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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 07 Issue 29
Volume 7, Issue 29 Atari Online News, Etc. July 15, 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:
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=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0729 07/15/05
~ Broadband Cost Slashed ~ People Are Talking! ~ Firefox Continues!
~ Workplace Time Waster! ~ Boston Keeps Macworld! ~ Halo 2 Contest!
~ Domains Staying English ~ ~ Blazing Angels!
~ Microsoft Denies Deals! ~ ~ Sex In GTA Blasted
-* Guide for Spyware and Adware *-
-* HP Launches New Printer Technology! *-
-* 'Spam Report' Trojan Sparks New Warnings! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
It's going to be really tough having to go back to work on Monday.
Vacations just don't last long enough, even though I was off for two weeks.
I've been having a great time these past couple of weeks. A lot of rest and
relaxation. There were days that I was quite busy, and some that I just
laid back and did very little. I played some golf, in various areas,
including in my own area as well as down on Cape Cod. We enjoyed the pool
on those really hot and humid days, sat out and watched the rain from the
"new" enclosed deck while having a cold drink or two, watched some late-
night television and slept in late the next morning, and more. I guess the
best part was not having to worry about what had to get done the next day,
and whether or not we'd have the time to get it done. If we didn't, the
following day was fine. It was great.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
joe@atarinews.org
Hidi ho, friends and neighbors. I apologize for not having a column this
week, but my wife's father passed away tonight, and I've just gotten
home from the hospital. The time is now 12:45 am.
Needless to say, I'm exhausted and drained, and my brain just isn't
functioning well enough to put a column together.
Again, I apologize, and I'll be back next week with, I hope, lots of
STuff to talk about.
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - Darkwatch: Curse of the West!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Group Blasts Sex In GTA!
Blazing Angels!
And more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Darkwatch: Curse of the West
Darkwatch: Curse of the West, the debut title from Sammy Studios internal
development, is a cinematic 1st person shooter (FPS) with an original
premise that blends Vampire-Horror and Western genres. They grind their
enemies for fuel, fashion their skin into protective cloaks and create
weapons designed to exterminate en masse, and they are the good guys. They
are the Darkwatch, a vigilant strike-force that has protected man from evil
incarnate since the dawn of civilization. Their newest and deadliest agent
is Jericho Cross, an outlaw gunslinger pulled into their ranks by an
unfortunate close encounter with a vampire lord. To save the West, and his
own soul from damnation, Jericho must hunt the vampire through an American
frontier now overrun by his evil minions. Along the way he relies on his
deadly gunfighting skills and advanced weapons and vehicles put at his
disposal by the Darkwatch, as well as a few surprises afforded him as a
half-vampire; superhuman abilities and a trusty undead steed. Promising to
deliver tremendous gameplay variety and set in a macabre and visually
sensational depiction of a haunted Wild West, Darkwatch: Curse of the West
promises to be one of the year's most exciting video games.
Features
* Blast through a frightening re-imagination of the Wild West, with
explosive FPS action framed by a cinematic storyline, and exceptional art
and design work inspired by both Vampire-Horror and Western genres
* Unique weapons, powerful assault vehicles, horse-mounted gunfighting and
special vampire abilities bring new depth to FPS gameplay in both single
and multiplayer
* Take the 'un' out of 'undead' in a variety of ways with a wide assortment
of 'Darkwatch-enhanced' weapons, including pistols, rifles, shotguns,
rocket-launchers, dynamite and even weapon-specific melee attacks
* Experience a 'living west' with massive seamless worlds, non-linear
missions and dynamic enemy and NPC A.I. driven by a reputation and
experience system
* Location-specific damage brings precision to gunplay - tear the undead to
pieces, or taunt the pesky living by shooting off hats or making them dance
to your bullets
* Online multiplayer capability with unique maps and original game modes
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
Experience the most gripping and famous battles of WWII through the eyes of
a squadron commander and ace fighter pilot. From the battle for England,
the attack on Pearl Harbor, to the bombing of Berlin, your pilot skills
will create WWII history. Conquer the skies of Western Europe, North
Africa, and the Pacific and bring your squadron back alive.
Key Features
* WWII's most epic and famous air battles. Experience the greatest air
battles of World War II in famous locations from across the globe. Whether
it's the invasion of the Philippines, the fierce fighting for the desserts
of North Africa, or the battle of Britain, the player and his squadron will
be tasked with turning the tide of war.
* Innovative squadron-based gameplay. AI-controlled wingmen will obey
player commands. As the pilot's skills improve, so will the skills of his
squadron. The pilot's heroism and leadership will grow during the course of
the campaign as players fly with their squadron and evolve together into an
ace fighting force.
* A large variety of realistic-looking WWII aircraft. Pilot 40 authentic
WWII aircraft including the famous P-51 Mustang, the P-38 Lightning, the
B-17 Flying Fortress, the Luftwaffe's Messerschmitt, the Spitfire of
Britain and the Japanese Zero. From the wing rivets, to the nose art, to
the detailed cockpits, these planes are just like the real thing.
* Twenty heart-stopping missions in a compelling storyline. Pilots will
begin as untrained recruits and evolve through battle experience into ace
combat pilots. WWII missions will take place around the globe in places
like England, Germany, France, Morocco, Midway and Okinawa.
* Authentic WWII atmosphere. Fly in close to Germany's industrial terrain
for a bombing raid, strafe the islands of the pacific, or emerge from the
cloud cover over London and engage the enemy. The environment looks so real
you'll feel like you're the pilot in a famous WWII movie.
* Planes are easy to handle and fun to fly. No need to attend the Air Force
Academy to pilot these planes; players can jump right into air combat
action.
* Xbox Live for up to 20 players online. Engage in head-to-head dogfights
or cooperative team play between squadrons on huge maps with large
formations.
National Halo 2 Xbox Tournament Contest Giveaway
Battleground Zero announced the launch of the National Halo 2 Tournament
Contest. Battleground Zero provides gamers with cash and prize competitions
in more than a dozen Xbox Live enabled games. Now, Battleground Zero
members, as well as dedicated Halo 2 fans, can compete in the National
Halo 2 Tournament Contest Giveaway.
The National Halo 2 Tournament guarantees Xbox Live gamers a
thrilling-ride, with a Grand Prize payout of more than $2,500.00 in prizes
and a total possible payout of over $4,000.00 in cash prizes. The
tournament will be a singles only completion, and provide 1st, 2nd and 3rd
place prizes.
Below is a list of possible prizes:
Grand Prize:
Sylvania 42" Plasma ED Monitor
Polk Audio Theater System
Xbox 360 Console
2 - Xbox 360 Game Titles
4gb iPOD Mini
$50.00 iTunes Gift Certificate
2nd Place Prize:
Polk Audio Theater System
Xbox 360 Console
2 - Xbox 360 Game Titles
4gb iPOD Mini
512mb apple iPOD shuffle
$50.00 iTunes Gift Certificate
3rd Place Prize:
Xbox 360 Console
2 - Xbox 360 Game Titles
4gb iPOD Mini
512mb apple ipod shuffle
$50.00 iTunes Gift Certificate
http://www.battlegroundzero.com
Group Blasts Video Game Over Sex Content
A media watchdog group has denounced the maker of the hugely popular video
game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" over graphic sexual content that
allegedly exists in the game and can be unlocked with an Internet download.
The game's plot is already objectionable to many people: Its main character
carjacks for fun and profit and picks up women along the way.
But some say its content becomes sexually explicit if players download and
install a modification to the game - one of many so-called "mods" available
on Web sites maintained by video game enthusiasts.
"While San Andreas is already full of violent behavior and sexual themes,
the pornographic sex scenes push it over the edge," said David Walsh,
founder of The Minneapolis-based National Institute on the Media and the
Family, which issued a "nationwide parental alert" Friday.
The controversy has prompted an investigation by the Entertainment Software
Ratings Board, which determines the rating on every video game sold.
Rockstar Games issued a statement Friday, confirming the investigation and
avoiding comment on whether its programmers created the sex scenes in the
first place.
"We also feel confident that the investigation will uphold the original
rating of the game, as the work of the mod community is beyond the scope
of either publishers or the ESRB," the company said.
The mod's author - Patrick Wildenborg, 36, of Deventer, Netherlands - told
The Associated Press on Friday that his code merely unlocks content that is
already included in the code of each off-the-shelf game.
"If Rockstar Games denies that, then they're lying and I will be able to
prove that," Wildenborg wrote in an e-mail. "My mod does not introduce
anything to the game. All the content that is shown was already present on
the DVD."
Sen. Clinton Seeks 'Grand Theft' Sex Scene Probe
Sen. Hillary Clinton pressed on Thursday for a government investigation
into how simulated sex cropped up in a modified version of the blockbuster
criminal adventure video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas."
Clinton asked the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to investigate the origins
of a downloadable modification that allows simulated sex in the personal
computer version of one of the most popular and controversial video games
in history.
"We should all be deeply disturbed that a game which now permits the
simulation of lewd sexual acts in an interactive format with highly
realistic graphics has fallen into the hands of young people across the
country," Clinton wrote in a letter to the head of the Federal Trade
Commission.
Saying the problem of explicit video games was "spiraling out of control,"
Clinton also said she was introducing legislation that would crack down on
the sale of violent and sex-laden games to minors.
The legislation would impose a $5,000 penalty on retailers who sell
adult-rated video games to underage children.
Clinton asked the FTC to look into whether Grand Theft Auto's rating of "M"
(Mature 17+) should be changed to the rare "AO" (Adult Only), which would
threaten to crimp sales at large retail outlets.
She requested the agency to study whether retailers' enforcement policies
were adequate to keep adult-rated video games out of the hands of minors.
An FTC spokeswoman said the agency had received Clinton's letter and was
reviewing it.
Clinton's comments were the latest in a chorus of criticism that has
intensified since the revelation about sex scenes in the modified Grand
Theft Auto. The game series has drawn numerous detractors because of its
sexual and violent content.
Players who download a modification, known as "hot coffee," from the
Internet can make a male character engage in various sex acts with a
virtual "girlfriend." Sex is suggested in the official version of the game,
but does not happen on screen.
The game's manufacturer, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.
called Rockstar Games, has said hackers are responsible for the
modification.
In a statement released on Thursday, Rockstar said it supported the video
game rating system and efforts to keep adult-rated games away from
children.
But without referring to Clinton, the company said it was "disappointed by
comments that misrepresent Grand Theft Auto, detracting from the innovative
and artistic merits of the game."
"Unfortunately, the recent confusion only serves to suggest that games do
not deserve the same treatment as other forms of creative expression,"
Rockstar said in its statement.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board last week launched a probe into
whether the sexual minigame content was deliberately hidden in the game
code and unlocked by the "hot coffee" modification, or if it was solely
the result of the modification.
The "hot coffee" modification, which violates the game's software user
agreement, is the result of hackers disassembling and then combining,
recompiling and altering the game's source code, Rockstar said.
The PlayStation2 version of "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" was the No. 1
game of 2004, selling just over 5 million copies, according to industry
researcher NPD Funworld.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
HP Launches New Printer Technology
Hewlett-Packard Co., striving to remain the market leader in computer
printers, launched a new technology for inkjet printers Monday that cuts
photo printing time in half.
The first printer with a printing head made with the new technology will
be a $199 machine that can print a 4-by-6-inch photo in 14 seconds. It goes
on sale later this month.
HP is following up this fall with a heavier-duty printer intended to
supplant color laser printers for office use and a multifunction machine
that also scans and faxes.
As is usual with inkjet printers, the fastest printing mode means a
trade-off in quality. Printing a 4x6 picture on the most durable paper at
the highest quality setting would take 80 seconds even on the new printer.
But analysts agreed that the 14-second prints would be more than good
enough for most home users.
The new technology comes at time when HP, while still the largest maker of
inkjet printers, is fighting aggressive competitors. Its share of the U.S.
inkjet market dropped 12 percentage points to 35 percent in the first
quarter this year, according to research group Gartner Inc.
The segment is critical for HP.
Despite former chief executive Carly Fiorina's drive to diversify the
company, printing and imaging accounted for 60 percent of HP's operating
profit in the quarter ended April 30. Fiorina was forced out earlier this
year when that drive appeared to founder.
Faster printouts could help HP regain some clout in the market, but the
development is unlikely to be decisive, said Ron Glaz, analyst at IDC.
"Printing speed is important, but I don't think it's the number one thing
when people go shopping," Glaz said. He believes image quality and cost per
print are more important considerations.
HP also addressed the price issue Monday, saying a 4x6 print can cost as
little as 24 cents for customers who buy its "value packs," which combine
paper and ink. That makes it competitive with Main Street photofinishers
who print on traditional silver halide paper.
Competitors, particularly Dell and Lexmark, have been encroaching on HP's
lead by cutting their prices and bundling printers with computers, said
Gartner analyst David Haueter.
"This seems to be a pattern we've seen before - competitors gain on HP by
slashing prices, then HP introduces new technology that lets them move
ahead," Haueter said.
It cost HP $1.4 billion to develop the new inkjet head and it took five
years, an investment HP says it is sure will pay off.
"It gives us a huge manufacturing cost advantage," said Vyomesh Joshi, head
of the printing and imaging group. "We want to get our cost structure right
and regain our market share."
Inkjet heads are built in thin layers. One layer heats the ink and sends
it through microscopic nozzles in another layer.
Until now, HP has made the layers separately and assembled them
mechanically. In the new heads, the assembly step is eliminated. The nozzle
layer is created on top of the lower layer by photolithography, the same
process that is used to make computer chips.
The new process is much more precise, making for more efficient print heads
with more nozzles that print faster. The new printers have more than 3,900
nozzles spitting out 93 million ink droplets per second.
Another advantage of the new technology is that it makes it easier to make
large inkjet heads with even faster printing speeds for industrial
applications.
HP said it wants to take the technology there, but did not provide any
details.
Addressing another consumer concern - ease of use - the new printers will
read barcodes preprinted by HP on the back of paper fed into them, allowing
them to automatically recognize what size and type of paper is loaded. They
will also warn if the paper is loaded upside down, a not uncommon way to
waste ink and paper.
Other announcements from HP Monday:
HP's Snapfish photo site is partnering with Walgreen Co. By September,
customers across the country will be able to upload digital photographs to
site and pick up prints at a local Walgreen's drugstore. Recognizing that
not all photo printing will be done at home, HP bought Snapfish in March.
HP introduced six new portable printers, including the Photosmart 475
GoGo, which it says is the first to print 5x7 prints in addition to 4x6
ones. The $275 printer, which is the size of a toaster, also contains a
1.5-gigabyte hard drive that can store around 1,000 photos, depending on
quality.
Firefox Continues to Spread
The Mozilla Foundation's Firefox browser nibbled off a small market-share
portion from Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) in June, continuing a
consistent monthly trend this year.
Firefox increased its market share to 8.71 percent, up from 8 percent in
May, while IE's share shrank to 86.56 percent from 87.23 percent,
NetApplications.com, an Aliso Viejo, California, maker of applications for
monitoring and measuring Web site usage, said this week in a statement.
Since the beginning of the year, Firefox has increased its market share
every month between 0.5 percent and 1 percent, mostly at the expense of IE,
according to NetApplications.com, which compiles its browser usage data
from more than 40,000 Web sites monitored by its HitsLink.com service.
As Firefox approaches the 10 percent market share milestone, it is expected
to gain "significant traction" once its acceptance grows among
corporations, according to NetApplications.com.
Rounding out the top five browsers in June were Apple Computer's Safari
with 1.93 percent market share, America Online's Netscape with 1.55
percent, and Opera Software's Opera with 0.59 percent.
IDG Commits to Boston for Future Macworld Expos
Macworld Expo show organizers, IDG World Expo, have committed to holding
the East Coast Macworld Conference & Expo in Boston for the foreseeable
future. While the number of exhibitors dropped slightly this year, IDG
officials said the attendance at the show is on par with last year.
We are on the books here [at the Hynes Convention Center] and there are
absolutely no plans to move, David Korse, IDG World Expo President, told
MacCentral.
Now in its second year after returning to Boston from New York, IDG took
the show from the expanses of the new Boston Convention & Exposition Center
(BCEC) to the Hynes Convention Center, which is more centrally located in
the Back Bay area of Boston. The Hynes is a better fit for Macworld Boston
because of its size and the decreased costs.
Economics certainly played a role a role in the move for us and the
exhibitors, said Korse. Exhibitors got a great return on their investment
and people this week will certainly get their money s worth.
Korse said that many of the people that attended last year s show returned
this year. IDG said they expect the number to come in at approximately
8,000 attendees.
For exhibitors, which numbered about 63 compared to last year s 75, Korse
said IDG must continue to demonstrate that Macworld Expo is a worthwhile
show.
We have an event here that works, said Korse. We continue to do events
that are substantially smaller than Macworld Expo. As long as Macworld Expo
works, we ll continue to do it.
Non-English Domain Names Likely Delayed
Concerns about "phishing" e-mail scams will likely delay the expansion of
domain names beyond non-English characters, the chairman of the Internet's
key oversight agency said Friday.
Vint Cerf, head of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers,
would not speculate on when such characters might appear but said Internet
engineers must now spend time "trying to winnow down, frankly, the number
of character (sets) that are allowed to be registered."
Demand for non-English domain names is high outside the United States and
a U.N. panel studying Internet governance said in a report Thursday that
"insufficient progress has been made toward multilingualization." It cited
the lack of international coordination and technical hurdles as among the
problems.
Officially, the Internet's Domain Name System supports only 37 characters
- the letters of the Latin alphabet, 10 numerals and a hyphen.
But in recent years, in response to a growing Internet population
worldwide, engineers have been working on ways to trick the system into
understanding other languages, such as Arabic, Chinese and Japanese.
Engineers have rallied around a character system called Unicode.
But security experts warned earlier this year of a potential exploit that
takes advantage of the fact that characters that look alike can have two
separate codes in Unicode and thus appear to the computer as different. For
example, Unicode for "a" is 97 under the Latin alphabet, but 1072 in
Cyrillic.
Subbing one for the other can allow a scammer to register a domain name
that looks to the human as "paypal.com," tricking users into giving
passwords and other sensitive information at what looks like a legitimate
site. It's much like how scammers now use the numeral "1" sometimes instead
of the letter "l" to trick users.
"In some of the early tests, ... it became clear we had opened up the
opportunity for registering very misleading names," Cerf said in a
conference call wrapping up ICANN's meetings this week in Luxembourg. "This
kind of potential confusion leads to parties going to what they think are
valid Web sites."
Cerf said it may be possible to proceed with character sets that aren't at
risk of confusion as the standards-setting Internet Engineering Task Force
tackles the broader security concerns with non-English names.
Tests of non-English characters have been going on for years, and in a few
cases they are fully operational. Last year, operators of the German ".de"
domain began offering 92 accented and other special characters, including
the umlaut common in German names.
But ICANN has yet to approve domain names entirely in another language; all
addresses now must end with an English string such as ".com."
'Spam Report' Trojan Sparks Warnings
A Trojan-laden e-mail message is continuing to spread since first being
reported last Thursday, according to security firm MessageLabs.
The firm rated the outbreak level as high for the "spam report" Trojan,
which attempts to dupe users by appearing to be regular e-mail.
Users receive e-mail messages that seem to be from their I.T. departments
warning them that their machines are being used improperly.
Users are told that their e-mail accounts have been used to send out a
"huge amount of unsolicited spam messages during the recent week," and are
asked to take five to 10 minutes to confirm information that supposedly is
included in an attached document.
"If you choose to ignore our request, you leave us no choice but to cancel
your membership," the message reads.
If a recipient is tricked into opening the file, an executable is launched,
infecting the machine with Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Small.arf. The Trojan
then downloads harmful content from an external site.
The use of threatening messages is very common, said Sophos security
consultant Carole Theriault. This latest threat is an example of how
sophisticated the messages have become.
"Telling people that they're sending out spam plays on a very specific
fear," she said. "Virus writers have gotten very good at figuring out what
people are afraid of, and exploiting that."
Also on the rise is the use of enticements to spread viruses. One example
would be an e-mail virus that spreads by telling users they overpaid for
an item they bought online. Users then open the the attached document for
information on how to get a refund and end up infecting their machines.
To limit the spread of Trojans that use social engineering, Sophos
recommends that I.T. departments put in protections that prevent users from
ever getting the messages.
"Blocking all e-mail messages that contain programs is a good, basic step,"
Theriault said. "You can let in messages that have documents attached, but
stop those that contain applications."
Because the virus-laden messages are so good at preying on user fears or
desires, I.T. will have to be more proactive in blocking rather than
employing user education, she noted.
Coalition Issue Definitions for 'Spyware'
Anti-spyware vendors and consumer groups took a stab at issuing uniform
definitions for "spyware" and "adware" on Tuesday in hopes of giving
computer users more control over their machines.
The definitions seek clarity that could help improve anti-spyware products,
educate consumers and fend off lawsuits from developers of software that
sneaks onto computers.
It's not clear what, if anything, the taxonomy itself might accomplish in
ending the deception involved in placing intrusive and damaging programs on
people's computers.
The 13-page document is silent, for instance, on what developers must do
to obtain consent from consumers. Nor does the document, still formally a
draft, clearly state how specific programs might fall under a certain
category.
"It's not the end game but it's a great starting point," said Dave Cole,
director of product management at Symantec Corp., a member of the coalition
that spent three months crafting the terms. "You've got to have a
foundation, a common vocabulary to start with ... and have all of us speak
the same language."
Forty-three percent of adult U.S. Internet users say they've been hit with
spyware, adware or both, according to the Pew Internet and American Life
Project. More than 90 percent of Internet users have changed their online
behavior, meanwhile, to try to avoid becoming victimized.
The coalition flags as potential threats - an umbrella definition that
includes spyware, adware and other categories such as "hijackers" and
"cookies" - programs that:
_impair users' control over their systems, including privacy and security;
_impair the use of system resources, including what programs are installed
on their computers; or
_collect, use and distribute personal or otherwise sensitive information.
By classifying "adware" as falling under the umbrella term, "Spyware and
Other Potentially Unwanted Technologies," the coalition avoided a key
dispute that has led to lawsuits: Is adware a form of spyware or are the
two separate?
The coalition recognized that not all advertising software is unwanted and
restricted the use of "adware" to the potentially unwanted kind. It created
a separate category for "hijackers" that change browser settings and noted
that some data files, or "cookies," have legitimate uses for saving
preferences.
The industry can now discuss and define how specific technologies or
practices harm users, said Ari Schwartz of the Center for Democracy and
Technology, which led the coalition. He said more specific guidelines are
expected this fall.
The definitions themselves could undergo revision after a one-month period
for public comment.
Release of the definitions comes as Microsoft Corp. acknowledges that it
has revised its treatment of adware made by Claria Corp., formerly known as
Gator Corp.
Instead of putting the programs in "quarantine," Microsoft's anti-spyware
tool recommends users "ignore" the items it detects. Microsoft said the
change was unrelated to speculation that Microsoft has been in talks to buy
Claria (Neither company would comment on any talks).
The three months that the coalition spent discussing the terms, Edelman
said, could have been better used to get to the heart of the problem:
Clarifying what constitutes a user's consent to allow spyware or adware to
be installed on a personal computer.
The coalition did, however, provide tips for consumers, including advice
on how to read license agreements and other "fine print" where consent is
often sought.
Adware vendors said they welcome clearer rules on what's acceptable, though
they consider definitions a good start.
"Is it perfect? No, but any kind of refinement, any added clarity is going
to be helpful," said Sean Sundwall, a spokesman for 180solutions Inc. "50
percent is way better than 0 percent."
Bill Day, chief executive of WhenU.com Inc., said the terms "will tend to
add structure to what has now been unstructured conversations" with
anti-spyware vendors.
Schwartz said nothing in the definitions or the upcoming "best practices"
guidelines will eliminate all differences among makers of anti-spyware
programs.
"Companies are going to make decisions, and people are going to have to
decide which anti-spyware tool is best for them," Schwartz said. "Each
company itself will have to make decisions about whether something is
unwanted or unexpected."
Internet Surfing Tops List of Workplace Time Wasters
American workers are goofing off for two hours a day, trawling the Internet
or jawing with co-workers, costing their employers 759 billion dollars a
year, according to a new survey.
Forty-four percent of 10,000 respondents to the poll by America Online and
Salary.com said the most popular way to while away time in the office was
through personal Internet use, including e-mail, instant messaging and chat
rooms.
Another 23 percent of those polled preferred running down the clock by
socializing with co-workers.
Other ways of frittering away time on the boss's dollar included making
personal phone calls, running errands and an activity described as "spacing
out."
Two hours of frittered-away time adds up to about twice the slacking off
that employers expect.
"A certain amount of slacking off is already built into the salary
structure," says Bill Coleman, senior vice president at Salary.com.
"Our survey results show that workers, on average, are wasting a little
more than twice what their employers expect. That's a startling figure,"
he said.
The survey found that American workers were wasting 2.09 hours per day, not
including a lunch break.
The biggest time wasters were young people born since 1970, while older
people still in the workforce were much harder working.
Employees in the insurance sector did little to redeem their unflattering
public image, clocking up 2.5 hours a day in frittered-away time, the
survey said.
Based on the average yearly annual salary of 39,795 dollars per year, all
of that wasted time adds up to 759 billion dollars.
"It's interesting to note that the Internet was cited as the leading
time-wasting activity," said Samara Jaffe, director of careers/AOL Find a
Job, America Online. "It goes to show how integrated it has become to the
daily functions of our personal and professional lives."
Microsoft Denies Special Deals with Open-Source Community
Microsoft officials denied yesterday that the software giant will
collaborate with open-source software developers to run Microsoft's
products on top of other operating systems such as Linux.
The head of Open Source Development Labs (OSDL), Stuart Cohen, started
rumors flying on Tuesday when he offered comments about upcoming
cooperation with Microsoft. Cohen made those remarks while speaking with
attendees at the Commonwealth Technology Forum in London.
The OSDL, founded in 2000, is a global consortium dedicated to accelerating
the adoption of Linux.
"OSDL has always held the opinion that Microsoft will listen to its
customers and find a way to successfully participate in open source," said
Jennifer Cloer, an OSDL spokesperson, from a media office in Oregon.
"However, there are not currently any collaboration efforts to report.
Stewart made those comments about future expectations, but there have been
no back-room meetings or secret agreements," she said.
Cohen did not respond to requests to discuss the basis of his comments on
collaboration with Microsoft.
While Cohen's comments Tuesday clearly fuel the speculation that the OSDL
might be trying to broker a deal with Microsoft, the company officials
remain adamant about not changing long-standing policies regarding
open-source development.
"With specific regards to speculation that Microsoft may begin developing
applications to run on open source platforms, I do want to confirm that
Microsoft does not have any plans to port applications to Linux," said
Katherine Clouse, a spokesperson from the Waggener Edstrom Rapid Response
Team for Microsoft.
Microsoft's general manager of platform strategy, Martin Taylor, used an
e-mail exchange yesterday to deny that Microsoft will pursue any
collaboration with the OSDL.
"We have and will continue to make our strategic bets on the Windows
platform. Simply put, we believe that Windows provides greater business
value and lower long-term costs for customers than competing platforms,
including Linux," Taylor wrote.
However, Taylor admitted that Microsoft does engage in limited
collaboration with selected manufacturers.
"We understand many of our customers operate in mixed environments, and we
are committed to working together with customers, partners and the industry
to provide solutions that meet customer needs," Taylor wrote.
He noted that Microsoft has an agreement with Motorola that allows that
manufacturer to build Linux-powered phones that include Microsoft's
proprietary ActiveSync protocol. As another example, Taylor said Microsoft
currently licenses certain Windows Media technologies to TurboLinux so that
they may use these technologies as part of their bundled Linux
distributions.
Cohen, the OSDL chief, said on Tuesday that his organization is continuing
to push for widespread adoption of Linux. To that end, he announced the
appointment of Claude Beullens as director for Europe, the Middle East and
Africa (EMEA).
Beullens brings nearly 30 years of experience in enterprise computing,
sales and marketing to lead OSDL's efforts and initiatives throughout the
region. He comes to OSDL after serving in product, engineering and sales
and marketing management positions at AMC, Apollo Computer, Hewlett-Packard
and MC2. He is fluent in English, French, German, Dutch and Luxembourgish.
"There is a philosophical foundation in place throughout Europe that drives
the adoption of Linux and open source technologies to achieve social and
economic advancement," Cohen said at the forum on Tuesday.
"OSDL can contribute to this environment by providing resources that will
accelerate Linux deployments for local governments, local and international
businesses and with European entrepreneurs. Claude's extensive experience
and leadership in the European software industry will significantly enhance
this contribution."
Mark Spencer, president of Digium, an open-source telecommunications
hardware supplier, is not convinced that Microsoft will not pursue the
Linux platform. He said Microsoft already has hired experts to learn more
about open-source technology.
"Open Source is now a market reality. Microsoft historically has an amazing
ability to turn itself around when new technologies develop," said Spencer.
"If Microsoft is looking at open source, then Microsoft wants to make sure
it has its bases covered."
Spencer said Microsoft likes to try new things before buying into it. The
company's recent decision to share source code with other software
developers is an indication that Microsoft is interested in getting into
the open-source market.
"Microsoft is very adaptable. At some point it will have to have a play in
the open-source market," said Spencer.
Competition Slashing Costs of Broadband
Telephone and cable TV companies are slashing broadband prices and boosting
connection speeds as the two monopoly-prone industries prepare to lock
horns on multiple fronts.
Comcast Corp. fired the latest shot in the battle this week by announcing
plans to boost the speed of its entry-level cable broadband service to 6
megabits per second - as much as four times faster than a typical DSL
connection over a phone line.
That move follows a series of promotions which have lowered introductory
rates for a high-speed Internet line to between $15 and $30 a month, down
from the typical $30 and $45 a month.
The prize is far larger than signing up more high-speed Internet users,
analysts say. Companies are trying to lock in customers who may soon be
offered the convenience of buying phone, cable, Internet and wireless
services from a single provider out of convenience.
Two of the big regional phone companies, Verizon Communications Inc. and
SBC Communications Inc., are spending billions to replace their copper
lines with fiber-optic cables that provide enough capacity to deliver
hundreds of channels of cable TV starting later this year.
The cable companies, meanwhile, are rolling out phone service over their
cable lines and exploring options to add cell phones to their mix.
In advance of this head-to-head competition, Verizon, SBC and Qwest
Communications International Inc. recently cut their introductory rates
for DSL to $15 or $20 per month, and the cable carriers Comcast, Time
Warner Inc. and Charter Communications Inc. sweetened their introductory
prices to $20 to $30 per month.
The phone companies are especially "willing to take a hit on margins... if
they can keep their landline users," said Mike Paxton, a senior analyst at
In-Stat, a technology research firm in Scottsdale, Ariz.
But by limiting the price cuts to new customers, the companies may risk
angering their current subscribers.
"It's frustrating that they're not giving their loyal customers the same
kind of deal," said Kerry Smith, an attorney from South Philadelphia who
subscribes to Comcast for cable, but pays Verizon for Internet and phone
service.
The cable and phone companies are betting that existing customers will find
it too inconvenient to switch. That's why cable operators - which are ahead
of phone companies in signing up broadband Internet users - don't feel as
pressured to slash prices as deeply, Paxton said.
Even in markets where DSL prices have dropped, cable has not been hurt
badly, Paxton said.
"It's frankly a pain in the butt to switch," he said.
Cable broadband typically costs more than DSL, but cable operators have
emphasized speed, arguing that their rates are competitive since the
connections are often faster. Phone companies, however, have been closing
the speed gap between cable and DSL.
Comcast's speedier connections will be available later this month in
Pennsylvania, New England, New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan and Washington,
D.C. For most of its other markets, the new speeds will be available by
the end of summer. In May, Qwest unveiled a premium DSL service with a top
download speed of 5 Mbps.
"Speed very much matters. Reliability matters," said Dave Watson, executive
vice president of cable operations at Comcast.
The phone companies appear to believe that customers are more aware of
price than speed.
"A lot of people can't tell the difference" in download speed, spokeswoman
Bobbi Henson said.
SBC has been the most aggressive in cutting prices. The company has cut its
DSL price at least three times in less than two years - from $26.95 in
early 2004 to $19.95 last November and $14.95 in June, said spokeswoman
April Borlinghaus.
But the Internet price war is just a precursor of a larger battle to come
between the industries.
=~=~=~=
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