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ACM TechNews - Friday, December 15, 2000
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ACM TechNews
Volume 2, Number 142
Date: December 15, 2000
Site Sponsored by Gateway (http://www.gateway.com)
Top Stories for Friday, December 15, 2000:
http://www.acm.org/technews/current/homepage.html
"Heavy Holiday Traffic Could Hinder Web Site Security"
"As PC Designers Move From Hard to Simple, We Await 'Just Right'"
"Some Developers Say Linux Software Is Too Open for Its Own Good"
"BSA Unveils Anti-Piracy Auction Guidelines"
"Divining Bush's Views of the Tech Industry"
"Palm Urges Solidarity as Competitors Gain"
"Hollywood Dealt Setback in DVD Code Case"
"Hackers Can't Resist Holiday Web Traffic, Feds Warn"
"Researchers Work on Privacy Protocols for IP"
"CyberCrime Pact Steps on Privacy, Groups Say"
"Report: B2B Still Driving E-Commerce"
"More Telecommuters Take Work Wherever They Want"
"Wanted"
"Innovations in Reach"
"Extreme Measures"
"Dabbling at Diversity"
"Better Software With Open Source?"
******************* News Stories ***********************
"Heavy Holiday Traffic Could Hinder Web Site Security"
Heavy traffic at online retail sites over the holidays is likely
to compromise security, experts say. Legitimate holiday traffic
alone is overwhelming some sites such as the Wal-Mart and Best
Buy retail sites. In addition, the increase in holiday traffic . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item1
"As PC Designers Move From Hard to Simple, We Await 'Just Right'"
Tech industry observers say 2000 has been a good year for
technology besides the PC, as firms have rolled out a new crop of
PDAs, Web-enabled cell phones, interactive-TV devices, and the
much anticipated Internet appliances. Although it is still . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item2
"Some Developers Say Linux Software Is Too Open for Its Own Good"
The Linux community is divided over the issue of how open the
open-source software should be. Developers are now required to
make any changes they make to Linux source code freely available,
retaining no proprietary rights to their modifications. Some . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item3
"BSA Unveils Anti-Piracy Auction Guidelines"
New guidelines from the Business Software Alliance (BSA) aim to
stop the sale of pirated software on Internet auction sites.
BSA's Bob Kruger says Internet auctions could become a
significant source of pirated software unless auction sites take . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item4
"Divining Bush's Views of the Tech Industry"
Technology-related legislation will not be a high priority to the
administration of George W. Bush, concludes a new report from US
Internet Industry Association CEO Dave McClure. At the top of
Bush's technology agenda is the introduction of more H-1B visas, . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item5
"Palm Urges Solidarity as Competitors Gain"
Palm executives this week told attendees at the PalmSource
conference that the handheld-industry leader is shifting its
focus to its operating system and other software offerings. The
announcement comes as Palm's once formidable market share . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item6
"Hollywood Dealt Setback in DVD Code Case"
The California Supreme Court on Thursday issued an order that
could ultimately dismiss most of the defendants in a DVD code
case, marking a significant blow to the motion picture industry's
attempt to ban the DeCSS code that cracks security software on . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item7
"Hackers Can't Resist Holiday Web Traffic, Feds Warn"
Cybercrime is likely to increase over the holiday season as
hackers target busy e-commerce sites, according to a recent
warning from the National Infrastructure Protection Center.
"Traditionally there is a spike in activity during the holidays," . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item8
"Researchers Work on Privacy Protocols for IP"
Internet users could be given another weapon in the fight for
anonymity on the Internet if an initiative being developed by a
group of researchers and privacy advocates pans out. The group,
known as the NymIP project, is working to develop "pseudonymity . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item9
"CyberCrime Pact Steps on Privacy, Groups Say"
The Council of Europe's Convention on CyberCrime is an affront to
individual privacy rights, will weaken network security, and
could result in "a chilling effect on the free flow of ideas" on
the Internet, according to the Global Internet Liberty Campaign. . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item10
"Report: B2B Still Driving E-Commerce"
B2B spending comprises nearly 80 percent of all e-commerce
revenue, overshadowing the more glitzy online retail market.
"Though it is less fun to write about automated supply chains
than buying custom-fitted Levi's online, the B2B sector is worth . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item11
"More Telecommuters Take Work Wherever They Want"
Telecommuting is allowing some employees to work and live on
different continents, eliminating the problems traditionally
associated with relocating or moving families to be near a job.
Although this type of long-distance telecommuting is not yet . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item12
"Wanted"
There is much debate over the current tech labor shortage. As
some tech companies strive to acquire decent, experienced
employees, others insist the shortage is simply a myth. Tech
firms exacerbate the labor shortage by not training older workers . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item13
"Innovations in Reach"
Several technologies will advance significantly in 2001, and
eWeek Labs examines 12 technologies that corporate IT should take
note of over the next year. The Advanced Encryption Standard
(AES), for example, would take 149 trillion years to crack using . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item14
"Extreme Measures"
Extreme programming (XP), a set of programming guidelines devised
by software developer Kent Beck in 1996, aims to help programmers
write code that is easy for others to understand. Programmers
tend to have their own unique quirks in writing code, which makes . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item15
"Dabbling at Diversity"
Many high-tech companies in Silicon Valley say they have no
prejudice toward any type of worker and that hiring decisions are
based on skills alone, but critics say area firms need to improve
their efforts to hire local minorities. The large number of . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item16
"Better Software With Open Source?"
Open source software could fill the gap in supercomputer
applications, as U.S. companies struggle to match the need for
high-end software, according to new recommendations from the
President's Information Technology Advisory Committee. . . .
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1215f.html#item17
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