From: root@renews.relcom.msk.su ()
Newsgroups: soc.culture.soviet
Subject: Russian network magazine ReNews
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 92 07:08:37 +0200
Distribution: world
Organization: RELCOM Corp.
Reply-To: root@renews.relcom.msk.su



                                  RUSSIA
                                    **
                                R E N E W S

                       network newsletter of RELCOM

                    ******************************************
                                 ReNews N 6
                                 ----------

            CONTENTS
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
* News from the Administration of the Russian President
* Scientific networks of Russia and Germany are building common data space
* SUN is opening its office in Moscow
* CADENCE wants to modernize electronic industry of the former USSR
* Exhibitions:INFORMATICS'92 and SOFTOOL'92 in Moscow
* Lithuania signed an agreement with Germany
* Russian Law on The Legal Protection of Computer Programms and Databases"
  has come into force
* Joint Project of the State University of NY and Russian Committee for
  Higher Education
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


ReNews Exclusive

        The creation of the Information Resources Agency in the
        Russian President's administration

It is headed by Vasily Kupriyanovsky -- the former director of the
Informational Bureau in the administration.

-- The creation of the agency is a natural and logical step
towards a modern state management system, a shift towards new methods
which are being used in every civilized country in the world.

The Agency deals with the widest information resources and technical
means of access to these resources.

Our Agency includes 15 departments which subdivide into 3 large groups.
The first one includes four subdivisions. They are: departments on
work with users, on operating the info-communication resources,
on info-cooperation and on regional and departamental cooperation.
The second group includes those departments which are involved
in the direct development of our communication lines, reprographic
systems, special systems, office systems, computer systems,
factographic systems, telecommunications. And at last but not the least
we have a group of service departments that deal with
planning, finances, material and technical provision, foreign
projects and connections. During the past year we've created
various systems of telecommunication access to different infosystems
within the Administration of the President and goverment offices.

Today these systems have become collections of more than 15000
documents in computer-readable form. We have several data systems
at our disposal: e-mail -- inside the administration and outside,
ECOSTAT (statistics and economics), LAW (documents on law and legislation),
etc.

Cooperation with the EUnet/Relcom network is very important to us.
We plan to create a high-quality gateway with an outlet of our systems
to your network and to distribute information through your
nodes.

But this require a lot of work in the field of improving the technical
base. For example only a year ago we didn't have our own local
networks here. And now there are more than 70 of them. We had only 2
international communication channels -- and now we have more than 60.
There were practically no fax machines here. Today we have about 200.

We do not plan to retire into our our shell. We are currently working
together with the EC Comission and developing a major joint project
on creating a system of info-exchange with govermental offices in
Western countries.

Our Agency also has contacts with several serious foreign partners.
In the field of data sources we co-operate with HUNDESBLUTT (Germany),
in the technical area we are successfully working with XEROX.
We plan to establish further contacts with other partners also.

We need these contacts to create our own powerful capacities, so that
they would be in line with the world standard but at the same time
would not be dependent upon the goverment system. And we are also
trying to work out a procedure of information distribution
and attracting new effective sources.

CONTACT: +7 095 206-4547 (voice)
                206-2131 (fax)

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
                                        RELCOM-news

                      WE GO TO BERLIN

A protocol concerning the creation of a direct channel between
RELARN -- a network of Russian scholars -- and German scientific
network DFN has been signed in Berlin. It will allow researchers
from institutes and researching organizations to gain direct access
to databases and other resources of DFN.

The protocol was signed during the meeting of representatives of RELARN,
the Russian Ministry of Science and Relcom Corp. with DFN officials
in the capital of unified Germany.

The first step towards this was made a few years ago during a meeting
between the German minister of Science Risenhuber and representatives
of eastern european ministries of science. It was then announced
that one of the perspective areas of investment policy would be
providing of communication lines connecting scientific organizations in
European countries. During prolonged negotiations the German side
assigned the director of DFN K.Ullmann to take care of such contacts.

The Russian side noted that the Ministry of Science looks toward
the EUnet/Relcom network in the creation of communication lines
and appointed the current president of Relcom Corp. Alexei Soldatov
and the director of the Russian Institute for Developing Public
Networks/RELARN project coordinator Alexei Platonov to head the
department for such contacts.

So our side at the negotiations in Germany was represented by A.Soldatov,
A.Platonov, Vladimir Petrov from the RELARN/EUnet/Relcom networks
and Sergei Kasatkin from the Ministry of Science and Technical Policy
of Russia.

The following main decisions were made: DFN will directly
operate and support the channel, the German side will also
provide two routers for IP lines connceting the two centres.

So our connections now extend two Germany. And these connections
are of a very serious nature.
--------------------------------------
Tel. (+7 095) 196-7291
E-mail: plat@kiae.su
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::-

                SUN is coming to RUSSIA

Following is the interview of the new manager of SUN Microsystems
in Russia and the CIS ISAAK J. OAK

-- We plan to apply the same strategy we used in many countries. As a rule
SUN begins working with a very small core of American specialists in the
country. Then we sign an agreement with the distributor. SUN teaches
the personell to work with its systems and after that our partner begins
to promote SUN on the local market. People representing the corporation
regularly come to country for short business visits for 1-2 weeks. Here
we have seminars, classes. In other words we help and support them...
And as soon as the firm executives realize that this particular
market welcomes our technology we start setting up a sound and solid
office in the country.

Robert Hall has been assigneed the general manager and the head of the
SUN office in the CIS. I myself will be in charge ofr the work with our
main customers. We will open a permanent office. We plan to rent space
here both for offices and housing for our employees.

In time we plan to hire local specialists, train them so that they would
be able to replace American employees in the CIS.

Russia is of great interest to us. Banks, industry, scientific
establishments comply with our image of potential buyers. Many specialists
are situated under one roof. And they are constantly exchanging
information.

I believe there are several sources of purchasing our products.
First of all there is part of those credits which you receive through
the world financial community for industry moedrnization. Because you cannot
manage without modernizing information technologies. And secondly there
is the developing of joint business.
------------------------------------------------------
Tel. 415 688-9260
Fax  415 688-9025
 USA
-------------------------------------------------------

                  CADENCE: A REVOLUTION IS EXPECTED !

The observers notice the increasing activities of CADENCE Design Systems
in Russia and the CIS.

CADENCE has become well known in the world thanks to its  software
with help of which famous processors INTEL and MOTOROLA have been
created. Strangley one of the electronic industry enetrprises
of the former USSR has CADENCE software package for the automated
design of integrated circuits. Where did it come from?

-- Your intelligence service acquired one of our programms and gave it
to the electronic industry, says Johny Thunborg, manager of CADENCE
in Eastern Europe. -- Before this year we couldn't enter your market.
We had no right to talk about our programms, demonstrate documents...

Our programs represent real means of reorganizing your electronic
industry on the base of the latest technologies widely used in Western
countries.

We already held negotiations with Angstrem in Zelenograd and Integral
in Minsk. Both are large firms dealing with integrated circuits.
And by the end of this year we will start supplying Russia
with our programms.

But of course not everything is that simple. For example you measure
microcircuits and chips in millimetres. We use inches. Our programms
assume a free measurement of parameters to adjust to different scale
systems. For many countries such variations are bulit directly
into the programmes. But we don't have any libraries  on the element base
of Soviet industry. We will adapt to it as soon as we have such data.
Right now we are looking for companies which would be able to
translate systems of your circuits base into ours.

There is no single price for CADENCE programmes. But for example
our package ALLEGRO -- location and tracing of printed circuits --
costs around 30.000 dollars. Programms on location and tracing of
microchips are of the same price. For now they will be sold only for US
dollars.

Our price has also been accepted by local companies. For example,
INTEGRAL has already agreed to purchase our package and for a very
high price too.

But for every sale in Russia or the CIS we need a special permit from the
State Department. INTEGRAL has already received it. I believe that we won't
have any problems with other companies too.

But this is not everything we're interested in. We want to use to the
maximum your intellectual potential. It's no secret that it might become
a very profitable venture for us. Think: for the same money we have to pay
a beginner-programmer in the USA we could hire a whole staff here.
---
 Germany Tel. (089)905091-0
         Fax. (089)9044925
-------------------------------

                                       Exhibitions

INFORMATICS'92: TOO FAR FROM REAL MARKET

It was snowing, but the line to EXPOCENTRE box office was several douzens
metres long. The people were very different. Starting from the little
children with icecream and ending with businessmen.

In this chaos I asked Levon Amdilyan, the general director of the
International Computer Club to comment on this exhibition:

"I have already read a few articles in the press about this
exhibition. I was amazed by the admiration caused by low representation
of it. I don't know why but most observers were most of all happy
with the fact that our companies were represented on it. They were
saying that this is the real, quiet, everyday market. A working market.
But let us think for a moment. Is it really true?

It somehow slipped the attention that the cost of the premises on
this exhibition was reasonably low. Such low prices were quoted to
me that I didn't want to believe. And I believe only this explains the
participation of our firms. So don't be mislead. It's a long way to the
market from here.

One of the evidences was the small, almost mandatory presence of
foreign firms. Yes, foreigners were here. But only those who already
have offices in Moscow and are obliged to participate in exhibitions. I
haven't noticed ane new unknown ehxibitors! And taht means that the
world community wasn't interested in any way in participating in
INFORMATICS'92.

Hence the content of the exposition. Mainly it was "the accounting
department", the traditional configuration of hardware. The only thing
that attracted attention was the new Laserjet HP. An interesting
machine, with new possibilities, high resolution ... Otherwise... There
is nothing more I can name...

In fact there was no market at all. But the space which we now call the
"Russian Market"has acquired a vacuum. This became possible because
westerm companies are noot in a hurry to take their positions because of
the unstable situation in our country, instability of legislation. And
that's the reason for our businessmen's success here. But can we say
that this is the evidence of the market?

We should realize that the integration into the world market will be
impossible until the overwhelming majority of our firms and companies
will start working as efficiently as INTERMICRO or STEEPLER. These are
our own firms which are successfully working on the world market.
STEEPLER prefers to sell its products only abroad. And they are being
bought there. That means that their products are of a very high
quality...

I do not want to undermine the job done the organizers of this
exhibition. They have done a useful job. But those people who admire
some sort of a "crowd" and give it away as a market should have a more
serious outlook on things.

There is another important moment. Fact is, there are practically no
such exhibitions in Western countries. There are no exhibitions where
only products are exhibited. They always have some other activities
where specialists can communicate, discuss the latest news...

Our market is in need of education. What I mean is businessmenshould
know: what kind of hardware should be purchased and why, what kind of
software products... But what happens very often is that executive when
purchasing a computer or software thinks about its price and not
quality!

Take the same HP. They put out a new machine. So, it's a good
machine... But you have to present it, let the public know about its
possibilities, show it!

There was nothing of the above. But this is also the road to market
economy. You not only have to fight for your consumer, you also have to
create him, create his taste and needs.

So don't be in such a hurry to advertise the market. It doesn't exist
yet."

Contact: Moscow +7 095 921-0902
E-mail levon@staff.icc.msk.su
----------------------------------------

SOFTOLL: SOFTWARE EXHIBITION

Another exhibitiob of software SOFTOOL'92 has come to end in Moscow. But
it was different from the previous ones because it had a large variety
of products made by ex-Soviet firms, joint ventures and private
busuinesses.

-- This time we tried to turn our exhibition to the Russian and CIS
customer, - says exhibition director Alexander Fedorov. - And we
attracted mostly our own firms -- the best of home software developers.
ParaGraph, Prosoft, Dialog-Seti, Intersoft and many others presented
their latest projects. All in all more than 195 firms and organizations
of various ownership presented their expositions in the exhibition
halls.

During our visit at the exhibition we managed to interview briefly
Vasily Kupriyanovsky the head of the President's Information Resources
Agency and Vladimir Levchenko, first undersecretary of the Agency.

-- The exhibition makes a very nice impression, -- says Vasily
Kupriyanovsky. -- This looks like the real market. There are some real
producers here. People who produce. High quality products which can
compete with western models.

-- One small example can serve as proof that our developments are
qualitative, -- says Vladimir Levchenko. -- I just came back from
Washington D.C. There I visited the "Voice of America" radiostation. And
there computers with Cyrillic fonts are widely used. And the editorialo
offic staff virtually bombed us with questions: where can our word
processors be purchased? The American packages are no good fo
them! And it was on SOFTOOL where the new version of our popular text
editor LEXICON was presented.

Of course we cannot enumerate everything presented at the exhibition.
But if you are interested I am ready to answer all your questions on
firms-participants in SOFTOOL.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::-

                   DRINKING 'BRUDERSHAFT'
    Lithuania and Germany are creating a common information space

Lithuania and Germany have signed a preliminary agreement
concerning cooperation in the field of communications. Lithuanin
Minister of Communications and Informatics Gintautas Zintelis and
the German state secretary of the Ministry of Post and
Telecommnunications Wilhelm Rauve signed a protocol on cooperation
in the field of communications.

Both parties expressed their intention to cooperate closely and to
exchange experience in political, state, and other essential problems of
communications. The parties also committed themselves to ensure that the
post dispatches and bank commissions should be fast and reliable,
according to the official press release.

Lithuanian Ministry of Communications and Informatics has also
presented a new state program "Lithuania - 2000."
G. Zintelis and his deputy minister A. Bazevichus have told about the
origins of the idea to organize a competition for realizing this
program. The main aim is to ensure a future for Lithuanian
info-infrastructture. Government, science and industry will combine
efforts to create telecom networks and five large commercial databases.
The goverment data system will be also restructured. According to the
minister contacts with the West and international organizations are
especially vital for Lithuania.

Among the firms participating are Bull of France, Mentor Informatic,
Mogens Rasmussen and IBM Finland and IBM Rockville Maryland Michaael
Marsili".
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The Russian Law on "The Legal Protection of Computer Programms and
Databases" has come into force

According to the Enactment on introducing the Law on "The Legal
Protection of Computer Programms and Databases" it comes into
force strting the date of its official publication.

On October 20 1992 the above law (together with the Enactment on its
introduction) was printed in an official publication -- Rossiyskaya
Gazette ("Russian Newspaper") and thus came into force.

Originally the Law has passed the parlament on May 14, 1992 but because
of a series of imperfections it was not approved by the President of
Russia. After additional work on it it was again submitted to the
Supreme Soviet and again passed with amendments on September 23, 1992.

Accroding to information received from G.Vitalyev, head of the news
Agency for Computer Program and Integrated Circuits Topology Protection,
the Law and the Enactment on its introduction were signed by Eltsin and
Hasbulatov on October 7-8, 1992 and passed over for official
publication. The latter became the signal for its enacting.

Leonid Malkov, deputy director of the Russian-American software company
"ParaGraph" who was a member of the group that worked out the law
on "The Legal Protection of Computer Programms and Databases" says:
"I believe this is the beginning of a new stage in software business in
Russia. A business that will be really legal!"

RENEWS comments:

But the Law hasn't been accepted by many programmers yet. And this is
understandable. Most of them think that the Law is a mere means of
monopolizing programm and database development in the hands of
foreigners. Specialists argue that for example the "interface" concept
has not been fully elaborated. There are several other positions that
can seriously limit the work of Russian programmers.

None is going to question the neccessity of this Law. The situation in
which almost 90 percents of software products in the country are pirate
copies is unacceptable. But at the same time it is difficult to
immediately embody this Law. But not in relation to new purchases. Only
in relation to software that has been purchased illegally several years
ago. Because accodring to the Law all pirate copies of software
shoul be withdrawn or paid for!

Will the users in Russia have enough money for this?

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

INTERCONTINENTAL PROJECTS INSTEAD OF INTECONTINENTAL MISSILES

The State University of New York (USA) and the State Committee for
Higher Education within the Ministry of Science, High School and
Technical Policy of Russia have launched a joint project.

It has been named "Education at a distance". It will be conducted with
the help of e-mail through the EUnet/Relcom network. SUNY chancellor
D. Bruce Johnstone gave us the details:

-- Contacts between our University and the State Committee for Higher
Education have a long-standing tradition. They were not so successful
because of the huge distance between us. That's why we decided to use
the system of educating at a distance which has been developed at our
University.

Today it is a most advanced form of postal tuition. During this work we
will carry out 2 programs which we hope eventually will give Russian
students an opportunity to receive master's degrees of our University.
And e-mail of the EUnet/Relcom network will be the base for that.

First we will pass to you via computer networks packages of teaching
programs. Then we hope to open here several centres of distant education
which will distribute these programs throughout the whole country. At
the same time we will adjust systems of satellite TV and channels of
satellite communications. We are doing this to achieve a direct exchange
of data and in several cases even the effect of the presence of a
teacher.

By doing this we are trying to satisfy the need of your higher
education establishments in several professions: English, economics,
business.

But our teachers can also learn something from their Russian colleagues.
Especially in the field of mathematics, natural sciences and even
informatics. Some of the best professors in the world work in Russia.

Your EUnet/Relcom network will be used as a base for this project. But
our specialists had to turn to several organizations for the financial
support of the technical equipment of this intercontinental project. The
American goverment, the World Bank and other serious organizations have
promised to help us.

Starting already next year together with Russia we will tutor a pilot
group from the MIEM (Moscow Institute of Electronic Machinery).

Contact: Moscow voice (+7 095) 954-5242
                fax   (+7 095) 230-2796

 New York   voice 518-443-5355
            fax   518-443-5360
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Attention!


                COMPUTER GAMES FROM RUSSIA

                        NIKITA ltd.
         - computer games, educational programming -

     Nikita ltd is one of  a  few  companies  on  the  Russian
software market  specializing  in  computer GAMES and computer
GRAPHICS.
     The main  team of Nikita ltd was formed in early 1990 and
produced PERESTROIKA game - one of the  most  popular  Russian
games on the local market.
     At present Nikita ltd is mobil flexible  group  of highly
skilled specialists in
     - computer graphics,
     - art design,
     - programming,
     - music accompaniment.
Products of the Nikita ltd are on the level of the  world  top
programs.
     We offer the followimg services:
     - advertisment computer clips at your order:  any kind of
your activity and a perfect design;
     - creation  of new games,  business and trading  programs
at your order specification;
     - right for distribution  receller  discont  agreement of
Nikita's computer games.
    The  latest  productions  we  introduced  is:  "Locman",
"Catcher",  "Dropper",  "Snakewinder",  "Loopy" and the newest
computer game about the latest  Russian  revolution  -  "White
House  Defence".
     All  the  works  of  Nikita ltd is performed using special
in-hause tools that allow to
     - create complex animation;
     - use a vast number of visual effects;
     - include real object images into a program;
     - store all images on disk in compressed form;
     - run our programs on IBM  PC  and  compatible  computers
       with any  video  adapters  from  CGA  to VGA.
     In addition, we designed educational programs with game
elements for childrens aged between 5 and 10.
     We would appreciate any proposals of mutual cooperation.

     Best regard,
     N. Skripkin, director.           phone +7 (095) 323-0737
     O. Medox, manager                phone +7 (095) 193-7174
                                      fax   +7 (095) 323-0737

     Moscow, Russia, 1992.        e-mail  sveta@air.mai.msk.su
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 WE WOULD  WELCOME  THE  OPPORTUNITY TO CO-OPERATE WITH
              YOU.

We would be pleased to send you copies of ReNews N 1-5 /in English/

   Vladimir Shliemin
     Head of Information department RELCOM Corp.
     Editor of RENEWS
     Phone: +7 095 4016248
            +7 095 1989510
               Moscow
   !-------------------------------------------!
   !       E'mail: nev@renews.relcom.msk.su    !
   !-------------------------------------------!



Newsgroups: soc.culture.soviet