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 Thu, Mar 5 1992 Date: Thu, 5 Mar 92 05:55:52 EST Message-ID: 03-05 0000 DECISIONLINE: Technology USA TODAY Update March 5, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network FBI ISSUES WARNING: FBI Chief William Sessions issued a warning Wednesday on the Michelangelo computer virus. He said the destruction of data in government computers or networks used by financial firms is a federal crime. Sessions urged people with information on the virus to contact an FBI office. Michelangelo is set to strike Friday. It overwrites a personal computer's hard disk memory. 64,390 HAVE BEEN INFECTED: Based on a study of 5,000 computer installations, the Michelangelo virus has infected 64,390 personal computers across the USA running MS-DOS or PC-DOS, USA Reseach of Portland said Wednesday. The Michelangelo infection rate totals 1.5 infected PCs per 1,000 workplace PCs, the firm says. SECOND WILL BE ADDED: The U.S. Naval Observatory says an extra second will be added to clocks at 7:59:59 p.m. EDT June 30. This will be the 17th leap second since 1972, when scientists decided to let atomic clocks run independently of the earth's rotation. The clocks, which use the vibration of atoms to measure time, vary less than the earth's rotation. A second is sometimes added to keep the two in sync. CHENEY VOICES OPPOSITION: Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney warned the House not to cut his department's funding too deeply as debate began Wednesday on the 1993 budget. Cheney argued that even after the dissolution of the Soviet threat, national security requires the force and nuclear deterrent outlined in the budget. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Les Aspin, D-Wis., wants $15 billion cut next year. IBM BOND RATING LOWERED: A leading bond-rating agency downgraded about $18 billion in IBM long-term debt, citing concern about IBM's competitiveness and profitability. Moody's Investor Service lowered IBM's debt two notches from the top Aaa to Aa2. Though the rating is still among the highest, it is considered a psychological blow and could also raise IBM's borrowing costs. IBM BUYS PART OF RED SHARK: IBM Corporation and Red Shark Technology Corporation jointly announced Wednesday that IBM has purchased an equity position in Red Shark. Red Shark is a developer of software for multimedia applications, including the management and use of continuous time data such as video and audio tapes. Details of the transaction were not announced. HERCULES TO LAY OFF 400: About 400 workers will be laid off at Hercules Aerospace in Magna, Utah, this month because of cutbacks in U.S. defense spending, the firm says. Hercules produces propulsion systems that are used for military missiles. The firm has cut 2,000 jobs in the last two years. WATCH WITH PAGER UNVEILED: Watch what's happening in the paging industry. MobileComm and Swiss watchmaker Swatch announced a partnership Wednesday to supply pager watches in the USA. Swatch Chairman Nicolas Hayek and BellSouth Corp. Chairman John Clendenin unveiled the product, called The Piepser, in Atlanta. MobileComm is a BellSouth subsidiary. Previous attempts to maket a pager watch have failed. NET CONNECTS COACHES, ATHLETES: Starting Thursday, high school athletes seeking college scholarships will be able to connect with more than 12,000 Division I, II, III and NAIA college coaches through the Collegiate Athletic Network's computer database service (the cost is $49.95). For information, call 1-800-535-9283. ROACH WINS CONTRACT: The Roach Organization, Inc. says it has been awarded a $935,115 contract from the Tennessee Valley Authority to install PLATO computer-based education systems in five counties in western Tennessee. The systems will provide instruction to at-risk students. It will also be available to adults in need of the basic skills required to obtain and maintain successful employment. OPTELECOM GAINS CONTRACT: Optelecom, Inc. said Wednesday it has been awarded a $218,000 contract with a major oil company to deliver fiber optic high resolution video transmission systems. These systems are for use in trading desk applications. Optelecom says it had a record backlog of $938,000 in orders at the end of February for the Communication Products Division. INTEL ADDS TO PROFIT SHARING: Intel will contribute $76.9 million to its U.S. employees deferred profit sharing program for 1991, the company said Wednesday. When added to the 1991 Employee Cash Bonus Program payout of $45 million, Intel employees received well over $100 million worth of benefits that were in addition to their normal pay and benefits programs. 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