` Intel i486 to Triple Performance of 386
`3332333
`
`
`tured in such a way that they can
`
`
`
`Borland Demonstrates 08/2 Turbo Tools
`IV 510m1. ”m1"
`be extended easily to object-
`l
`tion Manager — all with multi-
`threading capabilities. Perhaps
`oriented techniques.“ said Rob
`not coincidentally.
`the same
`Dickerson. Borland‘s vice presi-
`three tools are also marketed
`dent for product management.
`Borland would not comment
`together as Turbo C Profession-
`al for DOS.
`on cost or packaging of the new
`Borland is also “doing a lot of
`OS/Z tools. but if the company
`R&D" into object-oriented pro-
`holds the price to that of the
`Deskiet Printer Model
`ducts. said David lntersimone.
`DOS counterparts — $250 for
`developer relations director.
`the three-pack — it could mean
`The Turbo tools “are struc-
`serious competition for Micro—
`Hewlett-Packard Co.
`is expected to introduce at Comdex a faster
`soft‘s C. Macro Assembler. and
`model of its Deskjet printer and at the same time slash the price ofthe
`Codevicw. which cost a total of
`current Deskjet 20 percent. according to sources close to Hewlett-
`Packard.
`$600.
`The ncw Deskjet Plus pn’nts text up to two times faster and
`“A developer would tend to
`use all
`three products.“ said
`graphics up to five times faster than the current model and features.
`in addition. more resident fonts.
`including six portrait and four
`Brad Silverberg. Borland‘s vice
`landscape typefaces. The product will ship on May 1 and will cost
`' president of research and devel-
`opment.
`$995. which is the current price ofthe existing Deskjel: at the same
`Borland would not commit
`795.
`tsime. Hewlett-Packard will cut the price of the original Deskjet to
`to release dates. but Silverberg
`See Borland, Page 8
`Continued on Page 3
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`.
`
`IVm "emu:
`
`. ble with the 80386 processor.
`‘
`the 80486 —- or “i486." as Intel
`is dubbing the chip — includes
`an on-chip. floating-point pro-
`cessor unit that is fully compati~
`ble with the 80387 math copro-
`cessor, according to the docu-
`ment. This means that soltware
`‘ written to make use ofthe 80387
`should be capable of running on
`the new processor without hav-
`ing to be rewritten.
`lntel officials refused to com-
`ment on the 80486‘5 features.
`The Intel i486 chip's calcula-
`tion performance is enhanced
`by eight 80-bit registers that are
`
`dedicated to numeric function
`computations. according to the
`document.
`ship-
`Although the initial
`ments of the chip will run at 25-
`MHz or 33-MHz clock frequen-
`cies. performance advantages
`are achieved through advanced
`design features built
`into the
`chip‘s highly integrated architec-
`ture. The chip is capable of
`implementing frequently exe-
`cuted functions in one clock
`cycle. according to the docu-
`ment.
`Memory management with
`See 486. Page 105
`
`
`ET DEADLINE
`
`HP to Announce Faster
`
`
`
`
`
`AMEX 1014 - Page 1 of 9
`AMEX1014- Page1of9
`
`
`
`VOLUME 1 1 . ISSUE 14 ‘
`l
`
`V_i£t
`
`J n HI
`
`llfllll‘lflli
`
`'1'"
`
`Compaq to Introduce 12-MHz 286
`Also Expected to Cut Prices on 3865, Announce Its MS-DOS 4.01
`IV ION COPELAND
`I6-bit high-speed
`i megabyte
`memory expansion card.
`The small-footprint 286e is
`Compaq Computer Corp. plans
`available in three models:
`the
`to introduce today a lZ-MHz
`Model
`I features a single 5%-
`286-based small-footprint ma-
`inch LIZ-megabyte floppy drive
`chine and cut the price on all
`for $2.699; the Model 20 adds a
`models of its Dcskpro 3865.
`which is based on the Intel
`20-megabyte hard disk to the
`basic unit and costs $3. l 99; and
`386SX chip.
`the Model 40 offers
`a 40-
`Compaq also said it will
`announce the availability of
`megabyte drive for $3,599. All
`models are available now.
`MS—DOS. Version 4.01, which
`includes the MS-DOS shell and
`Compaq also said that as of
`today.
`they are dropping the
`a Compaq version of Micro-
`sofl‘s 05/2. Standard Version
`price on all models of their
`Compaq Deskpro 3865 system
`H with Presentation Manager.
`line. The Model I is now $3.299.
`The Compaq Deskpro 286e
`is based on the IZ-MHz Intel
`down from $3.599: the Model
`80286 microprocessor.
`It
`in-
`20 will sell for $3.799, dropped
`from 54.299; and the Model 40
`place. we wanted to continue the
`cludes 1 megabyte of memory
`is down to $4,199 from $4.999.
`positive trend in sales of our SX
`expandable to I} megabytes.
`VGA on the motherboard. five
`system line.“
`Commenting on the Compaq
`8/16-bit expansion slots. and
`Also
`introduced today is
`price cuts. Lorie Strong. director
`Compaq‘s MS-DOS. Version
`of product marketing. said that
`four disk drive bays. The 286e
`Socm, Page 105
`also aceeptsan optional I- or4— 1 “after evaluating the market-
`
`
`
`“chemo-ca.“
`
`
`
`
`
`Compaq 's Deskpro 2869 offers
`VGA on the motherboard.
`
`‘,
`
` i
`
`A prototype application using Intel’s DVl technology demonstrated
`multimedia interactive training on PCs.
`
`
`
`IBM, Intel Codeveloping
`DVl Multimedia Products
`Microsoft, IBM to Provide Open Standards
`IV Slum 1.mm
`sumer electronics. according to
`Intel Corp.
`ANAHEIM. CA — lBM sur-
`James Cannavino. president
`of IBM‘s entry systems division.
`prised veterans of the CD ROM
`told attendees at Microsoft‘s
`industry last week by announc-
`Fourth
`lntemational Confer-
`ing it
`is getting aggressively
`ence on CD ROM that IBM will
`involved in Digital Video Inter—
`The Intel 80486 microproces-
`codevelop DVl
`systems with
`active (DVl) products and may
`sor. which is scheduled to be
`release a PS/Z with DVl capabil-
`Intel.
`lnitial PS/2 products are
`scheduled for release in the first
`ities.
`announced next week at spring
`Comdex. will provide perfor-
`quaner of I990.
`DVl technology uses digital
`Microsoft and IBM also an-
`compression and decompres-
`mance of up to three times that
`of the 80386 processor. accord-
`nounoed they will cooperate to
`sion technology as well as hard-
`ing to an Intel technical docu-
`provide open standards and also
`ware and sofiware products to
`ment examined last week by In-
`complete hardware and software
`bring interactive.
`full-motion
`foll‘hrld.
`systems for DVl. including sup-
`video and audio capabilities to
`Soo DVl, Page 8
`personal computers and con~
`Designed to be fully compati~
`
`{
`‘
`
`
`
`Borland is giving corporate de-
`velopers previews of its OS/2
`versions of the Turbo language
`and plans to ship the products in
`about six months to challenge
`market leader Microsoft.
`Borland officials have dem-
`onstrated Turbo C. Turbo As-
`sembler. and Turbo Debugger
`running under OS/2 Presenta-
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`The Experts Agree:
`
`FoxBASE + /Mac’s New Version 1.10 is the Ultimate
`Relational Database Management Systemfor the Maeintosh!
`
`Don Crabb, Into World, July 11, 1988:
`“FoxBASE+/Mac proved to be as easy to use as any Mac
`relational database we’ve tested.”
`
`Macworfl, September, 1988:
`“FoxBASE+/Mac deserves serious consideration as both a
`stand-alone database product and a connectivity solution.”
`Richard Skrinde, MacUser, September, 1988:
`“FoxBASE+/Mac is a racehorse that will outrun the other
`Macintosh databases."
`
`Arthur Fuller, Computing Canada, June 9, 1988:
`“So phenomenally great that it justifies the purchase of a
`Macintosh just to run it!”
`Michael Masterson, MacWEEK, June 7, 1988:
`“FoxBASE+/Mac proves beyond a doubt that the Mac is a
`suitable platform for supporting fast database operations.”
`BYTE, September, 1988:
`“FoxBASE+/Mac combines dBASE compatibility with a
`strong list of features and a work environment with which
`Mac users will feel comfortable.”
`
`Charles Seiter,, Macworld, October, 1988:
`“It’s the fastest general purpose Mac database, often ten to
`a hundred times faster than its competitors.”
`
`‘ Requires I copy of FoxBASE+lLAN, our PC multisuser software, on the network file server.
`MEASEHMM and l-‘axBASEHMIc Mum-User are trademarks of Fox Software. ME in I inde-
`muk of Ashton—Tale. Macintosh is I trademark of Apple Computer. Inc.
`
`FoxBASE+lMac Version 1.10 includes everything you love
`about the original FoxBASE+lMac PLUS a new form genera-
`tor, an outstanding application generator and a complete tem-
`plate language system—all designed to save you time and
`effort! Now you can develop complete database applications
`in just minutes!
`And now Fox Software introduces FoxBASE+/Mac Multi-User,
`leading the industry with the ultimate in data sharing —
`concurrent data access! For the first time, networked Macs
`and PCs can simultaneously share the same data files!* In
`addition, FoxBASE+/Mac Multi-User supports an unlimited
`number of users on your network.
`Even with all these enhancements, Version 1.10 doesn’t cost
`any more — it’s still only $395! And our new Multi-User is
`just $595!
`FoxBASE+/Mac earned an exceptional 7.0 rating on
`InfoWorld’s Software Review, and a 4.5 rating on Manser’s
`scale. It’s the one Mac database system that has it all!
`Join the experts NOW! Contact your local quality software
`dealer, or order your copy of FoxBASE+/Mac by calling
`(419) 874-0162, Ext. 540. Free demo package available.
`Why be a follower when you can go with the leader!
`
`FOX Software =——--‘:
`Nothing Runs Like a Fox.
`Fox Software
`(419) 874-0162, Ext. 540.
`118 W. South Boundary
`FAX: (419) 874-8678
`Perrysburg, OH 43551
`TELEX: 6503040827 FOX
`
`, A
`
`AMEX 1014 - Page 2 of 9
`AMEX 1014 - Page 2 0f 9
`
`

`

`LAPFIIL I3. 1 989
`l
`1
`
`'
`
`i
`
`i”
`
`'
`
`
`
`VOLUME 1 1. ISSUE 14
`INFO
`WORLD
`
`PAGE 3
`
`
`
`
`
`first.
`As the recent DRAM shortage
`abates, we look at the “silicon
`cycle" of boom and slump. .. u
`
`i The Powermouse 100 can exe-
`The 008 version or HP’s
`cute commands without
`the
`MEle will support all major
`
`features of the CAD package so ‘
`user moving to the keyboard2|
`UNIX NEWS
`NEWS
`Graph-0n Corp. has created an X Window
`A prerelease version of Microsoft Word for
`Windows indicates it borrows a subset of
`Terminal that runs over an RS-232 line..........II .
`features from the character-based version ........I
`
`INDUSTRY
`Six companies are awessively bidding for the
`US. Air Force’s five-year contract for desktop
`computers........................................................so
`
`PERSPECTIVES
`PCusersarevulnerabletochangesinthe
`unstable DRAM chip market; analysts expect
`the market to keep fluctuating........................
`PRODUCT CDMPAHISGNI
`In this Product. Comparison we evaluate our
`readers' 10 favorite presentation graphics sch-
`wareprograms................................................. II
`
`Impressions of The Logical Connection periph-
`eral sharing device and PEP for Multimate ....1I
`
`.
`
`REVIEWS
`ngz Mac sprudsheet..................so
`
`Volkswriter 4 word processor..........................I:
`Data Race PC Race 96 fax board....................Io
`
`Review Responses ...........................................II ‘
`Guide to Reviews ............................................II
`
`,
`COLUMNS
`Connootlorto: David Buerger ......................... II
`Tech mu: Steve Gibson .................................II
`
`Stoto o! tho mm: Rachel Parker ..... mot
`Toeh Shoot: John Gantz................................or
`
`To tho Editor...................................................II
`
`Illrllng tho Fourth Wave: Jett'Angus
`
`
`
`
`
`Mainstream software publishers last week threw
`their support to Steve Jobs‘ Next computer...... I
`The 486 Standardization Committee will discuss
`ery-high-density floppy disk drives ................. I
`
`is working on enhancements to
`Word Rerfcct
`05/2 LI and the interface on its Mac version ..I
`
`- Revelation Technologies demonstrates its envi-
`ronmental bonding technology ......................... I.
`
`A CD ROM conference revealed evolutionary.
`, rather than revolutionary, change .....................I
`
`Fox will sell a version of Novell's Netware SQL
`database server that will work with both Dbase
`and SQL front-end applications ........................I ;
`IBM will offer a version of Corel Draw that
`supports IBM mainframe images...................... I
`
`The US. Ofl'ice of Management and Budget is
`reconsidering a retrieval tools regulation .......... I
`Motorola announced details of the 68040
`processor design last week ............................. too
`
`Alternatives to Apple‘s pricey Mac laptop
`appear to be gaining steam ............................ III
`The latest version of DOS is saddled with
`technical problems ........................................ iII
`
`NETWORKING
`Touch Communications is shipping software
`that may allow systems integrators and OEMs to
`add OSl capabilities to their products............. so
`
`: SOFTWARE
`Type vendors‘ efforts to protect their designs are
`slowing attempts to set an open format .......... so
`
`HARDWARE
`Prohance Technologies announces a 40-key
`mouse that uses predefined tables..................II
`
`W9
`
`.
`
`
`
`AT DEADLINE Continued From Page 1
`The company will also cut prices on optional Deskjet
`products by 30 percent.
`
`font
`
`— Bob Punting
`
`Wang Announces Interlan Gateways
`Turning individual local area networks into an enterprisewide office
`automation system, Wang Laboratories announced an Interlan
`gateway for its LAN Office olfice automation package. LAN OITice
`runs under Banyan‘s Vines. 3Com's 3+. IBM's PC LAN, and
`Novell‘s Netware network operating systems. The new gateways
`allow users on any one of those LANs to com municatc transparently
`with LAN Office users on any other LAN at any distance. Wang said.
`A directory coordination feature makes it unnecessary for users to
`know which network is home to the recipient of a message or file.
`Wang's Interlan gateway will be available in the second quarter for
`$995 per server. A similar gateway to Wang‘s minicomputer-based
`VS product also costs $995 and opens up the possibility of seamless
`connection to products like IBM’s Profs. and DEC's All-in-One.
`— Mark Stephens
`
`IBM AIX to Be Sold Through Dealers
`IBM last week made good on its intention to have a stronger presence
`in the desktop Unix market by announcing it has authorized two
`dealer chains — Businessland and Microage — to market AIX for the
`PS/2, which started shipping March 3|. AIX is IBM‘5 version of I
`Unix. which was formerly available only for the RT PC— IBM‘s
`RISC-based workstation — butrs now availabletn 3 version for the
`Models 70 and 80. the most powerful machines in IBM’s PS/2 family.
`As for other IBM products sold through the retail channel. authorized
`AIX dealers will be responsible for marketing and technical support
`of customers.
`— Alice LaP/anle
`
`‘
`
`,
`
`Postscript Clone Supports Recorder
`Hoping to be the first to market with Postscript suppon for a color
`film recorder, Custom Applications Inc. (CAI) will release a new
`version of its clone interpreter in June that supports Presentation
`Technologies' Mirage fill film recorder.
`Using CAI‘s Freedom of Press Postscript-language interpreter.
`users can produce high-resolution color slides and Polaroid prints
`with more than I6 million colors from any PC application that
`supports Postscript output. said Mark Hastings. vice president of
`sales at CAI. The $495 program runs on AT-class PCs and comes
`with 35 fonts compatible with the Apple Lasenivriter Plus printer.
`The Macintosh version of the program will support the Mirage FRI
`in August, Hastings said.
`"CAI and Presentation Technologies are introducing a new
`technology to the market at a fraction of the cost and months ahead 1
`of any other solution." said Jeffrey Moore. president of CAI. The
`only other vendor to announce Postscript for film recorders is Agfa
`Matrix, which is scheduled to ship Matrix recorders incorporating the
`Adobe Atlas Postscript processor this fall. The Adobe processor will
`cost about $10,000.
`
`— Bob Pouring
`
`‘
`
`i
`
`.
`
`
`INFWLD
`
`AMEX 1014 - Page 3 of 9
`AMEX 1014 - Page 3 of 9
`
`
`
`Technology Show: George Morrow ..............Io
`
`Fist Look/Auto Import: Michael .I. Miller....1o
`
`m Front tho Flolrl: Robert X. Cringely..III
`
`Mac Version of Mathcad to Debut
`
`Mathsofi Inc. this week is expected to announce a version of its
`Mathcad mathematics package for
`the Macintosh. Aimed at
`technical professionals. the S495 product is centered around the
`company‘s live document interface. which presents a simplified way
`MACINTDSH NEWS
`of displaying and calculating equations in standard math notation. It
`also lets users use the Mac like a notebook. defining variables and
`Dealers selling Apple service parts are breaking
`INFCMARKET.... ...II
`
`inputting text from anywhere on-screen.
`their contracts, Apple warns............................
`— Ed Scannell
`
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`
`

`

`
`NEWS
`APRIL 3. ‘l 989
`PAGE 105 f
`
`
`
`.
`,
`,
`,,
`.
`ln the Motorola 68040, an o
`floating-palm calculations by nearly 10 tlmes, while plpellnlng
`produces two to three times the performance of a slmllar 68030.
`
`Motorola Unveils Details of 68040
`Chip Can Share Memory Among Multiple Processors, Other Devices
`"MIMI”.
`increased. These caches have a
`expected to triple the perfor-
`mance of comparable 68030
`four-way set associative-caching
`Motorola announced last week
`scheme. The net effect of this
`processors through its extensive
`scheme is to increase the hit
`that
`its new 68040 processor
`use of parallel pipelining, while
`offers the capability to share
`at
`the same time maintaining
`ratio by 30 percent over direct
`100 percent object-code com-
`memory among multiple pro-
`mapping, said Jeff Nutt, techni-
`cessors and other devices.
`patibility with 68030 sofiware.
`cal marketing manager for Mo-
`The initial 25-MHz version is
`The 68040 uses a feature,
`torola‘s microprocessor prod-
`expected to yield 1.6 cycles per
`called Snoop Controller, which
`ucts group. Also, like the 68030.
`monitors the external address
`the 68040 has an on-chip mem»
`instruction and 15 MIPS perfor-
`mance, while a later 33-MHz
`ory management unit.
`bus to detect and flag any data
`changes and thus makes sure
`version could produce up to 24
`Nutt expects that, by the
`MIPS performance,
`sources
`that other processes
`running
`fourth quarter. general sampling
`said.
`concurrently use the updated
`of the chip will oxur. with
`The 68040 contains its own
`information, the company said.
`production quantities expected
`The controller keeps track of
`80-bit floating-point unit inte-
`in the first quarter of 1990.
`both the data in main RAM as
`Hewlett-Packard and Apollo
`grated on-chip, which is soft-
`were eager to announce support
`well as the data in the on-chip
`ware compatible with the
`of the 68040. “Between six and
`MC68882 floatingpoint chip.
`data cache, providing the “cache
`12 months after we receive the
`According to system vendors
`coherency“ necessary for multi-
`Apollo's vice president of prod-
`ple will probably pull applica-
`ple processors to operate with
`who will use the chip, the on-
`chip, we would expect to an-
`uct marketing and programs.
`tions from supenninis, main-
`the same RAM.
`nounce a 68040-based worksta-
`chip FPU will speed up floating-
`frames, and Crays to run on
`Both HP and Apollo are
`Data attributes are selectable
`point calculations by nearly 10
`tion," said Doug Johnson, HP‘s
`these systems.“ he said.
`planning multiprocessor
`sys-
`times.
`sothatadatasetcanbeflagged
`tems using the 68040. Four- and
`product marketing manager for
`stopped
`Apple Computer
`workstations.
`the 68040
`Like the 68030,
`as being snoopable, non-snoop-
`short ofsaying it would definite-
`eight-processor systems would
`able, cacheable, non-cacheable.
`ly use the chip in future Macs,
`has separate on-chip instruction
`“We’ll ship a 68040 product
`be likely configurations of a
`and data caches, but the amount
`68040 multiprocessor architec-
`as soon as the chip is generally
`though it restated its commit-
`shared. global. or private.
`ture, HP’s Johnson said. “lico—
`ofcaching has been significantly
`The long-awaited chip is also
`available," said Mike Gallup,
`ment to using the 68000 line.
`»
`
` Users Flnd Alternatlvos 1l1lhllo
` Users Say DOS 4.0 Not Worth an Upgrade
`
` or on another storage device, of
`
`up to 64 terabytes can be ad-
`dremed by the i486 chip.
`Support for multiprocessor
`configurations is also built into
`the chip through multiprocessor
`instructions and cache consis-
`tency protocols. This reduces
`interchip communication delays
`and enables the chip to monitor
`data consistancy among multi-
`ple caches.
`Optimization of instructions
`built
`into the chip includes
`support for high-level languages
`and operating system functions.
`The 80486 will run DOS, OS/2,
`Windows, Unix System V/386,
`and the IRMX operating sys-
`tems, awarding to the docu-
`ment.
`
`_
`
`486
`Continued From Page 1
`
`paging and cache memory units
`is also included on the chip. as is
`an 8K unified-code instruction
`and data cache. The chip fea-
`tures a burst bus that is capable
`of lO6-mcgabyte-per—second da-
`ta bursts. Enhanced memory
`management on-chip de—em-
`phasizes the need for faster (and
`thus higher-priced) DRAM
`chips, according to the Intel
`document.
`Up to 4 giybytes of physical
`memory can be addressed by the
`chip. Virtual memory,'or mem-
`ory that is stored on a hard disk
`
`Waltlng for Apple’s Mae Laptop
`IV LAW! Furor
`creased with reports that Apple‘s
`system will be heavier and more
`costly than customers hoped.
`Apple’s laptop is expected to
`weigh from 15 to 17 pounds and
`have the price tag of a low-end
`68030-based Mac.
`It will also
`have an active-matrix display,
`an internal battery. and 1C cards
`— known as SLIM cards.
`Apple CEO John Sculley
`recently stated the company will
`deliver the machine this sum-
`mer. Sources briefed by Apple
`said its price will start at $6.500.
`Some of Apple‘s most devot-
`ed customers seem the most
`discouraged by reports that the ‘
`laptop has taken the high road.
`“We don‘t y've a squat about
`batteries,“ said a PC manager at
`a Big Eight accounting firm,
`referring to reports that
`the
`battery and screen technology
`have held up release. “Now you
`have a 17-pound machine that‘s
`two years late."
`
`As the summer release of Ap-
`ple’s pricey Macintosh laptop
`approaches. alternatives seem to
`be gaining steam, including the
`imminent arrival of a $1,600 kit
`that lets users convert existing
`Macs into 10—pound portables.
`Scheduled for release in April
`by Nexsys Inc.. the Travel Mac
`kit consists of a supertwist back-
`lit LCD screen, batteries with
`power charger, carrying case,
`and DC adapter, according to
`Pcter Kilcommons, president of
`the New York-based Nexsys.
`Users can install mother-
`boards from nearly all compact
`Macs, including the new 68030-
`based SE/30, Kilcommons said.
`The case has space for a video
`card so users can attach large
`screen monitors.
`Colby Systems of Fresno.
`California, said sales ofits porta-
`ble Mac compatibles have in-
`
`.
`
`Iv lo team
`
`If the pundits’ prediction that
`DOS will be the PC‘s best-selling
`operating system through the
`early 19903 is true, IBM’s latest
`version is not yet ready to lead
`the charge.
`The program — which has
`been saddled with technical
`problems — is seen by many
`users as not being worth the time
`and expense of upgrading. For
`corporations writing their own
`menuing systems, IBM‘s DOS
`4.01 has also kept a low profile.
`“To me,
`it [DOS 4.0] is a
`dead issue,“ said the oilice
`automation manager of a large
`New York bank. “I have recom-
`mended that we don‘t pursue it
`at this point.“
`technical
`The program‘s
`shortcomings center on its use of
`expanded memory, its yaphical
`shell’s
`intolerance of many
`applications, and its incompati-
`bilities with earlier DOS ver-
`sions due to its capability to
`create files larger than 32 mega-
`bytes.
`IBM admits it is working on
`an upgrade that addresses in-
`
`
`
`
`
`1
`
`‘
`i
`
`‘
`
`.
`l
`
`Compaq
`Continued From Page 1
`
`1.1,
`08/2, Standard Version
`like we've seen in the past,
`Strong said. “Version 4.01 does
`with Presentation Manager and
`support for up to 16 megabytes
`require a bit more memory, and
`many of our major accounts
`of addresable memory. A key
`have already standardized on an
`feature of the Compaq OS/Z
`4.01, which includes the MS-
`product is its “dual boot“ capa-
`interface, so a change isn‘t that
`bility, which enables the user to
`DOS shell. A graphical interface
`appealing." The new DOS ver-
`sion will ship in April for $150.
`select via a hot-key sequence
`similar to Presentation Manag-
`Compaq enhancements
`to
`er, the shell incorporates menus,
`whether to load 05/2 or DOS.
`Thus. one machine can run both
`MS—DOS 4.01 include Fastart,
`windows, icons, and an integrat-
`which speeds installation, and
`DOS and 05/2 applications,
`ed mouse to simplify operating
`system command entry.
`Strong said. Users of 08/2.
`support for the Lotus/Intel/Mi-
`Compaq will continue to
`crosoft Expanded Memory
`Version 1.0 can upgrade to 1.1
`market MS-DOS 3.31 as well.
`for a $50 fee. Version 1.0 ofOS/
`Specification (LlM/EMS) 4.0.
`“We think the market
`is not
`2 will be discontinued when 1.1
`Compaq will ship in April for
`$340 its release of Microsofi‘s
`
`totally shining to the latest DOS begins shipping
`
`compatibilities between DOS
`4.0’s EMS support and applica-
`tions that use Lotus/Intel/Mi-
`crosoll EMS 4.0. IBM officials
`declined to say when the fix will
`be out.
`Some users said they like
`DOS 4.0‘s graphical shell and its
`improved file manipulation,
`search features. and capability
`to change various attributes —
`all utilities that were previously
`marketed separately.
`But
`the
`incompatibilities
`with EMS and the interface
`supersede these advantages.
`some users said.
`“The front end is beautiful,
`but it is not very stable with ill-
`behaved applications. About
`half my apps blew up running
`with it," said one microcomput-
`er manager.
`“At first
`it
`looked like an
`attractive menuing system that
`made life easier, but I ran into
`an odd problem — it would
`blow up when I switched to my
`terminal emulator.“ said Phillip
`Gordon, manager ofoffice auto-
`mation for Charles Schwab.
`Gordon said he had prob-
`lems when he used a Sys com—
`
`
`
`mand to put DOS 4.0 on a hard
`disk formatted under DOS 3.3.
`The menu‘s graphics mode then
`conflicted with other graphics
`programs. When he installed
`DOS 4.0 on the disk using its
`select menu feature, it worked ‘
`fine. But as a result of this
`problem. Gordon realized he
`couldn‘t just hand DOS 4.0 over
`to users.
`“I would have to set it up and l
`maintain the shell and batch
`files. I began to ask myself, ‘Why
`do this? " Gordon said.
`DOS 4.0 supports files larger
`than 32 megbytes by redefining
`cluster sizes and rendering them
`incompatible with files created
`under earlier versions of DOS.
`The impractical remedy is for all
`users to switch to DOS 4.0.
`“People haven’t gone to 4.0
`because they haven‘t had to,"
`said Paul Brantley. a vice presi-
`dent at
`the training company
`Micro Mentor
`Inc..
`in Cam-
`bridge, Massachusetts.
`“No one is going to change
`over their machines to another
`operating system just to get a
`backup command that works a
`little quicker." Brantley said.
`.
`INle—D
`
`AMEX 1014 - Page 4 of 9
`AMEX 1014 - Page 4 0f 9
`
`

`

`
`
`IBM and Compaq Fight to Offer the Best'Bad Deal
`have a friend — a reformed economist
`you can price a product too low. but you
`Huns are too busy making money to do
`— who found a new career in the hi-fi
`can't price it too high.“
`something so silly.
`equipment businem He builds vacu-
`Most recently. Compaq set a price for
`We talked once about going into busi—
`its Model 30 286 killer. the 286e, then
`um tube amps and other gear
`for
`ness together, building custom bicycles,
`stereo fanatics who claim that: a) They
`but the idea fell apart when he suggested
`dropped it by $200 only 24 hours later on
`can hear the difference; and b) having
`setting a retail price of $75,000 per bike.
`word of some pricing changes coming
`heard the difference.
`they can't
`live
`from Big Blue. The kids in Houston also
`without a $5.000 amplifier or a $25,000
`moved up their announcement date by a
`stereo system.
`week to compete with the coming Model
`“The main lesson l‘ve learned in
`55. Compaq‘s even telling my friends in
`business," said my rich friend. “is that
`England that it may postpone the 33-
`MHz 386 announcement planned for
`Comdex to reposition -— and reprice —
`the product. And while these unan-
`nounced, unpriced products are waiting
`in the wings,
`l calculate that ALR,
`Everex. and Northgate have sold 15,000
`machines.
`
`well A DEAL Which brings us to the weird
`price war going on right now between
`Compaq and lBM. This is like a price war
`
`
`
`
`
`THEBEYTMANARCHIVE
`
`between BMW and Mercedes. only the
`
`
`
`
`
`‘ PAGE 1 05
`
`APRIL 3. 1 BBQ
`E
`
`NOTES FROM THE FIELD I BY ROBERT X. CRINGELY
`
`
`
`Make it over into a '386.
`DTK's new FEM-2000 dual-speed 8/20 MHz 80386 motherboard gives
`you 100% PC/AT compatibility at speeds up to 27.3 MHz. It also offers
`some very elegant engineering, like eight expan5ion slots Including two
`for 32-bit memory expansion, two serial ports and one parallel port, a
`DTK BIOS with built-in diagnostics, and the socket for an optional 80387
`coprocessor.
`DTK means value in PCcompatible motherboards, addon and net-
`working cards, and bare bone systems, including
`FCC Class Bienified 10 and 12 MHz '286 com-
`puters. Which is why the two high-speed XT
`clones named "Best Buys” in PC Worid's
`August, 19% issue, both use DTK
`motherboards.
`The FEM-2000 is a good atample—but
`by no means the only arample—of the
`DTK difference To get the full story on
`all our high-performance XT, '286 and
`BBS-based products, contact the DTK
`office nearest you for specifications
`and pricing.
`And find out how to pack some
`extra power into your PC.
`
`
`
`
`
`0 when prie- and mum moot.
`
`DTK COMPUTER INC.
`-
`15711 E. Valley 5M1 - City of industry 091744
`— Tel: (818) 333-7533 - Fax: (818) 333—5429
`
`meant-main. While IBM
`and Compaq fight over which company
`will have the lowest-priced high-prim
`machine, Microsoft is paying the penalty
`for being too cheap. We're not talking
`about the cots they‘ve moved into Red-
`mond for the worker bees to sleep on
`between 20-hour shifts. but rather the
`failed deal to buy Mirrors from Micro-
`grafx.
`Mirrors is a handy piece of code that
`recompiles Windows programs. turning
`them into PM apps in about 20 minutes.
`Microsoft wanted to incorporate Mirrors
`into PM as an integral part of the engine.
`but apparently also wanted to finance the
`deal with monopoly money or Argentine
`pesos. which didn‘t appeal to Micrografx.
`
`”JOY A!m. Now it's my turn to be
`generous. admitting that l was wrong two
`weeks ago when I said the Smithsonian
`had failed in its search for PS/Z joysticks.
`It must have been a typical
`federal
`procurement effort. because dozens of
`folks called up to rave about their CH
`Products MCA game cards that work with
`most analog joysticks. Also about to ship
`is a joystick board from Qua Tech lnc..
`and both a game card and an intelligent
`joystick that doesn‘t need a card from
`Advanced Gravis, in Canada.
`In another update. Borland‘s Philippe
`Kahn was the guy who paid for distribut-
`ing hundreds of copies of New England
`magazine — with its unflattering profile
`of Lotus‘ Jim Manzi — at the merit
`Esther Dyson conference. Claiming a
`momentary lapse of common sense, Phi-
`lippe has since apologized and gone to
`bed without his supper.
`
`Wham “It. ”VII Finally. here's a
`look at the soon-to-come Apple laptop.
`courtesy of some friends inside Apple
`who call themselves Four Blind Mice. At
`l7 pounds and 36.500. it's evident that
`the kids in Cupertin