ACM TechNews - Wednesday, November 1, 2000

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ACM TechNews
Volume 2, Number 125
Date: November 1, 2000
Site Sponsored by Gateway (http://www.gateway.com)

Top Stories for Wednesday, November 1, 2000:
http://www.acm.org/technews/current/homepage.html

"Dot-Com Workers Down, But Not Out"
"High-Tech Lift for India's Women"
"Candidates Stump for Silicon Valley's Vote"
"Misunderstandings At the Office"
"Telecommuters' Lament"
"From Backwater to Boom Town"
"With Dissidents on Board, Net Could See Revolution"
"Budget Deal Stalls on Timing of a Worker-Safety Provision"
"Lab Has Big Appetite for Worms, Viruses"
"ICANN Antagonist Calls for Board Resignations"
"Taming the Web"
"Wetherell: Future of Net Economy Looks Bright"
"Europe to Investigate Legality of RIP"
"First Reviews on FirstGov"
"Long Odds for Software Law"
"Girl Geeks: A Mathematical Imperative for High-Tech Shortages"
"Study: H-1B Crucial to Economic Growth"
"Copywrongs"
"Plans for E-Government Inspire Spending Spree"

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

"Dot-Com Workers Down, But Not Out"
Although recent reports continue to show an increase in the
number of layoffs at dot-com firms, observers say the laid-off
workers are finding strong demand for their skills in the job
marketplace.  Dot-com layoffs rose 18 percent from September to . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item1

"High-Tech Lift for India's Women"
India's growing high-tech industry is creating new opportunities
for women, who are expected to account for nearly half of the
country's IT workforce within 10 years.  Women will play a major
role in helping the Indian software industry grow from a $5 . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item2

"Candidates Stump for Silicon Valley's Vote"
Al Gore and George W. Bush have been campaigning heavily in
Silicon Valley hoping to win the support of the wealthy high-tech
industry.  The candidates are competing to prove who would make
the better new economy president, with Gore emphasizing his . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item3

"Misunderstandings At the Office"
Over half of the office workers surveyed in a recent Vault.com
survey say the recipients of their emails misinterpret the tone
or meaning of their messages.  That can lead to embarrassing
misunderstandings, as occurred when one worker angered fellow . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item4

"Telecommuters' Lament"
Many companies that were once optimistic about the future of
telecommuting are now frowning on the practice.  Although the
number of U.S. telecommuters has jumped from 8.5 million in 1995
to 24 million today, many firms are beginning to limit the extent . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item5

"From Backwater to Boom Town"
Dublin, Ireland, has emerged as one of the leading marketplaces
for high-tech employment, industry observers say.  Several firms,
including Compaq and IBM, have established their European
call-center operations in the capital of Ireland, which is in the . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item6

"With Dissidents on Board, Net Could See Revolution"
The recent elections held by ICANN brought representatives of
individuals, smaller businesses, and the general public onto a
board of directors that has recently faced criticism for lending
too much support and favor to big business.  Two of these new . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item7

"Budget Deal Stalls on Timing of a Worker-Safety Provision"
The Clinton administration wants the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration's (OSHA) proposed ergonomic safety rules to
go into effect before the end of the year, but Republican leaders
have balked at a proposed deal that would delay enforcement of . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item8

"Lab Has Big Appetite for Worms, Viruses"
Security experts at the Symantec AntiVirus Research Center (SARC)
look for ways to make technology more secure by launching viruses
on the center's sealed-off network.  The center handles 10 new
viruses every day, releasing software patches for customers and . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item9

"ICANN Antagonist Calls for Board Resignations"
University of Miami law Professor Michael Froomkin posted a
statement at the personal.law.miami.edu/~froomkin/boardsquat.htm
Web site that criticizes ICANN's decision to permit four of its
original board members to remain active board members.  . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item10

"Taming the Web"
Experts who study the new economy say it is only a matter of time
before the Internet succumbs to the oversight of the federal
government.  Although Vice President Al Gore has joined Texas
Gov. George W. Bush in saying the Internet should be left alone, . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item11

"Wetherell: Future of Net Economy Looks Bright"
Despite Wall Street's recent disenchantment with technology, two
executives speaking at the recent Internet World Fall 2000
conference were optimistic about the future of the new economy.
America Online interactive services group president Barry Schuler . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item12

"Europe to Investigate Legality of RIP"
The European Commission is investigating Britain's Regulation of
Investigatory Powers (RIP) Act to determine if the law violated
European privacy laws including the Treaty of Rome on four
separate counts.  "The Commission is currently examining the Act . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item13

"First Reviews on FirstGov"
The new government-wide Internet portal FirstGov has come under
criticism for having searching capabilities that are too robust.
For example, Glynis Long of the Small Business Administration
says she searched for "e-commerce" using FirstGov and received . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item14

"Long Odds for Software Law"
Virginia and Maryland already have adopted the Uniform Computer
Information Transactions Act (UCITA), but the high-tech industry
plans to step up its effort to have all 50 states adopt a uniform
measure on software licensing.  Although UCITA is now pending . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item15

"Girl Geeks: A Mathematical Imperative for High-Tech Shortages"
Women could benefit both the high-tech industry and themselves by
moving into the half a million IT jobs that are now unfilled.
"Women represent the mathematical imperative to filling the
personnel shortages in the high-paying high-tech world of . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item16

"Study: H-1B Crucial to Economic Growth"
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) last week released a
report for Congress upholding the H-1B visa program but noting
that visa holders might depress wages in the high-tech industry.
The report describes the findings of a 15-month study on the . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item17

"Copywrongs"
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is in need of
clarification.  The law is backed by the film and music
industries, but is proving to be problematic for tech experts,
researchers, educators, and library professionals.  The DMCA is . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item18

"Plans for E-Government Inspire Spending Spree"
The Japanese government intends to create an immense electronic
government network by fiscal 2003.  The network will link some
3,300 local governments and municipalities both to the central
government and to one another.  Local governments are also trying . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1101w.html#item19

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