***************************************************** Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. *****************************************************
TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2004 EDUCAUSE Launches New Web Site House Supports Antispyware Legislation Colleges Praised for Efforts to Limit Copyright Violations Is PeopleSoft Ready to Talk to Oracle? EDUCAUSE LAUNCHES NEW WEB SITE EDUCAUSE has launched a redesigned Web site, with significantly improved functionality and access to resources. The new site, planned with help from association members and usability experts, offers such new features as improved navigation and site searching, a consolidated online resource center, personalization options that enable users to save favorite searches and receive e-mail alerts when content of interest is added, and a member directory enhanced with a peer directory element. EDUCAUSE, 6 October 2004 http://www.educause.edu/ HOUSE SUPPORTS ANTISPYWARE LEGISLATION The U.S. House of Representatives this week voted overwhelmingly to pass the Spy Act, which prohibits a range of actions including surreptitiously installing software, tracking users' keystrokes, and hijacking home pages. Those found guilty under the Spy Act are subject to civil penalties of up to $3 million. The House is expected to pass similar legislation, called the I-Spy Act, which adds criminal penalties to many of the violations covered by the Spy Act. The bills include exemptions for determining if a computer is authorized to use software that is being legitimately installed; monitoring networks, as long as such monitoring is for security or repair purposes; and using cookies to allow access to certain Web sites. With those exemptions, the bills earned the support of The Business Software Alliance, Dell, eBay, Microsoft, Time Warner, Yahoo, and EarthLink. Although no votes have been scheduled for companion legislation that is pending in the Senate, lawmakers still hope that the bills can be delivered to the president's desk before Congress adjourns this Friday. Internet News, 6 October 2004 http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3417891 COLLEGES PRAISED FOR EFFORTS TO LIMIT COPYRIGHT VIOLATIONS Members of Congress this week praised the efforts of some in the higher education community to limit the incidence of illegal file trading on campus networks. At a hearing of the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, witnesses testified about legal online music services on certain campuses and about software developed by the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) that automatically handles notices of copyright infringement. The UCLA system disconnects students from the networks and notifies them by e-mail of the offending files. Network access is restored after the individual removes the files in question. Members of the subcommittee applauded UCLA's system, saying the blocking of network access for illegal file traders is an appropriate course of action. James Davis, UCLA's associate vice chancellor for information technology, said the number of copyright notices received by the institution has fallen since the introduction of the system, and no student has been disconnected more than once. The subcommittee also said it supports the work of the Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities, which encourages colleges to offer free legal services for students who download music on campus. Chronicle of Higher Education, 6 October 2004 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2004/10/2004100604n.htm IS PEOPLESOFT READY TO TALK TO ORACLE? Comments made by PeopleSoft board member Steven Goldby in testimony to a Delaware court this week seemed to raise the possibility that PeopleSoft may be ready to sit down with Oracle to discuss a takeover. Goldby told the court that if Oracle made an offer that appropriately valued the company, and if there were strong indications that such a deal could be closed quickly, he "would be open to discussions with Oracle." Although officials from PeopleSoft characterized Goldby's comments as appropriate for any board member, given the financial responsibilities of the board, some analysts believe that Oracle is likely to raise its bid and that friendly discussions would likely follow. Other analysts pointed out that Oracle still faces the terms of PeopleSoft's Customer Assurance Program, which could add as much as $2 billion to the cost of the takeover, as well as PeopleSoft's poison pill, which makes the acquisition more expensive by issuing new shares of stock. San Jose Mercury News, 6 October 2004 http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/9848039.htm ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your settings, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/ 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/ ***************************************************** 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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