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TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2003 Cisco Program Gets Behind Wi-Fi Microsoft Files Unfair Competition Brief against Sun Microsoft Increases Document Security AND Spam-for-Hire Scheme Uncovered at Tufts Sun Courts the Education Market British Schools to Install Web Cams CISCO PROGRAM GETS BEHIND WI-FI Cisco Systems announced a new program designed to foster use of Wi-Fi technology in corporate settings. Under the program, makers of computers and processors will have access, free of charge, to technology from Cisco that will help those manufacturers build Wi-Fi-compatible devices with increased functionality and security. Wi-Fi has become the leading standard for wireless technology among many consumers, but concerns over its security have kept the technology out of many corporate settings. Intel, Texas Instruments, and Atheros said they would use the Cisco technology to build new chips with increased Wi-Fi security. PC makers including IBM and Hewlett-Packard said they will introduce new machines later this year based on the new chips. Devices developed under the new program will, after testing by Cisco, carry a "Cisco Compatible" logo, similar to the well-known "Intel Inside" logo. Analysts said the new program will likely succeed in addressing Wi-Fi's security and spurring adoption of the technology. ZDNet, 24 February 2003 http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-985672.html MICROSOFT FILES UNFAIR COMPETITION BRIEF AGAINST SUN In the latest chapter of the ongoing battle between Microsoft and Sun Microsystems, Microsoft has filed a court brief accusing Sun of anti-competitive practices and of violating an earlier agreement between the two. Sun has tried to convince the courts to prevent Microsoft from distributing its own version of Java, a technology originally developed by Sun. In July 2001, Microsoft settled a similar case with Sun. That settlement, according to Microsoft, gives it the right to use and distribute its own Java Virtual Machine until 2008. Sun's current case attacks the method for that distribution--Microsoft offers Sun's Java as an optional download while its own Java is included with operating systems. Microsoft argues that Sun's complaint violates the 2001 settlement and that Sun's continued legal action is designed "to cause competitive injury to Microsoft." NewsFactor Network, 24 February 2003 http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20830.html MICROSOFT INCREASES DOCUMENT SECURITY Based on the proposed XrML standard, new Windows Rights Management Software (RMS) from Microsoft will provide the means to limit uses of content by user and type of action. Microsoft said it will give customers confidence that they can effectively control how and where different sorts of content are used by various users. Because support for XrML will not be introduced until the upcoming Office 2003 is released, however, users with older operating systems, including Windows XP, will not be able to use the RMS. Microsoft defended the choice of an XrML-based application, saying "XrML is the richest and best developed of the rights management languages." The company said it is developing tools that will allow users with older operating systems to view RMS-enabled documents using Internet Explorer. Microsoft said it is working with several key companies, including Adobe Systems, on the development of RMS. A spokesman for Adobe said that although Adobe has received a briefing on RMS, the company had not finalized any plans to include RMS in its applications. PCWorld, 24 February 2003 http://www.idg.net/ic_1186054_9677_1-5046.html AND ***************************************************** SPAM-FOR-HIRE SCHEME UNCOVERED AT TUFTS Officials from Tufts University in Massachusetts said they have uncovered a scheme in which some students were selling access to the university's network to spammers. Spammers are notorious for routing messages through remote servers, giving spam recipients the impression that the e-mail originated on that server and masking the true source of the message. Tufts had received many complaints recently about spam coming from its servers. Officials tracked the messages to a particular student, went to his dorm room, and found a message-transfer agent on his computer. The student said he was being paid $20 a month to give spammers access through his computer. A representative of Tufts said the students were not contacted by spammers but had sought the opportunity themselves. The university said it hoped to end the practice by disallowing use of student computers as servers on the network. IDG, 24 February 2003 http://www.idg.net/ic_1186045_9677_1-5041.html SUN COURTS THE EDUCATION MARKET Sun Microsystems has announced discounts and a new licensing package to try to attract customers in the education market. Education customers will see discounts of up to 42 percent on products in the Sun Ray family, and discounts will extend also to the SunFire 280R server and Sun Blade 2000 workstation, according to the company. The new Sun EduSoft Portfolio offers a range of software, training, and support, as well as periodic updates, at significant discounts. Sun faces competition in the education market from companies including Microsoft and Dell. Last week Microsoft announced a new version of its Visual Studio.NET programming tool geared specifically for the education market, as well as a series of research grants to higher education. CNET, 24 February 2003 http://news.com.com/2100-1001-985683.html BRITISH SCHOOLS TO INSTALL WEB CAMS The city of Manchester, England, has announced it plans to install Web cams in classrooms in some of the city's schools in an attempt to draw attention to--and curb--bad behavior of some students. Members of Manchester's City Council said disruptive students pose problems for teachers and for other students. Many parents refuse to accept that their children behave badly in school and need to be shown such behavior, according to the city council. Although there are no plans to make the images from the Web cams available publicly, such as on the Internet, some critics said the "Big Brother" approach is misguided. Installing cameras, they say, might intimidate teachers, and money could instead be spent on special programs for disruptive students. BBC, 24 February 2003 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/2795047.stm ***************************************************** 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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