"c|net central"
TRANSCRIPT
- EPISODE 22 -

Original air date: 8/26/95


HOSTS: RICHARD HART and GINA ST. JOHN

GINA:  Call anywhere in the world without paying long distance 
phone rates.  And go behind the scenes for the making of a live-
action CD-ROM game.

GINA:  Hi! I'm Gina St.John. Those stories, plus the official launch 
party for Windows 95, all when "c|net central" continues.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

RICHARD:  Welcome to "c|net central." I'm Richard Hart. Well, we 
don't have to tell you about all the excitement and hoopla 
surrounding the release of Windows 95 this week, as it hit the store 
shelves after a long wait. But I guess the biggest excitement took 
place at the official launch party by Microsoft at its headquarters in 
Redmond, Washington--and "c|net central" was there.

[WINDOWS 95 "START ME UP" COMMERCIAL]

RICHARD:  The official release of Windows 95 felt more like an 
Academy Awards night than the launch of a new operating system. 
There was the glib host, in this case Jay Leno, from "The Tonight 
Show."

JAY LENO:  Remember, a good operating system is like a good date--
smart, user-friendly, and under $100!

VOICE-OVER:  There were acceptance speeches and, of course, the 
fans. Microsoft even bought the rights to a Rolling Stones song for the 
theme of Windows 95. 

RICHARD:  Security is so tight that for the main event in the big tent 
I can't even take a snapshot camera in here, much less our video 
camera. In fact, they've got it sealed up so tight you can't even take a 
peak from outside. Microsoft says this is more than just an operating 
system--Windows 95 promises no less than a global computer 
revolution. 

BILL GATES:  Before the end of the year, we will have shipped the 
product in over 30 different languages.  We basically bet our 
company on Microsoft Windows.  And for seven years, it was a 
lonely, lonely crusade.  And today we have over 100 million 
Windows users.

RICHARD:  The system is already being used on a vast majority of 
new computers, but hundreds of major companies across the country 
have decided to upgrade the PCs they own.

BILL GATES:  With Windows 95, we paid special attention to making 
the entire upgrading process simple and painless.

JAY LENO:  Simple and painless?  Kind of sounds like laser 
hemorrhoid surgery, doesn't it?

RICHARD:  In addition, it will soon be tough to find PC software that 
won't be designed with Windows 95 in mind. After the speeches, the 
launch party really got started. Just outside the big top is a kind of 
midway with pavilions where software publishers and hardware 
manufacturers are showing their Windows 95-compatible stuff--500 
media people here to cover it, too. And for the thousand others, it has 
developed into kind of a Woodstock for digital freaks. All in all, it 
was a product release unlike any other. What Gates and Microsoft 
haven't publicized very much are the company's long-term plans. 
There are rumors of network TV takeovers and collaboration deals 
with program producers. On Thursday, they provided a clue.

BILL GATES:  We don't have any ambitions outside the interactive 
world.  Although you may see partnerships over the next few years 
where, in order to cement the partnerships, there are some 
interesting ways that two companies come together and tie their 
fortunes to each other.

RICHARD:  And what does Apple have to say about all of this?

GUY KAWASAKI (APPLE COMPUTER):  I'd say that Windows 95 is a 
very good imitation of Macintosh. I would say Macintosh is the real 
thing, just like Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson, or Levi's 501 jeans.

RICHARD:  And in case you are wondering, the hype isn't over yet.

JAY LENO:  I think that's the problem--they haven't publicized it 
enough!

RICHARD:  Microsoft also unveiled part of its ad campaign, which is a 
music video-looking commercial that will probably get lots of airplay. 
So the Rolling Stones provided Microsoft with a catchy theme, but 
given all the hype you'll soon face, they also may have provided the 
rest of us with a voice for our frustrations.

ROLLING STONES:  You make a grown man cry...

RICHARD:  It'll be some time before all the hype surrounding the new 
Windows dies down, and maybe only then we'll know how satisfied 
all those customers are who bought it. At any rate, you can be sure 
that "c|net central" will stay on top of it and will continue to bring 
you updates on Windows 95. Gina?

GINA:  When "c|net  central" continues, find out how your favorite 
live-action CD-ROM games are made.  And you can make free 
international phone calls using the Internet--we'll show you how.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

GINA:  It's time now for "buy it, try it, or skip it" with none other 
than John C. Dvorak. I cannot believe you are wearing those glasses!

DVORAK:  Does Percy Dove Tonsils come to mind?  You've got to take 
a close look at those CD-ROMs nowadays...

GINA:  And you're going to find out whether they are top-notch or 
trash, like this one. It's "Haight-Ashbury in the Sixties." What do you 
think of this? 

DVORAK:  Well, I have mixed feelings about this particular disc.  
"Haight-Ashbury in the Sixties" is a computer user's flashback trip to 
the decade of flower children, tie-dyed fashion, and groove tunes.  
You can turn on and watch a slideshow rockumentary.  This button 
pops up credit information but no description--a real oversight.  You 
can tune in: this is the reference section, with artwork and articles 
from the "Oracle"--no one read this publication back then, why would 
they read it now?  There are music and video clips like this 
interview with the Grateful Dead.  And finally, drop out, a screwball 
waste-of-time board game.

"Haight-Ashbury in the Sixties" sells for $49.95 and is a hybrid 
PC/Mac disk. I gave it a "Try It." It could have gotten a"Skip It," 
because they left a lot of good stuff out of it, and I think maybe those 
glasses should come with this game. Overall, if you are interested in 
the sixties, or if you are from the sixties and you forgot about them 
for obvious reasons, you might be interested in this CD-ROM.

GINA:  Now, far from Haight-Ashbury, what about this one, it's the 
"Oregon Trail II."

DVORAK:  This is an outstanding CD-ROM, especially for children.  
"Oregon Trail II" let's your kids experience the rugged journey of 
westward expansion.  Before hitting the trail, create a character for 
yourself--name, occupation, hmm...where's "PC columnist"?  Choose 
your traveling partners--OK, Gina you're coming with me.  Here we 
go.  This is Independence, the starting point.  We better buy some 
supplies.  Bacon, biscuits, butter, and candy--sounds like a balanced 
diet to me.  Select a wagon train, and go west young man.  Along the 
way, you encounter situations like river crossings; better make the 
right choice or you might end up with a swamped wagon and lost 
supplies.  Here's a new town--Westport. Let's go check it out and see 
if we get any good advice from the townspeople.  

"Oregon Trail II" sells for $40 and is a hybrid disk--works on both 
the Mac and the PC. This is a definite "Buy It." I think everyone in 
the family is going to enjoy the CD-ROM, the kids especially. Look, 
there's even a $29 video in here, "West Oregon," which will help you 
feel better about the game. The animations could be a little better, 
but even so, this is an outstanding product.

GINA:  Now tell me, did you get to the end of the Oregon Trail?

DVORAK:  No, but my ten-year-old did.

GINA:  Very impressive.

DVORAK:  It's his job.

GINA:  Now, "Johnny Mnemonic"--didn't see the movie, love Keanu 
Reeves; do you think I'm going to like the CD-ROM on this?

DVORAK:  With these things, most of the time we say, "Skip the CD-
ROM, go see the movie." I think you might want to skip both of these.

"Johnny Mnemonic" is a combination game and movie, and you 
assume the role of the main character, Johnny. You explore a 
futuristic world, dangerous of course.  You better fight for your life 
or you'll get killed quickly.  This is a tough CD-ROM to demo, folks; 
there is no noticeable user interface except for the screen in 
letterbox format, like it is right now. It's your turn to take control; 
using keyboard commands, you can cause Johnny to look right, look 
left, move to a location and use any item, like these data goggles. 
What's the matter with Johnny? He's having a flashback. "Johnny 
Mnemonic" sells for $50 and is available on the PC and the Mac.

DVORAK:  This is a definite "Skip It." Skip it--skip it big time.

GINA:  Oh, you are absolutely right. Keanu Reeves isn't even in it; he's 
the only reason they would have made the movie.

DVORAK:  Not only that, but it's got the weirdest interface, and this 
moving thing is just horrible. Recommendation here: if anybody is 
going to buy a movie title, at least buy the actor, too. I mean, at least 
if you had been able to see Keanu, it would have been more 
interesting--although, I probably would have given it a "Skip It" 
anyway.

GINA:  Thanks a lot, John. You are absolutely right, you are the best. 
You'll come back with more titles next week?

DVORAK:  Yep!

GINA:  Thanks a lot. Richard?

RICHARD:  High-priced long distance phone calls might soon go the 
way of the rotary dial telephone, thanks to a new technology called 
"Web phone." It's like an online chat room, but instead of typing 
messages to each other, you simply talk. You can call friends and 
family around the globe, but just make a local phone call and pay 
nothing more than your usual Internet access charge.

MARY EISNER:  Hi, my name is Mary Eisner, and I'm talking to my 
friend Judith Corona, who lives in Melbourne, Australia.

RICHARD:  They are separated by more than 7,000 miles of ocean, 
but through the Internet they can catch up on old friends, share new 
experiences, and keep up with their favorite TV show.

JUDITH CORONA:  If anyone calls during "Melrose," we don't even 
answer the phone...

RICHARD:  The software for the Mac version of the Internet Phone 
was developed by a tiny San Francisco company called Electric Magic. 
From a cramped attic space in the Haight-Ashbury district, the young 
developers of NetPhone have set out to turn the telecommunications 
industry on its ear.

DENISE MYERS (ELECTRIC MAGIC):  The fundamental change that's 
going to happen is that long distance charges are going to become a 
thing of the past.

RICHARD:  Here is how the magic works...today, when you are making 
a conventional phone call, you are paying for a dedicated, direct 
connection between your phone and the other one. You are paying by 
the mile and by the minute. Now that most computers have built-in 
microphones and speakers, think of this as a phone. It turns your 
voice into a series of packets--into a computer file, if you will--and 
it's split up through hundreds of computers around the world--that's 
the Internet--and sent to the other person's computer. This puts it 
together and makes it sound like a voice again. And all the while, the 
phone company is none the wiser.

ANDREW GREEN (ELECTRIC MAGIC):  The technology and the 
infrastructure suddenly appeared.  14.4 modems became very 
common, Internet connections became very common, and the growth 
rate was just ballooning.  And then also something to do with the 
visibility of telecommunications in the media--phone companies 
battling it out in advertising.  And I think people enjoy the idea of 
sticking one to the phone companies.

RICHARD:  Now, for some people who listen to this, who are 
professionals who work for big companies, they'll say, "That's not 
very high quality."

DENISE MEYERS (ELECTRIC MAGIC):  That's right.  But if you can 
understand what the other person is saying, you can communicate.  
And that's the important thing. 

RICHARD:  A company called VocalTec, based in Israel, makes the 
software for the PC version of the Internet Phone. From his home in 
Tel Aviv, Alon Cohen of VocalTec told us the Internet Phone is 
becoming a hot idea all over the world. After just 10 minutes on the 
Internet Phone, we talked to people as far away as London and as 
close as Nebraska. But strangely enough, the phone company, at least 
Pacific Bell, doesn't look at the Internet Phone as serious competition. 
The main reason is audio quality. 

MARC FISHER (PACIFIC BELL):  In the short run, we don't see how a 
business or a consumer would be satisfied with the quality of an 
Internet phone call as compared to picking up the phone and making 
a conventional phone call.  The Internet wasn't designed to support 
that kind of application so it doesn't do it as well as the networks 
that were designed to do that.

RICHARD:  The nice thing is, the software for both the Electric Magic 
and the VocalTec Web phones is available online on the Internet.   

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

RICHARD:  Now here's a quick look at news from the digital world 
this past week.  As we showed you earlier in the show, the biggest 
news this week was the launch of Windows 95, which hit the stores 
on Thursday.  A group of hackers broke into the Web site for the 
movie "Hackers" this week.  The site invited people to share their 
hacking stories, but some went further and added colorful graffiti, 
too.  And the number of women on the Internet nearly doubled 
within the last 12 months, according to a new report.  It said that by 
the end of 1995, 35 to 40 percent of users of commerical online 
services will be women.

GINA:  Some CD-ROM games take video games a step further than 
just cool graphics. They are now incorporating live-action footage 
directly into the game, which makes it much more realistic. But this 
effect is not easy to get. So we are taking you behind the scenes of 
the making of a live-action CD-ROM.

[BACKGROUND NOISE]

GINA:  It looks like any other movie shoot--an exotic set, a crew, 
actors, zombies...Well, maybe not any movie. All this is for video 
games. Video game producers are using feature film techniques to 
make full-fledged interactive movies in which you are a character. 
For example, "Corpse Killer"--a shoot-'em-up game that begins when 
you land on a deserted island, meet a friendly local, and a few other 
folks. Next year, analysts project a $5 billion year for the U.S. video 
game industry. That's very close to the total projected for next year's 
movie box office. Now, it makes economic sense to scale up from 
simple animation to movie-sized budgets and, in some cases, movie-
style production. Digital Pictures travels all over the world seeking 
locations.

VIVIAN WU (ACTRESS):  It's so much different than doing a feature 
film, because during a feature film you at least get to do it with other 
actors and everything, but here, I basically jump in and say one line.

GINA:  In "Supreme Warrior," you are the hero of the story. You 
decide whom to fight, the hands and feet are yours, and the outcome 
of the fight depends on your performance.

Because of the budgets involved and the limited space for video on 
CD, some companies are opting for different strategies--a 
combination of animation and real actors. In Spectrum HoloByte's 
"Top Gun," actors, including James Tolkan who appeared in the real 
film, are shot against a blue screen. Artists have drawn sets based on 
the movie which will replace that blue screen. Computer-generated 
sets save big bucks, and they tie together the animated dogfight 
sequences with the live action. This type of production will become 
more and more common as sales from the game industry exceed the 
Hollywood box office as early as 1997.

Just as movie-style footage is becoming a part of CD-ROM, the 
interactivity of CD-ROMS is becoming part of the movies. Earlier this 
year, a movie release called "Mr. Payback" allowed the audience to 
determine the outcome of the film. Look for more entertainment like 
this as the movies and technology begin to merge. Richard?

RICHARD:  By far the most popular use of the Internet is email. We 
got more than 1,500 messages here at "c|net central" just after last 
week's show alone, so you can understand that Dave Ross, try as he 
might, can no longer escape email. And of course, he gets the last 
word.

ROSS: 

Well, I guess it had to happen. I feel I've sold out, but this IS a 
computer network, after all. And so it is time to announce publicly 
that I now have an email address.

(HOLDS UP SIGN WITH EMAIL ADDRESS: DAVE@CNET.COM)

Of course, they didn't say I had to announce what it IS.

(SIGN DROPS)

It's probably so complicated, with lots of weird symbols, that very 
few of you will be able to figure it out.

(TALKING TO SIGN) 

Get that out of here.

(SIGN FLIES OFF)

Anyway, this apparently means that you can actually send me a 
message and it will arrive immediately.

(COMPUTER BEEPS)

Not now! I KNEW this was a bad idea. I've hardly even gotten wound 
up yet!

Well, fine. Take advantage of my helplessness. But I warn you, if it 
gets out of hand, I'm prepared--with a little thing that the industry 
calls a BOZO FILTER. A bozo filter is the electronic equivalent of a 
coffee filter...except it filters email.

I can set it to filter out mail containing words, phrases--and yes, 
even people I don't want. See, paper mail was slower, but I always 
got it, no matter what was in it. Now, I can just have the COMPUTER 
screen the electronic mail!

Of course, you're all very polite people, so I don't expect any trouble. 

(SIGN COMES UP AGAIN)

But just in case, one final thing: remember, the cursor cuts both 
ways. You can send electronic mail to ME, all right. But now, I can 
send electronic mail to YOU, too!

(MANIACAL LAUGH)

I'm Dave Ross. And I get the Last Word.

RICHARD:  Hey, don't forget us, we'd like email, too! That would be:  
richard @cnet.com and gina@cnet.com.

GINA:  That's all for "c|net central" this week.  Thanks for tuning in 
and logging on!


(END OF TAPED MATERIAL)
