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TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2003 Entertainment Execs Sit Down with File-Swapping Services Court Extends Libel Protection to Bloggers Judge Shuts Down Interior Department Computers, Again Fuel Cells Promise Longer Battery Life for Laptops Chip Sales Continue to Rise ENTERTAINMENT EXECS SIT DOWN WITH FILE-SWAPPING SERVICES A new organization is set to convene a meeting between entertainment industry executives and purveyors of file-swapping technology. The Distributed Computing Industry Association was conceived by Derek Broes, a long-time defender of the rights of content owners. Broes now works for Brilliant Digital Networks, distributor of content on the Kazaa network. Broes recruited Martin Lafferty, former executive at NBC and Turner Broadcasting, to be the chief executive of the new group, while the group's financing comes from Sharman Networks, the firm that distributes Kazaa technology. The unusual mix of executives from both sides of the ongoing file-sharing disagreement may serve to begin a process of cooperation between the two sides. San Jose Mercury News, 30 June 2003 http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/6201974.htm COURT EXTENDS LIBEL PROTECTION TO BLOGGERS A ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals extends libel protections of the 1996 Communications Decency Act to "do-it-yourself" online publishers, including Web loggers (bloggers) and individuals who operate e-mail discussion lists. Cindy Cohn of the Electronic Frontier Foundation noted that commercial news outlets "have editors and fact-checkers, and they're not just selling information--they're selling reliability," whereas bloggers and the like are simply "engaging in speech." Also included in the court's ruling are those who maintain e-mail discussion lists, even when those people approve or reject content distributed on the list. As Cohn stated, the court effectively said "when it comes to Internet publication, you can edit, pick, and choose, and still be protected." Wired News, 30 June 2003 http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,59424,00.html JUDGE SHUTS DOWN INTERIOR DEPARTMENT COMPUTERS, AGAIN For the second time in less than two years, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth has ordered the U.S. Department of the Interior to take some of its computer systems offline because the agency was unable to verify they are secure. In December 2001, an individual appointed by the courts was able to hack into the agency's computers, prompting the judge to order that the systems be made unavailable until they were secure. That shutdown affected numerous systems, including those with information and resources for national parks. In the current situation, the Interior Department refused to let a court-appointed individual test the security measures put in place. As a result, Lamberth said he had no choice but to order the systems shut down. Exceptions are made for any "system essential for protection against fires and other threat to life or property." Washington Post, 27 June 2003 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43024-2003Jun27.html FUEL CELLS PROMISE LONGER BATTERY LIFE FOR LAPTOPS A representative from Japanese computer firm NEC said the company has developed a fuel cell that will last for 40 hours in a laptop computer. Fuel cells use stored fuel such as hydrogen or methanol to create electricity from hydrogen and oxygen. They do not need to be charged the way conventional batteries do, but they require periodic refilling of the fuel. Several firms, including Toshiba, are also working on developing fuel-cell technology for laptops. Toshiba has said it will introduce a laptop powered by a methanol fuel cell in 2004. NEC said it will offer a fuel-cell powered laptop, also in 2004, that will have a battery life of five hours, the same as Toshiba's planned release. The 40-hour fuel cells are expected by the end of 2005. ZDNet, 30 June 2003 http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103_2-1022130.html CHIP SALES CONTINUE TO RISE A new report from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) shows continued growth in the sales of computer chips. Sales in May of this year were two percent higher than in April and 10 percent higher than in May of last year. Chip sales rose in most parts of the world, including Japan (26 percent year over year), the Asia-Pacific region (11.7 percent), and Europe (9.3 percent). Sales in the Americas, however, declined 6.7 percent, a drop blamed on continued outsourcing of electronic equipment production to Asia. The SIA recently predicted growth in chip sales of 10.1 percent for 2003, followed by increases of 16.8 percent, 5.8 percent, and 7 percent for the next three years. Strength in the chip market is attributed to factors including increased stability after the war in Iraq ended and the apparent end of the outbreak of SARS. CNET, 30 June 2003 http://news.com.com/2100-1006_3-1022134.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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