Novell Inc yesterday duly introduced the NetWare Video 1.0 NetWare Loadable Module, claiming that it will enable millions of NetWare customers to tap the power of their networks to view, manage and interact with multimedia information in a Windows environment from a central server. Support for Apple Computer Inc’s Macintosh is planned. Only the audio is guaranteed to be free from distortion on arrival, and analysts believe it may be another two to three years before local nets can deliver multimedia signals in which both the video and audio will maintain their original quality. The software, as reported, derives from Novell’s $17.5m acquisition in July of Fluent Inc. As an example of an application, Novell reckons that the software will enable advertising agencies with desktop computers to access libraries of advertisements that are currently stored in tape archives. Video clips within electronic mail messages will also make it easier for financial concerns to disseminate time-critical information and training. With a networked multimedia network, administrators can eliminate the cost of installing CD-ROM drives at each desktop as well as the cumbersome task of physically distributing updated media to every user, Novell claims. The server version will be followed by support for live one-to-many video broadcasts over the network, and ultimately, the system will encompass live interactive videoconferencing. NetWare Video 1.0 will begin shipping next week in five, 10 and 25-user configurations at $1,100, $1,990 and $2,800 and will support NetWare 3.1X and 4.X environments. Novell says that it is thinking of bundling the product in future NetWare releases.
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