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9th October 1998 Archive

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  • CHS shares fall on fear of Vobis deal collapse

    Never failed to complete deal yet, the company says

    CHS shares tumbled 24 per cent on Wednesday, following fears that its would fail to complete its proposed acquisition of Vobis, the German assembler/retailer. Computer Reseller News US cites "reports in the German press" which reveal that Vobis owner Metro AG, is considering selling off Vobis subsidiary MaxData through an IPO. …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 06:24

  • Roundup: Markets on 8th October

    Storms rage around the world's markets - is it all going pear-shaped?

    Great forces were at work yesterday in currency markets, and they'll have a profound effect on technology markets if there is not a fundamental reversal. Financial analysts and market theorists were at a loss to explain why currency markets moved in such extraordinary ways over the last two days. The only reasonable conclusion …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 08:57

  • DoJ posts final witness list

    Apple, Sun supremos set to testify against Microsoft

    The final witness lists for the US vs Microsoft case, still scheduled for next Thursday but probably delayed until 19 October, were given yesterday. They are mostly as previously indicated, but the changes provide some clues as to current thinking. The DoJ has substituted Avi Tevanian, an Apple VP who would be able to elaborate …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 10:50

  • NatSemi research project to tackle spiralling chip fab costs

    Smaller chips equals more defects, so US cost-control project kicks off

    NatSemi has been selected as the lead company in a US industry/university research consortium aimed at improving chip yields and reducing costs. The three year programme is being funded to the tune of $18.6 million by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and aims at restoring the historical 25-30 per …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 11:00

  • Netscape's Barksdale sees growth of thousands of specialist portals

    So are the handful of big portals in trouble? Interesting thought...

    Is Yahoo! doomed? That's certainly one possible conclusion of what NetScape president and CEO Jim Barksdale was saying at the launch of the company's new Custom Netcenter service yesterday. Today, he says, we have just a few 'custom portals' like Yahoo!, which have become major Web hubs, while the Custom Netcenter drive will …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 11:03

  • Oracle aims Oracle8 for Linux at Microsoft NT

    Deluged by Linux developer registrations, Oracle plans to turn the tables on Microsoft

    Oracle says it has received 20,000 Internet developer registrations for Oracle8 for Linux, which it shipped yesterday, in less than two weeks, and has made the clearest indications yet that it sees Linux as a vital weapon in its bid to head-off Microsoft's Windows NT. Oracle software is available on NT, and earlier this week the …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 11:06

  • Microsoft puts squeeze on reporter over leaked documents

    How come Microsoft has subpoenaed a reporter for documents and emails? Audit trail, we reckon...

    CNet reporter Dan Goodin has been hit by a Microsoft subpoena demanded the return of "internal Microsoft documents" he says he used to produce recent stories. Exactly why Microsoft wants the stuff back from Goodin (if there is a 'back' for emails) is unclear -- Microsoft's internal documentation has been sprinkled across most of …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 11:11

  • Dell aims for seven hour inventory turnaround

    Can Eckhard 'Warehouse' Pfeiffer take any more?

    Dell will pile the pressure on its direct and indirect rivals next year when it plans to go to war on PC pricing by making huge savings on managing its inventory. Dell will shake-up its direct sales service, including sales through the Internet, in an attempt to increase order speeds and ultimately reduce its inventory …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 11:22

  • Sugar prepares for Viglen bid

    Mops up shares in advance

    Alan Sugar has topped up his stake in Viglen Technology, the UK stock-market listed PC builder, by buying 9.766 million shares today at 24p. Following the surprise move, Sugar's stake in Viglen increases from 33.7 per cent to 41.7 per cent. This means that Amshold, Sugar's 100 per cent owned investment vehicle, is required under …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 11:27

  • Packard Bell NEC to cut US workforce by 20 per cent

    Cost-cutting measure follows poor year

    Packard Bell NEC has confirmed its intention to axe between 750 and 1000 jobs by the end of the year. However, the company said its European operation will unaffected -- the cuts will be made solely in the US, accounting for up to 20 per cent of the workforce. The decision was made as part of a major effort to cut costs, said a …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 11:36

  • Apple set for $66 million Q4 profit

    Will 1998 become Mac maker's first fully profitable year since 1995?

    Apple will next week post a Q4 profit of $66 million -- if Wall Street's latest predictions come true. And any profit will see the company mark its fourth consecutive quarter in the black, and its first full year of profitability in three years. According to Boston research firm First Call, quoted on US Mac news site Macweek.com …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 11:39

  • Judge dismisses Microsoft request for Netscape tapes

    Profs claim victory for academic freedom, but judge may release some interview material at antitrust trial

    Microsoft attempt to use the courts to force to US academics has failed. The company wanted access to interviews conducted by professor David Yoffie of Harvard and professor Michael Cusumano of MIT for a forthcoming book on Netscape, Competing on Internet Time: Lessons from Netscape and its Battle with Microsoft. The interviews …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 11:55

  • HP launches network channel scheme

    Awards too

    Hewlett-Packard has set up its first formal channel accredition scheme for networking products. Called NetGain, the programme delivers lead generation, better margin breaks and the free demo kit, and up-to-date product and market information. HP will supply all account management, training, and pre-and post-sales support, in …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 12:03

  • Security Dynamic hires Rippon for UK channel drive

    Aims to double numbers

    Security Dynamics has appointed Miles Rippon as UK channel manager. Rippon, who joins the company from UNIX distributor Sphinx CST, where he was southern sales manager, will run the company's Rapid Return programme. This is a scheme to double UK Var numbers from 25 to 50 by January 1999. To win accreditation, Vars must send two …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 12:13

  • Lotus chief scorns Linux

    OS acolytes declare fatwah, burn copies of SmartSuite

    A dissenter has emerged among the host of industry bigwigs shouting their support for Unix derivate Linux. Step forward Jeff Papows, president and CEO of Lotus. Asnwering questions after giving the keynote at an event staged as part of UK Technology Week (see UK Tech Week off to a feeble start), Papows said: "All my engineers …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 12:26

  • Dataflex brings voice routing to corporates

    SmartGem Manager takes call control away from telcos

    Line-powered diallers -- currently used by telcos to route customers voice and fax calls over their alternative networks -- could soon be employed by corporates to take advantage of Internet telephony. SmartGem Manager from Dataflex Design Communications is a Windows NT and SQL Server-based system designed to enable least-cost …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 14:39

  • Inacom Vanstar deal creates world's biggest reseller

    Job cuts galore

    Inacom has emerged as the winner in the race to acquire Vanstar, the US reseller with the very public for sale tag around its neck. The combined group will be the world's biggest product reseller, with $7 billion annual billings and 12,000 staff. Inacom will gouge out $150 million cost savings through economies of scale. With …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 15:07

  • So farewell then, Hayes?

    Modem veteran seeks Chapter 11 protection and long-term funding

    Hayes has declared itself bankrupt and has sought Chapter 11 protection from creditors, it emerged today. "We made the decision to seek the protection of the Bankruptcy Court in the belief that this action would provide the most viable means of achieving our key goals of refocusing our business strategy and operations," said CEO …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 15:29

  • Compaq to embed Citrix ICA in CE devices

    Move builds on existing alliance between companies

    Compaq has licensed Citrix's ICA client for use in its C-Series handheld Windows CE devices. The ICA client for the C-Series will be available for download from Citrix's site from next month, and Compaq also intends to embed ICA technology in its handhelds. Compaq joins a long list of ICA licensees, IBM, HP and Sun being three …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 16:05

  • Judge rules on Microsoft database: it's gibberish – official

    Finds the databases Microsoft has already given the DoJ unintelligible. Does he think the rest will make more sense?

    Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson today memorably described data handed over to the Department of Justice by Microsoft as "gibberish," and ordered the company to give the DoJ full access to its databases in Redmond. The adversaries have been wrangling over access to the databases for some time now, the DoJ saying it needs to be able …

    Business 9 Oct 1998, 16:07