ACM TechNews - Monday, May 22, 2000

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ACM TechNews
Volume 2, Number 59
Date: May 22, 2000
Site Sponsored by Gateway (http://www.gateway.com)

Top Stories for Monday, May 22, 2000:
http://www.acm.org/technews/current/homepage.html

"Microsoft Scrambles to Launch Software"
"High-Tech Workers Widen Pay Lead"
"Real Networks Has Digital Web Player for Music, Video"
"EU Set to Lift Data Security Export Curbs"
"New Computer Virus Mostly Halted in Tracks"
"Linux Gurus, Followers Differ on Napster Use"
"Online Privacy Progress Makes Legislation Unnecessary--DMA"
"Clinton Is Unlikely to Back FTC Efforts for New Power to
 Regulate Web Privacy"
"Egg Woos Customers With Cellphones"
"Nation's Leading Real Estate Brokers Join Forces to Create
 Unprecedented Online Home Marketplace"
"U S West to Spend Additional $3.4 Billion to Invest in Network"
"AT&T Unit, Disney Reach Pact"
"Laptops Stolen From Parliament"
"Ebix.com Partners With InsuranceOrder.com to Offer Consumers a
 Seamless Browsing to Buying Experience With Real-Time, Binding
 Auto Insurance Quotes"
"Seeking a Global Answer to Cybercrime"
"Rewriting the Fourth Amendment"
"Building a Better Backbone"
"The End of Linux Hysteria?"
"Keeping Web Data Private"

******************* News Stories ***********************

"Microsoft Scrambles to Launch Software"
As Microsoft prepares for next week's launch of its Next
Generation Windows Services (NGWS), experts say the software
giant must be careful to present the product in a way that will
not compromise its position in the ongoing antitrust trial.  NGWS . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item1

"High-Tech Workers Widen Pay Lead"
A study by the American Electronics Association reveals a
widening gap between the salaries of technical and non-technical
workers in the Washington, D.C., region, although the study does
not include the large group of technology workers at businesses . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item2

"Real Networks Has Digital Web Player for Music, Video"
RealNetworks, a competitor to Microsoft in supplying software
that allows users to watch videos or listen to music on the Web,
is expected to announce the release of a new digital
"entertainment center."  The new center enables users to . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item3

"EU Set to Lift Data Security Export Curbs"
European Union officials are expected to liberalize export
control regulations on encryption devices today, giving EU tech
companies a leg up over American and Japanese firms that are
still hindered by stricter export rules on data security . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item4

"New Computer Virus Mostly Halted in Tracks"
Most corporate computer users escaped any serious damage from a
particularly nasty strain of the "Love Bug" virus called "Herbie"
or "Spammer A."  The virus had the potential to be much more
devastating than the original, but most businesses were prepared . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item5

"Linux Gurus, Followers Differ on Napster Use"
The open source software movement has mixed views on the current
suits against Napster, an Internet site that provides a simple
way to share often pirated MP3 music files, brought by the
Recording Industry Association of America, the rock group . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item6

"Online Privacy Progress Makes Legislation Unnecessary--DMA"
The Internet industry has been quick to adopt self-regulation as
a means of protecting consumers' online privacy, according to a
new survey conducted by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).
The survey shows that 93 percent of the most popular Web sites on . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item7

"Clinton Is Unlikely to Back FTC Efforts for New Power to
 Regulate Web Privacy"
FTC commissioners on Friday voted 3-2 to recommend that Congress
increase the agency's regulatory powers over consumer privacy on
the Internet.  The vote comes on the heels of an FTC report
showing that less than 50 percent of top Web sites meet the FTC's . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item8

"Egg Woos Customers With Cellphones"
Egg, a Web-based bank, on Thursday announced an agreement with BT
Cellnet to offer up to 1 million free Web-enabled wireless
handsets to its customers.  Customers will be offered the
WAP-enabled cell phones upon registering on Egg's site, . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item9

"Nation's Leading Real Estate Brokers Join Forces to Create
 Unprecedented Online Home Marketplace"
Online real estate service provider Homebid.com has enlisted six
major real estate brokers to list their properties on Homebid
while using its other services.  Those realty firms who have
agreed to list their homes on Homebid.com include: Coldwell . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item10

"U S West to Spend Additional $3.4 Billion to Invest in Network"
U S West announced plans to invest an extra $3.4 billion this
year in network upgrades to comply with some federal mandates.
The regional Bell will dedicate $4.7 billion to system upgrades
this year, according to a May 15 filing with the Securities and . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item11

"AT&T Unit, Disney Reach Pact"
AT&T's wireless division and Walt Disney's Internet division have
formed a partnership that calls for Walt Disney to supply Web
content for AT&T's new mobile data service.  Along with Disney's
Go.Com sites, ABCNews.com and ESPN.com will be the primary . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item12

"Laptops Stolen From Parliament"
Thieves recently stole five laptop computers from a highly secure
area in Australia's Parliament House.  Although the computers had
a value of around A$30,000, officials are more concerned about
the possibility of hackers gaining access to the parliamentary . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item13

"Ebix.com Partners With InsuranceOrder.com to Offer Consumers a
 Seamless Browsing to Buying Experience With Real-Time, Binding
 Auto Insurance Quotes"
Ebix.com and InsuranceOrder.com have joined forces to provide
consumers with a seamless browse to buy experience for auto
insurance.  This marks the first site through which consumers can
comparison shop, obtain binding quotes, and purchase policies . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item14

"Seeking a Global Answer to Cybercrime"
The Internet Alliance (IA), a group representing many
high-profile technology companies, and a major participant at the
Group of Eight conference on cybercrime, released a study on
Internet crime to coincide with the forum.  The study, An . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item15

"Rewriting the Fourth Amendment"
The Internet has helped initiate a new debate on the Fourth
Amendment, as companies that do business online and law
enforcement agencies try to do everything in their power to
protect the networks of Web-based businesses.  While the . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item16

"Building a Better Backbone"
As telecom carriers add data transmitting features to
second-generation wireless networks, they are also planning for
upgrades or additions to forthcoming third-generation
technologies.  Vendors are preparing for future IP service and . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item17

"The End of Linux Hysteria?"
Although the hype surrounding Linux is dying down, the
open-source operating system has claimed the second spot in
global OS sales and its market share continues to grow.  Recent
developments at Linuxcare, a services and solutions provider for . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item18

"Keeping Web Data Private"
Companies that post privacy policies on the Web should ensure
that detailed information is included describing exactly how
customers' personal data will be used, experts say.  Companies
should mention whether customers are allowed to view their . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/0522m.html#item19

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