Topic 1
/// Teleportation Deemed Credible After Photon Experiment ///
Just about all the news sources took note last month when
scientists in Austria performed an experiment that seems in-
credible, even in our modern high-tech frame of mind.
It appears that the Austrian scientists have been the first to
demonstrate "quantum teleportation," which can be described as
an unusual shifting of physical characteristics between atomic
particles, unrelated to their distance apart.
The Austrian scientists say they were successful in the
destruction of bits of light at one location, and then were
able to reconstruct them as perfect replicas in another place.
Some physicists think they might be able to achieve tele-
portation on a larger scale in as little as ten years, but went
on to state that Star Trek-style "beaming up" of humans is out
of the question due to the expense and danger involved-- even if
we had the technology.
What the scientists do have in mind for the new found phenomenon
is to set up quantum computers that would use the teleportation
of photon particles to transfer data at a much faster rate than
is possible with today's computer technology. The scientists
also advise that the quantum computer could solve certain more
complex problems.
Historians tell us that even Albert Einstein ridiculed this
type of theory, where there is a transfer of polarization
between photons, but the Austrian scientists seemed to have
ignored Einstein, and went ahead and did it anyway.
Reports indicated that part of their experiment dealt with the
property of light that lets it behave like a photon particle
[and] as a wave. Polarization, in reference to light, is stated
in terms of its peaks and troughs, much like an ocean wave as
it crests. Photons appear to retain this trait. The Austrian
scientists relied on a phenomenon called entanglement to
transfer the polarization between photons, according to the
science news analysts. In a few years, the experts think it
will be feasible to accomplish teleportation of atoms, and then
in a decade or so, the transfer of whole molecules.
Topic 2
/// Intel Paves The Way For More Powerful Laptops ///
Two of Intel Corp.'s newest processors are paving the way for
a new generation of notebook computers that will be as powerful
as their desktop counterparts.
In a lead from Santa Clara, it was predicted that by April,
Intel will release a 233-MHz and a 266-MHz Pentium II processor
based on the new 440BX chipset that will make it feasible to
build the ultra-high-end notebook computers. The news story
also noted that Intel plans to release a 300-MHz version of the
processor by next September.
Although some technical information is now available, Intel
officials had declined to comment on price scheduling for the
new processors.
Topic 3
/// EC Allows SCO To Escape Microsoft's Grasp ///
The European Commission (EC) has set in motion the means by
which The Santa Clara Operation Inc. (SCO) can escape the $4
million in annual royalty fees paid to Microsoft Corp.
In a recent decision, the EC was able to alleviate a bitter
contract dispute between the two software companies that dated
back to a 1987 agreement. At that time, AT&T Corp. owned the
Unix technology that later was acquired by Novell Inc., who in
turn sold it in 1995 to SCO. Apparently, somewhere along the
way, the pact with Microsoft that related to two key code
segments was overlooked.
The code in question was written originally for "UnixWare" and
"Open Server" products by Microsoft. SCO stated that it no
longer plans to use the code, and believes it should not have
to pay the royalties.
A statement of objection was issued by the EC against Microsoft
Corp. that while not interpreted as a "ruling," it carried
enough weight to bring the two companies together to settle the
controversy.
Topic 4
/// Another Flaw... Another Fix From Intel ///
A potential bug was discovered in older versions of Intel
Pentium and Pentium MMX processors, which can lock up a PC if
certain "invalid" code is encountered. Although the code is
not found in any commercial software, a malicious hacker could
write such code, according to several reports by Internet news-
groups. It was also noted in those reports that the Pentium
Pro and Pentium II processors are not affected by the code.
Intel engineers have come up with two fixes for the problem. In
both solutions, the errant code is sent to the system error
handler so that the operating system can continue operation as
normal.
A cooperative effort is being worked out by Intel whereby O/S
(operating system) software vendors can incorporate the fix
into upcoming versions of their products.
Topic 5
/// Internet Tax Freedom Issue Bolstered By Senate ///
The decision by the U.S. Senate last month to allow the Internet
to remain tax-free resulted in a salvo of applause from the
Internet community in general.
As written, the Internet Tax Freedom bill would ban state and
local governments from inflicting taxes upon business trans-
actions conducted over the Internet-- at least for the next
five years.
One news release from Washington stated that the bill sped
through the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Committee by a vote of 14 to 5. The vote came after industry
officials and representatives from the E-commerce community
stated their case that any new taxes would impede the growth
of Internet trade. The bill must now go before Congress for
approval.
Topic 6
/// IBM Notebooks Assembled By Resellers ///
IBM Personal Systems Group became the first major notebook PC
maker to allow its resellers to assemble their products.
The decision announced in November by IBM is part of its AAP
(Authorized Assembler Program), and according to one news story,
the high-end IBM ThinkPad 770 notebook is now being assembled
by several AAP reseller partners. IBM designed the 770 with
increased modularity to make them easier for the resellers to
assemble.
Among those partners, MicroAge Inc.; Comark; and Entrex
Information Services were named.
Depending on the success of the AAP endeavor with the 770,
reports indicate that IBM may have plans to allow resellers to
also assemble workstations geared for the video/animation and
finance markets.
Topic 7
/// Wearable PC Now Has Printing Capability ///
The WSS 1000 "wearable" computer produced by SymbolTechnologies
Inc., has been updated with a wireless/remote printing feature.
Two radios have been incorporated within the WSS 1000-- one to
handle the wireless printing capability, and one to perform the
wireless local area network (LAN) tasks.
The Symbol wearable PC weighs just 11 ounces, and can be worn
on the wrist. Its LCD screen offers eight lines of display. A
compact 27-key keypad allows manual entry of information, which
can then be transmitted by a built-in LAN card on the 2.4-GigaHz
band.
With the new wireless printing feature, the WSS 1000 sells for
$5,195.
Topic 8
/// 15" Screen Provided On WTI Laptop ///
The ShowBook 8CD notebook PC announced by Wedge Technology Inc.
is fitted with a 15.2" Active-Matrix (AM) color LCD screen,
which is claimed to be the largest color display mounted to any
portable PC.
Wedge has priced the 8CD at $3,450, and will target customers
who need a high-end replacement for a desktop PC, but do not
want to put up with the weight and size limitations associated
with full-sized desktops.
The 8CD and other Wedge products are sold through distributors,
resellers, and value-added resellers who specialize in multi-
media computing-- and the 8CD is for sure a multimedia PC.
In addition to its 15.2" display, the 9.9 pound unit comes with
a Pentium 233-MHz MMX processor, 2.1-Gigabyte hard drive, 64-
Mbytes of RAM, 512-Kbytes of pipeline cache memory, 4-Mbytes of
video memory, 20x CD-ROM drive, 16-bit stereo audio chip, and
a 3.5" floppy drive, which can interchange with the Iomega 100-
Mbyte Zip drive.
An even higher-end model called the ShowBiz 9000 notebook will
be available powered by the Pentium II processor. Depending on
options, its prices will range from $3,700 to $5,000, according
to a company spokesman.
Topic 9
/// Auctioneer's Call Hits The Internet ///
There is a company now on the Internet called "Onsale Inc.,"
which is exploring a new frontier in electronic commerce.
Operating as an online auction, the company is already doing a
volume business by providing resellers a quick-and-easy way to
access outdated and overstocked computer items from the major
vendors. The vendors themselves are also taking advantage of
the new service to expedite the distribution of excess inventory
of their latest technologies, as described in a news item out of
Mountain View, California last month.
Onsale's president and CEO, Jerrold Kaplin envisioned the plans
for the online auction about five years ago, and has expanded
its line of products to cover even the high-end servers and
workstations for business applications. The online auctions
take place five times a week, and run straight through for 23
hours each.
Mr. Kaplin's approach to electronic commerce is to make online
shopping more like a "community" activity while still utilizing
the broad access and real-time technology offered via the
Internet. His 120 employees have helped the company build up
its net revenue to $87 million in 1997, and according to the
analysts of the industry, that figure is expected to double for
the fiscal 1998 period. An estimated 400,000 bidders will take
part in next year's Onsale auctions.
Of the excess inventory sold by Onsale, a great percentage is
supplied by Intel Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., and Compaq
Computer Corp.
Topic 10
/// Samsung TFT Monitor Geared For Business Applications ///
Although it is not yet in a low-price bracket, the Samsung TFT
series of desktop color monitors will rival some of its bulkier
CRT counterparts.
Samsung is now offering two new TFT (Thin Film Transistor) color
flat-panel monitors that take up very little desk space, but
provide big, clear high-resolution images.
Both units require only a fraction of the power that a cathode-
ray tube (CRT)-based monitor would use, and where portability
is a factor, their weight of approximately 8-lbs could be an-
other plus. More important is the near zero levels of electro-
magnetic emissions produced by all TFT screens.
The model 400TFT offers a 14" viewable display area, and is
priced in the $1,400 range. Samsung's 500TFT gives you a full
15" display area, and carries a price tag of just over $1,700.
Both units produce full-color images at a resolution of 1024x
768, and support the new Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface
as well as VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association)
requirements.
Topic 11
/// Meter Maids Become Super-Snoopers ///
Drivers in the state of New Jersey have something to worry
about if they have outstanding parking tickets.
Meter readers in selected municipalities began using a system
in November built by a company called Paradigm4 that allows
wireless access to databases of motor vehicle records and case
histories of drivers.
The handheld computers, along with their companion portable
printers from Symbol Technologies, can be used to not only
write new tickets, but also log into the court system's data-
base to recover information on outstanding traffic warrants.
If the driver has a case history of unpaid traffic violations,
the meter reader or police officer can call for a tow truck,
and confiscate the vehicle. The vehicle is then held in impound
until the outstanding fines are paid.
The portable computer weighs only two pounds, and uses a stylus
to input alpha-numeric information on a touch-screen. Pull-
down menus allow access to city street information and a data-
base that covers vehicle make and model information.
Paradigm4 was awarded a $5.4 million contract by the state last
year to develop the portable solution. The company will also
provide systems integration and support services as required.
Topic 12
/// Microsoft Offers IE 4 Upgrade With Added Features ///
A free upgrade for Internet Explorer is now available from
Microsoft Corp. that addresses installation problems encountered
by Compaq Presario users, and has some added features to boot.
Microsoft wants to downplay the reported installation and
security problems related to the Presario, and focus on the
new features designed to aid disabled users.
Version 4.01 of Internet Explorer has added support for keyboard
accessability and other elements to make sure the popular Web
browser is compatible with third-party utilities for the blind
and other disabled users.
Topic 13
/// Who Will Establish New Floppy Drive Standard? ///
The common consensus within the computer industry points to the
inevitable demise of the well seasoned 1.44-Megabye, 3.5" floppy
drive. Many equipment makers agree that the 1.44-Mb drive is
no longer adequate for present-day demands for file backup or
transfer.
In what looks to be the most promising replacement in terms of
dollars, the [144]-Mb UHD device from Caleb Technology Corp. may
steal the show. The UHD, like most of its competitors, will be
backward-compatible with current 3.5" media, but will offer a
full 144-Megabytes of storage capacity at a very low price.
The wholesale price of the UHD drive to equipment manufacturers
is rumored to be in the $50 range, and its rewritable floppy
media will cost approximately $5 each.
Other competitors wanting to establish the new floppy standard
are: the Sony HiFD 200-Mb 3.5" drive; the Swan/Mitsumi 130-Mb
drive; the OR Tech/MKE LS-120 unit that provides 120-Mb of
storage; and the Iomega Zip drive, which offers a meager 100-Mb
capacity. It should also be noted that of the five contenders
listed above, all are backward compatible with the present
1.44-Mb floppy drive media [except] the Iomega Zip drive.
Caleb's low-cost alternative is scheduled to ship by the third
quarter of 1998.
Topic 14
/// CRN Test Shows Windows 98 Looks Promising ///
The Computer Reseller News (CRN) test center conducted a run
through of the beta release of Microsoft Corp.'s upcoming,
long-awaited Windows 98 operating system, and gave it a thumbs-
up rating.
Known as beta version 2.1 or build 1602 to Microsoft designers,
CRN found the new operating system relatively easy to use and
loaded with new features. CRN liked the improved setup program,
which displays exactly the number of minutes remaining to
complete the installation during any phase of the process. Each
feature is also described as it is installed.
The "look" of the new O/S is very obvious, and the user is
given complete control over the look and feel of the visual
environment. CRN also liked the custom tool bars, ActiveX
controls, and embedded Java applets that will be most welcome
by programmers and value-added resellers.
A single mouse-click is all that is needed to call up any
application from the underlined icons on the desktop, which
looks more like a Web browser than an operating system desktop.
Microsoft has also improved many of the system tools such as
Backup, Defrag, and SkanDisk over its Windows 95 versions, and
for anyone who wants to upgrade their hard drive, Windows 98
will be very good news. The new O/S will allow you to break
the 2.1-Gigabyte barrier for hard disk partition size through
its new FAT32 (32-bit file allocation table).
A file checker feature built into Windows 98 keeps a database
of which system files need to be retained on the hard drive,
and works in concert with a file utility that makes repairs to
the operating system when necessary. It will even log onto the
Microsoft Web site to download updates for the files.
CRN conducted the tests on computers that were populated with
memory ranging from 32- to 64-Megabytes of RAM, and reported
that Windows 98 appeared to run much faster than Windows 95-
based machines. This held true in all general operating tasks
from start-up and program launches to shut-down. Plug-and-
Play detection of hardware was much more reliable than that
experienced with Windows 95 also, according to the test report.
The CRN engineers said they were "eagerly awaiting" the full
resale version of Windows 98.
Topic 15
/// The ITU Resolved Critical Issues On 56-Kbps Standard ///
In the first week of December, an ITU (International Tele-
communications Union) committee resolved some crucial issues
related to finally establishing a standard for PCM (Pulse-Code
Modulation) modems operating up to 56-Kbits per second.
An international standard is expected to be approved by the ITU
in February, and ratified in September, according to industry
sources.
After all the arguing, the new global standard is reported to be
a blend of both the x2 protocol supported by 3Com/U.S. Robotics
and the 56Kflex format developed by Rockwell.
Topic 16
/// Zenith Sides With Intel For DTV Venture ///
The well known consumer electronics giant, Zenith Electronics
Corp. has sided with Intel Corp. to develop digital TV (DTV)
based on a Pentium II processor.
Zenith provided a demonstration of its PC DTV device at the
Western Cable Show held in Anaheim, California last month,
which followed Intel's announcement to generate a multifront
enterprise to position the Pentium II as the principal MPU for
DTV systems.
The Zenith demonstration was conducted using a 300-MHz Pentium
processor, which produced a progressive scan picture resolution
of 420 lines. By moving up to a 400-MHz processor, a 740-line
progressive scan display can be achieved or a hefty 1,028-line
interlaced picture in HDTV (High-definition TV) format.
Industry sources, however, noted that Thomson Computer Products
has gained an early foothold in the DTV market with its high-
end PCTV product produced in conjunction with Compaq Computer
Corp., but both parties indicate they will offer lower-priced
PC DTV units later this year.
Intel invited cable operators, broadcasters, Internet providers,
and Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) businesses to share in the
development of a common standard for the program material that
would run on the digital media. The members will focus on a
way to permit a PC DTV system to run interlaced or progressive
scan/non-interlaced formats and differing frame rates by using
the microprocessor to configure the display screen for the
desired criterion.
In what appears to be a deportment of fair play, the initiative
would allow other chip makers such as Advanced Micro Devices
and Cyrix Corp. to compete.
Topic 17
/// SIA Questions IMF $55 Billion Giveaway To Korea ///
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) commented last
month that the $55 billion bailout of South Korea as piloted by
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank should have
been designed so that "restructuring" of that country's shaky
financial base would come into play.
The SIA, in a formal letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary, Robert
Rubin, stated that the aid to South Korea should be geared to a
market-based approach to the problem rather than providing
another avenue for government intervention.
Uncle Sam, as usual is a major player in the bailout. Of the
seven-nation group contributing, the U.S. has promised a $5
billion donation of an initial $35 billion toward the bailout,
while Japan took center stage with a pledge of $10 billion.
In addition to the above pledges, the World Bank has pledged 10
billion dollars, while the Asian Development Bank approved $4
billion.
One industry source indicated that other bilateral contributions
may be available, which could bring the grand total of the plan
up to $57 billion or more.
It was noted in a Dec. 19 press statement that the IMF executive
board had already released 5.5 billion dollars for South Korea,
and has conducted a review of South Korean compliance with the
financial reform requirements.
Topic 18
/// Judge Conducts Windows 95 Experiment ///
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Penfield conducted his own
experiment last month to see just how easy it was to delete
the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 from the Windows 95 O/S.
Jackson commented in a court hearing that it took him only 90
seconds to remove IE 4.0 from Windows 95, which in his opinion,
directly contradicts Microsoft's position relating to the
complexity involved to completely uninstall the application.
Jackson made the comments in a court hearing last month when he
set a Jan. 13 hearing date to decide whether Microsoft should be
held in contempt for violating a preliminary injunction he
issued on Dec. 11, which demanded that Microsoft immediately
separate the Internet Explorer web browser from the Windows 95
operating system.
Microsoft responded by saying that the judge oversimplified the
removal process in that Jackson may have only removed the icon
from the desktop, but 97 percent of the IE 4.0 program code
would remain on the hard drive.
One industry spokesman supported the judge by saying that the
Internet Explorer browser can be completely removed by deleting
just one .EXE file and one desktop shortcut.
Judge Jackson gave Microsoft a Dec. 23 deadline to submit a
brief and ordered the government to reply in a brief by Dec. 29.
Microsoft was relieved by Jackson, however, of the $1 million
per day fine requested by the Dept. of Justice, but the DOJ has
restated its request now for the fine.
Topic 19
/// The IRS Wants Your Sales Perks Too ///
18 employees of Ingram Micro Inc. have found out the hard way
that the Internal Revenue Service does not look the other way
when an employee fails to claim or pay taxes on promotional
incentives.
The 18th Ingram employee to be convicted on tax violations this
past year was a female employee from the Huntington Beach,
Calif. location who plead guilty on Dec. 15. Her conviction
adds her to the band of malefactors from the company, which
is comprised of six people from the Santa Clara, Calif. office
and twelve from the Buffalo, NY office.
An IRS probe was initiated in 1995 that zeroed in on suspected
failure to pay taxes on promotional incentives received by
Ingram employees such as bonuses, special products, incentive
funds, and other prizes awarded by vendors as part of a sales
or product promotion.
Ingram Micro is considered to be one of the largest computer/
electronics distributors in the country.
Topic 20
/// 50" LCD Monitor Introduced By Mitsubishi ///
Mitsubishi Electronics America Ltd. has introduced a 50" LCD
monitor that uses rear projection to attain a truly big screen
display.
Targeted at the business world, the MegaView 50 is priced at
$17,995. Its LCD engine employs a triple 1.3" diameter Thin-
film Transistor (TFT) module to create a high-resolution image
of 1,024 x 768 pixels.
The outside dimensions measure about 44" wide by 52" high, but
only 20" deep. The hefty 154 pounds in weight will keep your
fellow employees from sneaking it away to their work desk even
if they had the space, but most of these monster units will
find their way into the conference rooms and convention halls--
at least until production volumes increase and the price comes
down.
Topic 21
/// Intel & Sun Sign Cross-licensing Pact ///
One of two recent agreements signed between Intel Corp. and Sun
Microsystems Inc. was a pact the covering cross-licensing of
software, hardware, systems, and microprocessors supplied by
the two companies.
One source explained that the cross-licensing agreement should
be considered only as a "patent swap" to avert any future
litigation over the technologies. The terms of the pact will
not allow the two companies to "clone" each other's chips.
The other agreement deals with the re-coding of Sun's 64-bit
Solaris operating system so that it can be run on systems based
on Intel's upcoming Merced processor.
Topic 22
/// 100-MHz Bus Due To Arrive ///
Although many value-added resellers (VARs) may not be ready,
Intel Corp. plans to go ahead and raise the motherboard bus
speed for future Pentium II processors up to 100-MHz from 66-
MHz.
By the second quarter of this year, Intel will make the move to
100-MHz system bus speeds across the board-- covering its chip
sets and processors, but many VARs and others raise questions
about compatibility. Memory compatibility seems to be the main
concern, according to one news source.
While Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) may handle the higher speed, it
is regarded to be more complicated than earlier memory con-
figurations and not easily mated with just any generic mother-
board.
The newer/faster technology will bring with it more heat, which
may require a re-design of the PC chassis. And the 100-MHz bus
speed also brings with it tighter specifications throughout and
a very slim margin of error when compared to the existing 66-MHz
architecture. Some observers also have mentioned the likelihood
that some PCI boards and adapter cards may not work properly
with the 100-MHz bus. One source complained that just when he
began to get a handle on the Pentium II Slot 7 motherboard
technology, now Intel has thrown another monkey wrench into
the works.
The potential incompatibilities have kept motherboard vendors,
chip makers, and memory module designers busy trying to iron
out the problems before the 100-MHz SDRAM and related products
reach the sales distribution channels.
Intel is calling its 100-MHz SDRAM specification PC 100, which
is supposed to provide a common guideline for memory module
configuration. A similar specification, PC 66 will govern the
66-MHz SDRAM technologies to insure that memory vendors adhere
to Intel specifications.
According to a news story out of Boston last month, we can look
for the first Pentium II based on the 100-MHz specifications
when Intel releases a 350-MHz processor by the second quarter of
this year. It was also reported that Advanced Micro Devices
will support the faster bus with its K6 3D processor later this
year, and Cyrix will follow suit with its upgraded 6x86MX line.
In support of the 100-MHz system bus, Acer Laboratories Inc.
has announced a chip set solution for the Intel Socket 7
specifications called the Aladin V. The two-chip kit also
supports the Intel Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) platform,
and is slated to begin volume production this quarter.
Topic 23
/// Armed Thugs Hit Microsoft In Scotland ///
Four masked thugs with guns hit a Microsoft manufacturing
facility located in Colville Place, Scotland in November, and
made off with an estimated $16 million (street value) worth of
CD-ROMs and Certificates of Authenticity (COAs).
The 200,000 COAs and 100,000 CD-ROMs were taken after the gang
of robbers bound and gagged three employees of the Thompson
Litho company. Thompson manufactures Microsoft products for
original equipment manufacturers, mainly in Europe, but the
authorities noted that the 4" x 4" holographic certificates
could show up on bogus software products anywhere in the world.
A list of the stolen COA numbers has been posted on the Web at:
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass
Topic 24
/// TDK Offers All-In-One Communications Card ///
With the addition of a conventional cellular phone or a digital
PCS (Personal Communications Services) device, the Global
Freedom 5660 from TDK Systems Inc. will handle most types of
electronic communications-- both wired and wireless.
The $249 PC Card device operates as a 56-Kbps fax/modem when
plugged into a card slot on a notebook PC. In remote locations
where telephone lines may not be available, the 5660 can also be
linked to a PCS or cellular phone through an accessory cable to
allow digital communications via any GSM/DCS international
compliant service. A global traveler using the TDK unit would
be able to make a connection just about anywhere around the
world. TDK makes available its "Country Selector" software
that can be downloaded from its Web site or BBS, which permits
users to use the 5660 in any country.
Topic 25
Gigabyte GrapeVine
Bottom Line
---------------
/// Last Year's Big Story Continues... ///
The ongoing legal battle between Microsoft Corp. and the US DOJ
(Department of Justice) began last October when in a
surprise move by the U.S. Justice Department, Attorney
General, Janet Reno asked that a $1 million per day contempt
fine be levied against the company.
Janet Reno stated at that time "Microsoft is unlawfully taking
advantage of its Windows monopoly to protect and extend that
monopoly" as related to antitrust violations stemming from its
questionable practice of requiring personal computer
manufacturers to license and distribute its Internet browser
as a bundled application with its Windows 95 operating system.
After several legal twists and turns by both Microsoft and the
DOJ, the most up-to-date news on the subject as I faced my
deadline was dated Dec. 30, 1997.
At that time, it was announced that the US District Court of
Appeals had granted Microsoft Corp. an expedited hearing in its
appeal of a federal judge's order demanding that the company
separate its Internet Explorer browser from Windows 95.
The DOJ originally was against a move to expedite the proceed-
ings, but noted that the Dec. 30 decision did not affect the
government's position in the case. One DOJ spokesman said that
their attorneys and Microsoft had met with Lawrence Lessig, the
Harvard law professor that Judge Jackson appointed as a special
expert to review the technical issues of the case. It was
noted, however, that until the appeals process is completed,
Judge Jackson's order will stand, according to a DOJ official.
Microsoft has appealed Jackson's preliminary injunction issued
Dec. 11, and is counting on a swift decision in light of its
plans to release Windows 98 by the second quarter of this year.
Jackson is scheduled to hold a hearing on Jan. 13 standing on
the DOJ's claim that the software giant should be held in
contempt for violation of the court's order.
It is apparent that any delays in the hearing procedures or an
unfavorable decision against Microsoft will create repercussions
within the company that could delay the release of Windows 98,
which most likely will also contain the Internet Explorer
browser software that started the whole hubbub in the first place.
Gary Miller
