-

From Mustang Software, Inc.:

         MUSTANG SOFTWARE REPORTS RECORD WILDCAT! SALES . . .  

       . . . Reflecting Booming Demand for Bulletin Board Systems 
                             in Business

       MSI Makes INC. Magazine's List of Top 500 Fastest-Growing 
                             Private Firms

   LAS VEGAS, Nevada, Nov. 14, 1994, COMDEX -- Mustang Software, Inc., 
has announced record-breaking sales of its Wildcat! 4 BBS software since 
its introduction this past July. The four-month launch is the most 
successful in the company's eight-year history and, according to company 
officials, the fastest launch ever in BBS history.
   Mustang Software attributes it brisk sales to both the product itself 
and the marketing strategy behind it, and the booming demand for BBSs in 
business applications.
   Apropos of Mustang's revolutionary role in the BBS industry, Wildcat! 
4 began shipping on the Fourth of July, representing the first major 
upgrade to the product since Version 3 was released three years prior.
   While total unit sales are climbing, Mustang Software's revenues are 
also setting some new records due in part to the popularity of the 
company's new high-end product, The Wildcat! BBS Suite. Mustang's total 
1994 annual revenues are on track to reach an all-time high of $5 
million, and the company has already been selected for this year's list 
of INC. Magazine's Top 500 fastest-growing private companies.

-=*[ Product Enhancements, Marketing Game Plan Drive Sales ]*=-
   In terms of product technology, Mustang tailored the newest version 
of Wildcat! to address two key trends in the BBS world.
   "We were finding that the SysOps were becoming increasingly 
sophisticated and demanding more features that would allow them to 
individually tailor the way their BBS works," said Jim Harrer, 
president/CEO of Mustang Software, Inc. "At the same time, the growth of 
online services has led to an explosion in new BBS callers, which had to 
be addressed from a volume and ease-of-use standpoint."
   In terms of marketing, Wildcat! sales have been spurred on by 
substantial orders from Mustang's nationwide distributor network.
   Mustang pioneered the concept of selling BBS software through 
distributors, making Wildcat! the first BBS program to become widely 
available on the shelves of first-tier retail outlets such as CompUSA 
and Software, Etc. The breakthrough for Mustang occurred in late 1991 
when Ingram Micro, the world's largest wholesale distributor of 
microcomputer products, added Wildcat! to its communications software 
catalog.
   The success of Wildcat! 4 is also largely attributable to another 
marketing first for Mustang -- the company's decision to focus on 
business and government applications.
   From the invention of BBSs in 1978 until 1990, BBS programs were 
almost exclusively the playthings of hobbyists. In 1990, only 10 percent 
of Wildcat! sales went into the business environment. Even when BBSs 
began to move into corporate applications, buyers were mainly high-
technology firms that assumed advanced computer literacy on the part of 
callers. Today, however, business and government account for almost 70 
percent of all Wildcat! orders.
   Between hobbyists and organizations, Mustang Software claims more 
than 30,000 SysOps. Boardwatch Magazine estimates there are 95,000 
active BBSs worldwide, giving Wildcat! a leading market share of 32 
percent.
   Mustang's leadership in identifying new markets for BBSs led 
Government Computer News to describe Harrer in a Sept. 5, 1994, profile 
as "Mr. BBS."

-=*[ Business Applications Playing Big Role in Growing BBS Use ]*=-
   The acceptance of BBSs in business has, in fact, been one of the 
leading reasons for the rapid growth in BBS calling. "If you have a 
business and your computer system does not allow you to communicate with 
the outside world, it is a real handicap," Harrer said. "People in 
business are realizing that if they are not 'online' today, they will 
have to be online tomorrow, and a BBS provides one of the best ways to 
achieve that communications link."
   BBSs provide a relatively inexpensive way -- both in cost and 
training -- for employees to communicate with outside customers and with 
each other. This usually takes the form of 24-hour-a-day customer 
support hotlines, where a customer can call with a service question and 
then call back to find an answer waiting; and as central information 
systems for corporate field offices.
   While large organizations are fast adopting BBSs, sales to small and 
medium businesses as well as entrepreneurs continue to make up a large 
portion of Wildcat! orders. Mustang's customers, for instance, include 
an accountant in Bel Aire, Maryland, who answers his clients' tax-
related questions via a BBS, and a realtor in Charlotte, North Carolina, 
who sells his properties using Wildcat!
   Wildcat Software, (805) 873-2500. 

                                 -=*=-

From Mustang Software:

      MUSTANG SOFTWARE INTRODUCES WILDCAT! 4.01 BBS SOFTWARE  

   LAS VEGAS, Nev., Nov. 14, 1994, COMDEX -- Mustang Software, Inc., is 
introducing Wildcat! 4.01, the first updating of the world's most widely 
used bulletin board system (BBS) software since Version 4 was announced 
in July with more than 250 enhancements.
   The new Version 4.01 is also available as part of The Wildcat! BBS 
Suite, the telecommunications industry's first integrated offering of 
BBS products to be bundled and sold in a single package.
   A BBS provides a means for callers to leave, receive and view 
messages and files. A SysOp needs only a telephone line, a personal 
computer, a modem and BBS software to set up an electronic board.
   Wildcat! 4 is a top-to-bottom rewrite of the software, which first 
became available in 1987, addressing two key trends in the BBS world. 
"First, there is high demand among SysOps for more features that allow 
them to individually tailor the way their BBS works," said Jim Harrer, 
president/CEO of Mustang Software, Inc. "Second, the growth of online 
services has led to an explosion in new BBS callers, which must be 
accommodated from a volume and ease-of-use standpoint."

-=*[ Powerful New Features Benefit Both BBS SysOp and Caller ]*=-
   The ".GIF Thumbnailer" is a new feature unique to Wildcat! 4 among 
all BBS software programs, allowing the caller to preview miniature 
versions of multiple picture files on a single screen. The caller can 
then make a fully informed decision before going to the time and expense 
of downloading a specific picture file.
   Wildcat! 4 provides a spelling checker as part of its online editor, 
allowing the caller to spell-check text before saving a message. The 
BBS's online editor is the most powerful in the field, offering standard 
word-processing features such as search-and-replace, and block cut and 
paste.
   The online scrollback and capture feature allows SysOps to scan back 
through a caller's entire activity while he or she is online, without 
interrupting the caller. With this tracking ability, the SysOp can 
immediately review the caller's activity for security and other 
purposes.
   Version 4 also incorporates an improved "Chat" capability, which 
facilitates live, online conversations via the BBS. More organizing 
power has been given to the SysOps, which helps them to better set up 
and manage the parties to specific conversations and speed up exchanges.
   To add to the SysOp's enjoyment, Wildcat! 4 offers up to 1000 "action 
words," which allows the SysOp to establish a conversational signature 
by automatically substituting slang or short sentences whenever the 
SysOp types in a particular word.

-=*[ New Programming Language Offered With Wildcat! ]*=-
   Mustang Software offers a new programming language known as wcCODE 
with Version 4. Sold separately from the BBS software, wcCODE includes 
an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) with compiler, editor and 
help screens. wcCODE is an easy-to-use, QuickBASIC-like language that 
allows the SysOp to write unique BBS applications, without requiring 
extensive programming experience or detailed knowledge of key BBS 
elements, such as modems.
   For the first time with Version 4, Wildcat! SysOps can alter the 
BBS's traditional four-menu structure ("Main," "Message," "File" and 
"SysOp") to produce their own unique menu choices based on individual 
BBS requirements. The SysOp can create hundreds of menus and place any 
Wildcat! feature or wcCDODE application on any menu, in any order. As 
the popularity of BBSs has spread worldwide, Wildcat! 4 also offers 
multiple language support. This feature allows SysOps to create a 
variety of language files (French, Spanish, German, etc.) to let callers 
take their pick when they log in.
   Other enhancements with Wildcat! 4 include an improved internal 
organizing system that increases database search-and-retrieval speeds by 
more than 10 times compared to previous versions of the software. 
Version 4 also gives SysOps plenty of room to grow their BBSs by 
providing up to 32,760 separate conferences and file areas, up from the 
1000 available earlier with Wildcat!
   Wildcat! 4 keeps up with modem technology by supporting the new high-
speed v.FC, v.32 and v.34 modems. Mustang's new BBS software also 
features expanded message sizes, driven primarily by the popularity of 
the Internet. Wildcat! 4 permits individual message sizes of up to 64K 
for more than 800 lines of text -- nearly six times larger than 
permissible on earlier versions of the BBS software.
   Wildcat!'s graphical user interface has been reworked to make it 
easier for the SysOp to implement the Remote Imaging Protocol (RIP) 
graphical interface. RIP, from TeleGraphix, Inc., of Huntington Beach, 
California, is the defacto graphics standard for BBSs.

-=*[ Wildcat! 4 Is Available in Five Separate Versions ]*=-
   The PC/DOS-based Wildcat! 4 software is offered in five separate 
versions, starting with the $129 single-line package intended for 
single-phone line operation.
   For implementing a BBS in corporate environments, Mustang Software 
offers versions to simultaneously support up to 10 phone lines and 250 
phone lines. Pricing for the MultiLine 10 and MultiLine 250 are $249 and 
$499, respectively.
   The MultiLine Platinum, priced at $799, also allows the SysOp to 
establish up to 250 phone lines. This version, however, permits up to 
eight phone lines to be attached to each PC supporting the BBS, 
resulting in substantial savings in the hardware and space.
   Finally, Mustang Software offers The Wildcat! BBS Suite for $999, the 
most complete BBS solution in the industry. The BBS Suite incorporates 
the MultiLine Platinum version of Wildcat! and all of Mustang's BBS add-
on products, including the wcCODE programming language, a utilities 
package known as wcPRO and an Internet/MHS gateway program called 
wcGATE.
   wcCODE is regularly priced as a stand-alone product at $149. The 
wcPRO utilities, which includes a program for automatic faxing of 
documents, sells for $99.
   wcGATE, priced at $194, links Wildcat! 4 to the Internet and Novell, 
Inc.'s NetWare Message Handling Service (MHS) electronic-mail system. 
wcGATE permits Internet and MHS messages to be incorporated into the 
Wildcat! 4 system for all users to access.
   The new Version 4.01 update to Wildcat! 4 is available immediately 
and may be ordered directly from Mustang Software by calling (805) 873-
2500. Wildcat! 4 is also available nationwide on the retail level 
through such outlets as CompUSA and Software, Etc., and through major 
distributors including Ingram Micro of Santa Ana, California, and Tech 
Data of Clearwater, Florida.

-=*[ Mustang Software, Inc. ]*=-
   Mustang Software, Inc., is a single-source supplier of bulletin board 
systems and related communications software. Unveiled in March 1987, 
Mustang's Wildcat! BBS now has an active installed base of more than 
30,000 SysOps, making it the most popular BBS software program in the 
world. Mustang estimates that more than one million callers log on to a 
Wildcat! system each month. Mustang also offers the widely used 
QmodemPro Communications software program, with more than 80,000 
registered users. With QmodemPro, acquired in November 1991, Mustang is 
the only supplier of both a BBS program and the communications software 
by which a caller may access a BBS.
   Formed in September 1986, Mustang Software is headquartered at 6200 
Lake Ming Road, Bakersfield, CA 93306. The company can be reached by 
telephone at (805) 873-2500; the toll-free telephone number is (800) 
999-9619; fax (805) 873-2599; and BBS (805) 873-2400. 

                                 -=*=-

From Pacific CommWare:

   PACIFIC COMMWARE SHIPS TURBOCOMMANDER, NEW WINDOWS COMM. MANAGER 

   V.34-COMPATIBLE WINDOWS APPLICATION/UTILITY ACHIEVES NEW LEVELS 
        OF PERFORMANCE AND USABILITY FOR HIGH-SPEED MODEMS

   ASHLAND, Oregon, October 31, 1994 -- Pacific CommWare today announced 
shipment of TurboCommander, the company's new manager for high-speed 
Windows telecommunications (MSRP: $49.95). Incorporating a full version 
of the TurboCom/2 drivers, TurboCommander provides reliable 
communications on four ports at V.34-level performance, with speeds up 
to 115.2 Kbps (in the presence of a 16550 UART).
   TurboCommander's Access manager for COM ports makes it possible to 
move easily among Windows applications that use a single modem. A fax 
application, for example, can be given primary ownership of the modem so 
that it can monitor for incoming faxes. Then, when another application 
needs the modem to download a file from a BBS, for example, the user 
simply launches this new "guest" program. TurboCommander transfers modem 
access gracefully to the guest. When the guest application finishes, 
TurboCommander automatically returns control of the modem to the owner 
application. Smooth and transparent, this process puts an end to 
recurrent contention errors and other hazards of modem sharing.
   TurboCommander also enables users to monitor their communications 
activity, with detailed, dynamic performance information that is 
presented on a port-by-port basis. With a point-and-click interface, it 
is easy to configure COM ports and the communications drivers and to 
optimize them for special purposes, such as carrying out high-speed 
communications in the background on a heavily loaded system. 
TurboCommander makes troubleshooting far more efficient by providing 
exact, real-time performance feedback, giving meaningful reports on 
unanticipated events and errors, and suggesting appropriate solutions 
for operating problems.
   "In our earlier products we focused on bringing Windows 
communications up to V.34-level performance and opening up the range of 
available ports," explained John Loram, CEO of Pacific CommWare. "In 
TurboCommander, we've broadened our scope. Now we're extending users' 
control so that they can take full advantage of the flexibility and 
sophistication of their communications resources within the Windows 
environment."
   For users with advanced troubleshooting needs, Pacific CommWare 
offers a companion product, TurboCommander Pro. Designed for system 
integrators, network administrators and application developers, this 
product encompasses all the features of TurboCommander, while adding 
support for nine high-speed ports. Further, TurboCommander Pro 
incorporates a set of four innovative diagnostic tools, known 
collectively as CommDDT (for Communications Development Debugging 
Tools). These tools make it possible to penetrate the interaction 
between the application and the Windows communications Application 
Program Interface (API) and to view the internal state of the comm 
drivers.
   "We've taken the lid off the black box for Windows communication," 
commented Loram. "Information is the key to understanding, and with 
TurboCommander and TurboCommander Pro, users can finally see exactly 
what's happening with their serial communications, then customize this 
performance to fit their needs."
   Shipping in the third quarter of 1994, TurboCommander will be 
available at a suggested retail price of $49.95. TurboCommander Pro will 
be available for $99.95. Currently registered users of TurboCom/2 can 
purchase TurboCommander for $29.95 and TurboCommander Pro for $69.95.
   Pacific CommWare provides software and hardware for high-performance 
communications under Windows. Pacific CommWare products are marketed 
directly, sold through national dealers, such as Egghead and Software 
Spectrum, and bundled by vendors like IBM, Charles Schwab and Toshiba. 
Pacific CommWare is located at 180 Beacon Hill Lane, Ashland, OR 97520. 
the order line is (800) 856-3818 and the company can be reached at (503) 
482-2744 (voice) and (503) 482-2627 (fax). 

                                 -=*=-

From Delrina Corporation:

            DELRINA FORMFLOW SUPPORTS MOBILE PROFESSIONALS  

        "Industry-Leading Enterprise Forms Solution Now Supports
        Wireless Workflow and Electronic Commerce Applications"

   LAS VEGAS, November 14, 1994, COMDEX -- Delrina Corporation today 
announced that its award-winning FormFlow -- forms application creation 
and routing software for enterprises -- is now enabled for wireless 
communications by Motorola's AirMobile suite of software development 
tools and mobile communications servers. With AirMobile, Delrina 
FormFlow users can now route forms and data on all major wireless packet 
data networks, such as RAM and ARDIS, worldwide.
   "The AirMobile products from Motorola expand our potential markets by 
instantly providing a wireless solution for our customers," said Albert 
Behr, Director of Marketing, Forms and Network Fax Products at Delrina. 
"The wireless packet data networks can now act as extensions to FormFlow 
LAN or WAN solutions, allowing mobile professionals to participate in 
the workflow and routing of electronic forms and transactions."
   For example, a customer's head office can facilitate sales by 
automatically updating its field sales team with new product pricing and 
changes in credit policy, and have this automatically reflected in the 
sales order FormFlow application residing on each salesperson's laptop. 
Similarly, an insurance claims adjuster can proceed with a FormFlow 
accident claim application and receive head office approval before 
leaving the scene of the accident.
   "Delrina FormFlow is a product ideally suited to mobile users," said 
Jerry Upton, Motorola's Director of Mobile Software Products. "Gaining 
the support of a key industry player like Delrina expedites our ability 
to leverage existing and future wireless communications standards into a 
common industry architecture."
   Delrina FormFlow enables individuals with little or no programming 
experience to quickly create sophisticated forms applications with 
conditional logic and deploy them across their organization using their 
LAN-based e-mail systems. By enabling FormFlow for wireless 
transmissions, Delrina further strengthens its market leadership in the 
routing and processing of electronic forms.
   Delrina's inter-company approach, involving field staff, mobile 
professionals, and trading partners, includes point-to-point fax 
(WinFax), point-to-point data (Forms Data Interchange) and EDI 
(Electronic Data Interchange). Earlier this year, Delrina announced a 
strategic relationship with MobileComm, a BellSouth Company, to 
integrate paging into future versions of its fax and forms products. 
"Wireless technology is an area that we intend to further embellish in 
the future," added Behr. "It should not fundamentally matter whether 
professionals are hooked up to copper wire or not. They all use data and 
we intend to support them, wherever they happen to be."
   Delrina, (800) 268-6082. 

                                 -=*=-

From Practical Peripherals:

        PRACTICAL PERIPHERALS INTRODUCES TEN V.34 MODEMS . . .  

                . . . With DTE Speeds up to 230.4Kbps

   THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (October 31, 1994) -- Practical Peripherals 
announces 10 new high-performance modems all supporting the newly 
ratified ITU-T V.34 specification for 28,000 bps data operation. The 10 
modems span the company's three product families -- ProClass, Practical 
and MacClass -- and provide optimal price/performance solutions for 
virtually everyone requiring high-speed communications.
   The new ProClass V.34 products, ideal for business or high-technology 
users, offer advanced features like 230,400 bps DTE (computer to modem) 
speeds and up to 8:1 compression, providing performance increases up to 
49 percent in laboratory testing.
   "The capability to increase performance by nearly half means datacom 
phone calls potentially take only half as long, depending on the type of 
file. It's easy to see how this can translate into significant dollar 
savings, especially for anyone who sends or receives large volumes of 
data," says Jack Murphy, president.
   Among Practical's ProClass V.34 offerings are the ProClass 288HC 
internal modem, the ProClass 288MT external modem featuring an ergonomic 
design for either vertical or horizontal use, and the ProClass 288LCD 
desktop model with three-line LCD displaying over 100 real-time status 
messages. Two credit card-sized ProClass PCMCIA 288 modems provide the 
ultimate in high-speed portability featuring an enhanced 16550 UART with 
64-character buffer for maximum throughput, automatic idle mode for 
notebook battery power savings, and flash memory for quick and easy 
feature updates. A choice of either a PCMCIA RJ-11 cable or pop-out RJ-
11 connector are available.
   Other ProClass features include Hayes AutoSync, synchronous and 
leased line operation, distinctive ring detection, telephone calling 
card (bong) detection and six help screens in ROM. All ProClass modems 
come with Quick Link II Win/DOS data/fax and WinFax Lite software.
   In the Practical family -- targeted at small office and home users -- 
the Practical 288MT II external and 288HC II internal modems feature DTE 
speeds up to 115,200 bps and are offered at suggested retail prices 
starting as low as $259. Practical modems come with Quick Link II 
Win/DOS data and fax software.
   Designed especially for Macintosh users, the MacClass 288MT II and 
MacClass 288LCD offer similar feature sets to ProClass and Practical 
modems but include MacComCenter data and fax software and a Mac cable.
   The new V.34 modems are fully compatible with other manufacturers' 
V.34 modems as well as V.FAST Class (V.FC) modems at speeds from 28,800 
bps down to 300 bps. They also offer 14,400 bps send/receive fax 
capabilities.
   Made in the USA, these V.34 modems come with a lifetime warranty, 
(except the PCMCIA products' five-year warranty), seven-day-a-week 
technical support and money-saving online communications offers from 
CompuServe, America Online and GEnie.
   The following are ship dates and suggested retail prices for the new 
modems:

           ProClass 288MT         Now shipping        $379
           ProClass 288HC         November 1994       $359
           ProClass 288LCD        January 1995        $459
           ProClass 288T2         November 1994       $449
           ProClass 288T2-EZ      November 1994       $459
           Practical 288MT II     Now shipping        $279
           Practical 288HC II     November 1994       $259
           MacClass 288MT II      December 1994       $279
           MacClass 288LCD        January 1995        $459

   In addition, a V.34 rack model is soon to be announced for use with 
eight and 16-modem chassis. This ProClass 288RC rack modem offers hot 
swap, busy-out and loopback switches plus other superior features of its 
ProClass brothers.
   Well-regarded by both industry experts and users, Practical modems' 
recent honors include "Editor's Choice" from PC Magazine, "Reader's 
Choice" from BYTE, "Editor's Choice" from PC/Computing, "Top Modem 
Choice" from Government Computer News, and "Editor's Pick" from Computer 
Shopper.
   Practical Peripherals also offers printer fax cartridges, printer 
buffers and other peripherals. Practical Peripherals, (805) 497-4774. 

                                 -=*=-

From Racotek, Inc.:

    RACOTEK TO PROVIDE DATA SERVICES OVER RAM MOBILE DATA NETWORK  

   MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 14, 1994 -- Racotek, Inc. (Nasdaq: RACO), a 
wireless mobile data communication services company, today announced 
that it has signed a reseller agreement for the RAM Mobile Data network. 
The agreement means that organizations with application software 
programs written to the RacoNet mobile network operating environment 
will have access to the RAM Mobile Data network without any change to 
their applications. The RAM Mobile Data network will be available to 
Racotek customers beginning the first quarter of 1995.
   "Racotek's strategy is to provide mobile data customers with 
simultaneous access to multiple wireless networks," said Richard 
Cortese, Racotek president and CEO. "Adding RAM Mobile Data to our 
coverage is an important step in our strategy because it delivers a 
class of service that companies need to reach their mobile workers."
   "Vertical market applications available over RacoNet are geared 
toward companies that are early adopters of mobile data. These companies 
will have access to RAM's nationwide networks, featuring transparent 
roaming and broad coverage with in-building penetration," Cortese said. 
Racotek has more than 50 application software providers integrating 
their vertical market applications to the RacoNet mobile network 
operating environment.
   RacoNet provides advanced object-oriented tools to make mobile 
application development faster and easier for the wireless industry. 
RacoNet, once integrated into a customer's application, isolates the 
application from the unusual characteristics of wireless data 
transmission. RacoNet's advanced features include message optimization, 
store and forward and peer-to-peer and client/server support, assuring 
prompt message delivery.
   Racotek is a mobile data customer's single source for end-to-end 
network support. Racotek's network management, diagnostic tools and 
expert support staff quickly isolate faults within a wireless network, 
allowing immediate corrective action. The result is a mobile data 
network with LAN-like reliability.
   Headquartered in Woodbridge, New Jersey, RAM Mobile Data USA Limited 
Partnership operates multiuser wireless data communication networks 
providing coverage in more than 7700 cities and towns in the nation's 
top 238 MSAs (metropolitan statistical areas), as well as major airports 
and transportation corridors, including more than 92 percent of the U.S. 
urban business population. RAM Mobile Data is a business venture between 
RAM Broadcasting Corporation and BellSouth, the largest regional 
telecommunications company, which has investments in MOBITEX systems 
around the world.
   Minneapolis-based Racotek has developed wireless networking software 
that is the interface between a customer's chosen application and the 
components of a mobile communication system including support for 
multiple wireless infrastructures.

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