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TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2002 Lawsuit Alleges Snooping on Public Web Pages Dell Goes for Small Survey Says Copy-Protected CDs Could Backfire AND Michigan to Provide Permanent Offices for Internet2 Ad-Free Portal from Purveyors of Ads Sun Updates Application Server Software, Gives It Away LAWSUIT ALLEGES SNOOPING ON PUBLIC WEB PAGES A small technology company in Sweden has filed a lawsuit alleging that Reuters violated the law when it obtained and published information from an earnings report on the Web. The data were on a Web page accessible by anyone who entered the correct URL. The Web page, though, was not linked from elsewhere on the company's site, according to the company. A spokesman from the company said the lawsuit could have important implications about what is considered public versus private information. If the court rules that the information Reuters obtained was public, he said, then potentially everything on a company's Web server could be considered public. Associated Press, 28 October 2002 http://www.nandotimes.com/technology/story/595343p-4624080c.html DELL GOES FOR SMALL Dell has introduced the OptiPlex SX260, putting the company in competition with Sony and Gateway, among others, in the growing market for small-footprint computers. The SX260 is about half the size of other OptiPlex models and can be mounted on the back of its flat-panel monitor. Because the SX260 is a modular unit, unlike some competing all-in-one designs, it can also sit horizontally or vertically on or under a desk. The computer debuted in Japan, where space considerations are stronger than in most other parts of the world, but analysts noted that companies are increasingly aware of the cost of space for computers and are willing to pay extra for smaller machines. NewsFactor Network, 28 October 2002 http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/19797.html SURVEY SAYS COPY-PROTECTED CDS COULD BACKFIRE Results from a survey by Gartner indicate that many consumers do not see copy protections as a reasonable precaution against music piracy because such protections would infringe on consumers' right to copy CDs they purchased. Sixty percent of those surveyed said they should be allowed to make copies of CDs for family members; 77 percent said they should be allowed to make copies for other devices; and 82 percent said backup copies should be allowed. Researchers involved in the study suggested that music companies that opt for copy protections are likely to annoy many consumers, possibly resulting in lower revenues. IDG, 25 October 2002 http://www.idg.net/ic_959522_4394_1-1681.html AND ***************************************************** MICHIGAN TO PROVIDE PERMANENT OFFICES FOR INTERNET2 Michigan's governor last week announced that an upcoming facility at the University of Michigan will provide permanent office space for Internet2. The Michigan Information Technology Center, located near the university's Ann Arbor campus, is a 100,000-square-foot, $10 million facility that will also be home to the state's research and education network, Merit Network, as well as an Internet Hall of Fame. The facility is scheduled to open by the end of next year. Internet2 counts more than 200 colleges and universities as members. Greg Wood of Internet2 said most of the work of the organization is done at member institutions spread across the United States. Chronicle of Higher Education, 28 October 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/10/2002102802t.htm AD-FREE PORTAL FROM PURVEYORS OF ADS A new, ad-free portal has been introduced by Bulldog Holdings, the company behind Iwon.com, a portal that some consider one of the biggest abusers of online ad space. Iwon.com was one of the first to use banner ads, and the portal allows pop-up ads that obscure content that users are trying to read. In contrast, MyWay.com promises no banners and no pop-ups. Jonas Steinman and Bill Daugherty, the two men behind both portals, said their new project will be profitable in the first month of operation because they already had the technology to deploy it and because MyWay.com depends on sponsored search results, provided by Google. Steinman said users of Yahoo, which has a large number of ads and, said Steinman, a revised privacy policy upsetting to users, are a prime target for the new portal. New York Times, 28 October 2002 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/28/technology/28WAY.html SUN UPDATES APPLICATION SERVER SOFTWARE, GIVES IT AWAY In an effort to lure customers in the application server market, Sun Microsystems announced that the Platform Edition of its updated application server software will be free for Solaris and Windows operating systems. The free version will be offered for SunLinux, HP-UX, and AIX operating systems in January. The Standard Edition of the new software, which includes additional management tools, will cost $2,000 per server processor. The application server market is currently controlled by BEA, although its lead in the market has shrunk recently. According to IDC, Sun ranks fourth in the market. Analysts said Sun's free product might draw significant numbers of customers from BEA, most of whom run Solaris. CNET, 28 October 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1001-963532.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. 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