ACM TechNews - Friday, November 16, 2001

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ACM TechNews
Volume 3, Number 277
Date: November 16, 2001
Site Sponsored by Gateway (http://www.gateway.com)

Top Stories for Friday, November 16, 2001:
http://www.acm.org/technews/current/homepage.html

"Not Much of a Party at This Year's Comdex"
"H-P Employees Are Key to Any Acquisition of Compaq"
"UCITA Opposition Turns Up Heat"
"Officials: Web Security Work Needed"
"Security Might Be Just Talk"
"Comdex: Vendors, Users Split Over Promise of Tablet PCs"
"Report: Business Fails on Global Security"
"Can We Stop the Terrorist Tech Trade?"
"House OKs Bill With Cyber-Security Funding"
"Engineering: Gold Nanowires Grow on Their Own"
"Suddenly, 'Idea Wars' Take On a New Global Urgency"
"FTC, DOJ to Hold Hearings on Patent Proliferation"
"Intel Unwraps Hannacroix Concept PC"
"Argentina Peeks Into E-Mail Laws"
"Where Are The Jobs?"
"Bringing on Broadband--Slowly"
"Staying Alive"
"Go Global, Young Man!"
"Technogenarians"

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

"Not Much of a Party at This Year's Comdex"
This year's Comdex computer conference has little of the flair of
previous years, when attendees threw lavish and wild parties.
Not only has the tone of the trade show been subdued, but there
are not as many cool new products being unveiled.  Some of the ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item1

"H-P Employees Are Key to Any Acquisition of Compaq"
The acquisition of Compaq Computer by Hewlett-Packard may not
take place if HP's employees are not aboard.  Some HP veterans
say that employee morale is low and bad feelings about the merger
permeate the workforce.  One of the sore points is the firing of ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item2

"UCITA Opposition Turns Up Heat"
Software companies backing the Uniform Computer Information
Transaction Act (UCITA) will likely drop the law's most
controversial provision that allows remote disabling of software
programs used outside of contract terms.  The law has already ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item3

"Officials: Web Security Work Needed"
The ICANN meeting is approaching a consensus that the Internet
domain name system is not in immediate danger, but does need work
against future threats.  Of the 13 master-directory root servers,
six are on the East Coast, four are located out West, and the ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item4

"Security Might Be Just Talk"
The federal government has put out a call for technology that can
be used to combat terrorism, in the form of a 28-page request for
proposals and a wish list of 38 technologies published online.
"The goal is to get out to industry, to educational institutions, ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item5

"Comdex: Vendors, Users Split Over Promise of Tablet PCs"
Computer firms are largely uncertain over the prospects of the
Tablet PC, part of Bill Gates' vision of the future of computing.
Toshiba has been working on the concept for 10 years but is still
waiting for the right time to enter the market, says Toshiba's ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item6

"Report: Business Fails on Global Security"
A forthcoming risk assessment report from KPMG finds that
corporate network security leaves a lot to be desired.  Out of
500 executives interviewed by KPMG, almost four out of 10 believe
their company is vulnerable to security breaches, even though 85 ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item7

"Can We Stop the Terrorist Tech Trade?"
It is unlikely that the civilized world can control the passage
of technology into the hands of rogue nations and terrorist
organizations, according to Gartner research director French
Caldwell.  Tech seepage is a fact of life and a consequence of ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item8

"House OKs Bill With Cyber-Security Funding"
The House of Representatives has approved a 2002 appropriations
bill that provides funding for a slew of online law enforcement
programs as well as money for technology research.  The spending
bill strengthens the power of federal attorneys to fight ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item9

"Engineering: Gold Nanowires Grow on Their Own"
Researchers at the University of Delaware have successfully grown
gold nanowires that are conductive and capable of self-repair in
a fluid medium, according to findings published in the latest
issue of Science.  Gold particles about 15 to 30 nanometers in ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item10

"Suddenly, 'Idea Wars' Take On a New Global Urgency"
At the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Doha, Qatar,
many developing companies contend that America's strong stance on
patent protection stifles the distribution of drugs, an argument
that cuts to the heart of a debate that encompasses almost every ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item11

"FTC, DOJ to Hold Hearings on Patent Proliferation"
The increasing number of patents being awarded is fueling
concerns that intellectual property and antitrust laws will go
out of balance, and hurt competition while copyright holders
profit.  The Justice Department and the FTC are planning to hold ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item12

"Intel Unwraps Hannacroix Concept PC"
Intel this month unveiled Hannacroix, a concept PC designed to
demonstrate technology that developers and integrators can
incorporate into future machines.  Hannacroix features 802.11b
and Bluetooth wireless connectivity; high-performance audio ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item13

"Argentina Peeks Into E-Mail Laws"
A pair of bills working their way through Argentina's Congress
could make sending unidentified spam and reading someone else's
email without authorization illegal.  The spam measure would
require senders to state their intentions in the email's subject, ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item14

"Where Are The Jobs?"
Conditions in the IT job market are worsening, and for the first
time in more than 10 years IT unemployment has surpassed that of
the general workforce.  Potential workers who once demanded high
salaries and perks are now more willing to negotiate, what with ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item15

"Bringing on Broadband--Slowly"
The Bush administration is cautious about its role in promoting
further broadband rollout, even as it is increasingly aware of
broadband's importance to economic revival.  A recent study
showed the United States falling to fourth place in terms of ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item16

"Staying Alive"
For IT employees working at companies undergoing Chapter 11
filing, less funding for necessary items and abruptly cut
projects can be discouraging.  But the process also offers a
chance for IT managers to boost the stature of their division by ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item17

"Go Global, Young Man!"
Offshore outsourcing of programming tasks is increasingly
appealing as companies in countries such as India, Russia, and
Israel better target U.S. clients.  Up to 30 percent can be saved
on software development because of the cheap labor and buildings, ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item18

"Technogenarians"
Gerontechnology is the enhancement of the elderly's quality of
life through technological innovation.  The ultimate goal of
gerontechnological research is to allow the aged to live their
lives more independently, as well as give their caregivers more ...
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2001-3/1116f.html#item19

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