🚀 go-pugleaf

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Date: Thursday, April 20, 2000, 3:15 PM -0400
From: cyberscape <cyberscape@faulknerinfo.com>
To: @unspecified-domain
Subject: Faulkner's Cyberscape Digest 04/20/2000 








CyberScape Digest 

CyberScape Digest is a weekly roundup of top internet stories. This issue
covers events from Monday 04/17/00 through Thursday 04/20/00. 


__________________________________________________


ICANN Moves Toward Adding New Domain Names
Internet observers who insist that the Web is running out of domain names
gained a reason to take heart this week. An ICANN committee recommended to
the organization's board of directors that a policy is needed for the
creation of generic top level domains so that Web sites will be more easily
categorized and located. Any new domains would be introduced slowly, to
help prevent cybersquatting. Network Solutions supports the proposal; it
backs the creation of ".shop," which would be open to anyone in the same
way as ".com," and ".banc," which would be limited to financial
institutions in the same way that ".edu" is limited to educational
institutions. 


__________________________________________________


Diverse Purchases Propel Consolidation of Internet Companies
Springtime reawakened the urge to merge among Internet firms. Entrust
Technologies, an Internet security company, agreed to merge with
enCommerce, a supplier of software and services for e-business portals.
Entrust sealed the deal with stock valued at $470 million; the transaction
is expected to be completed by the end of September. Online loyalty
marketers began to consolidate with MyPoints putting up stock valued at
$157 million to buy Cybergold. This deal, also expected to close in the
fall, will create the largest online loyalty marketer--which might scare
rival Netcentives, even though that company has backing from CMGI. Speaking
of creating large niche forces, Headhunter.net's purchase of CareerMosaic
for $109 in stock created the second-largest online recruiting
service--look out, Monster.com. Linux powerhouse Red Hat also got in on the
action, issuing up to 1.25 million shares of its stock to purchase
Bluecurve, a provider of performance management solutions. Red Hat will use
Bluecurve's software to build a service that will help businesses create
scalable Internet infrastructures. Finally, in perhaps the week's biggest
deal, Siebel Systems put up stock valued at $444 million to purchase
OpenSite, a vendor of dynamic e-commerce software and services. Businesses
using OpenSite's products can conduct forward auctions, reverse auctions,
and maintain cross-auction portals and exchanges. 


__________________________________________________


Microsoft Can't Keep Anything to Itself 


The tough job market hit Microsoft so hard that, in an attempt to keep its
top employees, the company introduced new perks for top-level executives
and software engineers. The rewards include up to 200,000 stock options,
extra vacation time, and, in the case of more than 30 managers, the title
of vice president. Of course, certain things shouldn't be hoarded--such as
the cosmos. Microsoft is working with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to
create SkyServer, a 40 terabyte data base of celestial images that will
bring visions of large areas of the night sky to anyone with a PC and a
modem. Since the information from SkyServer will be at least partially
analyzed and catalogued, users will be able to scientifically examine the
data. Going from very large to very small, Microsoft unveiled its third
attempt at a palmtop computer with the Pocket PC. Despite coming in a small
package, the Pocket PC will feature a color screen, date book, calendar,
calculator, memo pad, a small version of Internet Explorer, an e-book
reader with ClearType technology, a digital voice recorder, and Windows
Media Player. Plug-in hardware allows the device to wirelessly surf the
Web. The company claims that the Pocket PC is just one piece of a strategy
that will emphasize mobile computing and wireless access to data. Then
there are the things Microsoft probably wishes it could keep to itself. For
instance, a security flaw intentionally added by the company to FrontPage
98 was discovered to exist in the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack and possibly
Visual Studio 6.0 as well. The hole, with the password "Netscape engineers
are weenies!", lets hackers access key Web site management files, which
could allow them to obtain information such as customer credit card
numbers. Speaking of security flaws, it looks as though someone at
Microsoft is trying to demonstrate that software isn't released, it's
allowed to escape. For the second time in less than a month, the update to
the Windows operating system scheduled for release in March 2001, codenamed
Whistler, was posted to the Internet. Microsoft is investigating. The
company can't quite keep its Internet Explorer browser to itself, either.
Despite Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's ruling that the company abused its
monopoly power by bundling IE with its operating system, Microsoft revealed
that Windows Millennium will include the browser.   


__________________________________________________


Canadian Youth Charged in Distributed Denial of Service Attacks
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police always get their man, so the saying goes.
This week, the RCMP charged a 15-year-old Canadian boy known online as
Mafiaboy with February's distributed denial-of-service attacks that blocked
access to Yahoo, eBay, Amazon, and several other major Web sites. The
Canadian police conducted the probe in cooperation with the FBI and the US
Justice Department. The suspect was charged with two counts of mischief to
data, charges that could lead to 10 years in prison. Somewhat disturbingly,
law enforcement officials say that Mafiaboy was not particularly skilled
technically, yet was still able to cripple a number of prominent Web sites.
While waiting for his trial, the youth is subject to several court-imposed
measures, including a curfew, a ban on connecting to the Internet, and a
ban on using computers, except at school. US Attorney General Janet Reno,
commenting on the case, stated that the boy must face punishment for what
he has done. Meanwhile, the investigation continues; other individuals
might be charged, and Mafiaboy might face additional charges.   


__________________________________________________


Financial Business Gets Online, Wireless Boosts
Electronic Data Systems created a wireless banking service that allows Palm
VII users throughout the US to check their balances, pay their bills, and
transfer money from their PDAs. EDS will offer the service, called Wireless
Banking Solutions, to more than 200 credit unions and banks. Online
brokerage E-Trade linked up with Verzon Wireless to create a service that
allows its customers throughout the US to wirelessly access transaction
capabilities, account services, and real time financial information.
Customers will be able to access the service via browser-enabled digital
phones by the end of June. And Merrill Lynch penned a deal with
international banking group HSBC to create a global online banking and
brokering company. The 50-50 joint venture, dubbed Merrill Lynch HSBC, will
receive up to $1 billion in starting capital from the two partners, and
serve customers all over the world except in the US. The bank will go live
in the UK before the end of the year, followed by Japan, Germany, Canada,
and then the rest of Europe and other parts of the world.  


__________________________________________________


  Joint Ventures Abound Among Internet Firms
Alta Vista and PCsupport.com agreed to work together to create a co-branded
portal that will offer users PC trouble shooting, software-driver
installation, and other services via live chat or email. The site, which
will go live in June, will be free at first, but annual fees will be
charged for extra services such as quick replacement for lost data. Remote
and mobile executives will probably get the most value out of the service.
Following Volkswagen's lead, BMW is working with Ariba to create its own
online parts-purchasing system. The Web site will be used to gain bids from
parts suppliers, conduct online purchasing auctions, and listing goods and
services. Excite@Home and MTVi harmonized on Excite Music, a Web site that
will include high- and low-bandwidth music and entertainment. The service
is scheduled to go live over the summer. For those who just can't get
enough culture, New York's Museum of Modern Art and London's Tate Gallery
created a joint venture that will provide Internet access for learning
about and purchasing fine art. The Web site for the to-be-named e-business
will include design products, lectures, concerts, and other educational
features. Business-to-business took on a healthy glow as five US health
care distributors agreed to spend $100 million on the creation of an online
wholesale marketplace for the health care industry. AmeriSource Health,
Cardinal Health, Fisher Scientific, McKesson HBOC, and Owens &Minor said
they expect to launch the exchange by the end of 2000. Speaking of B2B,
VeriSign and webMethods agreed to integrate the former's trust services
with the latter's B2B technology to create a more secure environment in
which businesses can trade with each other via the Internet. webMethod's
next release will contain VeriSign's trust services, which will allow
trading partners to exchange digital credentials, binding digital receipts,
and digital records. Finally, for those who prefer something "real," Yahoo
Japan is teaming up with Sumitomo Realty &Development to hold real estate
auctions on Yahoo's auction site, starting in May.  


__________________________________________________


  Chernobyl Poised to Strike Again
Internet antivirus company F-Secure warned that the CIH virus, also known
as Chernobyl, will activate again on April 26, as it does every year. The
last time it activated, in April 1999, it reportedly caused data loss on
more than 2 million PCs, hitting Asia hardest. This year's damage is not
anticipated to be as large as last year's, but Asia will likely be hit hard
again because many of the computers infected there are on corporate
networks. The virus activates only under Windows 95 and Windows 98; users
of other operating systems can breathe easy. When it activates, CIH
overwrites the hard disk and the flash BIOS of an infected machine; victims
lose all their data and are stuck with a useless PC. One comfort: the virus
is suicidal--when it overwrites the hard drive, it overwrites its own code
as well, killing itself.  


__________________________________________________


  President Clinton Wants to Close "Digital Divide"
In a whirlwind tour that took in a Navajo reservation and Comdex, President
Clinton spoke on closing the "digital divide" between the poor and the rest
of the US. He proposed an initiative specifically aimed at closing that
divide between Native Americans and the rest of the country. Funded by an
increase in long-distance phone rates of 0.4 percent, the plan will allow
poor Native Americans to sign up for local phone service for $1 a month.
The president will propose the plan to the Federal Communications
Commission for a vote in July. At Comdex, Clinton emphasized the need for
businesses to make technology more available to the poor in their
communities. 


__________________________________________________


  Internet Companies Offer New Services
Amazon.com dabbled in drugs and alcohol this week. The online retailing
giant added a "health and beauty" tab that takes users directly to
Drugstore.com. It's the first time that Amazon has granted permanent space
on its Web site to a third party (albeit one in which it possesses a
substantial investment). The company also made a strategic alliance with
Wineshopper.com, which at the same time reported opening its site to
California consumers. Going from wine to things that can lead one to
drink--income taxes--four online tax preparation services reported that
they will redo their Web sites to make them usable by the
visually-impaired. Intuit, HDVest, H&R Block, and CioCia said they will
have the changes ready in plenty of time for next season's deadline. The
change may help the IRS meet its goal of receiving 80 percent of all tax
filings electronically by 2002. PricewaterhouseCoopers revealed plans for
an online subsidiary to work on creating and storing encrypted digital
certificates. The subsidiary, dubbed beTrusted, will live in Maryland and
use software licensed from Entrust Technologies and Baltimore Technologies.
That most conservative of judicial organizations, the US Supreme Court,
finally entered the digital age by opening its own Web site. The Web site
includes the court's opinions and orders, calendar and schedules, rules,
news releases, and general information. Finally, Ananova, the first virtual
(computer-generated) newscaster, debuted this week, with "Hello world, here
is the news." Ananova is sponsored by Ananova Limited, formerly PA New
Media, a division of the British Press Association.  


__________________________________________________


  Kozmo Hit With Discrimination Lawsuit
The Equal Rights Center and two black Washington, DC residents filed a
class action lawsuit in a district court against online delivery company
Kozmo.com. The lawsuit states in part that "Kozmo denies persons with
Internet access in predominantly African-American neighborhoods in
Washington, DC, the full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services,
facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations because of their
race, place of residence, and place of business." In a prepared statement,
Kozmo spokesperson Neil Geary said that the company decides what areas it
serves based on where Internet penetration and usage is greatest. However,
according to a number of studies, Internet usage correlates with income
level, not race, and Kozmo reportedly serves communities with lower incomes
than some of the ones it has denied to serve. If Kozmo truly draws its
lines based on race, it is violating a federal law that prohibits contracts
from being denied based on race.  


__________________________________________________


  Napster Hit With More Woes
Napster gained more enemies this week. Metallica filed a lawsuit against
the company, and against several universities, complaining that Napster's
software encourages piracy of the group's songs. A hacker and likely
Napster supporter defaced the Metallica Web site shortly after the suit was
filed, leaving it blank except for the words "Leave Napster Alone" in large
capital letters. That damage was quickly fixed, but the suit apparently
caused Yale University, one of the colleges named by Metallica, to bow to
pressure and ban Napster from its campus--after which Metallica removed
Yale as a defendant from the lawsuit. Dr. Dre, another musician, sent
Napster a warning letter stating that the company must remove all his songs
by Friday or he will sue.    


__________________________________________________


Outage Ticker: Sprint 


Sprint reported a number of outages this week, and also appears to be
overhauling its network. The outages began on April 15, when the company
reported a problem with its sl-gw5 router in New York City, which began at
7:30 PM. On Monday, April 17, the company reported a problem with its
sl-gw8 router in San Jose, starting at 3:02 PM. On Tuesday, April 18, at
4:00 AM, Sprint's sl-gw18 router in Pennsauken, NJ, began acting up. That
same day, the company performed maintenance on its sl-gw24 router in
Chicago, from 8:15 AM to 8:45 AM. Additionally, problems cropped up again
in San Jose, this time with the sl-gw8 router. Sprint repaired the router
between 9:30 AM and 10:00 AM. As if that wasn't enough, that evening, at
6:50 PM, Sprint's sl-gw2 router in Orlando started having problems. On
Wednesday, around 2:18 PM, the company reported that it will perform a
network fix on its sdn-bb1 and sdn-bb2 routers located in Chicago, but did
not provide a timeframe. Finally, Sprint gave advance warning of a number
of hardware upgrades. For April 21, between 12:01 AM and 6:00 AM, the
company will be upgrading hardware on sl-bb11, sl-bb21, and sl-gw20, all
located in Fort Worth. On April 24, in a two hour window between 12:01 AM
and 7:00 AM, Sprint will upgrade hardware on its sl-bb1, sl-bb3, sl-bb5,
sl-gw15, sl-gw17, and sl-gw24 routers, all located in Chicago. The sl-gw3
router in Washington, DC, will be upgraded the same day between 12:00 AM
and 7:00 AM. The company gave the same timing for an upgrade on the sl-gw8
router in San Jose (the same one that caused problems on Tuesday). Finally,
on April 25, Sprint will perform a network upgrade in Atlanta, for which it
will power down its sdn-pnc3 router between 4:00 AM and 6:00 AM. Please
note that all repairs and maintenance cause (or caused) a temporary loss in
connectivity or increased latency as packet traffic reroutes around the
routers. Whew! 


__________________________________________________


Cyberscape Delight: Of Easter Eggs, Elephants, and Stranger Things...
Easter eggs mean something rather different in technical circles than they
do in more mundane ones. For instance, users of Netscape's Navigator
browser can hit Cntrl-Alt-F for a little surprise. Programmers hide these
Easter eggs in all sorts of ordinary software programs, for a bit of humor
or just to give a personal touch to their work. For those interested in
this sort of unconventional Easter egg hunting, David Wolf maintains a Web
site on which he has compiled more than 1700 computer-related Easter eggs.
As everyone knows, Easter, being a spring holiday, is a great time to
celebrate birth and rebirth. The zoo in Zurich is getting right into the
spirit of things with the first live Webcast of an elephant birth, expected
sometime next month. Those who don't want to miss a minute of
Ceyla-Himali's calving can even leave an email address or phone number for
the zoo to contact them when nature takes its course. Hopefully, it will be
a very visual event--the site is mostly in German, with French and Italian
translations on the page where it announces the upcoming broadcast. Of
course, sometimes visual events lead to disappointment. Take, for instance
the recent release onto the Web of photos of the Groom Dry Lake Air Force
Base--commonly known as Area 51, and suspected by many conspiracy buffs to
contain the wreckage of UFOs. No UFOs showed up in the pictures provided by
Teraserver (viewing is free, downloading is $8.95, or Kodak will send you
copies for $20). Then again, not many Web surfers found this out, since the
site was overwhelmed by the curious when the pictures went up. Or perhaps
the black helicopters were jamming the connections...Finally, speaking of
jamming, many young musicians dream of making music with their idols. Now,
10-time Grammy award winning producer-songwriter David Foster is putting
his weight behind Tonos.com, a Web site that links these aspiring artists
with established stars, allowing them to receive online piano and guitar
lessons, collaborate via the Internet on new compositions, and watch
Webcasts of recording sessions. One recent song contest earned a
12-year-old hopeful a recording session with David Foster and a phone call
from her idol, Celine Dion.  


__________________________________________________


*** Terri Wells, Faulkner Information Services *** 



__________________________________________________


  

CyberScape Digest, Copyright 2000, Faulkner Information Services. All
rights reserved. 




---------- End Forwarded Message ----------



Missy Harvey
Computer Science Librarian
Engineering & Science Library
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA  15213

http://www.library.cmu.edu/usr/missy/

                   .--~~,__
     :-....,-------`~~'._.'
      `-,,,  ,_      ;'~'
       _,-' ,'`-__; '--.
      (_/'~~      ''''(;

"Golden retrievers are the best alarm clock 
 around.  They're gentle as a lamb and they  
 always wake you up with a smile!"