From: "Swisher, Bob" <bswisher@ou.edu>
To: "'it-fyi@listserv.ou.edu'" <it-fyi@lists.ou.edu>
Subject: it-fyi: Edupage, 3 May 1999
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 07:53:37 -0500
*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, an international nonprofit association
dedicated to transforming education through information technologies.
*****************************************************
TOP STORIES for May 3, 1999
New System for PC Music Stirs Concern over Piracy
Internet Panel to Wrestle with Question of Taxes
Israeli Scientist Reports Discovery of Advance in Code Breaking
ALSO
For Coders, a Code of Conduct
The Privacy Principle
United Nations Group Issues Report on Internet Addresses
Digital Engine Powers New Economy
NEW SYSTEM FOR PC MUSIC STIRS CONCERN OVER PIRACY
Real Networks today will unveil new Internet audio software that will
allow users to copy, store, and play audio CDs on their PCs, as well as
play music downloaded from the Web. The new Real Jukebox software,
which will play a variety of formats including Real Networks' G2 format
and MP3, is likely to intensify the current controversy over music
piracy on the Web. Indeed, the recording industry is currently trying
to establish a digital music technology standard that would protect
intellectual property on the Internet, in order to stop the growing
practice of free and unauthorized distribution of music online. Real
Jukebox addresses copyright concerns by utilizing an electronic "tether"
that limits a user to making only one digital copy of an audio CD to the
user's hard drive. However, critics note that the software gives users
the option of shutting off the tethering feature, allowing for free and
unfettered distribution of digital music to any number of people online.
(New York Times 05/03/99)
INTERNET PANEL TO WRESTLE WITH QUESTION OF TAXES
The Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce will meet June 21 and 22
to discuss the pros and cons of taxing the Internet. Having a large say
in the debate will be Virginia Gov. James Gilmore, chairman of the
commission. His likely job will be to help the commission come up with
an Internet tax plan that does not slow the growth of the medium.
Forrester Research predicts that annual Internet sales will hit the $52
billion-mark by 2001, while Forrester's Jeremy Sharrard predicts that
electronic commerce will eventually be taxed because so many people want
a piece of the revenue it produces. Meanwhile, Gilmore says he will
refrain from adopting a stance on the tax issue until he has reviewed
information collected by the commission. (Washington Times 05/03/99)
ISRAELI SCIENTIST REPORTS DISCOVERY OF ADVANCE IN CODE BREAKING
Israeli computer scientist Adi Shamir is expected to present a paper
outlining the design of a yet-to-be-built-machine that could quickly
decipher computer generated codes. Shamir -- who represents the 'S' in
RSA encryption design -- will present his paper this week at the
International Association for Cryptographic Research in Prague, which
begins Monday. Shamir's idea would combine existing technology into a
special task computer that would make factoring numbers as long as 150
digits much easier. As a result, codes accepted as reasonably secure
for financial transactions and government communications would be much
easier to decipher. Researchers say the machine could be built at a
relatively low cost, and that key systems of 512 bits or less (keys of
about 140 digits or less) would be vulnerable. Longer 1,024-bit keys
would still be out of reach for Shamir's new machine. (New York Times
05/02/99)
=======================================
FOR CODERS, A CODE OF CONDUCT
Computer programmers debating the ethics involved in the origin of the
Y2K bug say that its existence proves the need for a rigorous program of
professional certification for programmers. Many say the bug's existence
proves that a certification program similar to that required of doctors
and lawyers is necessary to prevent similar lapses. "You don't want an
unlicensed engineer working on a bridge, but you have unlicensed
computer programmers working all the time," says Dr. Marsha C. Woodbury,
chairwoman of Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility. So far
the idea of certification has remained in the debate stage because of
the scarcity of talented programmers, and many say that whether
certification ever becomes a reality will depend on what kind of damage
is wrought on Jan. 1, 2000. If major disasters occur, citizens may
force government to become involved and regulate programmers. (New York
Times 05/03/99)
THE PRIVACY PRINCIPLE
U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley noted that online sales hit $9
billion in 1998, and have the potential of reaching $30 billion by 2000,
but only if companies properly address the privacy issue. Both the
Commerce Department and the Federal Trade Commission will play
significant roles in the shaping of online privacy policy, and many
other groups, public and private, are scrambling to position themselves
in the debate. The Commerce Department's task is to negotiate a middle
ground with the European Union so that U.S. firms can conduct business
with EU firms and remain in accordance with its new strict privacy
directives. Meanwhile, the FTC will conduct a second survey this month
-- the first concluded in March 1998 -- of U.S. companies' online
privacy practices to decide whether it should ask Congress to regulate
privacy, or allow private industry to govern itself. The survey polls
300 Web sites, determined most popular by independent research firm
Media Metrix, and asks about the companies privacy policies, and whether
they adhere to the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and
Information Administration and FTC's four banner principles. The
principles state that sites should notify users of their information
collection policies; sites should give users a choice of how their
information is used; users should have access to their information; and
that sites should take steps to ensure that collected information
remains secure and unaltered. (Security Management 04/99)
UNITED NATIONS GROUP ISSUES REPORT ON INTERNET ADDRESSES
The United Nation's World Intellectual Property Organization has issued
a set of recommendations to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers (ICANN) that would outlaw domain name registration
speculation, a practice commonly known as cybersquatting. The rules
also propose that Internet addresses associated with famous words or
trademarks be given to businesses and individuals with rightful claims
to those addresses. After taking public comment on the proposals, ICANN
will begin reviewing the recommendations at its May 25 meeting in
Berlin. The report recommends that ICANN make registrars sign a
contract that defines and prohibits cybersquatting; the contract would
also provide an outline for a mandatory arbitration process to resolve
accusations of cybersquatting. (New York Times 05/03/99)
DIGITAL ENGINE POWERS NEW ECONOMY
Internet commerce now drives the world economy, argues Robert D.
Atkinson and Randolph H. Court of the Progressive Policy Institute in
Washington, D.C., and authors of "The New Economy Index." Atkinson and
Court say the "new economy" will have three bases: development of a
strong digital economy; increased research and innovation; and a more
skillful and knowledgeable workforce. The report says the U.S. Internet
economy doubled in one year, from $15.5 billion in 1996 to almost $39
billion in 1997, and projects it will ascend to $350 billion by 2001.
(Futurist 04/99)
*****************************************************
If you have questions or comments about Edupage, send e-mail to:
edupage-editors@educause.edu
Edie Clark, Editor
*****************************************************
UPCOMING EDUCAUSE CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS:
Information Resources for the 21st Century
May 5-7, 1999, Portland, Oregon
http://www.educause.edu/conference/regional/nwacc/1999/
CUMREC '99 Breaking Through: 2000 and Beyond
May 9-12,1999, San Antonio, Texas
http://www.cumrec.com/cumrec99/
For additional information on these conferences see
http://www.educause.edu/conference/conf.html
For information on other technology related
educational conferences see
http://www.educause.edu/ir/events.html
*****************************************************
OTHER EDUCAUSE PUBLICATIONS
EDUCOM REVIEW is a bimonthly print magazine on information technology
and education. U.S. subscriptions are $18 a year.
CAUSE/EFFECT is a quarterly practitioner's journal about managing and
using information resources on college and
university campuses. U.S. subscriptions are $52 a year.
For additional information on these and other EDUCAUSE Publications see:
http://www.educause.edu/pub/pubs.html
*****************************************************
SUBSCRIPTIONS
To subscribe to Edupage: send a blank message to
edupage-subscribe@educause.unc.edu.
To unsubscribe send a blank message to
edupage-unsubscribe@educause.unc.edu. You can also subscribe,
unsubscribe or change your settings by visiting
http://educause.unc.edu/.
*****************************************************
TRANSLATIONS & ARCHIVES
Edupage is translated into Estonian, French, German, Greek, Hungarian,
Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. For accessing instructions, send a blank
message to translations@educause.unc.edu. Archives of Edupage are
available at: http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html
*****************************************************
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
News abstracts Copyright 1999, Information Inc., Bethesda, MD
Edupage Copyright 1999, EDUCAUSE
*****************************************************
EDUCAUSE, an international nonprofit association dedicated to
transforming education through information technologies