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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2002 Three Companies Plan National Wi-Fi Network Wired Speed, without the Wires FCC Council to Issue Security Recommendations AND Indiana Discontinues Graduation Program Due to Software Costs Penguin Computing Announces Linux Desktop ICANN Will Keep Elected Boards Member, For Now THREE COMPANIES PLAN NATIONAL WI-FI NETWORK AT&T, Intel, and IBM announced the creation of Cometa Networks, which hopes to establish a vast Wi-Fi network covering the 50 largest U.S. metropolitan areas over the next two years. The company, which will sell Wi-Fi service through ISPs and cable and wireless companies, aims to set up 20,000 Wi-Fi access points, putting an access point within a five-minute walk of every business in urban areas and within a five-minute drive in rural areas. AT&T will provide network infrastructure and management for Cometa, IBM will be responsible for site installations and back-office systems, and Intel will provide technical assistance and funding. NewsFactor Network, 6 December 2002 http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20176.html WIRED SPEED, WITHOUT THE WIRES Loea Corp., based in Hawaii, has developed a wireless technology capable of the throughput rate of fiber-optic networks. The technology is called Virtual Fiber, and an official from the company said the technology has potential as an inexpensive "first mile" from an enterprise to a network, a backup for wired networks, and a way to reach users in rural areas. Virtual Fiber works in the 70-to-76 GHz band under an experimental license. Lou Slaughter, the CEO of Loea, said he anticipates the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will open that band for commercial use, though the FCC said a decision will not come until next year. Slaughter said a point-to-point Virtual Fiber system will sell for less than $20,000. ComputerWorld, 6 December 2002 http://www.idg.net/ic_969771_1794_9-10000.html FCC COUNCIL TO ISSUE SECURITY RECOMMENDATIONS The National Reliability and Interoperability Council (NRIC), part of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will review approximately 300 security practices and issue a set of recommendations based on those practices. In the past, the NRIC has addressed issues such as the Y2K problem. FCC Chairman Michael Powell said the security recommendations are part of an effort to ensure the telecommunications industry "is operating at the highest possible level of security practices." Though voluntary, the recommendations of the council are expected to receive serious attention from the industry, according to Powell. The recommendations are expected by December 20. United Press International, 6 December 2002 (registration req'd) http://www.nandotimes.com/technology/story/662225p-4964489c.html AND ***************************************************** INDIANA DISCONTINUES GRADUATION PROGRAM DUE TO SOFTWARE COSTS A program called GradPact at Indiana University at Bloomington will end because the costs to reprogram a new PeopleSoft student-records system to accommodate the program would be too high. The university's faculty council voted to end the program, which guarantees students will be able to take necessary courses to graduate in four years. Under the program, students who are forced to stay longer than four years because needed courses are not available are granted tuition waivers. Modifying the code in the new PeopleSoft system, however, would cost the university $230,000 initially and $60,000 a year in maintenance. In the current climate of tightening budgets, the school could not justify that expense, though students currently enrolled in the program will not be affected by its end. Chronicle of Higher Education, 5 December 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/12/2002120501t.htm PENGUIN COMPUTING ANNOUNCES LINUX DESKTOP Computer maker Penguin Computing has announced it will produce a desktop machine based on the Linux operating system. The company, which already offers servers and workstations, joins manufacturers including Sun Microsystems in making individual Linux desktops available to customers. Many manufacturers offer Linux-based desktops, but only for purchases of large numbers of computers. Penguin Computing said it hopes that many of its existing server customers will consider using their desktops as well. Microsoft has admitted that it could face difficulty if "Linux were to become a phenomenon on the desktop." The new computers from Penguin will start at just over $700 with a Celeron processor and no monitor. CNET, 5 December 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1001-976240.html ICANN WILL KEEP ELECTED BOARDS MEMBER, FOR NOW Following months of vocal protests, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) said it will keep the five members of its board of directors who were chosen through open elections. M. Stuart Lynn, president of ICANN, said the organization would not rule out the possibility of conducting global, online elections for future board members, but that the process of doing that is "very, very difficult, and expensive." Karl Auerbach, one of the five board members chosen in the open elections, said ICANN is clearly bowing to the pressure it faced from communities around the world who want representation with ICANN. Lynn dismissed those comments, saying the organization will set up a transition board that will plan the group's future and will include eight of nine at-large members. Phil Davidson, the ninth at-large board member, will leave when his term ends. Wired News, 6 December 2002 http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,56740,00.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 "EQ" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. 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