By giving away key new software, IBM Corp.'s NC Division is hoping to give another boost to sales of its Network Station.

The Somers, N.Y.-based unit, which began volume product shipments in late March, is on track to begin integrating the Navio browser software with its thin client by year's end.

Free downloads of the division's Network Station Manager and Network Station Browser software are available at the NC Web site, as new desktops get rolled out.

"We're going to make money selling network computers," said Jim Gant, vice president of marketing for the NC Division. "At least initially, the strategy is to incent acceptance into the marketplace by making the software free."

The software permits system administrators to vary network-access levels by desktop or user. The IBM Network Station Manager can be employed across the Web, intranets and via Java-based applications, IBM said.

In addition to Web access, IBM is placing the software on CD-ROMs for availability this month.

IBM will begin offering Network Stations with browser software from Navio Communications Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif., later this year. Navio is a five-month- old independent affiliate of Netscape Communications Corp., Mountain View, Calif.

Navio has been developing smaller, modular versions of Netscape's Navigator browser that can scale across networks and are based on common standards and Netscape technology.

The Network Station, which connects to IBM System 390s, AS/400s, RS/6000s and PC servers, will use corporate intranets or Web-top interfaces as it is adopted in corporate settings.

Enhancements to the thin client include added browser functionality and integration of smart-card technology into the Network Station's PC card slot, Gant said. "We do intend to support and use the Lotus [Development Corp.] Kona desktop when it becomes available later this year. We'll continue to enhance the Network Station itself as a Java-capable device," he said.

IBM's newest division also is branching out some of its development efforts, Gant said. Previously, NC developers and architects essentially worked out of IBM's AS/400 headquarters in Rochester, Minn. Now, Rochester and IBM's development site in Austin, Texas, will house platform and technology developers for the NC unit.

Gant said several channel companies have been touting the Network Station and promoting it heavily, citing Champion Computer Corp. as one example. "Champion is being very aggressive about pilots and loaner machines," he said. "A number of resellers are being very aggressive."

Champion, a Boca Raton, Fla., dealer of IBM mid-range servers, was one of the NC division's early channel partners. The company carries AS/400s and is an authorized assembler of the RS/6000-two server platforms for the Network Station.

Source: Computer Reseller News