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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2005 Duke Evaluates iPod Program House Votes to Limit Patriot Act Bringing the Internet to Rural India BitTorrent the New Source for Sypware and Adware U.S. Grants Another Extension to Biometric Passports DUKE EVALUATES IPOD PROGRAM A study conducted at Duke University provided a mixed review of the institution's iPod program, in which all incoming freshmen last fall were given the devices to investigate their educational value. According to the study, carried out by the Duke Center for Instructional Technology, three quarters of the students in the program used the devices for at least one course, primarily for recording lectures or other content. Some students said they benefited from being able to listen to lectures when it was convenient or to replay parts that they might not have understood during class. Faculty commented that the devices provided a significant level of convenience for students, and the study said some faculty who had not previously incorporated technology into their courses did so with the iPods. Limitations of the devices, according to the study, include a fairly small number of uses and the relatively low quality of recorded material. Duke had previously announced it would narrow the scope of the iPod program next year, giving the devices only to students enrolled in courses that use them. Chronicle of Higher Education, 16 June 2005 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2005/06/2005061602t.htm HOUSE VOTES TO LIMIT PATRIOT ACT The U.S. House of Representatives has voted 238-187 to impose limits on the powers of the Patriot Act. Sponsored by Rep. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), the measure would eliminate federal authority granted by the Patriot Act to compel libraries and bookstores to disclose information about books their patrons have checked out or bought, without first obtaining a search warrant; the measure would preserve the right for government officials to obtain Internet search records from libraries. Although Attorney General Alberto Gonzales recently told Congress that federal authorities have never invoked the power, a number of libraries have begun deleting patron records to preempt the possibility of having to turn them over. Sanders called the vote "a tremendous victory that restores important constitutional rights to the American people." Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) defended the powers, saying that federal authorities need tools to help them identify planned terrorist activities and prevent attacks before they happen. The measure has not been introduced by the Senate, and President Bush has promised to veto the bill if it passes. Wired News, 15 June 2005 http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,67880,00.html BRINGING THE INTERNET TO RURAL INDIA As many as 5,000 villages in rural India may soon be connected to the Internet, thanks to efforts of an international group of companies and organizations, including the World Bank. Many rural Indians do not have easy access to business or government functions, and the project is designed to fill that gap for villages with more than 5,000 residents in the Indian state of Karnataka. The computer centers or kiosks will connect to the Internet either through wired networks or by satellite and will have between 5 and 10 "thin client" computers. In addition to the World Bank, partners in the project include Comat Technologies, an Indian Internet service provider; ICICI Bank, a commercial bank in India; and California-based Wyse Technology, maker of computer terminal equipment. New York Times, 15 June 2005 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/16/technology/16compute.html BITTORRENT THE NEW SOURCE FOR SYPWARE AND ADWARE BitTorrent downloads have become widely infected with adware and spyware, according to observers. Although functionally different from P2P services, BitTorrent has become a popular tool for locating and downloading music, video, and computer game files. Chris Boyd, operator of the Vital Security Web site, said he has uncovered many instances both of adware and of spyware being included in BitTorrent downloads. In most cases, users were prompted to download the software with instructions implying that the desired download file would not function without the extra software. Alex Eckelberry, president of Sunbelt Software, maker of antispyware software, called the BitTorrent situation "one of the most egregious spyware infestations that we have seen." He said the programs being installed on users' computers will flood them with unwanted pop-up ads and could result in overall system instability. CNET, 16 June 2005 http://news.com.com/2100-7349_3-5750601.html U.S. GRANTS ANOTHER EXTENSION TO BIOMETRIC PASSPORTS In a concession to nearly half of the countries in the Visa Waiver Program, officials from the United States have again extended the deadline for the addition of biometric data to passports. The program allows citizens of 27 countries to visit the Unites States using a passport only--without applying for a visa--for up to 90 days. In an effort to increase security, U.S. authorities said they would require that biometric information be added to passports in participating countries by October 26, 2005. After 13 of the countries in the program said they would miss the deadline, which had already been delayed once, U.S. security officials said countries would have another year to comply with the new regulation. The United States will, however, require participating countries to add digital photographs by the October deadline. The United States stood to lose potentially billions of dollars spent by tourists and business travelers from those countries if the deadline had not been extended. CNET, 15 June 2005 http://news.com.com/2100-7348_3-5748629.html *** SUMMER BREAK *** Edupage will be taking a brief break and will not be published on Monday, June 20, or Wednesday, June 22. 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