26th November 1998 Archive

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DoJ ‘expert’ in trouble as expertise exposed

Microsoft's attorney is exposing Warren-Boulton's sketchy knowledge of the industry

Potentially the most dangerous witness against Microsoft -- consultant economist Dr Frederick R Warren-Boulton - is being set up by Michael Lacovara, a counsel for Microsoft. W-B has now had three days of cross-examination, with the prospect of a full fourth day and then rebuttal testimony by Richard Schwartz for the DoJ when …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 10:35
Dell bests Compaq in business PC sales

But what about the servers, the notebooks and the consumer units?

Dell has topped Compaq in business sales for the first time. Last quarter saw Dell's market share climax at 29.8 per cent, surpassing Compaq's 23.6 per cent, according to ZD Computer Intelligence. This compares to the second quarter, where Compaq was hanging onto the leadership with 27.8 per cent to direct manufacturer Dell's 22 …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 10:37
Chip vendors tighten capital spending screws – again

Too much capacity already

Semiconductor vendors have been tightfisted for two years on the trot, according to Dataquest. Capital spending for 1998 is projected down 22 per cent to $31.6 billion from last year. According to analysts, overcapacity problems lie at the core of most capital expenditure thriftiness. Investment in advanced technology for this …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 10:46
Novell challenges Sun for slice of AOL's appliance business

Despite the AOL-Sun alliance, Novell thinks it can still sell AOL key technologies

AOL's 'AOL Anywhere' strategy (See Story) could be launched with the aid of Novell software, despite the fact that in this area Novell is competing directly with AOL's new strategic partner, Sun. In the wake of its Netscape takeover AOL has started talking about an ambitious strategy that will take it out beyond the PC-Internet …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 11:37
Light relief – Siemens Semi teams with Osram

Maybe somebody suggested Siemens might as well torch the lot...

Siemens Semiconductor's vision of light at the end of the tunnel has taken on new meaning - Siemens is to merge its lightbulb subsidiary, Osram GmbH, into the semi business to form a joint venture in optoelectronic semiconductors. Aside from being one of the world's top manufacturers of lights and lightbulbs Osram has expertise …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 12:02
Slump hits Hitachi figures across the board

Semiconductors are bad, but Japan's economic problems are bleeding the company as well

Hitachi has turned in a whopping Y142.23 billion (around £750 million) consolidated loss for its first half, to the end of September, and blames the unprecedentedly bad figures on a combination of memory price falls and collapsing domestic demand in Japan. The company's semiconductor business lost Y60 billion, compared with Y20 …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 12:21
Mitsubishi loss widens as sales fall

Another of Japan's finest falls victim to slump

Mitsubishi has chalked-up its first drop in overall sales in over five years, as the loss for its first half rose to Y31.79 billion (about $240 million). The company has been hit by both falling sales, like Hitachi (see separate story), and by restructuring costs. Its figures include a charge of Y18 billion related to its …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 12:34
STMicrolectronics takes on Adaptec chippies

Pays $73 million for the privilege

Adaptec has completed another step in its reorganisation with the disposal of its storage chip design team to STMicroelctronics. STMicroelectronics will pay around $73 million cash for Adaptec’s Peripherals Technology Solutions (PTS) Division. The company will take on the PTS team, along with the PTS “product portfolio, …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 12:49
Court steps spin increases as Microsoft demands dismissal

DoJ running scared, and expert is a know-nothing, apparently...

Microsoft will introduce a Motion to dismiss the case after the DoJ has finished presenting evidence from its twelve witnesses. This is a common legal procedure, but usually has more in common with fisticuffs than legal merit. It would perhaps have been better if Microsoft had not pre-announced its intention before all the …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 12:52
For sale: Computer.com.

As new. Unwanted present,one careful owner $500,000 ono.

It's a sad fact of life but $500,000 doesn't buy much these days. It might just about get you a good time at Comdex. It may even buy you an even better time in Vegas while you're there. But if you're after one of the hottest domain names on the Web, it will barely pay for the deposit. Kevin Sinclair, who currently owns computer. …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 13:12
Stockpile fears as SK cranks up DRAM output

Hold on, the prices have only just gone up

South Korean DRAM makers are threatening price stability by suddenly ramping up memory output to record levels. Memory vendors are hiking 64-megabit production by up to 40 per cent, after months of cutting back due to oversupply and rock bottom prices. Leading DRAM maker Samsung last week confirmed a 40 per cent jump in 64- …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 13:23
Situations Vacant: Digital Ambassador Wanted

Must be good with compooters

The Government is to appoint a "digital ambassador" to lead the country's bid to become the e-commerce centre of the world. The ambassador will work with Government and industry to promote e-commerce within the UK and throughout the world. Peter Mandelson, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, announced the new position …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 13:41
Major labels join IBM on Net music sales trial

Music industry leaders sing the Big Blues...

Four of the music industry's six key players -- Sony Music, Time-Warner, EMI, MCA/Universal -- and IBM have announced the first major move in the business' bid to take command of the Internet music scene. The plan, dubbed the Madison Project, will see the participants co-operating on an experimental music distribution system set …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 14:10
AMD posts Windows 95/K6-2 bug fix for free

Chip vendor acts as Microsoft continues to charge $35 for patch

Microsoft's penny-pinching attempt to force owners of K6-2 based PCs who have experienced a bug in Windows 95 to cough up $35 for the patch has been scotched by the chip manufacturer itself. Faced with the Great Satan of Software's apparent refusal to admit its mistake and eliminate the charge, AMD has made the fix available …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 14:46
Infobank seeks £9 million to develop e-commerce apps

Please give generously... No donation too small...

Infobank International has launched an £8.9 million fundraising bid to help develop the company's range of e-commerce software. If unsuccessful, then the options for the Berkshire-based software company will be "significantly restricted", it admitted yesterday. Last month, Infobank finally launched its InTrade e-commerce …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 14:56
IT firms still unprepared for Y2K news stories

Only 400 more days to get your Millennium Bug panic pieces written, warns editor

Staff in Britain's IT departments were put on alert again today, following claims that the Y2K bug will outlast the turn of the century and continue to provoke the media to churn out panic stories for the next 1000 years of human history. According to almost daily reports in all the leading IT papers and Web sites, companies …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 15:29
Yellow Dog set to be first commercial Mac Linux distributor

Software developer preps server, personal editions for early 1999

Mac software developer Terra Soft Solutions (TSS), best known for its Terra Firma clip-maps, is attempting to become the Red Hat of the Macintosh world with the launch of Yellow Dog, a subsidiary dedicated to distributing a PowerPC version of Linux. Yellow Dog will be offering two Linux packages. The first, Champion Server, is …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 16:45
ilion issues profits warning – again

Could French connection save ailing distributor?

Troubled networking distributor Ilion has posted yet another profits warning -- its third in a year. In a statement issued this afternoon, the company announced that its pre-tax profit would be "materially below expectations" for the current year ending 31 December 1998. Ilion's problems have been consistently blamed on slow …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 17:28
Microsoft thin client licence policy on brink of collapse

The company is planning evolution, but can't stop revolution

Microsoft's 'review' of licensing policy looks set to result in the demise of 'per station' licensing fees early next year. According to US reports, the company will attempt to hold the pass by making some allowance for people working from home, and for Internet access - but here be dragons. Large numbers of Microsoft corporate …

Business 26 Nov 1998, 17:30