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TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2006 Georgia Institution Pushes iPods Microsoft Targets Phishers Cray Outlines Future GEORGIA INSTITUTION PUSHES IPODS Although iPods have been incorporated into the curriculum at a number of colleges and universities, Georgia College and State University (GCSU) boasts one of the strongest efforts at putting the devices to educational use. Of the institution's roughly 300 faculty, more than 100 use iPods for teaching or research. In 2002, the administration began loaning iPods to faculty with ideas about how to use them for teaching. Today, faculty use the devices to replace traditional office hours, to give students access to resources they will see in a study abroad program, and for other activities that free up class time for more learning. Deborah Vess, professor of history, asks her students to download 39 movies to video iPods and watch them outside class. Dorothy Leland, president of GCSU, said, "The more you free up your classroom for discussion, the more efficient you are." In recognition of its efforts at expanding the educational uses of iPods, GCSU was selected by Apple Computer as host of the Digital Campus Leadership Institute, which took place in November. CNN, 20 March 2006 http://edition.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/03/20/ipod.university.ap/ MICROSOFT TARGETS PHISHERS Microsoft has announced its intention to use trademark laws to confront the operators of phishing scams. Phishers set up bogus Web sites designed to look like legitimate sites and trick users into entering confidential information. At a press conference in Brussels, Microsoft said it would level trademark-violation charges against outfits that pose as Microsoft sites such as Hotmail or MSN. The Global Phishing Enforcement Initiative will target more than 100 sites in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Also part of the initiative will be stronger ties between Microsoft and international law enforcement agencies, including Interpol, to fight phishers. Microsoft's strategy may prove more successful at defeating phishers than prosecutions that depend on evidence that the sites in question had actually defrauded users. Microsoft's legal approach would simply need to demonstrate that site operators infringed on the company's trademarks. ZDNet, 20 March 2006 http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/security/0,39020375,39258528,00.htm CRAY OUTLINES FUTURE Supercomputer maker Cray has outlined its plans to streamline its operations and compete with growing challenges from mainstream computer makers including IBM, HP, Sun, and Dell. Jan Silverman, senior vice president of corporate strategy, said the company's goal is to offer a range of processor technologies in a single system--necessary because various processor architectures can best handle different kinds of computing challenges--and to "hide that complexity from the users." Cray will offer four types of processors: traditional vector chips; AMD's Opteron chips; field-programmable gate arrays, whose characteristics can be modified to suit particular jobs; and multithreaded chips from Tera Computer. Beginning in 2007, Cray will begin offering systems with distinct processor types that target specific types of supercomputing applications. Two years later, the second phase of Cray's plan will see those systems combined into a single chassis. The third phase will entail adding a software component that directs processing jobs to the portion of the system best able to handle them. CNET, 20 March 2006 http://news.com.com/2100-1010_3-6051265.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. To access resources including articles, books, conference sessions, contracts, effective practices, plans, policies, position descriptions, and blog content, go to http://www.educause.edu/resources ***************************************************** CONFERENCES For information on all EDUCAUSE learning and networking opportunities, see http://www.educause.edu/31 ***************************************************** COPYRIGHT Edupage copyright (c) 2006, EDUCAUSE
