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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 03 Issue 06
Volume 3, Issue 6 Atari Online News, Etc. February 9, 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
With Contributions by:
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=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0306 02/09/00
~ Spam Wars Heat Up! ~ People Are Talking! ~ Netscape 6.01
~ Juno To Go Orwellian! ~ "Freebies" Get Rare! ~ Shrek Xbox!
~ Xbox Name Could Cost! ~ ATV Offroad Fury! ~ Sony Clashes!
~ Microsoft "Experience" ~ Sega: Boon and Threat! ~ NHL Faceoff 2001!
-* Microsoft Drops MSN Rebate! *-
-* Web Tax Moratorium Bills Proposed! *-
-* Appeals Court To Rule On Napster On Monday *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
This has not been a good week, period! Snow storm in the beginning of the
week, snowing again now. Work has been anything but boring - the natives
are restless. And to top it all off, personal family crises have added to
the stress levels. So....am I in a mood to take off on an editorial binge?
You bet'cha!
As you'll read later in this week's issue, Juno is considering a proposal to
increase their revenue stream by having the users of their free services
enter into an agreement allowing Juno to access users' computers to perform
proposed tasks, such as computations and the like, when the user's machine
is not being utilized. As you've read in these pages in the past, many of
our readers here have signed up for the SETI program in which you run a
program on your computer analyzing data in the search for extra-terrestrial
life. It's a voluntary program, with no strings attached. As it appears
from what I've learned about Juno's proposals, there are strings.
Granted, there are certainly two sides to this issue. One might say that
nothing these days is free. Juno started out with free internet and e-mail
access but the caveat was the end-user would use proprietary software
"forcing" the user to have banner ads appear while running Juno's software.
Well, we all know that online advertising is not generating enough revenues
for businesses to stay afloat, so they're coming up with "innovative" ideas
to supplement those revenues. Juno's idea is just one of them. You want
"free" access, Juno wants to "rent" your computer to companies to perform
certain tasks in exchange for their services. Fair? Perhaps to some.
Others will view this proposal as an invasion of privacy. Juno will have
access to your computer. Assuredly, they will state that the only purpose
will be to perform these tasks, but what are the possibilities here? I've
read George Orwell's '1984' and Big Brother is more than a mere possibility.
It's scary, in fact.
I happen to be a user of Juno's free e-mail services, as a back-up to my
primary e-mail accounts. I don't use it often, but it's nice to know that
it's available to me when I need it. Do I think it's fair that in order to
use Juno, I'm deluged with banner ads? Sure, it's okay. I've learned to
ignore them. If required to give up computer processing time when I'm not
using my PC to keep my Juno account, will I? No way. I think what Juno
will be proposing is intrusive. I also believe that Juno will attempt to
implement this policy without being totally forthcoming to its users.
People are going to agree to a future Juno program update without realizing
what they're getting into when they click on that "I Agree" button when
installing the new program update.
Where do you stand on this issue? Would you trade your downtime PC time for
free e-mail and internet access? I'd really like to know. I also wonder
how many people out there use Juno as their primary e-mail source, or their
only source. As an aside, Juno has also made it known that paying customers
will not be affected by this proposal, at least initially. Is this a scheme
to get people to subscribe to a service that they've been getting for free?
I know that I won't be associated with such tactics, if true. Had Juno come
out and said they no longer could provide free service, and needed to start
charging a nominal fee - it would be fair. Would I agree to pay? No, I
already have enough accounts that I'm paying for. A paid back-up account
isn't necessary for me personally. It might be for some. Let us know how
you feel about this issue? Am I being totally paranoid, or do you smell
something rotten?
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@portone.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. I've got an interesting (and fairly
short) story for you this week.
As you may know, I've got an Intel-based laptop that I run Linux on
instead of Windows. I like Linux a lot because it's a bit faster than
Windows, and it gives me a lot of control over a lot of things.
The one thing that is more difficult at times is configuration. So it
was with some minor amount of concern that I decided to upgrade to a
broadband internet connection.
An hour or so of cruising the internet sites of broadband providers
(The cable company for @home service, and the phone company for DSL
service) showed a few differences... which I'm sure you've seen in
their respective commercials.
My major concern was the interface card. Both cable and DSL rely on an
ethernet card. Linux is kind of funny about some network cards to begin
with, and needing a PCMCIA, or PC card, only makes the situation worse.
I can, of course, revert to Windows if I want/need to, but I'd really
rather not. Know what I mean?
Well, I decided to go with the DSL connection. I ordered the equipment
and waited for it to arrive.
It came about two weeks later. I opened up the box and looked in horror
at the network card they provided. By this time, I had memorized the
long list of network cards that were certified to work with the
'flavor' of Linux that I use. The supplied card was not among them. So
I gave in and installed the network card and DSL modem under Windows
first.
The installation went on fairly smoothly until the installer asked for
my Windows CD. I do have the required disk, but for some reason the
installer could not find the required networking files on it. It took
me three tries to get everything installed, and it turned out that the
required files were already in the Windows system directory on my hard
drive. Go figure. After that, the installation went smoothly and the
DSL connection came up just as it should have.
Then I tried to install the network card and DSL modem under Linux. To
my great surprise and joy, the installation went smoothly and with only
minimal input from me. The DSL connection came up as expected and runs
like a champ. In fact, it took me less time to install it under Linux
than it did under Windows. Now I've got a fast internet connection AND
my OS of choice (my choice on the Intel laptop, that is). Life is good.
Of course, my main goal is to finally get an ethernet card for my TT
and to be able to access the DSL connection over a network. Imagine an
accelerated TT with a graphics card running CAB and surfing the net at
about 1300+ Kbps! Well, that's for another day, I guess.
Now let's get on with the news and STuff from the UseNet.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================================
Didier Mequignon posts this update about Aniplayer:
"There are a little release on my site (V2.14a):
- Polish translation for V2.14.
- Fixed bug with AV_SENDKEY message (thanks to Claude Labelle,
the author of CD-Writer).
- MP3 DSP more fast (with DMA transfers):
The average DSP load is 64% for an MP3 44,1 KHz joint-stereo file
and a DSP at 50MHz, so it's just the limit for listen this files
in stereo with a DSP at 32 MHz (a CT60 for example if you not put
another oscillator for the DSP).
- The 'Quality' option now is used with MP3:
* With the CPU, when this option is checked the quality is better,
but decompression is more slow (some %).
* With the DSP, when this option is checked the quality is equal
to V2.13 (more slow), and when this option is unchecked the quality
is better than V2.14 (more fast) and lower than V2.13.
Aniplayer download: http://aniplay.atari.org "
Lonny Pursell jumps in and posts his experiences with Aniplayer:
"On my Hades060 Aniplayer uses about 75% cpu load on a typical
mp3 at 128 bps. I'm using Ozk's GSXB drivers and a SoundBlaster
PCI128 card which only set me back about $25 bucks."
Clement Benrabah asks about MiNT on his Milan:
"I'm trying to use the Milan 1.15.5 Mint's kernel and i don't succeed
in. My Milan doesn't go on booting after the reading of the mint.cnf.
I removed the programs that might make troubles and i've only kept
the drivers without success. The mintnp.prg (special Milan version) is
the last program in the AUTO folder.
Neither Naes 1.2, nor a shell are being launched after the reading
of mint.cnf and my Milan always stops at this moment.
I'm still using the 1.15.1 kernel.
Could someone help me ?"
Jorgen Nyberg tells Clement:
"This is probably a problem with you using an old FNRAMFS. You MUST
use version 0.70 or better. I made the same mistake the first time I
tried it."
Carey Christenson asks about hard drive partition sizes:
"Does anyone know the maximum size for a hard drive partition on a
1040STf with 2.5 megs of Ram and TOS 1.04? I have heard anything
from 20megs to 1GB. What is the answer?"
Peter West tells Carey:
"According to *the* expert, Dr Uwe of HDDRIVER, the limit is 512 MB per
partition in your case."
Dr. Uwe Seimet jumps in and lays down the law:
"The maximum partition size for TOS 1.04 is 256 MByte. Anything else is
definitely wrong. This also applies to the size of the boot partition,
which is not restricted to be smaller than other partitions."
Greg Goodwin adds:
"Although Uwe posted earlier, it might be useful to review:
TOS 1 -- 256MB per partition
TOS 3 -- 512MB per partition
TOS 4 -- 1 GB per partition
I'm not certain about TOS 2."
Uwe replies:
"[TOS 2] is the same as with TOS 3.0x."
Dennis Vermeire posts this about TOS emulation:
"If you want to see "fast" emulation then the PC is not the way to
follow, a MAC PPC running MagiC-Mac is the ultimate in speed and
compatibility... add NVDI, Jinnee and Scripter to this combination and
even die-hard Mac users will be amazed..."
Mike Freeman asks Dennis:
"Does the demo version of MagicMac have some kind of slowdown routine
on it as a demo limitation? I know the PC version at least at one time
did. When I tried the demo on my 350MHz G3 iMac, benchmark programs
said it was running on average about 7x the speed of an ST, and
software didn't seem to run all that fast. This isn't a whole heck of a
lot faster than my Nemesized Falcon.
Hopefully it would be better in the full version? If this is the case,
it's too bad they did this. I'd like to see just how much of a speed
increase I'd get before I consider spending my money, or wasting my
money, depending on the outcome. At any rate, my Falcon won't be
replaced by it until it's dead beyond repair and there are no more
Falcons out there to buy."
Dennis, always johnny-on-the-spot, tells Mike:
"Well, let the figures speak:
GEM Dialog Box: 0.335 2000%
VDI Text: 0.145 5137%
VDI Text Effects: 0.430 3406%
VDI Small Text: 0.075 8266%
VDI Graphics: 0.995 1678%
GEM Window: 0.490 765%
Integer Division: 0.095 3278%
Float Math: 0.000 ----
RAM Access: 0.010 32200%
ROM Access: 0.010 22500%
Blitting: 3.080 282%
VDI Scroll: 0.275 5454%
Justified Text: 1.325 716%
VDI Enquire: 0.010 20500%
New Dialogs: 0.600 1425%
============================================
Graphics: 4511%
CPU: 19326%
Average: 7686%
MagiCMac 6.10.1 running on a G4/400Mhz with OS9 in 1280*1024*16.7
million colours.
Reference is a standard Falcon running in 640*400*256
On average this monster is 195 times faster then a Falcon, 775 times
faster then a 1040ST, 95 times faster then a TT and 11 times faster
then a Hades060.
In real time figures this translates to Imagecopy displaying GIF in
real time, 2.5Mb TIFF in 0.5 secs, and heavy packed JPEG's in a second.
Loading and displaying an average Calamus document takes simply a
mouseclick, and even CAB is now a fast browser...
No Falcons? Of course not, but then you've got a nice G3/350 stacked
away, MagiCMac isn't a Falcon emulator so it will not run any of the
Falcon specific apps, but don't forget that in addition to fast
emulation you get speedy graphics, heaps of RAM and very fast hard disk
and CD-R transfer speeds thrown in as well.
Compared to a PC running an Atari emulator this is a Formula one car..."
Tim Pattison asks about upgrading the RAM in his STE:
"I want to upgrade my STE from 520k to 4 mb and I have access to some
1mb simms from an old PC but need advice as to whether the simms need to
be parity or non-parity and whether they should be of a particular
speed.
I have 7 1mb simms in total but they are not all the same.
There are 4 identical ones which contain three chips on each simm (I
presume this means they have parity) and the speed would appear to be
70ns.
One has 9 chips (parity?) and would appear to be 60 ns
One has 9 chips and would appear to be 80 ns
The other has 9 chips and would appear to be 100ns
Are any of these suitable for an STE?"
Atari guru Bob Retelle tells Tim:
"Just about ANY 30 pin, 1 Mb SIMM will work for the STe.
Parity doesn't matter- The STe doesn't use parity, if the SIMM has the
extra parity bit, the STe will just ignore it.
Speed also doesn't matter. any of those SIMMs listed are far faster
than the STe needs (`150ns is the spec for an ST), so any of them
will work.
It's NOT however, a good idea to mix types, styles and speeds.
I would go with the set of 4 identical types."
Well folks, that's it for this week. Tune in 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 - Xbox Name Could Cost Microsoft!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Sony Ticks Off Developers!
Shrek! ATV Offroad Fury!
And much more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Sony Clashes with Independent Game Developers
Sony Corp.'s troubled launch of its flagship game console PlayStation 2 has
strained relations with some key allies -- the software publishers that
once helped it claim top spot in a $20 billion-a-year market.
Analysts say that while Sony will be a leading contender in the market for
the new generation of consoles, its stickier relations with some U.S. game
developers have cast some doubt on its market dominance and could open the
door for rivals.
``In development ease and lead time, Sony has been more difficult to work
with this time around than for the original PlayStation launch," Wedbush
Morgan analyst Miguel Iribarren said.
Part of the reason the Japanese electronics giant was able to break into a
market dominated by Nintendo Co. Ltd. and Sega Corp. when it launched the
hugely popular PlayStation in 1995, was because it lured third-party game
developers to produce top games for an unproven platform.
Yet now that the PlayStation is the world's most popular console, some game
developers say Sony has neglected them.
Sony Computer Entertainment America spokeswoman Molly Smith said that the
record number of titles ready at the launch of PlayStation 2 was a
testament to its developer support. She said shipment delays for the
console were regrettable, but added that the production problems had been
fixed.
``It's clear that companies that have invested a lot of money in
development understand that our business model is long term," Smith said.
Sony launched PlayStation 2 in the United States in October, but is seen
facing stiff competition later in the year from Nintendo's GameCube and
handheld Game Boy Advance, plus Microsoft Corp.'s market entry with the
Xbox.
Game developers have been frustrated with Sony's shipping delays, which
left many gamers empty-handed in the Christmas shopping season and left
Sony with a 1 million worldwide unit shortfall for its fiscal year ending
in March.
They also accuse Sony of not making game development kits more widely
available or early enough to designers. ``It's opened the door a little bit
for Microsoft," Iribarren said.
Microsoft, meanwhile, has been copying Sony's prior path to success --
actively courting game developers.
All of the major video game makers have agreed to produce for the Xbox,
which developers say are an easier platform to make games for than the
PlayStation series because Microsoft's console is similar in design to a
PC.
Xbox's most significant conquest was No. 1 third-party developer Electronic
Arts, Inc., which has had close ties to Sony and has focused most of its
resources on making games for the original PlayStation and its successor.
Yet Electronic Arts very publicly said it would provide up to 10 games in
the first 6 months of Xbox's launch. That roll-out compares with the 10
games it pledged to make ready for PlayStation 2 in the first 4 months of
its U.S. release.
Some analysts interpreted Electronic Arts' decision to publicize its
support of the Xbox, in the thick of the key Christmas shopping season, as
a snub to Sony.
Meanwhile, Sony has laid some blame for its $120 million game division loss
in its most recent quarter on video game publishers, saying they did
provide enough titles for its PlayStation 2. Most profits from Sony's
gaming unit come from software royalties.
Electronic Arts President John Riccitiello criticized Sony in a recent
interview for not doing enough to support the PlayStation 2 with strong
games of its own, calling Sony's driving game Ridge Racer ``relatively
mediocre."
``There weren't enough software titles to create a market," he told
Reuters.
Those slower PlayStation 2 sales have hurt profits for game developers who
have staked a lot on Sony's success.
Justin Post of Deutsche Banc Alex Brown said the short-term impact of the
smaller-than-expected PlayStation 2 sales could hurt Electronic Arts most
as the market leader.
``If you look at the million unit shortfall and go with the average 2-1/2
units of software for each console, that's 2.5 million units of software,
and EA has a big share," he said, predicting the company's lost revenue
could total $20 million to $30 million for its fiscal year ending in March.
Similarly, game developer THQ Inc. delayed launching its PlayStation 2 game
Red Faction, citing uncertain shipments of the console in the current
quarter.
Sony also miffed smaller video game developers like THQ, which has
traditionally vied for the No. 2 and No. 3 independent game publisher spot
with Activision Inc.
``It's fairly widely known EA got the development kits earlier," THQ
President and Chief Executive Brian Farrell told Reuters. ``If they'd have
gotten all of us the kits, we would have had better titles earlier."
Meanwhile Activision's Chair and Chief Executive Bobby Kotick voiced no
complaints, and said his company's relationship with Sony had improved
since the original PlayStation launch.
``We've had a great relationship with Sony," he said.
Game Developers See Sega As Both Boon And Threat
Sega Corp.'s long-anticipated decision to throw its hat in the ring as a
full-time game developer sets the Japanese company up for a battle with
confident and entrenched U.S. competitors.
But analysts warn that Sega, the newcomer in this corner of a $20-billion
industry, could prove a tough opponent.
Sega last week said it would cease production of its Dreamcast video game
console, and shift energies to make games for other platforms that were
previously only available for the Sega system.
That puts Sega on the turf of independent video game publishers -- such as
Electronic Arts, Inc., THQ Inc. and Activision, Inc. -- which make software
for the top gaming systems.
Game makers benefit from Sega's decision to exit the market because they
have one less platform to develop for, which lowers their costs and lets
them concentrate on better-selling systems, analysts said.
``If there's fewer consoles and less uncertainty I think it makes it easier
for all," Justin Post, analyst with Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown, said.
But adding one more experienced gamemaker to the fray could eat into market
shares, and analysts note that industry leader Electronic Arts could be the
most vulnerable.
``Sega has excellent studios and is particularly good at sports games which
haven't in the past competed with Electronic Arts," said Wedbush Morgan
analyst Miguel Iribarren. ``EA hasn't really had competition like what Sega
could put up against them."
EA's traditional strengths have been with products for hard-core sports
enthusiasts, with titles such as ``Madden NFL," "NBA Live" and ``Tiger
Woods PGA Tour." Sega is known for mass-market sports games such as ``NBA
Action," snowboarding "Rippin' Riders" and racing ``Sega Rally."
While Post agreed that Sega will provide some competition for the sports
genre that Electronic Arts has traditionally dominated, he said the two
companies have different audiences.
``No doubt on the margin it will mean more competition for EA," he said.
``But it won't be as head to head as some people think."
Sega's games will take on the sports strengths of market leader Electronic
Arts, which some analysts credit with hammering the deciding nail in
Dreamcast's coffin after EA made the controversial move last year to not
develop games for Sega's Dreamcast console.
Electronic Arts John Riccitiello was confident about his company's
competitive advantage over Sega.
``They're starting from scratch," he said in a recent interview, noting
that Sega had no experience making games for other consoles and would have
to wait out the industry's typical 12- to 18-month software development
lags before it would become a serious rival.
Sales of Sega's Dreamcast game console have never been impressive, despite
the fact that the platform was the first in a wave of super-charged,
DVD-playing, Internet-ready hardware expected to dominate the industry in
coming years.
Despite its lower price, the Dreamcast was eclipsed by the roll-out of
Sony's PlayStation 2 and the upcoming introductions of Microsoft Corp.'s
Xbox and Nintendo Inc.'s new GameCube and Game Boy Advance.
Sega's decision to produce video game software for these new consoles means
it must buy licenses and develop relationships for its old rivals.
``Sega, Nintendo and Sony have all been archrivals, so it won't be easy
culturally for Nintendo and Sony to embrace them and say they want them
(Sega) to be licensees," said Activision Chief Executive Bobby Kotick.
He acknowledged Sega's history of software strengths, but said its
management would likely be distracted by issues related to terminating its
console business.
Kotick and THQ Chief Executive Brian Farrell agreed that they did not see
Sega's entry into the video game publishing market as a daunting, direct
threat.
But how many independent video game developers can the market support?
Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown's Post estimates that probably four to five game
publishers can sustain long-term profits.
The estimated $20-billion-a-year industry is seen growing rapidly, with the
speed depending on adoption rates of the new consoles and high-speed
Internet access.
Currently Electronic Arts is the top independent game publisher by far,
followed by THQ and Activision. THQ is second in terms of market
capitalization yet Activision is second in terms of revenue for the first 9
months of the fiscal year.
Smaller players have been trying to carve out a greater market share in the
industry. These include Interplay, which just snagged the license for the
popular Matrix movie title. Infogrames Inc., U.S. unit of the French video
game maker has been aggressively buying small publishers.
Sega is also looking to enter markets that the established independent
developers have largely ignored. Last week it said it would develop games
for Palm Inc.'s handheld computers by the end of the year.
Electronic Arts, for one, has said it will focus on developing games for
consoles and its EA.com Web site, rather than mobile computing devices.
Xbox Name May Cost Microsoft
Xbox Technologies is a modest software operation by any measure--it had
revenue of $879,158 during its last fiscal year.
But that number could swell considerably in 2001, if Microsoft's track
record for settling trademark disputes is any indication. The tiny software
company in Coconut Grove, Fla., is ``in discussions" with Microsoft over
the name of Microsoft's new videogame console. That's a polite way of
saying that Microsoft is probably going to end up writing some big checks
so that it can use the product name without restrictions.
Xbox Technologies is a holding company that sells electronic learning
software and other applications. It filed the first application for the
Xbox name with the U.S. patent office in March 1999, seven months before
Microsoft did. It also trades as an over-the-counter issue under the symbol
``XBOX."
Microsoft is pouring $500 million into marketing for the new videogame
console, which it had code-named Xbox before announcing in March 2000 that
the official brand name would be the same. The Redmond, Wash. software
giant has rejected an offer by Xbox Technologies to buy out the name,
according to Xbox Tech CEO John Van Leeuwen. A much likelier resolution,
given the fact that the Florida company staked its claim first, is that
Microsoft will pay it a flat fee or strike some kind of licensing deal so
that it can freely use the name.
The two companies could also decide on an agreement to limit the use of the
name to certain products. That would be tricky, since Xbox Tech sells
e-learning software and Microsoft could well be planning educational games
that would run on the Xbox.
``It's not like we're in the shampoo business," says Van Leeuwen. ``We
don't want our serious business applications confused with games."
Microsoft did not comment on the discussions, but confirmed that it is
talking with Xbox Tech's attorneys. The company says that while there are
several U.S. companies operating under the name Xbox, Van Leeuwen's firm is
the only one that has approached it. No legal action has been filed on
either side.
But ``the mere fact that one company was out there first doesn't preempt
the second company's use of the name," says Claude Stern, a partner with
the law firm Fenwick and West in Palo Alto, Calif. ``There are a lot of
companies out there with the names Acme and AAAA."
Xbox Tech might have a strong case if it can prove that consumers are
likely to be confused by the duplicate name. It must also show that the two
products would be sold in similar distribution channels, and that ``Xbox"
is not just a descriptive term. Descriptive terms--which explain what the
company or product does and are viewed as more generic--are harder to
protect than fanciful names. So far, there's no dispute over the companies'
domain names; Microsoft has xbox.com and Xbox Tech. has
xboxtechnologies.com.
Legal merits aside, Microsoft will probably pay to make this problem
disappear. The last thing it needs right now is a protracted legal dispute
over the game machine's name.
It could release Xbox and deal with a lawsuit later, but then it could open
itself up for bigger expenses. In a landmark case in 1977, Big O Tires
was awarded $19.6 million from Goodyear over Goodyear's use of the name
``bigfoot" tires. The amount equaled 25% of Goodyear's advertising budget
in the states where Big O operated. The amount was cut on appeal and later
settled.
The ``bigfoot" case has helped small companies with their trademark
claims. Microsoft paid a search company an estimated $5 million to use the
name ``Explorer" prior to the launch of its Internet Explorer browser. And
in November 1999, Amazon.com paid a Minnesota bookstore an unknown sum for
the rights to the name Amazon.
``Everything has monetary value," says Van Leeuwen.
Microsoft has been humbled by its effort to enter the $7 billion videogame
business. Resolving a squabble over the product's name should be the easy
part.
TDK And DreamWorks Announce Shrek Xbox
Green Ogre Gets Green Light
TDK Mediactive Inc. Tuesday announced the company's first game for the
Xbox video game console from Microsoft will be based on DreamWorks Pictures
computer animated comedy, Shrek, which opens nationwide on May 18.
The game is one of the official first-wave Xbox titles scheduled for a fall
2001 launch. TDK Mediactive recently announced a worldwide, five-year
licensing agreement with DreamWorks to develop Shrek titles for video game
platforms.
``TDK Mediactive is excited to be part of the first wave of the Xbox
experience, especially with such a high-profile license. Shrek is a great
video game character," remarked Vincent Bitetti, chief executive officer
of TDK Mediactive.
``This is our first future-generation console title announcement and we
couldn't be more pleased with the support we have received from DreamWorks
and Microsoft in this endeavor."
Once upon a time, in a far away swamp, there lived an ornery ogre named
Shrek, whose precious solitude is suddenly shattered by an invasion of
annoying fairy tale creatures. There are blind mice in his food; a big, bad
wolf in his bed; three little homeless pigs and more, all banished from
their kingdom by the evil Lord Farquaad.
Determined to save their home -- not to mention his own -- Shrek cuts a
deal with Farquaad and sets out to rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona to
be Farquaad's bride. Accompanying him on his mission is a wisecracking
Donkey, who will do anything for Shrek ... except shut up.
Rescuing the Princess from a fire-breathing dragon may prove the least of
their problems when the deep, dark secret she has been keeping is revealed.
``Shrek" is based on a children's book by William Steig.
TDK Mediactive will work with DreamWorks to create new storylines and
characters to appear in the Xbox title. Character and world-object models
from the film will be available in standard 3D-modeling format for
expression onto Xbox, which uses higher-resolution models and textures than
any other gaming console available.
This symbiotic expression should provide a seamless transition from the
movie experience into the video game experience.
``DreamWorks is pleased to be part of this landmark product launch,"
commented Brad Globe, Head of DreamWorks Consumer Products. ``TDK has
demonstrated a tremendous creative vision for Shrek and we are excited to
work with them."
TDK Mediactive has engaged Canadian developer Sandbox Studios as its
development partner for Shrek Xbox. Sandbox has developed games for Mattel,
Konami, Sierra, Ubi Soft, Vatical and other game publishers and has robust
proprietary technology, which is being enhanced for the TDK Shrek Xbox
title.
Sandbox is working closely with TDK Mediactive game producer Ken Fox to
maximize the gaming experience and oversee coordination between TDK,
DreamWorks, Microsoft and Sandbox.
NHL FaceOff 2001 for the PlayStation2 Computer
Entertainment System Skates Into Stores
Popular Hockey Franchise Makes its Debut for
Revolutionary PlayStation 2
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced that the newest member
of its highly-touted hockey videogame series, NHL FaceOff 2001, is now
available for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. Modeled
after true-to-life hockey physics, NHL FaceOff 2001 utilizes the power of
the PlayStation 2 to provide consumers with blazing gameplay and responsive
player controls. Gamers can also play as or against a team of hockey
legends comprised of 13 NHL greats including ``Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe,
Bobby Hull, Phil Esposito and Marcel Dionne, a feature exclusive to NHL
FaceOff 2001 for PlayStation 2.
``We are thrilled to bring the fastest and most responsive NHL hockey
action to the PlayStation 2 sports enthusiast," said Ami Blaire, director,
product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. ``Incorporating
the finest elements of the FaceOff franchise, NHL FaceOff 2001 for the
PlayStation 2 will please fans of the series and new gamers alike with
exclusive features such as the 989 Sports NHL Legends team."
With more than 1,000 intricately-detailed animations, NHL FaceOff 2001
boasts five times the animations as its counterpart for the PlayStation®
game console, offering more than 500 skater and 180 goalie animations that
offer gamers a true sense of what it is like to skate with the best. NHL
FaceOff 2001 includes the most updated rosters of all 30 NHL teams,
including the expansion Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets. Gamers
can also track individual and team stats and compete for any of 15 NHL
awards, including the Hart Memorial, Art Ross, Vezina, Conn Smythe,
Presidents and the highly-coveted Stanley Cup.
In addition, a series of new features affords gamers the opportunity to
build and manage their team before the puck is even dropped. The FaceOff
2001 Draft Mode lets gamers build their own teams from scratch and battle
for the Stanley Cup. Players can utilize the line manager to organize their
teams into four forward lines, three defensive pairs, two five-man power
play lines, two four-man power play lines, two four-man penalty killing
units, a shootout lineup and two extra attackers. Finally, a new Practice
Mode allows players to sharpen their skating, passing, checking and scoring
skills before taking to the ice against an official opponent.
When ready, gamers can choose from several additional play modes including
Exhibition, Season, Tournament and Shootout. NHL FaceOff 2001 is built for
one or two players and can accommodate up to eight players with the aid of
the multitap(for PlayStation 2).
New Jersey Devils play-by-play announcer Mike Emrick and hockey analyst
Darren Pang return to call the exciting game action. Combined with an
astonishingly lifelike game environment complete with crowd chants and hit
songs from real-life artists, NHL FaceOff 2001 gives gamers a front-row
seat to the best hockey action available for PlayStation 2.
NHL FaceOff 2001 features Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Curtis Joseph on
the package.
NHL FaceOff 2001 for the PlayStation 2 Computer Entertainment System Key
Features:
-- Every player and team for the 2000-2001 season is included -- even the
Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild, plus eight international
teams
-- Play as or against thirteen NHL legends including Gordie Howe,
Bobby Hull, Phil Esposito, Marcel Dionne, Dennis Potvin, Guy LeFleur,
Stan Makita, Doug Harvey, Mike Bossy, Red Kelly, Jacques Plante,
Pierre Pilote and Bryan Trottier
-- Four all-new play modes:
-- Tournament Mode -- a competition pitting the world's best
international teams
-- Shootout Mode -- puts gamers in a one-on-one battle versus a goalie
who is determined to stop your best shot
-- Practice Mode -- lets gamers perfect passing, shooting, skating and
checking skills
-- Draft Mode -- assume the responsibilities of a general manager by
drafting and trading players to build a championship-caliber team
-- Player models running at 2,500 polygons, close to ten times as many as
the PlayStation version, are based on actual player size, weight and
facial appearance
-- More than 1,000 motion captured animations including 500 plus skater
and more than 180 goalie animations providing the most realistic hockey
action available. Motion-captured players include Chicago Blackhawks
winger Tony Amonte and St. Louis Blues winger Scott Young
-- New Line Manager Feature allows players to choose from more than
12 different offensive and defensive strategies while utilizing the
roster to create strategic lines
-- New Shot Aim Option allows you to control the direction of your shot
during your back swing as you prepare to launch a rocket past the
goalie
-- TV-style presentation features two-man commentary, including New Jersey
Devils' acclaimed announcer Mike Emrick and analyst Darren Pang
-- Seven different gameplay camera angle options and countless cut-aways,
zoom-ins, pop-up stats and in-game panels provide impressive TV-style
telecast
-- Realistic skating physics lets players and the puck glide naturally
across the ice. Players utilize cross-over steps when turning and
skating backwards -- just as in the NHL
-- Gamers can track more than 30 individual and team statistics and
compete for any of 15 NHL awards, including the Hart Memorial,
Art Ross, Vezina, Conn Smythe, Presidents' trophies and the highly
coveted Stanley Cup
-- "Puck Halo" makes the puck easier to see and play when in the corners
and in front of the net
-- NHL arenas are presented in lifelike detail -- each arena's
characteristics are included, even the championship banners
-- Refined Icon Switching on defense and Icon Passing on offense
translate into the most realistic hockey control available
-- On-the-fly strategy control allows the gamer change his attack with the
touch of a button
-- Full season and game statistics are available in every offensive and
defensive category
-- Create and manage teams with complete rosters -- draft, trade, release
and sign free agents
-- Supports the DUALSHOCK 2 analog controller for ultra-realistic
experience
-- Up to eight players can hit the ice with the multitap
(for PlayStation2)
The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates NHL
FaceOff 2001 ``E" for ``Everyone."
ATV Offroad Fury Steers the Thrill and
Excitement of ATV Racing Onto Playstation2
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced the nationwide release
of ATV Offroad Fury, an exhilarating and action-packed ATV (All-Terrain
Vehicle) racing game that showcases the stunning graphic capabilities of
the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. Featuring white-knuckle
action and speed, huge free-roaming and competitive racing environments,
more than 20 different offroad racing tracks and a hard rock soundtrack,
ATV Offroad Fury harnesses the power of PlayStation 2, bringing the true
spirit of ATV racing to life in the most realistic ATV simulation yet.
ATV Offroad Fury provides gamers with a multitude of options to enhance
their ATV racing experience, with 11 authentic ATV models, six different
event types and three styles of bikes to choose from. Players can select
their ATV from high-profile manufacturers such as Honda, Yamaha and
Kawasaki. A Garage feature allows players to further customize their
driving experience by tweaking options such as tire friction, shock
reaction, steering and braking.
ATV Offroad Fury also includes a stellar lineup of music from a variety of
top hard rock artists, including Anthrax, Primus, Sevendust and UltraSpank,
providing players with an emotionally-charged racing environment.
``ATV Offroad Fury immerses gamers in a realistic and fast-paced racing
world complete with stunts, enormous environments and adrenaline-pumping
action," said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc. ``Gamers and racing enthusiasts alike will be
completely absorbed by the authentic feel and the challenging competitive
action of this exciting new racing game for the PlayStation 2 computer
entertainment system."
With the Multitap (for PlayStation 2) ATV Offroad Fury allows up to four
players to compete against one another in a race experience like no other.
Huge, free-roaming environments of up to two square miles in area encourage
players to experience true offroad racing, navigating their way to the
finish line over sandy deserts, rocky hillsides and deeply forested
mountain trails. Players can choose from 11 different ATV models, taking
into consideration factors such as traction, acceleration, top speed and
stability, depending upon the landscape. Realistic physics force gamers to
feel every bump, turn and crash in the terrain, and a track editor allows
players to diversify the competition by creating their own unique racetrack
within the existing environments.
Key features in ATV Offroad Fury include:
-- Highly competitive racing including authentic stunts, realistic crashes
and challenging opponent ATV riders
-- Huge, free-roaming environments providing gamers the opportunity to
truly race offroad with courses as large as 2 square miles in area
-- A choice of 11 ATV models featuring high-profile manufacturers such as
Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha. Each bike offers performance ratings for
Traction, Acceleration, Top Speed and Stability
-- More than 20 offroad racing tracks, featuring an abundance of diverse
terrain environments
-- A Garage feature that allows you to tweak your ATV to determine each
bike's driving capabilities by changing options such as tire friction,
shock reaction, steering and braking
-- Stunning graphics with extremely detailed landscapes that feature
mountains, surface plants, foliage and AI riders
-- Edgy, hard rock soundtrack featuring Anthrax, Primus, Sevendust and
UltraSpank amongst others
-- Three different styles of bikes to choose from -- two-stroke,
four-stroke and 650 bikes
-- Realistic physics engine, forcing gamers to feel every bump, turn and
crash in the road
-- Three different race modes to choose from including Practice, Single
Race and Lap Attack
-- Waypoint Editor allows players to create their own races within a given
environment
-- Six different event types including:
-- Training Mode -- This option allows players to practice their
stunts, turns and braking abilities. Straightaways, hard turns and
tons of jumps challenge the rider to learn the basics
-- Cross-Country Enduro Series -- Players can make their own way to the
finish line by racing on-track or off-track in races that range from
two to ten laps, depending on user preference
-- Freestyle Stunt Competitions -- Players must complete stunts within
a given timeframe to achieve the highest score. Environments are
filled with hundreds of natural jumps, including small hills and
mountains
-- Stadium Supercross -- This event features seven indoor stadium
tracks, which include 180-degree hairpin turns, outward banking-turn
slopes and jumps. Races range from two to ten laps and are on-track
racing only
-- MAXXIS Nationals -- Real-life race courses that require players
to complete laps rather than go through checkpoints. This event
features 11 courses with on-track and off-track racing
-- Pro Career -- This challenging, long-term, single-player mode runs
on the tracks that make up the MAXXIS Nationals and Stadium
Supercross.
The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates ATV
Offroad Fury ``E" for ``Everyone."
EA SPORTS Ships Knockout Kings 2001 for the Playstation 2
Get into the ring and lace up the gloves with the best selling boxing
franchise of all time. Electronic Arts announced the release Knockout
Kings 2001, for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. With its
unparalleled line-up of boxers, this EA SPORTS game further distinguishes
itself from the competition by capturing this elite cast of boxing stars
and legends in the most realistic boxing game to date.
The Knockout Kings franchise features 40 of today's top boxers and boxing
legends and is known for featuring the most extensive line-up of boxing
talent in the genre. Knockout Kings 2001 also has a distinguished list of
exclusive boxers like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar
De La Hoya, Lennox Lewis and Shane Mosley. Plus, this year in Knockout
Kings 2001 the women move in and take center stage. Mia St. John, Christy
Martin, Lucia Rijker and Regina Halmich will all be in Knockout Kings 2001
and bring a fresh new look to the game.
Each fighter comes with his or her own personal biography detailing their
career and their approach to the ``sweet science" of boxing. And, as
always, EA SPORTS delivers the sport's realism. Each fighter's strength,
weight, height, speed, reach, and stamina are factored into the artificial
intelligence (AI) to ensure a realistic boxing experience. EA SPORTS has
also incorporated individual fighting styles and signature moves, which
were provided by many of the boxers for the game. Utilizing motion-capture
technology, a process where boxers wear a computerized suit that measures
body movements, the production team captured all their moves and re-created
them in the game.
In addition, to truly capture the look of the boxers in Knockout Kings
2001, the production team used a precision set of 3D cameras to scan the
fighters' faces and bodies and record their images for the game. The
cameras captured a detailed 3D likeness of the boxers, not missing the
smallest detail of today's hottest boxers.
An enhanced career mode allows gamers to create and train a boxer in their
image, manage their career and ultimately get a shot at the title. After
creating your boxer, selecting skin color, facial hair, trunks, weight
class, fighting style, and more, you must work your way up from small club
fights to the larger venues and eventually the hollowed grounds of Madison
Square Garden. The training segment of the career mode will help hone
fighting skills as gamers learn to counter-punch, block and throw
combinations.
New to Knockout Kings 2001 is Dynamic Punch Control, a feature that allows
a player to control every punch in a combination, carefully blending the
different punches without losing speed or timing. This level of control, in
addition to the breathtaking graphics, gives the game a new level of
realism and depth. ``Signature moves" give individual boxers' their own
knockout punch or defensive move that leaves the opponent swinging at air.
Better footwork, faster button-response and quicker punch and blocking
moves make the user feel he truly is controlling everything the boxer is
doing in the ring.
10 different hip-hop artists contributed original tracks from their latest
records to the incredible Knockout Kings 2001 soundtrack. Some of the top
artists and songs include, Tony Touch, ``Super Heavyweight," Dilated
Peoples, ``The Main Event," Tash, ``Destruction" and the Black Eyed Peas
with the original title, ``It's On." These songs come on randomly
throughout gameplay, but they also can be selected in the ``Slugfest" mode
if a gamer likes a particular song and wants to have it on when they fight.
In addition to the music soundtrack, the production team brought other
audio elements to new heights in order to bring a feeling of realism to the
game. Exciting commentary and analysis from Al Bernstein, Max Kellerman and
Teddy Atlas keep the gamer informed on what is happening from a strategic
standpoint. Referees in the game include Mills Lane and Richard Steel, and
they help keep things fair by calling out low blows, rabbit punches, and
other illegal moves that can lose a fighter points from a judges card.
Jimmy Lennon Jr. makes ring announcements to give the fight a big time
feel.
Knockout Kings 2001 for the PlayStation 2 is rated ``T" (Teen) by the
ESRB. The game has a suggested retail price of $49.95.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. Brings
the PlayStation2 Computer Entertainment System
and NBA ShootOut 2001 to NBA All-Star Weekend
In an effort to provide thousands of basketball fans and NBA players at the
NBA All-Star Weekend the chance to experience the PlayStation2 computer
entertainment system and the 989 Sports' development team's latest
installation of the popular NBA ShootOut basketball franchise, Sony
Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) Inc. announced participation at
festivities in conjunction with the NBA All-Star Weekend. During the
All-Star Weekend, February 9 through 11 in Washington, D.C., fans can play
NBA ShootOut 2001 at the NBA Jam Session, as well as at the All-Star Comedy
Celebration and Block Party at Planet Hollywood. In addition, as many NBA
players are traditionally enthusiastic fans of the NBA ShootOut series,
PlayStation 2 kiosks will be located in the player hospitality suite at the
Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. NBA ShootOut 2001 captures the true
feel of NBA basketball with amazingly realistic stadium and player models,
strategic input from NBA players including Chris Webber as well as a
TV-style presentation featuring multiple camera angles and commentary by
New Jersey Nets broadcaster Ian Eagle.
Throughout the NBA All-Star Weekend, from February 9 through 11, Sony
Computer Entertainment Inc. will participate in the NBA Jam Session, a fan
festival featuring full range of interactive activities, exhibitions and
educational seminars designed for basketball fans of all ages located at
the Washington Convention Center. When visiting the NBA Arcade at the Jam
Session, fans will have the chance to play NBA ShootOut 2001 for the
PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system at one of ten PlayStation 2
kiosks set up in the arcade.
Fans purchasing tickets to the All-Star Comedy Celebration and Block Party
charity event at Planet Hollywood on Saturday, February 10 will be able to
mingle with celebrities and dozens of current and past NBA players as well
as challenge their friends to a game of NBA ShootOut 2001 for PlayStation
2. The evening will include live performances by Dr. Dre and Mary J. Blige,
and expected attendees include Magic Johnson, Omar Epps, Jay-Z, Jamie Foxx
and other celebrities. While general admission tickets are available for
$25 and up, VIP tickets can also be purchased for $125. Proceeds will
benefit The National Kidney Foundation of the National Capital Area.
``Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. is excited to add to the
festivities surrounding this year's NBA All-Star Game with NBA ShootOut
2001 for the PlayStation 2," said Sharon Shapiro, director, promotions,
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. ``Fans and players at this year's NBA
All-Star Game will be able to enjoy for the first time the NBA experience
that only the 989 Sports development team and the PlayStation 2 can
deliver."
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Juno Announces Web Service Plan
Juno Online Services Inc. may require subscribers of its free Internet
service to give up additional control of their computers, prompting
complaints about privacy and security risks.
Juno, which now compels those users to view ads and share marketing data,
wants to raise additional revenues by selling unused processing power from
subscribers' computers to research institutions and corporations.
In such a scenario, Juno software would run whenever subscribers leave
their computers idle for a given period of time. The software would operate
much like a screen saver and halt when the subscriber resumes computer use.
New terms posted on Juno's Web site in recent weeks and publicized by the
company on Thursday give Juno the right to require new and existing free
Internet subscribers to leave computers on around the clock.
A user's computer could even be programmed by Juno's software to
automatically call Juno's systems with computational results if the user
does not access the service frequently enough.
Users would have to pay for electricity, computer maintenance and in some
cases long-distance telephone charges. Juno and its partners would keep any
profits if the computations generate anything of commercial value.
Richard Smith, chief technology officer for the Privacy Foundation, has
qualms about opening up computers this way: ``How do I know somebody isn't
messing with my data?"
``I have concerns about how well their customers will be aware of what's
going on," he added.
In announcing the Juno Virtual Supercomputer Network initiative Thursday,
chief executive Charles E. Ardai called it ``a way to derive new forms of
revenue from assets we already have."'
Purveyors of free Internet access have struggled as revenues from online
ads dwindle.
In December, online search portal AltaVista cut off some 3 million users
from its free service. NetZero, Juno and BlueLight.com are the only major
free services remaining, and Juno hopes to remain so. But the company has
yet to show a profit.
Juno claims more than 14 million registered users, 4 million of which it
says log on at least once a month. They include the free users and those
who pay for premium services.
The Juno initiative is a form of ``distributed computing," a way of
breaking complex tasks into smaller pieces that individual computers can
work on. It is already done on a volunteer basis by astronomy buffs probing
for extraterrestrial life.
Ardai said the company has not secured any deals yet to sell its
supercomputing services, but he envisions signing up biotechnology
companies as customers.
Demand for such computational power is expected to grow rapidly as the
budding field of bioinformatics takes off. Bioinformatics, which requires
massive number crunching, is the use of computerized databases to help
scientists decipher genetic information needed to combat disease and
prolong life.
At first, Juno's supercomputer network will be tested using volunteers. But
if Juno needs more computing power, said spokesman Gary Baker, the company
may require it of the heaviest users or of all users of the free service.
Subscribers would have the option to upgrade to a paid service to avoid the
requirement.
George Kurtz, chief executive with security company Foundstone Inc., said
that while Juno's service appears free, ``you're paying for the service
with privacy."
Kurtz is concerned about what might be monitored on a subscriber's
computer, how that information might be used and, from a security
perspective, what kind of code would be run.
Bruce Murphy, chief executive of another security firm, Vigilinx, warned of
``electronic Armageddon" if malicious software is distributed despite
Juno's best intentions.
Baker said Juno would institute unspecified safeguards to prevent its
partners from commanding computers inappropriately. He also said Juno had
no interest in snooping.
``This system is designed to use the processing powers of these computers,
and not to look at hard drives, read cookies or do anything of malicious
fashion," Baker said. ``These things are not required to do what we need
to do."
Juno's Money-making Scheme Has Watchdogs All Shook Up
The supercomputer project has both consumer advocates worried that
subscribers' computers will be vulnerable to all kinds of mischief --
including snooping by third parties.
Juno Online Service's jump into the supercomputing business has alarmed
consumer and privacy advocates, who fear the move could open subscribers'
computers to vulnerabilities--including snooping by third parties such as
the government.
Juno quietly posted a new agreement for subscribers of its free Internet
service. Those customers must allow the downloading of software that would
perform computational tasks unrelated to Internet connection. They must
also agree to leave their computers on all the time if asked. The software
would replace the screensaver, and people would not be able to uninstall
or tamper with it. Furthermore, under the terms of the agreement, Juno
would have the right to "initiate a telephone connection from your
computer to Juno's central computers."
The market for free Internet service providers has been hit particularly
hard during the dot-com downturn, mainly because it relies heavily on
advertising dollars. To make more money, Juno, which gets about one-third
of its revenue from advertising, is hoping to sell unused processing power
on member computers to third parties, who can string them together in a
virtual daisy chain to form a supercomputer.
However, defenders of privacy and consumer rights worry the new
requirements amount to an unprecedented exchange of personal property and
data to get something for free. Worse, they say, Juno customers might not
understand what kind of relationship they're getting themselves into when
they click on the agreement. They're also criticizing the company for
slipping the wording into the agreement Jan. 18 and then not going public
with the plan until Feb. 1.
Ari Schwartz, a policy analyst with the Center for Democracy and
Technology, worries the new rules will make it easier for government
investigators to violate constitutional provisions against unreasonable
search and seizure. For example, he said, weak wiretapping laws could
allow federal investigators to go through Juno to gain access to
customers' computers without their knowledge via the software that's
installed on their machines.
"Individuals are in some ways signing over their Fourth Amendment rights
by opening up their computers," Schwartz said. "It's too bad that to
protect people's privacy, they have to pay extra."
Juno spokesman Gary Baker downplayed such concerns and said the new pact
wouldn't actually require subscribers to keep their computers on all the
time--only for a few prescribed hours. He also said paid subscribers,
which make up about 20 percent of Juno's 4 million customers, would be
exempt from the rules. In addition, he said the computers wouldn't be
connected to the Internet constantly because most of the computations
would take place offline, synching up to the system only when a customer
connects to the Internet.
However, people who sign onto the service must agree to a policy that "may
require you to leave your computer turned on at all times."
Baker said he's confident that most of the company's existing subscribers
will agree to the terms. After all, he said, Juno already requires members
to agree to, among other things, a permanent display screen that shows
ads.
"They're already making some sacrifices in exchange for some free Internet
access," Baker said.
The company plans to announce more details of the plan, and who qualifies,
in the coming months.
"This is a tremendous resource that is being wasted by people when they
leave their computers off," he said.
The idea of accessing consumer machines for distributed computing projects
isn't new. For example, 18 million people have donated their dormant
computing power to the SETI Institute, the Search for Extraterrestrial
Intelligence. Other community-based programs have let people give unused
computer time to scientists researching diseases such as AIDS. And United
Devices lets people give their processing power to commercial projects and
causes such as cancer research in exchange for cash and prizes.
Still, Richard Smith, chief technology officer of the Privacy Foundation,
is concerned that the software Juno installs on customers' computers might
make their machines less reliable, causing them to slow or crash. Juno
said it is designing the software so that it doesn't interfere with home
machines.
What's more, Smith said, companies who potentially could sign up for the
extra processing power might
not want their intellectual property floating
freely on random customers' computers. Juno said it was still researching
security issues. Whatever the case, Juno's plan is sure to be a test of
how much consumers are willing to give up in exchange for free service.
Smith said that when he first came across the agreement it was troublesome.
"I just read it over and said, 'Oh my God. Who would agree to this?'"
Some people took to the message boards to dissect the new policy. One
person on DejaNews said: "It smacks of George Orwell's 1984. I'll give up
my Internet before I accept this sort of invasive intrusion into my
privacy."
Others wondered whether it was hoax or asked if someone could explain what
the terms were really saying. And still others took Juno's side, pointing
out that people shouldn't expect something for nothing. "There's no such
thing as a free lunch," wrote one.
Appeals Court To Rule on Napster
The federal appeals panel considering Napster Inc.'s immediate fate will
issue its ruling Monday in the high profile music-sharing lawsuit, the
court announced Friday.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a decision by the three-judge
panel will be released by 11 a.m. The decision will be posted at the
court's Internet site.
The court, which in the past year has issued rulings in favor of technology
despite concerns of copyright infringement, national security and Internet
monopolies, heard the recording industry's case in October against Napster,
whose site acts as a gateway for millions of online surfers to exchange and
record copyrighted music.
The recording industry wants Napster shut down, alleging it is contributing
to widespread copyright infringement, and is pursuing legal action against
the company in federal court in San Francisco.
The question before the appeals court is whether to remove Napster from the
Internet or allow it to keep operating while that case continues. The 9th
Circuit temporarily halted a federal judge's July order shutting down
Napster so it could decide Napster's short-term status for itself.
Napster maintains it is just providing a service for users to share music
and not all of the music is copyright protected.
New Battle Strategies Heat Up War On Spam
Cheaper than a phone call, more reliable than bulk mail, the phenomenon of
unsolicited commercial e-mail (UCE) -- widely known as spam -- has
persuaded many marketers that electronic junk mail is the Holy Grail of
mass marketing.
But before companies make the decision to join the parade of mass
e-mailers, they should be aware that there is growing antipathy among
Internet businesses, privacy advocates and U.S. legislators, all of whom
are gearing up to fight the spam phenomenon.
Moreover, although most forms of spam are still legal, companies that
adopt spam marketing campaigns may be sending the wrong message to the
very potential clients they are attempting to win over.
One of the strongest anti-spam organizations in cyberspace is the
Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail (CAUCE), a volunteer
lobbying group that works to rid inboxes of unsolicited e-mail. CAUCE is
interested not only in sparing consumers the headaches of dealing with
spam, but also in protecting Net users from what has become an
increasingly easy avenue for fraud.
CAUCE points out that very few reputable companies use UCEs for marketing
legitimate products. More often, spam e-mail advertises chain letters,
pyramid schemes and pornographic Web sites, as well as "get rich quick"
schemes, shady stock information, phony medical products and pirated
software.
Spam e-mail advertisements also offer software and e-mailing services that
propel the unsolicited e-mail industry forward by gathering personal
information to load into databases for sale to the next spammer.
While companies loathe spending valuable time and server space dealing
with spam coming into their systems, it has proven extremely difficult to
establish a legal standard for distinguishing unsolicited junk mail from
legitimate marketing messages that people would welcome. The tricky issue
has given lawmakers nothing but headaches.
"Unlike viruses, where there is a consensus about what they are and how
harmful they can be, spam is more challenging," Mark Levitt, IDC research
director told NewsFactor Network. "Two different recipients of an
unsolicited bulk email (UBE) can legitimately differ on whether it is
unwanted."
Added Levitt, "Whether a legitimate offer of products and services in an
e-mail is spam depends on the level of interest of the recipient in
hearing about it."
Whenever spam clearly crosses the line from mere annoyance into
illegality, however, law enforcement officials have no qualms about
stepping in. Last month, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported
that together with its law enforcement partners, it had taken legal action
against hundreds of scam artists who used e-mail, direct mail and faxes to
defraud consumers during the past year.
The coalition of government and private sector organizations, known as
"Project Mailbox," has brought charges against over 100 potentially
fraudulent, unsolicited "spam" e-mail sent by Net-related companies.
What can companies and individuals do to stem the tide of unsolicited junk
e-mail? IDC's Levitt told NewsFactor that many businesses install filters
on their e-mail servers to block e-mail that might contain non-business
language, or come from a source known to have send unsolicited e-mail in
the past.
Nonetheless, the spam keeps on rolling in.
And as the problem grows, the proposed solutions are becoming more
drastic. In some Internet circles, talk has arisen of making spammers pay
to access the very medium that makes spam so seductive: free e-mail.
But if spammers have to pay for e-mail, what about the rest of the
e-mailing public? Unthinkable? Think again.
According to a recent report from Jupiter, portals and Internet service
providers (ISPs) intend to begin charging online marketers for the massive
volume of e-mail they send across the Web.
While the idea will be incredibly unpopular with individual e-mail users,
the silver lining may be that e-mail fees will discourage spammers from
flooding the bandwidth.
Jupiter predicts that by 2005, advertisers are expected to send some 268
billion e-mail messages -- 22 times the amount of e-mail sent last year.
"Internet e-mail service providers control a crucial chokepoint between
marketers and the millions of consumers they want to reach," said Jupiter
analyst Christopher Todd. "As they restrict access to a user's primary
inbox and monetize the delivery of promotional e-mail, advertisers looking
to reach consumers online must prepare to pay a premium."
Perhaps legislation that cracks down on spam will prevent the need for
ISPs to charge for e-mail delivery. And because of the frustration that
many e-mail recipients at work and at home feel as a result of spam,
demand for new e-mail filtering software will continue to increase.
But one thing is for sure. Spam is no longer just a part of doing business
on the Web, and forces are in motion to rid inboxes everywhere of unwanted
junk e-mail.
Microsoft Dropping $400 MSN Rebate
Microsoft announced Friday that it will discontinue its $400 rebate to new
subscribers of MSN Internet service, a deal that drove PC buying but also
created a financial crimp for the company.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant, which is battling America Online
for subscribers, will instead offer one free year of MSN to buyers of new
personal computers.
Microsoft is not specifying which new computers will come with the
one-year free service. Instead, the company is letting retailers pick
which computers it will attach to the offer. One retailer may include the
offer with all PCs in the store, while another may only include PCs from
Compaq Computer or IBM.
So far, only RadioShack and Best Buy have agreed to participate in the
program, but Microsoft representatives said other outlets are likely to
sign on soon.
The $400 rebate deal began in November 1999. With some exceptions, it
applied to people who purchased PCs and committed to three years of MSN
service. The deal will end in the first week of March. The one-year free
service will begin in the spring, possibly as soon as the current offer
expires.
The idea for one year of free service is not entirely new. In November,
Microsoft and Dell Computer said they would offer buyers of Dell consumer
PCs one free year of Internet access through MSN.
MSN, which has more than 4 million subscribers in all, added 500,000 in
the fourth quarter of 2000. By comparison, AOL has nearly 27 million
subscribers.
Despite a massive slowdown in PC sales, Microsoft expects the new offer to
attract at least 500,000 new subscribers in each of the next several
quarters, said Bob Visse, lead product manager for MSN marketing.
"I don't see any end to it, and I think we'll actually be able to
accelerate it," Visse said of the goal. "The service and the products are
being so well received that we think we can continue growing the business
based on those things."
Analysts had been anticipating some change in the rebate structure for MSN
because Microsoft executives complained in a Jan. 18 earnings conference
call that the $400 offer was eating into the company's bottom line.
MSN service costs $21.95 per month, so the one year of free service is
worth $263.40 to subscribers. Visse would not say whether the new offer
and its associated ad and marketing campaign will cost the company more or
less than the $400 rebates, but he said the company's guidance for
earnings and revenue won't change because of the new promotion.
"As far as the bottom line for Microsoft, this will not have any change to
the guidance announced in the Jan. 18 earnings call...There was already an
adjustment made at that time," Visse said. "Overall, I can't give you real
clarity as to 'Will this cost less or more to the business?' in that it's
not an apples-to-apples comparison."
Although Microsoft doesn't want to compare the two promotions, analysts
are eager to do just that. IDC analyst Roger Kay speculated that the new
program will be more economical for Microsoft, but he wondered whether the
company was shifting programs exclusively to cut costs.
"Does that mean they have enough (subscribers) or does it mean they can't
afford it?" Kay said. "I've got to believe it's more the latter than the
former. You can't give away the store forever."
The advent of the $400 rebates in late 1999 led to a boom in midyear PC
sales in 2000. However, Kay said, the rebates have probably run their
course as far as convincing people who don't own a PC to buy one.
"I would say the (PC industry) has ridden it about as far as they can,"
Kay said.
The new promotion is likely to elicit grumbles from retailers, who relied
heavily on $400 MSN rebates to sell PCs during the first part of 2000.
Microsoft also extended the rebate to other non-PC products. Retailing
giant Best Buy, for example, sold 200,000 MSN subscriptions and gave $400
instant rebates on anything in the store.
Compared with a $400 discount, consumers may have a more difficult time
determining the value of the new program or may not consider it at all
when trying to decide whether to buy a computer, said Matt Sargent,
industry analyst for ARS.
"To be honest, customers don't put a whole lot of value in it. They just
see it as a free trial," Sargent said. "It's a smart move for Microsoft,
but I don't think it's going to help retailers at all. If it's just a free
year of service, where's the carrot here?"
Microsoft would not say whether it was giving a cut to participating
retailers or divulge any information about how the new promotion will
affect retailers.
The company also announced Friday that it will kick off other promotions
in the spring. The company will offer a $200 rebate for two years of MSN
Internet access, as well as a $75 rebate on a nine-month subscription.
Both of those promotions are independent of the new one-year offer, and
Microsoft will not require customers who want to sign up for the two-year
or nine-month subscriptions to purchase a new PC.
Netscape Browser Ratchets Up To Version 6.01
AOL Time Warner on Wednesday quietly released a minor upgrade to its
Netscape 6.0 browser.
Version 6.01 is available from the Netscape FTP server, but AOL Time
Warner had not, as of early Thursday morning, posted the update to the
Web. The new browser also could not be accessed through the Netscape 6
SmartUpdate feature.
America Online in November released Netscape 6 after more than 32 months
of development. But the browser received sharp criticism for being too
buggy and performing more like beta software than a finished release. The
update is supposed to address those issues.
While the company has touted the long-anticipated and much-delayed
browser, Netscape 6 faces an uphill battle against Microsoft's Internet
Explorer browser. Internet Explorer has about 91 percent of the browser
market, according to market researcher PC Data.
In a strange twist, AOL Time Warner faces potential competition from
Netscape's open-source browser project--that is, if the operation can ever
get a browser out the door. Mozilla.org has labored for about three years
to deliver a next-generation browser, in an effort to demonstrate that
open-source programmers from different companies can collaborate to
deliver a viable commercial product.
For now, Internet Explorer remains Netscape's biggest challenge. With the
release of version 6, America Online tied more content to the browser than
ever before, some of which is available from the Netscape Web site
exclusively through AOL's browser.
With a beta release of Internet Explorer 6.0 leaked to the Web last week,
Microsoft has taken a similar content-tying approach. A newer test version
of the browser is expected to appear next week in the second beta of
Windows XP, Microsoft's successor to Windows Me and 2000.
Microsoft Rebrands Products with 'Experience' Theme
Microsoft on Monday said it is renaming upcoming versions of its Windows
operating system and Office business software in a move that emphasizes the
software giant's push toward Internet-based computing.
Microsoft will dub its two flagship products Windows XP and Office XP, with
the XP standing for ``experience," the Redmond, Wash.-based company said.
The move is also Microsoft's biggest rebranding effort since the arrival of
Windows 95 five years ago started its custom of naming products after the
year of their launch.
``One of the primary reasons we picked the name is because in the longer
term we are going to be building a richer and richer experience for people,
and these are the first set of products that will be delivering that
richness," Tom Bailey, lead product manager for Office, said in an
interview.
Windows XP, previously code-named ``Whistler," will be launched in the
second half of 2001, as announced earlier, Microsoft said.
Microsoft also confirmed that Office XP, which had been called ``Office
10," is to come out by the end of the first half of 2001.
Microsoft's stock rose $1-1/8, or 1.9 percent, to $61-15/16 in Nasdaq
trading. The stock has tumbled from a year high of $115 amid sluggish
computer sales and corporate technology spending.
Windows XP is a long-awaited update to the company's personal computer
operating system that will finally scrap the outdated DOS programming
technology that consumer versions have so far been based on.
The new software will feature the technology at the heart of Windows 2000,
Microsoft's operating system for business and corporate customers that is
more powerful, reliable and secure than the consumer product.
XP signals another step by Microsoft to try to woo customers to its .NET
vision that aims to deliver software as Web-based services that will enable
users to easily swap data between different devices.
``The coming generation of Windows XP and Office XP will enable customers
to communicate and collaborate more effectively, be more creative and
productive, and have more fun with technology," company founder and
Chairman Bill Gates said in a statement.
Gates is scheduled to reveal more details about Windows XP next week at a
bash at Seattle's Experience Music Project, a high-tech shrine to rock
music built by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
The ``experience" theme has also fueled speculation that Microsoft will
scrap its current Windows theme song -- ``Start Me Up" by the Rolling
Stones -- in favor of Jimi Hendrix's ``Are You Experienced?"
The last major branding shift for Microsoft's products came with the
release of Windows 95, which replaced Windows 3.1. That product followed
the common software industry practice of tacking version numbers after the
product title.
Microsoft Chooses New Product Names
The next versions of Microsoft's most popular products will be called
Windows XP and Office XP - with the ``XP" standing for ``experience" -
the software giant said Monday.
Until now, the new desktop operating system had been code-named Whistler
and the new version of the business software was called Office 10.
By using letters instead of the old naming convention of the approximate
year the product came out - such as Windows 98 or Office 2000 - Microsoft
is trying to build enthusiasm among personal computer users, said Rob
Enderle, a research fellow with Giga Information Group in Santa Clara,
Calif.
``There's certainly a big push to try to re-excite the consumer side of the
market," Enderle said.
Microsoft is to give out more details about Windows XP on Feb. 13 at the
Experience Music Project in Seattle, a rock 'n roll, blues and jazz museum
built by Microsoft co-founder and Jimi Hendrix fan Paul Allen. For now,
however, it's promising the new products will be more powerful yet easier
to use.
The new version of Office, expected to be released around June, will make
it easier to integrate the software's different applications, including the
word processor, spreadsheet and database, said Tom Bailey, the lead product
manager for Office.
Office XP also will integrate Microsoft's Internet-based Hotmail and
instant-messaging program MSN Messenger with Office's Outlook e-mail
program, making it easier to move between the different services.
Bailey said Office also will be more reliable, and will include a new
feature that automatically saves a document when a computer crashes.
The new version of Windows, expected to be released in the second half of
this year, is the first operating system for small businesses and consumers
that uses the more reliable software code of Windows 2000, which was
designed for heavier-duty corporate and Internet users. Microsoft's older
consumer version of Windows - the most recent of which is called Windows
ME, for ``Millennium Edition" - is based on the same code of Windows 95
and its successors.
Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect for Microsoft, said both
new products are important steps toward Microsoft's .NET initiative, which
will be an Internet-based operating system. The company is touting its .NET
platform as a way for people to share information among electronic devices,
and other users, more efficiently.
With .NET, ``instead of having individual applications on each device,
users will get a rich experience that spans all their devices," Gates said
in a statement.
This is the first time in several years that the company has jointly
marketed its Office and Windows software, Enderle said. The strategy could
be risky, he said, since personal and professional users have very
different needs.
``It's an interesting dance," he said. ``They're going to have to balance
the kind of things a consumer market likes - things that are exciting, game
applications, digital photography ... while the things the corporate market
is looking for are security and reliability."
Microsoft's marketing may be hampered by technical glitches and hacker
attacks that have plagued its own internal systems in recent weeks.
The company's internal e-mail system was recently beset with long delays,
blamed on a test lab scenario gone awry.
Several days agio, hackers attacked equipment that directs Internet
traffic, preventing many people from accessing Microsoft Web sites,
including its home page, MSNBC.com and Hotmail.com. Earlier that week,
Microsoft experienced a 22-hour shutdown of the same equipment, which it
blamed on employee error.
Bills Would Keep Web Tax Moratorium
The Internet tax moratorium would be extended until 2006 and Internet
access taxes banished altogether under bills introduced in the House and
Senate on Thursday.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who introduced the Senate version, said the
extension is necessary to prevent a ``crazy quilt" of tax structures in
each state and locality. The current tax ban will expire Oct. 21.
``If that happens," Wyden said, ``the World Wide Web is going to look
like Dodge City before the marshals showed up."
Supported by Internet caucus co-chairmen Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., the bills target so-called ``discriminatory"
taxes, levies on Internet transactions that have no comparable version
in the off-line world. Reps. Christopher Cox, R-Calif., and Goodlatte
introduced the House bill.
President Bush endorsed this plan during his campaign, the congressmen
noted, and several high-tech industry groups also issued statements
supporting the measure.
Wyden said under the proposed law, Congress would conduct an ``up or down
vote" on whether to let states collect taxes on goods delivered from
out-of-state companies. But he, Cox and Leahy said they didn't think the
states should do so.
``Nobody is saying that states can't collect taxes," Leahy said, adding
that states still benefit from Internet companies in their jurisdictions.
``What we are saying, however, is don't drown the baby in the bathtub."
Neal Osten of the National Conference of State Legislatures said the states
would be ``very much opposed" to a permanent ban on Internet access
charges, due to the rise in telecommunications companies ``bundling"
Internet access, telephone service and other utilities.
``It's a farce, it's a joke," Osten said. ``It's just trying to cover for
really screwing the states out of future revenues from telecommunications
taxes."
The Senate bill does allow taxation on long-distance calls made through a
computer - a practice becoming more and more popular - but Osten was
skeptical on how states could recoup that money, since the calls are often
free.
``If there are no charges to the consumer," Osten said, ``how do you tax
that?"
A congressional study in July found states and localities would lose $300
million to $3.8 billion in tax revenue in 2000 because of purchases made
over the Internet.
=~=~=~=
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