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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2002 Judge Orders Company to Track Users' Habits Privacy Group Warns of EU Surveillance Lukewarm Commercial Support for Software Subscriptions AND South Dakota Opts for a Single Database Contest to Analyze Hacker Code Recylced Computers for Needy Students JUDGE ORDERS COMPANY TO TRACK USERS' HABITS A California federal judge has ordered that SonicBlue, maker of a device that records television programs, monitor the viewing habits of consumers using the product to determine if copyright laws are being violated. The device, called ReplayTV, lets users record television programs, without the commercials, and send copies of recorded programs over the Internet. Entertainment companies had sued SonicBlue, saying the device violates their copyrighted programs. Observers noted that SonicBlue formerly did track users' habits, though they have discontinued the practice. Privacy advocates strongly object to the judge's order, but some, including law professor Edward Steinman, point out that the company has little basis for complaint since it used to collect the information. PCWorld, 8 May 2002 http://www.idg.net/ic_860268_1794_9-10000.html PRIVACY GROUP WARNS OF EU SURVEILLANCE According to Statewatch, a U.K. civil liberties advocacy group, the European Council is working to change a privacy directive such that pervasive monitoring of telecommunications would be common, and the information collected would be available to law enforcement agencies. The framework would require companies to keep records of phone calls, faxes, e-mails, and Internet usage. The European Parliament is reportedly opposed to the idea, but, according to Statewatch, the European governments pushing for increased surveillance are demonstrating their disregard for the European Parliament by drafting a framework decision at this time. For the ruling to become law, both the Parliament and the Council must agree; a conciliation process is used to settle differing views. CNET, 9 May 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1033-904171.html LUKEWARM COMMERCIAL SUPPORT FOR SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTIONS Research by Gartner and Giga Information Group shows that only one-third of businesses surveyed intended to participate in Microsoft's new software licensing program. One-third are still undecided, and the last third said they will not participate. The new "Software Assurance" program functions like a subscription service. Customers commit to a contract for a specified length of time, during which Microsoft provides regular service and upgrades for a fixed cost. Despite discounts and other incentives to sign on, many businesses said they would end up spending significantly more for the Software Assurance program than for traditional software purchases. Some others simply do not have the budget to join before the discounts expire. Microsoft sees the change in software pricing as critical, giving the company a much more predictable and stable revenue stream. ZDNet, 10 May 2002 http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-908802.html AND ***************************************************** SOUTH DAKOTA OPTS FOR A SINGLE DATABASE The six public universities run by the South Dakota Board of Regents will soon be able to access a single database for student records. Members of the Board said that student records were becoming increasingly difficult to maintain because students are taking distance education courses and using several of the campuses. The new database, which requires all six campuses to use common registration procedures, will allow a single repository of student records, accessible by all campuses. Some worry about the sharing of information among campuses, and it will take some time to standardize procedures across the campuses. Still, most agree that a single database is the best long-term approach. Chronicle of Higher Education, 9 May 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/05/2002050901t.htm CONTEST TO ANALYZE HACKER CODE The Honeynet Project (http://project.honeynet.org/) is a group of security professionals trying to make sense of computer attacks to prevent them from continuing. According to Lance Spitzner, a security expert at Sun Microsystems and the founder of the project, administrators should never simply remove malicious code from infected systems. The goal should be to dissect the code, find out how it works and what it is capable of, and take steps to prevent further attacks of the same kind. The Honeynet Project has issued a challenge to interested parties to download some suspicious code, pull it apart, and show how it works. Spitzer said members of the project could simply have analyzed the code themselves and posted the results, but that the contest format draws many more people, far more than read the available Honeynet papers. Wired News, 7 May 2002 http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,52342,00.html RECYLCED COMPUTERS FOR NEEDY STUDENTS De Anza College in Cupertino, California, has begun a new program to make recycled PCs available to some students. The computers are put together by the Computer Recycling Center, a nonprofit that refurbishes computers that businesses throw away. Administrators at the college said the machines are recent models that they hope will be useful and reliable for the students. De Anza will distribute 10 computers for the initial trial. If the program is successful, officials expect to allow all financial-aid students to apply for a refurbished PC. Chronicle of Higher Education, 10 May 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/05/2002051002t.htm ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your settings, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html Or, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SUBSCRIBE Edupage YourFirstName YourLastName To UNSUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SIGNOFF Edupage If you have subscription problems, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For past issues of Edupage or information about translations of Edupage into other languages, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE PUBLICATIONS EDUCAUSE publishes periodicals, including "EDUCAUSE Quarterly" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. 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