IT Trends for Thursday, February 19, 2004

Thursday, February 19, 2004

In This Issue

OPINION

Terry Calhoun, IT Trends Commentator
Society for College and University Planning (SCUP)
University of Michigan


If You Want Information to Stay in the Deep Web, Use Technology—Not Lawyers

Imagine our world in 2004 if everyone who published a Web site or transmitted an e-mail newsletter (like this one) with a hyperlink in it was legally required to obtain “permission in writing” from the owner of the page at the other end of the hyperlink. That might sound absurd to you, but it wasn’t that long ago that there were movements to require such permission. There are still a few people out there who are outraged at the thought that others are linking to pages deep inside their Web sites without asking permission first.

The issue bubbles to our attention every couple of years and I think it’s going to bubble up again later this year. Why? Because some companies are working hard to explore the Deep Web and bring to light information many of us think of as “hidden.”

Read more


IT NEWS

Microsoft Urges IE Upgrade Following Code Leak

Most of the security issues that might arise from the recent Windows source code leaks can apparently play out in Internet Explorer. Microsoft suggests that anyone still using IE 5.x or IE4.x should replace them immediately with IE6 Service Pack 1....
Read more

U. Delaware Changes ID Process to Secure Web Sites

Instead of SSN and personal identification number (PIN), users will be able to use an UDel NetID and password, and after August will be required to stop use of SSNs....
Read more

U. Pennsylvania Undergrads Push for Opt-in Facebook

Facebooks appear to be a growing trend, and it won't be the student governments that have to deal with the privacy and other issues....
Read more

USC Teams up to Build Multilingual Downtown Cybercafes

The cybercafes, staffed by students bilingual in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Japanese, Tagalog and Armenian, are expected to serve elderly adults in a study of their attitudes toward aging and technology....
Read more

Laptops Can be Checked Out at U. Alabama Libraries

Students like and use the program, which lets them check out laptops connected to the local wireless network for two hours at a time. ....
Read more

NYU Implementing New Student Number System by Fall

After some embarrassing recent security lapses, NYU is moving from using student social security numbers and pins to a new alphanumeric system. But the move d'esn't look easy to do. ...
Read more

Issues of identity Theft Arise on U. Pennsylvania Campus

Some professors accidentally still ask for and post social security numbers and students seem unaware that they should never provide the full number......
Read more

Nittany Napster Gets Mixed Reviews from Students

Usage by 9,000-plus students so far exceeds 100,000 tunes a day. But a major complaint is unavailability of some sought-after tunes. ...
Read more

Louisiana College Students Tapping into Online Courses

As many as 30,000 college students will take online courses in Louisiana this year, choosing from more than 700 offerings and even 14 online degree programs. ....
Read more

Student Government Web site at U Connecticut Hacked

The unauthorized access has raised questions about using the site for forthcoming student elections....
Read more

Harvard Network Crashes Twice, Affects Residential Students

The problem was a routing table error that had not previously been seen before, according to the hardware manufacturer....
Read more

What’ll They Dream Up Next: RF Tags on Frisbees

Who would have thought that the most info-tech-related entrant in the University of Wisconsin’s 10th Annual Innovation Days engineering competition involved using RFID to help disc golfers locate lost discs?....
Read more


RESOURCES


Mexico-Stanford-Reuters Fellowship Accepting Apps

Mexico's Institute for Telecommunications (INTTELMEX) will sponsor two scholarships for Digital Vision Fellows from Latin America at Stanford University for the 2004-5 school term. INTTELMEX joins the Reuters Foundation as a supporter of the program, which focuses on social entrepreneurship. DV Fellows research the needs and requirements of developing world communities, identify the best technology implementation choices, create proof-of-concept prototypes, and develop sustainable business models. DV Fellows have "Visiting Scholar" privileges at Stanford, including the ability to audit academic courses. The application deadline is March 15, 2004. Twelve Fellowships will be awarded on May 17, 2004.....
Learn more

DEALS, CONTRACTS, AWARDS

Community College Turns to Gateway For Wireless

San Juan College, in the Four Corners region of northeastern New Mexico, has chosen Gateway, Inc. to build out its wireless network. San Juan was provided with more than 100 Gateway 450 notebooks with built-in 802.11a/g connectivity as part of the rollout. The college currently uses four Gateway mobile labs, consisting of 74 notebooks that can be moved from classroom to classroom. The mobile labs augment Gateway desktops and Gateway Profile PCs, already in place in many classrooms and buildings at the college.

SunGard Completes Acquisition of SCT

SunGard announced it had completed its acquisition of Systems & Computer Technology Corporation (SCT) for approximately $590 million in cash. SCT supports more than 1,300 institutions in higher education and 8 million learners worldwide. SCT will be renamed SunGard SCT Inc., becoming the largest operating unit of SunGard Higher Education and Public Sector Systems. Mike Chamberlain will continue as SunGard SCT's president and chief executive officer, reporting to Bob Clarke, group chief executive officer of SunGard Higher Education and Public Sector Systems.

Sponsored by:
Case Study Webcast: The Network Effects of Web-enabled Applications
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Events


MCP Magazine's TechMentor, April 4-8 in New Orleans, LA

Knowledge Management, presented by the E-Gov Institute April 12-14 in Washington, D.C.



Click here for details

SYLLABUS 2004
7/18 - 7/22

Events Calendar


Sponsored by:
The Myth of Internet Security
There's a new awareness of Internet security. Intrusion detection methods are getting more sophisticated and effective. Software is developed with more emphasis on secure coding practices. Users are learning the basics of e-mail safety. So why is the Internet less secure than ever? Marty Lindner from Carnegie-Mellon's Computer Emergency Response Team explains why we're more at risk today. Learn from him and a host of other security and networking experts at MCP Magazine's TechMentor, April 4-8 in New Orleans. Register early and SAVE.

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POLL

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NEW PRODUCTS

Sun Pitches ‘Java Desktop’ to Higher Ed Community

Sun Microsystems, Inc. is rolling out the Sun Java Desktop System to the K-12 and higher education market. The company calls the Java Desktop System for Education an affordable, simple-to-use, secure enterprise-class desktop solution. It introduces a business model to education institutions that provides a single price of $25 per desktop per year for the desktop software, maintenance, support and training. The competitive pricing for the education market represents a dramatic savings compared to Window-centric clients, Sun says.

The Java Desktop System provides an office suite, Web browser, e-mail, calendar, instant messaging. In addition, Java Desktop System fully integrates Java technology, making it an "out-of-the-box" desktop ready to run thousands of Java technology-based applications with a consistent look and feel.

Macromedia Intros ‘Breeze’ Web Collaboration Platform

Macromedia released Macromedia Breeze, software that enables Web users to experience online instruction, meetings and access to content without downloading plug-ins or media players. Breeze enables university and college faculty, staff and students to collaborate, communicate, teach and train with an integrated solution that includes features that range live meetings to on-demand presentations.

Delivering the Internet Through Power Lines?

New FCC rules could permit delivery of Internet connectivity through power lines. D'es this have implications for institutions, which generate their own power?

Read more (registration may be required)



Sponsored By

Increasing Quality in Online Instruction
This week's interview features David Starrett Director, Center for Scholarship in Teaching and Learning, Southeast Missouri State University.



Since 1997, technology institutes at Southeast Missouri State University have helped faculty to use technology effectively. Starrett discusses roles and rewards, assessment, and other issues regarding faculty development.

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New! IT Security Forum

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Exchange ideas about the latest security issues on campus. Moderated by William Dougherty and Ariel Silverstone.



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Featured

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs AI Content Safeguards into Law

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed off on a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

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    NIST's U.S. AI Safety Institute Announces Research Collaboration with Anthropic and OpenAI

    The U.S. AI Safety Institute, part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has formalized agreements with AI companies Anthropic and OpenAI to collaborate on AI safety research, testing, and evaluation.

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    Report: Use of Game Engines Expands Beyond Gaming

    Game development technology is increasingly being utilized beyond its traditional gaming roots, according to the recently released annual "State of Game Development" report from development and DevOps solutions provider Perforce Software.

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    Cloud Security Alliance: Best Practices for Securing AI Systems

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), a not-for-profit organization whose mission statement is defining and raising awareness of best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, has released a new report offering guidance on securing systems that leverage large language models (LLMs) to address business challenges.