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TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2006 MIT Plans Wireless Network in Cambridge AOL and Yahoo Experiment with E-Mail Postage Publisher Launches Ad-Supported Online Text Cell Phones as Tracking Tools MIT PLANS WIRELESS NETWORK IN CAMBRIDGE MIT has announced plans to deploy a wireless network covering Cambridge, Mass., where the university is located. Working with Harvard University and Boston's Museum of Science, MIT will set up the network using mesh technology, which, although not as fast as commercial service, is significantly less expensive. With a traditional wireless network, wireless access points are installed to cover the desired area, and every access point is hardwired to the network. Mesh technology eliminates much of the wiring by relying on a small number of wired antennae and many other antennae that relay signals to the wired ones. Jerrold M. Grochow, vice president for information services and technology at MIT, described it as "hopping from antenna to antenna to antenna." Mary P. Hart, CIO for Cambridge, commented that the proposed network will allow the city to determine the demand for wireless access. Other cities have spent large sums developing wireless coverage without knowing if residents want it, she said. Grochow noted that unlike the situation in other municipalities, MIT's project has not run into opposition from commercial Internet providers. Chronicle of Higher Education, 6 February 2006 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/daily/2006/02/2006020601t.htm AOL AND YAHOO EXPERIMENT WITH E-MAIL POSTAGE In an effort to limit unwanted and fraudulent e-mail, AOL and Yahoo have announced plans to begin charging "postage" for delivering some e-mail to their customers. Under the system, companies that pay to have their e-mail delivered--between 1/4 and 1 cent per message--will receive preferential service. A third party, Goodmail, will collect the fees and verify the source of messages. E-mail from nonpaying senders will still be delivered, but it will be routed through spam filters and other mechanisms, which could prevent it from reaching its target. The hope is that the fees will discourage spammers from sending billions of unsolicited messages every day. A spokesperson from AOL compared the plan to the current functioning of the postal system. Certified mail, for example, is guaranteed to be delivered "in a way that is different from other mail," he said. Some analysts said e-mail postage will only lead to disagreements between senders and ISPs. Many e-mail marketers also rejected the idea, saying that there are already mechanisms in place, such as a service called Bonded Sender, that verify the legitimacy of e-mail and that cost significantly less than the proposed charges. New York Times, 5 February 2006 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/05/technology/05AOL.html PUBLISHER LAUNCHES AD-SUPPORTED ONLINE TEXT HarperCollins has announced a new program that will make book content available free online, supported by advertiser links that share the page with the text. Officials from the publisher said the Harper program will focus on nonfiction and reference books, noting that advertisers are likely not as interested in paying to support literary fiction. The first book offered in the program, "Go It Alone! The Secret to Building a Successful Business on Your Own" by Bruce Judson, was published in 2004 and later released in paperback. One test of the program will be whether ad sales offset lost sales, according to Murray, group president of HarperCollins. Despite the ongoing squabbles over online access to books, supporters of the idea still believe it has potential. Author M.J. Rose said that no one wants to read an entire book online but that if they have easy access to a text on the Web and they like it, they will be encouraged to buy a copy. Associated Press, 6 February 2006 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060206/ap_en_bu/publishing_free_text CELL PHONES AS TRACKING TOOLS Companies that use cell phones to track people have seen significant increases in business in the past few years. In Britain, firms such as Followus and Verilocation frequently work with employers who want to keep tabs on staff, despite concerns that the service infringes on individuals' civil rights. Kevin Brown of Followus noted that his company's service requires the consent of those being tracked. Users must agree to having their cell phones tracked, and periodic messages are sent randomly to users reminding them that their movements are being followed. Officials at Verilocation pointed to such events as the bombings in London last summer as times when being able to locate all of your employees is highly valuable. Experts on business processes said being able to track employees can allow companies to provide better service to customers by, for example, letting them know exactly where a technician is and when he will arrive at a customer's home. Officials from Liberty, a civil rights group, were unconvinced, saying that employees' rights in the workplace have been eroded and that there is a significant risk that businesses will misuse tracking data. CNET, 5 February 2006 http://news.com.com/2100-1039_3-6035317.html ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your settings, or access the Edupage archive, 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] ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE RESOURCES The EDUCAUSE Resource Center is a repository for information concerning use and management of IT in higher education. 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