MicroTimes v2n4 - Northern California April 1985 ToC Features SmoothTalker: The Latest Word On Speech Synthesis by Ken Goehner Now, thanks to this new software, your Macintosh can talk. User friendliness takes on a new dimension. The People Behind "The Print Shop" by Ken Goehner The creators of the bestselling graphics program speak their minds on the artistic revolution and intergalactic marketing. AST Research: Designed For Success And People by John D. Gresham Irvine-based AST has both a successful product line and possibly the world's happiest employees. As one of their founders explains, they planned it that way. Unix In The Real World by Carter George The Unix operating system has been accused of being useful only in the ivory tower. As MicroTimes discovered, it isn't necessarily so. Departments Edit Mode by Don Hamilton Business Software Reviews Sweet Savage Byte by Jina Bacarr Reviews Classifieds User Group Listings and Notes Retail/Service News Edit Mode (News) Kaypro Introduce AT-Compatible Computer 206i Better Memory On The Way "Video drives" are on the way Apple Takes Vacation, Continues Mac Loan Program Apple shut down four manufacturing plants temporarily during March Demand not as high as anticipated Mac "loan" program will continue indefinitely Software Comes to 7-Eleven Mastertronic selling $9.95 game software in California stores Relive WWII with Carriers At War Battle Simulation Game The Pros and Cons of Mail Order IBM has forced some computer stores closed who sell to mail-order houses Attempt to stop price-competition ComputerLand Offers Hands-On Training Will open Learning Centers within stores TRS Introduces the Tandy 6000 An upgrade of the TRS Model 16B, a Xenix system 16-bit CPU, 512K (up to 1MB) RAM, Two 8in. Floppy drives Twice as fast as 16B Can be had with a 15MB HDD Compaq Pioneers Shared Office Workstations Workstation concept for multiple users WordStar Removes Copy Protection Copy protection removed from WordStar 2000 HP Introduces New Portable Portable with a printer, keyboard, monitor, mass storage, and a mouse Runs modified UNIX System III, HP-UX 512KB RAM, expandable to 1.5 MB 3.5 inch FDD, 710KB space per disk 25 lbs., $4995 IBM Keeps Micropolus 50MB Drives for AT "Voice Coil Technology" drives that won't crash if power is lost New Items Ashton-Tate FrameWork 1.1 Correlation Systems SeekEasy Database Software Batteries Included The Consultant Mindscape The Perfect Score: Computer Preparation for the SAT Keyboard Cadet Alert Mr. Pixel's Cartoon Kit Microsoft Press Out of The Inner Circle (Book) Leading Edge Nutshell Information Manager Hayden News Inside 123 Computer Cemetery Opens Reviews Hardware Software Business Software Borland International Turbo Pascal Correlation Systems SeekEasy Chang Labs Rags to Riches Low-Cost Computer Software Mastertronic Each title under $10.00 Electronic Arts Adventure Construction Set (Buy game for regular price, make as many as you want) Games Trillium Amazon by Michael Crichton SSI Imperium Galactum Aegis Development, Inc. The Pyramid of Peril Penguin Software, Inc. Transylvania Broderbund The Serpent's Star Activision Master Of The Lamps Books Articles Smoothtalker - The Latest Word On Speech Synthesis by Ken Goehner Speech Synthesis software for the Macintosh Fits on one disk. Works with phonemes Has an API Highly tweakable to reproduce accents Pixellite Software - The People Behind The Print Shop by Ken Goehner The Print Shop Apple II-series Commodore 64 Atari Planned for Macintosh and IBM PCs and clones Create greeting cards Create and edit graphics The Graphics Library a companion disk Pixellite Computer Products Sole supplier of COLOR computer paper With matching envelopes Marketed under BRITE-LINE Printer ribbons in various colors Martin Khan Los-Angeles Native Graduate of U.C. Berkeley Tried to make it as a computer fine artist Met David Balsam at a party Primary artist for The Print Shop Created support for printers David Balsam Musician Took time out to take computer classes Project Manager Cory Kosak Programmer Started programming in 6th grade Initially on TRS-80 then Apple II Created "AppleSpice," designed to fill holes in AppleSoft BASIC Started at Broderbund porting The Print Shop to Atari Atari was postponed midway through to work on Commodore version Made printing work with Commodore printers, which was challenging Finished Atari version after Commodore version Perfect Occasion Software created before The Print Shop Allowed users to create messages that displayed on-screen with graphic and sound accompaniment Could not find a publisher Also relied on users to create their own graphics Made group realize people work better in limited systems Print Shop was deliberately limited as a result Not open-ended like, say, MacPaint Designed for Success -- and People! AST Research AST Research Founded in 1980 Founders: Thomas Yuen Albert Wong Safi Qureshey Founders were working at other companies Wanted to do board-level manufacturing, but had no money Started a consultancy to complete projects for others In 1981, got an early look at the IBM PC Studied it extensively Began to manufacturer memory and multifunction boards One example: SIXPACK multi-function board RAM/Clock/Parallel/Serial/Game 500,000 shipped by time magazine published Early products finished within 10 weeks of PC launch Created micro-to-mainframe communications products for the PC Had a deliberate approach to marketing Started with small, black-and-white ads Created bigger ads Then introduced color All with the idea to give the impression they were growing faster than reality AST believes a company runs through phases enabled by PCs Phase 1: Workstation Enhancement Company buys PC Company then wants to get online Company then wants to add peripherals Company configures several workstations this way Phase 2: Communications Company begins to connect workstations to one another Company connects workstations to central sources for information Databases Phase 3: Connecting to larger entity Company connects local office to corporate mainframe All of these phases involve AST products Competitors are too diversified or too slow Had working, available products within 10 weeks of PC/AT announcement Others have nothing available six months later AST tries different approach to running company 400 Employees Morale is important Employees work "with" founders, not "for" founders AST is "their company." T-Shirt and Jeans day each month Company-wide lunch where people can speak up Morale helped them achieve high retention and productivity rates 5% turnover rate (33% is industry average) $346,000 Revenue-Per-Employee ($150,000 is industry average) Created Independent Business Units IBUs foster entrepreneurial spirit IBUs can be spun-off at any time to create new products AST IBU Addendum article IBUs in general Exist somewhere between a branch and new division Very lean 10 people Apple IBU Run by Ashok "Ash" Jain Started as a way to research and manufacture expansion products for Apple II line Started by compiling a list of expansion products for A2 line How they are manufactured How they are distributed Costs Etc. Process took a week Released a "multi-function card" for the //e MultiI/O/Clock/Calendar Doing as well as SIXPACK What else to expect from the Apple IBU Won't project far into the future Apple scuttlebutt Bad 1983 Lisa did poorly //e had "disk drive problems" Better 1984 Macintosh and IIc released but neither doing well "Closed box" systems do poorly Apple pushed the IIc hard, which didn't work Demand for //e increased Believes in a stronger 1985 Predicts Apple will make //e 100% compatible with the IIc via firmware Hopes for a more powerful II-series computer in 1986 All of this activity means Apple now believes in an expandable computer AST's forte UNIX in the Real World UNIX has witnessed tremendous surge in popularity over last two years UNIX is the de facto O/S for "Supermicros" Those with the following characteristics Support several users Users can run several processes at once Users can communicate with one another on system Many small tools eliminating the need for custom programming Inexpensive for manufacturers One license from AT&T But what about users UNIX is known for being too complex But well-used in academic environs American Brass & Iron Industry foundry in Oakland, CA John Serr Head of Accounting and Finance Brought in to create an Information Management System Tried MS-DOS but found networking too slow Tried minicomputers, but they were too expensive Purchased Zilog Model 32 Supermicro and Informix DB Figures out how many mold should be stamped per hour Keeps track of every piece being processed by the foundry They have needed to get some outside programming Complexity of Unix not a problem People who use it are not interfacing directly with the O/S BASIS: Bringing Everyman to UNIX Bay Area Shared Interactive Systems Hardware/Software Sales Consulting User Support Training Timesharing service The first service offered by BASIS Patricia Shanks President and Co-Founder Different types of customers Time-sharing customers Mainly clients on the east coast Programmers who need a system on which to learn C Those who need "hand-holding" BASIS creates application and databases and trains Those who need more computing power or resources That Certain 'Bit' of Seduction Elizabeth Arden Elizabeth: The Beauty Makeover Computer Takes pictures of patrons Applies makeup styles to show patrons different looks User Group Notes Southern California Associations Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility The North Orange County Computer Club The South Orange County Computer Club BBSs Gamenet Gaming Subjects The Consultant's Exchange BBS BBS for Computer Consultants Thousand Oaks Technical General Granada Engineering Group RCP/M Technical BBS for CP/M Users Aware II Sports BBS Junkyard Data "Multi-Interest" Marina Matchup Match/Dating Lynzie's Motherbard Multi-Interest User Groups Altos Altos User Group Apple The Orange Apple Group South Bay Apple III User Group Pasadena Apple Users Group (PAUG) AT&T AT&T 6300 West LA Atari The Atari Computer Association of Orange County Commodore Club 64 National San Diego Commodore Users Group San Fernando Valley Commodore Users Group San Luis Obispo Commodore Computer Club The Commodore Users Group - San Juan Capistrano The Commodore Technical Users Group Hollywood User Group (H.U.G.) Epson Cursor Club Foothill Epson User Group Epson Users Group of Orange County Epson Users of San Diego High Desert Epson Users Group PSC/QX South Bay Epson Users Group Hewlett-Packard Club of Hewlett-Packard Hand-Held Users (CHHU) IBM The North Orange County IBM PC Users Group The Greater South Bay IBM PC Users Association The Claremont Computer Club Lisa The Lisa Club of Los Angeles Macintosh Los Angeles Macintosh Group (LAMB) MAC-Hollywood (Hollywood Macintosh SIG) Ventura County Macintosh Club NEC Orange County NEC Users Group (OCNUG) Radio Shack/TRS 80 South Bay Color Computer Club The Orange County TRS-80 Group Sanyo Sanyo-MS/DOS Texas Instruments LA 99er Computer Club The TI-99 Club West Side TI Northern California Associations California Software Electronic Consultants (CAL-SEC) Community Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Computer Professionals For Social Responsibility (EAST BAY) BBSs Kayfog RBBS & RCP/M (Fog System 11) CP/M Interests Napa Valley RBBS/RCP/M CP/M, Atari, Apple, Osborne, dBase III Bay Area Atari Users Group Atari micros TI-Comm BBS General Interest The Bay PBBS Apple BBS TI BBS General Interest BAKUP (Bay Area Kaypro Users and Programmers) For BAKUP Members NCR BBS of Northern California NCR-Micros SIMMS (Silicon Valley Interchange) General Interest MBL Referral System BBS "Personal messages and advertising" User Groups Apple San Francisco Apple Core SPCA (Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Apples) Association of Apple 32 Users Ashton-Tate Framework/Editor Bay Area Users Group (FREDBUG) Atari ABACUS (Atari Bay Area Computer Users Society) A.C.M.E. (Atari Computer — Marin Enthusiasts) Diablo Valley Atari Computer Enthusiasts (D.A.C.E.) Bay Area Atari Users Group San Leandro Computer Club Attache Attache Users News Letter BASIS Bay BUG Basis 108 Users Commodore San Francisco Commodore Users 20/64 Computer Users Group — San Jose 20/64 Computer Users Group — San Jose North Valley 20/64 Club - Cupertino 20/64 Computer Users Group — Campbell 20/64 Computer Users Group — Gilroy Diablo Valley Commodore Users Group Napa Valley Commodore Computer Club Lake County Commodore Users Group Marin Commodore Club PUG of the Silicon Valley Peninsula Commodore User Group Cromemco Silicon Valley Cromemco Users Eagle Eagle Computer Users Group (ECUG) Screaming Eagles Enable ENABLE Users Group Epson Bay Area Epson Salts Epson Users of San Francisco Bay Area Napa Valley Epson Users Group South County PC Users Group IBM San Francisco PC Users Group South County PC Users Group Kaypro Santa Rosa KUG BAKUP KAYFUN Peninsula Kaypro Users Group Macintosh EBMUG (East Bay Macintosh Users Group) Bay Area MacForum Berkeley Macintosh Users Group Mindset First Mindset Users Group Northstar INSUA Osborne East Bay FOG (First Osborne Group) SMOG3 MTDOG (Mt. Diablo Chapter First Osborne Group) Pied Piper Pied Piper Users Group R2E North Bay R2E Radio Shack/TRS Byte Bandits of America TRS-80 Computer Society of Diablo Valley Samna Word SAMNA Word III Sanyo Sanyo 1100/1200 User Group of the San Francisco Bay Area Sanyo MBC 1100-1150 user group Sanyo User Group of the San Francisco Bay Area Texas Instruments San Francisco 99ers UNIX The Unix C-Club Seminars Vector Bay Area Vector Group Victor East Bay Victor* Group Retail/Service News Profile: Paradise Business Forms and Computer Supplies Lafayette, CA Ken Knull Donna Knull Profile: Affordable Computers Retailer Santa Clara, CA Victor Khodabash Ads ServiceWorld Service Center SGC Computer Goods Retailer Entré Computer Center Retailer OEM Inc. / IC Inc. Retailer Sam & Associates Retailer Software Solutions Software Retailer Micro World PC Retailer Affordable Computer System, Inc. Retailer Scott's Computer Resource Guide Book with information about computer industry Starstruck Industries Retailer Jameco Electronics Retailer Data Mate Floppy retailer Kaye's Music Scene Yamaha CX5M Personal Computer Retailer Trans Datacorp Floppy Drive repair JDR Microdevices Retailer Mission Peak Systems Strobe Graphic System Plotter Retailer Computer Insights Software Retailer Pixelite Computer Products BriteLine brand computer paper High-Tek Computers Sanyo, Office Supplies, and Zenith Retailer South Bay Software Mouse Pad and Sheet Music Software Developer Cypress Distributing NEC Retailer / Distributor PC Brokers Leading Edge Retailer V.I.P.C. "The Price Connection" Retailer Serviceland Service and Support Sci/Tech Computer Systems (Insert) Software Retailer Hardware Retailer Modem and "Communication System" Retailer Printer Retailer Argonaut Publishing Supplies Retailer ProActive Systems/MT Developers of PC-Write word processor Universal Automated Solutions, Inc. Retailer Deanza College Computer Mart Trade Show Shoreline Software and Computers Retailer SP Computers, Inc. Retailer Computer Applications Retailer -- Leading Edge, AT&T, Data General Electronic Depot Personal Computer Repair Disclone Disk duplicating service Perry-White Associates, Inc. Hiring firm BASIS UNIX Consulting Computrade Company PC Retailer Michael A. Scott Inc. Blank announcement The Wherehouse Software and Supplies Retalier 800-Software Retailer MKM MFG, Inc. Printer silencers/enclosures Paradise Business Forms and Computer Supplies Retailer Memory Chips, Inc. Disk media Retailer V-TEK PC Service Service and Sales G. Leuenberger & Company Yamaha MIDI Retailer Blackship Computer Supply Media Retailer Datamaster Media Retailer Raised Floor Installation, Inc. Computer Room Flooring Installer/Retailer MPM Inc. Office Furniture Retailer American Business Computer CommandWriter Word Processor Retailer Advance Computer Systems Retailer