Hot on the heels on Virtual Microsystems Inc’s new release of its Network Co-Processor hardware-software combination (CI No 786), a new UK company has announced a DEC VAX to Personal Computer communications product that it believes is simpler, more advanced, and cheaper than anything else on the market. Unlike Network Co-processor which provides file-to-file transfer, PC-Select from London-based Network Connection Ltd allows application-to-application transfer. For example, a user can download a report generated on a VAX host straight into a Lotus spreadsheet or a dBase III database. With previous systems, users had to con-vert RMS files to ASCII then transfer files from the VAX to the micro then turn the ASCII into a form readable by Lotus 1-2-3 or dBase III. Written in C, PC-Select runs under Windows and requires no end-user knowledge of VMS or MS-DOS after systems programmers have set it up. It does, however, need DEC’s VMS services software – UKP3,000 – plus either a network integration kit, or a 3Com card for the micro. It starts at UKP395 for one-offs, UKP160 for 500-up and will be sold by DEC and Network Connection’s fellow DEC OEM customers. Network Connection is a new com-pany in the Winprime Group, owner of Software Ltd. Investors In Industry – 3i – and County NatWest hold 52% of the parent company’s equity between them. In addition to PC-Select, Network Connection will offer network planning, design, installation and turnkey project services.
