Now playing: babes in cyberspace: digital diaper set is next gleam in software industry's eye

Article Abstract:

Preschool children represent a lucrative market for software producers, while educators and child-development experts debate the value of introducing youngsters to computing. Software designed for children ages 5 and under more than doubled its sales in 1997 to $41 million, according to research company PC Data. The children's software comprises four recommended age groups: 18 months to 3 years, 2 to 4, 2 to 5 and 3 to 5. PCs will become as prominent a playroom role as Dr. Seuss or Babar, according to some child development specialists. Stanford University professor Clifford Nass, who specializes in the interaction between people and computers, says children instead should develop their social and tactile skills through more traditional methods. Improved technology, pressured parents and skillful software marketing have helped sales of young children's software to surge from 179,000 units in 1995 to 1.5 million in 1997.

Educational software, Forecasts and trends, Marketing, Industry trend, Technology in education, Social issue, Social conditions, Children's educational software

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In an antitrust suit, a tiny ex-partner is taking aim at Microsoft; Bristol Technology sues over denial of access to software-road map data

Article Abstract:

Bristol Technology Inc. has brought another in a series of antitrust lawsuits against Microsoft Corp. The trial, which gets underway the first week of June in Bridgeport, CT, pits small software company Bristol against Microsoft and legal experts attest the challenge is monumental. Bristol, the developer of translation software Wind/U, says that Microsoft suddenly cut-off its Windows technology access after a three-year cooperative effort with Microsoft. Bristol's software allows programs written for Windows to operate on Unix servers and work stations. Bristol contends that Microsoft used Bristol to gain access to the corporate-computing world and then won corporate customers over to Windows NT with its attendant applications. The case came about because Microsoft re-negotiated its contract with Bristol, limiting access to Windows technology and asking for four times the previous contract price.

United States, Software Publishers, Government regulation (cont), Systems Software Pkgs, Artificial Intelligence Software, Software, Company legal issue, Cases, Microsoft Corp., Antitrust law, Bristol Technology Inc., Bridgeport, Connecticut

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Real Networks hopes new streaming software will open up medium

Article Abstract:

Real Networks is announcing today a streaming software beta version that features a new Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) streaming technology standard. SMIL, a format recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium, is designed to let Web programmers broadcast content integrated from video, audio, text and charts to Internet-connected PCs. By comparison, most current streaming technology transmits radio or television programming, such as a sports event video over the Internet. Industry members hope SMIL will revolutionize streaming-media programming similar to HTML's influence on the Web. Seattle-based Real Networks holds more than an 80% share of the software used in Web pages with streaming media. The company is attempting to establish itself as a portal, which could generate additional revenues and advertising.

Product development, Standard, Standardization, Presentation graphics software, Multimedia systems, Company technology development, Multimedia Technology, Bay Networks Inc., BAY

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