Don’t Stop ‘Em, They’re on a Roll-Out

The New Year begins with a bang in the computer business this week as Intel rolls out its much-hyped MMX microprocessors, Apple Computer defines its ever-changing operating system strategy and consumer electronics firms gear up their long-delayed roll-outs of digital versatile discs, or DVDs.

Intel will formally launch the Pentium MMX chips on Wednesday, and PC vendors will announce their MMX machines. MMX boosts the multimedia performance of personal computers, though the benefits won’t emerge until software makers rewrite their programs.

At the opening of the Macworld Expo in San Francisco on Tuesday, Apple Chairman Gilbert Amelio will answer some of the many questions that loom in the wake of the company’s decision to buy Next Software Inc. and bring back Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The Next software will serve as the foundation for a new-generation software operating system. But numerous not-so-minor issues remain--such as what exactly the new software will do, whether it will be compatible with existing Macs and whether it will run on machines using Intel chips.

Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, the Winter Consumer Electronics Show opens Friday, and the big item on the agenda is the DVD--a souped-up compact disc technology that can play full-length movies. DVD has been delayed by a dispute over copyright protection, but now both the computer and movie industries say they’re ready.

CYBERSPACE

* Find out why rebels from the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement in Peru stormed the residence of the Japanese ambassador Dec. 17 and took hundreds of hostages (https://burn.ucsd.edu/~ats/mrta.htm). The site, maintained by a Toronto group sympathetic to the rebels, contains the text of statements made by the rebels and interviews given to journalists.

* Car enthusiasts can follow the big auto shows in Los Angeles and Detroit at Carpoint (https://carpoint.msn.com). See the vehicles premiering at the shows (L.A.’s is this week, Detroit’s opens for the public Saturday) and vote for your favorite models. The site also has video tours of the Aston Martin DB7, the AM General Hummer and other high-end cars.

* If you haven’t read Mark Twain since high school, it’s time to check out the Mark Twain Library at https://cadswes.colorado.edu/twain. “Innocents Abroad” and “Life on the Mississippi” are available in their entirety, chapter by chapter, along with half a dozen short stories and more than 600 quotations.

* In Los Angeles County, an estimated 300 to 400 teenagers commit suicide each year--roughly one a day. For tips on recognizing the danger signs and how to react when a child talks about suicide, visit https://spyc.sanpedro.com/suicide.htm. The site also has a list of suicide prevention and crisis intervention agencies and hotlines.

* The Consumer Law Page at https://seamless.com/alexanderlaw/txt/intro.html contains searchable articles on product liability, toxic health hazards, insurance scams and much more, plus more than 100 online brochures with hints on everything from banking to telephone scams. There’s also a do-it-yourself guide for resolving consumer complaints and links to other consumer law sites.

* Planet Zoom brings magnetic poetry to the Web at https://www.planetzoom.com. Select your browser type, then click on “Tornado Lane,” “WordWhirlWind” and “Go to WordWhirlWind” to get to the site. Use your mouse to drag words into iambic pentameter or other forms of poetry, just like on your refrigerator.

* Looking for cool Web sites for children? Point your browser to https://www.4kids.org for suggestions. Sites are screened and grouped into topics such as “Brainsweat,” “Fantastic Voyages” and “Be a Hero.” New sites are added each week.

* The home page of the Orange County chapter of the National Audubon Society (https://users.deltanet.com/users/ader/seasage) has updates on birding activities, including field trips and workshops. The site also has weekly rare-bird alerts and links to other birding and environmental sites.

* If you’d like to track the progress of bills through the California Assembly, visit https://www.assembly.ca.gov. Select up to 300 proposed state laws and get updates on their progress.

Site suggestions can be sent to [email protected]