|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
![[INTERNET ID-NEWS ONLINE II Logo]](im-news.gif)
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (May 8, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) today unveiled six new international public beta versions of Netscape Navigator 2.0, Netscape's popular Internet client software for intranets and the Internet. In addition to the English, French, German and Japanese versions of Netscape Navigator 2.0, users can immediately download free of charge Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, Italian, Korean, Spanish, and Swedish beta versions from the Netscape Internet site at http://home.netscape.com. Netscape also announced today that portions of the Netscape Internet site, including the home page and product downloading instructions, are now available in 10 different languages.
Netscape Navigator 2.0 includes a rich suite of Internet applications including web browsing and new collaboration features such as integrated electronic mail and threaded discussion groups and support for Live Objects -- or interactive multimedia content -- including frames, inline plug-ins, JavaScript, and Java applets. Embedded spreadsheets, animation, streaming audio and video, and 3-D capabilities are just a few features of Netscape Navigator that Live Objects can provide.
"Netscape is fully committed to meeting the needs of the worldwide community of Internet and intranet users," said Mike Homer, senior vice president of marketing at Netscape. "With the availability of six new international versions, millions of users around the world now have the ability to communicate and collaborate in their native languages and take advantage of the advanced features of Netscape Navigator including Java support, sophisticated layout capabilities, electronic mail, threaded discussion groups and multimedia plug-ins."
Netscape Navigator is a powerful, flexible and easy-to-use online environment, combining point-and-click network navigation, email, threaded discussion groups, file transfers and other Internet services in a seamlessly integrated package. It is optimized to run smoothly over 14.4 kilobit/second modems as well as higher bandwidth lines. Netscape Navigator 2.0 provides a common feature set and graphical user interface across computers running the Microsoft Windows, Macintosh or X Window System operating environments. Netscape's products are based on industry standards and protocols, and are compatible with existing World Wide Web clients and servers.
The international public beta versions of Netscape Navigator are available for Windows 95 and Windows 3.1, Macintosh and popular UNIX platforms. The beta software will expire and users should purchase supported, licensed copies from Netscape or a Netscape authorized international distributor when the final version becomes available. Volume discounts are available for multiple user licenses. Native language content can be accessed through the following URLs:
Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.
Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available
on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to
info@netscape.com, or by calling 415/937-2555 (corporate customers) or
415/937-3777 (individuals).
Netscape, Netscape Communications, the
Netscape Communications Corporation logo, and Netscape Navigator are
trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation. All other product names
are trademarks of their respective companies.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (May 20, 1996) -- Apple Computer, Inc., International Business Machines Corporation, Inc., Netscape Communications Corporation, Oracle Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. today joined forces in the announcement of an unprecedented common set of guidelines for developing low-cost, easy-to-use network computing devices. On stage at San Francisco's Westin St. Francis Hotel, representatives of the five companies disclosed details of an open NC architecture that will combine existing industry specifications to create a reference platform for network computing devices.
This collaboration marks the first time world-leading information technology companies have joined to select specifications for Internet appliances, an idea that has caught fire in less than a year and has demonstrated a broader future than the Personal Computer (PC). Called "NC Reference Profile 1," the set of guidelines is designed to make multimedia Internet computing as ubiquitous as telephone and television services. It will promote competition in a new class of communications and commerce devices for use in homes, schools, businesses and institutions and will ensure compatibility of models from different manufacturers.
NC Reference Profile 1 will provide a common set of standard features and functions across a broad range of scalable NCs. It is architecturally neutral and intended to facilitate the growth of the network computing industry while protecting investments made by customers, content providers, system providers, service providers and application providers through industry-wide compatibility.
"We believe that such a platform-neutral architecture opens broad opportunities for moving personal computing into a new era, characterized by the convergence of communications and multimedia, especially in the form of the Internet," said Gil Amelio, Chairman and CEO of Apple Computer, Inc. "As a pioneer in developing next-generation computing devices, as demonstrated by the Pippin and Newton, we are excited to contribute our expertise to this industry-wide effort to define network computing guidelines."
"The NC Profile is one more step along the way to making network computing a reality for customers," said John M. Thompson, senior vice president and group executive, IBM. "It will accelerate the development of network computers, applications and content while ensuring their compatibility. And it will quickly bring the benefits of network computing to more companies, helping them access new markets, reduce the cost of ownership and unleash the talent of their employees and the power of the information within their enterprises."
"Netscape, which champions the concept of open Internet standards, warmly welcomes today's announcement because it will help ensure these standards are incorporated in forthcoming devices," said Marc Andreessen, vice president of technology at Netscape. "These open standards give customers freedom of choice and help drive innovation which together make the Internet the hotbed of activity it is today."
"This initiative has been formed in the interest of true open computing," said Lawrence J. Ellison. "Like the Internet itself, the NC Reference Profile has the potential to set in motion an industry that serves the interests of users instead of software developers and hardware suppliers."
Scott McNealy, chief executive officer of Sun Microsystems, Inc., described the NC Reference Profile as the most compelling proof statement of the benefits of open standards.
"Sun has proven time and time again that open standards provide a level playing field which drives innovation and choice. And the ultimate winner in this model is the user," said Scott McNealy. "Adopting Sun's NFS and Java technologies with the other open standards in the NC Reference Profile will provide all the vendors - from hardware manufacturers to content providers - with a common set of guidelines that will jump-start an entire industry."
NCs complying with the planned NC Reference Profiles may take many forms - from desktops to laptops to video phones, pagers and even conventional PCs. All these devices may be linked to the Internet or Intranet and run basic applications such as Web browsers, email applications, word processors, spreadsheets and presentation packages. In addition, NCs may function as multimedia machines by supporting video email, 16-bit CD-quality sound and digital videos.
The NC Reference Profile 1 sets guidelines for standard functionality, but it does not impose limitations. Vendors interested in adding more functionality to their NC implementations may do so because the reference profile does not limit designs to a specific set of features.
ELEMENTS OF THE PROFILE
The NC Reference Profile 1 covers general hardware guidelines, Internet
protocols,
World Wide Web standards, email protocols, common multimedia formats, boot up
protocols and security features.
The hardware guidelines cover a minimum screen resolution of 640 x 480 (VGA), a pointing device (mouse or trackball), text input capabilities and audio output. The agreed-upon Internet protocols are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), optional support of NFS to enable low-cost, medialess devices while allowing for persistent storage in the network, and SMTP, a protocol enabling the distributed management of devices.
The profile further adheres to World Wide Web standards HTML, HTTP and the Java Application Environment, as well as to mainstream mail protocols (SMTP, IMAP4, POP3) and common data formats such as JPEG, GIF, WAV and AU. Security features are supported through emerging security APIs, and optional security standards are ISO 7816 SmartCards and the EMV (Europay/MasterCard/Visa) specification.
NC Reference Profile 1 will be made available for public comment and review in July 1996 and is expected to be finalized by August 1996. The draft published today can be viewed on the World Wide Web at http://www.nc.ihost.com.
Future versions of the NC Reference Profile (e.g., Profile 2, Profile 3, etc.) will be determined and published by the participants in this announcement with the involvement of other interested parties in response to changing technologies and market requirements. In the third quarter of 1996, Apple, IBM, Netscape, Oracle and Sun plan to organize a joint Web site with tests for profile compliance. Manufacturers whose designs successfully meet the criteria of the profile will be authorized to promote their devices as "NC compliant" and to use the NC logo in connection with the manufacturing, marketing and sales of NC products and product families.
APPLE COMPUTER
Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and
leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on
easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, online services,
personal digital assistants and Internet content. Headquartered in Cupertino,
California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufacturers, licenses and markets
solutions, products, technologies and services for businesses, education,
consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering, and government customers in
over 140 countries. Apple's home page on the World Wide Web:
http://www.apple.com.
IBM
IBM creates, develops and manufactures the world's most advanced information
technologies, including computer systems, software, networking systems, storage
devices and microelectronics. IBM also offers hardware, software, consulting
and services to help customers take advantage of the potential of the Internet
and the benefits of network computing. Information about IBM and its network
computing products can be found at http://www.internet.ibm.com
on the World
Wide Web.
NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS
CORPORATION
Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for
linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The
company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools and commercial
applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online
applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications
Corporation is based in Mountain View, California. Information about Netscape
and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://home.netscape.com,
by sending email to info@netscape.com or by calling 415/937-2555 (corporate
customers) or 415/937-3777 (individuals).
ORACLE CORPORATION
Oracle Corporation is the world's largest independent supplier of software for
information management, and the world's second largest software company. With
annual revenues of more than $3.5 billion, the company offers its database,
tools and application products along with related consulting, education and
support
services, in more than 90 countries around the world.
For more information about Oracle, please contact Oracle's
headquarters at
415/506-7000. Oracle's World Wide Web address is
http://www.oracle.com.
SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
With annual revenues of more than $6 billion, Sun Microsystems, Inc. provides
products
and services that enable customers to build and maintain open network computing
environments. Widely recognized as a proponent of open standards, the company is
involved in the design, manufacture and sale of products, technologies and
services for commercial and technical computing. Sun's SPARC workstations,
multiprocessing servers, SPARC microprocessors, Solaris operating software and
ISO-certified service organization each rank number 1 in the UNIX industry.
Java, Sun's platform-independent programming language, provides a comprehensive
solution to the challenge of programming for complex networks, including the
Internet.
Sun Microsystems was founded in 1982, and is headquartered in Mountain View,
California. Sun's World Wide Web address is http://www.sun.com.
Contacts:
Apple, the Apple logo and Newton are registered trademarks, and Mac OS and Pippin are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Netscape Communications, the Netscape Communications logo and Netscape are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation. Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation. Oracle7 is a trademark of Oracle Corporation. Java and NFS are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All other products or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 28, 1996 -- Lotus Development Corp. today announced that
Notes Release 4.11, the first integrated Notes/HTTP server, will be entering
widespread public beta on June 3, 1996. Notes Release 4.11 delivers on Lotus
promise to provide customers with an integrated, open solution for building
robust, business process applications for the World Wide Web all in one box.
"Notes Release 4.11 continues Lotus' strategy to provide our customers with new
and flexible options to extend and grow their businesses by integrating
existing systems with new technologies like the Web", said Michael D. Zisman,
executive vice president and CEO, Lotus Development Corp. "With Intranets and
Internets fast becoming the chosen vehicle for the collaborative applications
that Notes customers have known for six years, the marriage of Notes' open,
cross platform solution with the standards of the Web creates the best platform
for hosting enterprise business process applications".
Notes Release 4.11 integrates the functionality of the Notes Release 4 Server
with native support for HTTP and the interactive Web publishing capabilities of
the InterNotes Web Publisher 4.0 to make Notes a fully functional Web Server.
With Notes powerful and secure application development environment as well as
Release 4's advanced messaging, Notes Release 4.11 offers a powerful
collaborative authoring and application development environment for the Web.
As well, with Release 4 features such as navigators, enhanced administration
and agents Notes 4.11 reduces the complexity in Web site construction, so that
a site can be more easily created, navigated, managed and updated.
With native support for HTTP, and the HTML translation "on-the-fly" of Notes
documents through the Web Publisher, Notes removes the need for a separate Web
Server and allows Web browsers direct, dynamic access to, and interaction with,
Notes data and applications. By allowing direct access, the Web browser
becomes an alternate Notes client that can leverage the robust backend features
that have been integral to the core Notes product such as replication, mobility
and centralized administration.
This direct access also allows managed access through the Notes security
model. By leveraging Notes Access Control Lists (ACLs), user registration and
authentication can be applied to Web browsers via username and password,
limiting or allowing reader access down to the field level in a Web Page just
as if the browser were a standard Notes client. This is because the browser is
directly accessing a Notes document in a Notes database and not staged on a
separate, generic HTTP server.
Additionally, since all interactions are taking place within a Notes database,
Lotus can alter the URL structure to allow the browsers to speak and issue a
class of commands to the Notes 4.11 server through the Notes API and
LotusScript. This allows a browser to have a level of control over documents
that is not available on pages created on standard HTTP servers. This
integration with the Notes API provides the capabilities for:
Lotus Notes provides an ideal communications infrastructure by combining
enterprise-ready, client/server messaging and the global access and
distribution of the World Wide Web, together with a platform for rapidly
developing and deploying strategic groupware applications. Notes enables
individuals and organizations to communicate with colleagues, collaborate in
teams, and coordinate business processes within and beyond their
organizational boundaries to achieve improved business results. Lotus Notes sup
ports all major operating systems: IBM OS/2 Warp, Apple Mac OS, UNIX platforms
including IBM AIX, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, and SCO OpenServer, and Microsoft
Windows and Windows NT. Notes is also available as a NetWare loadable module
for the Novell environment.
Lotus Development Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of IBM Corp., offers high
quality software products and support services that reflect the company's
unique understanding of the new ways in which individuals and businesses must
work together to achieve success. Lotus' innovative approach is evident in a
new class of applications that allows information to be accessed and
communicated in ways never before possible, both within and beyond
organizational boundaries. The company also provides numerous support
services, both from its consulting division and its award-winning 24-hour
support center.
###
All prices and terms are for the U.S. only. Notes software prices are
estimated for retail prices for volume purchases through Lotus' Passport
program. Lotus and Lotus Notes are registered trademarks of Lotus Development
Corporation. Notes, InterNotes and InterNotes Web Publisher are trademarks of
Lotus Development Corporation. All other company names and products are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Nonostante un sensibile rallentamento nella crescita del mercato pc in Italia
(1Q 96/ 1Q 95 = +13%; 1995/1994 = +32,5%), anche nei primi tre mesi del 1996 il
marchio IBM e' risultato il piu' venduto.
"I primi tre mesi dell'anno rappresentavano per noi una sfida estremamente
impegnativa", ha dichiarato Massimo Bramati, Director of PC Division, IBM
Semea. "Dovevamo fare i conti con la vertiginosa crescita dell'80% nel primo
trimestre dello scorso anno. Soprattutto grazie alla sempre piu' stretta
collaborazione con i nostri Business Partner abbiamo potuto consolidare i
risultati dello scorso anno".
Ma il dato piu' importante che IBM puo' vantare e' la significativa crescita in
fatturato. Questo fatto impone due osservazioni:
Analizzando la performance IBM per brand, e' decisiva la leadership nel mercato
dei desktop professionali che rappresenta il 65% del totale mercato.
IBM ha venduto in questo mercato quasi 30.000 tra PC300 e PC700 nel primo
trimestre.
IBM e' leader anche nel mercato del consumer con uno share del 21% grazie
all'offerta della linea Aptiva.
Nel segmento Server IBM ha aumentato la propria presenza nel canale dei
Distributori.
Benche' sui Server non abbia conseguito la leadership in termini di boxe nel
primo trimestre, IBM ha ricevuto un ambito PC Magazine Award 1995.
Analoghi riconoscimenti sono andati all'Aptiva e al supporto tecnico di IBM.
La scelta di IBM, nel mercato dei portatili, di proporre al mercato modelli di
fascia medio alta, e' un fattore penalizzante in termini di market share (IBM
e' al 6x posto); dal punto di vista del fatturato la situazione migliora,
tant'e' che IBM guadagna due posizioni.
Il canale di vendita e' stato ancora una volta decisivo per il raggiungimento
della leadership nel mercato. Dal punto di vista di copertura del territorio,
l'offerta IBM non presenta scostamenti significativi tra le diverse regioni: in
altre parole lo share IBM e' pressoche' uniforme su tutto il territorio
italiano.
A proposito di canali, nel 1996 e' stato annunciato a livello mondiale il
programma "Business Partners Charter IBM" che rappresenta una pietra miliare
per lo sviluppo qualitativo del rapporto IBM - Business Partner.
Con questo programma IBM, pur continuando ad operare su quei Clienti con cui
intrattiene rapporti diretti, coinvolgera' nell'attivita' con massima priorita'
i propri Business Partner.
"Siamo convinti che un mercato in continuo cambiamento richieda un approccio
piu' capillare ed efficiente", ha aggiunto Bramati. "Lavorare insieme ai
Business Partner significa accrescere le potenzialita' di distribuzione dei
Prodotti e dei Servizi IBM presso un sempre maggior numero di Clienti.
Questa piu' stretta collaborazione si manifesta nella dichiarazione ufficiale
che le vendite dei PC da quest'anno avverranno esclusivamente tramite canale e
nella piu' stretta collaborazione sul mercato dei Servizi".
E' proprio in questa ottica che IBM ha recentemente annunciato un potenziamento
dei supporti ai propri Business Partner; in particolare e' stato allestito un
nuovo sito Internet dedicato al supporto tecnico contenente informazioni
specifiche (per esempio driver, bios, fixe, software, ecc.) ed e' in piano un
ulteriore sito Internet riservato ai circa 200 Business Partner autorizzati al
servizio di garanzia.
Entro la meta' dell'anno e' altresi' prevista l'installazione presso i 30
principali Business Partner della nuova infrastruttura e delle relative
applicazioni di PartnerInfo che consentono un colloquio quotidiano tra IBM e
Business Partner in modo che quest'ultimo possa affrontare il mercato con il
massimo livello di informazioni (annunci, catalogo, listino, order tracking,
disponibilita' prodotti, presentazioni, corsi, manifestazioni, informazioni
tecniche, informazioni sulla competition, ecc.).
"Abbiamo pianificato questi investimenti in quanto siamo convinti che il vero
valore aggiunto che il mercato richiede sia la qualita' del servizio
post-vendita e l'eccellenza dei prodotti. Saranno sicuramente questi i fattori
che potranno ulteriormente incrementare la nostra leadership nel mercato PC".
IBM Semea SpA e' la societa' italiana che ha la responsabilita' delle
operazioni in Italia, ed alcuni paesi del Sud Europa, Medio Oriente ed Africa.
Svolge attivita' di ricerca, sviluppo, produzione e commercializzazione di
prodotti, servizi e soluzioni informatiche. Dai Personal Computer ai progetti
complessi che prevedono l'integrazione di sistemi e architetture eterogenee. La
Divisione Personal Computer IBM opera su tutto il territorio nazionale
affiancata da una rete di business partner: concessionari, distributori,
rivenditori.
Beta - La rivista ipertestuale tecnica, Copyright © 1996 Beta. Tutti i diritti riservati
Lotus Announces Beta Availability of Notes Release 4.11
Delivers the First Integrated Notes/HTTP Server for Developing
Web-Based Business Process Applications for Intranets and the World Wide Web
Availability
Notes Release 4.11 beta will be demoed in the Lotus booth at Spring COMDEX in
Chicago and will be available for download from the Lotus Web Site at
http://www.Lotus.com as of June 3, 1996. Information and interactive demos
are currently available on the Web site.
News #4
ANCHE NEL 1° TRIMESTRE 1996
I PC IBM SONO STATI I PIU' VENDUTI
Milano, 28 maggio 1996
hanno contribuito ad una crescita del valore medio per box.
I brillanti risultati di IBM in termini di fatturato trovano spiegazione anche
in questi fenomeni.
All news articles, press releases and notices are published under permission