The Desktop Management Task Force yesterday released a developers’ version of its Desktop Management Interface – an electronic identification code that manufacturers will build into their products and software – printers, circuit boards, operating systems and applications software. as the next step in its efforts to make personal computers and networks easier to manage. The Desktop Management Interface for MS-DOS, Windows, Windows NT and OS/2 is designed to provide plug and go installation, comprehensive inventory and asset management, increased efficiency in technical support, real-time diagnostics and comprehensive management of stand-alone and networked systems. The Force says that over 40 vendors from the US and abroad have begun implementing the new interface in hardware and software. They include 3Com Corp, AST Research Inc, Compaq Computer Corp, Dell Computer Corp, Hewlett-Packard Co, IBM Corp, Intel Corp, Lexmark International Inc, Microsoft Corp, National Semiconductor Corp, Novell Inc and Sun Microsystems Inc’s SunConnect. The Desktop Management Task Force has eight charter members: IBM, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Novell, Digital Equipment Corp, SunConnect and SynOptics Communications Inc.
