OPINION

We’d Like Your Opinion Updated: Hey, Ask Your Friends, Too!

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

This week I just had to write about the new report from the PEW Internet & American Life Project titled “The Future of the Internet.” Hopefully, you’ll take my advice and pull up the report itself, because it’s worth a lot of hours of reading and thinking.

Four hundred “experts” whose early predictions about the Internet and its impact were identified from writings and postings authored during the period 1990-1994. Those experts were located and asked to participate in a 24-question survey about the future of the Internet. They were told that they could also invite friends and colleagues with interesting perspectives to complete the survey as well. In the end, 1,286 people responded; about half of whom are described as “Internet pioneers,” that is, online prior to 1993.

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IT NEWS

The Latest Tech Gear to Drool Over

How about a Bluetooth-enabled knit hat (see picture at link)? The recent Consumer Electronics Show highlighted some of the new things we'll be seeing students bring to campus soon. (USA Today)
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No Phishing at the University of Michigan

University of Michigan issued a second "phishing" scam alert. After at least 7 people at the university has fallen victim in the last couple of months, the U-M has warned its constituency once more to beware such scams. (mlive.com)
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Facebook the Latest Connection at College

At the Rochester Institute of Technology, one student's opinion is that the online Facebook is here to stay, at least for the rest of his life. (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)

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Script Error Blocks Dorm Internet Access

Many students at Drexel University were a bit annoyed when they returned to campus after Winter break and could not "register" their computers over the network as "secure" due to a programming error in the registration script. (The Triangle)
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UI Looking for New CIO

The next CIO at the University of Iowa will oversee a budget of $28M and a staff of 250. Not your average CIO job. (Iowa City Press-Citizen)
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Next-Generation DVD Options

Two new incompatible next-generation DVD formats are seeking dominance. Major manufacturers back each side. The Blu-ray Disc, which can hold about 50GB and the HD DVD, which can hold about 30GB are due on the market in 2006. (CNET News.com)
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CSU-San Marcos G'es Online to Unload Unwanted Wares

With equipment that's obsolete for the university but no doubt useful to someone, somewhere, and with budget cuts to deal with, the university sold its first used computer on eBay for $100 in under a minute. Penn State University made nearly $100k last year on eBay. (SignOnSanDiego.com)
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Professor's Anatomy Web Quiz Garners .25M+ Hits

About 175 students take human anatomy each semester at Penn State. But more than 277,000 "hits" were recorded on the Biology 129-Human Anatomy class online study aid at PSU last year. (Penn State Live)
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Oracle Begins Firing Former Top PeopleSoft Executives

Oracle names four of its own to head the merged company, replacing former PeopleSoft top execs: Kevin T. Parker, co-president and chief financial officer; W. Phillip Wilmington, co-president; Nanci Caldwell, executive vice president and chief marketing officer; and James P. Shaughnessy, senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary. (TechTarget)
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Business Group Feels DCMA is Weakened

The Business Software Alliance has posted a white paper claiming that court decisions have watered down the DCMA and that there is a need for Congress to address tougher copyright restrictions. (CNET News.com)
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RIAA Loses Second Court Battle

A 2-1 ruling by the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in St. Louis affirms an earlier federal court's opinion that the RIAA and others may not force Internet service providers to reveal users' identities without formal courts requests being approved first. (SiliconValley.com)
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Emulators Answer the Call?

Your cell phone is more powerful that your old Amiga or Commodore 64, right? So why not port emulators so you can reproduce those old machines on your phones? Let's ask the next question, too… why? (Wired News)
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RESOURCES

Internet "Threat" to Libraries to be Analyzed

Five years ago a major study found no Internet threat to library usage; now a major research group is undertaking a similar study and expecting… no change! (Reporter, University at Buffalo)

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EPA Makes Computer Disposal Easier

The EPA is working to support environmentally friendly computer disposal. It has subcontracted to several companies for controlled, verifiable, and safe disposal of obsolete government-owned PCs and peripherals. The program is called the Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts for Recycling Electronics and Asset Disposition services. (FCW.com)
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Got an Old PC? Don't Trash It: Recycle It

Ninety percent of old PCs end up in landfills. That’s something our descendants may or may not thank us for. As part of a growing trend, eBay is making its services more available to help consumers get rid of old PCs as easily as they buy new ones. (USA Today)
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DEALS, CONTRACTS, AWARDS

Swansea U and IBM Partnering for Super Computer

Physically, this super computer is about the size of a tennis field, hearkening back to the days of tubes and really big computers. (BBC News)
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NJ Institute of Technology Continues with WebCT Campus Edition

The New Jersey Institute of Technology is breaking eLearning barriers with WebCT Campus Edition. The institution, which coined (and trademarked) the term "virtual classroom," moves right on ahead with online learning initiatives, now using WebCT for almost a decade. (TMCnet.com)
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