From: Info-IBMPC@BRL.MIL (Info-IBMPC Digest)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.digest
Subject: Info-IBMPC Digest V92 #69
Date: 5 Apr 92 06:56:34 GMT
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Info-IBMPC Digest           Sun,  5 Apr 92       Volume 92 : Issue  69 

Today's Editor:
         Gregory Hicks - Rota Spain <GHICKS@brl.mil>

Today's Topics:
               Murph's VAPORWARE Column for April 1992

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Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1992 13:46:31 EST
From: Murph Sewall <Sewall%UConnVM.BITNET@pucc.Princeton.EDU>
Subject: Murph's VAPORWARE Column for April 1992

                              VAPORWARE
                            Murphy Sewall
                   From the April 1992 APPLE PULP
           H.U.G.E. Apple Club (E. Hartford) News Letter
                              $24/year
                           P.O. Box 18027
                        East Hartford, CT 06118
                 Call the "Bit Bucket" (203) 257-9588
      Permission granted to redistribute with the above citation

                   These are rumors folks;
                   we reserve the right to be dead wrong!

OS Flavor of the Month.
At an unusual Macintosh System Software Forum in early March, Apple
revealed plans to retrofit a new "microkernel" onto System 7.  The new
kernel would add long sought features such as preemptive multitasking,
multi-threading, protected memory, demand-paged virtual memory. and
asynchronous SCSI I/O.  Other options and features, such as
message-based intertask communications, could be added as system
extensions.  Apple plans to release this kernel, which will run on
today's Motorola 680x0 Macs, with the new "PowerPC" RISC Macs (around
the end of 1993).  Apple now has announced "commitments" to three
different future operating systems - System 7 with microkernel, PowerOn
(a merger of A/Ux and AIX), and Taligent (nee "Pink").  Will the real
future operating system please stand up?  - MacWeek 2 and 9 March and
InfoWorld 9 March

Extending System 7.
Apple plans on releasing a "World Ready" version of System 7 along with
a number of major system extensions by the end of this year.  The new
version will simplify the task of switching among languages by building
in support for two-byte script systems and right-to-left text entry.
Major extensions include the Open Collaboration Environment (OCE),
AppleScript, and a new object oriented graphics engine, codenamed El
Kabong, to succeed QuickDraw.  El Kabong seeks to bring the benefits of
Display PostScript to the Mac without requiring PostScript programming.
Apple also announced plans to market these extensions for Windows.
Apple's engineers also explained that when RISC Macs arrive they will
be able to run existing (Motorola 680x0) software without modification.
The PowerPC will support 680x0 emulation with a difference.  The
Advanced Technologies Group has shown that most current applications
spend most of their time executing Toolbox code (approximately 67% in
the case of Excel and nearly 89% for PageMaker) which will be written
in native PowerPC.  While performance won't be as high as versions
compiled specifically for the PowerPC, they should run as fast or
faster than on earlier Macs.   - MacWeek 2 and 9 and 16 March and
InfoWorld 9 March

Microsoft's 32-bit Strategy.
Microsoft plans a future 32-bit, protected mode DOS, sometimes referred
to as DOS 6.0.  The company also is readying Win32, a programming
interface that can produce applications that will automatically
configure themselves for Windows 3.1, Windows-NT, or 32-bit DOS. Carl
Stork, director of Windows NT business development also disclosed
Win32s, a subset of Win32, that will enable applications written for
Windows NT to run on Windows 3.1 (shipping date not yet determined).  -
InfoWorld 2 March

Embedded TrueType.
Microsoft has announced that Windows 3.1 and NT will permit users to
embed TrueType fonts in documents that will retain their format when
displayed or printed on another PC, no matter what fonts are installed
in its system.  Some embedded fonts will be read only (disappear if the
document is altered), others will be read/write and users will have the
option of installing the fonts received in documents into their own
systems.  Apple officials said the Macintosh eventually will provide
similar embedding.  - InfoWorld  and MacWeek 24 February

Factory Authorized Hacks.
Microsoft will ship a special utility with Windows 3.1 call "App
Hacks." The purpose of the utility will be to identify Windows 3.0
applications which may not work with version 3.1 and then use a table
of work-arounds to reconfigure 3.1 as needed.  - InfoWorld 9 March

Trumped ACE.
Silicon Graphic's acquisition of MIPS Computer Systems could foreshadow
the end of the ACE consortium (see last May's column).  Silicon
Graphics has already launched its own MIPS R4000 workstation while ACE
cofounder DEC has announced its intention to base workstations on its
own Alpha RISC processor (see last month's column).  By merging with
MIPS, Silicon Graphics insures its own supply of R4000 chips, but other
vendors might view ownership of CPU production by a competitor as a
reason not to move forward with MIPS-based systems.  - InfoWorld 16
March

NeXTbrick.
In addition to RISC processing, the NeXT workstations planned for
September will be a rectangular "brick" with a smaller footprint than
the present cube.  The current design has two 50 MHz Motorola 88110
processors, but sources close to the company indicate that NeXT is not
locked into the Motorola CPU.  Other features of the NeXTbrick include
16 MBytes of RAM and three expansion slots.  - InfoWorld 24 February

100 MHz HP Workstations.
Hewlett-Packard has announced that workstations based on the company's
Precision Architecture RISC 7100 CPU (see the February 1991 column)
will be released by the end of this year.  Performance ratings of 120
SPECmarks (compared to IBM's top of the line RS/6000 Model 560's 89.3
SPECmarks) are anticipated.  HP's announcement is seen by analysts as
an attempt to preempt interest in DEC's Alpha RISC chip  (see last
month's column)  - PC Week 24 February

RISC = Better Mac.
Phillip Koch, Apple's director of RISC Technology Development, says the
company intends to use RISC power to build a better Macintosh.  By
1995, Apple plans to provide Mac users with four versions of the
PowerPC delivering performance from 40 to 500 SPECmarks (today's
Quadras deliver approximately 7 SPECmarks).  - InfoWorld 16 March

Will it Be i586?
Intel hasn't decided whether the newest 8086 compatible CPU currently
designated P5 will be called the i586 or something else.  One source
within the company argues that the P5 is so radically different that it
would be a disservice to call it the 586.  Intel plans to begin
sampling the P5 in June but may not formally announce the CPU (with a
name) until September.  The 64-bit superscalar CPU with two 32-bit data
paths is planned to be shipping in quantity before the end of the third
quarter in 33, 50, and 33/66 MHz versions.  The 50 MHz model is
expected to deliver 100 MIPS.  - InfoWorld 16 March

RocketShare.
Radius Inc. has announced a software product which will permit parallel
processing on Macintoshes equipped with Radius 68040 accelerator
boards.  RocketShare uses code licensed from Apple to split tasks
written to System 7's IAC (Inter-Applications Communications)
technology.  Radius officials say that a Macintosh IIfx with three
Nubus accelerators can run computer-intensive tasks three times faster
than a SPARCstation 1+.  Rocketshare will ship this summer with a
probable price tag between $200 and $600.  - PC Week 24 February

Reporter, Casper, and Rosetta.
Apple demonstrated an intelligent software search utility codenamed
Reporter and voice recognition technology named Casper at MacWorld
Tokyo.  Apple has asserted that a pen input extension for System 7,
codenamed Rosetta, will ship by the end of the year.  Rosetta only got
limited attention in Tokyo, and insiders say that the only way to keep
the schedule is outside acquisition.  On the other hand, Reporter may
be ready by the end of this year, with Casper likely sometime in 1993.
Reporter can be programmed to search news services and online databases
and retrieve articles in response to user queries entered as questions
or statements (such as "Is Dan Quayle qualified to be President?").
Reporter ranks candidate articles by probable relevance to the original
query.  Casper, which recognizes continuous speech from multiple users
was the hit of the show.  The technology was demonstrated writing
checks and programming a VCR.  A Quadra 900 was used for the
demonstration, although Apple CEO John Sculley indicated the final
product also is planned for 68030 Macintoshes with voice-input
capabilities.  Sources say that the present version of the software
still is very slow on 68030 processors.  - MacWeek 24 February and 2
March

From Sharp Minds.
Sharp Electronics plans to add a new organizer at the top of its Wizard
line before the first of June.  The 256K OZ-8600 will have twice the
memory, more functions, and a higher price than the $400 OZ-8200.
Among the new features is a to-do list that is integrated with all
three calendar views and VT-100 emulation.  - InfoWorld 2 March

Sharp Wizard On Steroids.
Sharp Electronics has concluded that the OZ-8600 will push the Wizard
concept about as far as it can go.  Hence, the company has concluded a
deal with Apple to produce the first PDA (Personal Digital Assistant),
a handheld RISC device with a pen as its only input device.
Tentatively scheduled for January 1993, the PDA will not be Mac
compatible, but it will use a HyperCard-like interface and infrared
networking to "dock" with a Mac.  The display will be a 3 by 5 inch
supertwist (not backlit) LED.  Other features include 512K of RAM, a
number of built in personal organization applications, a static RAM
card slot for additional applications, a small speaker, and a Macintosh
compatible serial port.  The $700 device's low-power RISC processor
should deliver near 68040 performance and run for hours on standard
alkaline batteries.  A more powerful PDA codenamed Newton which will
offer wireless connection to AppleTalk networks, have an ability to
manage files as well as data, and may include Apple's Casper voice
recognition technology won't ship until the end of 1993 at the
earliest.  - MacWeek 2 and 9 March

PDA Kiosks.
Apple is said to be evaluating a plan to distribute software for PDAs
through kiosks in consumer electronics outlets.  Consumers would be
able to select a title and demo it at the kiosk.  Upon deciding to buy,
the consumer would insert a blank static RAM card into a slot, punch in
credit card information, and the machine would copy the software onto
the blank.  - MacWeek 9 March

Future PowerBooks.
Apple has not yet decided whether, much less when, to market new
versions of the PowerBook 140 and 170 now in beta test.  The proposed
models have gray scale displays and video-out ports.  They could ship
in time to put under your 1992 Christmas tree.  Apple engineers also
are trying to figure out how to get both a 33 MHz 68040 and a color
active matrix display into a PowerBook 170 form factor.  A radical
approach to CPU cooling will be necessary, and the unit may have to
forego battery power.  - MacWeek 9 March

Active Addressing for Passive Displays.
Focus Systems has developed a technique that uses analog technology to
send varying amounts of voltage to different screen pixels
simultaneously.  The company says their active addressing approach
gives passive matrix displays the same speed and definition of current
active matrix screens.  Focus plans to introduce a projection panel
using active addressing later this year, and portable computers using
the new technique could appear next year.  - InfoWorld 24 February

Mac with a Different (Inter)Face.
Apple plans to introduce alternative versions of the Macintosh
interface for different audiences.  The first example is a prototype
codenamed Tiny Tunes that was shown at the Macintosh System Software
Forum in early March.  The interface permits launching preinstalled
applications or documents while hiding System 7's Finder.  The original
concept was designed for K-12 education and home use, but may have
broader application in public use environments.  A version of Tiny
Tunes could appear as the interface for Apple consumer products (see
February and March's columns).  The exact design and features are not
yet final and Apple hasn't decided how, when, or even whether to market
the product.  The company is said to be working on other interfaces for
sophisticated users.  These new approaches will be designed to take
better advantage of System 7 features.  One conception is based on
"piles" rather than folders (did they visit my office?).  - MacWeek 9
and 16 March

Violently Multiplatform?
Lotus plans to begin delivering "Noteware" built around Notes 3.0 group
productivity software by the end of this year.  For the first time
there will be a Macintosh client for the environment.  Senior Vice
President John Landry described Lotus's strategy as aggressively
interoperable and "violently multiplatform."  - InfoWorld and MacWeek
16 March

Hyperactive.
Claris has denied rumors that further development of HyperCard will
wind down after the release of version 2.5 (color painting and QuckTime
Movie support) in May.  Spokesman Steve Ruddock said the company has
recently completed an ambitious development plan for the next two years
and beyond which includes a major revision (version 3.0) and
cross-platform development (HyperCard for Windows).  - MacWeek 2 March

PS/2s of '92.
IBM plans to begin shipping midrange (Models 56 and 57) and high-end
(Models 90 and 95) PS/2s with separately packaged hard drives and other
components by midsummer.  The move is seen by industry analysts as
giving IBM more flexibility to compete on price.  Big Blue also plans a
fourth quarter enhancement of the recently announced models 56 and 57
to i486SLC CPUs.  IBM benchmarks indicate that the i486SLC models are
about 15 percent faster than Compaq's Deskpro 486/25M.  - PC Week 2
March

Integrating the Compact Mac IIs.
No wonder there have been so few real details about Apple's improved
IIsi.  The latest version is that the IIsi and IIci will both be
replaced by a new 33 MHz 68030 model with three slots and a cache card
in a 4 MBytes of RAM 80 MByte hard drive configuration for under
$3,000.  The case will be very similar to the current IIci.  Best
current guess on introduction is March 1993, but market conditions
could lead to an earlier announcement.  - MacWeek 24 February

Apple to Adopt 2.88 MByte Drives.
Apple has plans to introduce about a half dozen new 68040-based Macs by
the time the PowerPC models are ready to ship.  The PowerPCs and some
of the new Quadras will sport IBM-friendly 2.88 MByte floppy drives.
Apple hasn't decided whether to use a version which only reads 1.44 and
2.88 MByte formats or a more expensive drive that can also read the
older 800K and 400K formats.  - MacWeek 16 March

Super I/O Chip.
IBM has announced an experimental "switch chip" that can handle data at
a rate of 5 gbs (gigabits per second) on each of its 16 channels (total
of 80 gbs).  The chip could potentially copy the entire contents of
sixteen 60 Mbyte hard disks in one-tenth of a second (which would be
appreciated, no doubt, by lab managers everywhere).  - PC Week 24
February

High End Publishing For Your Desktop.
Interleaf Inc., the developer of a powerful UNIX and mainframe based
publishing product with workgroup features plans to release Macintosh,
Windows 3.1 and Windows NT compatible versions of Interleaf5 by the end
of the year (Win 3.1 this spring, Mac version in September, Win NT
version before Christmas).  A five user configuration will retail for
$8,500.  - PC Week 2 March

Software Schedules.
The shipping date for Clarion Professional Developer 3.0 industrial
strength data base management system has slipped from the March date
announced last fall to at least June.  Meanwhile Excel 4.0 (see the
February and March columns) is on track for Comdex (beginning of April)
with Quattro Pro for Windows to follow in the second quarter.  Lotus
1-2-3 2.4 has been sent to beta testers and also is expected to ship by
the end of spring.  Great Works, ClarisWorks, and BeagleWorks have
taken over the integrated Macintosh software market that Microsoft used
to have to itself.  Microsoft's completely new Works 3.0 with a made
over look and greater color support is slated for delivery by early
summer.  - MacWeek 24 February, PC Week 24 February and 2 March and
InfoWorld 9 March

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End of Info-IBMPC Digest V92 #69
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