TCI seeks variety in software and suppliers for TV boxes

Article Abstract:

TCI Chmn John C. Malone's strategy of preventing Microsoft from dominating the software for the interactive TCI cable network represents a risky gamble. The cable TV company announced that it will use Sun Microsystems's Java, as well as a consumer version of the Microsoft Windows OS, in its set-top boxes. Malone is seeking a model that distributes tasks among numerous different vendors. Industry executives recall the PC industry of 1981, when IBM initially presented PC consumers with three OSes. Microsoft' MS-DOS, the least expensive product, beat out Digital Research's CP/M and UCSD Pascal to become a standard. TCI leads US cable providers with boxes in 12 million of its 65 million cable-equipped homes. Java provides programming versatility and security design. A drawback is memory, as Malone said the Java alternative will require additional memory chips to the set-top boxes. The additional price could place Sun in the same position that CP/M and UCSD Pascal faced, according to industry executives.

Systems Software Pkgs (Micro), Cable Television Systems, Cable Networks, Radio & TV communications equipment, Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing, Cable and other pay TV services, CATV Addressable Converters, Planning, Operating system, Operating systems (Software), Internet services, Operating systems, Cable television broadcasting industry, Cable television, Contract agreement, MSFT, Operating system enhancements, Set-top boxes (Television), Cable television/data services, Java (Programming language), Company business planning, Java (Computer program language), Set-top internet box, AT&T Broadband and Internet Services Inc., Java, TCOMA

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Microsoft and M.I.T. to develop technologies

Article Abstract:

Microsoft Corp. and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are to announce a partnership to develop educational technologies. Microsoft will initially invest $25 million over five years in the alliance, making it the largest deal that the software maker has madewith any university to date. The collaboration will be known as I-Campus. The investment will be used for projects covering a range of areas from new models for academic publishing to online learning. While the project is being welcomed by many for focusing attention on the field of instructional technology at a time when the Internet is having major effects on higher education, some academics wonder if it is in the best interests of the higher-education community for one major corporation and one leading university to be working to develop these technologies on their own.

United States, Computer Software, Alliances, partnerships, Software, Product development, Educational software, Industrial research, Electronic publishing, Educational/training software, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cooperative agreement for product development, Alliances and partnerships, Cooperative industrial research, Cooperative research

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