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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 03 Issue 25
Volume 3, Issue 25 Atari Online News, Etc. June 22, 2001
Published and Copyright (c) 1999 - 2001
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- "CC: Classic Chips"
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
Thomas J. Andrews -- "Keeper of the Flame"
With Contributions by:
Pascal Ricard
Erik Hall
To subscribe to A-ONE, change e-mail addresses, or unsubscribe,
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To download A-ONE, set your browser bookmarks to one of the
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Visit the Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi!
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=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0325 06/22/01
~ Net Tax Talks Renewed! ~ People Are Talking! ~ MyMail Updated!
~ Sonic's 10th Year! ~ eBay Feedback Modified ~ Mac OS X Upgraded!
~ Midway To End Coin-Ops ~ Net Tax Debate Renewed ~ New AtarICQ Version!
~ eBay Upsets Members! ~ Aimster's Suit Stays! ~ 100 GB Hard Drive!
-* New Microsoft Antitrust Case *-
-* Key Senators Slam Broadband Measure *-
-* AdMail Tool Feeds Ads To Your E-Mail Spam! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
What a hodgepodge of weather this week! Sun, torrential rain, cool, humid,
and everything in-between. Overall, a nice week! The yard is coming along
nicely. The gardens are thriving. The pool is uncovered and filtering
clean (but not ready for swimming just yet). It should be a pretty good
weekend to get some more stuff done, with time to enjoy it, as well.
It's been another fairly quiet week, as is the norm during these summer days
(yes, it's summer!!). Everything slows down on the news front at this time
of year for some reason. I'm not sure why as work life goes on all year
long, regardless of the seasons. Maybe it's because people focus more on
enjoying this time of year than others. Who knows! Personally, I tend to
spend more time doing "other" things rather than dwelling on the work-
related part of my life. For example, I'm going to get this issue out as
quickly as possible in order that I can enjoy the last couple of hours of a
nice summer evening!
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
New AtarICQ version
The most beautiful instant messaging programme existing for the Atari
platform is now available in a new version. It is now available in 6
languages and works with STiK 2, STinG, MiNTnet/MagiCnet with the
corresponding GlueSTiK version! It works with N.AES as well as with
MagiC and is also compatible with XaAES!
Besides the registration directly to the authors, it's also possible
to get your key via Europe Shareware for only 21.50 Euros.
http://www.europe-shareware.org/atari/logiciels/ataricq.html (French)
Best regards,
P. Ricard (ES)
--
Europe Shareware http://www.europe-shareware.org
New MyMAIL Version Out Now
Erik Hall
Hi all !
New version of MyMail (1.40) at my homepage.
http://www2.tripnet.se/~erikhall/programs/mymail.html
Some of the changes, bug fixes and so on:
- The code for outgoing mail queue is totally redesigned.
mapS by Gerald Dietze is updated and synced to changes.
update can be found at:
http://gerald-dietze.de/dsi.html
The new mapS will also run with older Versions
because it's checking the program version.
- Added CPS in progress bar for mail download.
Estimated total download time and time left is also presented.
- Replaced all the old popup menu code with the new one.
- A missing check of error message added and this solves problems
with some mail servers (smail).
- Fixed a bad and old bug that was causing mymail to crash if there
was very long To: fields in a incoming mail.
This is only a minor part of the changes, bug fixes and so on.
Please do read the history file that is more complete.
Please read the history and docs regarding
bug fixes and new functions or changes.
You can add or remove yourself from MyMAIL mailing list.
The add/remove page is found at:
http://www2.tripnet.se/~erikhall/mymailupdates.html
The mailing list are handled by MyMAIL automatically.
If you find any problems with MyMAIL please let me know.
Thanks to all of you for all the help I get from you all.
Best Regards
Erik Hall
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@portone.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Well, we've hit the longest day of the
year. Whoopie! <grin>
Now the fun begins. The days at the beach, the picnics, the warm
evenings, the pool parties, and whatever else you usually do during the
summer. Some misguided publisher types spend way too much time on yard
work, and need to spend more time getting their pool ready. <ducking
the pie now being hurled at me>.
Summer is more than a season for recreation. Heck, you can find
recreational activities for any season. Summer is a time of growth. A
time when everything that lives is in a state of growth. It's hard
sometimes to see what's growing all around you, but if you take a close
look and actually observe, you'll realize that everything observes the
cycle of the seasons. It's only when a living thing becomes "intelligent"
that the natural order is broken.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Who knows. It's simply the way it
is. Sometimes growth isn't the only thing we find hard to recognize.
Take, for instance, the environmental problems seen in every
industrialized country in the world. Those who benefit most from
industrialization tell us ad nauseum that the effects are minimal, and
that we'll never even notice. There's a chance that they're right, but
others speak just as loudly that nature herself can't undo what we're
doing in short order.
My favorite phrase to make fun of is "Save the Planet". I've got news
for you, folks. Mother Earth will remain here, and in good condition no
matter what we do to her. Even a "nuclear winter" would pass almost
almost unnoticed by our home planet. In her timeframe, it would be
little more than a blink of an eye. It is US that would suffer should
it turn out that we're causing damage. The Earth will continue
subducting continental plates, recycling things and making the old new
again. Should we succeed in turning earth into a place that will no
longer support us she will, in time, turn things around and allow
others to live off of her bounty.
What does any of this have to do with computers in general, and Atari
computers specifically? Nothing. I just think that sometimes we suffer
from tunnel-vision and need to realize that there are other concerns
out there. The "Save the Planet" thing is something that gets attention
because we ALL share the object of the discussion. There's no way to
figure that it's someone else's problem. In this scenario, what happens
to one happens to all. Short of an extraterrestrial invasion (ala
Ronald Reagan's "what if" speech), turning our planet uninhabitable is
the worst thing that could happen to us.
Well, that's enough of that. Let's get to the news, hints, tips, and
info from the UseNet.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================
Alex Stepney asks about configuring HD Driver:
"I recently had to do a re-install of everything on my Falcon. I'm
now experiencing some problems with HDDriver. When I boot off floppy
I can see all my SCSI devices fine, if I try to boot off disk I can
only see the internal IDE drive even when I boot off an external
SCSI device!!! I've also recently reset the NVRAM, is there a
setting in here thats causing this behaviour?"
The author of HD Driver, Dr. Uwe Seimet, tells Alex:
"Yes, there is. Please check the device configuration of HDDRIVER.SYS,
as explained in the manual. Most likely you forgot to activate some of
your devices."
Peter West jumps in and adds:
"[It] Might be even better if he used 'Auto Configuring' in HDDRUTIL,
as this should activate all connected drives."
Alex re-boots and tells Uwe and Peter:
"Next time I booted up it all seems fine.... Hmmmmm strange. Its
working now and thats the main thing."
Tim Conrardy posts:
"Petra Wolf and Joker finally decided to release MidiGen, an
Algorithmic Midi Generator with some very cool graphics as well.There
is no Manual ..YET...but he is planning on it for sometime in the near
Future. In the meantime, this description (below)is ALL THERE IS! But
by clicking on things, you can figure things out.
Go here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/atari-midi/files/Jokermidi/
Look for MidiGen.zip
Sometime soon, I will be adding it to the KLANG PIRATEN page on TAMW
where there are other Petra Wolf and Joker Atari-Midi apps made
available. (Zues and Prophy)But in the meantime: check out this very
unique app. You won't find it on any other platform but ATARI!
(YEAH!!)...
Well...I created the page:
Go here:
http://sites.netscape.net/timconrardy/joker.htm
For a look at MidiGen! I have Screen shots..very cool app!"
Maarten Martens posts about his new website:
"I just wanted to let you know I've created a new Atari fan page..."The
Atari Graveyard"...I've written 2 reviews for ST Games...If you feel
like reading some...go check it out and let me know what you think."
Like the seers of old, 'Oracle' tells Maarten:
"a URL would be handy"
Maarten pops back in and posts:
"Sorry,
www.geocities.com/stgraveyard "
My first impulse on reading this exchange was to chuckle.
But to be honest, I've done the same thing... ummm, let's just
say 'more than once' and leave it at that. jm
Tony Cianfaglione asks about his 520:
"Two questions re: the 520ST and disk drives:
1. Can the internal single-sided drive simply be replaced with a double-
sided drive and the 520 treat it as such or will the 520 treat it as a
single-sided drive and need some internal revisions prior to seeing it
as a double-sided drive?
2. Can a 520 (single-sided internal drive) use an external double-sided
drive as a double-sided drive or will it treat it as a single-sided
drive regardless of it being a double-sided drive?
Sorry if this seems like double talk (or is that single talk?)"
Branko Dadrljica tells Tony:
"It will work with double sided drive without changes, except some
plastic cutting to accommodate different eject knob position and shape
and different disk hole height. I usually use PC's floppy in ST with
excellent results.
If you are about to use PC's floppy, jumper it to work as drive 0 (not
drive 1 as default)."
Steve Stupple adds:
"Yes you can just change the 360k drive for a 720k, you may have to make
some modification to the upper casing as the eject button usually is
different, unless you get one from another ST.
It will be treated as a double sided drive and not a single, and you can
read disk that are both singles and double sided.
You can upgrade to a 1.44 floppy, but some soldering may be needed and a
small software patch as well.
You can use an external drive with no problems. These can be 5.25",
single sided 3.5" (360) or a double sided 3.5" (720k).
As long as the external drive if for an Atari ST, you should be ok."
Bob Friend reminisces about one of my favorite programs:
"Some years ago I used to run Calligrapher Word processor on my ST - in
fact I fired it up the other day for nostalgic reasons, it was a pretty
neat program. One thing I did like was the IDEAS module - this was a
sort of tree-diagram thing geared up for planning and organising
ideas.... Does anyone know of a similar PC program that exists today,
ideally shareware????"
Ken Springer tells Bob:
"I don't know of a specific program, but you might check out tucows.com
and zdnet.com. Both have good freeware and shareware downloads."
Larry Anderson asks for help with a SyQuest 44:
"I recently obtained a SyQuest 44 drive with an ICD host adapter... and
my fading memory is causing me problems with getting this thing running.
Right now, I'm using AHDI, and it can see the drive... however, I'm not
sure what drive letter to assign to the drive (I already have a 40 meg
drive with C-F partitions, assigning G didn't work), and if there are
any additional steps necessary to get this thing working (drivers,
config files, etc)."
Uwe Seimet tells Larry:
"The drives letters are usually assigned in ascending order by the hard
disk driver. The user cannot influence this, at least not with AHDI.
With other drivers, in particular HDDRIVER, the user can assign any
driver letter (even A: or B:) to a partition on a hard disk drive."
Lonny Pursell tells Larry that it...
"Should be plug&play, boot the machine and it should appear as 'g'
on it's own. AHDI will stop scanning the scsi bus at the first
ID that times out. Make sure you have a disk in the drive
as I don't think AHDI will see it correctly otherwise.
If you are gonna use the machine for any serious work it's
worth investing in HD Driver. It's a lot more flexible,
can skip ID's and even allows you to boot with an empty drive."
Ken Ramlall asks about using DiskCopy images:
"Can someone point me in the right direction (doc, etc.), or just
explain how to use diskcopy images with the Atari Emulator NoSTalgia?
Essentially, I have a sample editor program for the Atari and all I
have is a mac. I've downloaded the editor and extracted the files
(.prg, etc.) but I'm not sure how to get the emulator to mount (?) the
diskcopy image to then launch the editor."
Philippe Gorin tells Ken:
"DiskCopy is used to mount the hard disk images. The files HDD-C & HDD-D
are compatibles with DiskCopy (20Mb DOS format).
Just create a ST HD partition. Be sure that NoSTalgia can use it.
Then quit the emulator and drag&drop the hard disk image onto DiskCopy.
You can now copy your program your files/programs on the hard disk
image.
Un-mount the diskimage and re-launch NoSTalgia.
You can do the same with 720k DOS disk images, both compatibles with
DiskCopy and NoSTalgia
NoSTalgia & PowerST AtariST emulator for the Macintosh
<http://users.skynet.be/sky39147/> <http://nostalgia.atari.org>
Well folks, that's it for this time around. Tune in again next week,
same time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying
when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - 'Sonic Adventure 2'! 'NBA Street'!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 'Twisted Metal: Black'! 'Tang Tang'!
Midway: No More Arcade Games!
And much more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Sega Celebrates Ten Years of Sonic With the
Worldwide Launch of Sonic Adventure 2 Exclusively
for Dreamcast
``Sonic Adventure 2" Speeds onto Dreamcasts
Everywhere with New Two-Player Split-Screen Mode
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Sega's world-famous mascot, Sonic
the Hedgehog, Sega of America today announced the worldwide release of
``Sonic Adventure 2" exclusively for the 128-bit, Internet-ready Sega
Dreamcast video game console. This high-speed thrill ride sets Sonic, one
of the fastest and most recognizable video game characters of all time,
loose in a whirlwind 3D adventure based on the top-selling original ``Sonic
Adventure" for Dreamcast.
Created by acclaimed game developer Yuji Naka, ``Sonic Adventure 2" takes
players on a fast action mission with Sonic and familiar friends, Knuckles
and Tails, to foil the plans of the evil Dr. Robotnik (a.k.a. Eggman) and
two mysterious dark characters, Shadow and Rouge. Now players can go
head-to-head in two-player split-screen mode with one of six playable
characters from either the ``Hero Side" or ``Dark Side."
``Since the 1991 release of 'Sonic the Hedgehog,' Sonic has been a leading
icon in the video game industry and a consistent top-seller for Sega,"
said Charles Bellfield, vice president of corporate and marketing
communications, Sega of America. ``With the global release of 'Sonic
Adventure 2,' Sega is celebrating the 10-year heritage of the Sonic
franchise and delivering the best Sonic game yet."
In ``Sonic Adventure 2," players blaze through more than 30 fast action
stages including hilly city streets, dark freeways, challenging army
fortresses, ancient ruins, and outer space. Players test their skills with
all new moves as they rail-grind their way through a San Francisco-inspired
stage or outrun an 18-wheeler barreling down residential streets. There are
also a plethora of Chao minigames available in ``Sonic Adventure 2."
``Sonic Adventure 2" is rated ``E" for ``Everyone" and is now available
at retail stores nationwide or at www.sega.com for $39.95.
Twisted Metal: Black Brings Hell-Raising Car
Combat to the PlayStation2
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the release of
Twisted Metal:Black exclusively for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment
system. Based on the successful Twisted Metal franchise, Twisted Metal:
Black brings a whole new look and feel to the series, catapulting players
into a deeper and darker gameplay environment than ever before. Designed by
Sony Computer Entertainment America, Santa Monica and developed by Incog
Inc. Entertainment, Twisted Metal:Black utilizes the technological prowess
of the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system to bring the team's
shocking and imaginative vision to life through superior graphics and
outstanding special effects.
Twisted Metal:Black is designed and developed by the creators of Twisted
Metal 1 and 2. When the original Twisted Metal game was released in 1995,
the development team was credited with establishing 3D car combat in next
generation videogaming. Twisted Metal 2 was released to critical claim in
1997 and remains one of the best-selling games of all time, with more than
1.9 million units sold in North America to date. Overall, the Twisted Metal
franchise has sold close to five million units in North America, making it
the best-selling car combat series ever.
``Back in 1995, we introduced PlayStation fans to a new genre in gaming
with Twisted Metal; now in 2001, we plan to redefine it with Twisted
Metal:Black," said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc. ``With the creative minds of the original
Twisted Metal team and the advanced technological capabilities of the
PlayStation 2, gamers will experience a familiar franchise with a whole new
look and feel that provides a deeper and darker reality than ever before."
``With the technological advancement of the PlayStation 2, art direction
has become an integral part of the video game development process, just as
it is in the movies," said Dave Jaffe, director and lead designer, Sony
Computer Entertainment, Santa Monica. ``With Twisted Metal:Black, we were
finally able to implement all of the creative ideas we had envisioned for
the first two games. The result is a darkly atmospheric, profound and
strategic game, which is also easy for gamers to get into and lots of fun
to play."
Built upon a world laced with madness and destruction, Twisted Metal:Black
sets the stage for a gruesome, yet electrifying battle. Calypso, the
mastermind behind the Twisted Metal battles, returns once more to host the
ultimate contest of wreckage and devastation. He has plucked some prime
contestants straight out of an asylum and has promised these otherwise
doomed souls a single wish should they defeat their opponents in a battle
of twisted metal. As the carnage unfolds, learn how and why these mad
motorists were locked up behind the walls of insanity. Slip into their
minds, take a walk around their mental anguish and come out screaming for
more.
Through the technological capabilities of PlayStation 2, Twisted
Metal:Black features enhanced player environments with moving traffic,
changing weather conditions, living pedestrians and interactive objects,
making for a highly-charged, living world of destruction. Destruction is at
the game's core, but deadly strategy is essential for creative kills, made
possible by the many different weapons and combo attacks in Twisted
Metal:Black. Get ready to rip through the foreboding battlegrounds and
nightmarish landscapes in a wickedly dark world that is sure to bring out
the madness in everyone.
Key features in Twisted Metal:Black:
* Created by the original designer and developer of the Twisted Metal
and Twisted Metal 2 games
* More than 18 death-match battlegrounds allow you to torture and
humiliate your friends
-- Eleven vicious battlegrounds for the single-player to tear up
-- 14 diabolically inventive vehicles
* Twisted Metal:Black requires more skill than ever before; master
strategic kills and then rejoice in victory
* Tons of weapons and combo attacks make for more creative kills
* Enhanced player environments with moving traffic, changing weather,
living pedestrians and interactive objects make for a highly charged,
living world of destruction
* Improved vehicle physics with dramatic jump and landing physics, more
exaggerated powerslides and more responsive turn rates
* Variety of gameplay types, including Death Match, Mode, Endurance Mode
and Co-op Mode, provide added replay value
* The entire game, including multi-player levels, runs at an impressive
60 frames per second
* Control precision has been perfected with the analog control ``D"
Pad.
* The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has rated
Twisted Metal:Black ``M" for Mature.
EA Ships NBA Street for the PlayStation 2
Electronic Arts announced it is shipping NBA Street for the PlayStation2
computer entertainment system, the second title to be released under the
EA SPORTS BIG brand. NBA Street allows players to take basketball back to
its roots on blacktop courts throughout North America, while facing off
against the best the NBA has to offer and the EA SPORTS BIG Street Legends.
First team to ``21" wins, but in NBA Street style and attitude are as
important as putting the ball in the basket.
"When we embarked on making NBA Street more than a year ago our goal was to
capture the attitude and culture of streetball, while at the same time
making a unique and fun game for everyone, not just basketball fans,`` said
producer Wil Mozell. "We focused on making the entire game a fun
experience, where defense is as fun to play as offense. We feel like we
accomplished this and that players will feel the same way.``
NBA Street features two gameplay modes, City Circuit and Hold the Court.
City Circuit challenges players to battle the best of ``The Street" in a
unique level-based challenge. Win, and players can add a team member from
the defeated team to their own. This is important when taking on the
dominating level bosses: the Street Legends. Beat the Street Legends and
players will add them, as well as their home court, to their squad. Even
with Michael Jordan as a teammate, beating the Legends on their respective
home courts is a challenge. Hold the Court mode challenges players pick a
court and try to win a set number of consecutive games against mixed squads
of NBA players. Game players can win accessories ranging from shoes to
points for creating one's own male or female street legend.
In NBA Street the rules are loosened up allowing for goaltending, and
without refs to call fouls offensive players must get creative to score.
Players can snatch a ball from midair or initiate body contact on the
shooter during a shot and not worry about a whistle being blown, making
defense and offense equally as fun.
The animations and movements in NBA Street use motion capture performed by
some of the best streetballers in the country and are based on real-life
physics, but are pumped up for over the top arcade-action. Amazing dunks,
high-flying rejections, hard-hitting collisions and street dribbling moves
like ``Dinner's Served" and ``Off the Chain" are just a few highlights
NBA Street delivers.
Choose to play 12 of the most intricate courts ever seen in a console
basketball game. From the rooftops of downtown Los Angeles, to the snowy
streets of Boston, to Rucker Park in New York City, these are the toughest
and hippest courts in the country.
Up and coming pop group 3LW contributed their voices to announce different
dunks and trick moves in NBA Street and show off their skills on the
blacktop as an unlockable team. Complimenting 3LW's commentary is NBA
Street court announcer, Joe ``The Show" Jackson, a character who doesn't
mince words while he analyzes the in-game action. Funky beats from the out
of this world DJ crew, Ninja Tune, add further flavor to the streetballers
moves on the asphalt.
NBA Street is rated ``E" (Everyone) by the ESRB. NBA Street is analog
controller compatible and supports one or two players.
Tang Tang is Set to Puzzle the Masses This August
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. makes its Nintendo Game Boy Advance
debut with a challenging and captivating puzzle game entitled Tang Tang.
Developed by GameVision Inc., Tang Tang will be published by Take-Two
Interactive, Inc. and is scheduled to be released in August 2001.
``Take-Two is delighted to join the excitement surrounding Game Boy
Advance," stated Kelly Sumner, Chief Executive Officer of Take-Two
Interactive. ``The Game Boy Advance had an extremely successful launch and
we expect its impressive sales to continue. We intend to launch a number of
new titles which we expect to build upon our already impressive publishing
line-up for the other platforms."
Tang Tang is the Company's first product to be released for the Game Boy
Advance and will be followed up with a title based on the highly successful
Duke Nukem franchise to be released in the fall of 2001.
Tang Tang is a highly addictive puzzle game where the player must
strategically create a path of blocks to clear the stage of Energy Crystals
and find the exit. As one of four super-dimensional cyborg heroes, these
brave soldiers must use their cunning, quick reflexes and Power Bolts to
save their galaxy.
Midway Games Discontinues Coin-Operated Videogames
Business to Focus Exclusively On Rapidly Growing
Home Videogame Market
Midway Games Inc. announced that in light of ongoing declining demand in
the coin-operated arcade videogame market, it is discontinuing its
coin-operated videogames business. Midway's game development efforts are
now focused exclusively on games for next-generation home videogame
platforms, including the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, the
Xbox videogame system from Microsoft and the Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy
Advance.
The Company expects the elimination of its coin-operated games business to
result in a reduction in work force of fewer than 60 employees, and a
primarily non-cash pretax charge of less than $8 million in the quarter
ending June 30, 2001.
As previously announced, the Company implemented a strategy to focus its
product development resources on next-generation home videogame consoles,
which are expected to generate significant demand for game software over
the next several years. As a result of this strategy, Midway is expecting
to generate significant revenue and profit growth in fiscal 2002, which
commences January 1, 2002.
Sony to Distribute Sega Games in Europe
Sony Corp will handle the European distribution of games designed by
Japanese videogame software maker Sega Corp for PlayStation 2, Sega said on
Wednesday, reflecting Sega's efforts to bolster ties with former rivals.
Under the agreement, the European unit of Sony Computer Entertainment,
Sony's gaming arm -- once one of Sega's rivals in the game hardware
battle -- will manufacture, distribute and market the games in five
European languages.
Sega has been intensifying efforts to expand global software sales after
its high-profile exit from the unprofitable Dreamcast game console business
earlier this year.
Sega is currently developing seven game titles including a new version of
its blockbuster Virtua Fighter series for PlayStation 2, a Sega spokesman
said, adding that at least two of these titles will be released before
Christmas.
``Since we do not have our own marketing network in Europe, we decided to
have SCE to handle distribution of our games for PlayStation 2," he said.
Sega's game software for Dreamcast will continue to be handled by a
European distributor, he added.
Sega, known for its ``Sonic The Hedgehog" game character, and the world's
leading home videogame console maker, Sony, have recently been working
closely as part of Sega's broad partner-making efforts after a painful exit
from Dreamcast.
Earlier this month, the two companies said they plan to enable users of
their consoles to play videogames via the Internet.
In February, they, together with Japanese game software maker Namco Ltd,
announced a collaboration on game distribution via high-capacity broadband
networks to arcade game centers.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Congress Renews Net Tax Debate
As an October deadline approaches, talk of an Internet sales tax is once
again simmering on Capitol Hill.
Bills being kicked around the Senate are pitting the interests of local
governments and retailers against those who want the Internet to be a
permanently tax-free zone.
In October, a moratorium on new Web sales taxes expires. If the moratorium
terminates without new regulations to replace it, states, cities and other
local entities will be free to add their own tariffs on Web transactions.
The temporary tax ban, which first went into effect in 1998, provided a
three-year period to study the issue.
But even the members of the official committee charged with studying Web
taxation couldn't reach a formal agreement to submit to Congress last
year, illustrating how divisive the issue can be. The Advisory Commission
on Electronic Commerce disbanded last spring without the two-thirds vote
necessary for an official recommendation to federal lawmakers.
Lobbyists say they don't think the issue will be resolved quickly this
time, either. Many say they believe some sort of Internet taxation bill
will pass eventually, partly because of the deadline and also because no
lawmaker wants to run for re-election next year as the candidate who taxed
the Internet. On the other hand, the dot-com bust has caused many
e-tailers to close shop, meaning legislators might not be as eager to
address Internet-related issues as they have been in the past.
Regardless, the shape of the tax legislation is still undetermined.
The latest talks could lead to a compromise measure that may be introduced
as early as next week, according to the National Governors Association,
which has fought measures to permanently ban sales taxes. The compromise
bill would extend the moratorium and require at least 25 states to submit
a unified plan to Congress that would outline how they planned to simplify
the process of potentially taxing Internet transactions.
However, during the compromise talks, lawmakers apparently have removed a
description of the exact steps the states are required to take to prove
they're simplifying the process.
"I'm a little worried," said Frank Shafroth, director of state federal
relations for the National Governors Association. "It's sort of like being
blindfolded. By doing this, they've left open a big way for Congress to
say, 'Oh no, that's not what we meant by simplification.'"
One of the biggest complaints of local entities is not that they can't add
taxes to Web transactions, but that mechanisms to collect current taxes
are difficult. The groups are hoping that a compromise bill would include
provisions that would make it easier for them to collect any taxes
currently charged.
A spokesman for Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., a sponsor of one of the major tax
bills, said negotiations on a final compromise version, which would cull
from Dorgan's bill and others, are "getting close but not there yet." The
spokesman said hearings on the issue could begin soon. He also said that
Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., the new chairman of the Commerce Committee, which
is considering some of the bills, has indicated that he expects to mark up
a compromise measure within the month.
Coy Knobel, a spokesman for Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., who's co-sponsoring
Dorgan's bill, said the change in leadership has sparked renewed interest
in the legislation.
USA Today reported last week that a compromise had been reached that would
lengthen the moratorium to 2006 but allow local governments to collect
taxes; however, staffers disagreed with the report.
"We're still trying to get the different interested parties together,"
Knobel said. "We're working hard to get some sort of compromise that's
acceptable to different people."
Knobel said that the senator has spoken with the vice president about the
issue but the White House has not taken an official position.
Dorgan's own proposal would extend the moratorium for another four years
to give states the chance to simplify their tax schemes by following a
series of specific steps. The measure is backed by brick-and-mortar
retailers, which worry that e-tailers would have an advantage in a
tax-free world. Other supporters include groups representing local
governments, which fear losing revenue as more transactions are done
online. The bill has 10 sponsors
Meanwhile, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is sponsoring a competing bill that
would extend the moratorium for five years and permanently ban any
Internet access taxes. His bill is backed by e-commerce companies, which
want to avoid additional taxes tacked on by local governments. His bill
also would eliminate a grandfather clause that allows the handful of
governments currently applying taxes to continue to do so.
Another bill would extend the moratorium permanently.
Similar bills are moving through the House. But some lobbyists don't think
anything will happen this session.
"There are some bigger things that are happening that are much more
important to the broader American constituency," said Ben Isaacson,
executive director of the Association for Interactive Media, which has
opposed Internet taxes.
He said legislators are more concerned with the education bill and other
issues. In addition, he said the negotiations on Internet taxes could drag
out as special interest groups try to tack on pet projects onto the
measure, much as they do with appropriations bills that must pass by
certain deadline.
House Leader Says Will Block Online Sales Tax
House Majority Leader Dick Armey said on Wednesday he would seek a
short-term ban on Internet sales taxes, throwing up a potential roadblock
to states and municipalities that want to tax online commerce.
Speaking at an event outlining the House Republicans' high-tech agenda,
Armey said he hoped to include a three-to-five-year ban on Internet sales
taxes in legislation that would make permanent the current ban on access
taxes and other Internet-specific taxes that expires in October.
But Armey said he would not seek a permanent ban.
``We would only get a short-term limit on that," he said.
Armey's proposal could throw a wrench into state efforts to tax online
commerce.
Under a 1992 Supreme Court decision, states cannot require retailers to
collect sales taxes unless they have a physical presence in that state.
Many states are worried their revenues could shrink as more Americans shop
on the Internet, while online retailers say they could not possibly comply
with thousands of varying local tax codes.
A University of Tennessee study predicts that states could lose $20 billion
annually from uncollected e-commerce sales taxes absent legal changes.
An effort currently underway in at least 29 states aims to streamline and
simplify local tax codes so they could eventually collect taxes on
e-commerce.
Two competing proposals in the Senate would make it easier for states to
tax online sales once at least 25 of them simplify their tax codes.
Compromise legislation could be introduced as early as this week, and
backers say chances for passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate are
good.
But the effort could face a tougher slog in the Republican-controlled
House, where leaders outlined a high-tech agenda that placed a high
priority on tax reduction and deregulation.
Any bill that clears the House would probably closely resemble the current
ban on access and discriminatory taxes passed in 1998, said Armey spokesman
Richard Diamond.
``I don't think the language is going to be different from the last,"
Diamond said. ``I don't think it needs to be."
Diamond said the House would not need to include a specific proposal to ban
online sales taxes in any Internet tax bill, as states are already unable
to collect sales taxes on online purchases unless Congress were to
specifically permit it.
Key Senators Slam House Broadband Measure
Two key senators on Tuesday slammed pending legislation that would do away
with requirements that local telephone giants open their networks before
they can offer long-distance data service, likely dooming chances of the
measure becoming law this year.
The dominant local phone companies like Verizon Communications and
BellSouth Corp., the so-called baby Bells created from the 1984 break-up of
AT&T, must first prove to regulators their local networks are open to
rivals before they can offer the lucrative long-haul services.
The legislation, sponsored by Reps. Billy Tauzin, a Louisiana Republican,
and John Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, would reverse that for data
services and is awaiting consideration by the full U.S. House. It narrowly
passed one House panel and received an unfavorable opinion from a second.
``The fact is that Congress should not help the Bells extend their
monopolies" to high-speed Internet access, Sen. Ernest Hollings, chairman
of Senate Commerce Committee said during a hearing on local telephone
competition.
``The Bells must compete like everyone else to get customers in these
markets and not look for a government handout," the South Carolina
Democrat said.
That sentiment was shared by Sen. John McCain, the ranking Republican on
the panel, and several other lawmakers who were concerned that not enough
competition is thriving, particularly in rural areas and prices for
consumers are rising instead of falling.
``These price increases are caused by several factors, but the most
important of these is doubtless a lack of competition between various types
of service providers," McCain said.
``This committee needs to probe behind the rhetoric of the parties to
discover a solution designed not to favor or punish particular industry
sectors," the Arizona Republican said.
Without support of the top two members of the panel, it will be difficult
for the measure to be brought before the Senate. A Federal Communications
Commission report said about 8 percent of the nation's local telephone
lines were served by competitors to the four baby Bells at the end of last
year.
``I don't think it's got a chance in the Senate," AT&T Chairman Michael
Armstrong told reporters. ``I think it's bad policy, it's a bad law and I
think it has a bad outcome for American consumers."
Still, the sole representative of the Bells heard by the committee,
Margaret Greene of BellSouth, said there was competition thriving and there
was a need for incentives to rollout high-speed Internet service in rural
areas.
``Competition will go where the money is," she told the panel. Rivals
refuse to go after the residential customer because there is little or no
profit margin, she said.
``Incentives like tax credits put the correct incentive in place" for
encouraging deployment in rural areas, she said.
The Tauzin-Dingell measure would also limit what network elements the
locals must make available to rivals but would force them to deploy
high-speed Internet service in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
The second-largest local phone company expressed some optimism that the
bill may have a chance in the Senate because of comments made during the
hearing by Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott who noted that the 1996
Telecom Act may need to be amended.
``That's a very strong sign and a number of senators mentioned today how
important it is to get deployment of high speed Internet in rural America
and that's something Tauzin-Dingell does," said John Emra, a spokesman for
SBC Communications Inc.
``The signs for Tauzin-Dingell out of today's hearing are very good," he
said.
States Issue Warning To Microsoft
Two attorneys general express 'serious concerns' about Microsoft's 'very
troubling' strategy for its Windows XP operating system.
Two of the state attorneys general who spearheaded the antitrust case
against Microsoft say the software giant "may be repeating its efforts to
maintain and extend its monopoly" by bundling features into its newest
operating system.
Attorneys General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Tom Miller of Iowa
issued a terse news release Wednesday afternoon saying they have "serious
concerns" about Microsoft's "very troubling" strategy for its Windows XP
operating system, which will debut in the fall.
Their statements accompany mounting complaints from antitrust experts that
the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant is still using the type of
monopolistic business tactics that sparked the original antitrust case,
currently under review by the U.S. District Court of Appeals, which is
expected to rule soon.
Microsoft's decision to bundle Internet Explorer into the operating system
was the foundation for the antitrust case now under appeal. The attorneys
general for 19 states and the Justice Department sued the company in 1998
alleging it used its monopoly in the operating system market to capture
the Net browser market.
Critics say the company is reverting to old tactics by loading Windows XP
with features such as instant messaging and Smart Tags, which gives
Microsoft some greater control over consumers' Internet use. Windows is
the operating system on roughly 92 percent of all personal computers
around the world.
"Microsoft is a more powerful monopoly then ever before they have three
separate monopolies," said Mike Pettit, president of ProComp, an
organization backed by Microsoft rivals Oracle, Sun Microsystems, America
Online and others. ProComp leaders discussed Microsoft on Wednesday at the
annual summer meeting of state attorneys general in Vermont.
"We were just explaining to them the way Microsoft is using its multiple
monopolies, which are interlocked, both to protect those monopolies and
expand them and, ultimately, to control the Internet," Pettit said.
Blumenthal and Miller dismissed a report published earlier Wednesday by
The Associated Press saying the pair is preparing to file a second
antitrust lawsuit against the software giant.
"We have no current plans for a second lawsuit," Blumenthal and Miller
said in the statement. "We would never completely rule out a new suit, but
our focus now is on the antitrust case that already is before the courts."
Microsoft dismissed the attorneys' general concerns, noting that the
newest operating system was designed to "deliver the best experience to
users," not necessarily to force out rivals.
"It is unfortunate our competitors continue to spread misinformation about
Microsoft's products," said Microsoft spokesman Jim Cullinan. "That seems
to be their only strategy, to invest in lobbying regulators rather than
innovating and improving their products."
Attorneys and antitrust experts speculated that the statements from
Blumenthal and Miller are meant to send a message to the Bush
administration.
"There's a great deal of consternation among the attorney general ranks as
to whether the new administration will support the current case," said
Daniel M. Wall, chair of the antitrust department of San Francisco-based
law firm Latham & Watkins. "By saying that they're going to bring an
action for a similar practice is sort of a way of saying that they remain
committed to the original case and that come what may, they're going to
keep pursuing the original case."
Many observers expect the new administration to be easy on Microsoft after
the appeals decision is issued, possibly allowing a settlement that leaves
the company in one piece.
Last June, U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ordered that
Microsoft be split into two separate companies, one specializing in
software and Web products -- such as Outlook, Internet Explorer, BackOffice
and the Microsoft Network --and another specializing in operating
systems.
The U.S. District Court of Appeals is reviewing Jackson's decision and is
widely expected to roll back many of his harsher penalties.
"They're implicitly saying they're probably going to lose," economics
professor Stanley J. Liebowitz said of the anti-Microsoft statements
issued Wednesday by Blumenthal and Miller. "They don't think there's a
chance in hell Judge Jackson's decision's going to stand, because if it
were they wouldn't have to do this because Microsoft would be split."
Liebowitz, who teaches at the University of Texas at Dallas and is
co-author of "Winners, Losers, and Microsoft: Competition and Antitrust in
High Technology," said the statements were a last-minute effort to build
momentum for a cause that many people think is lost.
"Let's say you've got a prisoner who's facing the death penalty and then
an attorney brings up another charge against the criminal," Liebowitz
said. "Why would you bring up another charge if you think the guy's going
to be put to death? There are people in Washington talking about just
throwing out the (Microsoft) case. That's got to be pretty scary for the
attorneys general."
Those in favor of breaking up Microsoft have become especially concerned
about a pro-Microsoft appeals decision in recent weeks as Microsoft
executives have boosted their lobbying forces and forged alliances in
Washington, D.C.
Last month, two lobbying groups unveiled studies claiming that Microsoft
has not stifled competition. The report from The Association for
Competitive Technology and the Computing Technology Industry Association
was a rebuttal of criticism from Microsoft rivals Oracle and Sun
Microsystems, which charged that XP Microsoft.Net Web services strategy
would force its technologies on Internet users.
Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer paid a "courtesy call" Tuesday to
Vice President Dick Cheney to discuss a range of issues but did not bring
up the imminent appellate ruling.
Ballmer is visiting the nation's capital for two days of meetings with
members of Congress and major customers, said Microsoft spokeswoman Ginny
Terzano. On Wednesday morning Ballmer addressed a work force summit hosted
by the Department of Labor, speaking primarily about Microsoft's efforts
to prepare workers for the high-tech work environment.
Others dismiss the statements by the attorneys general as little more than
political posturing.
"My initial reaction is, are these guys running for reelection?" said Luke
M. Froeb, associate professor of management and former economist to the
antitrust division of the Justice Department. "It could be a bunch of free
publicity."
100GB Hard Drive Hits Storage High
Maxtor has spun out a 100GB hard drive aimed at a small but growing
audience of audio and video fanatics.
The $300 DiamondMax D536X, released Monday, is the latest high water mark
for an industry in which technology is butting heads with the laws of
physics.
"This business is a constant challenge to increase capacity to meet
emerging demand," Maxtor spokesman Martin Parry said. "It's a relentless
cycle."
For several years, hard drive manufacturers have been dramatically
increasing capacity in an attempt to outdo one other. The current industry
sweet spot is 20GB to 40GB drives, but Parry said the sales prospects for
100GB drives look very good.
"As long as there is capacity, people will always find a way to fill it,"
Parry said.
Until now, the highest capacity drives reached 80GB. On Monday, Milpitas,
Calif.-based Maxtor also released the $229 DiamondMax D540X, an 80GB
drive.
Maxtor's target audience for the 100GB drives are people who want to
download and save massive numbers of digital-audio files and digital
images. The 100GB drive can hold 100 hours of compressed digital video or
up to 25,000 four-minute digital-audio files, according to Maxtor.
IDC analyst Dave Reinsel agreed that there are always people who can fill
up any drive and that the group is growing, but he asserts it isn't likely
that mainstream PC buyers will need that much room for storage.
However, Parry asserts that, for $300, the excess capacity may be worth it
to consumers anyway.
The price of storage capacity, which continues to fall, has some analysts
wondering whether hard drives are becoming commodity items.
"There's probably more technology in a hard drive than in (the rest of) an
entire PC when you consider the heads and the platters and everything,"
Parry responded. "We're hardly looking at pork bellies here."
The new 100GB drives are a 25 percent boost over the former highest
capacity, 80GB. The 25 percent increase is modest compared to the average
50 percent increases that the industry has managed to make over the last
couple years.
More moderate capacity increases may be a future trend as drive
manufacturers get closer to the physical limits of the hardware in its
current form.
The limit to capacity is expected to be around 137GB, which Reinsel
expects will be reached as early as this year.
Maxtor expects to exceed that limit through technical advances, Parry
said. He would not elaborate.
Last month, IBM announced innovations that it expects will allow hard
drive manufacturers eventually to reach 400GB.
Apple Releases Mac OS X 10.0.4
Apple has released its much-anticipated update for Mac OS X. Although
rumored by many to be called OS X 10.0.5, Apple has kept the numbering
order of the updates in tact with this release.
According to the information included with the update, Mac OS X 10.0.4
delivers a significant number of improvements for USB devices, including
additional external device support for iTunes burning; improved battery
life for many PowerBook G3 systems; and Classic compatibility improvements.
This update provides the latest security updates to OpenSSH and "sudo"
services. Also provided is support for Apple's newest 17-inch flat-panel
display.
You can download the update through the Software Update Control Panel in
Mac OS X.
Tool Feeds Ads To Your E-mails
Melbourne-based online marketing company, Reva Networks, is currently
promoting a new e-mail technology--Admail--that allows online advertisers
to intercept e-mail messages as they enter the mail server and "wrap" them
in advertising content tailored to the recipient's demographic profile.
Unlike conventional unsoliciated e-mail, where advertising arrives in the
users' inbox as separate e-mail, Admail fuses advertising with the body
message regardless of its origin.
Robert Pickup, Revo Networks CEO, says the company's partners and
customers include both conventional ISP-based POP e-mail services and free
Web-based email services that generate revenue through advertising. "We're
in discussions with many ISPs and advertisers," he said. "It's fair to say
that interest has been very strong."
Pickup says that Admail has proven itself to be more effective than other
forms of online advertising.
"Because the advertising is embedded within a regular e-mail and not a
separate e-mail message from an advertiser, users are more likely to open
the message and hence be exposed to the advertising offer," he said.
Even though the advertising content may hitch a ride with mail traffic
generated by paying subscribers they're not assured of having the choice
to filter the additional content. "That is up to the ISP or the partner
but an opt-out function is likely to be provided in that case," said
Pickup.
David Bather, Public Relations manager for Ozemail, warns that online
marketers need to be highly circumspect about the privacy concerns of the
consumer with e-mail-based strategies. Reflecting on the ISP's experience
in the field he said, we've always been very aware of the rights of the
consumer. Something like this would have to be scrutinised very carefully.
I think it's important to give consumers an opt-out function."
Charles Britton, IT policy officer for the Australian Consumer Association,
is critical of any electronic advertising that places consumers in a
reactive position. "We'd rather see an opt-in than an opt-out" he said,
speaking on behalf of the association.
Pickup doesn't believe that consumer ire will hinder the success of the
technology. According to the company's research, consumers aren't angered
by e-mail advertising "as long as its relevant to them." Referring to
results of early trials of the technology, which did not provoke any
feedback from e-mail users," he said. "It's obviously not upsetting people
in any way."
Britton doesn't believe that consumers will passively accept the new form
of online advertising. "Without some incentive why would you want
advertising in your e-mail?" he said.
Observing the negative reception that spam receives from the Internet
community, Britton believes that advertisers may ultimately decide the
fate of the technology. "Advertisers are reluctant to be associated with
anything that irritates consumers," he said. "There's not many successful
business models based on annoying people."
Judge Won't Dismiss Aimster Lawsuit
A federal judge refused to throw out a copyright infringement suit against
the major record companies filed by file-sharing computer service Aimster.
U.S. District Judge Lawrence Kahn denied a motion by the Recording Industry
Association of America and 17 companies to dismiss Aimster's lawsuit. He
also refused to transfer it to Manhattan, where 36 companies filed two
subsequent copyright-infringement suits against the computer service.
Aimster is seeking a declaratory judgment that it does not violate
recording copyrights.
``Everybody we've named in Albany either has sued us or said they're going
to sue us," said Aimster attorney George Carpinello. He plans to file
motions in to have all the cases consolidated in Albany.
``This is all procedural maneuvering," said Matt Oppenheim, RIAA vice
president for legal affairs. ``The court has not ruled on the merits in any
way. We're confident that when the court does rule on the merits, the
rights of copyright owners will be upheld."
Aimster, which lets users exchange files via instant messages on their
``buddy lists," says its system simply provides private channels of
communication and does not monitor or control what users send each other.
Its virtual private networks are different from the Web-wide approach to
file sharing that landed Napster in court, but recording industry officials
say both services allow for searches for copyrighted music.
Aimster users also can share any type of file, not just MP3s, the popular
digital music file format.
In denying the motion to dismiss, Kahn ruled Aimster did not bring its
lawsuit simply to head off the companies' lawsuits, but for the very reason
the Declaratory Judgment Act was created: To ``enable a party who is
challenged, or endangered in its enjoyment of what he claims to be his
rights, to initiate the proceedings against his tormentor and remove the
cloud by an authoritative determination of plaintiff's legal right ..."
Abovepeer Inc., which owns Aimster, sued first on April 30 in Albany after
receiving a warning letter from RIAA threatening ``additional legal
remedies."
On May 24, major recording companies also sued, claiming Aimster's parent
company is helping customers infringe upon the copyrights of millions of
sound recordings throughout the world.
The 17 record company defendants include Arista Records Inc., Sony Music
Entertainment Inc., Capitol Records Inc. and Atlantic Recording Corp.
eBay "Recommendations" Upset Members
A new eBay service that automatically sends e-mail to losing bidders
alerting them to similar items for sale has upset sellers who say it
interferes with their business.
"This goes beyond protecting eBay's revenue or enforcing eBay's rules.
This goes into stealing money from my pocket," said Bob Miller, a top
seller on eBay who deals in stamps and postcards.
eBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove acknowledged that while some members are
upset, bidders can opt out of getting the e-mails. Plus, eBay sent out a
survey about the new policy to some 20,000 of its 30 million registered
members, Pursglove said. Of the 4,000 who responded, 80 percent supported
it.
The e-mail recommends items elsewhere on the site that are similar to the
one a bidder lost on--something like Amazon's "suggestions" for future
purchases that are based on a person's previous purchases. Such
personalization efforts have long been considered a key element in
successful e-commerce strategy.
But some eBay sellers argue that the e-mail just siphons off their
customers and directs them to competitors.
Plus, it means eBay is now doing exactly what it forbids its sellers to
do: contact losing bidders to offer them similar items.
Late last year, eBay cracked down on sellers who contacted losing bidders.
Although an offline deal means eBay loses a transaction fee, the company
said it cracked down because the offline deals were a "leading cause" of
fraud. Earlier this year, eBay went further, changing the e-mail system to
restrict access to members' e-mail addresses and block other sellers from
seeing the e-mail addresses of competitors' bidders.
The move is mirrored elsewhere on the web, where surviving dot-coms are
now in a position to be more demanding of their now captive audience. In a
drive to make money on the Internet, many sites are now charging for
once-free content, or using aggressive advertising such as pop-up ads,
even though readers complain.
In the auction community, eBay has emerged as the unquestioned leader and
some members say they have long felt at odds with the San Jose-based
company. Many members are mom-and-pop sellers who have given up working in
the offline world and depend on eBay sales for their livelihoods. As such,
they have often been upset by changes they see as detrimental to their
business.
Bobby Beeman, a Dallas-based seller who doesn't like the new service, says
eBay's changing rules makes it tough on sellers, who have already had to
adjust to increased competition and falling prices on the site.
"Reacting to the market is a normal thing that a seller has to
do...reacting to eBay is something that only eBay sellers have to do,"
Beeman said.
"I can keep adapting and keep changing, but I would like to find something
that I can depend on a little bit more than eBay because I feel like I can
only depend on eBay from week to week because of all the changes they are
making."
Among the other problems eBay members have faced include outages, special
fees and more recently, the discontinuance of listing software many
sellers had purchased.
Bidders are upset by the new service too, said Rosalinda Baldwin, editor
of The Auction Guild, an online newsletter for the Internet auctions
community.
"Bidders hate this because it's spam," said Baldwin. Plus, many bidders
complained to her that the "recommendations" were far off the mark.
Ross Wright, who sells artwork and music-related items on eBay, said the
new policy hurts the very sellers who bring bidders to the site.
"(You) don't stick a Wal-Mart
flier in with a JC Penney flier--the mall
doesn't do that. It's not a sound business practice," Wright said.
To protest the new policy, which began earlier this month, Miller tried to
auction off a special eBay jacket he received for having one of the
highest feedback ratings. The auction included sarcastic comments about
the new "recommendation" service: "Should you be outbid, we will inundate
you with unsolicited commercial e-mail (a.k.a. spam) recommending that you
go elsewhere and bid on something else we, in our infinite wisdom, think
you want."
More than 150 supporters bid it up to $43 million before eBay shut down
the auction one day later.
His protest resulted in several other auction sites courting Miller to
move his auctions over from eBay--something that hasn't worked out for him
in the past.
"Not a single one of us really wants to leave," Miller said. "We just want
eBay to pay attention to us, to give us a little bit.
"You raised fees, fine. You're changing things left and right, fine. But
don't steal from us."
eBay To Sellers: Tell Us More
The San Jose, Calif.-based online auction company announced on Monday that
it will unveil a series of modifications to the system over the next
several quarters. The first changes, which the company will unveil over
the next several weeks, should help make the feedback system easier to
use, said eBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove.
Among the immediate changes: eBay will separate buyer and seller feedback
and will provide a link to feedback that a member has left for other
buyers and sellers. The company plans to deal with questions of
retaliatory feedback and more difficult issues related to the system later
this year.
"These were clearly at the high end of a list of concerns and were ones on
which we could develop solid consensus on how to address the issue,"
Pursglove said.
In a post on its announcement board, eBay said the changes follow a series
of discussions with members about its feedback system.
"We garner input from our users before making changes to the Feedback
Forum and are very careful about instituting changes that impact the
feedback system," the company said in its note. "We believe this joint
effort will set a good foundation for the success of the Feedback Forum in
the future."
The feedback system allows members to get a sense of the trustworthiness
of other members. In addition to providing the written comments of
members, eBay assigns a feedback rating based on the number of positive
comments a member received minus the number of negative comments. Recently
the company honored the first 64 members who reached 10,000 or more
feedback points.
Although the system forms the bedrock for trust and trading at eBay, it is
not without its flaws. Some members have complained, for instance, that
the system discourages negative comments because members fear receiving
negative feedback in return.
Others have criticized the current system because it doesn't distinguish
when a member participated in a transaction as a buyer and when they
participated as a seller. Just because someone is a good buyer on eBay
doesn't mean they will be a good seller and vice versa, some have argued.
More dangerously, some unscrupulous sellers have manipulated the system by
leaving positive feedback for themselves through multiple user IDs. After
building up their feedback rating--and the trust of other members--these
sellers have bilked bidders through fraudulent auctions.
Late last year, two eBay sellers were indicted for defrauding bidders out
of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. At least one of the sellers
was suspected of manipulating his feedback through bogus transactions and
multiple IDs.
The changes to the feedback system appear to address some of these
concerns.
As part of the changes, members will be able to update their feedback
comments before the recipient can respond. eBay is also considering
allowing members to edit their own comments before they are posted and is
taking steps to remove unjustified feedback. Currently, members' comments
are posted immediately, and eBay generally does not remove them.
eBay has tinkered with the feedback system before. Last year, the company
began to require all feedback messages to be related to transactions on
the site. When it made the change, the company revised members' feedback
ratings, changing all comments not related to transactions to a neutral
rating, which does not affect members' feedback numbers.
=~=~=~=
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