Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.tech From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: tech Fri, Feb 28 1992 Date: Fri, 28 Feb 92 05:50:42 EST Message-ID: 02-28 0000 DECISIONLINE: Technology USA TODAY Update Feb. 28-March 1, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network $15B DEFENSE CUT PROPOSED: The House Democrats' budget proposal unveiled Thursday calls for a $15 billion cut in the defense budget. That is $8 billion more in cuts than called for in President Bush's budget. The money would go to education, health care and jobs programs. Also, senators rejected a proposal to give President Bush line-item veto power to ax federal projects he opposes. IBM REPORT HAS SUBTLE APPROACH: Befitting a company that posted its first-ever yearly loss in 1991, IBM unveiled a low-key annual report to shareholders this week. Gone are the splashy full-color, pull-out sections and upbeat design found in last year's report. Instead, the latest report simply states the facts - as somber as they were for a company that lost $2.8 billion. (For more, see special IBM package below.) ECC LAYS OFF 120: ECC International Corp. said Thursday that it has reduced staffing levels at its Orlando, Fla., Systems Design and Production Center by approximately 120 persons or 14%. ECC said the layoffs were necessary because of defense cutbacks ECC International Corp. designs and makes simulators and related training programs for crew, operator and maintenance training. CADENCE, SONY SIGN DEAL: Cadence Design Systems Inc. says it has signed a three-year agreement with Sony Corp. of Tokyo. Cadence's Consulting Services will help Sony define and implement new, advanced methodologies for the design of integrated circuits, integrating both Sony's internal as well as third-party tools. AT&T BUYS FRENCH FIRM: AT&T said Thursday it has agreed to buy all of the shares of DATAID, a French software and information services company, for about $88 million. The acquisition will be made through a public offer on the Paris Stock Exchange and will be contingent on approval of the Paris Stock Exchange and French regulatory authorities. DATAID had revenues of $125 million in 1991. TOP EXECS DISCUSS OUTAGES: Top telecommunications executives met Thursday to come up with a plan to deal with massive outages. Although an actual plan was not formulated, they did agree on what causes outages. They are power outages and cuts in telephone cables. The group met at the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C. HUGHES GAINS ARMY CONTRACT: A $61 million contract to produce battlefield radars for the U.S. Army has been awarded to Hughes Aircraft Co.'s Ground Systems Group, the firm said Thursday. There is a potential for the award to grow to more than 150 radars worth more than $400 million. The radars will be used for the Army's Forward Area Air Defense System which will protect troops, tanks and other frontline units. FIRMS SPONSOR SCIENCE FAIR: Intel Corp., McDonnell-Douglas, Northern Telecom and the Phillips Petroleum Company will sponsor Grand Awards for Science Service's annual International Science and Engineering Fair, Science Service said Thursday. The event brings together more than 750 top science students from the USA and seven foreign nations. INFOWORLD NAMES PUBLISHER: InfoWorld, a newsweekly for corporate personal computer managers, has appointed Robert M. Metcalfe as publisher and chief executive officer of InfoWorld Publishing Corp. Metcalfe invented Ethernet networking technology and founded of 3Com Corp. InfoWorld is a publication of International Data Group, a Boston-based company with 178 computer-related publications worldwide. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON IBM: REPORT IS OPTIMISTIC: IBM's 56-page shareholders report succinctly addresses many of IBM's problems in 1991 - from worldwide recessions to tough product transitions. It also holds out hope for a better 1992 by extolling the company's revamped product lines that include new offerings in every segment from personal computers to multimillion-dollar mainframes. FULL-EMPLOYMENT PLEDGE ENDS: Highlights of the IBM report include word that after several voluntary programs that will have reduced IBM's work force by 80,000, or 20%, from 1986 to 1992, IBM is beginning to back away from its pledge of full employment. CEO John Akers acknowledged that if further payroll reductions are required, IBM would "reassess full employment and do what is best for IBM." HARDWARE SALES ARE DOWN: Computer hardware sales accounted for 57% of IBM's $64.8 billion in revenues, down from 64% in 1990. Every other segment of IBM's business grew in 1991. Earnings fell in every geographic region during 1991 - highlighted by a $2.4 billion loss in the U.S. Profits in IBM's Europe:Middle East:Africa division - a top performing region in recent years - dropped 58%. (End of package.) Technology Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM