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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 02 Issue 11
Volume 2, Issue 11 Atari Online News, Etc. March 17, 2000
Published and Copyright (c) 2000
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- CC: Classic Chips
With Contributions by:
Kent Kordes
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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!
http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari
=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0211 03/17/00
~ No New Domain Names! ~ People Are Talking! ~ NetVista Debuts!
~ Apple Laptop Problems ~ Cyber Patrol 'Evasion' ~ eBay Cracks Down!
~ Buffy Stakes Consoles! ~ Teen Wins $100 Grand! ~ Online University!
~ Crawly Crypt CD Site! ~ 3DO Ships BattleTanx! ~ Sword of the Beserk
-* X-Box and Dolphin Out In 2001 *-
-* Oxford English Dictionary Is Online *-
-* Washington Spam Law Ruled Unconstitutional *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
I know that last week I mentioned that it was really starting to feel
Spring-like around here in New England. And, it has been. However, you
really have to appreciate being from New England, and facing the reality
that the weather here is unpredictable! Yesterday, it was 73 degrees in my
area - a record high for here. Today I'm looking out the window and it's
snowing! It's been snowing most of the day, but fortunately we've only
about a few inches on the ground. So much for Spring! Then again, I am in
New England and know the weather will change again for the better!
I wanted to apologize to our readers for a delay in receiving last week's
issue. There was a situation which was beyond my control, however. My
primary point of distribution is through Delphi. At the turn of the new
year, SprintNet and Tymnet access to Delphi was eliminated due to cost
savings. However, their access line at the main headquarters was still
available. That is the line that I've been using. Unfortunately, the VAX
which supported that line went down the weekend before last. Although
Delphi had a back-up line, it was undependable. I could not upload or
receive my mail. And eventually, that line was gone. So, I had to wait for
new hardware and a new line to be installed - that happened sometime
yesterday! I mailed out last week's issue and uploaded the file to the
Atari Advantage Forum at that time. What are you going to do....
So, in an effort to get this week's issue out in a timely fashion, let me
just end this week's column with a little soapbox rambling. First, Happy
St. Patrick's Day! We're all officially Irish today! However, please
remember that if you're going to partake of the festivities (green beer and
the like!), please plan not to drink and drive! You may be Irish for a day,
but I seriously doubt that there are enough leprechauns around to keep you
protected from drunk driving! Party safely!
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
New Crawly Crypt CD Web Site
The Crawly Crypt now has a new web site with a free Atari download area
that has all the files (over a gig) found on the two Crawly Crypt
Collection CDs.
To download, or for info on the CDs, go to:
http://www.spythis.com/cca
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@portone.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. I'll tell right here at the start that
this is going to be a short column.
I finally got around to writing that article about Linux on the PC that
I'd been promising a friend for many, many weeks. It's funny, but even
though I don't consider writing to be work, it usually tires me out.
We'll be printing the article, titled "Linux: Chicken Soup for the
CPU?", next week. If you're interested in Linux, or 'alternative
operating systems' in general, keep an eye out for it. I must say again
that it pertains to Linux on the PC, not on an Atari, so don't get your
hopes up. I AM planning on doing an article about Linux on my TT in the
near future, but I simply haven't gotten around to it yet. Besides, I
haven't actually gotten Linux up and running the way I want it to on the
TT. I'm also waiting on an installation disk for NetBSD, another Unix
variant. When I get around to trying out both Linux and NetBSD, I'll let
you know what I think.
While systems like MiNT and MagiC probably provide faster, and
definitely more compatible, environments, there's something very
appealing about "mainstreaming" our machines. It may end up being a less
than optimum solution, but let's face it, sometimes you just gotta take
a shot.
Anyway, let's get on with the news, hints, tips, and info to be found on
the UseNet.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================================
How did Mike Marion know that I was talking about Linux? He asks:
"Does anyone have experience/impression using STonX, the ST emulator for
Linux?"
Marinos Yannikos tells Mike:
"Yeah... Works fine for me, but is rather badly maintained at the moment.
It's not only for Linux btw., it should work on most Unix boxes and has
been ported to DOS as well."
Juha Alakulppi asks:
"Is it possible to run Atari programs on my PC with an emulator program.
Some years ago I heard that there was that kind of program (maybe it was
called Janus???)
I would like have Calamus on my PC."
Fred Horvat tells Juha:
"Go to www.emulators.com and try Gemulator (Freeware). TOSBOX
(Shareware) and STonx (Freeware) which I don't have URL's for are good
also."
John Thaanum is looking for supplies for his Atari laser printer:
"The drum in my old SLM804 is going out, and the toner is getting rather
low, too. Can anybody suggest a supplier who still sells these items?
Preferably in USA for shipping reasons, but I'll order from anywhere if
necessary.
Also, are there any other printers out there that use the same print
engine and therefore might use compatible parts?"
Our friend TJ Andrews tells John:
"Best Electronics (www.best-electronics-ca.com) and B&C Computervisions
(www.myatari.com) both list drums and toner cartridges for both the
SLM804 and SLM605 printers."
Terence Kelly asks about using MagiC with Gemulator 2000:
"Has anyone had any luck getting Gemulator 2000 to work with MagiC 4 or
5. I can get the emulator to work correctly with TOS 2.06 but under
MagiC it won't read directories properly. In the file selector they
show up as 0 byte files. The larger screen modes also seem to be a bust
using MagiC. I have been trying to update the Niff (Note Interchange
File Format) file import for my ST scoring program Proscore. It would
be nice to be able to have my multitasking ST environment available on
the PC that runs my music scanning software so I could develop on one
machine. (Alas, Smartscore, the notation scanner, is not available for
the Atari). I guess I could always try MagiCPC. Does anyone know if
that is available from a dealer in the US?"
Kevin Dermott tells Terrence:
"I got it to run with all tos's but never managed Magic, I named it
properly but just got vertical b&w bars."
Stephen Moss asks for information about MIDI on the ST:
"I know someone who wants to buy an ST and use it for Midi work, what
software is available for this?, will it run on a standard 512K ST
with a floppy drive or would they be better off with a better spec ST?.
I suppose that ultimately they would be better off with a Falcon but I
don't think they want to pay they much."
Nicholas Bales tells Stephen:
"They should at least have 1Mb of RAM. There is no problem running from
a floppy for most MIDI apps. A good compromise is an STE that can start
out at 512K (but again, 1Mb is must for most programs) and be easily
upgraded to 4Mb. It's also a good idea to buy a complete Midi package
with ST, monitor and software, because it can be tricky finding
original programs nowadays."
Tim Conrardy tells Stephen and Nicholas:
"What Nick said is good as far as a machine.... the more memory the
better. Most Atari midi Apps work on 1 meg, but would be better with
more. I would like to point out that some great midi apps are now at my
site thanks to the original programmers and companies that released
them. Master Tracks Pro and RealTime are excellent sequencers which
many "professionals" swear by. However, the "biggies" like Cubase or
Notator are Not available freely, so I am "still" after them!However,
there are some people who DO sell them trying to upgrade to a better
platform for midi. (but we know better!) http://atari.atlantis-bbs.com"
Fred Horvat, who gave us a great rundown of his new Milan computer last
week, asks about NVDI:
"Is Ver. 5 of NVDI the only NVDI that will run on the Milan040? I tried
Ver. 4.11 R3 and N.AES bombs horribly. Or more importantly can NVDI any
version run at all on the Milan040? I've not tried SpeedoGDOS but I may
have to if all else fails."
Ekkehard Flessa tells Fred:
"Of course. NVDI 5.03 works perfectly on my Milan040 with both N.AES
and MagiC-Milan."
Jorgen Nyberg adds his experiences:
"I'm using NVDI 4.11 on my Milan without problems. There were some problems
too begin with but that was due too running order. Run NVDI before Mint
and comment out all the NVDISYS files and all should be fine."
Well folks, that's it for this time around. I told you it was going to
be short. I'll be back again next week with a double shot for you: The
Linux article and (hopefully) a regular length column.
Until then, keep your eye on the horizon, your shoulder to the wheel,
and your ears open so that you can hear what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - Dolphin and X-Box Delayed Until 2001!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 'BattleTanx'! X-Box Wows GDC!
'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'!
And much more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Microsoft Sets Bold Move Into Video Game Hardware
Microsoft Corp. on Friday took the wraps off its eagerly awaited video
gaming console -- the X-Box -- the centerpiece of its plans to enter the
highly competitive video game hardware market and turn the $20 billion
industry on its head.
At a gathering of thousands of video game developers in San Jose, Calif.,
Bill Gates, Microsoft's chairman and chief software architect, unveiled a
big, aluminum X-shaped prototype of the company's first-ever video gaming
console.
``This is a huge milestone," Gates said at the Game Developers Conference.
``It's a new platform for the industry, and we are looking forward to see
what you will be doing with it."
The X-Box, which will feature's Intel microprocessors, won't go on sale
until the autumn of 2001. But Microsoft disclosed its plans and elements of
the console's architecture now to give both console developers and PC game
developers enough time to complete games for the system ahead of its launch
next year.
Despite the fanfare, some analysts and developers said the X-Box was a big
gamble for Microsoft, which has built a world-class business with its
dominant PC operating system and office applications. Its track record with
some consumer products has been spotty, most notably its failed Bob
software effort.
``There is a graveyard of Microsoft home products," said Charles Bellfield,
director of marketing communications at Sega of America, which launched its
Dreamcast console last year. "Sega has been in this market for 20 years.
Microsoft is 10-12 months away and we have a product now."
Garth Lewin, chief technology officer and co-founder of B.O.G. Interactive
Software of Tel Aviv, which develops games for the PC, said his firm will
look at developing for the X-Box.
``Because it's Microsoft, I'm going to see what they are offering," Lewin
said. ``Admittedly, Microsoft has the marketing power behind it, but so did
3DO and Panasonic," he said, referring to the failed effort a few years
ago by The 3DO Co. to launch a new gaming hardware platform.
The X-Box -- the code name of the project and possibly the name Microsoft
will eventually use to market the product -- has the advantage of being
able to tap into Microsoft's vast pool of developers who already use its
DirectX software tools to write video games for the PC.
Microsoft said the X-Box was loaded with special performance features. It
will use an Intel Corp. Pentium III processor, with a clock speed of over
600 megahertz and an Nvidia Corp. graphics processor custom-designed for
Microsoft. Microsoft said its graphics would be more than three times as
fast as those on the new Sony Corp. Playstation2.
The X-Box will also include 64 megabytes of memory and an eight-gigabyte
hard disk drive -- features usually found on PCs and not typically found in
gaming consoles. It also will come with a DVD (digital video disk) player,
and a 10 or 100 megabit Ethernet controller card, for fast Internet access
when so-called broadband services become available at home.
Microsoft said its graphics processor could generate game images at around
300 million polygons per second, two times as fast as the Sony Playstation2.
``It's pretty amazing," said Tom Russo, editor-in-chief of Next Generation,
a gaming magazine that broke the news that Microsoft was working on a
console last summer. ``Everyone is scrambling to do things differently
now...It's a very confusing battle right now."
Indeed, one of Japan's big three video game developers, Nintendo Co. Ltd.
said on Friday it was now delaying the North American and European launch
of its new gaming system, code-named the Dolphin, to the first half of
2001, from the previous date of the fourth quarter of this year.
Microsoft possibly faces its most formidable competition from the
entrenched leader, Sony, which has similar goals as the Redmond,
Wash.-based software behemoth. Both companies aim to use their gaming
consoles as a sort of entertainment Trojan Horse to get into the living
rooms of consumers, and ultimately sell more games and other content to run
on the devices.
Just last week, Sony launched its widely anticipated Playstation2 in Japan,
selling almost one million units in its first two days on the market, a
record for a new consumer electronics product. The Sony Playstation2 will
go on sale in the United States in the autumn.
``As the worldwide leader, we welcome the competition from Microsoft,"
said a spokeswoman for Sony Computer Entertainment of America. ``This is a
very exciting lucrative market. We are very flattered that a company as big
and respected as Microsoft is going after us in this market."
Microsoft declined to specify how much it planned to spend on the launch of
the X-Box, but it said it would spend more than it did on the launch of its
Windows 95 computer operating systems, which ran into the hundreds of
millions of dollars. To mark that occasion, New York's Empire State
Building was lit with the colors of the Windows logo and the Microsoft
campus in Redmond was turned into a veritable carnival.
So far, many game developers are intrigued by what Microsoft is working on
and do not deny the potential to challenge Sony. Others are ``cautiously
optimistic, because it is a year and a half away," said Rick Doherty,
director of research at Envisioneering in Seaford, N.Y.
``We are very excited," said Tom Dusenberry, president of Hasbro
Interactive, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc. and the No. 3 developer of PC
video games. Hasbro plans to have about six titles available at the launch.
``We think the business is going through a paradigm change. With
Microsoft's X-Box and Sony's Playstation2, we are going beyond the game
business, we are going to home entertainment."
Gates Gets Microsoft Into the Games
One thing Bill Gates has over Sony in the battle to lure software
developers to his upcoming X-Box gaming console is this: The chairman of
giant software maker Microsoft is a gaming geek speaking to gaming geeks.
But convincing the game-buying public, which spends $15 billion a year on
game hardware and software, might be a tougher sell.
He's got the game makers. That was clear Friday, when he addressed about
10,000 of them at the packed San Jose Civic Auditorium, in an hour-long
event that was a cross between a long infomercial and an evangelical
gathering. To begin with, these jeans-wearing developers had to stand for
about an hour on a line that snaked clear around the block just to hear
Gates, but still gave him a rowdy welcome that Al Gore would dream of.
Gates got initial laughs and applause from the crowd by showing off a game
his then-fledgling company sold in 1981 for the Apple 2 computer. It
featured a stick figure diving off a platform so rudimentally drawn that it
had to be labeled "platform." The game was a reminder that Gates has been
in the gaming world a long time.
But it was the strength of the technology that won over the attendees here.
"I was wowed," says programmer Robert Lee, who is starting up his own game
company. "Normally, I'm really critical of stuff Microsoft has done in the
past."
What's so great? A hard drive on the console, something no other console
has. That will allow developers to add characters and upgrade or tweak
games after a consumer has bought it. That could create a new model -- sell
a game, then sell game extras. "You will be able to do some incredible
stuff with that," Lee says. "That's the one piece that has been missing
from game consoles until now."
The other allure of the X-Box, says Dan Duncalf, president of game
developer Pipeworks Software , is that it is based on existing platforms --
Windows and DirectX, and a programmer will be able to use existing tools
and debugging programs. That will significantly cut time to market, which
will save money.
Full development of a game will cost his company between $1 million and $5
million in engineering time to develop, he says, and using pre-existing
tools can shave off months and bring that figure closer to the $1 million
mark. Pipeworks has been working with Microsoft to develop games for the
X-Box since October. "We thought it was perfect," says Duncalf. "We are
putting our best product on the X-Box."
For Duncalf, this was no easy decision to make. His company, like the
majority of game makers here, is a small start-up that's made up of a
handful of programmers and artists and is self-funded. Not many venture
capitalists open their purses to this scrappy industry -- even if combined
sales of hardware and software produced $15 billion last year. To write
first for Microsoft might make it more difficult to sell his programs to
Sony, whose Playstation 2 is already sold in Japan and will be on sale in
the U.S. this fall, a year ahead of Microsoft's X-Box.
But whether the enthusiasm of game developers will translate to enthusiasm
of game buyers is another story.
Watching demos of new games on a Sony screen, one game developer commented
that no one can predict what games will sell. He pointed out that Tetris ,
a game in which a player arranges falling blocks, remains one of the
bestselling games of all time, and lacks explosions, complex plots or fancy
3-D graphics.
Nick Moore, a fund manager at Jurika & Voyles , who is an avid video game
player, says he doesn't expect to see consumers lining up to buy the X-Box.
"The probability is that Microsoft won't get anywhere with it," he says.
For the foreseeable future, he says, Microsoft's challenge won't be against
Sony so much, because the Playstation will dominate the market by the end
of the year, but against Sega and Nintendo for second place. But that will
be just 15% or so of the market, he says.
Moore says that just because Microsoft might promise the best technology
platform, it hasn't been able to deliver on that promise often. Windows CE
for hand-held devices and WebTV have not been popular, Moore says, and
there is no reason to expect that Microsoft will do any better on the X-Box
than with those products.
And just because developers like Microsoft, doesn't mean they dislike Sony,
he says. They don't. "Sony's developer relations are quite good," he says.
Duncalf acknowledged that he is working now on games for the Sony
Playstation and plans to be on both platforms.
Once a gaming platform makes its way into living rooms, it will stay there
for about five years, Moore says. And that means that Microsoft's best
chance of dominating the market won't be until the next cycle, which might
begin in 2003 or later. For this cycle, Microsoft is already too late, he
says.
Nintendo: New Console Won't Debut Until 2001
In a case of bad timing, Nintendo has confirmed that the release of its
next-generation game console will be delayed until 2001, which likely will
coincide with the release of Microsoft's first console.
Nintendo announced the release of the console, code-named Dolphin, will be
pushed back until the first half of 2001. Nintendo had previously said it
would release the product sometime this year.
The delay comes as Nintendo competitors Sega, Sony and now Microsoft
increasingly are stealing the gaming pioneer's thunder. Sega and Sony both
have beaten Nintendo to the punch with the release of the Dreamcast and
the PlayStation 2, respectively. Intended as home-entertainment hubs
rather than mere game players, these consoles include features such as
Internet connectivity and DVD players, as well as high-speed graphics and
processing power.
Microsoft announced a similarly robust console, the X-Box, at an industry
event last week.
Because of the vigorous hardware and connectivity options associated with
these products--such as the 600-MHz Intel Pentium III included in
Microsoft's X-Box plans--many analysts believe that game consoles will be
an important part of the wave of limited-function Net appliances.
But the vision of the home entertainment network powered by a gaming
console is just that, some analysts say, a vision that may never be
embraced by consumers.
"People say that the living room will be the battleground of the future
for home entertainment. That's not true--the living room has always been
the battleground for home entertainment," said Billy Pidgeon, an analyst
with Jupiter Communications, referring to Microsoft and Sony's grand plans
for their game consoles.
"It's a bit of posturing by both Sony and Microsoft. It's certainly
something that could happen through the game console, but it's three to
five years off, and a lot could happen in that time," he said.
Overall, the market for devices, including TV set-top boxes, handheld
computers and gaming consoles, is set to grow from 11 million units
shipped in 1999 to 89 million units in 2004. The market will grow from
revenues of $2.4 billion last year to $17.8 billion in 2004, according to
market research firm International Data Corp.
Nintendo has disclosed that the Dolphin will run on a 400-MHz processor
from IBM and a graphics chip from ArtX, and will include a DVD drive.
Although more extensive information is not yet available, Nintendo
executives have indicated the company will buck the current trend and
focus the product's capabilities primarily on gaming.
"We're building a machine with only one purpose--to play video games,"
said Minoru Arakawa, president of Nintendo of America in a statement
confirming the shipping delay of Dolphin. Nintendo is known for games
featuring characters such as Pokemon, Zelda and the Mario Brothers.
Nintendo may have a lot of ground to make up by the time Dolphin is
released. By 2001, Sony's PlayStation 2 and Sega's Dreamcast will have
been shipping for well over a year and will have built up libraries of
game titles. At the same time, Microsoft, a company known for high-profile
product launches, will be gearing up for the release of the X-Box, it's
first major hardware product.
For its part, Nintendo asserts the delay is nothing but a boon to
consumers, who will be able to play and buy new titles for their existing
machines without upgrading their hardware.
"A 2001 launch for Project Dolphin is not only in keeping with the normal
product life span for our home consoles," said Peter Main, executive vice
president of sales and marketing. "It allows the millions of current
Nintendo 64 owners to devote their video game dollars to the best lineup
of new games in our history without having to buy a new system."
3DO Ships BattleTanx: Global Assault For PlayStation
The 3DO Company Tuesday announced that the BattleTanx: Global Assault game
for the PlayStation game console began shipping this week to retail outlets
throughout North America and online shopping sites. Created from the ground
up especially for the hottest gaming platform, the BattleTanx: Global
Assault game features 40 campaign levels of which more than half are unique
to the PlayStation game console, a new city, cool new tanks and weapons,
and the powerful story of a father's fierce battle to protect his son.
The previous BattleTanx game, released on the Nintendo 64 game system,
spent several weeks at the top of the console sales and rental charts,
reaching No.3 on the Top 10 Videogame Shooter Titles as reported by MCV,
and No.15 on the Top 20 Renting Games as reported by GameWEEK.
In the BattleTanx: Global Assault game, players battle or ally with a host
of desperate armed gangs in a struggle for survival in post-apocalyptic
U.S. and Europe. The game features 13 different tanks, including three
entirely new models, and an arsenal of explosive new weaponry for maximum
mayhem. Varied terrain and underground tunnels create opportunities for
strategy and deception as players explore the highly detailed, war-savaged
landscape in Washington D.C., London, Paris, Berlin and Russia.
The action never lets up with six modes of play, plus Family Mode. Players
can experience the engaging storyline through rich cinematics in the
single- and two-player campaign modes as they join Griffin Spade in his
battle against Cassandra and her obsessive quest to kidnap his child and
use his mysterious powers for her own ends. An impressive variety of
multiplayer modes feature no-holds-barred action against a friend and the
computer. Even novice players can jump right into the fray in the popular
Family Mode.
``The PlayStation game console has great sound and graphic abilities that
allow us to create a cool, immersive universe that really gets the player
involved in the story," said Trip Hawkins, chairman and CEO of The 3DO
Company. ``Add to that a host of kick-ass tanks and hardcore action on a
massive scale, and you have all the ingredients for a really fun game
that'll keep players hooked for hours."
`Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Stakes Out Gaming Platforms
Fox Interactive Wednesday announced its plans to publish ``Buffy the
Vampire Slayer," a game based on the popular television series, for Sega
Dreamcast, PlayStation and the PC.
Scheduled for a fall 2000 release, ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is an
interactive adventure game set to deliver all the action, fighting, humor,
drama and characters from the show that fans have come to know and love.
``Fox Interactive is taking advantage of the vast number of `Slayer' fans
who want more than just their usual Tuesday night Buffy fix," stated Karly
Young, director, worldwide brand marketing. ``Of all entertainment
properties available today, `Buffy the Vampire Slayer' is THE franchise
that gamers have been asking for. Now's our chance to give gamers the
opportunity to live out their own Buffy adventures anytime they feel the
need to kick some serious vampire butt."
``Buffy the Vampire Slayer" will be a third-person action adventure game
where players take on the role of Buffy Summers, a typical high school
cheerleader by day and a fierce, but savvy, destroyer of the undead by
night.
With the help of her allies and featured characters from the TV series --
Angel, Xander, Cordelia, Willow, Oz and Giles -- Buffy must destroy the
enemy by using her slaying powers, martial arts, slaying senses and quick
healing ability. The game combines action, fighting, drama, humor,
exploration and puzzle solving in rich interactive 3-D environments.
Players will have the opportunity to play this game in environments that
are familiar to fans of the show such as Sunnydale High School, the
cemetery, town square, the shopping mall, The Bronze nightclub and Buffy's
home. ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is a game that invites all Buffy fans to
join her at her favorite haunts where it's up to action adventure-loving
gamers to save the world from vampires, demons and the forces of darkness
-- keeping the human race from being literally drained.
To maintain the authentic look and feel from the popular TV series, the
producers and creators of the shows, ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and
``Angel," will play an active role in the development of this title.
Developed by The Collective, a Southern California-based game developer,
the ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer" design team will create detailed and
extremely accurate character and environment depictions from the TV series
and apply them to the interactive game.
Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage Is Now Shipping Sega Dreamcast
Eidos Interactive announced that Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage is now
shipping to retail stores for Sega Dreamcast.
Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage is an action/brawler that features some of
the most beautiful visuals to date on the Sega Dreamcast in addition to an
intense and engrossing storyline that unfolds over the course of play.
Originally a popular comic that started in the 70s, Berserk has built an
incredible fan base around the world and the video game conversion has
proven to be a great success overseas.
Gamers will assume the role of Guts, a mercenary in search of a cure for
his girlfriend's mysterious illness. Traveling across the countryside, Guts
stumbles upon a village that has fallen victim to a horrible plague.
In order to get to the root of the evil, Guts must hack and slash his way
through hundreds of enemies and terrifying bosses in order to lift the
plague and restore the land. Guts' arsenal includes a gigantic sword, an
arm mounted automatic crossbow, throwing knives, an arm cannon, and
grenades. Accompanied by an incredible soundtrack, Sword of the Berserk:
Guts' Rage delivers hours of mature gameplay with numerous secrets to keep
gamers coming back for more.
Paul Baldwin, vice president of Marketing states, ``March is a big month
for Sega Dreamcast titles and we are excited that Sword of the Berserk
stands out among the crowd. It's a perfect blend of action and story that
must be seen to be believed."
Take-Two Interactive Software's Rockstar Games
Announces Oni for the Playstation 2
Rockstar Games, Take Two Interactive Software, Inc.'s high end video game
publishing division, is pleased to announce it is developing Bungie
Software's critically-acclaimed, ONI for the PlayStation2 computer
entertainment system. Rockstar is developing the title internally in
conjunction with award-winning Bungie Software who are developing the title
for release on PC and Mac formats. All formats of this highly anticipated
game will be released simultaneously and will benefit from a high impact
marketing campaign that effectively combines the budgetary and creative
resources of both companies.
Oni takes place in a multi-elevation 3D urban jungle designed by architects
for maximum realism and consistency. With art drawn by anime specialists
and code written by some of the brightest talents in 3D graphics, Oni will
undoubtedly challenge players' conceptions of what is possible in a
videogame.
Complex technologies bring Oni's world to stunning life. Radiosity effects
paint the setting with natural light. Oni uses interpolation in its
character animations, which means that Konoko can sprint forward, tuck into
a dive roll, and then pop up into a flying kick, all in one smooth,
continuous movement, reacting instantaneously to the controls.
Oni tells the story of Konoko, an elite cop and one-woman SWAT team whose
approach to fighting crime is a devastating combination of rational
calculation and fighting fury. She is also a woman divided and haunted by
shadows in her past, by oni (``ghosts" or ``demons" in Japanese). Oni
seamlessly blends hand-to-hand martial arts combat and gunplay into a
single, new third-person 3D action hybrid, ``full contact action." When
your gun runs out of ammo, drop it and take out your opponents with flying
kicks and neck-snapping throws. If you knock an opponent's gun out of his
hand, you can grab it and finish off a roomful of them in a blaze of fire.
If the action gets too intense, kill the lights, prime a concussion grenade
and dive through a window while the room explodes above you!!
Bungie CEO Alexander Seropian said ``Oni and the PlayStation 2 were made
for each other. The remarkable speed and power of the PlayStation 2 is the
perfect complement to the vast environments, cutting-edge technology and
wide-ranging action of Oni. Oni's blend of martial arts and gunplay is
unique, and its anime setting makes it perhaps the most stylish game we've
done yet, so bringing it to console involves many challenges. Fortunately,
Rockstar has it all. We're as impressed with their sense of style as we are
with their talent for game design, and can't wait to see the result of our
mutual effort to bring together this excellent game and excellent
platform."
Sam Houser, president of Rockstar Games, added, ``We are extremely excited
to bring the groundbreaking action of Oni to the PlayStation 2 in
conjunction with Bungie Software. The development teams at Bungie are some
of the most respected in the industry and they have successfully challenged
the accepted limits of traditional game development. They understand what
it takes to make great games and we at Rockstar's internal development
teams have the talent and experience to maximize the PlayStation 2
development hardware. Oni will challenge and change the face of traditional
action games on PlayStation 2."
Electronic Arts Lets You Dream, Build and Grind
With Street Sk8er 2 for the Playstation
Have you ever seen something and thought to yourself, I can make it better
than that?
Well, with skate parks at least, you can in Street Sk8er 2, the sequel to
the highly successful first-ever skateboarding game for the PlayStation
game console system. This latest version from Electronic Arts includes a
brand new feature that allows players to create their very own unique skate
park, in addition to offering wide-open skating arenas in five
international cities as well as 10 all-new customizable characters.
The ability to think big and build the skate park of their dreams is sure
to appeal to gamers who to date have only been able to skate in parks
predetermined by games With Street Sk8er 2, quarter pipes, half pipes,
bowls, rails and ramps can be placed in any manner within the abandoned
warehouse that serves as the skate parks' home. Killer combinations can be
created such as a long rail grind straight into a bowl, or ramp up into a
quarter pipe. Spontaneity and imagination are the only tools needed to
build a fun fantasy skate park. Best of all, the parks can be saved onto
memory cards for trading or competing with friends.
Also adding to the game's appeal is the ability to skate through five major
international cities, unlocking hidden bonuses as players progress. Cities
such as San Francisco, Moscow, Miami, Washington D.C. and London are
recreated in Street Sk8er 2 as if designed by an experienced street skater.
Virtually every surface on the city streets is skateable. Players can grind
off the curbs on San Francisco's world-famous curvy Lombard Street, jump
off cannons in Moscow's Red Square, roll over taxis in London or pull off
insane tricks in the empty swimming pools of a Miami hotel. Each city is
also filled with an abundance of breakable objects that can be discovered
and busted for added points. There are also numerous animated objects that
affect gameplay such as the moving escalators in the Moscow subway. Evade
police cars chasing you in the streets San Francisco, or watch the lunar
modular being launched while visiting the Smithsonian Museum in DC.
Street Sk8er 2 features 10 all new customizable characters, each with
individual skater attributes that affect gameplay. Certain characters may
excel in speed, others may be experts in maneuvering, while still others
perform the best tricks. Four characters are available at the beginning of
the game and as players progresses through the game they unlock more
characters and build skills such as cornering and jumping that make their
character stronger, resulting in bigger air and more time to pull off
`phat' tricks. The extra skills will also enable players to reach places in
the cities that were previously inaccessible. Once players build up a
character they can be saved onto a memory card to be played later or
against friends. Street Sk8er 2 also offers 30 skateboard designs for the
player to choose to ride, including the latest models from Powell
Skateboards.
Skating takes place in three distinct modes, Street Tour, Free Skate and
Multiplayer. In the five level Street Tour, players race against the clock
while performing mind-boggling tricks for points through the streets of
Moscow, London, San Francisco, Miami and Washington DC in addition to Vert
events such as Big Air, Bowl, Half Pipe, Rooftop Park and Noah's Park. In
all, the player will compete in 10 championship events in Street Tour.
Street Sk8er 2 also features Free Skate mode, where the player is allowed
to explore tracks, without the pressure of a timer, to practice moves and
master courses. Multiplayer mode features two-player split screen or four
player serial skating action in addition to Pool Duel, a mini split screen
game where the first player to break five of his opponent's boxes wins.
In Street Sk8er 2, players can choose from two trick control systems that
determine the difficulty of each level. Those who want to jump right into
grinding heaven can select Amateur mode for easy pick up and play with over
200 tricks at the push of a button. Skaters who want more of a challenge
can go for ultimate control over executing fly tricks and dope combinations
in Pro mode.
The sweet soundtrack for Street Sk8er 2 includes kickin' music from seven
Warner Bros. bands. The soundtrack features 12 songs from killer artists
including Deftones, Ministry, Citizen King, Showoff, Static-X, Shootyz
Groove, 8stops7 and Del The Funky Homosapien. In addition, the soundtrack
contains one song from the Chick Magnets, who recently won a band search
contest sponsored by Electronic Arts and Heckler Magazine.
Street Sk8er 2 for the PlayStation was developed by Micro Cabin and is
being published by Electronic Arts in North America. The game carries an
ESRB rating of ``T" (Teen) and has a MSRP of US$39.95. The game supports
Dual Shock analog controllers.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
IBM Introduces Line of Web Computing Devices
International Business Machines Corp. on Monday introduced a new line of
personal computing devices, under the brand name NetVista, designed to
provide simplified high-speed Internet access.
IBM said in February that it would introduce the new brand of personal
computer devices designed specifically for Web access as part of a plan
to regain momentum in its struggling desktop PC business.
IBM will invest more than $100 million in marketing and advertising
campaigns to support NetVista. The products are expected to be available
for sale beginning in the second quarter, the company said.
IBM's NetVista family of products includes three computer types: high
speed Internet-access desktops; an ``all-in-one," machine that combines
a monitor with a PC unit; and a smaller PC with a flexible design to
simplify connections to printers and other peripherals.
IBM's move is part of an industry trend by computer makers to develop
lines of PC devices that make Web access easier.
Compaq Computer Corp., Dell Computer Corp. and IBM, respectively the
world's No. 1, 2 and 3 PC makers, have each developed lines of PC devices
that make Web access easier.
IBM also said it would introduce several NetVista-related support and
service programs, such as a monthly subscription for software, services
and hardware.
On Feb. 23, IBM landed its first major customer for its new Web access
devices, No. 1 U.S. mutual fund company Fidelity Investments. Last week
IBM said it signed deals with local telephone providers Bell Atlantic
Corp. and SBC Communications Inc. to test IBM's Web access devices.
eBay Moves Against Prank Bids
Previously stung by prank bids on high-profile auctions, eBay announced
today that it is taking steps to crack down.
The leading online auction house will soon require customers to register
their credit card numbers before placing bids of $5,000 or more. Those who
afterward make prank bids will be suspended from the system.
While participants may have to sacrifice some of their privacy in order to
make high-price bids, the system is not that much different from the
methods offline auction houses have used to authenticate auction bidders,
Gartner Group e-commerce analyst Rob Labatt said.
"It will weed out the people that aren't serious," Labatt said.
Earlier this year, bidding for the Year2000.com domain reached $10 million
on eBay. But all of the top bids for the domain turned out to be either
pranks or were subsequently withdrawn.
A similar episode happened last year, when users bid up the price on a new
BMW sports utility vehicle to $500,000, or more than 9 times its retail
price. Many of those bids also turned out to be hoaxes.
In examining past prank bids, eBay found that many of them were placed
either by people who didn't have credit cards or who would have been
discouraged from placing such bids if they were required to submit their
credit cards, company spokesman Kevin Pursglove said.
The new requirement is meant solely to discourage prank bids. eBay will
not charge customers' credit cards for the amount they bid, nor hand over
their credit card number to sellers, Pursglove said.
"We want to send the message that bids are now binding," he said.
In addition to prank bids, eBay also went through a rash of bogus auctions
last year with people auctioning off everything from 500 pounds of
marijuana to an unborn baby--to eBay itself.
Meeting About Web Domain Names Ends
The Internet's oversight committee ended a conference Friday without a
final decision on introducing new domain name suffixes to help head off a
shortage of ".com" names.
While not taking concrete action, the board of the Internet Corporation
for Assigned Names and Numbers approved a series of resolutions and
pledged to study proposals received Friday on the possible introduction
of new suffixes.
The proposals were not made public. ``We can't be more specific yet because
we don't know how this will progress," said board chair Esther Dyson.
As choice domain names become scarce, some are being resold by
entrepreneurs for large sums of money. If ICANN, which functions as an
Internet oversight board, decides to increase the range of Net addresses,
suffixes such as ".info" and ".shop" could be added.
For example, while ``journalist.com" and its ".net" and ".org"
variations have already been claimed, the new suffixes could make
``journalist.info" or ``journalist.news" available.
ICANN has been looking into the introduction of new suffixes for more than
a year. It has moved slowly as it grappled with questions about trademark
ownership and other commercial implications.
On Friday, the board assigned a committee to offer recommendations on
trademarks and new domain names by April 20. To aid in the committee's
report, the board decided to ask the World Intellectual Property
Organization to provide ICANN with a list of globally famous trademarks,
which board members said would help the organization's assessment.
The U.S. government is shifting administration of the domain-name system
to ICANN, which was established in 1998 and is based in Marina del Rey,
Calif.
As ICANN's authority grows, questions about who controls it have arisen.
The 19-member board was considering elections for nine of its spots this
fall with indirect input from 6,000 Internet users who applied for free
membership. But critics question the fairness of the representation and
selection process.
The board decided Friday that five of the positions would be decided
through elections and that the other four board members would be chosen
by a nominating committee made up of ICANN members.
``We are a corporation. This is how corporations work - nominating
suitable candidates," board member Greg Crew said.
The board, which next meets in Japan in July, also agreed on qualifications
for hiring a permanent CEO and decided to hold quarterly meetings beginning
next year.
All ICANN resolutions and proposals are published online at
http://www.icann.org, where members can voice their opinions before the
board makes any final decisions. Internet users are still able to apply
for membership at http://members.icann.org.
Washington Spam Law Unconstitutional
A Washington state judge ruled today that the state's antispam law, one of
the strongest in the nation, is unconstitutional. That ruling came, the
judge dismissed the first lawsuit brought by the state against an
individual who had sent junk e-mails.
King County Superior Judge Palmer Robinson ruled that the law violates the
interstate-commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution because it is "unduly
restrictive and burdensome," hurting legitimate businesses more than it
helps consumers.
The 1998 statue bans commercial e-mail with misleading information in the
subject line, an invalid reply address or a disguised path of transmission
across the Internet. The law was enacted after consumers and ISPs
complained to the attorney general's office about the deluge of spam.
Under the law, Washington stated-based individuals, ISPs or the state's
attorney general office can file civil suit against those sending spam.
The lawsuit was brought by the state's Attorney General Christine
Gregoire's office against Jason Heckel of Salem, Oregon. The suit was
prompted by 17 complaints to the office that Heckel had sent
"get-rich-quick for $39.95" messages. In one complaint, the person alleges
that money had been sent and the promised product was never received.
The assistant state attorney Regina Cullen, who is handling the case, was
disappointed in the ruling. Cullen stated, "Misleading speech is not
protected by the First Amendment. Why should interstate-commerce
considerations override that fact?"
Given the subject is "extremely timely and worthy of consideration by a
higher court." Cullen believes an appeal will be filed before the April 10
deadline after an internal review. According to Cullen, "We are very
interested in the issues."
Several individuals and corporations have filed suits, starting in July of
1998. Of the cases previously disposed, all have either been settled or
have judgements against the spammers.
Can States Ban Spam?
A Washington state court said no.
A Washington state trial judge last Friday struck down as unconstitutional
the state's antispam law.
By questioning the power of states to regulate e-mail, the judge's ruling
could have a major impact on future attempts to regulate e-commerce.
In his ruling, King County Superior Judge Palmer Robinson noted that
businesses would have to determine whether any e-mail recipients were
located in Washington state, in order to know whether the law applied.
According to Palmer, this determination is "unduly restrictive and
burdensome," hurts legitimate businesses more than it helps consumers, and
therefore violates the interstate-commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The Washington statute, one of the strongest in the nation, bans commercial
e-mail with misleading information in the subject line, an invalid reply
address, or a disguised path of transmission across the Internet. The law
allows individuals, ISPs and the state attorney general's office to sue for
actual damages or $500 to $1,000 per e-mail.
The Washington state attorney general's office filed the lawsuit in
October 1998 after receiving 17 complaints against Jason Heckel of Salem,
Oregon. Heckel, who operates a business called Natural Instincts, sent
out e-mails with a false return address, a header that stated "Did I get
the right e-mail address?" and a message for a $39.95 package, "How to
Profit From the Internet."
Heckel was alleged to have sent between 100,000 and 1,000,000 messages a
week and sold 30 to 50 packages a month, however one complainant alleged
she never received the package after sending Heckel the money. The suit
sought $2,000 damages per incident, attorney's fees, and an injunction
barring further transmission of junk e-mail.
The assistant state's attorney Regina Cullen said she was disappointed in
the ruling. "Misleading speech is not protected by even the First
Amendment. Why should interstate-commerce considerations override that
fact?" Cullen asked.
Heckel's attorney, Dale Crandall, argued that the messages were a form of
interstate commerce covered by the interstate commerce clause of the U.S.
Constitution. The clause gives Congress primary authority to regulate
interstate commerce; states may pass laws impacting interstate commerce
provided they don't interfere with Congressional authority or have
Congressional permission to do so. Many states successfully have enacted
consumer protection laws under this interpretation.
Stephen Attobelli, Direct Marketing Association's spokesperson, could not
comment on the ruling but emphasized the organization's guidelines for
commercial e-mail, which call for use of accurate headers, contact
information, and opt-out lists. "We want to make sure that consumers have
fair disclosure," said Attobelli.
As the subject is "extremely timely and worthy of consideration by a
higher court," Cullen believes the attorney general's office will file an
appeal. "We are very interested in the issues," she added.
Several others have filed previous suits based on the law; earlier cases
have been settled or resulted in judgements against the spammers. The
ruling by Robinson only applies to the Heckel case and will not serve as
legal precedent unless upheld on appeal.
Brady Johnson, who filed the first suit based on the Washington law,
painted a black picture if the ruling was upheld in federal court.
Johnson, a specialist in interstate-commerce law, believes that "the same
principles about interstate commerce applied in this case could be used
to invalidate the consumer-protection laws of every state and force
Congress to hurry up and enact consumer protection. In the mean time, the
right of any business to use deceptive practices would exceed the rights
of consumers."
Johnson thinks it unlikely that the ruling will stand, however. He said:
"There are state and federal junk fax laws that have never been reserved
on Constitutional ground. I would be very surprised if this ruling wasn't
reversed.
"Besides," he added, "is it a burden to require spammers to use honest
headers?. I don't think so."
Apple Laptop Users May Experience Data Glitch
Some Apple Computer customers who recently bought iBook or PowerBook
notebook computers may have trouble rousing their computers from sleep
mode because of a nasty problem with data corruption.
Some customers have been posting complaints to Internet sites of problems
with iBook computers where their computers go into the notebook's version
of a coma--they can't restart the system from the low-power mode notebooks
go into when they aren't being used.
Late last week, Apple posted information on its site acknowledging the
problem with some iBooks as well as the recently revised PowerBook
systems.
"In rare circumstances when available memory is low, putting an iBook or
PowerBook (FireWire) to sleep with this feature enabled can cause some
critical file system data to get overwritten. This will result in a
flashing question mark the next time the computer is started up," Apple
said in the document. Apple officials could not be reached for comment.
"That's nasty," commented Dataquest analyst Chris LeTocq, who deems the
possibility of having to wipe a hard disk clean severe enough that Apple
should consider paying for cases where people have to take damaged
computers to the shop to have their data recovered.
For those worried about the problem, LeTocq advises (as does Apple)
disabling the function that preserves the computer's memory when put into
sleep mode. Unfortunately, that means any data that hasn't been saved will
vanish if the battery runs out of power, which in turn means that users
must remember to save the data, he said. "What we have here is a
requirement for users to change their behavior," he said.
However, such problems haven't been characteristic of the Apple portables,
LeTocq added. "Apple is held to a higher standard," he said
Essentially, something causes the computer to be unable to load the
operating system, rendering the computer useless. The glitch appears to be
related to a piece of software which is used to store the contents of
memory in a file on the hard disk drive when the notebook is placed in
"suspend" mode. Various comments posted at sites such as Macintouch, a
widely read Macintosh-focused online publication, have indicated that the
data corruption problems seem to stop after disabling the software.
Apple promises a software fix by the end of March it thinks will solve the
problem.
It is unclear at this time how many users have been affected by the
problem. It is the first case of a serious, though apparently rare, problem
for Apple's consumer portables, which were introduced last year to much
fanfare. Since its introduction, Apple's iBook has been a hit at home and
abroad. In U.S. retail stores, the iBook topped PC Data's top-seller list
in November 1999, although it has since slipped back.
Oddly enough, news of Apple's notebook memory glitch comes on the heels of
a similar problem with Dell notebooks sold in 1999.
In Dell's case, 200,000 to 400,000 users could experience problems "when
returning from memory self-refresh mode and/or when resuming from suspend
mode, potentially resulting in data loss and/or corruption," Dell warned
in a letter sent to customers. In Dell's case, the problem stemmed from
certain defective memory modules, not a software issue, as appears to be
the case with Apple.
In other notebook news, Apple has also noted on its site that there are
eight models of Sony digital camcorders incompatible with Apple's Final
Cut Pro video editing software on the new PowerBooks. Apple has touted
these notebooks as portable movie editing studios.
Software Company Sues Hackers
A company that makes popular software to block children from Internet
pornography is suing two computer experts for distributing a method for
kids to deduce their parents' password and access those forbidden Web
sites.
Microsystems Software Inc. of Framingham, Mass., which sells the widely
used ``Cyber Patrol" software, filed an unusual federal lawsuit Wednesday
asking a judge to order Eddy L. O. Jansson and Matthew Skala to stop
distributing their ``cphack" program immediately.
The judge's clerk said no hearing had been set because of difficulties
contacting lawyers for the defendants, who are outside the United States.
Skala, a Canadian graduate student in computer science, and Jansson,
believed to be living in Sweden, published on the Internet and in e-mail
the details about how to circumvent the filter technology in Cyber Patrol,
which sells for about $30 and is widely used in many of the nation's
elementary schools and libraries.
The pair offered a small ``cphack" utility free for downloading that, when
run on a parent's computer, discloses the password allowing access to
questionable Web sites - and also reveals the product's entire list of
more than 100,000 Internet sites deemed unsuitable for children.
Early today, activists copied the utility and details of the effort and
began distributing them across the Internet on nearly two dozen Web sites
that duplicated Jansson and Skala's original work.
Those efforts apparently were coordinated on a popular technology Web
site, www.slashdot.org, where the lawsuit was roundly condemned.
``I oppose the use of Internet filtering software on philosophical
grounds," Skala said late Wednesday in a telephone interview with The
Associated Press. ``The issue here was to see what does Cyber Patrol
actually block. Parents have a right to know what they're getting, and
without our work they wouldn't know."
In its legal filings, Microsystems said it suffered ``irreparable harm"
from the publication of the bypassing software, which it said sought to
destroy the market for its product by rendering it ineffective.
``The practical effect is that ... children may bypass their parents
efforts to screen out inappropriate materials on the Internet," the
lawsuit said.
Skala, a self-described cryptography buff who attends the University of
Victoria in British Columbia, said he spent about six weeks analyzing
Cyber Patrol with Jansson's help via e-mail from Sweden.
``One could well question how much force of law (the legal filings) have
in Sweden or in Canada," Skala said.
In an unusual legal strategy, Microsystems alleged that Skala and Jansson
violated U.S. copyright law when they reverse-engineered Cyber Patrol to
analyze it. The software's license agreement says users ``may not reverse
engineer, decompile, or disassemble the software."
Skala, who learned about the legal filings in Massachusetts from the AP,
said he planned to speak with a lawyer but suggested that his work may be
protected under a ``fair use" clause of copyright law.
Microsystems also asked the judge to order the Swedish Internet company
where the bypass utility is published to turn over records identifying
everyone who visited the Web site or downloaded the program.
The company's lawyer, Irwin B. Schwartz, said damage to its product is
``at least at a minimum" now because relatively few people were believed
to have downloaded the bypass software.
Teen Wins $100G for Encryption Plan
A 17-year-old Romanian-born girl who embedded a computer message in the
gene sequence of a strand of DNA has been named the best young scientist in
the country.
Viviana Risca, a senior at Paul D. Schreiber High School in Port
Washington, N.Y., won a $100,000 college scholarship when she bested 10
other high school seniors on Monday in the 59th Intel Science Talent
Search competition.
Risca said her project in steganography, a data encryption technology
that allows a computer user to hide a file within another file, was a
simple one. Risca, who emigrated from Romania eight years ago, embedded
the secret message ``June 6 Invasion: Normandy."
Technologies like steganography can protect sensitive electronic
information from interception or eavesdropping, but they can also wreak
havoc if used by terrorists and criminals.
Formerly known as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, the contest has
been nicknamed the ``Junior Nobel Prize." Past winners include five
Nobel laureates, nine MacArthur Foundation fellows and two Fields
medalists.
Forty finalists came here to compete for the award.
Jayce Getz, a senior at Big Sky High School in Missoula, Mont., won second
prize and a $75,000 scholarship for a math project on partition function.
And Feng Zhang, a senior at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines,
Iowa, won third prize and a $50,000 scholarship for a biochemistry project
in molecular virology.
The other winners in the top 10, their schools, the amounts of their
scholarships and their projects were:
-Alexander Schwartz, Radnor (Pa.) High School, $25,000, abstract algebra
concerning Abelian groups;
-Eugene Simuni, 18, Midwood High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., $25,000, a
biochemistry project that investigated G proteins;
-Matthew Reece, duPont Manual Magnet High School, Louisville, Ky., $25,000,
a proposal on fluid dynamics problems;
-Kerry Ann Geiler, 17,
Massapequa (N.Y.) High School,$20,000 for a project
on communication by ants;
-Elizabeth Williams, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, Rolling Hills
Estates, Calif., $20,000, perception of light and shape by the brain;
-Zachary Cohn, 17, Half Hollow Hills East High School in Dix Hills, N.Y.,
$20,000 for a study of perfect squares;
-Bob Cherng, Troy High School, Fullerton, Calif., $20,000, the transition
of ammonia and hydrogen halide into ammonium halide.
The other 30 finalists received $5,000 scholarships.
Saylor Donates $100M For Online University
Computer software billionaire Michael Saylor is donating $100 million to
start an online university he says will offer a free ``Ivy League"
education to anyone.
``Done right, this will impact the lives of millions of people forever,"
Saylor told The Washington Post in an interview. ``Done wrong, it's just
noise in a can."
Saylor, 35, is chief executive of Microstrategy, a software company based
in suburban Vienna, Va. His 44 million shares of the company are worth $13
billion on paper as of Tuesday, the Post reported in today's editions.
Saylor has no staff, specific curriculum or estimate of the ultimate cost
of his project, the Post said.
But he said he envisions online courses that would include lectures from
the world's ``geniuses and leaders" who would be videotaped at a studio to
be built somewhere in the Washington area.
The Post said Saylor planned to announce his plan today at the Greater
Washington Business Philanthropy Summit, which was started three years ago
to encourage philanthropy in the region.
He characterized his $100 million donation to his personal foundation as a
down payment toward creating what would become a nonprofit university.
``I'll contribute more over time until it's done," Saylor was quoted as
saying. ``Other philanthropists might want to come on board. If not, I'll
do it myself."
A variety of degrees already are available from Internet sites, but
Saylor's would be the first offered free, the Post said.
Oxford English Dictionary on Web
Language purists no longer have to shuffle through 20 volumes of bound
dictionary to look up one of nearly 640,000 words and phrases dissected in
the Oxford English Dictionary.
The reference book known throughout the English-speaking world as an
authority on language evolution is now a few computer key strokes away at
http://www.oed.com.
Oxford University Press launched an online dictionary service Tuesday,
charging individuals $550 for a yearly subscription and companies or
institutions $795.
The OED traces word use through more than 2.4 million popular quotations
by figures as varied as Shakespeare and U.S. film director Quentin
Tarantino.
The second edition is also available on CD-ROM and in a 20-volume book
set.
But the online version is the one that will be updated quarterly with at
least 1,000 new and revised entries, the company said.
Oxford University Press is also investing $56 million on creating a third
edition - the first full revision since the dictionary was originally
completed between 1884 and 1928.
Editors began revising at the letter ``M," because by that point in the
alphabet the original authors had achieved consistent labeling. Starting
there would give the new editors the easiest style to follow. The new
edition is to be completed in 2010.
The new words so far include ``mack," which American rap star Ice Cube
used to mean a seducer, and ``mad cow disease" to describe the human
form of the brain-wasting disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
Others are ``macoute," a Haitian term for a bad man, and ``macoun," a
Canadian term for an apple.
By the time the project is done, the number of words and phrases in the
dictionary will have grown to 1.3 million, said John Simpson, chief
editor of the dictionary.
=~=~=~=
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