The WAVE Report
Issue #932--12/10/98

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***Visio Announces Licensing of IntelliCAD 98 to CAD Developers (December 9)

Visio Corp. announced that it has recently entered into OEM licensing agreements with four independent CAD developers for the incorporation of IntelliCAD 98 into those vendors' products. The developers
· C&G Software Systems Inc.,
· Eagle Point Software Inc.,
· Hitachi Software Global Technology Ltd., and
· Ketiv Technologies Inc.

have licensed IntelliCAD 98 to serve as the graphical platform upon which they have built specialized CAD applications for the geographic information systems (GIS), civil engineering, and architecture-engineering-construction (AEC) industries.

The OEM agreements give the four developers the right to distribute the entire IntelliCAD application as a component of their vertical market CAD solutions. Unlike the licensing stipulations that many CAD vendors impose on their OEM offerings, this arrangement permits the developers to fully expose the entire functionality of IntelliCAD and does not restrict in any way what IntelliCAD features the CAD developer can provide to the user. Other terms of the licensing arrangements were not disclosed.

http://www.visio.com/intellicad/
http://www.visio.com/intellicad/partnering/

***E-Planet Goes for Mass Market Vision Applications (December 7)

E-Planet announced its entry into the consumer entertainment software and networked toy market, with vision technologies designed to enhance interaction with computers. An outgrowth of Interval Research - a leading Silicon Valley R&D center founded by Paul Allen and David Liddle, E-Planet is a technology company that seeks to commercialze vision technologies.

E-Planet is developing products that enable people to interact with computers in new and visceral ways, providing consumers as young as 3 years of age with immersive computer-based experiences. Vision technologies of the kind being created by E-Planet will eventually supplement existing input devices, such as keyboards, mice and joysticks, making it natural for people to communicate with their computing devices. E-Planet's vision-based products use digital video cameras to let home computers see into the real world, make sense of what they see and act accordingly. Consumers will be able to manipulate their on-screen worlds by moving their bodies naturally, just as they do in the real world. The company has numerous patents pending for its vision technologies, as well as for technological advancements in graphics and computer interaction. In addition, the company is working to create new genres of interactive entertainment and content that showcases its technology for sales to partners in the interactive entertainment and toy markets.

http://www.e-planet.com

***DigArts Software Releases of Jungle Bundle 3D for Painter and Painter 3D (December 7)

DigArts Software has released a new CD of foliage texture mapping tools today. The new image hose nozzles and texture brushes are designed to address the specific needs of 3D artists who commonly require precisely masked images of trees and foliage for use as 2D texture maps.

Jungle Bundle 3D is for someone working with terrain modelers. Not only do the nozzles create believable foliage, they make complex texture maps easy to accomplish. The assorted nozzle libraries paint a precise, antialiased, alpha channel mask as the image is created.

The CD contains over 300 new foliage-mapping nozzles. Nearly 600 "shadowless" nozzles derived from the original Garden Hose 1.5 & 2.2 are included as well. These mastering nozzles are provided to users to make their own custom foliage maps when needed. The new branch nozzles and trunk layers give artists the added ability to paint an almost unlimited variety of detailed tree structures. The new bark brushes let artists paint textured tree barks with grain that actually follows the direction of a trunk or limb. Using Painter 3D, these textures can be applied directly to 3D models. The shadow brushes can paint soft edged gel cookies to cast lifelike foliage shadows or other unique lighting effects.

Regularly $149.95, Jungle Bundle 3D is available through Dec. 31, 1998 for only $69.95. To order, call DigArts Software at 800/360-0864. For more information or to download sample texture maps, visit DigArts Software at
http://www.gardenhose.com

Jungle Bundle 3D requires Painter 3 or later or Painter 3D (Macintosh or Windows) and is available through DigArts Software, Publisher's Toolbox, or Publishing Perfection.

***AVANT! Proposes Physical Model And Equation Interface As Industry Standard (November 7)

Avant! announced the Physical Model and Equation Interface (PMEI) initiative. Intended as an open industry standard, PMEI will accelerate deployment of new semiconductor process models and enable their open exchange between university research facilities and commercial semiconductor companies. Process modeling, or TCAD as it is commonly known, is one of the technologies supporting the design of computers, telecommunications and other electronic systems.

Avant! has already begun shipping commercial versions of its popular Taurus TCAD software that comply with the new PMEI standard. Normally universities, in partnership with industry, perform research on newly developed semiconductor processes that are used for faster and more complex electronic designs. The result of the research is a characterization of the new semiconductor process that is used by all design engineers. In the past, each characterization or model used its own format and as a result commercial semiconductor vendors had to convert and requalify models before they could be used. PMEI provides a standard for model development, accelerating technology transfer of university research work to semiconductor companies and enabling universities to share process research. In addition to opening the PMEI standard, Avant! is also creating the PMEI University Program under which participating universities will develop process and device simulation models and then distribute them to industry using PMEI. The universities initially participating include Stanford University, University of Texas at Austin, M.I.T., University of Florida, Purdue University, Boston University, Duke University, North Carolina State University, and University of Glasgow (Scotland).

Several leading IC companies in the United States, Japan, and Europe purchased and received the first production release of Taurus-Process and Taurus-Device, along with Taurus PMEI earlier in the fourth quarter of 1998. Taurus, an advanced TCAD simulation platform, also features automatic 1D, 2D, and 3D meshing algorithms and multi-dimensional process and device simulation capability. Using state-of-the-art software architecture and design, Taurus PMEI allows innovative model development and modification of existing model equations with a set of mathematical operators. Newly developed models can be dynamically linked with the existing model library, which essentially eliminates any run-time penalty.

http://www.avanticorp.com.

***High-Tech Leaders to FCC: Don't Adopt Any New Broadband Regulations (December 9)

A collection of high-tech companies including hardware and software companies; start-up broadband companies; and venture capitalists sent a letter today to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging it not to adopt any new broadband regulations. This collective effort by some of the largest and most established high-tech leaders was initiated to reinforce to the FCC, which is currently evaluating several different actions, that their decision will impact the speed and ubiquity of the deployment of broadband.

A copy of the letter follows.The following letter was written to William E. Kennard, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission:

We are writing to you regarding the Commission's important effort to encourage the deployment of broadband networks.

While we are involved in many different types of businesses, we all share a strong interest in making sure high speed broadband networks are built out as quickly and widely as possible. All our businesses will benefit from the deployment of these networks. Just as important, such deployment would catalyze numerous social benefits in education, health care and other public services.

We know the Commission is currently evaluating several different actions that will affect the speed and ubiquity of the deployment of broadband networks. In light of those proceedings we would like to offer two observations.

1. The Marketplace is Building Multiple Competitive Broadband Networks, but Needs to Move Faster.

Over the last several years a broad array of providers has invested billions of dollars to create new broadband networks. We are just beginning to see the fruits of that effort, as incumbent and competitive telephone companies, long distance carriers, cable companies, wireless providers, satellite companies, and utilities are now beginning to offer broadband services.

The Commission can rightly take pride in its limited but important role in these developments. For example, it was Commission action that led directly to the creation of new billion dollar companies such as WinStar and Teligent. Similarly, the Commission recently took action to enable wireless cable companies to provide high-speed data transmission.

Significantly, the government action in these instances was limited to making spectrum available to these parties. The Commission then wisely stepped back and let the companies figure out the best way to offer services to the public.

This hands-off approach is right and is beginning to work, but we need to move faster. The emergence of these broadband networks, and the plans for more, should give the Commission comfort that marketplace forces will bring the public the benefits of vibrant competition envisioned by the authors of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Commission should ensure that the new multiple broadband networks are not shackled by burdensome new regulations.

2. The Government Should Avoid Actions That Will Dampen the Willingness of Financial Markets to Finance the Construction of Broadband Facilities.

It is a simple but undeniable reality that new and unnecessary regulations will diminish the willingness of capital markets to finance the construction of new broadband networks.

This is true for a number of reasons. As a threshold matter, such investments are very risky and lack any guaranteed return. Government regulation would actually limit the return on investment, and cause investors to be less willing to risk the billions of dollars necessary to build out the networks. Government intervention is particularly misplaced in the case of new broadband networks deployed by entities that lack the market position of the traditional telephone companies. Not only is broadband investment in its infancy, there is plenty of competition from existing networks and there will be plenty of competition from emerging networks. Further, the uncertainty created by even potential government regulation increases the cost of capital for new networks.

We share the Commission's view that the public interest will be best served by the deployment of multiple broadband networks as widely as possible. But that goal will only be realized if the Commission maintains a "hands off" approach that trusts markets to determine how the emerging broadband networks will be built and utilized.

This letter was signed by:
Leslie L. Vadasz
Senior Vice President
Intel Corp.

John T. Chambers
President and CEO
Cisco Systems

Dr. Eric Schmidt
Chairman and CEO
Novell, Inc.

Eckhard Pfeiffer
President and CEO
Compaq Computer Corporation

Peter D. Fenner
President and CEO
COM21, Inc.

Christopher G. Caine
Vice President, Governmental Programs
IBM Corporation

C. Richard Kramlich
Partner
New Enterprise Associates

John Doerr
Partner
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

Roger McNamee
Partner
Integral Capital Partners

Jim Breyer
Partner
Accel Partners

Gary Griffiths
CEO
SegaSoft Networks, Inc.

Ric Fulop
President
Arepa Inc.

Kevin Bermeister
President
Brilliant Digital Entertainment

cc: Hon. Susan Ness
Hon. Harold Furchtgott-Roth
Hon. Michael Powell
Hon. Gloria Tristani

***Virtus Introduces OpenSpace3D, An Interactive 3D Development Architecture (December 9)

Virtus Corporation unveiled OpenSpace3D. This interactive 3D development architecture makes creating and integrating 3D media into business and entertainment applications easier. OpenSpace3D's component-based architecture brings drag-and-drop simplicity to the development of sales, marketing, training and e-commerce applications.

The benefits of OpenSpace3D include:
· Scalability and extensibility. Because of the component-based architecture, individual components can inter-operate and be reused in other applications with no additional programming.
· An open environment. All components plug into a standard container. The container can be integrated into external systems, allowing for a tight integration of functionality between OpenSpace3D and products such as Visual Basic™, and Macromedia Director™.
· High quality, real-time rendering. Rendering produces high quality output using standard desktop and laptop PCs.
· Ease of use. Since components are smaller and easier to create than monolithic applications, programming tasks are minimized.
· Cost effectiveness. OpenSpace3D runs on desktop and laptop systems, not costly high-end workstations. The reusability of components ensures that leverage exists across multiple projects, which results in shorter, more accurate development cycles.

Virtus will release a variety of products based on OpenSpace3D during 1999, the first of which being OpenSpace 3D for Macromedia Director. n addition, Virtus will be delivering a number of custom corporate applications beginning in January.

http://www.virtus.com/

***Virtus Introduces OpenSpace3D For Director And Shockwave (December 9)

Virtus Corporation announced OpenSpace3D for Director a interactive 3D authoring environment that allows multimedia developers to develop and easily integrate interactive 3D media into projects created with Macromedia Director.

OpenSpace3D for Director enables Director users to compose an interactive 3D scene that includes lights, video, sound, animations and HTML links. Users can integrate the scene into Director using the OpenSpace3D ActiveX control, then they may use Lingo scripting to build advanced animations and application integration. OpenSpace3D for Director projects can be distributed via CD, DVD or on the Internet using Macromedia's Shockwave technology.

The main elements of OpenSpace3D for Director are:
· OpenSpace3D Author, the authoring environment with which
Director developers may build interactive 3D scenes.
· OpenSpace3D Content, libraries of textures, geometries, sounds and sample scenes optimized for use in OpenSpace3D projects. This content offering also includes tutorials to familiarize Director users with OpenSpace3D for Director.
· OpenSpace3D Components, the building blocks of OpenSpace
3D scenes, which include basic scene components (such as geometry, light and sound), animation components (such as spin, hinge, slide and roll), and special components (such as avatars, a behavior engine, and a spring mesh for waving surfaces).
· OpenSpace3D ActiveX Control, the scene "player" which integrates spring mesh for waving surfaces with Director to provide API-level control over 3D scenes via Lingo scripting.

Priced at $995.00 per developer, OpenSpace3D for Director will begin shipping in January 1999. OpenSpace3D for Director will support Macromedia Director for Windows, versions 6.5 and 7.0, and Shockwave.

http://www.director-online.com/
http://www.virtus.com/

***Sun Microsystems' Releases Java 3D API
(December 9)

Sun Microsystems announced the availability of its Java 3D application programming interface (API).
An extension to the Java 2 platform the Java 3D API allows developers to incorporate 3D graphics into their applets and applications.

This release of the Java 3D API includes several performance enhancements including geometry decompression, which allows very large 3D models to be rapidly downloaded over the network for remote viewing and manipulation.

The Java 3D API is a standard extension to the Java 2 platform, the latest release of the fundamental tool set for working in the Java programming language which has revolutionized the software development industry.

The Java 3D API is available free worldwide at

http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/3D/

and on the next release of Graphics@Sun TM CD-ROM in early 1999.

http://sun.com/desktop/java3d.

***DisneyQuest to Open in Philadelphia in Summer 2000 (December 9)

Disney Regional Entertainment announced that Philadelphia will be the next home for DisneyQuest, with an opening planned for the summer of 2000. The Philadelphia site will be located in Center City, at Eighth and Market Streets. DisneyQuest Philadelphia will be the anchor to the Pavilion at Market East, a new development featuring family-oriented entertainment, multiplex movie theaters, attractions, retail and dining, being developed by The Goldenberg Group of Blue Bell, PA.

Currently under the banner of Disney Regional Entertainment are:
DisneyQuest; ESPN Zone, a sports-themed dining and entertainment venue in Baltimore's Inner Harbor and coming to Chicago and New York's Times Square in Summer 1999; and Club Disney, family playsites in Southern California and sites coming to the Phoenix and Denver areas in early 1999.

http://www.disneyquest.com.

***SPEC Calls for Participation in Performance Evaluation Workshop (December 9)

The Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC) is seeking attendees and participants for its Workshop on Performance Evaluation with Realistic Applications, to be held on Jan. 25, 1999 at the Hyatt San Jose, near the San Jose airport. The one-day workshop is designed to generate discussion between SPEC membership and the research community. Information from the meeting will be used by SPEC to develop new benchmarks and performance evaluation methodologies.

Participants are invited to present research results that make use of SPEC benchmarks, describe studies with applications that may be used as next-generation benchmarks, discuss issues and solutions in developing new benchmarks, and present novel approaches for evaluating research results. Of particular interest are presentations that discuss these issues in the context of realistic applications that have a broad user base. In addition to presenters, others interested in performance evaluation are invited to attend the workshop.

Those who wish to make a presentation must outline their intent to participate in a 100-200 word document and submit it by December 22, 1998 to specworkshop@spec.org.

Attendees not making a presentation must pre-register by January 7, 1999. For more information, contact Liz Zapf, specworkshop@spec.org; tel: 703-331-0180.

***F5 Labs Announced BIG/ip LB, Entry Level Load Balancing Solution (December 2)

F5 Labs, Inc. announced the addition of an entry-level product to its BIG/ip family of intelligent load balancing and high availability solutions. The product, BIG/ip LB, enables smaller businesses to ensure the availability of their web sites and other applications for $9,990 for unlimited Internet servers and network devices. It also allows users to upgrade to more advanced BIG/ip systems without losing their investment in the entry-level product.

The BIG/ip LB is an active device that intelligently allocates Internet and Intranet service requests across a group of network servers to ensure availability of content and QoS for IP services for end users. The products load balances Web, e-mail, news, LDAP, telephony, multimedia, and other IP protocol traffic; database access; and FTP, firewall and cache server traffic.

Features:
*Four load balancing options that allow administrators to route requests to the fastest server connection, the next server in a predetermined sequence, the server with the least number of current connections, or the server that best fits the request according to a system that assigns weights for different factors.
*BIG/config, a browser-based geographical installation/configuration tool that provides point-and-click configuration of all features.
*Full security, including hardened operating system and encryption of all communication between administrator and BIG/ip using the Secure Socket Layer (SSL).
*Bi-directional Network Address Translation capability to simplify network configuration for administrators - includes port mapping options.
*Persistent destination address capabilities to maximize the efficiency of caches by sending requests for the same destination to the same cache.
*Support for all TCP/IP protocols.
The BIG/ip LB will be available in February 1999 and ships as a Pentium II 266MHz rackmount system with 64MB RAM, 2 10/100 UTP Ethernet Interface cards, and full SNMP management capabilities.

http://www.f5.com

***Perceptronics and Skyline Software Work on 3D Terrain Products (December 1)

Perceptronics announced that it will work together with Skyline Software Systems to explore ways to add important new capabilities for multi-person, online planning and collaboration over the Internet to Skyline's Terra terrain visualization products by combining them with Perceptronics' InterGame collaborative 3D framework.

Skyline's Terra program suite creates realistic 3D terrain visualizations by overlaying aerial or satellite imagery on 3D terrain models. The Terra rendering engine creates 3D visualizations in real time on typical PC platforms. The result is affordable real-time terrain visualization at a totally new level, providing close-up views with and long-range views to the horizon, and allowing the viewer to "fly" freely over large terrain areas. Terra also supports a full spectrum of life-like weather effects, and the addition of other 3D objects such as vehicles and buildings, labels, etc.

http://www.skyline.co.il
http://www.perceptronics.com

***Sony's First High-Definition TV Hits the Market (December 1)

The first direct-view, high-definition televisions (HDTVs) from Sony Electronics have reached dealers' shelves. The 34-inch FD Trinitron Wega HDTV (model KW-34HD1) is a 16-by-9 format widescreen high definition set designed, developed and manufactured in the San Diego and Tijuana region. The HDTV sets, utilizing Sony's patented FD Trinitron flat screen picture tube, are able to decode all 18 Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC) formats for DTV, including HD transmissions at 1080I (interlaced) resolution.

The new set is actually an integrated system consisting of a 34-inch monitor, tuner/decoder and integrated stand, sold together for a suggested retail price of $8,999. Sony is shipping its HDTVs in the U.S. on a market-by-market roll-out basis as broadcasters log in digital transmissions in each city. Approximately 28 regional areas will offer consumers digital transmissions by early December.

Although it was specifically designed to receive free over-the-air digital broadcasts when connected to an antenna, Sony's HDTV also features an HD component input designed to accept a variety of other digital sources, including digital cable set-top boxes with HD component out.

To take advantage of the many broadcasting options of the new digital television signal, Sony has also developed two additional proprietary technologies: Digital Reality Creation (DRC) and Multi Image Driver (MID) circuitry.

DRC upconverts standard definition and analog NTSC video signals from a variety of sources-including broadcast TV, cable, videotape, digital satellite systems, DVD players and WebTV™ Internet terminals-to four times their original image resolution, delivering a picture approaching high-definition quality.

MID circuitry enables consumers to simultaneously view images from analog and digital sources, regardless of the digital sources' format with a Twin-View function that can display two sources simultaneously on the same screen by converting both signals to 480p.

http://www.sony.com

***Alternative Talk Shows Come To The Internet (December 1)

'Talk Radio? On the Internet?' This is the reaction of people say when asked if they ever had heard of talk radio on the world wide web. And would they listen? 'It really depends on what they are talking about' one person said. 'If it's engaging, or funny, or just strikes my interest just right, I listen.

Enter, www.worldtalkradio.com a brand new website with a variety of subject matter to tune into. There is a variety of content to see and hear on the site, including Movie reviews, an occasional contest, Voting on a certain subject, and a store that sells computer goods. Most of the visual content is produced in house, and by college students. Multimedia practitioners like to show off their work.

The other talk show is on Native American life, and anything news oriented with in 'Indian Country' is displayed in this area of the site. The show is called 'Native America' and it showcases prominent leaders in the American Indian community.

http://www.worldtalkradio.com

***nVidia and Chumbo.com Alliance Allows End Users to Purchase 3D Online (December 2)

nVidia has announced that they have entered into a deal with Chumbo.com to set up an e-commerce site which will allow nVidia users to review and purchase 3D applications online.

The High I.Q. store will feature best-of-class software, updated each quarter, as well as offer "classics" from the past. This winter's list includes: Motorcross Madness - Microsoft, Sin - Activision, Shogo - Monolith, Motorhead - Gremlin, Myth2 - Bungie, and Half Life - Sierra.

Also featured on the site will be product reviews on all game titles listed on the site provided by PC Gamer, end-user comments/ratings from gamers from all AMD Professional Gamers League Reviews, and hardware manufacturer spotlights for best game experience.

http://www.chumbo.com
http://www.nvidia.com
http://www.nvidia.com1/4highiq

***RHK Forecasts $4.7 Billion Dollar European Market for Cable Data Services (December 1)

Cable data services are forecasted to generate $4.7 billion in new revenue for European cable operators over the next five years, according to a study released by market research firm RHK. The report International Cable Modems: European Market Analysis & Country Profiles, finds the market potential and growth for cable data services is rising due to the 7 million cable modems expected to be deployed in Europe by 2003, valued at over $1.2 billion. Additional revenue from cable data head-end equipment, systems integration and ancillary cable data ISP services such as co-location, hosting, and advertising are also driving this market expansion.

Explored by RHK in this report is the cable infrastructure and market potential for cable modem deployment throughout Europe. RHK provides country-by-country accounts of subscriber penetration, operator revenues, cable services and deployment direction to understand how the cable modem market is developing as a business opportunity with significant revenue potential. In-depth profiles are included for the United Kingdom, Germany, (France released in volume II) Belgium, and the Netherlands. Briefer profiles are included for Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Internet access trends, ISPs, regulatory issues, PC penetration, and competition from telcos and satellite operators are also addressed.

International Cable Modems: European Market Analysis & Country Profiles are the third & fourth volumes in RHK's International Cable Modems series. The series provides extensive research on the cable modem business opportunity, cable data vendors and service providers in North America & Europe; market forecasts of cable modem deployment, operator revenues and expenditures; and the analysis of the market and technology drivers behind this new technology.

http://www.rhk.com

***Intel, Cisco Invest In Bookham

According to EE Times Intel and Cisco Systems have each invested about $10 million for minority stakes in Bookham Technology, a pioneer in the use of silicon for making optical and opto-electronic components.

Intel and Cisco are each believed to have received a little more than 5 percent of Bookham in return for their investments. Bookham has developed a technology called ASOC, an approach analogous to the design and manufacture of electronic ASICs, which can be used to form optical circuits on silicon chips. The company has been manufacturing optical ICs at a purpose-built wafer fab here since May.

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