NewsScan Daily, 17 September 2003 ("Above The Fold")

NewsScan Daily, 17 September 2003 ("Above The Fold")
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"ABOVE THE FOLD"
        Unintended Consequence of a Microsoft Defeat
        Internet Could Be Hazardous to Your Health
        Computing Prices Are Way Too High, Says McNealy
        Servers Get Personal
        Vandal Watch
        Goodbye AOL Time Warner (We Hardly Knew Ye)

FEATURES
        Flash Card
        Honorary Subscriber: Evangelista Torricelli
        Mailbag: The World As We Find It

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF A MICROSOFT DEFEAT
The Internet industry is starting to feel the unintended consequences of a 
patent-infringement case in which a former academic researcher successfully 
sued Microsoft for misappropriating his ideas and incorporating them in its 
ActiveX software. Daniel Weitzner of the World Wide Web Consortium says, 
"The ripple effect of this could be very dramatic. What you have here is 
the adjudication of a private lawsuit between two companies, and no one 
thought about the rest of the Web." The software in question  makes it 
possible for a browser to summon programs automatically over the Internet 
for playing music, videos and animations, or for exchanging documents; it 
has become a standard feature in the hypertext markup language used for 
encoding Web pages. Weitzner says the impact of the lawsuit against 
Microsoft shows the need to keep the basic software of the Web free of 
patent royalties. Michael Doyle, the researcher who brought the suit 
against Microsoft, is the founder of Eolas Technologies in Chicago. (New 
York Times 17 Sep 2003)
http://partners.nytimes.com/2003/09/17/technology/17SOFT.html

INTERNET COULD BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH
A survey conducted by Holly Cardamone, a Melbourne, Australia nurse and 
communications consultant, indicates that most Web sites that dispense 
health-related information fail to meet basic standards of impartiality and 
accuracy. Cardamone evaluated the top 100 Web sites returned in Yahoo 
searches on breast cancer, diabetes and depression, using the international 
Health On The Net Foundation's code of conduct. The code's guidelines 
address issues relating to the authority of the information given, user 
confidentiality, openness about corporate sponsorship, and emphasis on 
treating the information as complementary to medical treatment, rather than 
replacing it. Forty-two of the sites presented useful information: "Such 
sites contained quality, appropriate information with potentially 
lifesaving content such as explanations of the symptoms of depression, and 
healthy recipes for diabetics," says Cardamone. But the other 58 were a 
disappointment, containing unverified information. Meanwhile, other 
researchers have cited the growing phenomenon of "cyberchondria" -- 
hypochondriacs who feed their health obsession with information from the 
Web. Such people are especially drawn to multiple choice quizzes that 
provide diagnoses based on a list of symptoms. (Sidney Morning Herald 16 
Sep 2003)
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/15/1063478109311.html

COMPUTING PRICES ARE WAY TOO HIGH, SAYS MCNEALY
Consumers are paying up to 10 times as much as they should for the 
privilege of buying and using computers, according to Sun Microsystems CEO 
Scott McNealy, who predicts cheaper prices in the future. "The world has to 
be getting a little disappointed in our industry," McNealy told attendees 
of the SunNetwork conference. "We are overcharging in our industry by an 
order of magnitude," or by up to 10 times. "That cost… is going to come out 
of our industry in the next five to 10 years." The companies most likely to 
take a hit are the ones with a vested interest in today's complex computing 
environments, such as Microsoft and IBM. Sun's answer to the problem is its 
Java Enterprise System for servers and its Java Desktop System, which 
offers a Linux-based alternative to Microsoft Windows and Office. Sun hopes 
its new products will boost its flagging revenue, which has declined 
alarmingly in the last few years. In a demonstration of Sun's new desktop 
technology, software executive Jonathan Schwartz showed off a Linux user 
interface called "Looking Glass," which treats Windows as 3-D hinged panes 
of glass that can be folded back out of the way or made transparent. (CNet 
News.com 17 Sep 2003)
http://news.com.com/2100-1010_3-5077619.html

SERVERS GET PERSONAL
Senior Intel researcher Roy Want has devised a prototype device that the 
company's calling a Personal Server -- a matchbox-size PC that can be used 
to store personal data and may be accessed by a variety of devices. 
"Storage capacity is growing in leaps and bounds," Want told participants 
at the Intel Developer Forum. "By 2012 you will be able to carry a device 
that could record a lifetime's conversations. It would take about three 
terabytes of data to do. To include video, you'd need 97 terabytes, which 
is expected to be economically viable at current development rates by 
2014." Intel's Personal Server could be controlled by a unit built into a 
wristwatch, and would use a wireless link to download prices, timetables 
and news from billboards and other public access points. "I would be very 
surprised if you don't see devices like this on the market in five years' 
time," said Want. (VNUNet 16 Sep 2003)
http://www.vnunet.com/News/1143659

VANDAL WATCH
Security firm iDefense Inc. of Reston, Va., has found new Internet attack 
software being distributed via a Chinese Web site, and says they expect 
widespread attacks similar to the Blaster infection within days. Microsoft 
confirmed it was studying the new attack tool, which gives hackers access 
to victims' computers by creating a new account with the name "e" with a 
preset password. The tool includes options to attack two Windows 2000 
versions that are commonly used inside corporations. (AP/San Jose Mercury 
News 17 Sep 2003)
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/6787298.htm

GOODBYE AOL TIME WARNER (WE HARDLY KNEW YE)
Name change. What was trumpeted a couple of years ago as the merger of the 
ages, is still (apparently) the merger of the ages, but with an unmerged 
name. AOL Time Warner is taking back its old name, plain ol' Time Warner 
(stock symbol TWX), and its Internet division, AOL, will be called, not 
unreasonably, AOL). Sources in the company (Time Warner, that is) say that 
the corporate name change is not a sign that there will be a sale or 
spinoff of the America Online division, nor a sign that the company is 
close to settling an ongoing SEC investigation into accounting problems at 
AOL. (Washington Post 17 Sep 2003)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21766-2003Sep16.html

*****

FLASH CARD
      "If we were all determined to play the first violin we should never 
have an ensemble. therefore, respect every musician in his proper place." 
(Robert Schumann)

HONORARY SUBSCRIBER: EVANGELISTA TORRICELLI
      Today's Honorary Subscriber is the Italian mathematician and 
physicist Evangelista Torricelli (1608-1647), who is best known for his 
invention of the mercury barometer to measure atmospheric pressure. He also 
improved the telescope, and his work in geometry helped later 
mathematicians develop the integral calculus.
      Torricelli was a friend and disciple of Galileo, and during the final 
three month's of Galileo's life, Torricelli served him as secretary and 
companion. He then succeeded him as the court mathematician and philosopher 
to Grand Duke Ferdinando II of Tuscany, a post he held until his death.
      Torricelli was born near Ravenna, Italy, to relatively poor parents, 
who upon recognizing remarkable intelligence placed him under the care of 
his uncle, a Camaldolese monk, for his early education. After that he 
studied mathematics and philosophy at a Jesuit College until he took up 
residence in Rome, where he worked as secretary to University of Rome 
professor Benedetto Castelli, who tutored him in mathematics, mechanics, 
hydraulics and astronomy. Castelli also had Torricelli to teach his classes 
whenever he was absent from Rome.
      Some time in 1632 Torricelli was called upon to answer correspondence 
sent to Castelli by his renowned colleague, Galileo Galilei. This provided 
Torricelli an opportunity to introduce himself to Galileo, who took an 
interest in young scholar that blossomed into a warm personal relationship. 
Torricelli was a strong supporter of Galileo who in turn suggested ideas 
worth following up in his own scientific pursuits. It was at Galileo's 
suggestion that Torricelli created the first man-made vacuum, a discovery 
that led to his construction of the mercury barometer.
      After Galileo's heresy trial in 1633, Torricelli realized that he 
would be on dangerous ground were he to continue with his interests in the 
Copernican theory, so he deliberately shifted his attention onto 
mathematical areas that seemed less controversial. By 1641 he had completed 
much of the work, which he was to publish in three parts as "Opera 
Geometrica" in 1644. Unfortunately, much of Torricelli's mathematical and 
scientific work has not survived, mainly because he published only the one 
work.
      In addition to his theoretical writings, Torricelli possessed 
superior skills as a maker of instruments. He was a skilled lens grinder, 
making excellent telescopes and small, short focus, simple microscopes. In 
fact he made a good deal of money from his skill in lens grinding in the 
last period of his life in Florence and the Grand Duke gave him many gifts 
in return for scientific instruments.
      Torricelli contracted typhoid in October 1647 and died a few days 
later at the young age of 39.

See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1559706848/newsscancom/ref=nosim 
for Wade Rowland's "Galileo's Mistake: A New Look at the Epic Confrontation 
Between Galileo and the Church" -- or look for it in your favorite library. 
(We donate all revenue from our book recommendations to adult literacy 
programs.)

MAILBAG: THE WORLD AS WE FIND IT

IT'S NOT ABOUT COLOR
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9203
While I feel for Grandma having to walk five blocks, I disagree with Al 
that she is not getting an equal chance to vote. That polling place has 
probably been in the same place for twenty years and she has always been 
five blocks away and she has always made it there. On the rare occasion 
that it rained or she was ill she either called a friend or the Democratic 
party and got a ride. Now take the case of the Black corporate lawyer, the 
Chinese high tech programmer, and the Indian VP of finance that all work in 
downtown and live in the suburbs 20 to 30 miles away. They have busy days, 
many work 10 or 12 hours each and every day, many came here to have a 
better life and live in a free democratic country. Their days are so busy 
and the demands on them are so great they can't get out of the office 
before 7 PM on election night to go home through rush hour traffic to vote. 
So who is more disenfranchised, Grandma who has been voting at the same 
place five blocks away for twenty years or corporate America that is 20 to 
30 miles from their polling place with no hope of getting home in time to 
do their patriotic duty? Internet voting would help level the playing field 
that's all it would do. Al you are wrong again, it's not about color its 
about getting all legal voters to the polls anyway you can. (Jerry Hougen)

DCMA IS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9208
      How many voices of complaint does it take to change a bad law is 
analogous to how many accidents at an intersection is required before 
putting in a stop sign. One is to many. (Don Fudge)

E-BOOKS NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9200
      I just had to pipe up about e-books and their predicted eventual 
adoption. Please don't get me wrong -- I'm not a Luddite. I earn a living 
supporting and using computer technology. I spend many hours a day staring 
at a computer screen, and I still prefer reading from paper when I have the 
opportunity. I find it difficult to read from the screen for extended 
periods of time. E-books will not become used widely until the 
manufacturers are able to replicate paper's portability, ease-of-use, 
flexibility, and durability. E-book technology is too fragile, too 
susceptible to erasure or damage, and too uncomfortable for everyday use. 
(John Haffner)

INTELLIGENT BRICKS
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9199
      IBM's idea of "intelligent bricks" is a real hoot. Yes, I know 
everybody and his brother Harry is trying to come up with the Great New 
Idea, but this one bites large chucks of wall. It's one of the many ideas 
that can't stand three years of technological change, much less rational 
scrutiny. You know, cuneiform cones weren't as big a 20 cm on a side, and 
they're still around. These "bricks" will be gone in 3 months max. (Derek 
Davis)

POP-UPS PART I
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9198
      Susan Prince asked that web browsers allow only the pop-ups that she 
actually wants. The current versions of her browser (Opera) do this; you 
can block popups that are not explicitly requested. Current versions of 
Mozilla/Netscape offer a similar option. As an alternative, the Proxomitron 
web proxy can turn the popups into regular links, which the user can choose 
(or not) to follow. (Jim Jewett)

POP-UPS PART II
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9198
      I'm sure lots of people will write to say that Opera, Safari, 
Mozilla, Konqueror and many other web browsers (but not Internet Explorer) 
allow considerable customization when blocking pop up windows. The options 
vary by browser, but I'm using Opera to write this mail and it has a choice 
"Open requested pop up windows only" which works just fine. Some browsers 
even let you list web sites that are allowed to pop up windows, just like 
you can list web sites that are allowed to set cookies. (Chris Shaffer)

POP-UPs PART III
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9198
      You've probably already gotten a lot of responses to this, but just 
in case... Susan Prince wrote to request that browser makers give users the 
choice in pop-up management. She may be interested to know that you can do 
this with Google's toolbar (http://toolbar.google.com/). (Bill Winett)

POP-UPS PART IV
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9198
      Tell Susan Prince to download the latest version of Mozilla (v1.4), 
available at http://www.mozilla.org/releases/. This excellent package is 
free, and contains several features neither Internet Explorer nor Netscape 
offer. Mozilla's browser not only blocks (or allows) popups on sites you 
specify, it also blocks ads by server, not by site. So once you have 
blocked Doubleclick's servers, for example, *all* their ads are blocked, no 
matter which web site you visit. They're replaced by -- ahhh! -- soothing 
white space. It's not perfect -- animated ads still slip through -- but the 
open source developers are probably working on that, too. Mozilla also 
contains an excellent e-mail client, so you can also eliminate Outlook 
Express, while dodging the many viruses written to exploit its weaknesses. 
Mozilla offers an excellent alternative to MS, is easy to install and costs 
nothing. I don't know why more people don't switch. (Tom McKay)

POP-UPS PART V
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9198
      I'm pretty sure this is how Safari's popup-blocking works, and 
OmniWeb explicitly gives you this choice. (Both browsers are available only 
for Mac OS X.) (David Dunham)

SHOW ME THE SYSTEM THAT ELIMINATES GREED
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9197
      I've been following the conversations about GSS and it's use in idea 
brainstorming in the last several issues, and have gotten continually 
hotter and hotter under the collar. It's been my experience, after 32 years 
in a LARGE corporate environment, that anonymity tools or face to face 
sessions never really gives one the deserved recognition for original 
ideas. Neither method prevented idea theft by managers or VPs for the ideas 
I nurtured. Twice in my career, I've had superiors outrightly steal 
qualified money-saving, productivity increasing ideas I have proposed 
privately or publicly, and get bonus' and promotions for my labor. I had 
one guy tell me that's the only reason he kept me around. The other guy 
taped his name over my proposal and submitted it as his own. And, because 
of the corporate culture, no one present when I made my pitches would 
defend me. But, there is justice. Although they were of my generation, they 
are both now dead. In each case, no anonymous or face-to-face process would 
have given me the recognition and /or rewards that should have been mine. 
Show me a system that takes greed out of the process, show me a system that 
takes selfishness out of the process, and maybe I'll listen. And to those 
readers who would write to tell me I was stupid to hang in the same place 
for so long, you don't know me, or my circumstances. So if you have 
something constructive to say about the process, say it. Otherwise, click 
on. (Michael H. Bell)

VERISIGN SITE FINDER SERVICE IS A SIGN OF ARROGANCE Re: 
http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9207
      Your news brief on VeriSign's new Site Finder service doesn't do 
justice to the severity of the change made by VeriSign in order to 
implement it. VeriSign has modified the .COM and .NET global top-level 
domain name servers to positively respond with an IP address for *all* 
queried names, whereas previously queries for nonexistent domains would 
receive an appropriate negative "no such domain" response. The implications 
of this are broad and underappreciated. The domain name system (DNS) 
provides the underpinnings of the entire Internet, not just the World Wide 
Web. For example, email that is misaddressed to a nonexistent domain, 
instead of being immediately returned to the sender, will now be filtered 
through VeriSign's own mail server set up to receive such misdirected mail. 
Anti-spam measures that check the existence of a sender's domain are now 
nearly useless because all .COM and .NET domains now resolve. (Spammers 
will be thrilled.)
      Another consequence is that domains that are registered but are not 
in the top-level domain name servers for whatever reason (e.g. placed on 
hold) have effectively been hijacked by VeriSign. For example, 
DORKSLAYERS.COM previously used DNS queries under its domain to provide an 
anti-spam service. If a DNS query succeeded, subscribers of the service 
would be alert to the existence of an open relay and might for example 
decide to refuse mail on the basis that the sending host is being abused 
for spam. After the owner of this domain shut the service down -- but kept 
the domain registered -- all DNS queries under the domain were purposefully 
meant to fail. Now they all succeed, and anyone still trying to use the 
service will find they aren't receiving mail from anyone.
      The arrogance of VeriSign in making this change -- without external 
policy or technical review -- should not go unnoticed. ISPs have already 
begun to implement countermeasures, such as routing the "nonexistent 
domain" IP address into a black hole (which is likely to cause further 
problems as connection attempts time out instead of succeed or fail), or 
patching their own DNS servers to restore the former behavior.
      This change calls into question VeriSign's fundamental competence to 
operate any global top-level domain. Network operators know this but it is 
difficult to explain in a way the average person can understand. The DNS 
provides critical infrastructure for the Internet, and this change 
represents a gross abuse of the trust placed in VeriSign to operate the 
COM and .NET domains for the public good -- and is quite possibly in 
violation of the terms of VeriSign's contract to do so.
      If VeriSign doesn't reverse their action the retaliation alone by 
ISPs and other major players is likely to cause plenty of chaos. (Rob Leslie)

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