http://www.microsoft.com/TechNet/TNNEWS/dept/pressrel.htm (PC Press Internet CD, 03/1996)| Updated: March 12, 1996 |  Go To TechNet Home Page
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The following product and technology announcements were recently issued by Microsoft Corporation. Complete text from the original press releases follows.
Course Will Train Thousands of Solution Providers and Web Authors
Redmond, WA--Jan. 30, 1996--Microsoft Corp. is addressing the needs of World Wide Web authors and Internet application developers by collaborating with Gestalt Systems Inc. to create training classes for Web authoring using Microsoft(R) Internet Explorer version 2.0.
With more than 40 classes currently scheduled, Web Authoring and Design with Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 will offer thousands of Web authors and Microsoft Solution Providers hands-on training in the fundamentals of Web design; Microsoft's Internet strategy; standard hypertext markup language (HTML); Internet Explorer HTML extensions such as in-line audio-video interleaved (AVI) file format, marquee, watermark, background sound and virtual reality modeling language (VRML); and an overview of Microsoft Internet Studio. While the classes are not official Microsoft curricula, Microsoft worked closely with Gestalt Systems to develop the materials, and the courseware provides the technological information needed to use Microsoft technology for Web publishing successfully.
"With this courseware, Web authors and Microsoft Solution Providers will be immediately empowered to design innovative Web pages based on our technologies," said Tonya Dressel, group marketing manager of the developer division at Microsoft. "The Internet has created a great opportunity for software developers, and Microsoft is committed to helping the 4.5 million people developing for the Windows(R) operating system to capitalize on this opportunity."
"We were honored to be chosen by Microsoft to develop and market this courseware," said John Buckley, vice president of Gestalt Systems Inc. "With our years of Internet training experience and our extensive channel of training partners, we are well-equipped to deliver this important information to thousands of Web authors quickly and efficiently."
Web Authoring and Design with Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 is available now at training organizations across North America. Complete class schedules and registration information can be found on Gestalt System's home page at http://www.gestalt-sys.com, or by phoning Gestalt Systems at (703) 471-6842. Information on Microsoft's Internet tools and strategy can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/intdev or by contacting Microsoft directly.
Gestalt Systems Inc. is an internationally recognized leader in technology education and training. Headquartered in the Dulles Technology Corridor, just outside Washington, D.C., Gestalt offers classroom and on-site instruction, innovative courseware, and technology consulting services to businesses, government and individuals.
Document ContentsFirst Interoperability Event Scheduled For Q1'96, Focused on T.120
Santa Clara, CA--Jan. 23, 1996--Intel Corporation and Microsoft Corp. today announced plans to work with AT&T, PictureTel and other industry leaders to achieve interoperable, standards-compliant implementations for conferencing on the PC. This work is intended to help ensure that conferencing-enabled PCs can connect to each other and with multipoint services using industry-standard multipoint control units (MCUs), providing the same worry-free connections end users experience with the telephone today. T.120, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standard for data conferencing, was ratified in 1995. T.120 implementations are currently being designed by leading conferencing vendors for inclusion in their products.
Intel and Microsoft, in cooperation with the International Multimedia Teleconferencing Consortium, Inc. (IMTC), intend to host a series of interoperability events in 1996 to test and resolve interoperability issues between desktop conferencing products, multipoint services, and application providers. The first event, scheduled for March 25-27, 1996, in Santa Clara, CA, will test vendors' T.120 implementations to ensure interoperability across a wide range of products. Invitations for the event have been sent to 250 companies, including all members of the IMTC, recently merged with the Personal Conferencing Work Group (PCWG).
"Microsoft supports T.120 and intends to work with the industry to achieve interoperable T.120 solutions. We intend to provide a base level connection for widespread conferencing applications by multiple vendors," said John Ludwig, vice president, Personal Systems Division at Microsoft. "The ability to collaborate and share applications will significantly enhance the productivity of users of the Windows(R) operating system."
"Interoperable solutions are critical to the wide-spread deployment of conferencing capability. Intel is working with Microsoft and industry leaders to enable customers to use interoperable conferencing to solve the real-time decision making requirements of business," said Pat Gelsinger, vice president and general manager of Personal Conferencing Division, Intel Corporation.
"AT&T WorldWorx(TM) Network Services continues to support the use of T.120 standard for multipoint desktop conferencing." said Ernie DeNigris, AT&T vice president. "We're working closely with the IMTC as well as corporations like Intel and Microsoft to further industry-wide adoption of these standards and ensure end-user interoperability using our network for customers desiring multipoint capabilities."
"PictureTel has long supported and contributed to the development of open standards for video conferencing and data conferencing," said Dom LaCava, vice president of PictureTel's Personal Systems Division. "The increased emphasis on interoperability standards by major players such as Microsoft and Intel will help broaden the acceptance of conferencing technology and fuel growth of the industry."
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of personal computer, networking and communications products
Document ContentsThe Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak Gives Users a Simple Route To Advanced IBM Host Connectivity
Redmond, WA--Jan. 23, 1996--Attachmate Corp. and Microsoft Corp. today announced the Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak, which provides users with cost-effective client-server connectivity to IBM(R) mainframe applications and data from desktops running the Microsoft(R) Windows(R), Windows(R) 95 and Windows NT(TM) Workstation operating systems. The Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak is making its debut in the United States, distributed by Ingram Micro Inc., a leading distributor of Microsoft and Attachmate(R) products. The Starter Pak is composed of the award-winning Microsoft SNA Server, five client-access licenses for SNA Server and five copies of Attachmate's award-winning Extra!(R) client for SNA Server. Ingram Micro's resellers will be able to offer this solution to customers at approximately half the combined price of the separate components. The Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak is available now. The Starter Pak is available for a special introductory price through March 31, 1996. A version of the Starter Pak will be available in Europe starting in February.
The Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak will provide flexible networking services for branch offices within SNA open gateway architecture (SOGA), a comprehensive framework for enterprise deployment of SNA gateways recently announced by Microsoft. In addition to SNA Server and Attachmate clients, the European version of the Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak will include a WAN adapter from Cirel. The combination will help customers make a smooth transition from traditional SNA networks to TCP/IP networks while maintaining mission-critical access to IBM host resources.
"Our customers have been asking for more integrated solutions so they can reduce their role as the ultimate software integrator," said Vesa Suomalainen, general manager of the SNA Server product unit at Microsoft. "Our close cooperation with Attachmate enabled the creation of the Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak, which addresses this need and is supported by both companies."
"Attachmate's industry-leading information-access solutions have been designed specifically to exploit the capabilities of Microsoft Office, Microsoft BackOffice(TM) and SNA Server," said Matt Highsmith, vice president of corporate marketing at Attachmate. "By working with Microsoft worldwide, customers can now easily obtain the industry's most advanced, integrated connectivity solution, backed by the most comprehensive support available."
"As a leading distributor of Microsoft SNA Server, we want to make it easier for our resellers to serve the growing demand for SNA Server and Attachmate products," said Lori Snow, director of technical products at Ingram Micro. "The Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak should be an exciting offering for organizations seeking the best products on the market."
Last August, Digital Equipment Corp. and Microsoft announced a major alliance, designed to help customers implement and support Windows NT-based computing in the enterprise. Because both Windows NT Server and SNA Server support Digital's Alpha AXP(TM) technology, the Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak is also Alpha AXP-compatible.
"Digital endorses the unique solutions being created by Attachmate and Microsoft," said Mike Gallup, vice president of worldwide marketing at Digital. "The Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak is the perfect complement to our AlphaServer platform."
As a major part of their focus, New Technology Partners, one of Microsoft's leading Solution Providers, works closely with large client organizations to whom host connectivity is critical.
"Because of its superior capabilities, many of our customers already use the combination of Attachmate's client software with Microsoft's SNA Server," said Bruce Backa, president of New Technology Partners. "We believe that Attachmate clients and Microsoft servers provide the best client-server combinations. We are delighted to see this offer because it will make it much easier for our clients to acquire and implement this solution."
Using advanced client-server architecture, Microsoft SNA Server offloads the communications processing from host computers and desktop PCs. Each PC uses standard LAN protocols, such as TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, NetBEUI, Banyan(R) VINES(R) or AppleTalk(R) to connect to one or more SNA servers. The SNA servers then connect to IBM mainframes and AS/400(R) systems using SNA protocols. SNA Server supports up to 2,000 clients and 10,000 host sessions and offers advanced tools for easy system setup and centralized graphical administration. It supports every important PC and network operating system, LAN, SNA host connection, and host type. Client computers and administrator workstations can connect to SNA Servers across LAN and WAN bridges and routers and over dial-up lines. A key component of the Microsoft BackOffice family of products, SNA Server takes advantage of the Windows NT Server operating system to deliver the power, scalability and security of this robust foundation. Combined with the industry-standard SNA APIs, this foundation makes SNA Server the most flexible platform for integrating PC and host environments.
Optimized for Microsoft SNA Server, Extra! supports SNA Server's native client-server API. Extra! provides a cost-effective solution, allowing users in a Windows NT Server-based environment to use existing network transports supported by SNA Server. Extra!, in conjunction with SNA Server, provides the ideal way to migrate from SNA to TCP/IP. The Ultimate SNA Server Starter Pak supports full SNA printing as well as delivery of host graphics over TCP/IP. All of SNA Server's advanced features, such as hot backup and load balancing, are also supported. Extra! also includes built-in expert controls that dynamically add expertise to mainframe applications via Extra! Basic, a Microsoft Visual Basic(R) programming system-compliant scripting language. It also includes an advanced set of development APIs, including Microsoft's WinHLLAPI, which work natively with Visual Basic and the Visual C++(R) development system for creation of re-engineered client-host applications.
Attachmate is the leading supplier of universal information-access software that helps organizations create sophisticated intranets, allowing desktop or remote users to transparently access, manipulate and exchange any business information, whether it resides within the enterprise or on the Internet. Backed by one of the industry's highest levels of direct customer service and support in more than 30 countries worldwide, Attachmate provides high-quality client, server, and authoring tool software and services that provide real-life business solutions to a company's everyday information-access problems.
Document ContentsWindows 95 Version Available in 12 Languages, the Broadest Global Support of Any Browser
Redmond, WA--Jan. 23, 1996-- Microsoft Corp. today released beta versions of its Microsoft(R) Internet Explorer software for the Apple(R) Macintosh(R) and Windows(R) 3.1 operating systems. The new versions of Microsoft's popular World Wide Web browser demonstrate Microsoft's commitment to remaining the leading software supplier for the Macintosh and to providing the 16-bit and cross-platform support needed especially by corporate users. Like Internet Explorer 2.0 for the Windows(R) 95 operating system, the new cross-platform versions are available on the Internet at no charge.
The company also announced that localized versions of Internet Explorer 2.0 for Windows 95 are now available in 12 languages, bringing Microsoft's Web browser to the largest international audience of any Internet client software. Internet Explorer for Windows 95 is now available in Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish and Swedish. Internet Explorer will soon be released in most of the 16 additional languages in which Windows 95 is now available, with Eastern European and Far East language versions scheduled to ship by the end of the first quarter.
Cross-Platform Versions Provide Ease of Use, Compatibility, Performance
Internet Explorer 2.0 for Macintosh provides the best browsing performance for the Macintosh, taking advantage of multithreading, progressive rendering and HTTP-KeepAlive technologies. Developed specifically for use with Apple's System 7.1 operating system, Internet Explorer is completely integrated with the Macintosh user interface and its underlying architecture, supporting both Open Transport and MacTCP(R). Its support for new types of content, such as background sounds and scrolling marquees, along with its feature and interface compatibility with the Windows 95 version, make it ideal for cross-platform users.
Internet Explorer for Windows 3.1 gives users of the 16-bit Windows platform a convenient, integrated way to access the Internet and provides a smooth upgrade path to the 32-bit Windows platforms.
"We're excited to now offer our innovative Internet Explorer Web browser to such a broad group of users across multiple platforms and around the world," said Brad Silverberg, senior vice president of the personal systems division at Microsoft. "The Windows 3.1 version is great for our corporate customers as well, because it lets them give their 16-bit users Internet access as they make the transition to a full 32-bit environment."
Internet Explorer is the fastest-growing browser software in the industry. Approximately 30 percent of licensed users of Windows 95 who use a Web browser obtained Internet Explorer within 90 days of the release of version 1.0. Developer support is also strong: In the less than 60 days since the Internet Explorer logo program began, there have been more than 4,000 World Wide Web sites bearing the Internet Explorer logo. These sites are specifically designed to provide Internet Explorer users with the richest possible viewing experience.
Availability
The new beta versions of Internet Explorer for Macintosh and Windows 3.1 and the localized versions of Internet Explorer for Windows 95 are available to download from the Internet at no charge (other than the cost of connect time, if any) at Microsoft's World Wide Web home page (http://www.microsoft.com). Final release versions are expected to be available in the first quarter of 1996 at no charge. Microsoft is also planning to release a beta version of Internet Explorer for the Windows NT(TM) Workstation operating system later this quarter.
Document ContentsTucson, AZ--Jan. 23, 1996--Microsoft Corp. announced today that its new product-support facility in Tucson, Ariz., has begun taking calls from customers who need technical assistance. The facility, located in the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park, will handle calls from customers using the Microsoft(R) Excel spreadsheet and Microsoft Access database applications.
Tim Ryan, a 12-year Tucson resident, was hired as Microsoft's regional manager for technical-support operations in the Southwest. Ryan said he expects the Tucson facility will employ approximately 200 by the end of this year and as many as 1,200 over the next five years.
Microsoft announced in October 1995 that it would locate a support facility in the Tucson area. The company leased a total of 240,000 square feet in two buildings under the terms of a 10-year lease with the Rita Road Campus Corp., the university's nonprofit real-estate division, which operates the business park. Since October, Microsoft has been actively recruiting within the community and in the region, filling support engineer, training, management and administrative positions.
"We are delighted to get operations under way here in Tucson," said Ryan. "We've assembled an outstanding group of employees from the local community--individuals with both technical expertise and customer-relations skills."
The Tucson facility is Microsoft's fourth technical-support site nationwide, with others in Bellevue, Wash.; Las Colinas, Texas; and Charlotte, N. C. Employees at the four facilities provide a wide range of support services, including phone and online technical assistance.
Document ContentsSoftware Available Now Without Charge Over Internet
Billerica, MA and Redmond, WA--Jan. 9, 1996--Wang Laboratories Inc. and Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of imaging software developed by Wang for the Windows(R) 95 operating system. The software provides built-in support for new document-imaging applications by enabling users of Microsoft(R) Windows 95 to scan, view, annotate, manage, store and share faxes, paper documents and electronic images. The software is available now over the Internet and major online services. It will also be incorporated into future versions of the Windows(R) operating system.
With the new Windows 95-based imaging software, a user can transform any paper or fax-based information into an electronic image that can be stored, filed, retrieved, edited, annotated, printed, faxed and shared. This eliminates the need to manage and store paper documents such as handwritten meeting notes, memoranda and business correspondence. The software also includes powerful 32-bit OLE interfaces that allow developers to create image-enabled applications easily.
"Users of Windows 95 will now have easy-to-use, high-performance imaging software that can change the way they work and communicate," said Brad Silverberg, senior vice president of the personal systems division at Microsoft. "Wang's commitment to providing cost-effective and reliable imaging software is a true benefit to customers."
"The Wang(R) imaging software for Windows 95 makes an important technology immediately available to millions of people worldwide," said Bob Weiler, president, Wang Software. "Working with Microsoft, Wang has made desktop document imaging a pervasive and inexpensive mainstream application. It will accelerate the broad deployment of imaging and workflow as business productivity tools."
Users, Developers Gain Unprecedented Imaging Access
The imaging software for Windows 95 provides an open, standard way to handle documents containing images and to view faxes through Microsoft Exchange Inbox. For example, in an office environment, the easy-to-use, intuitive interface enables users to transform paper and faxes into useful electronic documents as bit-mapped or rasterized images in black and white, grayscale or color. The software supports Windows 95 Explorer, standard Windows 95-based printers and fax products, as well as popular electronic mail systems such as Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Mail.
The imaging software provides developers and integrators with standard interfaces and components for creating image-enabled applications and for customizing or controlling Windows 95 capabilities:
Commitment to Back-End Server Integration
In the first half of 1996, Wang will provide connections between client imaging software available for Microsoft Windows 95 and Wang's other imaging-software products. The connections will enable users to access and retrieve images stored on any Wang image server. In addition, Wang plans to incorporate the new OLE interfaces into its entire workflow and imaging product line, offering further integration capabilities between the desktop and back-end server software products.
A Significant Result of the Wang and Microsoft Alliance
The imaging software is a significant result of the broad alliance between Wang and Microsoft announced last April. This alliance will bring improved document-imaging and work-management capabilities to all users of Windows 95 and the Windows NT(TM) operating system. As part of the alliance, Wang was designated Microsoft's preferred workflow and imaging vendor and is working closely with Microsoft to define the MAPI Workflow Framework for enabling interoperability between production workflow systems and messaging environments such as Microsoft Exchange.
Easy, Convenient Access Over the Internet
The new imaging software for Windows 95 is available immediately worldwide through the Internet (http://www.windows.microsoft.com and http://www.wang.com) and will be available through other Microsoft online services.
Localized versions in Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish will be made available soon through these same online sources. The software will also be available on the April Microsoft Developer Network CD.
Wang Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ:WANG) is a recognized worldwide leader in workflow, integrated imaging, document management and network storage management for client/server open systems and a major worldwide provider of integration and support services for office software and networks.
Document ContentsCritically Acclaimed Visual Client-Server Web Publishing Tool to Complement Internet Offerings From Microsoft Desktop Applications Division
Redmond, WA--Jan. 16, 1996--Microsoft Corp. today announced the acquisition of Vermeer Technologies Inc., a pioneer of visual, standards-based Web publishing tools based in Cambridge, Mass. Vermeer's flagship software application, FrontPage(TM), is a critically acclaimed tool for easily creating and managing rich Web documents without programming. FrontPage will become a key component of Microsoft's strategy to provide a full range of tools that put the power of Web publishing, for both the Internet and intranets, in the hands of the broadest range of computer users.
"Millions of productivity-applications users want an easier way to participate in the excitement and enhanced productivity of the Web," said Bill Gates, chairman and CEO of Microsoft. "Vermeer's FrontPage fills the wide gap between simple HTML page editors and high-end, professional Web publishing systems available today."
"Access to Microsoft's resources and channel partnerships will allow us to realize our vision of 'Webtop publishing' on a broader scale," said John Mandile, Vermeer's president and chief executive officer. Vermeer coined the phrase "Webtop publishing" to define the process of creating Web sites using its innovative visual tools.
High-Quality Web Publishing
FrontPage provides users with the fastest and easiest way to develop and maintain high-quality Web sites without programming. Designed for both individual users and collaborative work environments, FrontPage's client-server architecture supports authoring, scripting and Web-site management from a user's desktop, across a corporate LAN, or over the Internet. The client portion of the software, which is currently available for Windows(R) operating system-based platforms and will be available for the Macintosh(R) later this year, includes:
The server portion of the product, known as Server Extensions, is implemented using the open industry standard Common Gateway Interface (CGI) and can run on the Windows(R) 95 or Windows NT(TM) operating systems and popular versions of UNIX(R). These extensions support Internet server products such as NetSite from Netscape Communications Corp. and Microsoft Internet Information Server, which is currently in beta and is scheduled to ship in the first quarter of 1996. To allow users to get their Web sites up and running right out of the box, FrontPage includes an easy-to-set-up Personal Web Server.
"Web Documents" Strategy
Allowing users to create and edit Web documents easily is a key aspect of Microsoft's desktop applications strategy. Word processing and spreadsheet documents are the most common daily business communication formats among users today; Microsoft believes this same broad category of users will author web documents for corporate intranets or the Internet in the near future.
FrontPage is Microsoft's key offering in this burgeoning market. FrontPage extends the concept of document creation to include a variety of document types such as HTML or those created with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and the Microsoft PowerPoint(R) presentation graphics program, connected by hyperlinks on both corporate LANs or the Internet. FrontPage was designed for the end user and business professional, with a user interface consistent with Microsoft Office.
With FrontPage, Microsoft now provides a complete range of tools for users creating Web documents:
Desktop Applications Division Creates New Product Unit
Over the next few months, the FrontPage development team will move to Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, WA, and become the core of the newly established Web authoring product unit within the desktop applications division. This new group will be managed by Chris Peters, currently vice president of the Office product unit overseeing the design and development of Microsoft Office. A 14-year veteran at Microsoft, Peters was formerly general manager of the Word business unit and led the development of Microsoft Excel for five years. "We are incredibly impressed with the talent at Vermeer," Peters said. "They're smart people with great development talent and a deep understanding of what it takes to create high-quality, easy-to-use Web software. We're also excited about how well FrontPage works with our Office applications today and about the possibilities for even more integration in the future." FrontPage will continue to be available as a standalone product directly from Vermeer during the transition period, and through Microsoft's channel partners in the future.
Document ContentsExperts Offer Top Ten Marketing Strategies
Redmond, WA--Jan. 9, 1996--Two thousand three hundred dollars. That's the average annual budget that most SOHOs (small offices and home offices) allocate to market their businesses after print advertising buys, according to Link Resources.
"And it isn't enough in this highly competitive marketplace," says Jay Levinson, a member of the Microsoft Publisher SOHO Council, a newly formed organization of SOHO authors, marketing experts and entrepreneurs. The Council is helping small businesses and home offices get "more bang for their budget buck" through an ongoing nationwide educational campaign sponsored by Microsoft Publisher.
Members of the Council include Jay Levinson, author of Guerrilla Marketing for the Home-based Business; Paul Tulenko, syndicated Scripps Howard small business columnist and founder of the Paul Tulenko Institute, a consulting firm for companies and individuals; Brad Edwards, entrepreneur and founder of My Fortune; Chuck Green, author of The Desktop Publisher's Idea Book and the forthcoming Clip Art Crazy, and Ruthann Lorentzen, Director of Marketing for the Microsoft Consumer Division.
"It's not that SOHOs need to work harder at marketing," says Ruthann Lorentzen, "they need to work smarter, especially since they are competing for customer attention with 25 million other SOHOs as well as big businesses."
For 1996, the Microsoft Publisher SOHO Council recommends these 10 tips no matter how small the marketing budget:
DO-IT-YOURSELF-MARKETING--Bring design and printing in-house to save money by using desktop publishing products that help you create professional quality marketing materials with a step-by-step, how-to instructional approach.
CONSIDER NEWSLETTERS--An easy, cost-effective and dramatic way to "sell" your business and its expertise is through a simple, desktop published newsletter. "By combining useful information with "stories" about your company's pursuits and successes, you can position yourself as a leader in your business category. Newsletters provide the style and depth simple letters cannot and are a great way to win and keep customers, " says Council member Chuck Green.
ONLINE NETWORKING--Participating in online chats can expand the contacts you make through memberships in professional clubs. More importantly, these chats also can give you the social interchange, new ideas and business leads that you may be missing since you're not in a big office and collaborating with a large staff.
THE DATABASE--Good marketing plans are rooted in an active, up-to-date database system. Consider using your database to segment your market and focus your communication. Stay in touch with customers in as many ways as possible, via phone, e-mail, mailings, etc.
CARE AND FEEDING OF THE CUSTOMER BASE--Don't overlook innovative and inexpensive ways to stay in touch with your clients, from pager/voice-mail and fax services to mail merges to send customized newsletters and product information. Also consider teleconferencing and e-mail, when appropriate.
BE HUMAN--"Don't overlook the phone to stay in touch with clients and to "cold call" prospects. In this technology age, customers appreciate the personal touch, and I've found that the more cold calls I make, the more likely I am to capture prospects," explains Council member and entrepreneur Brad Edwards.
TECH-WISE OR BUSINESS FOOLISH--Web sites can be seductive, but before you pay to play, be sure you strategically integrate your site into your overall marketing program. Also, keep your site up-to-date and ever-changing so people continue to sign on and aren't bored.
CONSIDER SURROUNDINGS--Your company's image plays an essential role in your marketing direction. Schedule business meetings where you'll appear to be the most professional. Your home office may not position you in the best light. Conference centers can be the answer.
PLAN AHEAD--Set aside an hour each week to consider your marketing initiatives. Ask yourself what's working and what's not. Most SOHOs could spend more time thinking creatively and less time in putting out "fires."
NEVER STOP LEARNING--Don't work in a vacuum, there are too many ideas that can be at your fingertips in seconds via classes, television courses, and such organizations as the Microsoft SOHO Council. Questions for the Council can be sent via e-mail to dpercifi@edelman.com or by mail to: Microsoft Publisher SOHO Council, 1500 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, NY l0036. "Today, SOHOs can compete with the Fortune 500 by actively marketing their businesses, no matter what the budget," concludes Council member Paul Tulenko, "especially if they consider these 10 easy initiatives."
The Microsoft Publisher SOHO Council will offer additional suggestions and forecasts for SOHOs throughout the coming year. The Council will be available online in the future.
Document ContentsMakes It Easy to Create, Edit Documents for the Internet, Corporate Web Sites
San Francisco--Jan. 9, 1996--Microsoft Corp. today demonstrated for the first time its Internet Assistant version 2.0 for Microsoft(R) Word for the Macintosh(R). The product, scheduled for release in the first quarter of 1996, is a no-charge add-on that will make it easy for Macintosh users to create and edit hypertext markup language (HTML) documents for Internet and Intranet sites from within Microsoft Word 6.0.1. Microsoft demonstrated the software for members of the press, analysts and attendees at MACWORLD in San Francisco.
The new version of Internet Assistant augments Microsoft Office--the world's most popular business software suite--a complete cross-platform solution for open environments using both Windows(R) operating system-based and Macintosh computers. It is also evidence of Microsoft's continued commitment to the Macintosh platform.
"When users create documents for an Intranet or Internet site, they want to take advantage of the same tools they use every day," said Dave Meltzer, group product manager at Microsoft. "Internet Assistant works within Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, so Macintosh users already know how to use it, and they can take advantage of powerful Microsoft Word features such as AutoFormat and AutoCorrect."
"It is important for Microsoft to extend its solutions into the Internet. This new version for the Mac(TM) of Internet Assistant for Microsoft Word is a key part of that solution because of Word's dominant share of the Mac word processing market," said Pieter Hartsook, editor of The Hartsook Letter, a Macintosh market research service on the Internet at http://www.hartsook.com. "In making optimum use of its familiar Word application by automating the process of formatting documents for the World Wide Web, Microsoft is giving millions of Macintosh users tremendous power to become active Internet participants and creators."
Internet Assistant is a full-featured Internet authoring tool that automatically converts Microsoft Word for Macintosh files to HTML format and provides users with an interface for inserting hyperlinks, images and forms into their documents. Users gain richly formatted Internet documents without having to understand the complexities of HTML, the standard authoring language for the Web.
Internet Assistant for Microsoft Word for the Macintosh provides the following:
Computer users worldwide can obtain information on Microsoft products for the Macintosh at the Mac Office World Wide Web home page (http://www.microsoft.com/macoffice). Internet Assistant version 2.0 for Microsoft Word for the Macintosh is scheduled to be available for download from that site at no charge (other than the cost of connect time, where applicable) during the first quarter of 1996. Microsoft will also make Internet Assistant available on diskette at a nominal charge.
Document ContentsFuture Versions of Windows Will Support High-Performance Digital Bus
Redmond, WA--Jan. 8, 1996--Microsoft Corp. today announced support of the IEEE 1394 serial bus interface standard in future releases of the Microsoft(R) Windows(R) family of operating systems. IEEE 1394 enables high-performance multimedia connections and control of business and consumer electronic devices such as camcorders, televisions, stereos, CD changers, set-top boxes, mixing consoles and music keyboards, as well as traditional PC devices such as hard drives, CD-ROM drives, printers and scanners, and docking stations for portable computers.
In addition, Microsoft and Sony Electronics Inc. have signed a letter of intent to develop open device driver interfaces (DDIs), APIs and an open host controller interface for IEEE 1394. Microsoft has also signed a letter of intent with Compaq Computer Corp. to accelerate adoption of the IEEE 1394 high-speed serial interface as a standard in the PC industry. This includes defining an open host controller interface specification. Both of these efforts will be undertaken in cooperation with the 1394 Trade Association.
"The IEEE 1394 interface is an enabling technology for expanding PC connectivity to a greater range of devices and to new classes of peripherals, such as consumer entertainment appliances," said Brad Silverberg, senior vice president of the personal systems division at Microsoft. "IEEE 1394 enables PCs to play a central role in consumer entertainment systems. We are pleased to be working with the leading companies in the consumer electronics industry to develop the IEEE 1394 serial bus interface standard."
"Microsoft's support for the proposed IEEE 1394 specification is a step forward in integrating consumer electronics devices with PC applications," said Carl Yankowski, president and COO of Sony Electronics. "We believe that the proposed 1394 standard will help pave the way for future lifestyle changes arising from the meaningful convergence of audio, video, computers and communications."
"We believe the IEEE 1394 serial bus interface standard that Microsoft is supporting will make it easier to use and connect PCs and high-speed peripherals, and enhance business and consumer high-performance applications such as image capture, multimedia, and multibay Plug and Play for portable PCs," said Hugh Barnes, vice president and chief technical officer, Compaq Computer Corp. "By taking a leadership role in developing the IEEE serial bus, Compaq is continuing its tradition of establishing and promoting standards that are open and have real end-user benefits."
Microsoft is playing a leading role in developing and promoting an open IEEE 1394 serial bus interface specification. Microsoft is a member of the 1394 Trade Association, an industry group formed to help promote the industry-wide adoption of the IEEE 1394 interface and to help ensure device interoperability. Microsoft hosted the IEEE 1394 meeting in July and will be hosting a 1394 driver architecture design preview in March 1996.
Industry Support for IEEE 1394
Many industry-leading hardware manufacturers have pledged their support for the 1394 specification.
1394 Trade Association
"Microsoft's support for IEEE 1394 will fundamentally integrate PCs with the multimedia capabilities of consumer and professional electronics products as well as provide a high-speed connection to worldwide communications such as the Internet," said Gary A. Hoffman, chairman of the 1394 Trade Association and CEO of Skipstone Inc.
Adaptec
"Adaptec is committed to IEEE 1394 and to working with industry leaders such as Microsoft and Sony to standardize the IEEE 1394 software interface," said S. Sundaresh, executive vice president and general manager of the personal I/O business unit at Adaptec. "Adaptec's expertise in I/O and systems-level architecture will allow us to create I/O solutions that will bring consumer electronics and PC products together."
Cirrus Logic Inc.
"We see the IEEE 1394 specification enabling interconnection among a broad range of consumer electronics products and multimedia PCs," said Suhas Patil, executive vice president of products and technology for Cirrus Logic Inc. "Its high-speed digital interface will facilitate the convergence of computing and consumer applications. We look forward to participation in the semiconductor opportunities created by the broad acceptance of the 1394 specification."
Conner Peripherals
"The IEEE 1394 serial bus will address some fundamental system issues encountered when digital video is moved to and from a mass-storage device," said Charlie Sander, senior vice president of research and development at Conner Peripherals. "Conner is excited to be in on the ground floor of its development."
Digital Equipment Corp.
"As a contributor to the IEEE 1394 specification, Digital is pleased to continue its support and to work with Microsoft and other industry leaders," said Scott Cutler, vice president of technology at Digital Equipment Corp.'s PC business unit. "The high performance IEEE 1394 standard is a key technological link that will redefine the way PCs integrate with consumer and professional multimedia components."
Texas Instruments
"Texas Instruments is very excited to be working with Microsoft and Sony to develop 1394/FireWire chip sets," said Larry Blackledge, 1394 market development manager at Texas Instruments. "We are working with the leading PC, peripheral and consumer electronic companies to further facilitate support of 1394/FireWire. Consumers will be amazed by the new all-digital audio and video applications that this technology enables, including digital video disks (DVDs) and high-speed Internet connectivity via their TV set-top boxes."
Western Digital Corp.
"The IEEE 1394 specification is an industry extension to high-performance serial interfaces," said John Burger, vice president of marketing for Western Digital's personal storage group. "Western Digital supports industry standards and considers high speed serial I/O to be necessary for the industry as it enables new uses for storage-intensive applications."
About IEEE 1394
The IEEE 1394 serial bus interface offers high-speed communications and fully supports isochronous real-time data services. It also supports Plug and Play, allowing "hot plugging" of up to 63 external peripherals for convenient system reconfiguration by the user. Users will find that attaching a 1394 device is as easy as plugging a cord into an electrical outlet. IEEE 1394 also allows peer-to-peer device communication, such as communication between a scanner and a printer, to take place without consuming system memory and CPU resources.
For multimedia applications, the IEEE interface enables real-time digital data transfer for audio and video capture, editing and playback, as well as for distributed multimedia applications such as desktop conferencing. For example, users can easily transfer images from a camcorder to a PC. These images can be edited and replayed on the PC or TV screen while users simultaneously print color pictures. For traditional data storage, IEEE 1394 is faster and less expensive than comparable SCSI interfaces, supporting data transfer rates of 400 megabits per second and increasing in speed in the future.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
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