TREASURY SAYS: NO TAXES ON INTERNET
The U.S. Treasury Department is issuing a draft report opposing new
federal taxes on the Internet. A deputy secretary said: "We absolutely
reject the idea that the Internet is some sort of golden goose whose
feathers should be taxed. The key message of the report is, no Internet
taxes." The department plans to post the document at <
http://www.ustreas.gov >. (New York Times 21 Nov 96 C20)
INTEL URGED TO SLOW DOWN
A Gartner Group analyst says Intel's relentless drive toward
higher-powered microprocessors is wearing down PC makers and buyers.
Computer manufacturers "would love to skip a generation and I think the
end users would love to skip a generation," he suggests. In response,
Intel is working on a module that would allow users to install a new
microprocessor in their existing machines. (Wall Street Journal 20 Nov
96 B1)
NEW AMD CHIP CHALLENGES INTEL HEGEMONY
A new 200-megahertz microprocessor from Advanced Micro Devices threatens
to give Intel a run for its money, says AMD group VP and former Intel
engineer Vinod Dham. The new K6 chip will be faster than Intel's
Pentium and Pentium Pro chips, will have multimedia capabilities, and
will be smaller and cheaper as well. Intel plans to retaliate next
spring with two new generations of chips, including multimedia Pentium
and Pentium Pro chips. "It's going to be an interesting 1997," says
Dham. The K6 chip, which will ship in early 1997, is based on NexGen
technology. AMD acquired NexGen last January for $800 million in stock.
(Wall Street Journal 21 Nov 96 B5)
NETSCAPE PLANS TO EDGE MICROSOFT OFF THE DESKTOP
Netscape Communications is developing software designed to organize a
computer desktop, pushing Microsoft's Windows software off center stage.
Constellation, which is expected to ship in mid-1997, gives the computer
the look of a television screen with a row of buttons down one side.
Each button represents either a Web site to visit or an application
program. Netscape hopes its new product could become a de facto
operating system, with software developers writing their programs for
Constellation rather than Windows. Microsoft plans to introduce a
competing product, called Active Desktop, in the second half of next
year. One analyst says Netscape's new approach to the browser battles
shows it's growing up: "Up until this point it's been primarily a
religious battle, with Netscape saying, it's us or them. Now they're
saying, we realize we will not rule the entire domain. However, what we
will do is become the entire container within which disparate pieces can
be used." (Wall Street Journal 20 Nov 96 B10)
BARKSDALE SAYS E-MAIL WILL SOON LOOK LIKE A WEB PAGE
Netscape chief executive officer James Barksdale says that the Web
browser "is just the beginning of what you'll be able to do. The next
phase will be rich and robust e-mail" that will allow a message to look
like a Web page and to be enhanced with spreadsheets, audio files, and
full-motion video. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 21 Nov 96 D3)
Edupage is written by John Gehl <gehl@educom.edu> & Suzanne Douglas
<douglas@educom.edu>. Voice: 404-371-1853, Fax: 404-371-8057.