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TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 02, 2003 The Economic Upside to Copy Protection Engineer Designs Mac Clone U.K. to Crack Down on Spam Government Works on Notification Standards AND Penn State Gets Tough on Copyright Violations Computers, Not Pencils, for Standardized Tests THE ECONOMIC UPSIDE TO COPY PROTECTION A study commissioned by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) reportedly found a correlation between rates of software piracy and the overall size of a country's IT sector. According to the BSA, countries with high rates of software piracy, such as China and Russia, have relatively small IT sectors, as measured as a portion of each country's overall gross domestic product. Tax revenues are also lost to software piracy. Reducing piracy rates, said the BSA, could lead to growth in a country's IT sector specifically and in the economy overall. The BSA projected that reducing the piracy rate by 10 points over four years could create 1.5 million jobs globally and generate $64 billion in tax revenue. CNET, 2 April 2003 http://news.com.com/2100-1028-995011.html ENGINEER DESIGNS MAC CLONE The last time anyone produced an Apple clone was in 1997, when Apple ended a three-year licensing program. John Fraser, an engineer in Minnesota, hopes to change that with an Apple clone he has designed, called the iBox. The iBox, which some have likened to a pizza box in appearance, is made of a case Fraser designed with components built by Apple that are sold to repair shops as spare parts. Fraser's plan is to offer customers many options for configuring the iBox, including processor speed, hard-drive size, and other pieces. Unlike the current iMac and eMac choices from Apple, the iBox can be substantially upgraded. Customers will provide the Macintosh operating system. Fraser hopes his approach to building clones will avoid licensing or patent problems, but those questions have yet to be answered. Intellectual property lawyer Mark Dickson noted there is a wide range of trademarks and patents that must be observed. He said the look of the machine or how the pieces are put together could be grounds for legal action if they fall under patents held by Apple or possibly even by another PC maker. Wired News, 2 April 2003 http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,58310,00.html U.K. TO CRACK DOWN ON SPAM The British government is working on legislation that would place significant restrictions on unsolicited e-mail. At the end of October, spam will be illegal across member states of the European Union, and Britain hopes to have its own legal framework covering spam in place by then. Among the proposals for the legislation are requirements that solicitors obtain consent for sending e-mail advertisements, that consumers be notified of cookies and other Web tracking technologies, and that Web sites let customers choose whether they are included in subscriber directories. A government official acknowledged that legislation would not mean the end of spam, but it will provide clear guidelines for marketers and consumers and will give law enforcement agencies authority to go after spammers. BBC, 1 April 2003 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2891845.stm GOVERNMENT WORKS ON NOTIFICATION STANDARDS Speaking at the Secure E-Business Summit this week, Howard Schmidt, acting chairman of the federal government's Cybersecurity Board, said officials from government and the private sector are working to develop guidelines for notifying the government in cases of cybersecurity incidents. Many such incidents are not reported, according to Schmidt, because the private sector was not sure what the government wanted. Schmidt called for clear standards for what types of incidents will be reported to government officials. As a first step in establishing formal policies and procedures for reporting cybersecurity incidents, the government has created the National Communications System (NCS), which serves as the primary point of contact for such notifications. The NCS is part of the new Department of Homeland Security. Federal Computer Week, 2 April 2003 http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0331/web-cyber-04-02-03.asp AND ***************************************************** PENN STATE GETS TOUGH ON COPYRIGHT VIOLATIONS Rodney A. Erickson, provost at Pennsylvania State University at University Park, recently sent an e-mail message warning students of the "potentially high price to pay for an illegally copied computer program, movie, or recording." Where previous messages have threatened the loss of Internet privileges, Erickson's e-mail warned students of fines up to $250,000 and imprisonment under federal law. Students reportedly were confused about the message's intent and how they will be affected. Many believe pressure from the recording industry is behind the latest missive to crack down on illegal file sharing. Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) spokesman Jonathan Lamy said the RIAA was not involved with the e-mail but applauded Penn State's efforts to inform students of the illegality of file sharing and its potential consequences. Erickson said the university will suspend the Internet accounts of students found in violation but will not give their names to the entertainment industry for prosecution unless required to do so by law. Chronicle of Higher Education, 2 April 2003 http://chronicle.com/free/2003/04/2003040201t.htm COMPUTERS, NOT PENCILS, FOR STANDARDIZED TESTS Officials in Oregon are working to move the state's standardized testing programs to computer-based exams rather than paper-and-pencil tests. The Technology Enhanced Student Assessment (TESA) program is used in more than 500 Oregon schools, resulting in one student in three taking the tests on a computer. Idaho and Virginia have pursued similar programs. Despite some parents' concerns that taking standardized tests on a computer disadvantages some students, particularly younger ones, officials involved in the program said students today are extremely comfortable using technology and that even the third graders are doing fine with the program. Bill Auty, Oregon's associate superintendent overseeing testing, said computer tests are cheaper than paper tests because they don't require printing or mailing. In addition, students receive feedback almost immediately with computer-based tests, rather than having to wait three months for results of the paper tests. Associated Press, 2 April 2003 http://www.nandotimes.com/technology/story/837320p-5892474c.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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