Since the announcement of Ariel for Windows on this list and
elsewhere, we have received a number of requests for additional
information.
To meet that need, we've compiled a list of functional details on
the new product and its companion product, Ariel 2.0 for DOS. Also
included is additional information about equipment requirements,
product availability, and pricing.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Coleman
Asst. Director, Information Delivery Services
Research Libraries Group, Inc.
1200 Villa St., Mountain View, CA 94041-1100 USA
bl.jwc@rlg.bitnet or bl.jwc@rlg.stanford.edu
Phone: 415-691-2228 Fax: 415.964.0943
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARIEL FOR WINDOWS/ARIEL 2.0 FOR DOS
FUNCTIONAL DETAILS, EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS, PRODUCT AVAILABILTY, AND
PRICING
The Windows-version of Ariel is a significant enhancement of the
current DOS-based version, and will include many of the features
most requested by the Ariel community.
These include:
* use of Windows 3.1 as operating environment
* "background" receipt of Ariel files
* more printers supported through Windows
* duplex printing control option where supported by the printer
* support all scanners with TWAIN drivers and Fujitsu scanners
M3093, M3096, and M3097
* support for scanners with document feeders
* image scaling for interworking between US and metric A4 paper
sizes
* the ability to import foreign TIFF files, i.e. files that have
not been created directly by scanning by Ariel
* ability to view scanned files on screen (TIFF file reader)
* greater flexibility and power in the management of Ariel files
and transmissions, including file archiving
* greater flexibility in the management of Ariel addresses and the
Ariel "alias" files through an Ariel "address book" feature
* greater flexibility in referencing the Ariel log file
* compliance with the GEDI record header format for transmission
files
* use of CCITT Group 4 (2-dimensional) image compression
* use of TCP (instead of UDP) as transport protocol
* use of FTP (instead of TFTP) as file transfer protocol
_______________________________________________________________________________
Ariel 2.0 for DOS
An upgraded version of Ariel for DOS users is also scheduled for
release with the Windows version. Ariel 2.0 for DOS will *not*
contain any of the new features of the Windows product, but it will
be able to communicate with the Windows version, and other Ariel 2.0
for DOS sites. The interface for Ariel 2.0 for DOS and all other
user features will be exactly the same as the current version of
Ariel.
Ariel 2.0 will be free to current users via anonymous ftp, or by
mail at a minimal charge. See the section on pricing below for
further details.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Compatibility with Earlier Versions of Ariel
Due to changes in the underlying architecture described above, Ariel
for Windows *will not* be compatible with the current version of
Ariel, Ariel 1.12, or any earlier versions. With the release of
Ariel for Windows and Ariel 2.0 for DOS, RLG will discontinue
support of all earlier versions of Ariel.
All current users of Ariel *must* upgrade their Ariel systems to be
able to communicate with each other. Current users will be able to
do this by:
* upgrading to the Windows version
* OR by upgrading to Ariel 2.0 for DOS
The Windows version of Ariel will be offered to current users at a
significant discount. See the section on pricing below for further
details.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Ariel for Windows/Ariel 2.0 for DOS Product Availability
Beta testing for Ariel for Windows will begin at more than 30 sites
in January 1994. RLG is currently expecting to have the product
ready to ship in the second quarter of 1994.
Since the new versions of Ariel will require *everyone* to use the
compatible versions of the software and hence switch from Ariel 1.XX
to Ariel for Windows or Ariel 2.0 for DOS at the same time, RLG will
be coordinating an "Ariel Switchover Day." We will be presenting
more information and announcing an exact date for product switchover
as the product release date nears.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Basic Ariel for Windows PC/Communications Equipment
25 MHz 80486 PC or better (minimum: 33 MHz 80386)
8 MB RAM recommended (minimum required: 4 MB)
80 MB hard disk drive or better
5-1/4" or 3-1/2" floppy disk drive
4 expansion slots
MS-DOS 5.0 or later
Windows 3.1
LAN adapter supported by Clarkson packet driver;
tested adapters are:
EtherLink II 3C503
EtherLink III 3C509
Intel EtherExpress
SMC EtherCard Plus Elite 16
Standard Ethernet transceiver cable*
Ethernet transceiver (MAU)*
*Required only for Standard Ethernet (10BASE5),
not for Thin Ethernet (10BASE2, 10BASET)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Scanners
HP ScanJet IIp with scanner interface
(scans 8-1/2" x 11" page)
or
HP ScanJet IIc with scanner interface
(scans up to 8-1/2" x 14" page)
or
Fujitsu Scanners M3093, M3906, or M3097 with scanner interface
(scans up to A4 page)
Note: Two scanners that are no longer being manufactured are also
compatible with Ariel: the HP ScanJet Plus and the Panasonic
FS-RS506.
The Fujitsu scanners are the fastest (and most expensive) scanners
on the supported list. Although the HP IIc is color-capable, Ariel
will not produce image files that can be printed in color; the files
scanned by Ariel with the IIc will print as black and white images.
The HP and Fujitsu scanners can be supplemented with an "ADF"
(automatic document feeder), to speed up scanning (and to allow
scanning of legal size originals on the HP ScanJet Plus and ScanJet
IIp models). The Fujitsu scanners are not supported by Ariel 1.XX,
but will be supported by Ariel 2.0 for DOS and Ariel for Windows.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Printers
Any Windows-compatible printer, but RLG recommends:
Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 4 series
_______________________________________________________________________________
Alternative LAN Adapters
Note: In addition to the tested adapters listed above, these adapters
may work with the Ariel software, but RLG has not tested them and
cannot offer support for them.
3Com 3C501 EtherLink I
3Com 3C523 EtherLink II/MC
3Com 3C505 EtherLink Plus
3Com 3C507 EtherLink
AT&T Ethernet & Starlan
BICC Isolan 4110
Interlan NI5010
MICOM-Interlan NI5210
MICOM-Interlan NI9210
Racal/Interlan NI6510
Tiara LANcard/E
Ungermann-Bass NIC-PS/2
Ungermann-Bass PC/NIC
Western Digital WD-8003e
Note: Clarkson packet drivers are included with Ariel for all of the LAN
cards listed above with the exception of the 3C507 driver. This driver is
available via anonymous FTP from lyra.stanford.edu, in the pub/ directory,
if it is not supplied with your LAN card.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Ariel for Windows Software Prices
When available, Ariel for Windows systems can be purchased for both
scanning and printing ("Full System") or for use on a PC without an
attached scanner, for receiving and printing only ("Print Module").
RLG will be contacting current Ariel users early in 1994 with
information about upgrading their Ariel software.
Ariel for Windows -- Academic Rates, Single Institution
Full Package Price
1 User $789
10 Users $5,000
50 Users $12,500
100 Users $15,000
Unlimited Single Institution Use $30,000
Print Only Package
1 User $149
10 Users $900
50 Users $3,750
100 Users $5,000
Unlimited Single Institution Use $15,000
Ariel for DOS -- Academic Rates, Single Institution
Full Package Price
1 User $479
10 Users $3,000
50 Users $10,000
100 Users $12,500
Upgrades
Upgrade from any Ariel for DOS (1.XX or 2.0) to
Ariel for Windows (Full) $149
Upgrade from Ariel for DOS (Print) to
Ariel for Windows (Full) $249
Upgrade from Ariel for DOS (Print) to
Ariel for Windows (Print) $50
Upgrade from Ariel 1.XX to Ariel for DOS2 - Package $50
Upgrade from Ariel 1.XX to Ariel for DOS2 - FTP Free
Non-academic and consortial purchases 25% higher.
====================================================================
Ariel(r) is a registered trademark of the Research Libraries Group,
Inc. Microsoft Windows(r) is a registered trademark of Microsoft
Corporation.
To: ARIE-L@IDBSU, BI-L@BINGVMB, BUSLIB-L@IDBSU, ILL-L@UVMVM,
LAW-LIB@UCDAVIS.EDU, MEDLIB-L@UBVM, PACS-L@UHUPVM1, RLGLISTS,
RLIN-L@RUTVM1
cc: ARIELT, ARIEL2
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