Don't forget to check out http://auda.org.au/domain-news/ for a more recent edition of the complete domain news, including an RSS feed - already online!
Headlines from the most recent news include: nz: Web odyssey for the keyboard challenged | Web squatters exploit Madeleine campaign | Location of Third ICANN Meeting for 2007 (hint: the nearest airport is LAX) | Survey: Biggest Threats to Domain Name Industry | Swiss Supreme Court examines domain name jurisdiction issues The domain name news is supported by auDA. And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for regular updates in between postings. The Olympic games infringement case, and the winner is... Paris http://www.juriscom.net/actu/visu.php?ID=923 Positions on Icann, the Internet addressing agency, are open http://iht.com/articles/2007/05/16/technology/ptend17.php Domain name Porn.com sells for US$9.5M http://pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/pcw.nsf/feature/3F9D31F5E983D4B3CC2572DD007630D5 'Porn' auction shows sex sells http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/16/1178995237005.html UK 'running out of web addresses' http://www.pcw.co.uk/personal-computer-world/news/2190009/uk-running-web-addresses Dutchman stops using domain names containing 'google' http://infoworld.nl/idgns/bericht.phtml?id=002570DE00740E18002572DD002EB127 Book Review: Sex.com by Kieren McCarthy http://www.circleid.com/posts/book_sex_com_by_kieren_mccarthy/ RegisterFly update: 16 May http://blog.icann.org/?p=128 ***************** GOVERNANCE ***************** Create an open, inclusive, development-oriented information society - Ban Ki-Moon UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in his message on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, May 17, 2007, called for creation of a truly open, inclusive and development-oriented information society. According to a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC) here on Wednesday, the full text of his message reads: "Since the advent of the telegraph in the mid-19th century, the International Telecommunication Union has been among the key players in helping the world to communicate. Today, from traditional telecommunications to the latest advances in cyberspace, ITU continues to provide governments, the private sector and civil society with expert guidance and assistance in addressing issues related to information and communication technologies. And following the successful conclusion of the two phases of the World Summit on the Information Society, the entire UN system is committed to the plan of action strongly linking ICT with development. http://irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-237/0705168861113559.htm http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm10992.doc.htm ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** The Olympic games infringement case, and the winner is ... Paris On 14 March 2007, the High Court of First Instance of Paris (‘Tribunal de Grande Instance’) rendered a judgement (1) condemning a Parisian, Mr Gilbert L., for registering, in March and July 2005, the trade marks “Paris 2016”, “Paris 2020”, “Paris 2024” and “Paris 2028”, and the domain names “paris2016.com”, “paris2016.fr”, “paris2020.com”, “paris2020.fr”, etc. There were two separate decisions regarding domain names - one was the Court ruled that the registration of the domain names was fraudulent, the other the Court ruled that the registration of the litigious domain names also constituted acts of infringement by imitation. http://www.juriscom.net/actu/visu.php?ID=923 Positions on Icann, the Internet addressing agency, are open Has the novelty of the Internet worn off? Vinton Cerf, chief Internet evangelist for Google and one of the Internet's founding fathers, suspects that after 30-some years, it may well have. For this reason and others, Cerf recorded a video that you can see on YouTube in which he tries to drum up enthusiasm for applying for one of the nine open positions at Icann, the Internet addressing agency of which he is chairman. The application deadline, which has been extended twice, is Friday. http://iht.com/articles/2007/05/16/technology/ptend17.php http://www.circleid.com/posts/vint_ceft_diminishing_novelty_of_internet/ Domain name Porn.com sells for US$9.5M It’s said that everything has a price – and the price paid recently for the Porn.com web domain is US$9.5 million, cash. The domain name registrar and reseller Moniker.com has announced the sale of Porn.com to US-based MXN, an internet media and investment business. http://pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/pcw.nsf/feature/3F9D31F5E983D4B3CC2572DD007630D5 http://computerworld.com.sg/ShowPage.aspx?pagetype=2&articleid=5083&pubid=3&tab=Home&issueid=111 http://m-net.net.nz/1647/latest-news/latest-news/xxx-dollars-splurged-on-porn.com.php http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,131910-c,industrynews/article.html Porn.com Sells for $9.5m: Poker.com Gets Bid for $27m The biggest all cash sale in domain name history was recorded over the weekend with Porn.com fetching $95 million cash during a silent auction held by Moniker.com. Two bids were offered for Poker.com - one a verbal for $27 mil and another firm for $22 mil - but there has been a road block in this sale. http://www.gambling911.com/Porn.com-Poker.com-051407.html http://domainnamewire.com/2007/05/15/porncom-sells-for-95m-cash/ 'Porn' auction shows sex sells The free market has spoken: Sex is worth more than porn. That's one conclusion from the near record-breaking auction of an Internet domain name announced Tuesday. The rights to Porn.com brought in the second-highest payment for an address since the Web's creation, with closely held MXN Ltd. forking over $9.5 million. http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-porn16may16,1,7787273.story http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/16/1178995237005.html UK 'running out of web addresses' Registration of new web addresses has dropped off because of a shortage of names, according to the head of one of Britain's biggest resellers of domain names. "People setting up a new business are as likely to buy up and old name that is not being used as register a new one. It is very hard to find one that is not already in use," said Ditlev Bredahl, Danish chief executive of UK2.net. http://www.pcw.co.uk/personal-computer-world/news/2190009/uk-running-web-addresses Dutchman stops using domain names containing 'google' Internet entrepreneur Marcel van der Werf owned eleven domain names that used the word 'google' or 'froogle' in their addresses: seven were .nl domains, three .eu and one .com. http://infoworld.nl/idgns/bericht.phtml?id=002570DE00740E18002572DD002EB127 http://techworld.nl/idgns/3196/dutchman-stops-using-domain-names-containing-google.html Book Review: Sex.com by Kieren McCarthy On the face of it, Kieren McCarthy's Sex.com was a book that could have written itself: a notorious, well-publicised feud over the most valuable domain name in existence, between two charismatic men -- one a serial entrepreneur with a weakness for hard drugs (Gary Kremen), the other a gifted con-man with delusions of grandeur (Stephen Cohen). It's a story replete with vicious acrimony, multi-million dollar lawsuits, and rumours of gunfights between bounty hunters in the streets of Tijuana. Thankfully, McCarthy wasn't content to just bundle together all the articles he's written about Sex.com over the years and slap a cover on the front. http://www.circleid.com/posts/book_sex_com_by_kieren_mccarthy/ Domain name sales hit sizzling pace Already the world's largest Web domain-name provider, GoDaddy.com is still taking market share by more than the handful. Last month, the Scottsdale-based company added 1 million new domain names, a first according to industry experts. The company adds a new domain every 1.3 seconds, five times faster than five years ago, said GoDaddy founder and Chief Executive Bob Parsons. http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2007/05/14/daily5.html http://washington.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2007/05/14/daily5.html EU web domain name grows rapidly One year after its official launch, the internet domain name .eu has drawn more than 2.5m registrations, making it one of the fastest growing top level domain names on the web. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/ec3d2460-e84a-11db-b2c3-000b5df10621,dwp_uuid=34c8a8a6-2f7b-11da-8b51-00000e2511c8.html RegisterFly update: 16 May A deal has been reached by which all of RegisterFly’s domains - including those registered under the ProtectFly proxy system - will be made accessible to their respective registrants shortly. http://blog.icann.org/?p=128 ICANN kit teaches software new domain names The list of gTLDs continues to grow, but many applications can recognise only some of these new domain suffixes. Examples of gTLDs include .info, .biz and the less well known .museum, which were registered in 2001. The current repertoire also includes aero, .biz, .cat, .coop, .info, .jobs and .mobi (for mobile ICT organisations). Others include .name, .pro, .tel and .travel. Another domain name, .asia, is expected to be added shortly. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/8EDF49AD696E1602CC2572DA00823B6E ICANN Extends Public Comment Period on Proposed .COOP Renewal Agreement ICANN seeks consultation on continuation of delegated policy-making authority to TLD Sponsors http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-16may07.htm ICANN Accredits First Registrar in Senegal ICANN has signed its first accreditation agreement with a Senegal-based Registrar – Kheweul.com SA from Dakar. This is only the second Africa-based registrar so far accredited. http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-14may07.htm Creator of .ca celebrates 20 years on Web When John Demco created Canada's online identity with the .ca domain name 20 years ago, he also registered himself as the "godfather of dot-ca" as a joke. Little did he realize he would one day be recognized as one of the founders of the Canadian Internet, with dot-ca signing up more than 835,000 individuals and businesses and becoming the 13th most popular country code domain name in the world. http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=cb46afad-2966-413b-b1a7-751bb8d09e18 ca: Another hurdle in pursuing cybersquatters The Canadian Internet Registration Authority recently announced plans to move forward with implementation of its new WHOIS policy. The anticipated changes will mean that contact information for individual domain name owners will not be readily available to trade mark owners for trade mark enforcement purposes. The proposed changes result from two rounds of consultation and an external report. http://managingip.com/default.asp?page=10&pubID=34&SID=684398 Tencent Acquires Wenwen.com Domain Name China's leading instant communications service provider Tencent has taken a new step in the Internet search sector by acquiring a new domain name called wenwen.com. Tencent is reported to have purchased the domain name, which roughly translates as "ask a question", for a surprisingly low price of RMB80000 in April this year from a user surnamed Lv. Local media report the seller regretted selling the domain name so cheaply after he learned that the buyer was Tencent. http://www.chinatechnews.com/2007/05/15/5385-tencent-acquires-wenwencom-domain-name/ Domain Transfer Special Offer Available For RegisterFly Customers Moving to Network Solutions (news release) Network Solutions is extending a domain transfer special offer to consumers and small businesses that have been adversely affected by RegisterFly's loss of ICANN accreditation. http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30/Newsroom/Query.aspx?SiteName=NetworkSolutions&Entity=PRAsset&SF_PRAsset_PRAssetID_EQ=186223&XSL=PressRelease&Cache=True&Merge= http://emediawire.com/releases/2007/5/emw526294.htm 15.com Fetches $100,000 in This Week's Top Reported Domain Sale Last year, Ian Andrew of DotcomAgency.com bought 14.com and this week he took the next logical step, purchasing 15.com at Sedo. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2007/domainsales05-15-07.htm Survey: SnapNames Still Tops for Expired Domains You probably don’t need a survey to tell you which expired domain service is most popular. Just look at the 100 biggest domain sales of 2006: 15 of them are from SnapNames, including Jasmin.com at $310,250. Competitor Pool’s highest sale was $19,500. http://domainnamewire.com/2007/05/15/survey-snapnames-still-tops-for-expired-domains/ Should I Trademark My Domain Name? With fears of corporate identity theft on the rise, more and more companies are trademarking their domain names. While this step isn't essential, it can offer an additional level of security to your business's online presence. someone else attempt to register a similar domain — if their intent is to deceive or steal your customers. For example, it's very likely that someone trying to register amazonbooks.com could be considered as infringing on Amazon.com's trademark. http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/internet-domain-names/2632-1.html us: How to Trademark a Domain Name A trademark is a distinctive name, symbol, motto, or design that legally identifies a company or its products and services. Your domain name — the word or phrase that identifies your Web site (such as AllBusiness) — may qualify as a legal trademark if you use it in commerce or if you notify the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) that you intend to use it in commerce. http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/internet-domain-names/683-1.html What Legal Rights Do You Have Once You Own a Domain Name? Before you claim a legal right to your domain name, make sure that you have a basis for your claim. Simply registering a domain name does not protect you if another company files a trademark infringement claim — if they hold a legal trademark, you can lose your domain name and even find yourself liable for the owner's legal costs. A case in point: Ty Collectibles, which makes the popular Beanie Babies collectible stuffed animals, successfully sued a woman who registered the name Beaniecollectibles.com and who then tried to sell the name back to the company. http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/internet-domain-names/695-1.html ICANN Signs MoU With Pacific Island Nations (reg req'd) ICANN and the Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA) on Thursday announced that they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding, with the aim of building partnerships to better share information about the internet. http://tax-news.com/asp/story/ICANN_Signs_MoU_With_Pacific_Island_Nations_xxxx27263.html us: Real estate boom transfers to the Internet Daniel Nussbaum is making what seems to be a painless transition from the real estate boom into what he hopes will be the next Internet boom. The former dentist, who grew up in Long Beach, N.Y., has spent the last four years buying up Web domain names by the virtual truckload. http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_5886974 Death Notice to the Domain Name Parking Industry: Don't Park it, EMBARK IT!; It's Big, It's Green Don't Park it, EMBARK IT! is the death notice given to the Domain Name Parking Industry by New Net Profits Inc. with the grand opening of Domain Embarking. New Net Profits Inc, is introducing a whole new paradigm in Internet development called: Domain Embarking. http://onlypunjab.com/fullstory2k7-insight-Domain+Parking+Industry-status-18-newsID-31690.html Falwell Web foe tempers critiques with sympathy In his lifetime, the late Rev. Jerry Falwell had no shortage of critics, both in the offline and online worlds--and over the years, some in the latter category found themselves caught in his legal crosshairs over domain names resembling his own. One of the higher-profile Web spats involved Christopher Lamparello, a thirtysomething gay man in New York. Since 1999, Lamparello has owned the Fallwell.com Web site, which housed articles aimed at contradicting the televangelist's antigay views. A few years ago, Falwell sued him, claiming the domain name's spelling was too close to that of his official Web presence and created a "likelihood of confusion," thus violating trademark laws. http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9719612-7.html New domain names on the horizon for 2008 Get ready for a flurry of new top-level internet domain names in 2008. Icann is asking for public input on developing a new domain name system. http://networks.silicon.com/webwatch/0,39024667,39167134,00.htm http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044246,62013028,00.htm MOU on internet information sharing signed BUILDING partnerships to better share information about the Internet with Pacific island nations is the goal of a MOU signed by ICANN and the Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA). http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=62744 ********************** OTHER INTERNET NEWS ********************** Asia's battle against the Web As the nations of Asia strive to compete with their Western counterparts in terms of economic prowess and technological advancement, a new battlefield is forming - and it lies in cyberspace. The battle is not between corporate giants for the next big deal, but between governments and the people fighting for their rights of freedom of speech online. The Internet, since its birth in the mainstream in the late 1970s, has grown to become the most powerful communication tool the world has known. But with that power comes a danger - an overwhelming sense of control by some of the less democratic governments of the region. http://atimes.com/atimes/Asian_Economy/IE16Dk01.html us: Troops lose video link with home as Army puts a block on MySpace US soldiers in Iraq reacted with dismay yesterday after the Pentagon blocked their access to websites including YouTube and MySpace, used widely to send and receive messages and pictures to loved ones at home. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1790434.ece 8 U.S. states fault MySpace on sex offenders Some of the top law enforcement officials in the United States are asserting that the online social network MySpace has discovered thousands of known sex offenders using its service but that it has failed to act on the information. In a letter sent on Monday to a lawyer for MySpace, a division of News Corp., attorneys general from eight states said that MySpace had not done enough to block sexual predators from the service and that it had failed to cooperate with the authorities. http://iht.com/articles/2007/05/15/business/myspace.php http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/15/technology/15myspace.html MySpace Locks Horns With State AGs Over Sex Offender Data Demand MySpace won't comply with a request by eight state attorneys general for it to supply information about sex offenders registered on the site, the company announced Tuesday. Citing the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, MySpace said it is prohibited by law from turning over the information without a subpoena. "We are doing everything short of breaking the law to ensure that the information about these predators gets to the proper authorities," said Hemanshu Nigam, chief security officer for MySpace. http://ecommercetimes.com/story/57415.html ‘Swinger couple had web sex’ in front of girl and grandfather A middle-aged couple from Gloucestershire have gone on trial accused of having sex in front of a webcam knowing that a nine-year-old American girl was viewing from her home in New York. Ronald and Denise Edwards allegedly encouraged the girl’s grandfather to perform sex acts with her before having sex themselves. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article1790543.ece au: Victoria bans school cyber bullying Cyber bullying will no longer be tolerated in Victorian schools. It will be banned after an increase in bullying via websites, email and mobile phones. http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1925156.htm au: Bullying 'goes beyond playground' BULLYING was an "insidious" issue that reached far beyond the schoolyard, and parents needed to become part of the solution, a leading educationalist said. http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21733578-5001028,00.html au: NetAlert Sponsors Library and Information Week 2007 (news release) NetAlert is pleased to announce that it will sponsor Library and Information Week 2007. This is a great opportunity to raise awareness of safe Internet use in libraries. The event is being held from 21-27 May 2007. http://netalert.net.au/03896-NetAlert-sponsors-Library-and-Information-Week-2007.asp au: More action essential to curb bullying by adolescent psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg IF any evidence was required of the potential psychological damage that can result from school bullying, it was provided on Monday by NSW Supreme Court judge Carolyn Simpson when she awarded 18-year-old Ben Cox about $1 million for the pain and suffering he endured as a result of years of harassment at school. ... As a frequent visitor to schools across Australia, I know there is enormous variation in the content and implementation of bullying and harassment policies; and when it comes to cyber-bullying, many schools have no policy at all. http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21738068-7583,00.html Australia vulnerable to cyber terror The computer systems powering Australia's essential services, such as electricity, gas, water, sewerage, transport and communications utilities, are outdated and not secured against cyber terrorist attacks, the Federal Government has warned. Security analysts in the United States said simplistic attacks originating from the internet could shut down the electric grid, interrupt the transport network and compromise drinking water systems. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/15/1178995118994.html Police investigate ‘sex abuse’ in virtual world Second Life is under police investigation in Britain, Belgium and Holland over claims of online sexual abuse. Some users of the site claim they are so emotionally involved that attacks on “their” avatars leave them traumatised and upset. They term the experience “online rape”. Experts believe that those misusing the site in Britain, where more than 100,000 “residents” have logged on in the past six months, could be vulnerable under laws prohibiting harassment and the sending of malicious messages. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article1782086.ece One in ten websites 'is infected with malware' About one in ten websites is infected with malicious software that could result in a user’s personal information being stolen, according to Google. Sensitive data such as banking passwords and e-mail addresses could unwittingly be handed over to criminals as a result of visiting infected pages, which work by exploiting a vulnerability in the user’s internet browser, a study by the search company suggests. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article1787714.ece YouTube hit with another lawsuit Google Inc.'s YouTube unit was sued by David Grisman, a mandolin player who once performed with the Grateful Dead, over what he says are unauthorized postings of his music, the latest suit against the popular video-sharing site. http://www.contracostatimes.com/business/ci_5899836 Google wins adult photos appeal A judge overturns a ruling preventing Google displaying thumbnail pictures from an adult website. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6663527.stm http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKN1622784520070516 http://stuff.co.nz/4062909a28.html Estonia reels from massive attacks Estonia has urged its allies in the European Union and NATO to take firm action against cyber attacks. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/16/1178995223644.html au: Push for new video game rating The Australian video games industry has stepped up its efforts to convince the Government to introduce an R18+ classification for video games. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/16/1178995215240.html US ISPs slam into wiretap deadline U.S. broadband and VOIP providers on Monday hit a deadline to prove they could accommodate law-enforcement wiretaps. The Federal Communications Commission in 2005 required broadband ISPs and VOIP carriers that connect to the public telephone network to comply with a wiretap access law. Under the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), service providers have to prove they're equipped for investigators to carry out the equivalent of a traditional wiretap. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/15/AR2007051500716.html us: Senators demand more regulations on Net pharmacies Politicians on Wednesday endorsed new laws designed to rein in "rogue" online pharmacies that dispense drugs without government-approved prescriptions--and said they're considering a requirement that Internet service providers block those Web sites or ads for them. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6184455.html http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6184455.html uk: Dial M for entertainment, the mobile revolution The phone company Orange reveals today how its 15 million customers are using their mobiles as entertainment centres for music, videos and games. The company's first digital media index shows its customers send 872m text messages a month, with most sent between 4pm and 8pm as people plan a night out. Despite being launched five years ago, picture messaging, however, remains something of a niche service with 5.4m sent a month. Many mobile phones can access the internet - Orange also has more than 2.1 million customers accessing the web each month - as well as downloading games, ringtones and video clips. http://www.guardian.co.uk/mobile/article/0,,2079818,00.html Web 2.0 'neglecting good design' Hype about Web 2.0 is making web firms neglect the basics of good design, web usability guru Jakob Nielsen has said. He warned that the rush to make webpages more dynamic often meant users were badly served. He said sites peppered with personalisation tools were in danger of resembling the "glossy but useless" sites at the height of the dotcom boom. Research into website use shows that sites were better off getting the basics right, said Mr Nielsen. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6653119.stm Kids' Chores Turn Wired Parents ask their kids to gather information and even conduct transactions online. According to "Surfin' on Mom's Turf: Cyber Chillin' With 8-14 Year-Olds," a report released by Stars for Kidz, 14 percent of kids have helped parents prepare their income tax return online. "In this 8 to 14 age group, these kids are the first strong generation where they have had all these sophisticated levels of technology from childhood, and they function intuitively," said Adele Schwartz, research director at Stars for Kidz. http://clickz.com/stats/sectors/demographics/article.php/3625858 Today Second Life, tomorrow the world The founder of the virtual world Second Life believes that his company, Linden Lab, is at the forefront of the internet's next big revolution - the 3D web http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2080906,00.html Google creates uber search site In its biggest revamp ever to its home page, Google on Wednesday launched its version of universal search, a redesign that will list in one place search results from a variety of media. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6184416.html http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/1127635 BBC counters kids' TV bashing The BBC is fighting back against the growing number of reports claiming TV is bad for children with an independent assessment of their scientific validity. The BBC children's controller, Richard Deverell, has commissioned one of his former executives to compile a study of the many reports on the impact of kids' TV and to sort "the wheat from the chaff". http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,,2080272,00.html eu: 4 European regional projects win "European 2007 Broadband Project" awards All across Europe, different projects aim to connect rural and remote areas to broadband and try to promote its use to spur rural and regional development. To exploit the diversity of approaches and experiences from different regions, an exhibition at the "Bridging the Broadband Gap" showcased projects that constitute good practice from across Europe. http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=3426 eu: "Bridging the broadband gap" conference showcases local initiatives For the first time, information and communications technology actors and stakeholders gather in Brussels for a two-day conference on the strategic use of ICT to support regional and local development. Leading speakers from all over the world discuss how ICT and broadband (fast Internet access) can boost and diversify economic activity. The conference is accompanied by an exhibition of 50 outstanding examples of ongoing broadband activities in Europe, with prizes awarded to the top three. http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=3420 uk: Health concerns over mobile phone masts prompt review Ministers are to investigate arrangements for erecting mobile phone masts in the light of growing fears that they may cause cancer and other diseases because of "electronic smog". They will review the exceptionally favourable rules that allow mobile phone companies to escape normal planning regulations and stop councils from considering the effects of the masts on health, even when they are sited near homes and schools. http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2536863.ece Microsoft takes on the free world Great headline (above) in Fortune magazine, where an article suggests that Microsoft is threatening a sort of patent Armageddon. The story says: Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith and licensing chief Horacio Gutierrez sat down with Fortune recently to map out their strategy for getting FOSS [free/open source software] users to pay royalties. Revealing the precise figure for the first time, they state that FOSS infringes on no fewer than 235 Microsoft patents. Fortune compares the situation to MAD, the threat of "mutually assured destruction" during the cold war. As soon as one side uses nukes, everyone loses. The warhead-rattling is probably Microsoft creating FUD (an IBM invention for Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) to discourage risk-averse large companies from using Linux, or at least using a Microsoft-approved version from Novell. It doesn't really matter unless Microsoft lists the patents and launches some lawsuits. http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/archives/2007/05/14/microsoft_takes_on_the_free_world.html Free tool offers 'easy' coding A free programming tool, primarily aimed at children, that allows anyone to create their own animations and video games launches. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6647011.stm Schmidt says he didn't grasp the power of Google at first When CEO Eric Schmidt joined Google from Novell in 2001, it was an unprofitable but up-and-coming search engine. Now, Google has surpassed Microsoft and Yahoo as the world's most-visited website. It just announced a record $1 billion in quarterly profit, virtually all from those little 10-words-or-less text ads that appear near search results. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techinvestor/corporatenews/2007-05-15-google-schmidt-qa_N.htm Next gen of Wi-Fi products arrive this summer (AP) The next generation of wireless Internet products certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance is expected to hit shelves this summer, even though a final standard for the technology isn't due for another year, the industry group says. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2007-05-16-wi-fi-n_N.htm http://news.com.com/2100-7351_3-6184282.html The net is being carved up into information plantations Search at Google.com on evolution or Iraq or Aids or Gordon Brown, and the same site will appear at the top of the list of results: Wikipedia. Alter your search into one for John Keats or Muhammad Ali or Christianity or platypus or loneliness, and the same thing will happen. Pacific Ocean? Wikipedia. Catherine de Medici? Wikipedia. Human brain? Wikipedia. http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2080775,00.html au: OECD hits back at broadband stats inaccuracy claims In a letter to iTWire, OECD economist, Taylor Reynolds, has responded to claims by research firm Market Clarity that the OECD's regular reports comparing broadband uptake in member nations are based on inaccurate source data. According to the OECD, Market Clarity's report "has serious methodological and factual errors". http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/12224/127/ Subscriber numbers doubled during 2006, reports Point Topic Retail VoIP subscriber numbers more than doubled during 2006 from 19 million to 40 million worldwide, new research reports. http://itnews.com.au/newsstory.aspx?CIaNID=52196 au: Man in court over internet sex charge A perverted online chat with what he allegedly thought was a 13-year-old girl landed a 42-year-old Brisbane man in court today after the teenager turned out to be a policeman. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/15/1178995142984.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sources include Quicklinks <http://qlinks.net/> and BNA Internet Law News <http://www.bna.com/ilaw/>. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2007 --------- David Goldstein address: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA email: Goldstein_David @yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (home) "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery ___________________________________________________________________________________ How would you spend $50,000 to create a more sustainable environment in Australia? Go to Yahoo!7 Answers and share your idea. http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/aunz/lifestyle/answers/y7ans-babp_reg.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- List policy, unsubscribing and archives => http://dotau.org/
