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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 07 Issue 09
Volume 7, Issue 9 Atari Online News, Etc. February 25, 2005
Published and Copyright (c) 1999 - 2005
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- "CC: Classic Chips"
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
Thomas J. Andrews -- "Keeper of the Flame"
With Contributions by:
Kevin Savetz
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=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0709 02/25/05
~ eBay 'Shill Bid' Suit! ~ People Are Talking! ~ New Sober Worm!
~ Spyware Bills Rev Up! ~ HP's Expiration Code? ~ Sony Readies PSP!
~ Premium Hotmail Glitch ~ Brits Add Virus Alerts ~ At-Home Work Scams!
~ Lexmark Loses Ink Suit ~ Retro Roundup News! ~ EA Sued Over OT!
-* FBI E-mail Virus Hoax Warning *-
-* UN To End Internet Tug of War Soon! *-
-* E-Mail Scams With Ties to Homeland Security *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
I'm probably going to regret saying this, but it hasn't been one of "those
weeks" this past week. That's not to say that everything was terrific, but
overall it wasn't too bad. Sure, I'm still shaking off the remnants of a
nagging cold. And yes, we're supposed to get more snow and sub-freezing
temperatures. And it wasn't bad that the bosses were away for the week!
I was quite busy, so I didn't get a chance to do some more research on our
trip down memory lane. But, I'll get back on track. If I can shake off
this nasty bug. I hope so - I'm getting itchy to start seeing some omen of
Spring soon. Winter, I've had enough for one season.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
Retro Roundup Provides Classic Computing News
Have trouble keeping up with the web's numerous classic video game and
classic computing news sites? Retro Roundup (http://www.retroroundup.com)
is a new site that serves as a one-stop source for classic computing and
retro video game news. Retro Roundup collects headlines from more than a
dozen sites, newsgroups, and other news sources into a single page,
including AtariAge and comp.sys.atari.announce.
You can customize the site: click Set As Favorite to move any site to the
top of the page, or Remove to hide a site's headlines from view.
http://www.retroroundup.com
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
joe@atarinews.org
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Sorry for missing you last week, but I was
a hurtin' pup. Sinus infections are never fun, but this sucker just
didn't (doesn't) want to let go.
I'm feeling better now, but not back to normal. The one thing I keep
thinking to myself is... "I never got this sick back when I was still
smoking". <chuckle>
I just passed 2 years without a cigarette. I still miss them, and I'm
always close to picking up a pack. So far I haven't, but you never know.
I saw something in the newspaper last week about an entire generation of
'kids' coming up against criticism for the first time and having a hard
time accepting that they could possibly be the object of anything but
praise.
I've got a couple of problems with the article, because they went too far
in some aspects and not far enough in others.
First of all, it's not ALL kids in their 20's. From reading the article,
you get the impression that every twenty-something out there is socially
retarded. That's just not the case. I know too many good 'kids' to fall
for that. But I HAVE noticed that there seems to be a much higher
incidence of socially maladjusted, self-involved "neo-yuppies" who feel
entitled.
What surprised me about the article was that anyone was surprised about
it. We've spent the past 2 or 3 decades feeling that we were entitled to
whatever we wanted. Is it any wonder that our young 'caught the fever'?
I have a hard time believing that this is a new phenomenon. This is
probably something that ebbs and flows throughout history and it's only
our split-second technology that allows us to see it now. I can picture
the same thing happening in ancient Rome, and perhaps even in Babylon
before that.
Anyway, I've been complaining about 'neo-yuppies' for quite a while, and
I feel some vindication now that someone else has actually noticed it.
See that? It really is the small victories in life that make things
worthwhile.
Now let's get to the news, hints, tips and info available from the
UseNet.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================================
Brian Roland asks about his "clicking" floppy drives:
"All my ST class machines keep an active floppy drive when booting from
the hard drive...an endless click till a floppy is shoved in its
clicking jaws.
Is there per chance an auto folder utility that'll put drive A: to
sleep till it's needed? Know where I might find it if does happen to
exist?"
Michael Bernstein tells Brian:
"I remember this problem from my old Ataris. Old TOS versions don't switch
the floppy drive off, if they boot from hard disk. I don't know which TOS
solves that problem. I think, it was not present in my TOS 1.04.
Many years ago I wrote I auto folder utility for my personal use to solve
this problem. If you like to give my program a chance, I can put it on my
download page."
Brian replies:
"Yes Michael, I'd much like to try this utility.
Thanks!
My Mega 4 has a Wizztronics TOS 2.06 compatibility plus board, and an
XTRA RAM 8 board. The drive light does stay on if booted with an empty
floppy drive.
My STacy 4 has TOS 1.4 on a 2 chip set. It behaves the same way.
It seems to me the drive does continue to spin..tho' I might be
wrong...I haven't gotten 'that close' to the thing to be sure.
STacy: The less drain on the aging power supply the better. It also
has a hard drive in it that's pretty power hungry and runs pretty
hot...keeping a floppy in the drive for very long is sure to see it get
cooked before its time.
Mega: Again, the power supply is aging. The XTRA RAM also demands
quite a few more milliamps than intended from the stock power
supply....so the less useless drain of power, I feel the better."
'Jorge' adds:
"Yes, the motor keeps spinning. That's perfectly normal. Actually, that's
the reason that the led stays on. TOS waits until motor is off before
deselecting the drive (deselecting the drive will turn off the led).
Motor off is handled automatically by the FDC. The FDC turns the motor
off signal after being idle for 9 revolutions. But without a disk, the
drive will not produce index pulse signals, the FDC will never detect
any revolutions, and will keep motor on all the time. If motor stays on,
then TOS doesn't deselect the drive and the led stays on.
Whatever utility you get to turn off the led, it should do that only
indirectly. If it just deselects the drive then the motor will still keep
spinning. So the fix is to reset the FDC and NOT to deselect the drive.
Once the FDC turns off the motor TOS will deselect the drive and turn off
the led."
'Don' asks about an FPU for his Falcon030:
"Does anyone know if I can use a 68882 33mhz FPU in a Falcon? I have just
a plain Falcon no upgrades. I know it should be using a 16mhz but, I
have a couple 33mhz that I thought I could use. I'm NOT looking for a
increase in performance by using the 33mhz, just a replacement."
Mike Freeman tells Don:
"I have a 33MHz version in mine. Works just fine!"
Mark Bedingfield adds:
"Yup, just plug one in. It uses a PLCC type chip, the socket is under the
power supply. FWIR, it is only a 16Mhz FPU on a stock Falcon, so your
33Mhz chip should be fine. Both my Falcons have one. It is just nice to
fill the socket."
Brian Roland asks about updating the TOS version in his STacy:
"Anyone know right off the bat if TOS 2.06 works in a STacy?
Mine currently has TOS 1.4 on a two chip set as part of the STacy 4
memory board (holds 4 1mb SIMMS and a two chip TOS set).
Main reason I'm considering the upgrade is the built in time delays for
drives and whatnot to spin up...of course the other benefits would be
nice as well."
Steve Sweet tells Brian:
"That requirement can be met with NoRoach as well as other 3rd party
utils."
Stephane Perez posts this about his 'new' MegaST4:
"I have some questions about a Mega ST4 someone gave me and an AT-Speed
C-16. Here is a photo of the whole thing :
http://strider.mjjprod.free.fr/_temp_/mega_st_vue_generale.jpg
- Can anyone give me information about the AT-Speed C-16 card? How to
plug it, how to run it, which software using, etc.
- What are the two green wires and the kind of power wires (red & black)
soldered to the AT-Speed? Here is the picture :
http://strider.mjjprod.free.fr/_temp_/mega_st_atspeed.jpg
- Now about the Mega ST. On the case it is written "Mega ST4" so I
presume it is a 4-Meg machine? But I ran several system tools
(Sysinfo...) and they all tell me it is a 2-Meg machine! Here is the
photo of the motherboard:
http://strider.mjjprod.free.fr/_temp_/mega_st_ram.jpg
- On the same picture, there are 4 free slots (EPROMS?) on the left
(below the MC 68000). Do you know what is it?
- Just below the power supply there is a free slot, as you can see on
this picture: http://strider.mjjprod.free.fr/_temp_/mega_st_alim.jpg
The right slot is used to feed the motherboard, but what about the left
one? Maybe for feeding the expansion card?
- Last but not least... what's the J17 jumper?
The picture: http://strider.mjjprod.free.fr/_temp_/mega_st_j17.jpg "
Djordje Vukovic tells Stephane:
"This photo [the one showing RAM] indeed shows that all DRAM chips are in
place and this should be a 4MB machine. For the upper 2MB to work, the
following items should also be completely functional (find and see the
schematics): the upper 2MB are the two DRAM rows nearer the centre of
the board. There should not be missing any of the 33 ohm resistors near
the middle of the front side of the board. Left of the resistors there
are two 74LS244 or (better) 74F244 chips. Towards the centre of the
board there are two 74**244 and two 74**373 (again LS or, better, F).
Sixteen data lines should go from the 'left' memory banks to these
chips. There should also be 10 multiplexed-address lines (MAD0-MAD9)
going from the MMU (a PLCC chip in the forward left corner) to the
DRAMs. As the lower 2MB appear to work, check especially the multiplexed
address line MAD9; pins on the PLCC chips like the MMU sometime tend to
loose contact. Also the control signals RAS1, CAS1L and CAS1H from the
MMU to the two 74*244 in the front, and then, buffered by the '244s,
through those resistors to the memory banks.
Check if some of the above is missing or badly done.
Yes, they are for EPROMs; if you upgrade TOS (e.g. to TOS 1.4, if you do
not have it) you will have to use six 27C256 EPROMs. You will also have
to change some jumpers and cut a trace on the motherboard (all in the
front left corner of the board).
Yes [the left slot can be used for powering an expansion card], or for
feeding an internal hard disk, or whatever. It is identical to the one
used to feed power to the motherboard, i.e. it contains +5V, ground and
+12V."
Sam F. asks for help with an 'extension cord' for his keyboard:
"I have a MegaST keyboard and Keith Scroggins' MegaST keyboard falcon
adapter, which works great btw!!!!!
Question #1: Can a phone line (such as that which connects a modem to
the phone outlet) and a coupler be used to extend the length of the
MegaST's cable?
Question #2: If that is not possible, what can I do?
I have re-cased my Falcon's motherboard in a large (30" I think) tower
case, but the MegaST keyboard cable is definitely way to short to
reach from the Falcon to the computer desk....help!!"
'Simon' tells Sam:
"A normal phone cable won't work as the MegaST needs all pins connected.
Best thing you can do is either buy a longer one, as Ronald suggests,
or you can get two RJ-11 plugs and some telephone cable and, providing
you can get the relevant pin-outs, make your own cable."
Djordje Vukovic adds:
"Yes, it will work, provided that it is a cable with four wires, and
that they are all connected, and no, Mega does not need all
pins connected. Connectors on the Mega keyboard cable have more pins,
but the outside two are the doubled power supplies which you can do
without."
Ronald Hall tells Sam:
"My understanding is that a regular phone line will *not* work, even
though it looks close.
You can buy longer Mega ST keyboard cables from some place such as Best
Electronics."
Alexander Beuscher adds:
"Or you can buy a cable and connect appropriate male and female plug to
it.
There are only 4 wires used, if I remember correctly (Vcc, GND, TxD, RxD
are the essential ones at least)."
Well folks, that's it for this week. Tune in again next week, same time,
same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - Sony Readies PSP For March!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 'Xenosaga' Sequel Ships!
GranTurismo4! EA Sued!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Sony Readies PlayStation Portable
Sony Corp. said Thursday it will release the PlayStation Portable in North
America on March 24 and have 1 million units ready for sale in the first
week.
The PSP machine, a challenger to Nintendo Co.'s long-standing grip on the
handheld video gaming market, will be sold as a "value pack" for $250 in
the United States and for $300 Canadian dollars. It will include numerous
accessories and for the first million sold a copy of the "Spider-Man 2"
movie on the new Universal Media Disc format that Sony designed for the
PSP.
Sony said it has already shipped 800,000 PSPs in Japan, where it went on
sale on Dec. 12 for about $190.
By comparison, Nintendo's newest product, the Nintendo DS sells for $150.
It was among the must-have Christmas gadgets, with more than 2.8 million
sold worldwide since its release in late November.
The PSP is designed, however, with more multimedia features. It can play
digital music, movies and display photos on its 4.3-inch color screen,
using Sony's proprietary 1.8-gigabyte UMD discs or a Memory Stick.
With the PSP, the Tokyo-based electronics giant is targeting a wider
consumer base and not just young gamers.
"It has gaming at its core, but it's not a gaming device. It's an
entertainment device," Kaz Hirai, the president of Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc. said in an interview.
In addition to working with its own Sony Pictures film division, Sony is
in discussions with other movie studios to support the new UMD format for
future releases of movies, Hirai said.
Sony said 24 game titles will be available around the time of the launch
with prices starting at $40 each.
According to market research firm DFC Intelligence, the DS and PSP are
expected to drive the global portable games market from $3.9 billion in
2003 to $11.1 billion in 2007. The overall global video game industry saw
sales of about $23 billion in 2003.
Hard-core gamers will propel the initial sales of the PSP, analysts say.
Its unique combination of gaming and multimedia features in a 7-inch by
3-inch device that also has Wi-Fi wireless connectivity, could spur a new
market for Sony, however.
"When it comes to entertainment, Sony has advantages over other players in
the market," said P.J. McNealy, analyst at American Technology Research.
"But success drives imitation, and if this thing is a wildly successful
platform, you'll see knockoffs by the holidays in 2006."
Xenosaga Episode II Ships For Playstation 2
Leading video games developer and publisher Namco Hometek Inc. announced
its highly anticipated role-playing game, Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von
Gut und B?se, has shipped to North American retail outlets. Developed by
Monolith Software Inc. in Japan, Xenosaga Episode II continues the
celebrated story of Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht, which sold
more than a million units worldwide. Exclusively for the PlayStation 2
computer entertainment system, Xenosaga Episode II is rated T for Teen and
carries an MSRP at retail of $49.99.
"Xenosaga Episode II is certain to captivate franchise fans and newcomers
alike," said Yoshi Niki, Business Unit Director at Namco Hometek Inc. "The
Xenosaga series truly embodies the role-playing genre, and we are proud to
deliver gamers with a title that boasts both a sophisticated, compelling
storyline and exceptional game play." Xenosaga Episode II brings players to
a world thousands of years into the future, where war is rampant and
humanity is battling for survival against a mysterious alien race known as
the Gnosis. Incredible cinematics bring to life Xenosaga Episode II's epic
storyline, which begins on Second Miltia with an elite cast of new and
returning characters reaching the planet to recover the key to the Y-data
hidden inside MOMO. Players must uncover the secrets surrounding the
Miltian Conflict and delve further into the many unresolved questions and
mysteries posed in Xenosaga Episode I.
Xenosaga Episode II features a fully customizable character growth system,
allowing players to utilize more than 100 different skills such as Last
Revenge, Overload and Double Power to equip characters with extraordinary
abilities and overcome the most difficult situations. The game's enhanced
battle system and refined boost system lets players execute devastating
two-character "Double Attacks" including Archangel's Requiem, Fiery
Ritornelle and the Gravity Bomb. With expansive worlds, fascinating
characters and an engaging story, Xenosaga Episode II takes players on a
philosophical journey filled with mystery, intrigue and surprise.
Gran Turismo4 for PlayStation2
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced the North American
release of Gran Turismo4, available exclusively for the PlayStation2
computer entertainment system. Developed by Polyphony Digital Inc. and
following in the footsteps of the PlayStation 2 "Greatest Hits" title, Gran
Turismo3 A-spec and a racing franchise that has sold more than 38 million
units worldwide, Gran Turismo 4 further demonstrates its mission to provide
the most authentic driving simulation available in the marketplace. The new
features extend above and beyond just pure automotive racing, providing a
unique destination for automotive and PlayStation 2 enthusiasts to enjoy
car culture in every dimension - extending that goal is highlighted through
the availability of more than 700 cars, up to 100 tracks and new modes such
as "B-spec (Director mode)" and "Photo Mode." In addition, enhanced popular
features will return with "Gran Turismo Mode" and "Gran Turismo Arcade
Mode."
"With its broad appeal and large array of features highlighting car
culture, we are excited to bring Gran Turismo 4 to market," said Susan
Nourai, director, product and online marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment
America. "Following up on an initial million unit plus launch in Japan, we
have high expectations that Gran Turismo 4 will once again raise the bar
for the racing videogame category here in North America."
Available for one to two players, as well as up to six players via LAN,
Gran Turismo 4 offers an array of new features. These features include a
physics engine that incorporates real-life characteristics of the cars so
that they are realistically designed and calculated to simulate the "real
life" physics of that particular vehicle, taking into account weight,
speed, friction, wind, and more. In addition, an all-new AI (Artificial
Intelligence) engine is introduced allowing for behavior from opponents
that present human-like reactions and emotions. Gran Turismo 4 continues
to offer a refined replay mode with broadcast-quality graphics and now
offers support for both High-Definition (1080i) and Dolby Pro Logic II. In
addition to the use of the DUALSHOCK 2 analog controller, Gran Turismo 4
is compatible with the Logitech Driving Force Pro wheel, which allows the
player to further enhance the automotive racing experience, and can be used
for the entire game. Available in black with brushed aluminum accents, the
Gran Turismo branded GT Force wheel provides a shifter for manual
transmissions, 900 degrees of steering rotation and force-feedback. For
more information, please visit www.logitech.com.
Arcade Mode
Players compete against each other or the artificial intelligence with
select cars on select courses. Various gameplay modes are available that
include "Single Race," "Time Trial," and multi-player for up to two players
(single console) or six players via LAN-based gameplay. More cars and
course are available in the GT Arcade Mode when they are unlocked in the
Gran Turismo Mode.
Gran Turismo Mode
Via the GT World, players start from the bottom and race to earn money,
unlock cars and courses, buy and sell cars and upgrade parts while
competing in more than 200 various championship races. Upon entering the
GT World, players have the option to visit the following Gran Turismo
resort facilities:
* My Home - the player's home and garage
* Dealership Town - divided by continent, players can visit
dealerships representing over 80 manufacturers from around the world.
* Tuner's Village - players can visit famous tuning shops to upgrade
their car(s).
* Race Event Pavilions - players can visit and join various races.
* License Center - players will have the opportunity to participate in
various driving tests to earn licenses for access to various race
formats.
* Music Theater - players can enjoy various music from around the
world.
* Circuit Racing - players can visit the "suburbs" and enter races at
various circuit tracks.
* Mission Races - To experience the drama of racing at a new level, a
new race style is structured as a mission-clearing based race event
offering numerous variables for the player to capture the checkered
flag.
* New "High Score" System - The player who wins a race is not
necessarily the one who captures the checkered flag, but graded on
how well they drive and challenge themselves among the competition
based on their car type, horsepower and modifications related to the
race field.
B-spec Mode
Players take the role of a race team manager and provide direction to their
driver (A.I.) to compete in races while viewed and directed through the
classic "broadcast-style" replay screen, on-board camera and race monitor
screen. In B-spec mode, the player will have the opportunity to adjust
various car settings for proper race setup, choose the difficulty level,
which is also known as the "Pace Command," followed with direction on when
to overtake competition and take pit stops where a variety of car settings
can be adjusted to further progress in the race - from tires to the volume
of fuel for refueling.
Photo Mode
Divided in two formats: 1) "Photo Drive" - players have the opportunity to
photograph their car during the race where they can take advantage of zoom,
depth of field and motion blur. 2) "Photo Travel" - Players can take their
favorite car and travel around the globe to conduct photo sessions in
exotic locations through a variety of angles. Once the photo is taken in
the game, the player can save it to their memory card (8MB) (for
PlayStation2) or a USB key and have the option to share with friends or
print out a color copy via a USB printer. Up to 50 photos can be taken at
one time.
General
In Gran Turismo 4, automobiles available for the player represent
historically significant vehicles to popular cars of today and tomorrow.
All vehicles are fully customizable from racing tires to gear ratio. New
driver assist functions: In addition to anti-lock brakes, traction control
systems and active stability control, Gran Turismo 4 includes active
steering as well, further enhancing the safety features. In reflecting the
latest car tuning trends, Gran Turismo 4 has the availability of
superchargers and NOS. More than 50 courses are available in Gran Turismo
4 that encompass dirt/snow courses, world circuits, original circuits
(tracks from previous Gran Turismo titles) and city courses covering both
real-life and fantasy-based locales. Some courses can be played in reverse
mode. Some courses include Nurburgring Nordschleife, New York City, the
Grand Canyon, Tsukuba Circuit, and more.
The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has rated Gran
Turismo 4 "E" for Everyone.
Electronic Arts Hit With Lawsuit on OT
Another worker has filed a class-action lawsuit seeking overtime from
Electronic Arts, adding to the mounting evidence that more tech workers are
disillusioned with jobs that entail 80-hour weeks, diets based on pizza and
catnaps in the cubicle.
The case is at least the second such suit filed against Electronic Arts of
Redwood City, the world's largest video game maker, and it's similar to one
filed last year against Vivendi Universal Games in Los Angeles.
Legal experts say the case also adds to the number of class-action suits
filed by Silicon Valley workers and others who feel entitled to overtime
if they have little hope of winning the stock-option lottery.
``Five years ago the valley was a very different place," said Christopher
Cobey, an employment attorney for Littler Mendelson in San Jose. ``The
rewards were tangible and just there within your reach. The economic
climate has changed dramatically since then."
The lawsuits have exposed the bitter feelings among workers in the $10
billion game industry. A survey by the International Game Developers
Association cites rapid burnout by workers. An emotional blog by an EA
``widow" on LiveJournal.com triggered thousands of sympathetic responses.
And next month the developers association and the Game Developers
Conference will hold a daylong ``summit" in San Francisco examining ways to
improve quality of life for game-industry workers.
``These cases bring to light the issues that have been bubbling under the
surface of the game industry for some time," said Jamil Moledina, director
of the Game Developers Conference.
Leander Hasty, a Culver City engineer for the company since June 2003,
filed his suit Monday against Electronic Arts in state Superior Court in
San Mateo. Hasty is seeking undisclosed back pay, damages and penalties for
himself and fellow workers.
A spokesman for Electronic Arts, which rang up $3 billion in sales last
year and has 5,100 workers, did not return a phone call for comment Friday.
Since 2000, California labor law has exempted some professionals in the
software industry from overtime regulations. Companies do not have to pay
programmers overtime if they make more than $41 an hour and engage in
advanced work that is creative or intellectual in nature.
Hasty's lawyers contend EA's engineers should be eligible for overtime
because they ``do not perform work that is original or creative," have no
management responsibilities and are seldom allowed to use their own
judgment.
A similar suit filed in July by a 26-year-old lead programmer also argued
that EA's game designers are entitled to overtime like image-effects
workers in the film and theater industries, which are not covered by the
exemption for the software industry.
Though he declined to comment specifically about the EA case, Vic
Schachter, an employment law partner with Fenwick & West, said these cases
illustrate that overtime rules designed to protect low-wage, low-skilled
workers increasingly are being applied to high-paid, high-skilled tech
jobs.
``Clearly this case rings a loud bell for valley companies that they need
to take a serious look at the issues," Schachter said.
One reason behind the increase in overtime suits is that many workers feel
the maturing game industry is taking advantage of their passion to create
the next ``Sims" or ``Super Mario," said Jason Della Rocca, executive
director of the International Game Developers Association.
Workers didn't gripe during the tech boom because they figured that's what
it took to get a shot at hefty royalties or stock-option windfalls. Today
there seems to be little chance of a jackpot, yet bosses still demand
six-day workweeks for months at a stretch.
``Managers are too willing to perpetuate that mentality that existed in the
early days of the industry, and it really doesn't exist any more," Della
Rocca said. ``This isn't a cottage industry any more. When you're one
employee of 5,000 and there's no real sense that your passion will
necessarily be rewarded, that gets into the gray area of exploitation."
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
UN Panel Aims to End Internet Tug of War by July
A U.N.-sponsored panel aims to settle a long-running tug of war for control
of the Internet by July and propose solutions to problems such as cyber
crime and email spam, panel leaders said on Monday.
The panel, set up in December 2003, will lay groundwork for a final
decision to be taken in Tunis in November at a U.N.-sponsored World Summit
on the Information Society, where global control of the world wide web may
be decided.
Right now, the most recognizable Internet governance body is a
California-based non-profit company, the International Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
But developing countries want an international body, such as the U.N.'s
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to have control over
governance - from distributing Web site domains to fighting spam.
"There is an issue that is out there and that needs to be resolved," said
Nitin Desai, chairman of working group and special adviser to U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Incorporated in 1998, ICANN oversees management of the Internet's crucial
addressing system which matches numerical addresses to familiar Web site
addresses.
While its oversight has been confined to technical matters, critics say
that it is subject to U.S. political influence.
The ITU, a 138-year-old trade body that among other things established
country code rules for international telephone calls, is seen by developing
countries as being better able to address their needs.
All countries want to counter spam - unsolicited commercial messages that
can flood email accounts by the hundreds and burden the web with unwanted
traffic.
E-Mail Scams Claim Homeland Security Ties
Federal authorities are investigating two e-mail scams, including one
targeting families of soldiers killed in Iraq that claim to be connected to
the Homeland Security Department.
The scams "are among the worst we have ever encountered," Michael J.
Garcia, director of the department's Immigration and Customs Enforcement
bureau, said Friday.
Both of the online pleas for help and money link themselves to the bureau.
In one scheme, e-mail sent to families of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq
include a link to the bureau's Web site. The e-mail seeks to recover money
from a friend of the slain soldier.
In the other, the e-mail identifies itself as being sent by a federal agent
trying to track down funds looted from the Iraqi Central Bank by Saddam
Hussein's son. The e-mail also links to the bureau Web site and asks for
confirmation of the recipient's address by urging, "There is a very
important and confidential matter which I want us both to discuss."
Garcia called both e-mail campaigns "bogus" and urged people to ignore and
delete them.
"Most troubling is the fact that some are targeting the relatives of U.S.
soldiers killed in Iraq," Garcia said in a statement. "We are also
concerned about the fact that these criminals are impersonating ICE agents
and referring to ICE's official Web site in an effort to steal money from
Americans who have lost loved ones."
Agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau were withdrawn
from Iraq in March 2004, the agency said.
The bogus e-mails resemble the so-called "Nigerian letter." In that
persistent scam, victims are presented with an opportunity to receive
nonexistent government money, often from the "Government of Nigeria," as
long as they pay a fee often characterized as a bribe to that government.
FBI Warns Users of E-mail Virus Hoax
The Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a warning to the public today,
noting that a mass e-mail scheme has been launched using the FBI as an
alleged sender.
The e-mail, which purportedly comes from an fbi.gov address, tells
recipients that their Internet use has been monitored by the agency's
Internet Fraud Complaint Center and that the user has been accessing
illegal Web sites.
The user is directed to open an attachment that supposedly contains
questions about the recipient's browsing history. The attachments contain a
virus, according to the FBI's release, but the agency did not specify what
type or variant it might be.
The FBI is investigating the matter and urges recipients of the hoax e-mail
to report incidents to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center.
Until the hoax developer is found, the FBI is encouraging the public to
exercise caution in opening unsolicited attachments. The agency also has
suggested that e-mail users might simply exercise some common sense.
"Recipients of this or similar solicitations should know that the FBI does
not engage in the practice of sending unsolicited e-mails to the public in
this manner," the agency says in a statement.
Although users have been cautioned in the past, the hoax currently
exploiting the FBI name is likely to have at least part of its intended
effect, says Symantec Security Response senior director Vincent Weafer.
"E-mails from authority figures or large institutions tend to carry
more weight in people's perceptions," he said.
That is one of the reasons that e-mails from financial organizations
initially were so effective. Other tactics have included appeals for aid
after the recent tsunami, purportedly from well-respected volunteer
organizations.
Messages that are strongly worded, as with the fake FBI warning, are also
popular, since they prompt users to respond quickly. "People are afraid
they've done something wrong, so they might act without thinking about it,"
Weafer said.
New Sober Worm Spreading Quickly
A new version of the Sober worm wriggled out of its hole early on Monday
and set about quickly attacking computers in Europe and the U.S., a
security services company says. The worm is a mass-mailer, meaning it
spreads itself via e-mail using contacts listed in the address books of
computers it infects.
The first instance of the worm, called W32.Sober-K-mm, was intercepted by
U.K. security company MessageLabs. The company detected 663 instances of
the worm in the first hour, and the figure climbed quickly to more than
2,200 instances over the next five to six hours, prompting MessageLabs to
give it a high-risk rating, says Maksym Schipka, a senior antivirus
researcher with the company.
"Compared to other Sober worms, it looks to me like this one is spreading
itself more aggressively," he says.
The latest variant appears to have originated in Germany, and by midmorning
on Monday it had also been detected in France, the U.K., and the U.S. It
may have been created by the same hacker that wrote the first version of
the Sober worm, which appeared in October 2003 and also originated in
Germany, Schipka says.
"I'm not aware that the source code for this worm was made public. It is
written in Visual Basic which makes it more difficult to reverse engineer
the virus than if it were written in C++ or Assembler. So it would be
logical to assume it is the same virus writer," he says.
W32.Sober-K-mm spreads itself as an e-mail attachment and creates random
subject lines and body texts in either English or German, depending on the
e-mail addresses it gathers. Subject lines observed so far include "Alert!
New Sober worm," "Paris Hilton Sex Videos," "You visit illegal websites,"
and "Your new Password," according to MessageLabs, in Gloucester, England.
The worm can also generate fake messages that try to fool the recipient
into opening the attached.zip file. Some e-mails purport to be from an
antivirus company offering a security patch against a new version of the
Sober worm--when in fact they contain they worm. Others pretend to be from
the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and include an attachment labeled
"indictment," Schipa says.
When a user opens the attachment the worm creates several executable files
with the names csrss.exe, winlogon.exe and smss.exe. It then modifies the
registry key Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run so that the
files execute on startup.
The worm also displays the contents of part of the infected machine's file
system in a notepad document. Schipka says it is not clear yet why this
document appears and that it may be a bug in the worm. "Sober is known as
being relatively buggy," he says.
The notepad file may be a sign that the virus writer is experimenting with
new techniques, one observer speculated.
Such worms can make the computers they infect sluggish to operate and also
clog e-mail servers and networks. Users are advised to update their
antivirus software to keep the definition files current.
Congress Revs War on Spyware
Despite the latest efforts by Microsoft Corp. and other tech companies to
fight spyware, U.S. lawmakers are more determined than ever to pass a
legislative fix.
Two opposing anti-spyware bills are battling it out in the House as
senators draft their own bill. The technology industry has lobbied
diligently against the anti-spyware legislation, arguing that regulation
could outlaw legitimate uses of downloadable software, such as security
patches. Also, pointing to the negligible impact of the CAN-SPAM Act of
2003 on reducing the volume of unsolicited e-mail, many companies tried to
persuade Congress to allow technology to combat spyware. However, as
popular ire continues to grow against the insidious Internet programs,
lawmakers are poised to act.
"We expect to have a bill on the floor very quickly," Rep. Joe Barton,
R-Texas, chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, said last
week, adding that he hoped the legislation would be taken up by House and
Senate conferees in the spring.
To make legislation more palatable to industry, a bill introduced in
January by Rep. Mary Bono, R-Calif., was amended last week by the House
subcommittee that oversees consumer protection. The bill bans keystroke
logging, Web-page hijacking and undeletable unsolicited ads. It also
requires a conspicuous notice to users before monitoring software is
downloaded, and it requires that users opt in. The amendment approved last
week would ensure that cookies are not outlawed and that embedded ads are
not subject to labeling.
Despite the changes made to the Bono bill last week, the industry largely
prefers an alternative measure sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. There
remains considerable concern that software programs that update and monitor
programs to improve service could be ensnared in a notice-and-consent law.
Rather than requiring notice, the Goodlatte bill focuses on malicious uses
of interactive software, the harm caused by spyware and criminal penalties.
On the other side of the Capitol, Sens. Conrad Burns, R-Mont.; Ron Wyden,
D-Ore.; and Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., are drafting a new version of their
SPY BLOCK (Software Principles Yielding Better Levels of Consumer
Knowledge) bill, which won committee approval last session, sources said.
Britain Launches Internet Virus Alert Service
Britain launched a Web site on Thursday aimed at helping computer users
avoid damage from Internet viruses and other online threats.
The government-funded IT Security Awareness for Everyone site
(www.itsafe.gov.uk) will give free advice on data protection and issue
virus alerts to those who sign up.
"There is a clear need for easy-to-understand and simple, independent
advice for non-technically minded people who use computers," Home Office
Minister Hazel Blears said in a statement.
E-mail or text alerts will direct users toward step-by-step guides on how
to deal with any problem. The site will use information provided by the
National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Center (NISCC).
More than half of UK households had a home computer in 2002, according to
the Office for National Statistics.
In the third quarter of 2004, 52 percent of UK households could access the
Internet from home, compared with just nine percent in the same quarter of
1998.
EBay Sued in California Over Bidding Practices
EBay Inc. is being sued by a Pennsylvania man who charges that it illegally
forces up prices when certain high bidders raise their maximum bid to guard
against last-minute offers, an attorney for the plaintiffs said on
Wednesday.
In a proposed class-action lawsuit filed Feb. 17 in Santa Clara County
Superior Court, lead plaintiff Glenn Block claims that eBay raised his bid
from $111 to $112.50 after he responded to an e-mail from auction site that
said he was the highest bidder for an item.
The email warned that he could be outbid if he did not increase his
maximum.
Block alleged that he could have won the auction at $111, and accused eBay
of forcing him to overpay by $1.50.
"Based on what we know about what's being alleged, it appears the plaintiff
completely misunderstands the functionality of the eBay bidding system,"
eBay spokesman Hani Durzy said. He said the company had not yet seen the
lawsuit.
Durzy told Reuters that eBay only notifies winning bidders that they could
be outbid when they have hit their preset maximum bid. Increasing a maximum
bid is voluntary.
EBay automatically increases bids only when the maximum has been hit and
when the prior top bid was between bidding increments. For example, bidding
increments on items priced between $100 and $249.99 is $2.50. Block,
however, raised his bid increment by $1.50.
Durzy says eBay discloses such information on its Web site.
Plaintiffs' attorney Reed Kathrein, of Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman
& Robbins equated eBay's actions to "shill bidding," and said it forces
bidders to bid against themselves.
Shill bidders are often in cahoots with sellers and work to artificially
raise the price of auction items they have no intention of buying.
Kathrein said eBay and its PayPal online payments unit receive larger
transaction fees as a result of the company's alleged shill bidding.
He said eBay's actions have created substantial unlawful profits for eBay
and its online payment unit PayPal. He said required restitution would run
in "excess of tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions, of dollars
during the past four years."
Hotmail Glitch Snarls Pay Service
About 200,000 customers who pay Microsoft Corp. for premium Hotmail e-mail
accounts have been experiencing problems including slowdowns and an
inability to access some e-mails, the company said Friday.
The problems began Tuesday and were being resolved Friday, said Brooke
Richardson, lead product manager for Microsoft's MSN online division.
Richardson said the glitch was caused by a server problem, and that the
system was not attacked.
Earlier this week, some customers who pay for services such as Hotmail Plus
and MSN Premium complained that they couldn't see some e-mails, had trouble
logging in and were experiencing slowness. Richardson said no data was
lost, but some people were temporarily unable to access all their e-mails.
By Friday, Richardson said the situation had "stabilized" but some
customers were still experiencing slowness. She said it wasn't yet clear
when the situation would be completely resolved.
Redmond-based Microsoft has about 190 million Hotmail customers, mostly
using the company's free service.
Court Won't Block Low-Cost Ink
Lexmark International has suffered a setback in its bid to use the Digital
Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to prevent other companies from making
low-cost, refurbished toner cartridges for its printers.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has ruled against Lexmark's
request that it reconsider an earlier decision that favored Lexmark's
opponent in the case, Static Control Components (SCC), a maker of
components used by third parties to make refurbished cartridges.
The earlier decision allowed SCC, in Sanford, North Carolina, to continue
selling its chips for Lexmark laser printers at least until the case came
to trial, expected later this year. Lexmark had asked the appeals court for
a hearing to reconsider that decision, but the appeals court turned down
its request on February 15, SCC announced this week.
The case has been closely watched in the industry, where printer
manufacturers make much of their profit through sales of their own
cartridges. Refurbished cartridges typically sell for about 30 percent less
than those from the major printer vendors.
Lexmark filed its suit against SCC in December 2002, accusing it of
violating copyright law as well as the DMCA. It alleged that SCC's Smartek
chips include Lexmark software that is protected by copyright. The software
handles communication between Lexmark printers and toner cartridges, and
without the software refurbished toner cartridges will not work with
Lexmark's printers.
A district court granted Lexmark a preliminary injunction in the case in
February 2003, preventing SCC from selling the chips until the case is
resolved at trial. But that ruling was overturned eight months later by
the appeals court, which said, in part, that copyright law should not be
used to inhibit interoperability between one vendor's products and those
of its rivals. The appeals court upheld its decision last week.
Printer makers strongly encourage their customers to buy cartridges
directly from them, but Lexmark went a step further by using technology to
lock out products made by third parties.
The move attracted critics, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation,
which accused Lexmark of abusing the intent of the DMCA at the expense of
consumers. The law was intended primarily to protect digital content such
as music and films, those critics argued.
A ruling from the U.S. Copyright Office in October 2003 appeared to bolster
SCC's case. Without referring directly to Lexmark, the Copyright Office
said the DMCA does not block software developers from using reverse
engineering to access digitally protected copyright material if they do so
to achieve interoperability with an independently created computer program.
SCC was quick to portray last week's appeals court ruling as a win for all
consumers.
"We feel that the public interest has been served by a knowledgeable court
to not allow a greedy [printer manufacturer] to use the law to perpetuate
an electronic monopoly. Consumers and justice have been served," says Ed
Swartz, SCC's chief executive officer, in a statement.
Lexmark has said that it is merely acting to protect its intellectual
property, which it spends millions of dollars on every year to develop. It
notes that it offers a cartridge return program that provides customers
with a discount if they agree to return their toner cartridge to Lexmark
when it is empty.
"We expect that this case will take a long time to resolve given the
complexities of the issue. However, we continue to be very confident in
our position regarding the infringement of our intellectual property," the
company says in a brief statement.
The case is expected to go to trial in December.
Lawsuit Says HP Printer Cartridges Die Before Use
A Georgia woman has sued Hewlett-Packard Co., claiming the ink cartridges
for their printers are secretly programed to expire on a certain date, in
some cases rendering them useless before they are even installed in a
printer.
The suit filed in Santa Clara Superior Court in northern California last
Thursday seeks to represent anyone in the United States who purchased an
HP inkjet printer since Feb. 2001. HP is the world's No. 1 computer printer
maker.
An HP spokesman said the company does not comment on pending litigation.
HP ink cartridges use a chip technology to sense when they are low on ink
and advise the user to make a change. But the suit claims those chips also
shut down the cartridges at a predetermined date regardless of whether they
are empty.
"The smart chip is dually engineered to prematurely register ink depletion
and to render a cartridge unusable through the use of a built-in expiration
date that is not revealed to the consumer," the suit said.
The suit, which seeks class-action status, asks for restitution, damages
and other compensation.
U.S. Cracks Down on At-Home Work Scams
Make big bucks at home stuffing envelopes! Or designing Web sites! Or
assembling refrigerator magnets! That last come-on attracted an estimated
30,000 people, the government said Tuesday, announcing a crackdown on some
200 scam operations that falsely offered lucrative work-at-home and other
questionable business opportunities.
Such schemes cheated tens of thousands of people out of more than $100
million, officials said.
Worse news: They said they can't even estimate how many other such scams
are out there.
In a 14-month-long crackdown on promoters of illegal business opportunity
and work-at-home schemes, the Federal Trade Commission, Justice Department,
U.S. Postal Inspection Service and law enforcement agencies from 14 states
took civil and criminal action against more than 200 operations they said
engaged in fraud and/or violated consumer protection laws, officials said
at a news conference.
Such offers succeed partly because they "appeal to the optimist in all of
us ? be your own boss, supplement your income, pay for your child's
education," said FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras. The reality, she said,
is that many are scams promising results that will never happen.
And victims who lose money they invested in some of the businesses are
unlikely to ever get it back, said Peter D. Keisler, assistant attorney
general in the Justice Department's civil division.
Some people spent up to $37,500 per machine to invest in a plan to own DVD
movie rental vending machines. The company selling them, American
Entertainment Distributors of Hollywood, Fla., allegedly said annual
earnings from the machines would be $60,000 to $80,000 and that it would
help buyers place them in good locations. The FTC alleges the company
misrepresented how much help it would give franchisees.
The estimated 30,000 people who signed with National Home Assemblers of
Mainesburg, Pa., to make kitty cat refrigerator magnets had to pay $38 for
registration and starter kits and a $12 inspection fee. They were promised
up to $800 weekly pay, but in most if not all cases, their work was later
rejected for "quality reasons," authorities said.
Neither company could be reached for comment. Directory assistance had no
number for the entertainment company and the phone was disconnected at the
assembling company.
The multi-agency enforcement crackdown, known as "Project Biz Opp Flop,"
meant the government agencies cooperated with each other to investigate and
eventually file criminal prosecutions or civil actions, get
cease-and-desist orders and so on.
For example, in Florida, the FTC, Justice Department and Postal Inspectors
office recently worked with the local U.S. attorney to hit 14 people with
such criminal charges as money laundering and wire fraud.
The state is "one of the consumer fraud capitals of the country, if not the
world" because of its high population of immigrants and of senior citizens
with nest eggs, said Marcos D. Jimenez, U.S. attorney for the Southern
District of Florida.
Elsewhere, judges issued restraining orders against companies that were
promising business opportunities such as the chance to make $500 a week
doing medical billing from home, designing and setting up Web sites for
Fortune 500 companies or selling surplus or discontinued merchandise.
Some of the people running the scams received jail terms, others fines. Not
all the 200 of the companies have been shut down.
The agencies involved did not provide details on exactly how many companies
had been shut down nor how many people were jailed or fined.
The job of catching questionable schemes offered through ads, the Internet
and the mail is daunting. Consumers must be wary, study offers well and get
opinions from professionals such as lawyers and accountants, officials
said.
The FTC has started a Web site to educate consumers who use the Internet to
find business opportunities. It can be found, along with a list of
companies the government has taken actions against, at http://www.ftc.gov.
=~=~=~=
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