NEW YORK  --  During a creative session at a major public relations firm today
to formulate a new corporate message for Digital Equipment Corporation that
reflects the company's new direction promoting and supporting computing industry
standards, the shopworn phrase "Digital has it now." was replaced by a new
tag line that is more contemporary and tied to DEC's adherence to standards.
"Digital's hip to the standards thing." will become the $11.5 billion company's
new-image slogan.  In a radical departure from its traditionally staid
advertising approach the company will produce a television advertisement built
around a rap music theme played out in a rapidly changing sequence of office and
engineering scenes.  In a parody of the commonly used product nomenclature, the
video itself is referred to as a mythical Digital product called DECrap.  The
lyrics to the rap music video are published here for the first time.
 
 
A DECrap by
 
        Rapmaster Ken
 
        "Digital's Hip to the Standards Thing"
 
 
I heard some news just the other day
It sounded kinda strange and I said, "No way!"
But I heard it again from another source
It mighta made sense and I said, "Of course!"
 
Now computer biz has a lotta confusion
'Cause operating systems abound in profusion.
But there's a whole new wave in data processing
Now that Digital's hip to the standards thing.
 
(chorus)
Digital's hip to the standards thing!
Digital's hip to the standards thing!
 
Way back when a long time ago
IBM owned the whole show.
But other dudes saw this proprietary mess
And formed committees to find out what's best.
 
Some went their own way and built their own software
But users were perturbed, "It's just a different nightmare."
So they got together to look over the picks
Put their down their money on good 'ol UNIX
 
(chorus)
Digital's hip to the standards thing!
Digital's hip to the standards thing!
 
Now Digital always kept their users in mind
And pushed VMS as the best of the kind.
A lotta folks agreed but kept askin' for
UNIX support, "We gotta have more!"
 
Soon DEC saw the light and decided to give
UNIX to the masses, (sorta live and let live).
So DEC's ridin' the wave ahead of the rest
On a backplane bogie board on top of the crest.
 
No doubt about it DEC's sprouted its wings
'Cause Digital's hip to the standards thing.
 
(chorus)
Digital's hip to the standards thing!
Digital's hip to the standards thing!