10th September 1998 Archive

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Microsoft calls "gang of four" to account for their actions

Novell not part of the gang anymore

Yesterday, Microsoft subpoenaed "the gang of four", as Microsoft calls them, plus Novell. Novell is not a gang member because it has just agreed to license Internet Explorer. Could this herald Microsoft licensing NDS? It would make sense. The gang was given until Friday to produce any incriminating documents that suggested they …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 08:38
Dell takes stealth approach to Linux

Can’t buy the OS on its famous Web site

Dell's very quiet move to sell PCs with Linux pre-installed is being treated with suspicion. Two months ago, as part of its DellPlus programme, Dell quietly offered Linux to customers who agreed to buy at least 50 client PCs a quarter. In the case of servers, there was no minimum -- but there is a fee of $250 per server, it …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 08:40
Domain Interruptus will make Y2K problems look trivial

Industry needs to act by end of the month

The contracts for the control of Internet domain names by Network Solutions and the IP address and root directory system by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) come to an end on 30 September. However, the expected new, non-profit body to administer the system has not yet been established. Any interruption in the …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 08:46
US to impose DRAM anti-dumping levies on LG, Hyundai

Speculation mounts about similar action in Europe

The US government is expected to shortly announce it is imposing anti-dumping duties on memories made by South Korean companies Hyundai and LG Semicon. The tariffs on DRAMs, according to sources close to the discussions, will be 3.9 per cent on Hyundai and 9.87 per cent LG Semicon exported to the US. That follows widespread …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 09:41
Worldwide chip sales slump in July

SIA blames oversupply, Asian woes

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has released its assessment of worldwide sales figures in July and the news is not good for the industry. The SIA said that chip sales fell by 17 per cent in the month, accounting for revenues of $9.66 billion. In July 1997, revenues worldwide amounted to $11.65 billion. The SIA …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 10:16
Motorola confirms Iridium delay

And boy, are the handsets going to cost...

Motorola yesterday confirmed delays to the commercial launch of its Iridium satellite phone system, whose (nearly) final satellites went into place earlier this week. The company now plans to launch it properly on 1 November, but will be offering a limited test service from the original date, 23 September. On Tuesday Motorola …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 10:29
Novell to ship IE with NetWare 5

Subpoenas all over the shop, but we're everybody's friend

Heavily subpoenaed by and poised to lock horns on the product front with Microsoft, Novell has made a bid for neutrality by agreeing to ship Internet Explorer with NetWare 5. Novell is already committed to shipping NetScape Navigator and a bundled NetScape Web server with NetWare 5, but says that by delivering the two, it's …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 10:31
Mandelson has plans for e-commerce

But what are they?

As the UK's overseas-owned semiconductor fabs keel over like dominoes the minister responsible, Peter Mandelson, has been heroically setting out his plans to make the UK a leader in electronic commerce. Making what is described as his first major speech since his appointment as secretary of state for trade and industry, …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 10:33
Sun says Microsoft tried Java hijack

But the question is, did the contract say this was OK?

Sun JavaSoft president Alan Baratz yesterday accused Microsoft of trying to hijack Java by producing a divergent version dependent on Microsoft tools and technology. Testifying on day two of Sun's lawsuit against Microsoft, Baratz said that Microsoft was in breach of its licensing agreement, which is of course the nub of the …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 10:35
Yamaha claims quad speed RW breakthrough

Snappy little name - CRW 4416...

Yamaha has claimed it has made a breakthrough in CD Rewritable technology with the introduction of a four speed drive. The company said that the unit, the CRW 4416, both writes and re-writes at quad speed. Previously, said Yamaha, CD-RW drives were only able to re-write at double speed. According to Jim Corbett, general manager …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 10:35
Gates forced Digital to kill NC, says Ellison

Project and device nixed after threats, he claims

Oracle's Larry Ellison has thrown the cat among the pigeons with a claim that threats from Bill Gates forced the cancellation of a joint Digital-Oracle project that could have resulted in the sale of 500,000 NC-type devices to China. According to a story in today's New York Times, Digital's Internet Applications Group had …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 10:36
Lycos targets SMEs on Web

Will we able to hire more staff now?

Lycos said it had introduced a guide to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on its UK site. The company said the site includes tax advice, guidance on recruitment, business associations and other business related services. The site will be continuously revised and updated, Lycos claimed, with plans for get rich quick …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 11:01
In brief: Lucent-NEC to cooperate on system chips

DRAM systems name of the game

Japanese reports said that Lucent and NEC are to work together to produce system chips aimed at the telecommunications and consumer markets. Under the arrangement, NEC will license its DRAM design technology to Lucent while the chips will be fabbed at NEC factories. No financial details of the deal were disclosed, but the …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 11:14
Potential digital TV viewers give interactivity thumbs down

Channel surfing, yes -- Web surfing, no

The BBC's current campaign to promote its forthcoming digital TV service is stressing the medium's interactivity. But it may want to reconsider in light of a new survey conducted by US market researcher Jupiter Communications. Less than ten per cent of the study's participants said they were bothered about receiving supplemental …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 11:31
Ellison lawyer nixed Apple acquisition

But Larry got on the board anyway

Oracle and Apple -- together forever. That scenario was within a gnat's part of becoming reality, had Larry Ellison not heeded the advice of his lawyer. According to the Oracle CEO, quoted in the US media, he was ready and willing to buy the ailing Mac maker at $13 a share, "but my lawyer said I knew too much" -- his close …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 11:33
Xerox and IBM team up on Document Center integration

Digital and paper document worlds collide

Xerox announced it will make its Document Center digital copier and workflow products work with IBM's Lotus Notes and Domino. The two companies have also agreed to initiate joint marketing programmes centred on their technologies. According to Xerox president Rick Thoman, the move will allow customers to bring the previously …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 11:37
Worldwide PC sales show strong growth

Dell, Apple selling like crazy

After the year's economic upsets, continued financial turmoil in Russia and Asia, and fears of an emerging recession, worldwide PC sales are bouncing back, according to research from IDC. Global sales grew by 11 per cent during the last quarter, year-on-year, said IDC, which predicted growth of 12.2 per cent for the second half …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 12:17
DVD battles continue

This time it's all about audio formats

A group of companies headed up by Toshiba and Matsushita has said it will extend recording time for DVD audio from just over 64 minutes to nearly eighty minutes. The DVD consortium, the Audio Working Group, which has 39 companies supporting it, are attempting to replace existing sound CDs with their own standard and are set to …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 12:25
LG, Hyundai continue unseemly battle

Tweedledum and Tweedledee fight over big cake

The bickering between LG Semicon and Hyundai took a further twist late yesterday when both companies revealed details of how big a management share each wants in a future merged chip company. According to reports in today's edition of the Korea Times, LG Semicon is insisting on having a 70 per cent share in the merged chip …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 12:58
Softbank prepares to convert to holding company

Accounts should be more meaningful

Japanese uber conglomerate Softbank Corporation is preparing to expose its books to meaningful scrutiny for the first time, by transforming itself into a holding company. The conversion which takes place on April 1, will help the company to improve efficiency, while making clear each subsidiary’s profit and overall performance, …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 13:51
Intel woos dealers with soft dollars

Ratch up those marketing points

Intel has re-vamped its channel strategy and announced initiatives including marketing programmes, discounts, and use of an official logo. The Authorised Solution Provider programme designates some dealers as "preferred sources" for Intel’s products and services, and includes a certification scheme which means such dealers must …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 15:01
Component prices fall 25 per cent annually

Supply regularly outstrips demand

PC component prices will continue to fall significantly, Dell CFO Tom Meredith has warned. Speaking at the 26th SG Cowen Annual Technology Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, Meredith said that capacity is still ahead of demand, pushing prices way down. In fact, he added, even when demand meets supply, components are becoming …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 15:12
Quantum shaves headcount in HDD restructure

Splits roadmaps in twain

Quantum is to reduce its workforce by 113 staff in a $60-million cost savings restructure of its hard disk business. Most staff will go through "attrition and delayed hiring", the company said. In an echo of Intel’s recent move to dual roadmaps (for Celeron and Pentium IIs), Quantum is splitting its desktop product roadmap to …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 16:18
Updated: MS and Compaq agree on NT/DUX integration

Big deal will marginalise HP and Intel’s Merced

As revealed here on August 20 ( SCO ducks as Compaq lets fly), Compaq has struck a deal with Microsoft to make NT and Digital Unix work together. A source close to Compaq's plans now suggests that the punt we took that Alpha would displace Merced in its affections was probably true. The companies today said that as most …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 16:42
10/09/98 Daily Digest

CRN tips up in UK

Computer Reseller News comes to UK Computer Reseller News is launching a UK edition on 18 November, pitching into battle in the weekly market with PC Dealer and Microscope. CRN UK recruits include editor Ambrose McNevin, managing editor James Harding and consultant editor Eira Hayward, all of whom have served time one time or …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 16:51
Microsoft delivers search engine beta for MSN

Licenses the Inktomi engine

Microsoft has made available for testing the beta of a search engine for MSN.com. Like AOL, CNET, HotBot, Infoseek, Lycos, and Yahoo amongst others, Microsoft has licensed Inktomi's engine. The search engine was developed under an ARPA contract at Berkeley by Eric Brewer, who went on to license the technology and name his …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 17:38
Markets still bouncing around

Recent events cause "frog on speed" effect

Recent technology stock movements have by-and large reflected recent events. Thanks to a volte face by Fed chairman Alan Greenspan who said last Friday that interest rates might be cut despite the risk of inflation, when US markets re-opened on Tuesday after the holiday, there was a record 380 point, 5 per cent gain in the Dow …

Business 10 Sep 1998, 17:47