Microsoft's new Macintosh editions of Internet Explorer 4.0 have improved email management and Java support, and the facility to save entire sites to a single file for offline reading. It also supports Cascading Style Sheets (an emerging standard for positioning elements on Web pages), dynamic HTML, and Microsoft's "push" technology Channel Definition Format. It comes in various flavours and sizes, from about four to 17 megabytes - check the downloads area at: http://www.microsoft.com/ie/mac/
Opera Lovers: For Windows users who fancy a Norwegian alternative to Explorer and Navigator, Opera Software (www.operasoftware.com) has just released version 3.0 of its snazzy but slim (1.2-megabyte) Opera Web browser. It now supports JavaScript (but not Java) and some Netscape plug-ins. - info: email Ruth.Gallagher@ucd.ie
Seagate Losses: Seagate, which recently closed its 1,400-job Clonmel factory, reported a substantial second quarter operating loss due to severe pricing pressure and weakening demand for disk drives. Meanwhile Applied Magnetic's factory in Coolock, Dublin, closed on Friday with the loss of 278 employees. Applied Magnetic supplied disk drive makers, including Seagate. In other results last week, Apple's interim CEO Steve Jobs surprised Wall Street by announcing a $45-million quarterly profit.
Unisys Quits: Unisys is to abandon its PC business - it occupied a niche market selling mainly to customers of its mainframe. It will focus instead on server computers, systems and programming services. Meanwhile Hewlett-Packard aims to dominate the low-cost PC sector with its new $799 computer based on Intel's 200 MHz Pentium microprocessor, complete with MMX technology. It doesn't include a monitor. Previously HP's cheapest PC had a $999 price tag, excluding a monitor.
Telemedicine: UCD's new computer-aided learning facilities at its Medical School will be officially opened at Earlsfort Terrace next Thursday. Its Centre for Healthcare Informatics has 100 high-spec Apple Macs linked to the UCD network and with Internet access. The Pathology Department has also replaced almost all its microscope-based teaching with computers.
Raptor Deal: Priority Data Systems is to distribute Raptor network security products in Ireland and Britain. The range includes the Eagle NT Firewall, Eagle Mobile and The Wall. - info: tel 01-284-5600, email info@prioritydata.ie
Webmaster Cert: Arthouse is about to run its fourth 20-week FAS-sponsored course leading to a Certificate in Webmaster Skills. It has an eight-week job placement and covers HTML, Javascript, CGI routines, animation and Shockwave. Send CVs to Moira Gilligan, D'Olier House, Dublin 2, or by email (without attachment) to training@arthouse.ie
In Brief...Amazon.com, one of the big commercial success stories on the Net, was closed by unspecified technical problems on Wednesday during maintenance checks. . . Bull and 3Com are to supply the network for Information Management Resources' European software development HQ in Belfast. . . Yesterday's Sunday Business Post was the first Irish newspaper to include a cover CD-Rom, giving away a Windows version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer and other software. . . Gateway 2000's new Solo 9100 XL notebook is based on a high-speed 266MHz Pentium processor with MMX technology. The built-to-order notebooks retail at £3,399 (ex VAT). . . Credit Suisse First Boston has tipped Esat Telecom as a takeover target in the next six months for BT or WorldCom.Modem Worldlorca.compapp.dcu.ie/fusion2/
Dublin City University's Multimedia Information Retrieval Research group has put Fusion2 online, the latest version of a neat Java-based Web search system. It sends parallel queries to six popular search engines (AltaVista, Excite, InfoSeek, Lycos, OpenText and WebCrawler). Then it combines the results using "data fusion" techniques. But it's not quite for the masses yet - you will need Netscape Communicator 4.04, and a direct Internet connection rather than going through a "firewall". www.clubi.ie/competition/index.html Dublin-based Competition journal now includes the "world's largest list of anti-trust sites", with links to competition law enforcement agencies, telephone and energy regulators, and consultancies and publishers in the competition law field.
users.skynet.be/ibb.europe/ For Irish companies seeking information about EU policies - the IBB (Irish Business Bureau) is the Brussels office of IBEC and the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland.
www.guinness-hopstore.com An elegantly illustrated new site for the popular tourist attraction Guinness Hopstore, with Interactive maps, Guinness histories, painted pictures and 360 views.
www.iia.ie The Irish Internet Association's second Online Survey (running until the end of February) includes a prize of a free weekend for two in Paris.
www.truth.org.za South Africa's Truth & Reconciliation Commission. titanic.eb.com/ Encyclopedia Britannica timeline about the short life of the Titanic ocean liner.
DiaryJanuary 14th: Midas-Net open day about the Internet and multimedia for small businesses. - info: tel 061-202428, http://www.midas.ie
January 15th: Live online chat with Germaine Greer, 1 p.m., http://www.beeb.com January 17th and 21st: "Ireland's forthcoming Internet laws - does the Minister have a clue?" Web-based chat forum next Saturday and the following Wednesday at 1 p.m., at http://bounce.to/hegemony
January 21st: How to identify and find embedded systems which pose Year 2000 risks - presentations by Denis Kelly and William Byrne of Year 2000 Power Generation ESB. Members free, non-members £20 (booking essential). Venue: Centre for Advanced Technology Training, Siemens Nixdorf, Fitzwilliam Court, Leeson Close, Dublin. January 27th: Oracle Irish User Group. Topics will include upgrading to Forms 4.5, performance tuning and updating Oracle applications for Year 2000 compliance. Venue: Stakis Hotel, Dublin. - info: tel 01-7026787, email dsics@iol.ie January 29th: ICL Ireland conference for business people on the use of Information Technology in financial services and implementing new technology for customer relationship marketing. Venue: Westbury Hotel Dublin.
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