From: technews <technews@ou.edu>
To: "'it-fyi@listserv.ou.edu'" <it-fyi@lists.ou.edu>
Subject: it-fyi: Edupage, 8 November 1999
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1999 13:34:09 -0600
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Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, an international nonprofit association
dedicated to transforming education through information technologies.
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TOP STORIES for November 8, 1999
Silicon Valley Cites Concern Amid Glee on Microsoft Case
U.S. Car Monoliths Muscle in on the Internet Revolution
Computer Worries Fuel Withdrawal of U.S. Diplomats
MIT, Cambridge University to Partner in U.K.-Funded Institute
ALSO
Berkeley Riles Computer Users with Plan to Charge for Network Access
FTC Studies 'Profiling' by Web Sites
Web Spinning in Washington
Plugging In, Not Dropping Out
SILICON VALLEY CITES CONCERN AMID GLEE ON MICROSOFT CASE
Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's finding of fact ruling Friday that Microsoft
is indeed a monopoly was received with a reserved welcome from rival
computing firms. Jackson's preliminary ruling essentially found that in
terms of antitrust issues, the computer business is no different than other
industries, and that Microsoft's business tactics discouraged innovation in
the industry and hurt consumers. Microsoft's package of the Internet
Explorer Web browser with the Windows operating system was also determined
by Judge Jackson to be unstable and insecure, prompting industry wariness
toward the government's power to decide what is a good product or
technology. "Everyone in the industry is uncomfortable with the choke hold
that Microsoft has," says Hal R. Varian, dean of information management and
systems at the University of California at Berkeley. "But they are also
uncomfortable with having the government get involved in software design
decisions." Microsoft officials continue to claim the software company has
no control over the industry--an industry that they say could change at any
time, to the detriment of Microsoft market share and profits. Judge
Jackson's findings may spur mandated changes to the way Microsoft conducts
business through a private agreement with the government or via a public
division of Microsoft's businesses. (New York Times 11/08/99)
U.S. CAR MONOLITHS MUSCLE IN ON THE INTERNET REVOLUTION
Ford and General Motors have entered into enormous e-commerce deals, with
Oracle and Commerce One, respectively, that could have industry-transforming
implications. The automotive giants are set to move their entire supply
operations--worth roughly $300 billion in Ford's case, and $500 billion for
GM when affiliate Isuzu's operations are included--to online transaction
centers in an effort to save money and time. The online procurement of
supplies could lead to a situation whereby a customer orders a car with
certain options from the local dealer and waits only a few days, not weeks
as the ordering process requires now, for the new car to arrive. Money
savings are expected to be significant, as both companies expect to save $1
billion in the first 18 months and $4 to $5 billion over the next four or
five years. There is concern over whether suppliers, particularly smaller
ones, will be able to update their technology sufficiently to participate in
the online exchange. (Financial Times 11/08/99)
COMPUTER WORRIES FUEL WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. DIPLOMATS
Y2K fears have caused the State Department to send hundreds of American
government employees and family members in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and
Moldova back to the U.S. before the date change occurs. The American
Embassy in Moscow says the threat of Y2K to diplomats is negligible, but
electricity and telephone systems in Russia might be affected. However,
even in the event of failures, the American Embassy and most diplomat
housing have their own alternate generators, fuel, food and water supplies,
and telephone systems. The risk of an unintentional nuclear missile launch
is almost negligible, and Russia's aviation system is well prepared.
Electricity is a concern in Russia, although failures would more likely
occur in rural areas than in large cities such as Moscow. The number of
U.S. citizens leaving Russia is unknown, but estimates range from 250 to 800
Americans, incurring a cost between $1.25 million and $8 million to the U.S.
government. (New York Times 11/08/99)
MIT, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY TO PARTNER IN U.K.-FUNDED INSTITUTE
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Cambridge
will announce a partnership on Monday that will have the two schools sharing
resources and students to develop new technologies and increase both
schools' productivity and competitiveness. The British government will
provide 80 percent of the partnership's $135 million budget for the first
five years, while private money from the U.K. will provide the rest.
Junior-year students at both schools will be able to study a joint
curriculum abroad as if they were a regular student at the partnership
school. MIT Chancellor Lawrence Bacow says, "What we are about to do is
potentially historic. It could transform both institutions and truly create
a new model for the global research university in the 21st century."
(Washington Post 11/08/99)
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BERKELEY RILES COMPUTER USERS WITH PLAN TO CHARGE FOR NETWORK
ACCESS
Beginning July 1, 2000, the University of California at Berkeley plans to
charge departments for using the campus computer network. The network
currently costs the university $12.4 million a year to support, money that
has been sourced from the school's general operating fund. No more. The
new financing plan will transfer roughly one-third of the network's cost to
the administrative, academic, and research departments who use it. The
administration's decision has not been popular and, "Absolutely no one is
motivated to pay for something once you've made the mistake of giving it
away for free," says John W. McCredie, associate vice chancellor of
information systems and technology at Berkeley. Other schools in the
California university system charge their individual departments for network
time. The new plan will have each department pay a fixed annual charge for
each workstation, server, or piece of communications equipment attached to
the network. (Chronicle of Higher Education Online 11/05/99)
FTC STUDIES 'PROFILING' BY WEB SITES
The FTC is meeting today to examine the use of consumer profiling tactics by
Web sites. The FTC may determine that new laws are necessary to protect
users from such tactics, which take information about consumers' online
surfing habits and incorporate the data as part of a company's marketing
strategy. Consumer privacy groups are assailing consumer profiling as an
affront to online users' privacy. Meanwhile, Web retailers argue that
consumer profiling is a necessary component of a healthy e-commerce economy.
During today's hearing, the FTC will look at the kind of information Web
sites collect from Internet users, how the information is used, and whom the
information is shared with. Ninety-three percent of Internet users say the
personal information collected by Web sites jeopardizes their privacy, while
63 percent say the federal government should defer to the online industry in
regulating collection practices, according to a recent report from @Plan.
(USA Today 11/08/99)
WEB SPINNING IN WASHINGTON
Congress has introduced more than 60 bills that regulate the Internet, and
as many as six of those that have backing from the business industry will
likely be passed before the year is out. Technology companies are pushing
for stronger contract laws as well as legislation that would protect
copyrights and trademarks. The Center for Responsive Politics says
technology companies have earmarked $18 million for lobbying efforts in next
year's elections. Congress has failed to address issues that affect online
consumers, such as privacy and security. Mark Rottenberg, director of the
Electronic Privacy Information Center, says the Internet industry makes sure
its needs are heard first when Congress addresses Internet issues. Rep.
Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), says Congress has become overzealous in
its efforts to regulate the Internet. Consumer privacy groups are
"outmanned" by organized industry efforts to reduce online privacy,
according to David Moulton, an aide to Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.).
(Los Angeles Times 11/08/99)
PLUGGING IN, NOT DROPPING OUT
As the rate of technological progress increases all the time, groups such as
Plugged In and the Area Learning Center are working to bridge the widening
technological gap between low- and high-income schools. At the Area
Learning Center, students in danger of dropping out of school are put to
work on projects using various multimedia technologies. The collaborative
learning process instills marketable skills in the students who hopefully
will put those skills to use for themselves as Dominic Ballister did.
Ballister, a product of the Plugged In program, is a lead designer for
Plugged In Enterprises, a teen-operated Web design firm in Silicon Valley.
"Plugged In has given me an opportunity to see the business side of the
world. It has ... taught me how to market myself," he says. Although the
number of computers in schools has doubled since 1993, California, the home
of Silicon Valley, has the lowest computer-to-student ratio in the nation.
(Wired News 11/04/99)
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News abstracts Copyright 1999, Information Inc., Bethesda, MD
Edupage Copyright 1999, EDUCAUSE
*****************************************************
EDUCAUSE, an international nonprofit association dedicated to transforming
education through information technologies