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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2004 Google Launches Service for Academics Congress Approves Increased Support for Supercomputing British Library Goes Wireless House Agrees to Extend Ban on Internet Tax GOOGLE LAUNCHES SERVICE FOR ACADEMICS Google this week launched a service directed at academics and scientists looking for scholarly material. Google Scholar is the product of cooperation between Google and a number of academic publishers including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Online Computer Library Center. The service provides access to peer-reviewed papers, books, and technical reports, as well as information about locating scholarly work that is available at libraries but not online. Google's Anurag Acharya, who directed development of the new service, noted that the company benefited from and grew out of an academic environment and said that Google Scholar "is one of the ways we can give back to the community." Acharya said the service would give universal access to academic and scientific literature from around the world. Initially the service will not include text advertisements with search results, though company officials said such ads will likely be added later. New York Times, 18 November 2004 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/18/technology/18google.html CONGRESS APPROVES INCREASED SUPPORT FOR SUPERCOMPUTING Congress has approved a bill that provides increased funding for supercomputing initiatives in the United States and extends greater access to such systems to academic researchers. The bill, which both houses of Congress passed and President Bush is expected to sign, directs the Energy Department to "deploy a high-end computing system that is among the most advanced in the world." The bill also requires the Energy Department to give academic researchers access to supercomputing systems. Although the bill does not appropriate funds, it authorizes the department to spend up to $165 million over three years. Daniel A. Reed, vice chancellor for information technology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, believes that in the past few years the United States has not devoted sufficient resources to high-tech research projects and said the bill will help put U.S. supercomputing "back on the front burner." Chronicle of Higher Education, 19 November 2004 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2004/11/2004111902n.htm BRITISH LIBRARY GOES WIRELESS Responding to reports showing strong demand for Internet access, officials at the British Library have announced the implementation of a wireless network in the library's reading rooms, auditorium, restaurants, and outdoor area. A study recently showed that 86 percent of library patrons carry laptops and that 16 percent came to the library to use it as a business center. Many visitors routinely leave the library to check their e-mail at a local cafe, and surveys showed that many people would like to check their e-mail, as well as access the library catalog, while in the library. The service will cost users 4.50 British pounds per hour or 35 pounds per month. A pilot program has been available in the library since May, and usage logs indicate that in that time, the network has seen 1,200 sessions per week, making it the busiest hot spot in London. BBC, 18 November 2004 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4020241.stm HOUSE AGREES TO EXTEND BAN ON INTERNET TAX The U.S. House of Representatives this week agreed to an extension of a ban on Internet taxes, despite pressure from many Republican representatives to make the ban permanent. Originally enacted in 1998, the ban prevents states from imposing taxes on Internet access. Supporters of the ban said such taxes would stifle development of the Internet. The ban expired last year, and the House moved to make the ban permanent. The Senate disagreed, however, citing concerns that states would have to raise other taxes to cover losses arising from services such as telephones moving to the Internet. The Senate instead passed a bill in April that would extend the ban until November 2007. Saying that an extension was better than nothing, House members pushing for a permanent ban voted for the compromise, which President Bush is expected to sign, and said they would continue to work in the next Congressional session to make the ban permanent. Reuters, 19 November 2004 http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?storyID=6871337 ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your settings, visit http://www.educause.edu/Edupage/639 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/Edupage/639 ***************************************************** 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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