Lotus/IBM consolidate purchasing programme

In response to worldwide requests for a simplified means of purchasing software, support and service, Lotus Development and parent, IBM, have launched the Passport Advantage initiative in South Africa. Passport Advantage offers companies three licensing options - from a small business or pilot implementation to a multinational enterprise-wide deployment. Passport Advantage also allows purchases to be made anywhere in the world with a single licencing agreement - customers can accumulate global discounts while buying through a preferred local business partner.

New mail migration options for channel

Lotus Development SA is in the throes of educating its channel on the benefits of migrating customers from simple messaging to a groupware environment, with a series of packages and incentives now on the table. The cc:Mail to Domino migration package is available for 50, 150 or 300 users, with pricing becoming increasingly competitive as the number of seats grows, Lotus said. Lotus said the migration package will allow resellers without specific skills to offer a complete messaging solution to their customers.

Optical technology exceeds 5GB

Sony Electronics has announced a next generation of a magneto-optical (MO) drive capable of storing 5.2GB of data on a single 5.25-inch cartridge and offering hard disk-like performance.

Philips bundles cameras with projectors

Philips SA is bundling the ProScreen 4700 LCD projector with its digital camera at no extra cost. The deal will come to market through Philips` local distributor Solution Technologies.

Intekom taps into retail market

Intekom, a local Internet service provider under the Telkom umbrella, has signed an agreement with HNR Computers to sell Intekom Internet starter kit through its retail distribution channel of about 6 500 dealers.

New broom sweeps clean at Attachmate

Attachmate SA said it has adopted a one-tier distribution model for its enterprise-host product group. The company said the new model cuts out the middle man to the benefit of the customers and the end-users. Litisha Richardson, corporate sales manager at the local subsidiary, said the new model puts the company in a position "to offer better retail pricing while also providing incentive for dealers to move the product". Attachmate is also offering users to upgrade all locally purchased copies of EXTRA! Personal Client (E!PC) software for a third of what it will cost when E!PC 6.4 ships in July.

Seagate Software expands to Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean high-end storage specialist, DataSafe, has signed an agreement to distribute Seagate Software`s network and storage management products in the territory. DataSafe has been selling Seagate products on the continent for eighteen months through South African distributors.

NSS to distribute Micron computers

Network Support Services (NSS) has been appointed a distributor in South Africa for the Micron Electronics computing range. NSS said Micron Electronics is the third largest direct provider of built-to-order computers in the US.

Channel will dominate $900-billion global desktop market into 2000

Acceptance of e-commerce in South Africa could be relatively quick, international channel guru Michael Whalen said in his keynote address on the opening day of Computer Faire & Bexa yesterday. "The challenge for resellers is to identify leading vendors in the e-commerce arena and forge alliances with them," Whalen said. Whalen, a senior director of channels development at CMP Media, the largest IT publishing house in the US, predicted global sales of desktop computers will top $900-billion by 2000 with 75% channelled through resellers. Whalen said managing `touch costs` markups that accumulate as products move through the channel is one of the critical challenges facing resellers today.

QData Distribution appointed 3Com distributor

3Com SA said it has appointed QData Distribution (QDD) as it`s fourth local distributor. QDD, a subsidiary of JSE-listed PQ Africa, will distribute 3Com network systems and client access products to 3Com`s network partners and resellers, 3Com said. The new distributor will also sell system products to 3Com accredited solutions partners and advanced solutions partners. 3Com SA`s channel director, Dirk Bosmans, said 3Com needed to broaden its local distribution channel to ensure maximum penetration of the high-end networking market.

3Com Corporation named Best Vendor by top US technology retailers

Server Tools lands LANovation agency

Server Tools, the specialist Windows NT software distributor, has secured the exclusive South African distributorship for LANovation, the Milwaukee-based author of the PictureTaker package.

SDD expects monitor sales growth

Dereck Hindry, GM of Philips products at SDD, says the local monitor market should grow up to 600,000 shipped units this year.