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TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2002 Government Wants to Shut Down PubScience Report Says File-Swapping Still Increasing Dell to Offer PCs without Operating Systems AND Princeton Disciplines Admissions Staff EDUCAUSE Announces Award Winners Apple Scales Back Prices, Adds Features GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SHUT DOWN PUBSCIENCE The U.S. Department of Energy runs a Web site called PubScience that allows users to simultaneously search more than 1,000 scientific journals for abstracts and citations. But the department wants to close the Web site, saying that two commercial operations, Scirus and Infotrieve, offer almost the same services. A notice at the PubScience site (http://pubsci.osti.gov/) says that 90 percent of PubScience's content is covered by these other sites and that their offerings are expected to increase. A 30-day public comment period will end on September 30, after which a final decision will be made on the future of PubScience. Publishers of some small scientific journals argue that closing the government-run site would be a bad idea because their journals are not covered by either Scirus or Infotrieve. Chronicle of Higher Education, 14 August 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/08/2002081401t.htm REPORT SAYS FILE-SWAPPING STILL INCREASING A report issued by the Yankee Group predicts that in 2005, 7.44 billion unlicensed audio files will be traded online, up from 5.16 billion in 2001. After 2005, the report says, trading of illegal files will start to diminish, down to 6.33 billion in 2006. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has said that illegal trading of files resulted in a five percent decrease in music sales in each year of 2000 and 2001. The Yankee report, however, argues that slower music sales are caused by other factors and that the music industry must develop a legal system for consumers to access music on the Internet. A separate report from Forrester Research largely agrees with the Yankee Group's conclusions. ZDNet, 14 August 2002 http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1106-949724.html DELL TO OFFER PCS WITHOUT OPERATING SYSTEMS Dell Computer will allow some high-volume customers to purchase computers without any operating system installed. According to new licensing terms with Microsoft, PC makers must ship computers with operating systems. Dell will meet the letter of this rule by including FreeDOS, a free operating system, in the cardboard box with the computer but not pre-installed. Organizations that purchase large quantities of computers often license software separately, requiring them to erase pre-installed software on all new systems before installing their own package. This new program would save that step and satisfy demand for machines without an OS pre-installed. Dell will offer a limited number of machines in this program. Competitor Hewlett-Packard offers high-volume buyers alternative operating systems, including Linux, but they ship all machines with an OS pre-installed. CNET, 13 August 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1001-949671.html AND ***************************************************** PRINCETON DISCIPLINES ADMISSIONS STAFF Shirley M. Tilghman, the president of Princeton University, announced that Stephen E. LeMenager, the admissions official who broke into a Yale University computer, will remain at the university but would be transferred to another position. LeMenager's boss, Fred Hargadon, will be allowed to stay in his position until his planned retirement next June. Tilghman said all others who were involved in or who knew about the break-ins would be disciplined, though she did not say who they were. Tilghman did not know if Princeton would face legal action for its unauthorized access to Yale's site. Richard C. Levin, the president of Yale, reportedly was pleased with Princeton's investigation of the matter. New York Times, 14 August 2002 (sub. req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/14/education/14PRIN.html EDUCAUSE ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS EDUCAUSE has announced winners for its 2002 Awards Program. Individuals honored by the awards are Douglas Van Houweling for Excellence in Leadership, Diane P. Balestri (posthumously) for Leadership in the Profession, Kenneth C. Green for Leadership in Public Policy and Practice, and James P. Frazee for "EDUCAUSE Quarterly" Contribution of the Year. Institutional awards go to Wake Forest University School of Medicine, the College of Mount St. Joseph, the University of Minnesota, and the Intercollegiate College of Nursing/Washington State University College of Nursing. Winners will be recognized at the association's annual conference in Atlanta, October 1-4. For more information, see (http://www.educause.edu/news/2002/08/awards.asp). Chronicle of Higher Education, 14 August 2002 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/daily/2002/08/2002081402t.htm APPLE SCALES BACK PRICES, ADDS FEATURES Apple computer has announced changes to its computer models and prices in an attempt to boost consumer interest, which has been flagging for all computer makers. Apple will offer an eMac with a writable DVD drive for $1,499, compared to $1,799 for what had been the company's least expensive computer with the Superdrive. An official from Apple said the flat-panel iMac, which the company thought would be more popular, remains too expensive for some and is a machine for the future. In the meantime, he said, the eMac will offer features that consumers want in a less-expensive package. PowerMac machines have also been reconfigured, similar to Apple's Xserve servers. The new PowerMacs will have dual-processor arrangements, running at speeds from 867 MHz to 1.25 Ghz. San Jose Mercury News, 14 August 2002 http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/3858613.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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