Tetris game wins big for Nintendo but not for Soviet inventors: they're left out as software falls into Western hands and then into litigation; to Russia, a lesson in markets

Article Abstract:

The Soviet developers of the popular Tetris computer game, now licensed to Nintendo of America, have received little compensation for their work. The USSR had very limited copyright laws for software protection and little experience in this type of international commerce. The programmers gave the game to the Soviet Academy of Sciences Computing Center, which could own and market it. The UK company Andromeda Software acquired a copy of the game and sold some of the rights to it to another software company, even though Andromeda did not own the licensing rights. More legal issues arose when that company sublicensed the game to a US unit of Atari Corp called Tengen Inc. Nintendo of America, meanwhile, obtained a worldwide license to include Tetris in its game system and Tengen lost a lawsuit over the matter. The USSR audited Andromeda's books, claiming the company has delayed paying the royalties due the Computing Center.

International aspects, Economic policy, Copyrights, Computer games, Licensing agreements, Software protection, Copy protection, Patents, Soviet Union, Nintendo of America Inc., Licensing, Patent/Copyright Issue, Legal Issues, Lawsuits, Computer Game, Andromeda Software, Tetris (Action game)

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Hewlett-Packard's Task Broker assigns jobs to computers

Article Abstract:

HP introduces introduces Task Broker, a software program that allows computers in a network to speed up tasks by sending them to each other. If a microcomputer has a big task to complete, Task Broker will determine which machine in the network is free to do the task most quickly, and send the task out to that machine. Task Broker could speed up a network by allowing it to do three times as many tasks twice as fast. The program, which will cost $5,000 for a license covering ten users, works on all HP and Apollo workstations and on Multiflow Computer Inc computers. Task Broker will be available in Jan 1990. HP will introduce versions for Sun Microsystems Inc and DEC machines late in 1990.

Computer networks, Product introduction, Hewlett-Packard Co., HWP, Utility programs, Utilities (Software), Desktop utilities, product announcement, Desktop Utility, Software packages, Multiuser Software, Task Broker (Network management software)

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While computers may ease 1991 redistricting, politicos will still say where to draw the lines

Article Abstract:

Reapportionment of congressional districts has long been done in smoke filled rooms with lots of wheeling and dealing; the wheeling and dealing will still be there in 1990, but sophisticated software is helping party leaders get an edge. In Indiana, for example, both parties use independent consultants and Census Bureau statistics to perform modeling experiments that predict the effect of adding or subtracting a given block of voters. The computer aids in performing what-if scenarios that help politicians restructure their districts to their benefit as population shifts occur. Partisan politics will still be a major component of redistricting in 1990.

Legislative bodies, Political aspects, United States. Congress, Automation, Demography, Activism, Political protest, Indiana, Election districts, Apportionment (Election law), Political Issue

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