Microsoft(R) WinNews Electronic Newsletter Vol. 2, #5, April 14, 1995 *********************************************************** As many of you know, the Windows 95 Preview Program (WPP) has been a big success, selling out in many places, and close to selling out everywhere else. Some of the sites have started to receive their kits, and all the kits should be received by the middle of May. 400,000 sites will be evaluating how upgrading to Windows 95 will affect them. This issue has a wide variety of topics: 1. "WANG AND MICROSOFT FORM WORLDWIDE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE" This week the two companies announced that future versions of Windows 95 and Windows NT will contain Wang document imaging and workflow management technology. 2. "The Windows 95 World Tour" Coming to a city near you... This will provide information on the World Tour which offers live demonstrations of the exciting features of Windows 95. You will get the chance to see the enthusiasm that will start to be generating leading up to the launch. 3. "Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 95 Beta Resource Kit" Many people asked if Resource Kits would be available. This article provides information on the kits, as well as lets everyone know about the final Win 95 release Resource Kit. 4. "Software Piracy: The World At A Glance" discusses the important issues surrounding this global problem. It also describes the new Business Software Alliance (BSA) which is the joint efforts of leading software firms to combat piracy. 5. "Personal Training Systems announces a tutorial for the Windows(R) 95 Preview Program" provides information from Personal Training systems on obtaining a CD or video tape on training on the WPP. 6. "Microsoft U.S. Events and Seminars" provides a phone number on how to get more information on upcoming seminars and events in the U.S. 7. "New Windows 95 resources available on the WinNews forum" gives information about WUGNET, the on-line Windows advocacy group that provides information on Windows 95 questions on CompuServe. 8. New postings to the various on-line services are listed. You can now look for WinNews to be published on the 1st and 15th of each month. We may also send an occasional special issue for hot breaking news - such as we did with the announcement of orders starting to be taken for Windows 95 Preview Program last month. You may have noticed a my name on the last couple of WinNews issues. Alec Saunders had the vision to start WinNews as a place to provide meaningful information. His work made it possible for over 100,000 people worldwide to receive this publication, and I will try to carry on his work of providing up-to-the-minute information with the same sense of humor and humility. I would like to thank to all the early recipients and Beta testers who have written to me or others at Microsoft to express your support for Windows 95 and Microsoft in general. Those letters mean a lot to us, and we certainly appreciate them. Also, a word of explanation. Some readers report receiving multiple copies of the same issue. Apparently list servers cannot be coded to match all recipients. Usually the problem has to do with all the users in the same service. If you experience this problem, please let us know what you are receiving so we can try to adjust the list server. Thanks for reading so far. The next few months should have a lot of Windows activity. Jay Goldstein WinNews Editor ******************************************************** SUBSCRIPTIONS If you know someone who might be interested in WinNews, send mail to: enews@microsoft.nwnet.com with the text SUBSCRIBE WINNEWS. You may also feel free to forward this document, provided you forward it in it's entirety, as per the copyright notice below. If you wish to stop receiving WinNews, send mail to enews@microsoft.nwnet.com with the text UNSUBSCRIBE WINNEWS in the body of your message. ********************************************************** 1. WANG AND MICROSOFT FORM WORLDWIDE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE LOWELL, MA/REDMOND, WA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 12, 1995-- Microsoft Corporation and Wang Laboratories today announced a broad, multi-year technical, service and marketing alliance designed to bring improved document imaging and workflow management capabilities to all Windows users. Under the alliance, Wang's desktop imaging and object controls will be incorporated as standard features in future releases of Windows 95 and Windows NT, and image controls will be included in the Visual Basic development tool. Additionally, the two companies will work together to accelerate the deployment of workflow automation software as a mainstream application for client-server computing. Microsoft and Wang will cooperate in the definition of work management APIs (application programming interfaces) to enable applications to use workflow functions. These APIs will be open and available to all vendors and will be supported by both Microsoft Exchange and Wang's OPEN/workflow. Wang will also develop Windows NT versions of its imaging and workflow server products, which will be marketed and sold by Wang, to complement Microsoft's BackOffice suite of Windows NT server applications. These actions should enhance the choice of high quality server applications available for Windows NT customers. Microsoft has also designated Wang as its preferred vendor of imaging and workflow software. The two companies will participate in joint marketing activities to promote the sale of Wang imaging and workflow products on Microsoft platforms. Wang's imaging technology enables images of scanned documents, including text and graphics, to be embedded in Windows applications such as e-mail, word processing and databases. Wang's structured workflow technology manages the routing and delivery of this data and documents. "After extensive analysis, we concluded that Wang has great technology for document imaging and structured workflow management," said Mike Maples, executive vice president, products for Microsoft. "Through our partnership with Wang, we will be able to make these technologies available for all our Windows customers, enabling a real change in the way people work and communicate. Wang shares our commitment to delivering leading technology and comprehensive service and support to our customers." Joseph M. Tucci, chairman and chief executive officer of Wang, said, "This alliance will have a dramatic impact on the acceptance of workflow and imaging technology. Our partnership will bring Wang's leading imaging software to millions of people. With Microsoft, we will make document imaging a pervasive and inexpensive mainstream application and accelerate the deployment of workflow as a widely used business productivity tool." Wang's technology will not be included in the first release of Windows 95, but will be included when the underlying desktop imaging and object control technology is finalized. At that time, these technologies will be made available electronically to customers who receive the initial release of Windows 95. 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. Wang Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: WANG) is a recognized worldwide leader in Workflow, Integrated Imaging, Document Management and related Office Software for client/server open systems and a major worldwide provider of integration and support services for office software and networks. THE ABOVE MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND SHOULD NOT BE REPRODUCED OR DISTRIBUTED OUTSIDE OF MICROSOFT. ********************************************************** 2. The Windows 95 World Tour: "The Sky's the Limit" Beginning May 8, this 23 city tour will feature an exciting preview of Windows 95. Demonstrations will show the major new features in Windows 95, including the new user interface, performance and ease-of-use enhancements, Plug and Play, and dial-up networking. You'll learn the differences between Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 and have the chance to see some of the 32-bit applications that are being developed to run on Windows 95. This 2 hour event will be filled with demos and video presentation. There will also be drawings for prizes including a computer system from the sponsoring hardware manufacturer loaded with a pre-release version of Windows 95. Please call 1-800-685-0951 for more details and to indicate your interest in attending. Space for the event is limited. The following table contains a list dates and time for the event nearest you. Also listed is the OEM sponsor for each city. DATE TIME CITY OEM SPONSOR 8-May 7:30pm Minneapolis NEC 10-May 7:30pm Louisville Compaq 15-May 7:30pm New York Compaq 16-May 7:30pm Boston NEC 18-May 7:30pm D.C. NEC 22-May 8:00pm Dallas Compaq 23-May 7:30pm Houston Compaq 31-May 7:30pm Columbus Compaq 1-Jun 7:30pm Detroit Compaq 4-Jun 7:30pm Seattle Compaq 5-Jun 7:30pm Toronto Compaq 13-Jun 7:30pm Sacramento NEC 15-Jun 7:30pm San Diego NEC 19-Jun 7:30pm Orange County Compaq 22-Jun 7:30pm Chicago NEC 26-Jun 7:30pm Vancouver NEC 29-Jun 7:30pm Pasadena Compaq 10-Jul 7:30pm Oklahoma City NEC 11-Jul 7:30pm St. Louis Compaq 12-Jul 7:30pm Atlanta NEC 17-Jul 7:30pm Philadelphia NEC 19-Jul 7:30pm San Francisco NEC 24-Jul 7:30pm San Antonio Compaq ********************************************************* 3. Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 95 Beta Resource Kit Microsoft Press Publishes M8 (Beta 3) Version of the Windows 95 Resource Kit for Windows Preview Program and MS TV Windows 95 Traincast REDMOND, WA _ April 11, 1995 _ Microsoft Corporation today announced the availability of a beta version of the MICROSOFT(R) WINDOWS(R) 95 RESOURCE KIT. This version has been specially prepared to provide support, configuration, and installation information for the Windows 95 Preview Program and to provide documentation for the popular Windows 95 Traincast series on Microsoft TV. The MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95 BETA RESOURCE KIT is available now in limited quantities from Microsoft Press, the book publishing division of Microsoft. A Special Edition of the Microsoft Windows 95 Resource Kit "Frozen" for M8 The MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95 BETA RESOURCE KIT offers more than 1300 pages of easily accessed information. Designed for MIS/IS professionals, system administrators, and support professionals installing the Windows 95 Preview Program, the kit includes extensive, exclusive information for installing, supporting, and configuring the M8 beta (Beta 3) as well as currently known troubleshooting tips and strategies. It will also serve as an extensive reference for viewers of Microsoft TV Windows 95 Traincast. Sections include: - Corporate Planning Guide - Provides network administrators and systems-support professionals with comprehensive information on installing and deploying Windows 95 in a large organization. - Installation - Includes technical details for installing Windows 95 on multiple computers, with information on creating custom installations and installing Windows 95 from setup scripts. - Networking - Presents information on installing and configuring Windows 95 on various network environments. This section also includes information on configuring network adapters and protocols and configuring peer resource sharing services. - System Management - Provides information about the system management features provided with Windows 95, including remote administration. It also contains information on enabling user profiles, setting system policies, and monitoring and changing parameters affecting Windows 95 performance. - System Configuration - Presents information for device support and configuration, application support, and printing. - Communications - Provides details about the built-in communications features in Windows 95, including information on modems, mobile computing, electronic mail, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Fax, the Microsoft Network, and Internet access. - Windows 95 Reference - Provides technical details about the Windows 95 architecture and the Registry. This section also includes a general troubleshooting guide. Appendices include a summary of commands and provide supporting details for creating custom setup scripts, configuring the network, using shortcut and accessibility features, and finding more information about Microsoft resources supporting Windows 95 users and software developers. A glossary is also included. Final Windows 95 Resource Kit Shipping in August with Windows 95 The full retail version of the MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95 RESOURCE KIT, scheduled to be published in August 1995, will be substantially different from the version prepared for M8. First and foremost, it will be completely revised to reflect the final retail release of Microsoft Windows 95. It will also contain: - Additional technical material on troubleshooting and customizing Setup that results from changes to the customization tools. - Technical details required for connectivity to mainframes and for successfully installing and configuring Windows 95 on networks other than a Windows NT-based network. - Performance tuning details, especially for networking and the file system. - Technical information about changes to system policies planned for Windows 95 after beta. - Troubleshooting and configuration details for devices such as disk drivers, display adapters, PCMCIA cards, and modems. - Technical information about Microsoft support for administrative software that will not be included with Windows 95 and will not be documented in other resources. The final version will also include three 3.5-inch disks that contain network and support utilities, accessory software, and an online version of the resource kit. Pricing and Availability The MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95 BETA RESOURCE KIT is available directly from Microsoft Press for $19.95 at 1-800-MSPRESS (1-800-677-7377) or through the Microsoft Press book store on CompuServe (GO MSP). Purchase of the beta resource kit does not entitle the purchaser to additional discounts on the final retail version. The final retail version of the MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95 RESOURCE KIT will be available wherever books and software are sold. Price will be announced upon availability. NOTE: This beta edition of the MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95 RESOURCE KIT is compiled for use with the Windows 95 Preview Program beta and as a reference for Microsoft TV Windows 95 Traincast. When updated for the general release of Windows 95, the final published edition will change substantially. Please do not quote directly from the MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95 BETA RESOURCE KIT or review for publication until verified with the final edition. Microsoft, Microsoft Press, and Windows are registered trademarks and Windows NT is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServe, Inc. ********************************************************* 4. Software Piracy: The World At A Glance In 1994 worldwide illegal copying of software cost the software industry more than $15 billion, with a loss of $2.8 billion in the U.S. alone. Approximately 35% of all business software in use in the U.S. today was obtained illegally. Piracy harms everyone. Software piracy -or theft- means higher costs and reduced levels of support for end-users. Software piracy also stifles innovation and hampers the continued growth of the industry. If a company chooses to use pirated software, that company and its employees could face substantial fines and possible prison sentences. In the U.S. alone, violators could face up to $250,000 in fines, a prison sentence of up to five years, or both for copyright violations. Unfortunately, software piracy is not just limited to the U.S. Piracy continues to plague many countries around the world. For instance, in the Peoples Republic of China the piracy rate in 1994 was an alarming 98%, up 4% from the previous year. Indonesia faces an even greater problem with an estimated piracy rate of 99%. High piracy rates indicate inadequate protection of intellectual property by the governments and an inadequate appreciation for the value of software by the country at large. There are many reasons for high piracy rates, including weak copyright laws that provide inadequate penalties for copyright infringement, or inadequate or overburdened legal systems unaware of the benefits of original software use. In an effort to increase the legitimate market for software and discourage abuse of copyrights around the world, several of the leading business software companies have united forces under the umbrella of the Business Software Alliance (BSA). BSA worldwide members include Autodesk, Inc., Bentley Systems, Inc., Intergraph Corporation, Lotus Development Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Novell and the Wordperfect Applications Group, and The Santa Cruz Operation. BSA promotes the continued growth of the software industry through its public policy, enforcement and education programs in the U.S. and in more than 60 other countries throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. For information from BSA: Australia 008.021.143 Belgium 32.2.267.1400 Brazil 0800.11.00.39 Canada 800.263.9700 Chile 2.242.8684 Czech Republic 42.2.242.23193 Denmark 45.33.14.33.33 Finland Inside Finland 90.644.141 or Outside Finland 358.0.644.141 France 33.1.43.33.9595 Germany 49.69.173.977 Hong Kong 852.865.3318 Hungary 36.1.212.1154 India 011.611.4971 Italy 39.2.5501.0413 Japan 813-3400-7050, Fax: 813-3400-8558 Korea 0800.022.3975 Malaysia 800.3875 toll free, 603.298.5144 Mexico 52.5.237.1101 Netherlands 31.20.691.5529 New Zealand 800.101.800 toll free, 649.373.2180 Norway 47.22.556.010 Philippines 632.817.3016.20 Portugal 351.1.794.0506 Singapore 65.226.0196 South Africa 0800.110.447 Spain 900.211.048 Sweden 46.8.677.5475 Switzerland 41.1.261.8465 Taiwan 02.757.6638 United Kingdom 44.628.660.377 Euro-Net 44.71.491.1974 ********************************************************** 5. PERSONAL TRAINING SYSTEMS ANNOUNCES A TUTORIAL FOR THE WINDOWS(R) 95 PREVIEW PROGRAM MENLO PARK, CA April 10, 1995 Personal Training Systems, a leading developer of self-paced interactive software training tutorials, announced the availability of its tutorial specifically designed for Microsoft's Windows(R) 95 Preview Program (WPP). The tutorial for Windows 95 is based on Personal Training Systems unique interactive training method. A coupon for the Personal Training Systems tutorial is included in the WPP box. The tutorial is designed to help corporate evaluators get up and running quickly and easily with Windows 95. "Personal Training Systems is delighted to be able to offer a coupon for the tutorial for the WPP. We look forward to offering a tutorial for the final release of Windows 95" said Ronald Conway, President and CEO of Personal Training Systems. The tutorials are available on CD or a video cassette. For more information, contact Personal Training Systems in the U.S. and Canada at 1-800-832-2499 (elsewhere call U.S. at 01-415-462-2100) or e-mail: PTSSALES@PTST.COM. ********************************************************** 6. "Microsoft Local Events and Seminars" Microsoft sales offices throughout the U.S. will be offering a variety of seminars starting in June. If you are interested to find out about local events and seminars sponsored by Microsoft in your area, you may call our sales fax system at 1-800-727-3351 to obtain a faxed listing for your locale" ********************************************************** 7. "New Windows 95 resources available on the WinNews forum" If you haven’t visited the WinNews forum on CompuServe lately, then you have not seen several improvements that will make getting information about Windows 95 easier than ever. The Windows User Group Network (WUGNET) is now staffing the WinNews forum. New messaging and library sections offer you the latest information on Windows 95, and provide you with a great resource for your Windows 95 questions. WUGNET has been endorsed by Microsoft as an independent advocacy organization for Windows 95. WUGNET advisors have years of experience with Windows products, and are already Windows 95 experts. If you haven’t already done so, now is a great time to see what’s new and hot with the WinNews forum! WUGNET is the independent user advocacy organization established and working with vendors and users since 1989. WUGNET operates the WINUSER forum (go "WINUSER"), as well as special interest forums, including: networking and communications (go "WINCON"), business software go "WINBIZ"), utilities (go "WINUTIL"). To learn more about WUGNET: Email: 76702.1356@compuserve.com CompuServe: type “go WUGNET” Phone: 1-800-WINUSER (United States), 1-610-565-1861 (international). Hours are 9:00-6:00 EST, Monday through Friday. Fax: (610) 565-7106 ********************************************************** 8. The following documents were added since the past WinNews was sent. W95UPD.ZIP - A press release which discusses that Windows 95 is entering the final test phase on target for the August release. BETRES.ZIP Press release discussing beta users reaction to Windows 95 IW0328.ZIP The response (printed in the 3/31 WinNews) to the concerns raised by an article by InfoWorld W95BUS.ZIP Is an analytical tool to provide business evaluators which information to see why upgrading to Windows 95 would be valuable. W95NET.ZIP A white paper giving insight to networking for Windows 95 and netware PNPCAT.ZIP Discusses indutry momentum for Plug-n-Play features along with a Microsoft Plug-n-Play catalog and WinHec PR. MKTOPP.ZIP Logistics for the Windows 95 Logo Program V2N3.TXT WinNews Vol. 2 #3 from March 21, 1995 V2N4.TXT WinNews Vol. 2 #4 from March 30, 1995 ************************************************************ This document is provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to change in market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM INFRINGEMENT. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. This document may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1) All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included; 2) All copies must contain Microsoft's copyright notice and any other notices provided therein; and 3) This document may not be distributed for profit. Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.