Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Top Stories
101 Ways To Save The Internet
101 proposals that harness the Net's own superpowers to defeat its foes. Up, up, and away!
News
The Fabulous Disappearing Internet
Will 2005 be the year we forget about the Internet? Thanks to always-on broadband connections at home and at work, plus simple and fun phone-based applications, "going on the Internet" isn't such a big deal.
Internet
Web's Inventor Gets A Knighthood
The inventor of the world wide web, Tim Berners-Lee, has been awarded a knighthood for his pioneering work.
'Most Influential' Websites Named
Google, eBay and Friends Reunited are among key influential websites which have had the biggest impact on UK web users, say analysts Nielsen Netratings.
Linux
Linux's Best (And Worst) Year Ever
Is it possible to have both your best year ever and your worst year ever in the same 365 days? It is if you're Linux and open source.
UserLinux Desktop Fuss Continues
KDE supporters are still feuding with Bruce Perens over his decision to make GNOME the desktop interface for UserLinux.
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Top Stories
The Fantasy And Reality Of 2004
We asked a dozen experts in fields that are apt to touch all our lives this year — privacy, defense, spam, security, open source, technology development, life online and human rights — to answer this question: "What do you wish would happen in 2004, and what do you think will actually happen?"
News
Social Networking Vendors Aim For The Enterprise
Having started beta tests and raised funding, a string of vendors are ready to launch new offerings in the new year that promise to expand users' business connections.
Internet
Asian Countries Challenge US On Next-Gen Internet
Japan, China and South Korea are working together to develop Internet Protocol Version 6.
The Internet Becomes Mainstream
The Internet is no longer a geek's world: it's officially mainstream — at least in America, according to researchers.
Monday, December 29, 2003
Top Stories
The Duel Of The Dual-Layer DVD Formats
One side of the ongoing recordable DVD format battle is expected to be first with products that nearly double the amount of data held on one disc. But that victory may not put an end to the feud.
News
The Personal Links Of Three Social-Networking Sites
If there's one place where knowing the right people is as important as it is in Hollywood, that place is Silicon Valley.
Communication Breakdown Threatens VoIP
As cable and telephone companies begin offering Net telephony services to consumers in earnest, complications on the back end threaten to crimp cost savings for providers and ultimately dampen expectations for the much-hyped technology.
Offshore Jobs In Technology: Opportunity Or A Threat?
An Industry Watches Japan's Experience
Having drawn 300,000 subscribers to its 3G service in the first 18 months, DoCoMo added about that many in September, and by the end of November had 1.6 million subscribers.
Will Google Take The Plunge?
Many investors are eagerly waiting for Google, the Web search titan, to go public. But those same investors, many of them still smarting from losses when technology stocks plummeted, may not be ready to jump at just any new technology offering in 2004.
Internet
More Businesses Are Turning To Paid Listings On Search Engines
The hottest form of online advertising is now paid listings on search engines — a mere two sentences that make a banner ad look epic in comparison.
The Internet Hasn't Reeled In Everyone Yet
Once it was edgy and cool. Now the Internet has settled down into a comfortable middle age and become merely ... indispensible.
Sunday, December 28, 2003
News
We Hate Spam, Congress Says. Except From Us.
Even as Congress was unanimously approving a law aimed at reducing the flow of junk e-mail, members were sending out hundreds of thousands of unsolicited messages to constituents.
Internet
Internet Brings Candidate Information To Voters
Dean isn't the only candidate seeking the Democratic presidential nomination who has harnessed the Internet.
Linux
More Firms Embracing The Use Of Open Source Software
"Suddenly, smaller companies have a chance to get bigger business."
Saturday, December 27, 2003
Internet
Internet The Latest Tool In Re-Gifting
EBay wants Canadians to become a nation of re-gifters.
Local Retailers Must Compete With The Internet
Internet Now 'Part Of Daily Life'
Use skyrockets, but online population growth stagnate.
Linux
Open-Source Battle Is Heating Up
The future of the computer software industry was being fought out last week in the Massachusetts Senate. It was just a skirmish, but dozens more just like it are happening in legislatures around the world.
Friday, December 26, 2003
Top Stories
Signs Of Recovery: Domain Names Once Again Fetch Top Dollar
One more sign the technology sector is rebounding: An Internet domain name is again commanding seven figures.
News
Online Data Conflict With Desire For Privacy
Some fear misuse of personal information that is readily accessed on Internet.
Why Machines Should Fear
Once a curmudgeonly champion of "usable" design, cognitive scientist Donald A. Norman argues that future machines will need emotions to be truly dependable.
Internet
Students Say Internet Claiming More Time
A fifth of middle- and high-school students in Seoul say they are addicted to the Internet, a recent poll by YMCA shows.
Internet Sales Up 31% Over Last Year
Later shipping deadlines boost online buying.
Linux
Treasury's Linux Threat Seen As Ploy
A top treasury official yesterday ruled that new government computers should run on Linux instead of Microsoft Windows, but IDC Israel manager Gideon Lopez dismisses the whole thing as a ploy.
Thursday, December 25, 2003
Top Stories
The Return Of The Internet
In 2003, Howard Dean scored big with the Web, while India took advantage of online communications to grab thousands of white-collar jobs from the West. The Net, it turns out, still matters.
'Get Me Rewrite!' 'Hold On, I'll Pass You To The Computer'
Using several methods, including statistical techniques borrowed from gene analysis, two researchers have created a program that can automatically generate paraphrases of English sentences.
News
Sites Lag As Shoppers Throng Online
Calling it a "perfect online shopping storm," a survey of major retailers reported that events have conspired this season to send hordes of shoppers to the Internet, slowing major sites to a crawl.
Will DVD Acquittal Mean Tougher Copyright Laws?
The acquittal of a Norwegian programmer charged with breaking Hollywood's DVD encryption scheme could lend new urgency to the entertainment industry's efforts to enact tougher global copyright laws.
Internet
Asian Internet Use Takes Off
Internet use, particularly in China but across the rest of Asia as well, is exploding, making it geographically the world's largest market, altering consumer spending patterns and perhaps even the Internet's dominant language, according to an exhaustive new report on Asian online use by the New York-based market research firm eMarketer.
China Launching Crackdown On Rampant Piracy Of Internet-Based Games
China is launching a crackdown on piracy of Internet-based games, saying violators are threatening to ruin a promising $250-million-a-year industry, state media said Wednesday.
Linux
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Top Stories
How The Internet Invented Howard Dean
Forget fundraising (though his opponents sure can't). The real reason the Doctor is in: He listens to the technology — and the people who use it.
News
IT Salary Survey: Hopes For A Better 2004
More than four out of 10 U.S. IT workers received no raises during 2003, but 60 percent expect to receive a raise of at least 3 percent in 2004, according to a new survey released by skills assessment firm Brainbench.
Linux
New Survey Finds No Linux 'Chill' From SCO Suit
"None [of the companies surveyed] have concluded they're liable in any way."
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
News
Web Addresses Get Nip And Tuck — And Spam
A crop of Web sites have sprung up with the mission of making long, easily breakable Web addresses shorter — and at least one of them is trying to make money at the idea.
Top Ten Web Design Mistakes Of 2003
Sites are getting better at using minimalist design, maintaining archives, and offering comprehensive services. However, these advances entail their own usability problems, as several prominent mistakes from 2003 show.
DeCSS Author Cleared Again On Appeal
Jon Johansen's retrial on charges of DVD piracy ended today as a Norwegian appeals court ruled that his breaking copy protection on DVDs was legal.
Internet
Unexpected Twists In Internet Law
Internet law in 2003 was full of surprises, with Congress passing an antispam bill, the courts blessing pop-up advertising, the music industry losing lawsuits and the Supreme Court finally upholding an Internet law.
ICTs Not All About Internet — Expert
Internet connection is not the only solution to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in modern day business and learning.
Linux
Creator Of Linux Defends Its Originality
Linus Torvalds, creator of the popular Linux computer operating system, defended his work yesterday as not always lovely but original — and certainly not copied, as a Utah company has contended.
Novell Registers Unix Copyrights
Novell Inc. has quietly registered for the copyrights on many versions of the Unix computer operating system that the SCO Group already says it owns, further muddying the water surrounding a dispute that has embroiled the Linux open source world for almost a year.
Linux Desktop Split Threatens UserLinux
A fledgling effort at creating a unified Linux distribution is being threatened by a long-existing split in the Linux developer world—namely, the divide between the two most popular graphical user interfaces (GUIs), Gnome and KDE.
2004: The Year Of Desktop Linux?
The hype may have faded from the idea of desktop Linux, but that hasn't stopped governments and corporations from beginning to test the waters.
Monday, December 22, 2003
News
AOL Version 2004: You've Got News
The most popular online news site doesn't employ any reporters — but is about to have a whole lot of big names covering and pontificating on the 2004 campaign.
Internet
64 Per Cent Of Candians Used Internet Over One-Month Period: Poll
About two-thirds of Canadians surfed the Internet at least once during a one-month period earlier this year, an opinion poll suggests.
Linux
SCO Sends Second Warning Letter To Linux Users
The letters, dated Friday, are the second round that SCO has sent to corporate users of Linux.
Red Hat Users To Get Better Storage Capability
Red Hat is adding some enterprise storage capabilities to its Linux. With Novell buying SuSE AG, enterprise Linux looks set to become a stronger offering.
Sunday, December 21, 2003
News
Courts Slow Copyright Cartel's March, But For How Long?
But before anyone celebrates, let's keep something in mind. The fight is far from over.
Lost? Hiding? Your Cellphone Is Keeping Tabs
Driven by worries about safety, the need for accountability, and perhaps a certain "I Spy" impulse, families and employers are adopting surveillance technology once used mostly to track soldiers and prisoners.
Internet
Internet Unites Soccer Fans Starved In America
If you want to wear a shirt with your favorite player's name on the back or watch videos of their greatest plays, or hear interviews, the Internet is the place to go.
Linux
Can Linux Kick Butt?
Despite advantages, the OS has problems dislodging market leader Microsoft.
Saturday, December 20, 2003
Top Stories
Hard Disks Go Home
Hard disks are starting to appear in household devices, from televisions to stereos, adding novel features and making possible new products.
News
Court: RIAA Lawsuit Strategy Illegal
A federal appeals court on Friday handed a major setback to the record industry's legal tactics for tracking down and suing alleged file swappers.
Linux
Austin Tests Desktop Linux Waters
The city of Austin, Texas, is evaluating Linux and OpenOffice.org for desktop computers, the newest indication that open-source software has become a serious alternative to Microsoft products.
Linux Catches On At Coal Power Plants
RWE Innogy, a power company in the United Kingdom, has begun moving systems that control its coal-fired power plants to Linux.
IBM To Trumpet iSeries Linux Software
IBM, the loudest backer of the Linux operating system, plans to announce Monday that its business partners added more than 300 software packages in 2003 that run on a foundation of Big Blue's WebSphere e-commerce software and its iSeries midrange servers.
Red Hat Tests Linux Update
Red Hat began public testing this week of an update designed to make its new premium Linux product work better on IBM servers and computers that use Advanced Micro Devices' Opteron chip.
Friday, December 19, 2003
News
New York And Microsoft File Suits On E-Mail Spam
Eliot Spitzer, the New York state attorney general, and Microsoft each filed suits today charging one of the nation's most prominent e-mail marketers with fraud stemming from sending unsolicited commercial e-mail, commonly known as spam.
Regulators Issue First Citation For Violation Of No-Call Law
The Federal Communications Commission cited but did not fine CPM Funding of Irvine, Calif., which does business as California Pacific Mortgage.
Linux
Getting Linux 2.6 Into The Enterprise
The Linux distributors detail their plans on when they'll be introducing Linux 2.6 into their commercial releases, while the analysts consider what 2.6 will mean to Microsoft and users.
Thursday, December 18, 2003
News
Google Tests Book Search
Google has started letting people search text within books, following similar strides from retail behemoth Amazon.com.
The RIAA Succeeds Where The Cypherpunks Failed
The RIAA is succeeding where the Cypherpunks failed, convincing users to trade a broad but penetrable privacy for unbreakable anonymity under their personal control.
Japan Working On Appliances-Internet Link
Four Japanese electronics makers have agreed to work together in developing a common standard to link refrigerators and other home appliances to the Internet.
Internet
The Blogs Of Freedom
Now more than ever, the fresh voices of Iraqi bloggers will be an invaluable counterweight to traditional media coverage.
UK's Poorest Families Still Avoiding The Net
The very people who need government services the most are not interested in getting online, according to new research, prompting the creation of a Digital Inclusion Panel to help close Britain's digital divide.
Linux
Linux Gets Heart Transplant With 2.6.0
Top programmers on Wednesday released a major update to Linux, version 2.6.0, a change that's expected to help carry the open-source operating system into new markets.
Linux 2.6.0 Heart Transplant Imminent
Top programmers hope to release on Wednesday a major update to Linux, version 2.6.0, a change that's expected to help carry the open-source operating system into new markets.
Linux Developers Spar Over Enterprise Desktop Plans
The quest for a unified Linux desktop has sparked a new struggle between advocates of the KDE and GNOME interface technologies. The battleground: The UserLinux initiative started by open-source heavyweight Bruce Perens.
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Top Stories
Bush OKs Spam Bill — But Critics Not Convinced
President Bush signed the "Can-Spam" bill Tuesday, creating the first federal law regulating spam, a move backers say will be a major step in the war against e-mail solicitations for pornography, Viagra, diet pills, get-rich-quick schemes and the like. But critics scoff that e-mail users will be unlikely to see a decline in the volume of junk in their in-boxes as a result.
News
Film Fans Befuddled By Copyright
A major studio's recent action to curtail online sales of its films has left some movie buffs confused about where and when purchasing foreign DVDs is legitimate.
"Moving To India Is Not A Luxury. It Is A Necessity"
American workers won't like what venture capitalist Ravi Chiruvolu says about why his tech start-ups are built using Indian workers. But they'd better listen.
Google Here, There, And Everywhere
As the search giant keeps expanding into new services, it's becoming a rival to just about every other Net company out there.
Soon, Marketing Will Follow You
While consumers may wish for less-intrusive advertising, it appears, short of permanently shutting their wallets, they may not be able to fend off the coming wave of mobile-target marketing.
It's Not Called 'Can' Spam For Nothing
The law is little more than an instructional guide for how to keep pumping out millions of e-mails per hour while avoiding legal liability.
Why We've Finally Canned Spam
As co-authors of this legislation and as two of the Senate's leading technology legislators, we do not claim that the Can-Spam Act, which passed into law Tuesday, offers a silver bullet that will stop all unwanted e-mail. However, we do believe that the law will offer important new tools in the fight against spam and that some of the criticisms of the legislation are misguided.
Where Did My IT Job Go?
Markets hate high prices, and our labor was extremely high-priced.
Internet
Internet Should Be Made 'Public Service'
A Democrat executive yesterday urged the government to turn Internet and telephone services into public services as part of the country's information technology reform.
Internet Advertising Bucks Wider Trend With Record Six Months' Income
Advertising on the internet has bucked the trend affecting the rest of the media sector by growing strongly in the first half of the year.
Linux
Enough About Linux, What's The Story With The Penguin?
Torvalds wanted a 'beanbag' for a logo, and that's what Larry Ewing gave him.
There's So Much More To Open Source Software Than Just Linux
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
News
Phone Service Over Internet Revives Talk Of Regulation
The debate over how government treats the Internet is likely to reach a new level of intensity now that Internet technology is colliding with one of the nation's most lucrative businesses, telephone service.
Internet
Judge OKs Internet Company's Pop-Up Ads
A federal judge ruled Monday that a California company can send "pop-up" Internet ads that regulators have called "high-tech extortion" — at least until the matter is decided at trial.
Monday, December 15, 2003
News
The Return Of The Free 'PC'
A British start-up is to offer up to free PCs to the public. The catch? The PC fills the screens with ads for 60 seconds every 20 minutes.
No Recovery For The Internet
Lost in all the good news about the economic recovery is a chilling fact: The recovery isn't being felt by the Internet industry.
Fax — The Technology That Refuses To Die
Why bother with fax machines when almost everything put on paper has been produced in digital format?
Using A Bicycle To Uplink On A Downtown Platform
As a saxophone's melancholy music bounced off the tile walls of the subway station at Union Square in Manhattan last Thursday afternoon, Yury Gitman was hunched over a laptop computer, trying a different kind of performance.
The Internet's Role In Media Freedom
As the opponents of Web censorship become more sophisticated, so do the censors themselves.
Internet
Internet Escapes Shackles, Question Of New Rules Set For 2005
The unruly internet escaped new controls at a UN summit in Geneva last week, but 175 countries pledged to look again at who should govern the web when they reconvene in Tunis in two years' time.
Linux
Linux Vendors Join Forces
Linux in the enterprise will take a step forward with the announcement this week of a global initiative aimed at providing data center backup support across a broad array of applications.
Sunday, December 14, 2003
Top Stories
China Tries To Establish Homegrown Tech Rules
China isn't just reluctant to pay what amount to taxes to the developed-world owners of global technology standards. With the largest domestic market on the planet, at least potentially, plus an increasingly creative and well-educated workforce, China is creating its own competitive set of standards for its own market, although the global potential is obvious.
News
Net Delivers Early News Of Hussein's Capture
Americans logged onto the Internet to learn about the capture of Saddam Hussein because the news broke after most of the nation's newspapers had "gone to bed."
Internet
When Did We Give Away The Internet?
In whatever ways ICANN has managed to wield its three-pronged fork, it has never come close to being master of the Internet.
Linux
Big Scope For Those With Linux Skills
The good news for the software professional is that with the industry adopting Linux rapidly, there is a great demand for professionals with Linux skills.
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Internet
Internet Summit Makes Call To "Wire Up" The World
More than 170 countries have approved an ambitious call to extend the Internet and the benefits of information technology to the poorest corners of the world, but dodged some of the difficulties of doing so.
Linux
Linux To Gain Ground In 2004
OS could steal market share away from Windows and Unix, study says.
Friday, December 12, 2003
Top Stories
Patenting Air Or Protecting Property?
The Acacia case highlights why a growing chorus of corporate and government officials is warning that the U.S. patent system is broken, threatening to stunt technological innovation.
If The Kitchen's Warm, It May Be The PC
Even if Internet-ready refrigerators have yet to become much of a presence, technology is making its presence felt as families increasingly descend on the kitchen not just for a meal but also for a session on the computer.
PC, Consumer Engineers Play Different Tunes On Road To Wireless Music
PC and consumer engineers are taking separate paths to audio over Bluetooth, raising the possibility of incompatible wireless MP3 players, headsets and speakers.
News
Big Blue Tackles New Grid-Computing Services
IBM has unveiled services for grid and autonomic computing that will, ideally, let large institutions run their most complex applications more efficiently.
Tomorrow's Menu: Spam, Spam, Spam
Congress overwhelmingly passes a bill to fight the online scourge, but critics say the unwanted e-mail will increase because the law will actually legitimize spam.
Offshore Outsourcing: Little Effect On US Jobs?
The trend toward U.S. IT and manufacturing companies outsourcing jobs to other countries has so far had little effect on the overall U.S. job market, supporters of offshore outsourcing and some economists argued Thursday, but others predicted the national debate over the issue will get hotter as more jobs move.
VoIP Battles Heats Up With Carrier, Cable Announcements
In a year-end claim-staking stampede, carriers from the cable TV, local phone exchange and long-distance worlds are scrambling to make announcements pledging customer support for Voice Over Internet Protocol service in 2004.
Internet
Iran's President Defends Web Control
Iran's policy of blocking access to certain websites has been defended by the country's authorities at the UN digital summit.
Globalizing Internet Brings Unexpected Problems
The United Nations' push to transform the developing world into tech-ready nations could partly backfire, delegates to an IT summit aimed at bridging the "digital divide" said on Thursday.
Linux
Red Hat Founder Sees Irony In SCO Lawsuit
Bob Young responds to criticism.
Red Hat Flagship Backs Linux Standard
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 has achieved the broadest yet Linux Standards Base certification, guiding Linux away from Unix's path of fragmentation.
Thursday, December 11, 2003
News
New Laws On Spam Come Into Force
New European laws banning the sending of unwanted e-mails — spam — come into force on Thursday.
For Hearing Aids, A Lesson From A Fly On The Wall
Carrying on a conversation in a busy restaurant can be a challenge for anyone who wears a hearing aid. The devices amplify speech, but they amplify the general racket in the room, too. But a microphone that imitates the remarkably acute hearing of a tiny fly — and gives it a boost with the latest in miniature lasers and signal processing — may one day help solve this problem.
Linux
Linux Gaining Support In Embedded Systems
Linux is making sufficient inroads into the embedded systems market to send vendors scrambling.
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
News
New Rules Unlikely To Can Spam
The Second Most Important Property Of The Web
Companies aiming to cut site development costs tend to de-emphasize usability. A new markup language — XHTML2 — should help put an end to that unwise trend.
First Test Of IPv6 Network Goes Well
An early test of a multi-site, next-generation Internet, powered by IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) went well, and the coalition of groups working on the so-called Moonv6 project will conduct more comprehensive tests starting in February, said two people involved in the project Tuesday.
Internet
Choosing The Internet We Want
Supreme Court ruling on copyright will affect our service from the Web.
Linux
Time For Open Source To Close Door?
The recent spate of attacks on open-source projects should be a wake-up call to developers that it's time to make sure their digital doors are locked, or at least secure.
Developers Take Linux Attacks To Heart
A handful of recent online attacks on free and open-source software servers has open-source developers looking over their shoulders.
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
Top Stories
Shoppers Flip-Flop Their Web Strategy
Consumers have been using the Internet to browse for products before buying offline for some time. But a new survey says they're now starting to reverse that shopping method.
News
The Magic Of An Empowered Consumer
What's wrong with the current talk of a UN takeover of Internet governance is just that — it's all about the money.
Wi-Fi Concerns Shift Gears
Interoperability, RF management emerge as new areas of focus.
Upturn Seen For IT Spending In 2004
Small and medium-size companies are set to lead a recovery of IT spending in 2004, with priorities returning to more traditional patterns.
Time Warner Cable Reaches VoIP Deals
Time Warner Cable and two U.S. telephone service providers announced agreements Monday that may help the cable company's attack on the local and long-distance phone service market.
Saying No To Games
While males spend millions on action-packed video fun, females don't, and the industry is looking for keys to this lucrative kingdom.
Internet
Managing Of Internet Addresses Defended
The head of the organisation that manages the internet address system on Monday rejected criticisms of its operations by some developing countries that want them transferred to the United Nations.
Linux
Quarter Of SMEs Test Linux
One in four small- and medium-sized enterprises are trialling Linux, with half of them hoping to migrate to the open-source operating system.
Monday, December 8, 2003
News
Feds Should Hang Up VoIP Regulations
Imposing those regulations would crush fledgling VoIP companies with the weight of volumes of "bureaucratelia."
Who Wins And WHo Loses As Jobs Move Overseas?
The outsourcing of jobs to China and India is not new, but lately it has earned a chilling new adjective: professional.
Future Of TV Looks A Lot Like Broadband
If a new digital age of television is emerging, it may look a lot like "Now Broadband TV," a service launched earlier this fall by PCCW, Hong Kong's dominant telecommunications company.
Internet
Chinese Internet Use Rising Fast
China is second only to the US in terms of the number of internet users and it hopes to be the world's biggest web market in four years' time.
Talks Seek Internet Ground Rules
Negotiators from 192 countries have narrowed differences on setting the global ground rules for expanding use of the internet, but remain undecided on whether rich nations should help their poor counterparts pay for the increase.
Linux
UK Government Backs Sun's Java Desktop System
Sun Microsystems Inc. on Monday will announce a strategic five-year agreement with the United Kingdom's Office of Government Commerce to establish the Java Enterprise System and the Java Desktop System as the underlying infrastructure and desktop solutions for the public sector.
Britain's Health Service Could Dump Microsoft For Linux
The National Health Service is considering using the Linux operating system in a £2.3 billion deal that could affect as many as 800,000 PCs if a pilot is successful.
Linux Becomes A More Practical Option
Dropping Microsoft software from the desktop should become a more practical option early next month when a CD containing open source software supported by Sun Microsystems goes on sale.
Sunday, December 7, 2003
News
Handling Web Services With Care
As the Web services movement rides the crest of a marketing wave promising "etopia" in full-spectrum business integration, a closer look reveals that many new tools are still not ready for prime time.
Internet
Digital Divide To Be Big Issue At U.N. Summit On Internet
To the great frustration of the international community, Icann, a group ordained by the United States to oversee the technical aspects of the Internet's address system, has been in a pole position of power since its formation in 1998, deciding such issues as when languages could be used as a communication tool by other nations.
Internet Taxation Battle Between States And Feds Begins To Heat Up
Because of the Senate's failure to ban Internet access taxes, "the gates are open" for states and localities to tax high-speed DSL Internet connections, said Sen. George Allen, R-Va., chief sponsor of the Internet Tax Non-Discrimination Act.
Linux
Dell Flies Red Flag Linux In China
Dell has begun to sell servers running a version of Linux Red Flag Software as part of its efforts to expand in China.
Saturday, December 6, 2003
Top Stories
How To Succeed In 2004
We asked leaders from business (and elsewhere) how they do what they do better than anyone else.
News
RIAA, Radio And Hurting Your Customers
Now it is about ever common denominators, ignoring the small and midlist artists, and collecting all the eggs into a few blockbuster baskets.
Why Three Heads Are Better Than One
Evenin the best of times, it's a battle to convince employees to participate in knowledge management programs. But in tough times, the tendency is for employees to horde what they know. Here's how some companies convinced individuals to share best practices.
Yahoo Pitching Antispam Initiative To Industry
Yahoo Inc. has developed a system it says will go a long way toward curbing spam, but the technology's success is dependent on its widespread industry adoption beyond the borders of Yahoo's e-mail servers.
Broadband Have-Nots To Raise A Political Stink
People who can't get broadband intend to be very vocal until they get it, politicians have been warned.
Linux
Judge Orders SCO To Show Linux Infringement
IBM won a tactical victory Friday in a legal battle with SCO Group when a judge ordered SCO to show within 30 days the Linux software to which it believes it has rights and to point out where it believes IBM is infringing.
Friday, December 5, 2003
News
Google Wants Ruling On Search Trademark Law
Aiming to pre-empt mounting complaints of trademark violations, search company Google has asked a court to rule on whether its keyword-advertising policy is legal.
FCC Seeks To Overturn Cable Broadband Ruling
The Federal Communications Commission filed a petition Thursday requesting a rehearing in a case that could bring new federal regulations to the cable broadband industry.
IDC Predicts 'Tech Resurrection' In '04
An improving U.S. economy and pent-up demand after years of austerity will combine to fuel IT spending growth in 2004, research firm IDC predicts.
What's In Store For Wi-Fi Standards?
Representatives from key industry groups gave an update on upcoming Wi-Fi standards that lay the groundwork for determining what tools manufacturers will have to work with as they develop new products in the coming years.
Report: Keep Broadband In Companies' Hands
The U.S. broadband industry may be dominated by phone and cable companies, but that doesn't mean the government needs to get involved, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Internet
U.N.: Statistics On Internet Use Flawed
The extent of the technology gap between richer and poorer nations may be smaller than believed because of flawed statistics on Internet use, the U.N. communications agency said Thursday.
Linux
McBride Letter Continues SCO's Linux Attack
Open letter posted to the SCO site accuses free software advocates of threatening the intellectual property protections.
HP To Expand Debian Linux Support
In an effort to cater to vertical markets and customers who want customized applications that require changes to the Linux kernel, Hewlett-Packard Co. is planning to expand support offerings to customers who run the Debian Project's version of the operating system.
Hacked Gentoo Linux Server Taken Offline
Hackers have forced the Gentoo Linux project to take a server offline.
Thursday, December 4, 2003
Top Stories
That 1994 Feeling
RSS delivers a long-promised Internet dream — getting you the information you want from the people you want without hassle or bother.
Checking Your Bill For A New Charge Called 'Oops'
As nickel-and-dime errors show up with increasing frequency on their phone bills and in other accounts, some customers wonder whether the mistakes are in fact company policy.
News
Games Made For Remaking
In recent years, players dedicated to modifying store-bought computer games have morphed into an underground movement — mod makers, as they often call themselves. Now they are showing signs of breaking into the mainstream as game developers are increasingly willing to give away the very software tools they use to construct the games, including them on the disc with the game itself.
What Roy Disney's Resignation Means
We must build on the past, not use it against the future.
Linux
China's Internet Censors Under Fire
A leading media rights group has called for international firms supplying computer and online equipment to China to take a stand against the Chinese government's censorship of the Internet.
Sun's Scheme For Desktop Domination
Sun Microsystems Inc. on Wednesday will announce a partnership with Electronic Data Systems Corp., in which the Plano, Texas, IT outsourcing firm will provide migration services, training, help-desk and call center desktop services for Sun's Java Desktop System.
Red Hat Linux Nears Security Clearance
Red Hat is nearing completion of a critical certification process that should speed adoption of its Linux operating system by governments and security-conscious businesses.
The Greening Of Linux
As vice president in charge of Hewlett-Packard's Linux strategy, Martin Fink says HP's decision to indemnify its customers against lawsuits the SCO Group files has been a boon to sales. He also sees HP making inroads with its Linux products against Sun Microsystems' Solaris operating system.
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
News
The Myth Of Doomed Data
The handwringing about obsolete formats is misguided. The digital files we create today will be around for a very, very long time.
How Much Is Privacy Worth?
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Wednesday over whether the federal government should reimburse individuals whose sensitive data was disclosed illegally, even if no harm can be proven.
Sexual Spam Could Spark Lawsuits
Firms that do not take steps to stop sexually explicit spam could face lawsuits from employees suffering distress because of exposure to offensive images.
The Search For The Perfect Gift Grows At Small Online Stores
Shoppers understand that they cannot feel the softness of a cashmere sweater on a Web site, but the Internet offers speed, low prices, detailed product information and a way to avoid the holiday crush at the malls.
Cooperative Computing Finds Top Prime Number
An effort in which thousands of people donate their computers' unused processing power has uncovered the largest prime number so far known.
AOL Fights Spyware In Coming Software Upgrade
America Online will introduce antispyware software for subscribers as part of an optional service upgrade early next year, company officials confirmed Tuesday.
Internet
Internet Sales Soar Over Thanksgiving Weekend
Shoppers logged onto the Internet in large numbers during an unusually early and robust start to the holiday season.
Awards For Websites With 'Vision'
Six websites have been given a Visionary Design Award for their efforts to make them easily accessible for people with sight problems.
Linux
AMD Chips, Linux Line Up For Sun Blades
Sun Microsystems on Wednesday began selling its first blade server that can run Linux, a move that tightens Sun's ties with chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices.
Linux: The Next Generation
How free software is fueling a new kind of patriotism.
Will Linux Topple Windows From The Desktop?
Will Linux ever oust Windows from most people's desktops? Backing from big vendors like Novell and Sun certainly doesn't hurt. Yet lingering barriers remain.
Linux Ready For Business?
If the raw numbers don't convince you of Linux momentum, check out the moves of old-line software stalwart Novell.
Outsiders Help Red Hat With Opteron
Independent programmers have released a test version of Red Hat's Fedora version of Linux for Advanced Micro Devices' Opteron processor, a modest success in the company's effort to engage outside developers.
Tuesday, December 2, 2003
Top Stories
Craftsmanship
The mora of the story is sometimes fixing a 1% defect takes 500% effort.
A Micropayment For Your Thoughts
An idea that seemingly evaporated along with dot-com mania is back: that the Internet would realize its full grass-roots potential if Web surfers could pay small amounts for tidbits of online content.
News
Why It's Time To Rein In ICANN
It often finds itself steeped in controversy over what many see as its overzealous urge for policymaking.
Intel Scientists Find Wall For Moore's Law
Moore's Law, as chip manufacturers generally refer to it today, is coming to an end, according to a recent research paper.
Diebold Retreats; Lawmaker Demands Inquiry
Diebold is facing threats on two fronts as free-speech advocates pursue monetary damages against it and a presidential candidate urges a congressional inquiry into the company.
New Models For Net Business
Although the net has changed the way many firms work beyond the borders of their business, internally they remain very old-fashioned.
Wi-Fi To Get Big Extensions
Several companies are readying WLAN hardware and software to address the security and management of remote networks, especially in larger enterprises.
Look North, Workers Advised
IT jobs are available in Canada, where pay, and costs, are lower.
Linux
Flaw In Linux Kernel Allows Attack
The Debian Project warned on Monday that a flaw in the Linux kernel helped attackers compromise four of the open-source software project's development servers.
Monday, December 1, 2003
News
Google To Limit Some Drug Ads
Web giants asked to help discourage illicit online pharmacies.
What To Look For In '04
The most striking thing about the current trends in technology, as this issue will catalog in detail, is that the 'next big thing' doesn't leap from the pages, at least not as a product.
7 Hot Projects
These seven technologies are about to make their way out of the lab, onto the market — and into our lives.
Internet
Internet Growing More Egalitarian
While the Digital Divide still has the potential to create a new type of caste system, experts say the chasm is narrowing.
Linux
Red Hat Linux To Gain Security Stamp Of Approval
Red Hat is pushing to have its commercial Enterprise Linux software certified under the Common Criteria (CC) Scheme worldwide, and has anticipated the OS solution will gain accreditation by the end of this year.