***************************************************** Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. *****************************************************
TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2002 Study Puts a Number to Losses from Buggy Software Lindows Claims Low-Cost Alternative to Windows Australia Legalizes Music Piracy Russia to Set Limits on Web AND Carnegie Mellon Creates Cybersecurity Research Center New Filter Relies on Compliance of Web Site Operators MIT Working on New Kind of Computing Environment STUDY PUTS A NUMBER TO LOSSES FROM BUGGY SOFTWARE A new study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) says that the U.S. economy loses almost $60 billion annually as a result of buggy software. According to the study, better testing could eliminate about one third of that loss, but much of the rest will remain. The study addressed the problem as it affects three major industries, automotive, aerospace, and financial services, and extrapolated those results to the nation as a whole. Authors of the study did not present specific actions to resolve the problem, but they did suggest that current methods for testing software are "fairly primitive" and that significant improvements could be made in that area. ComputerWorld, 25 June 2002 http://www.idg.net/ic_878966_1794_9-10000.html LINDOWS CLAIMS LOW-COST ALTERNATIVE TO WINDOWS Lindows, maker of a Linux-based operating system that is claimed to allow users to run Windows applications, has announced a new program that could potentially save significant amounts of money for software on new computer systems. The program offers computer makers a subscription service, including technical support, testing tools, certification eligibility, and a software library, that allows them to install the operating system on an unlimited number of machines for the same monthly fee. The program is targeted at computer makers who sell unbranded PCs and lower-end systems such as those available from Wal-Mart. Critics noted that the Lindows operating system does not run many Windows programs and that the way the system works opens users up to potentially serious security risks. CNET, 25 June 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1001-939149.html AUSTRALIA LEGALIZES MUSIC PIRACY The Australian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) has agreed to allow CD-copying kiosks in exchange for a royalty payment. The deal, the first of its kind, will allow consumers to go to one of the kiosks, to be located in stores or in public places, and pay $5 each to copy a music CD. AMCOS, which represents songwriters and music publishers, agreed to the deal with Little Ripper, a CD-copying company, reportedly for a flat royalty of about six percent. Observers said that this deal, which seems to indicate acceptance among copyright owners that piracy is here to stay, will force the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) into a similar arrangement. Officially ARIA still says that the kiosks are illegal. News Interactive, 24 June 2002 http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,4567037%255E421,00.html RUSSIA TO SET LIMITS ON WEB In a vote last week, the Russian Duma supported new restrictions on anti-government and extremist uses of the Internet. The measure still needs final approval, which could come this week. The terms of the legislation forbid using computer networks for "extremism" and allow the government to shut down without a court order any organization it deems "extremist." Civil liberties groups in Russia complained that the law would restrict rights of citizens and would threaten the "constitutional order in Russia." Victor Naumov, a lecturer at St. Petersburg State University's law school, said the language of the measure is vague in many places, leaving some questions about how exactly it could be applied. CNET, 24 June 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1023-938810.html AND ***************************************************** CARNEGIE MELLON CREATES CYBERSECURITY RESEARCH CENTER Carnegie Mellon University has become the latest of several universities to recently create research centers to study information security. The Center for Computer and Communications Security joins other projects at schools including Dartmouth College and Johns Hopkins University to try to address the myriad and emerging challenges to computer security. According to Pradeep K. Khosla of Carnegie Mellon, the new center will study methods for using robots to monitor security and report problems. The center will also address security issues for fiber-optic and wireless networks, disk drives, network cards, and computer processors. Chronicle of Higher Education, 25 June 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/06/2002062501t.htm NEW FILTER RELIES ON COMPLIANCE OF WEB SITE OPERATORS The nonprofit Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) has released ICRAfilter, a new Internet filter that uses Web site meta-tags. Web site operators can choose whether to include meta-tags in their sites, meaning that the effectiveness of the filter depends on voluntary participation by Web site developers. Executives from America Online, Microsoft's MSN service, and Yahoo said they have added the necessary code to 93 percent of their sites. Mary Lou Kenny of ICRA said the participation of these firms bodes well because they are leaders in the industry and because theirs are some of the most visited sites. Critics point out that self-labeling options have been available for some time and have not been widely adopted. Susan Getgood of SurfControl Inc. said that small, online "bad guys" have no incentive to label their content honestly. Washington Post, 25 June 2002 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44061-2002Jun25.html MIT WORKING ON NEW KIND OF COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT The two-year old Project Oxygen Alliance, a project at MIT, is working to develop a new, "smart" environment for computing and communication. Ken Steele, a research scientist at MIT, said the goal is to have computers that understand and communicate with people as if the devices were also people, similar to having a personal assistant for everyone. For example, in this new environment, a person could tell the computer to make plane reservations. The computer would understand speech, know the person's seat preference, and handle the entire process with no further input. Steele admitted that researchers don't have a clear vision of exactly what the completed project might look like, though some observers compare the project to the technology in the recent film "Minority Report," a science fiction thriller. NewsFactor Network, 25 June 2002 http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/18363.html ***************************************************** 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. For information on EDUCAUSE publications see http://www.educause.edu/pub/ ***************************************************** CONFERENCES For information about EDUCAUSE conferences and other professional development opportunities, visit http://www.educause.edu/conference/ ***************************************************** COPYRIGHT Edupage copyright (c) 2002, EDUCAUSE
