ISSUE 467: The high-tech office- Oct 6
1998
ALAN ZISMAN
High tech firms offer a wide range of products as
local industry continues to expand
According to the B.C. Technology Industry
Association, B.C.'s high tech sector had total revenues of $7.6
billion last year. That makes the entire sector just a mote in the eye
of, say, Microsoft. Still, the TIA reports that the technology
sector grew an average of 22 per cent a year between 1995 and 1997.
It shows. It's been a bit over a year since I last
cleaned up my files and reported on the local (mostly software)
companies that have let me know what they're working on. Last time, I
could fit all the companies in a single column. This time, it's going
to take me two weeks to squeeze everybody in. So without further ado,
here is a year, more or less, in the life of Silicon Valley Far North
-- at least based on the press releases that I get!
Absolute Software has developed Computrace, a
computer tracking system to locate and assist in the recovery of lost
or stolen notebook computers (www.computrace.com).
ActiveState Tools produces professional
development tools for the Perl programming language, which is popular
on Web servers. Its new PerlEx improves performance of Perl scripts
running on Windows NT servers as much as 3,000 per cent. The company
has just released a Perl Resource Kit for Win32 developers (www.activestate.com).
Advanced Solutions produces the Advanced
Tracker software family, a set of products to track inventory and
employee attendance (www.advancedtracker.com).
Barracuda Security Devices offers an antitheft
device that is installed as a card inside a desktop PC. It can page the
computer owner over the network, pager or phone if the computer is
moved and will mark internal components with indelible dye if the cover
is removed (www.barracudasecurity.com).
BluVenom develops computer anti-theft devices:
a floppy-drive or parallel port insert that emits a 120-decibel alarm
if the computer is disturbed (www.bluvenom.com).
BrainTech has developed the Windows NT-based
Odysee development system to design visual object pattern recognition
systems (www.bnti.com).
Chancery Software offers Library Pro, software
aimed primarily at school libraries, and has added Internet features,
allowing home users to search the library collection using a Web
browser (www.chancery.com).
CHIC Hospitality Consulting Services has added
a discussion forum on customer service to its popular Web site (www.foodservice.com).
Constructive Media specializes in the use of
streaming video, such as Microsoft NetShow, for Internet and intranet
sites. Clients include Microsoft and BC Tel (www.constructive-media.com).
Credo Interactive has produced PowerMoves I,
which they describe as "the ultimate 3D animation library," with more
than 600 animation sequences (www.credo-interactive.com).
CSI Credit Systems International is building
smart cards for clients such as Levi Strauss Co., and has
recently embarked on a test of a cash card (www.csicredit.com).
The company is on BIV's Top-Performing Public Stocks list.
Electric Mail Co. provides links between
business networks and Internet mail. A new service is Electric
InterConnect, an inexpensive way for businesses with multiple locations
to provide a secure private mail network. The system can include
automatic spam filtering to remove unwanted bulk mailings, as well as
the E-mmunity protection from viruses (www.electric.net).
Fact Media develops content and design in many
languages. Services include translation, software localization and
multilingual Web site development (www.fact.com).
FamilyWare has created FamilyCentral, allowing
users to easily create an icon-based, graphical, personalized homepage (www.familycentral.com).
FirstClass Systems offers more than 700 titles
for computer-based training on computing topics (mostly mainframe,
Unix, AS/400 and client-server-oriented). Its EdStart system allows
courses to be distributed via individual CD-ROM or across the network.
They can provide custom development of courses (www.firstclass.ca).
Information Systems Management (B.C.), owned by
IBM and BC Tel, has partnered with SAP to
provide SAP implementation services to telecom companies in the
Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia (451-2000).
Infowave Wireless Messaging has released a new
version of its PowerPrint application, which allows Macintosh computers
to connect to a huge number of PC printers (www.infowave.net).
Intrinsyc Software is building tools and
components for creating Win32-based embedded systems. These enable
programmers to use familiar Windows programming experience while
working on software that can be used in a wide range of consumer and
commercial products. Since 97 per cent of all microprocessors are found
in embedded systems rather than traditional computers, this is a
potentially gigantic market (www.intrinsyc.com).
Maximizer Technologies is the world's second
largest developer of contact management software. This year, the
company released updated versions of the flagship product, Maximizer
5.0, for individuals or small workgroups, and Maximizer Enterprise for
larger organizations.
Next week: the rest of the alphabet. *
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