Message-Id: <55206A473154D011924D0020AFF7ACB56A64AD@mail1.oulan.ou.edu>
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 1998 09:10:34 -0600
From: "Swisher, Bob" <bswisher@ou.edu>
To: "'it-fyi@listserv.ou.edu'" <it-fyi@listserv.ou.edu>
Subject: Edupage, 3 March 1998
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Edupage, 3 March 1998. Edupage, a summary of news about information
technology, is provided three times a week as a service by Educom, a
Washington, D.C.-based consortium of leading colleges and universities
seeking to transform education through the use of information
technology.
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TOP STORIES
Europeans Tell U.S. To Include Them In Internet Planning
Gates Says Government Actions Hampers Microsoft's Ability To
Innovate
Computer Sciences Seeks "White Knight"
Microsoft Softens Position
ALSO
Where Is A Fancy Laptop Just Another Bag? On Delta Airlines
Olivetti Sells Computer Services Subsidiary To Wang
High-Tech Partnerships Urged
EUROPEANS TELL U.S. TO INCLUDE THEM IN INTERNET PLANNING
A meeting of the European Union concluded with a warning that Europe
does not want to be excluded from planning the future direction of the
Internet; the warning was in response to an American "green paper" that
proposed a new arrangement for managing domain names on the Internet
(such as ".com", ".org.", and adding new ones). The EU said the U.S.
proposals would "in the name of the globalisation and privatisation of
the Internet, seem to consolidate permanent U.S. jurisdiction over the
Internet as a whole." (Financial Times 27 Feb 98)
GATES SAYS GOVERNMENT ACTIONS HAMPERS MICROSOFT'S ABILITY TO INNOVATE
Microsoft chief executive Bill Gates says that if the Justice Department
prevents the company from adding new features to its Windows software,
Microsoft will lose its ability to remain a technology industry leader.
Gates argues: "It's hard to say that you're going to compromise on your
ability to innovate in Windows. If I can't put Internet support in
Windows, then Windows will fail. If I can't put speech recognition into
Windows, Windows will fail. You know, our path is to make Windows
better. If we can't innovate in our products, then you know we will be
replaced." (Washington Post 3 Mar 98)
COMPUTER SCIENCES SEEKS "WHITE KNIGHT"
After officially rejecting a hostile takeover bid by Computer Associates
International, Computer Sciences Corp. says it will "explore and
consider all alternatives available to the company which may provide
greater value to stockholders" than CA's $108-per-share offer. The
company says it will entertain offers for an acquisition, a merger, or
another other arrangement with a third party or "white knight."
Computer Sciences is also considering offering additional shares to the
public or taking on debt, both of which would make it more costly for
Computer Associates to pursue a deal. (Wall Street Journal 3 Mar 98)
MICROSOFT SOFTENS POSITION
Microsoft says it is revising agreements with about 12 U.S. and 30
European Internet service providers to allow them advertise and promote
browsers other than Microsoft's own Internet Explorer. A company
spokesman explained: "This change makes sense from a business
perspective, and if it helps to alleviate any potential government
concerns, then it's a change we're happy to make." (Washington Post 2
Mar 98)
============================================
WHERE IS A FANCY LAPTOP JUST ANOTHER BAG? ON DELTA AIRLINES
Delta Air Lines will begin counting laptop computers as carry-on baggage
covered by its two-bag limit per passenger rule. The change, which does
not apply to the Delta east coast shuttle, will take effect 15 April of
this year. (San Jose Mercury News 3 Mar 98)
OLIVETTI SELLS COMPUTER SERVICES SUBSIDIARY TO WANG
Olivettie S.p.A. is selling its computer services unit to Wang
Laboratories for more than $395 million in cash and securities. The
subsidiary, Olsy S.p.A., designs and installs computer systems for banks
and public institutions in Europe. Olivetti has been following a
strategy of shedding businesses not directly related to its focus on
telecommunications. (New York Times 3 Mar 98)
HIGH-TECH PARTNERSHIPS URGED
Speakers at a recent meeting sponsored by the American Electronics
Association and the International Business Forum urged high-tech
start-ups to look beyond traditional venture capital companies when
seeking funding. In addition, to angel investors, licensing technology,
and participating in a sale/lease-back of property or equipment,
companies should think about partnering with academic institutions. "One
of the greatest resources in technology development is in the
universities in national laboratories," says the director of the Lester
Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of
California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business. "They have all this
technology that ends up dying on the shelves." (Electronic Buyer's News
3 Mar 98)
Edupage is written by John Gehl (gehl@educom.edu) and Suzanne Douglas
(douglas@educom.edu). Telephone: 770-590-1017
Technical support for distributing Edupage is provided by Information
Technology Services at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Edupage ... is what you've just finished reading. To subscribe to
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Today's Honorary Subscriber is H.G. Wells (1866-1946), the English
novelist who produced several classic science fiction works (then called
"science romances"), including "The Time Machine," "The Invisible Man,"
"The War Of The Worlds," and "Things To Come." He also write the 1920
best-selling "Outline Of History."
Here are a few paragraphs of the second book of "The War Of The
Worlds":
We were hopelessly hemmed in by the Black Smoke all that day and the
morning of the next. There were signs of people in the next house on
Sunday evening -- a face at a window and moving lights, and later the
slamming of a door. But I do not know who these people were, nor what
became of them. We saw nothing of them next day. The Black Smoke drifted
slowly riverward all through Monday morning, creeping nearer and nearer
to us, driving at last along the roadway outside the house that hid us.
A Martian came across the fields about midday, laying the stuff with a
jet of superheated steam that hissed against the walls, smashed all the
windows it touched, and scalded the curate's hand as he fled out of the
front room. When at last we crept across the sodden rooms and looked out
again, the country northward was as though a black snowstorm had passed
over it. Looking towards the river, we were astonished to see an
unaccountable redness mingling with the black of the scorched meadows.
For a time we did not see how this change affected our position, save
that we were relieved of our fear of the Black Smoke. But later I
perceived that we were no longer hemmed in, that now we might get away.
So soon as I realised that the way of escape was open, my dream of
action returned. But the curate was lethargic, unreasonable.
"We are safe here," he repeated; "safe here."
I resolved to leave him -- would that I had! Wiser now for the
artilleryman's teaching, I sought out food and drink. I had found oil
and rags for my burns, and I also took a hat and a flannel shirt that I
found in one of the bedrooms. When it was clear to him that I meant to
go alone -- had reconciled myself to going alone -- he suddenly roused
himself to come. And all being quiet throughout the afternoon, we
started about five o'clock, as I should judge, along the blackened road
to Sunbury.
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