Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.tech From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: tech Fri, Jul 31 1992 Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 04:32:20 EDT Message-ID: 07-31 0000 DECISIONLINE: Technology USA TODAY Update July 31-Aug. 2, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network SPACE STATION IN SENATE BUDGET: NASA's plan to build a space station, almost derailed by a rough budget debate in the House, got a good start Thursday on what is likely to be a much smoother ride through the Senate. A budget-writing Senate subcommittee included $2.1 billion for the project in approving a $14.15 billion budget plan for NASA in 1993. The overall budget is $250 million more than the House version. (For more, see special Senate package below.) SHUTTLE READY TO ROCKET: The shuttle Atlantis is ready to carry an international crew and cargo into orbit Friday on an ambitious mission that could lead to new ways of operating in outer space. Liftoff of NASA's 49th shuttle mission is scheduled between 9:56 a.m. and 12:26 p.m. ET from Kennedy Space Center. Air Force meteorologists said Thursday there is a 95% chance the weather will cooperate with launch plans. EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE SELLING: High-achieving baby boomers who want their kids to succeed are creating a boom in educational computer software, according to Advertising Age. "Parents see software for learning as a great way for kids to spend their time," says Megan McKenzie, PR director for Egghead Software. Egghead reports a recent surge in educational computer programs at its 200 stores nationwide. SOFTKEY SIGNS DEAL WITH BIZMART: Softkey Software Products Inc. said Thursday it will sell home office software through BizMart's 90-store office-products chain. Softkey, headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, also said it reached a distribution agreement with a "significant" North American retailer to carry 14 of Softkey's top software programs in 530 stores throughout the U.S. It didn't identify the retailer. CACI INTERNATIONAL BUYS FIRM: CACI International Inc. said Thursday it has completed the acquisition of American Legal Systems Corporation, a firm specializing in computer-based litigation support services to law firms and major corporations in the U.S. Terms of the deal included a $3 million cash payment and cash earn-out program based on profits achieved over a three-year period. IBM, PCC MAKE DEAL: IBM and PacificCorp Capital Inc. have entered into a settlement concerning remanufactured memory. PCC will give notice to customers who received remanufactured memory from PCC, informing them such memory was remanufactured without IBM's approval or consent. IBM will cooperate with PCC's effort to install new memory to replace the remanufactured memory. MONEY MANAGERS LIKE IBM: IBM may not be the steady performer it once was, but don't tell that to money managers. John Akers' computer giant came in seventh among top stock picks in a USA TODAY survey of money managers. Money managers still like the IBM name even though its shares peaked in 1987 and the company reported a huge loss last year. IBM WORKING ON PROBLEMS: IBM is working on its problems - most of which are tied to intense competition in the computer business, especially among personal-computer makers. That's been enough to convince James Fraser of Fraser Management Associates to make IBM one of his firm's largest holdings. The outlook is good for the company for the next two or three years, he says. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON BUDGET: BUDGET MOVES TO FULL COMMITTEE: A NASA budget of $14.5 billion was approved by a Senate subcommittee Thursday. It now goes to the chamber's appropriations committee for approval before heading to the floor for passage in a vote expected within the next two weeks. The Senate-approved bill then must be reconciled with the House version of the NASA budget at a conference between the two chambers. SPACE STATION IS FUNDED: "Our organizing principal was to maintain our commitment to both manned space and space science," said Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., who chairs the subcommittee that drafted the NASA budget in the Senate. "We have renewed our commitment to the space station, as well as space science," she said. The space station would receive $2.1 billion if the Senate version passes. BUDGET SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 1993: Overall, the Senate's 1993 NASA budget would hold the agency slightly below its 1992 spending level of $14.3 billion. Space station Freedom received about $350 million more in the Senate plan than it did in the House's budget. The difference would be enough to keep development of the orbital lab on track for scheduled assembly in 1996 and full-scale operation by century's end. MARS MISSION GETS KILLED: Several NASA programs took big hits, including President Bush's plan to send man back to the moon and on to Mars - a mission killed by both the Senate and House. Similarly, the Senate followed the House's lead in killing funds for developing a new advanced solid rocket motor for the space shuttle. (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