Apple to Offer SoftWindows on Macintosh with PowerPC - 02/1994

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From: [email protected] (Tony Cunningham)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.announce
Subject: Apple to Offer SoftWindows on Macintosh with PowerPC
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Date: 17 Feb 1994 02:00:53 -0600
Organization: Insignia Solutions Ltd.
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Contact         Insignia Solutions Inc.
                Paul Kerr/Nancy Tatum
                (415) 694-7600

                Apple Computer
                Betty Taylor
                (408) 974-3983
                Maureen O'Connell
                (408) 862-6689


	 Apple to Offer SoftWindows on Macintosh with PowerPC

	Software Solution Provides New Macintosh Systems with
		   Windows and MS-DOS Compatibility

Mountain View, Calif--February 9, 1994---Insignia Solutions and Apple
Computer, Inc. announced today that they have reached an agreement for
Apple to include Insignia's new SoftWindows (TM) PC-compatibility solution
on selected configurations of Macintosh (R) with PowerPC (TM), Apple's next
generation personal computers.
Commercial terms of the agreement and pricing were not disclosed.

SoftWindows is software that will let people using a Macintosh system with
PowerPC run MS-DOS (R) and Microsoft Windows (TM) applications on top of
the standard
Macintosh operating system.  Apple plans to offer specific Macintosh with
PowerPC configurations with SoftWindows preinstalled when it debuts the new
RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing)-based computers in the first half of
1994.  This software bundle will be available in the U.S., and other selected
international markets. Insignia also plans to distribute SoftWindows separately
through its existing worldwide distribution channels.


                SoftWindows on Macintosh with PowerPC

SoftWindows will give DOS and Windows users an easy path to the powerful new
Macintosh computing platform--and the promise of hundreds of new applications
now under development that will harness the full benefits of PowerPC
technology.
Depending on system configuration and applications, SoftWindows will provide
Macintosh with PowerPC users with DOS and Windows application performance that
is comparable to the speed of entry-level 386 and 486  personal computers.
SoftWindows provides full MS-DOS and Windows in standard mode, as well as
built-in PC network support for Novell NetWare, LAN Manager, Banyan Vines,
Windows NT Advanced Server and TCP/IP.
SoftWindows is also compatible with the full range of PC devices and systems,
including COM and LPT ports, floppy drives, memory systems, video displays
and CD-ROMs.
To leverage the performance of Window's applications on Macintosh with
PowerPC systems, Insignia's engineering optimized the latest Microsoft
Windows release, Windows 3.1, and wrote features such as the display driver
that maps Windows operations directly to the Macintosh Quickdraw graphics
system.


                                Customer Acceptance

Customers and third party developers who have had access to pre-release systems
say SoftWindows provides a compelling solution to meet the needs of a range of
business and professional users who desire the power of Macintosh with PowerPC
and need access to DOS and Windows applications.


                                About SoftWindows

Through its ongoing strategic alliance with Microsoft, last year Insignia
received source code and a distribution license for the Windows operating
system.  A complete licensed copy of Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS forms an integral
part of SoftWindows, enabling Insignia's products to support all current and
future versions of Windows and Windows applications.  Additionally,  Insignia
is a beta test site  for upcoming Microsoft applications and technologies
such as the new versions of Microsoft Word, Excel and Object Linking and
Embedding (OLE) 2.0.  The close relationship allows Insignia to produce
current and future 100-percent PC compatible solutions.


                SoftPC (R) Support for Macintosh 680X0

Insignia will continue to distribute and improve its SoftPC compatibility
solutions for Macintosh computers based on other Motorola 680X0 processors.
When Macintosh with PowerPC becomes available, Insignia also plans to offer
an inexpensive software upgrade for Insignia customers to SoftWindows.
Insignia has not yet announced the retail or upgrade pricing of SoftWindows.



                About Macintosh with PowerPC-based Systems

Macintosh with PowerPC is based on a new RISC-based microprocessor family
under development by Apple, IBM and Motorola.  The next generation of
Macintosh personal computers will bring a new level of performance and
functionality to personal computing at low prices.  Apple plans to offer
a full line of products, initially from mid-range to high-end systems,
and provide many upgrade paths for current Macintosh customers.



Insignia Solutions Inc. is a leading developer of PC emulation solutions
for Macintosh computers and UNIX workstations.
The company develops, markets and sells products designed to run Microsoft
Windows and MS-DOS applications on Macintosh computers and HP, DEC, IBM,
SGI, NeXT and SPARC workstations.  SoftPC is a software product that
allows Macintosh and UNIX users to run native DOS applications on their
existing software platforms. Insignia also recently announced SoftWindows,
a new product that allows Windows applications to be run on a variety of
UNIX platforms and on Macintosh with PowerPC platforms.  In addition,
the company provides utility products for increasing user productivity
on a variety of computer platforms.  Insignia currently employs 170 people
worldwide.


--
Tony Cunningham, Insignia Solutions Ltd.
([email protected] or [email protected])